Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 663 Part 2

Gray scratched his cheek as he glanced at the camera. Lim Yeon and Park Seonga felt conflicted as they looked at his bright expression.

Should they be happy that he seemed to be doing better, or frustrated that he was hiding his true feelings?

“Hmm. Do you always have to bring the camera with you, even on your day off?”

George’s voice came from behind the camera, invisible to them.

“It’s a documentary, remember? We have to show how a violinist spends his leisure time. How he gets inspired by doing things like this, you know?”

“Uh-huh.”

Gray fidgeted with his hands, a small gesture that betrayed his discomfort.

“Gray! How about we go to Iris Lake? I’ve never been there before!”

Rebecca’s suggestion settled their destination.

After they arrived at Iris Lake, Rebecca and George went to buy some lunch, leaving Gray alone.

That’s when he heard it. The sound of a violin somewhere.

Gray’s face lit up as he followed the sound of the violin.

***

The performance was mediocre at best. It was clear that the player was not a professional.

There were occasional off-notes.

The sound was harsh and grating, as if the violin was not well-maintained.

The bow and the strings looked like they were about to snap at any moment, having long passed their lifespan.

Gray felt a surge of anger at the sound of the violin.

Who was this violinist who treated his instrument so poorly?

As the sound of the violin got closer, Gray quickened his pace, but quietly.

He turned a corner. And stopped in his tracks.

“Wow!”

A crowd of people clapping and cheering.

And in the center of them, the violinist.

A wrinkled face sunburnt by the sun.

Rough and scarred hands.

Faded clothes.

Worn-out shoes.

An old violin that was out of tune.

A bow with only a few strands left.

But the old man’s happy expression.

Until the next clumsy performance came out,

Gray Vainy couldn’t say anything and stood there as if nailed to the spot.

He was a strange old man who reminded him of the young Gray in [Over the Rainbow1]. Maybe Gray was thinking the same thing.

Lim Yeon and Park Seonga watched the old man, his performance, his expression, and Gray who was looking at him without breathing.

***

[Chicago/ Deterly Hall]

The boundary between light and darkness.

Right in front of the way to the stage, Gray stopped walking.

The violin in his hand was heavier than usual.

He kept thinking of the old man’s happy face.

It was a mistake-filled performance and a worthless stage.

There were children who didn’t know if they were disturbing the violin performance and made noise, and there were many noises in the open space.

But… why couldn’t he get rid of that image from his head?

“Gray?”

Gray snapped out of it at George’s voice.

This was not the time to think about that.

Gray stood here with the support and help of his friends and many people.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

He had to repay the expectations of the people who were sitting and waiting, and the cheers of the people who helped him succeed.

The tie around his neck felt like it was choking him, but Gray ignored it and took a step forward.

“Wow!”

A loud applause and cheers sounded.

And the screen turned black and the headlines appeared.

[Gray Vainy, a successful concert in Chicago, Illinois!]

[Genius violinist, Gray Vainy’s brilliant performance applauded!]

***

[After the Chicago concert/Rest day]

For Rebecca, who wanted to look around, Gray picked up an empty staff paper. ‘…Huh?’

“Gray, you’re composing here.”

“…Composing?”

“George said he’ll edit it for you. Just pretend. Just pretend.”

‘…Wow.’

“George, you…”

Gray looked at George across the camera with a sour expression, as if he had seen the truth of the world.

“Why. A genius violinist who gets inspiration and composes on the street. It’s fine.”

“…Okay. Fine.”

Gray smiled helplessly at George’s shameless attitude. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The audience laughed at George’s words that he would blatantly manipulate the broadcast. But Gray felt a little lighter with George and Rebecca around. ꭆАℕΟВĘṡ

But soon the atmosphere became heavy.

Gray’s hand holding the pen was wandering on the empty staff paper. Gray’s confused expression also weighed on the audience’s hearts.

Then, music was heard.

Gray looked up reflexively. There was nothing around him.

Gray got up from his seat to find the source of the sound, and the filming crew around the bench moved with him.

Gray walked with the staff paper in his hand. After walking a little from the bench, he saw a small park-like place. There were performers there.

♬

An electric piano, a guitar, and a violin.

They were not professional, but they were skilled street musicians.

Gray Vainy stopped and looked at them.

Like the old man he saw in Cleveland, these three performers also played with bright and happy faces.

They reminded him of Rebecca’s face a little while ago.

A feeling that he had unknowingly buried came out slightly.

He was envious.

As those three words came to his mind, he felt suffocated even though he wasn’t wearing a tie.

The place where the performers stood seemed to be shining, but his place was only a few steps away and it seemed to be left in the darkness.

Suddenly, he felt anxious and frustrated, and he clenched his hands without knowing.

Crunch.

He was startled by the sound and looked down. His trembling hands were holding an empty score and a pen.

‘Ah.’

He had been at a loss until a moment ago, but now he had random melodies in his mind.

Dark and deep emotions writhed as if they wanted him to engrave them on the score. Those melodies that made the listener and the performer breathless and hit their chests were screaming for him to take them out.

‘…No.’

Of course, those emotions could also make great songs, but Gray wanted to put something else on the staff paper.

He didn’t care who looked or said what, he lay down on the floor and filled the staff paper.

Of course, he couldn’t fit everything on the narrow staff paper, but his head was already full of melodies.

The sight of Gray composing like crazy on the floor was like seeing the young Gray in [Over the Rainbow1]. He was the boy who had been cheated by a con artist and turned his angry and unfair feelings into a wonderful song called [Over the Rainbow].

Lim Yeon and the audience held their hands in anticipation.

‘Yes. Gray.’

‘You’re not a kid who will fall here.’

“Here.”

In front of Gray, who was staring blankly at the full staff paper, something familiar, if not dear, appeared. It was a violin.

George smiled and handed him the violin.

“Let’s play it.”

Gray got up from his seat and reached out, blinking his eyes at the violin.

He felt like he had gone back to that day when he was young, when he first held a violin. He was a little scared, but his hands trembled with joy.

Gray Vainy rested his chin on the violin. And he pulled the bow down hard.

[Gray’s Violin Performance NO.3: Good afternoon]

“Wow-”

The audience gasped at the beautiful melody that came through the speaker. They understood. They didn’t dare to say anything because they might disturb it, but they felt the same way.

It was as if the park scenery he had just seen was unfolding in front of his eyes. He also thought of Rebecca’s cheerful steps running for what she wanted. He felt his heart pounding just by listening to the performance.

“—!”

The bow followed the last note and slid down.

Gray, who had played with all his strength, let out a rough breath and stood still. There was nothing but his breathing around him.

Silence flowed.

The birds that had been chirping also closed their beaks and became quiet.

“Wow!”

Gray thanked them with a bright face at the applause of the people in the park.

***

[Kansas City/ Meccani Hall]

The stage is different.

The audience is different.

But the darkness behind the stage is always the same.

Gray Vainy, holding a violin in his hand, took a breath in the darkness. [Good afternoon], the song he composed like crazy a few days ago, seemed faint.

Ding, dang.

He snapped his fingers and tried to recall the notes. But his blank mind showed him nothing.

He didn’t expect to overcome it at once.

But he thought it would be a trigger. He thought it would get better, even a little.

Instead… he didn’t know it would become a poison.

He thought of the old man’s face. He thought of Rebecca’s steps. He thought of the people’s smiles. He thought of the street musician’s expression.

‘What is my expression?’

‘How did I play?’

He felt like his mind had turned white, and he couldn’t remember the song he was going to play today.

Gray Vainy stepped back without knowing.

The eyes of the people who filled the audience, full of expectations, and the light of the spotlight, brighter than the sun, seemed to sting his whole body.

Lim Yeon’s face was filled with worry as she saw Gray, who had played brilliantly just before, fall into the darkness again.

She knew well that it was not easy to get out of trouble in an instant.

“Gray.”

Thud, Gray Vainy came to his senses.

He turned his head and looked at his friends, George and Rebecca, standing behind the camera. Because of the darkness, Gray’s expression was not caught by the camera.

But he could tell how confused and struggling he was.

“…I’m fine.”

Gray said, looking at his friends’ worried faces.

“I’m fine.”

He seemed to be talking to himself.

I am the violinist Gray Vainy.

I was able to stand here with the help of many people in the world.

I had to repay their support.

I had to keep moving forward, without stopping. I had to go up.

“And this is the last concert, right? I have to do my best until the end.”

He didn’t know if he could start the next tour in this state, but he wanted to finish this tour’s last concert perfectly.

“Can you tell me to cheer up?”

“…Cheer up. Gray.”

“Cheer up.”

Gray smiled at Rebecca and George’s words.

Soon, the genius violinist stepped onto the stage.

A loud cheer sounded.

The screen turned black and the flashy headlines covered the screen.

[Gray Vainy, successfully finishes the last concert of the tour!]

[What’s next for the genius violinist Gray Vainy?]

How many people were looking at ‘the genius violinist Gray Vainy’.

Lim Yeon, who was watching, felt suffocated.

The documentary filming continued even after the tour ended.

When the manager asked about his participation in the charity concert, Gray decided to attend without playing.

He was about to show the preparation process for the charity concert, but the destination changed when Rebecca brought an invitation.

“Wow.”

Like Gray, who couldn’t hide his admiration, the audience couldn’t help but marvel at the wide scenery.

It was the United States, with a large land.

The golden wheat field that stretched to the horizon filled the screen.

The meeting with the Linda family who sent the invitation.

It felt like a documentary where they met by chance while traveling and were invited to dinner, and Lim Yeon laughed.

By the way, the Linda family played instruments. So after a pleasant dinner, a small concert by the Linda family was held in the living room.

“Gray might find it lacking, but I hope you enjoy it.”

The grandmother, who sat in front of the piano, said in a gentle voice, and Gray quickly shook his head.

“No. I’m looking forward to it. Really.”

At that, the Linda family’s faces, which were similar to each other, blushed.

The grandmother who sat in front of the piano, the grandfather who held a golden saxophone that resembled the color of wheat, the father who held castanets that were smaller than his thick hands, the mother who sat down and prepared to play the guitar, and Linda who raised a silver flute.

“Then let’s start!”

Tuck-tuck-!

As Linda spoke, the father’s castanets started to make noise.

♩♬

They played an old song that expressed the love of the family, and looked at each other with a harmonious smile.

Like Gray, who smiled involuntarily, Lim Yeon and Park Seonga also smiled without knowing.

At George’s suggestion, Gray decided to return the favor with a violin performance.

While Rebecca went to get the violin, Linda smiled and said.

“Gray. Do you want to see outside?”

“Outside?”

“It’s our family’s favorite time!”

“Gray will like it too.”

Linda’s father smiled brightly and opened the door.

A bright light came in between the slowly opening doors.

Gray’s eyes widened as he looked at something.

George’s camera captured the scene of the warm orange light touching Gray’s face.

“This is our family’s favorite scenery.”

“I hope Gray likes it too!”

Hearing the proud voice of the Linda family, Gray took a step forward.

He saw the sun that slowly changed the end of the blue sky to red, yellow, and orange.

Sunset.

It was a sunset.

The orange sunset filled the sky and the earth.

The light settled on the golden wheat field, and dyed everything around it orange.

“Ah…”

He couldn’t help but sigh at the amazing natural scenery.

Gray slowly approached the wheat field. It felt like he was approaching the golden sun that was burning brightly.

The orange sunset, the golden wheat field, and Gray standing alone in front of them.

It felt like he was looking at a classic painting.

He couldn’t get out of the mesmerizing scenery and the inspiration that came rushing in, and Gray licked his lips.

“Violin…”

“Here!”

Rebecca, who had been waiting quietly, quickly handed him the violin.

She seemed to be more nervous than Gray, but Gray, and the audience who were overwhelmed by the scenery, didn’t notice.

“Thank you.”

He took the violin out of the case and rested his chin on it. And without a second of hesitation, he pulled the bow down.

♬

The warm sunset that filled the sky, the horizon of the vast golden wheat field, the pleasant dinner time with the Linda family, the impressive but clumsy performance that they exchanged eyes with, all turned into melodies as Gray moved the bow and pressed the strings.

The audience held their breath, not wanting to interrupt even with a sigh.

Ordinary but not so ordinary.

A sunset that you can see every day, but is amazing when you experience it.

A family’s love that you don’t know when you have it, but feel when you don’t.

Let’s all have dinner together.

It was such a tender song.

[Gray’s Violin Performance NO.4: Good evening] was.

The performance that seemed to last forever ended, and night came.

Gray and George, who stayed in the guest room on the second floor, drank tea and watched the night sky.

“Gray.”

“Hmm?”

“…Don’t you regret it?”

“Regret?”

Gray looked at George. George was still looking at the night sky.

“What regret?”

“…Crowdfunding, I mean.”

The thing that his younger self had suggested.

George spoke slowly.

“Your story became known to the world.”

His voice sounded choked somehow.

“And you got people’s attention.”

“I don’t regret it.”

At the crisp answer that came in an instant, George turned his head and looked at Gray. Gray had a rare firm expression.

No, maybe it wasn’t rare.

This kind and gentle guy always had that firm and upright expression when it came to the violin.

“If it weren’t for George and Rebecca, if it weren’t for crowdfunding, I wouldn’t have met the violin and I wouldn’t have been able to play like this.”

“…Yeah.”

George smiled helplessly at Gray’s sincere words and got up from his seat. It was time to get ready for bed.

The place where George left to wash up.

Gray quietly looked out the window.

The sky and the wheat field that had been dyed with warm orange light were dark and quiet.

Gray’s face reflected in the dark glass was stained with sadness and sorrow.

Lim Yeon felt like she knew the cause of Gray’s slump from George and Gray’s conversation.

The crowdfunding that many people supported, the people’s interest, Gray’s kind personality, the darkness behind the stage, the splendor on the stage, Gray’s happy performance and expression in a free state.

Gray’s whole life was dominated by the thought that he had to succeed for the sponsors.

He didn’t have time to feel the happiness of playing the violin.

[Lim Yeon, thank you for your long support.]

But Lim Yeon could assert as a sponsor.

She didn’t want that at all.

She just wanted him to enjoy playing.