Devil’s Music

Chapter 226

Late at night, after putting Kiska to bed, Geon sat alone on the living room sofa, turning on the stand light, staring blankly at the script book Kiska had colored in.

"It's the eye of Amdusias! It's clear. Kiska has the same eyes as me!"

Geon flipped through the sketchbook next to him, seriously examining the drawings and writings Kiska had made so far.

"The musical notes on the staff paper aren't colored in. That means there's a difference between Kiska's eyes and mine. I see music, and Kiska sees...writing?"

Geon rubbed his forehead, lost in thought.

"That's why I was able to write emotion-driven prose. And that explains why a child of only ten could write with the sophistication of an artist."

A memory of Tchaikovsky, whom he met in Saint Petersburg in 1882, surfaced in Geon's mind.

"The devil of music gave only you and Sergei the ability. It's 'the eye of Amdusias.'"

Geon massaged his forehead again, looking back at the script book.

"It's not certain if it's the eye of Amdusias. But clearly, just as I see colors in music and paintings, Kiska sees colors in writing."

Geon quietly turned his head to look at the closed door of Kiska's room with a complicated gaze before biting his lip.

"I must teach her. She has to learn about the world from others, but she has to learn about colors from me. No one else can teach her that."

Without making a sound, Geon organized the script book and sketchbook and slightly opened the door to Kiska's room to check on her before returning to his own room. The script book left in the dark living room glowed faintly.

The next morning, with his hair a mess, Byungjun, coming out to drink water, saw Geon sitting in the living room with Kiska, showing her something in a sketchbook and explaining it to her. It seemed Geon had organized the sketchbook in advance, with colors marked next to short writings with crayons.

[Purple]

Affection, creativity, emotion

[Red]

Passion, affection, revolution, barbarism, danger, anger, vitality

[Orange]

Energy, positivity, joy, satisfaction, abundance, anxiety, brightness, health

[Yellow]

Hope, cheerfulness, warmth

[Light Green]

Comfort, youth, nature, freshness, sprouting

[Green]

Rest, peace, stability, intelligence, urgency

[Turquoise]

Sea, jealousy, cold wind

Geon pointed to each writing in the sketchbook and explained to Kiska.

"Kiska, purple represents affection, creativity, emotions. Uh, to put it simply, the emotions that writings in purple evoke might be the feeling of loving someone, or something creative, or something that brings emotional stability."

Kiska seemed to barely understand but smiled brightly, tilting her head and widening her eyes at Geon's handsome face. Byungjun, watching from behind, tilted his head in wonder.

"Orange represents energy, positivity, joy, satisfaction, abundance, anxiety, brightness, health. The emotions these colors in writings evoke are, well, active and full of energy."

Byungjun, sighing at Geon's attempt to simplify, sat down next to Kiska and asked.

"What are you doing?"

Geon waved his hand as if to say don't interrupt, and Byungjun looked at him with a look of pity.

"How is a ten-year-old supposed to know what vitality or brightness is? Did you know such words at that age?"

Geon paused to think and then pulled out a piece of staff paper where Kiska had written next to Leonine Price's humming song he had noted down. Byungjun, reading the writing, asked with a puzzled look.

"What is this? It's full of difficult words. What's with the black pony?"

Geon indicated with his head.

"That's something Kiska wrote."

Byungjun's eyes widened as he looked at the laughing Kiska beside him and then abruptly turned his head.

"Are you kidding me? Even I couldn't write this, and I'm almost thirty."

Geon chuckled and gestured towards Kiska, causing Byungjun to look down at the girl in disbelief. Finding Kiska's expression amusing, Byungjun rolled on the floor laughing for a while before holding up the sketchbook and asking.

"Is this for real?"

As Geon nodded, Byungjun stood up abruptly, pulling at his hair.

"Oh, God! Why don't you give me such talents? Why are there so many geniuses stepping on my feet, but none for me, God!"

After staggering around, pulling at his hair for a while, Byungjun straightened his hair, which had turned into a bird's nest, and sat down in front of Geon. Kiska, finding Byungjun amusing,

rolled on the sofa, clutching her stomach with laughter.

"I get that, but why are you suddenly teaching art? Kiska is good at drawing. But that's not your major. Should I look into art courses for you?"

Byungjun, now fond of Kiska, spoke affectionately, prompting Geon to shake his head.

"No, this isn't about teaching art to Kiska. It's about teaching her literature."

Byungjun, holding up the sketchbook Geon had put down, made a puzzled face.

"This? It just seems like writings about emotions related to colors?"

"Ha, yes. That's exactly the customized education Kiska needs."

Byungjun stared at Geon for a moment before sighing and putting down the sketchbook.

"I don't understand a word. Well, geniuses should just hang out with geniuses. I'm off."

"Where are you going? We're going to school in a bit. Let's go together."

"Forget it, you damned geniuses. I'll take a taxi."

"Where to?"

"What's the point in knowing a criminal's behavior, you geniuses! Sigh, Director Lin called me."

"Director Lin? Why?"

Byungjun stood up and glanced at Geon before heading to his room.

"Why call? Because a singer under contract is slacking off, I have to go and sort it out."

Geon, feeling sorry, gave an awkward smile, and then Byungjun, popping his head out from the opened door, asked.

"Are you really not going to be active?"

Geon, scratching his cheek and glancing down at Kiska, replied.

"No, I don't have much interest right now. But I'll attend the schedules that are absolutely necessary. Please tell Director Lin."

Byungjun's face lit up.

"Really?"

"Ha, yes, hyung. But please don't schedule too often."

"Ha! Got it!"

After quickly dressing, Byungjun left, and Geon, along with Kiska, decided to have a simple lunch before suddenly asking Kiska's opinion.

"Kiska, do you know what an avocado sandwich is?"

When Kiska's eyes widened, Geon smiled, showing his teeth.

"It's delicious. Let's go have a tasty sandwich with oppa!"

Kiska, holding crayons in her hand, smiled broadly and lifted her arms.

Shortly after, Geon, carrying Kiska, parked in front of Logan's bakery. Wearing sunglasses and a hat, Geon also covered Kiska's face with a straw hat and scarf before cautiously entering Logan's store. The bell on the door jingled, and Logan, alone in the store, cleaning trays, exclaimed.

"Welcome...huh! Kay?"

Geon, looking around the store and seeing no customers before lunchtime, took off his sunglasses and smiled.

"Ha, Logan, long time no see. Kay? You used to call me Geon."

Logan threw down his towel and jumped over the counter, running towards them.

"That was back when we were students! You're a huge star now! I have to call you Kay, right? Ha, how many years has it been? Really glad to see you, I've been following the news about you. Come, sit here!"

Logan offered Geon a seat, then quickly locked the door of the shop and returned to his seat.

"Aren't you open for business? If you lock the door, customers can't come in."

Logan waved his hand dismissively.

"It's fine, it's too early for customers anyway. So, how have you been?"

"Ha, I've been well, Logan. You're healthy, right?"

"Of course, without my health, I'd be a corpse. But who's this little lady in your arms...huh! Kiska!"

Kiska, seeing Logan looking at her in shock and calling her name, pulled down her scarf and widened her eyes. Logan, with eyes filled with emotion, looked at Kiska as Geon asked in bewilderment.

"What's all this emotion, Logan?"

Logan stammered with a trembling voice.

"Ke, Kay. Do you have any idea how popular Kiska is? Not as much as you, but she's receiving tremendous support from fans of my age, uncles, and aunts. Since the photos of Kiska taken by students when you returned to Juilliard were posted on SNS, there's been a rapid spread of Kiska mania! Please, take a photo before you go, I want to display it in the store!"

Geon, amused by Logan's words, agreed to take a photo in exchange for a smile.

"Two of Logan's special avocado salads, two glasses of orange juice, and then I'll take the photo. Ha"

Logan jumped up from his seat and dashed into the kitchen.

"Leave it to me! I'll make you mountains of avocado

!"

As Logan disappeared into the kitchen, Geon gently pinched Kiska's chubby cheeks and laughed.

"Our Kiska is quite popular, haha."

Kiska, not understanding the conversation but happy with Geon's laughter, smiled joyfully.

After enjoying sandwiches at Logan's bakery, Geon took Kiska to school and left her with Professor Corigliano before starting his own rigorous practice. Every day, they worked on the screenplay and received advice on music created by Leonine Price. Director Son Lin provided a professional acting teacher, Federico Marchetti, who didn't miss the opportunity to train Kay, punishing him and also teaching him valuable lessons about acting. Geon, given the chance to learn from a great teacher, dedicated himself daily to singing, acting practice, and immersed himself in the joy of opera. As deeply involved in practice as Geon was, Kiska, too, found great enjoyment in writing the screenplay and lyrics for the music, eagerly dragging Geon to school every morning to start.

And after about 40 days of intensive practice, a promotional poster for Leonine Price's retirement performance was posted at the Lincoln Center Opera House.

<Leonine Price Retirement Performance>

Born in 1927 in Mississippi to a poor farming family, she became the first black diva of opera to sing her life.

Starring: Leonine Price, Kay, students of Juilliard's opera department

Music: John Corigliano, Kiska Miocic

We invite you to her last performance. All proceeds from this performance will be donated to the African Children's Fund. For inquiries about the performance, call 1588-85XX.

>

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