Chapter 248

Translator: Dreamscribe

“What are you going to do?”

Gyeo-ul asked, burying her face in her scarf. Her hands and feet trembled from the cold.

“It’s fine. I should be able to find somewhere to sleep. I could also try asking at a university or the Polish Mathematical Society.”

That was what he said, but his thoughts were complicated.

How was he supposed to show up at a place he knew nothing about and ask them to find him somewhere to sleep? Since it was already late, the most realistic option would be to spend the night near the station and get moving early in the morning.

Sharp-eyed Gyeo-ul did not miss the way Seo-ha’s expression stiffened.

“...Do you want to stay at my place?”

“Huh?”

Seo-ha’s mind went blank.

“The place I’m staying at. It’s about a ten-minute walk from here. It’s a residence the Concours organizers provided for the participants.... The room isn’t very big, but there’s a sofa, and the heating works well.”

“W-Wait a second.”

Given the situation, that was undoubtedly the best option. But the finals were only two days away. If he was careless, he might end up affecting Gyeo-ul’s condition.

As Seo-ha hesitated to answer, Gyeo-ul took the handle of his suitcase from him.

“Come on, let’s go. My fingers are freezing.”

“Huh? Oh! Okay.”

In the end, the two of them began walking side by side through the streets of Warsaw at night.

Rattle.

The sound of the suitcase wheels rolling over the stone pavement broke the stillness of the quiet night.

The night wind was bitter enough to sting their skin. Beneath the streetlights, their breath drifted out in white clouds before slowly dissolving into the darkness.

Seo-ha kept glancing around.

The beautiful streets looked as though they had preserved centuries of history exactly as they were, and Gyeo-ul walked ahead of him.

Watching her stubbornly pull his suitcase, her face half-buried in her scarf as she hurried along in short steps, Seo-ha thought she somehow resembled a small bird. Whenever the wind blew, Gyeo-ul’s hair fluttered gracefully. Perhaps because of the cold air, her face had turned bright red.

Feeling guilty, Seo-ha hurried ahead of her.

“It’s cold. Let me carry it.”

“It’s fine. You’re the one who must be exhausted after flying all the way here. You probably didn’t get any proper sleep either.”

Seo-ha spoke with a dejected expression.

“The competition is so close, and I came here just to cause trouble for you.”

“Cause trouble.... Don’t say that.”

Her tone was a little curt. But Gyeo-ul did not dislike this moment at all, walking through the night with him after seeing him for the first time in six months.

Grrrr-

It had been quite a while since he had eaten his in-flight meal.

Seo-ha grabbed his stomach with an embarrassed expression and awkwardly looked away. Gyeo-ul smiled when she saw him.

“We already missed our restaurant reservation. I thought you’d like the food there....”

“It’s fine. We can go another day.”

She had been looking forward to seeing him, yet everything had gone wrong right from the start.

“Pfft!”

Gyeo-ul finally failed to hold it in and lowered her head, giggling.

“Why are you laughing?”

Seo-ha asked with an aggrieved expression.

“It’s nothing. Just because.”

After laughing for a while, she finally managed to catch her breath.

“Come on. There’s a grocery store up ahead. I’ll make you something simple back at the residence.”

“You cook?”

Gyeo-ul chuckled at his surprised expression.

“Why? Do I look like I can’t?”

“A little.”

“That’s mean.”

He thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook his head. No matter how much he tried, he simply could not picture Gyeo-ul cooking.

Jingle-

Gyeo-ul pushed open the door of the grocery store. Apparently she was a regular, because she exchanged a brief greeting with the owner. She expertly pushed a cart around, picking out fresh meat and vegetables along with some high-quality olive oil.

“Performers are constantly flying across time zones for performances. But if we don’t handle outside food well, our stomachs can get upset or our fingertips can swell.

Since managing our condition is everything, cooking while abroad is basically a pianist’s survival strategy.”

Seo-ha carefully examined the ingredients Gyeo-ul placed in the cart. Lean meat with little marbling and fresh vegetables. The ingredients were focused on protein and healthy fats while leaving out carbohydrates.

“I see.”

Ten years had passed since they first met. Just as he had changed, so had she.

The small, mischievous girl she had once been had become a performer who had learned her own rules for surviving in the harsh world of music.

Compared to her, how pathetic was he?

Seo-ha reflected on how often he made do with coffee and sandwiches instead of proper meals.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Seo-ha quickly moved closer and took the heavy grocery bag from her.

After walking a little farther toward the outskirts of the city, they arrived at a neat-looking building.

Gulp.

Gyeo-ul swallowed nervously.

“This is where the finalists are staying. We’re supposed to stay here until the competition ends.”

She gestured for Seo-ha to follow her as if nothing was wrong.

She could feel him walking close behind her.

Thump.

Thump.

As they climbed the stairs, she heard someone coming down from above. It was Stella, the German pianist who lived next door. Gyeo-ul’s eyes began to waver.

“Hi, Gyeo-ul.”

“Hi, Stella.”

Stella gave her a brief nod and walked past the two of them.

Gyeo-ul noticed the corners of Stella’s lips curl up ever so slightly. Her face turned as red as a carrot from embarrassment.

‘Of all people, I had to run into Stella.’

They had been using this residence since the first main round.

With so many young contestants gathered together, some of the performers occasionally brought their partners back to the residence. Gyeo-ul had never said anything, but she had thought they were ridiculous. It must have shown plainly on her face too. Yet today, she was the one in that position.

“Aren’t we going up?”

Seo-ha asked from behind her, blinking.

“Huh? Y-Yeah, of course!”

Gyeo-ul barely managed to move her legs, creaking like a stiff doll.

They reached the third floor and stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway.

Click.

Her hand trembled as she inserted the key and turned it.

The door opened, but Seo-ha stood there awkwardly, hesitating to enter. Gyeo-ul walked around behind him and pushed him inside by the back.

There was a narrow entryway, a small living room, and a wooden table that seemed to serve as both a desk and dining table. Through the window, they could see the streets of Warsaw’s Old Town.

“Sit down. You can unpack too, if you want.”

Gyeo-ul said as she set the grocery bag on the table. Glancing over, she saw Seo-ha sitting on the sofa after placing his suitcase in the corner.

She tied her hair back tightly with a band and asked,

“Anything you can’t eat?”

“No, I eat pretty much anything.”

“Good.”

She opened the refrigerator and looked over the ingredients inside.

Lentils, tomato sauce, butter, mushrooms.... Every last ingredient had been chosen purely with condition management in mind. Still, she thought she could make something decent with them.

As she melted butter in a pot, a rich, savory aroma spread through the room.

Gyeo-ul cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and seasoned it with salt and pepper. When she placed the meat in the heated pan, the surface gradually browned.

After setting the meat aside, she added olive oil and sautéed onions and garlic.

Sizzle-

A delicious sound came from the pot.

She poured tomato sauce over the sautéed ingredients and added the lentils she had soaked beforehand. After adding just enough water and returning the meat to the pot, it quickly began to look like a proper dish.

Gyeo-ul chopped the mushrooms into large pieces, added them, and covered the pot with a lid.

“Na na na, ta-ra-ra-ran-”

Seo-ha quietly rose from the sofa and peeked into the kitchen, wondering if there was anything he could help with. Seeing Gyeo-ul humming as she cooked felt unfamiliar, yet strangely comfortable.

‘Was cooking her hobby?’

He looked away and sat back down on the sofa.

The stew bubbled inside the pot. The combined aromas of butter, beef, tomatoes, and herbs filled the small residence.

Only then did Seo-ha realize just how hungry he was. As if she somehow sensed it, Gyeo-ul turned around and said,

“You have to wait a little longer!”

“Okay. Take your time.”

Gyeo-ul opened the lid and scraped the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula, turning the ingredients over. Then it went into the oven for another thirty minutes.

She could prepare the salad while she waited.

A little while later, an impressive-looking dinner had been set out on the table.

With the stew served in the pot, a lightly dressed salad, and some bread left over from breakfast on the side, she had put together a fairly convincing European home-cooked meal.

“Wow....”

Seo-ha gave her a thumbs-up in genuine admiration.

“Sit down already. Be careful, it’s hot.”

Gyeo-ul sat down first and picked up the ladle.

She neatly served the stew into a bowl. Tender beef fillet had been simmered in a red tomato-based broth, with lentils and various vegetables mixed appetizingly throughout.

“Try it while it’s hot.”

Gyeo-ul said as she pushed the bowl toward him.

Seo-ha scooped up a generous spoonful of broth and meat and brought it to his mouth. A tangy yet deeply savory flavor filled his mouth.

His body, tense from the long flight and the strain of being in an unfamiliar country, felt as though it were slowly relaxing. Seo-ha silently took several more spoonfuls before murmuring in admiration,

“It’s delicious.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I didn’t expect it to be this good. I’m surprised.”

The corners of Gyeo-ul’s lips slowly rose. Her chest tingled pleasantly.

She had lied today.

It was true that she cooked often. It was also true that she had to be careful about what she ate to maintain her condition.

But almost no performer went into the kitchen with a Concours approaching. If they injured a hand while handling a knife, it could be disastrous.

On top of that, she had made stew today, which meant handling a hot pot. Under normal circumstances, she never would have chosen to make it.

Before long, the plates were empty.

“I’ll clean up.”

Seo-ha stood and cleared the table.

Shhhhh-

As he carried the dishes to the sink and washed them, Gyeo-ul went into the bathroom to change.

A little while later, the sound of the shower could be heard.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

Seo-ha wondered whether he was supposed to leave the room at a time like this.

But where would he go?

“You should wash up too.”

While he was still worrying about it, Gyeo-ul came out, drying her hair with a towel.

The scent of soap drifted toward him.

When Seo-ha stood frozen in place, Gyeo-ul spoke as if it were nothing unusual.

“There are towels inside. If you don’t have shampoo or anything, you can use mine.”

“O-Okay!”

Seo-ha hurriedly grabbed a change of clothes and entered the bathroom.

By the time he finished showering and came out, Gyeo-ul was already ready for bed. Seo-ha’s eyes darted around before he settled down on the floor beside the bed.

“I’ll sleep here.”

The two-person sofa was far too small for the tall Seo-ha to lie down on.

Gyeo-ul chuckled and tossed him a blanket.

“I’m turning off the light.”

Click.

Perhaps because he was exhausted, Seo-ha quickly fell asleep.

Huu... huu...

The sound of steady breathing filled the darkness.

Gyeo-ul gently turned over and looked down toward the floor.

‘He really can sleep in a situation like this.’

Seo-ha lay there sleeping flat on his back. Since he was so tall, he took up almost all the available floor space.

‘That must be uncomfortable.’

But there was nothing she could do about it.

Resolving to find him a good hotel tomorrow, Gyeo-ul tried to fall asleep as well.

The first movement of Chopin’s concerto played in her head. The part where the piano solo began. Her fingers twitched against the blanket in time with the rhythm.

Somewhere between sleep and music, Gyeo-ul’s consciousness slowly grew hazy. And, as always, she had a nightmare.

“Haa... haa.”

Gyeo-ul sat up in bed, breathing heavily.

She looked at the clock. It was two in the morning.

The dream was always similar.

She pressed the keys onstage, but no sound came out, as though she were underwater. She could hear the audience murmuring, yet she could not move at all.

Huu... huu...

Hearing the soft, even breathing, Gyeo-ul looked down beside the bed.

‘He must have been really tired.’

Suddenly, she remembered the past.

That day when she had listened to his heartbeat.

Rustle.

Unable to resist the impulse, Gyeo-ul lay down beside Seo-ha and pressed her ear against his chest.

Thump.

Thump.

Neither fast nor slow. Hearing Seo-ha’s heartbeat, unchanged from when he was thirteen, Gyeo-ul felt an unconscious sense of relief.

She closed her eyes.

Her stiff body gradually relaxed.

That night, for the first time since coming to Poland, Gyeo-ul was able to sleep deeply.

*****

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