The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 2061

[Extra Story] 8. The Sound We’re Missing

Seo-yeon Moon and her mentor, Professor Ma, had a close relationship that began during their time together at Korea National University of Arts.

As a freshman, Seo-yeon quickly learned about the professors through campus gossip.

Stories circulated about who was strict, who was eccentric, and so on. Choosing a major was almost a rite of passage, but among the faculty, Professor Ma Tae-ho was particularly notorious.

Freshmen and upperclassmen alike whispered that no one had ever escaped Professor Ma Tae-ho’s guidance without shedding tears, and that even other professors tempered their behavior in his presence.

Indeed, some students were even dismissed from his classes. Those assigned Professor Ma Tae-ho as their advisor received widespread sympathy and encouragement.

However, Seo-yeon Moon wasn’t particularly intimidated by Professor Ma Tae-ho.

When a student was dismissed, she assumed they must have deserved it. She viewed his rigorous guidance as justified.

The thorough practical evaluations and feedback seemed reasonable and accurate to her, so Seo-yeon Moon didn’t fear or dislike Professor Ma Tae-ho. Instead, she respected him for the wealth of knowledge he possessed.

Of course, she understood why others might feel differently.

Professor Ma’s attention to detail was incredibly sharp.

He seemed to know instinctively whether a student had practiced diligently or how much effort they had invested in an assignment. She recognized that his blunt delivery could be hurtful.

Furthermore, Professor Ma clearly favored certain students over others.

If I mention this, you might have guessed it.

Yes, Seo-yeon Moon was one of Professor Ma’s favorite students. Professor Ma never became angry with Seo-yeon, who readily accepted feedback and consistently demonstrated diligence.

Ah, except for one instance.

When she announced her intention to drop out.

Even then, his reaction stemmed from his deep care for her. After much persuasion, he ultimately respected her decision.

After she dropped out, Professor Ma remained the only professor she occasionally contacted. She even shared her first self-composed song with him.

Following that, she maintained contact, and they met again during a long vacation.

– What have you been up to lately? You’ve been so quiet.

– I’ve just been resting.

– Not composing?

– I want to write a new song, but I’m feeling stuck.

– Then, would you like to come out to an event?

– Yes? Where?

Seo-yeon Moon, feeling hesitant, returned to Korea National University of Arts and realized that the professor was as busy as ever.

From recitals to teaching classes and academic pursuits, he also organized sound exhibitions.

Seo-yeon Moon, who considered herself diligent, felt compelled to re-evaluate her own efforts. What surprised her even more was that he consistently volunteered his time despite his demanding schedule.

Consequently, Seo-yeon Moon spent her vacation primarily volunteering at pediatric wards and orphanages, an experience that evoked a wide range of thoughts and emotions.

Of course, that wasn’t where she was now.

Professor Ma was preparing for a sound exhibition around this time, and Seo-yeon Moon was planning to attend with him.

The project explored a world where ‘hearing’ took precedence over sight in our visually-dependent society.

With the participation of various artists and sound experts, Seo-yeon Moon anticipated that this cultural event would be quite refreshing.

Knowing that filming would be nearly impossible during the exhibition, she contacted the professor.

“Hoo-.”

Seo-yeon Moon took a deep breath.

The professor had made an unexpected suggestion, which led her here.

– Wouldn’t it be a shame to limit this to just an exhibition? I’ve decided to create an auditory textbook with some colleagues. There are plenty of textbooks that present the world as a ‘picture’, but resources focusing on ‘sound’ or ‘music’ seem to be lacking.

– Wow···!

They were now in nature, a place where human presence and voices were scarce.

“President, are you tired?”

Seo-yeon Moon asked, noticing that Halo had suddenly stopped walking and was looking around.

She had suggested leaving the guitar behind, but the president, who had brought the guitar case and even audio equipment, was likely exhausted.

The rest of the group paused their climb.

Initially excited to be with a celebrity, they had quickly grown accustomed to his presence, and now their faces reflected only fatigue.

They didn’t seem thrilled about climbing the mountain with the professor on this precious weekend.

“President?”

However, Halo hadn’t stopped because he was tired.

He routinely carried a guitar case and maintained his physical fitness for concerts, so he wasn’t easily worn out.

He stopped simply because—.

At some point, the world had begun to sound different.

Instead of the sounds of people, cars, and digital devices, the sounds of bushes, trees, wind, and animals blended harmoniously.

And the sound of a stream flowing nearby….

“Professor, how about taking a break?”

Assistant Ahn, glancing at Halo, suggested.

The planned destination was still a considerable distance away, but a short break wouldn’t hurt.

“…”

The graduate students looked at Professor Ma.

Professor Ma, who undoubtedly had a ‘J’ [Judging] in his MBTI [Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality assessment], would usually reprimand them if he disapproved.

However, for some reason, Professor Ma glanced at Halo and then looked around, mirroring his actions.

The wind swept past with a whoosh.

‘The sound is clear.’

Professor Ma listened to the sounds around him.

The original destination was still far off, but there was no need to insist on reaching it. He clearly remembered that their sole purpose was to collect sounds, not to conquer mountains.

“Let’s explore this area for a while.”

At those words, the graduate students cautiously set down their equipment, thinking, ‘He’s so gentle today. Is it because a celebrity is here? Could it be that the professor is also a Heligan [Halo’s fan name] I’ve only heard of…?’ ‘I knew it.’

However, the quick-witted disciple whom Professor Ma favored immediately understood that they wouldn’t be moving anytime soon. He seemed to like this place.

Seo-yeon Moon watched Professor Ma and Halo looking in the same direction and took out a camera from her bag.

It was a camera borrowed from the label for her one-day DJ gig.

Seo-yeon Moon set up a tripod on the solid ground and looked up at the camera.

Halo’s image was clearly captured in the camera’s focus. It seemed she had set it up correctly, as instructed. Seo-yeon Moon was about to look away when—.

The professor began to approach Halo slowly. Regardless of who he was, the president was still just the president.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you preparing to record?”

Halo turned his head at the voice from the side.

“It’s been a while.”

“What? Do you mean coming to the mountain?”

“No, not that.”

“It’s been a while since I felt like my head was full.”

He seemed to recall having this experience in his vaguely remembered childhood.

The feeling of being overwhelmed by the sounds of the world filling his head. It was the first time in a long time that he had experienced this feeling since he began organizing sounds to create music.

Back then, he thought he had hated it because it was too noisy. Now, that childhood feeling felt welcome.

It was so strange.

He didn’t particularly like his childhood.

Halo hummed a tune happily.

The noise from back then was different from the noise of today.

Professor Ma observed Halo and thought.

‘Do people in the world call this kid a genius?’

He wasn’t sure yet.

To ordinary people, even a slight talent could be perceived as genius, but the professor had encountered too many genuinely gifted individuals. As a student at Korea National University of Arts, one would have heard the word ‘genius’ at least once, and Professor Ma had heard it even more frequently.

To be honest, Professor Ma believed that the world used the word ‘genius’ too casually.

Still, there was something unique about him.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but it started with finding ‘sound’.

No, Professor Ma didn’t believe that the boy was standing in this place by chance.

“Did you hear why you came here?”

“I heard that I came here to record sounds.”

“More precisely, I came here to capture sounds.”

The professor closed his eyes, blocking out the color in the boy’s eyes.

The wind swept through his arms, and his ears slowly opened, becoming more receptive.

“The sound that we miss with our eyes open.”

Professor Ma said, looking at the disciple and assistant who had begun recording.

“Even though music is made from sound, we who make music don’t focus on sound as much as we think. We usually rely on this more than our ears.”

Professor Ma pointed to his eyes.

“Those who make music learn how to read sheet music first. Rhythm, notes, and measures. All are important elements, but once you learn how to use your eyes, you become lazy in using other senses.”

“Ordinary people are no different. Children become familiar with letters and pictures through picture books, and when they reach the age to learn letters, they learn with such visual materials.”

How many visual materials are there in the world?

It’s even worse after learning letters.

People first encounter Korean, math, past, present, and future with their eyes.

“As a result of being lazy in using other senses, there is a sound that we miss with our eyes open. That’s why we came here to find it. I hope you find it too. Whatever it is.”

The professor finished speaking and glanced at Halo.

He wondered if the boy could understand him.

Because many of those who were called geniuses did not understand his words.

“Professor! Just a moment.”

The professor moved away at the call of the graduate student.

“Is it hard to understand? He’s a bit difficult to speak to.”

Assistant Ahn approached Halo cautiously.

“I just need to explain the purpose of the project.”

“Is there anything else?”

“Of course. It’s a project that receives government support. Ah, it’s not a secret project, it’s more like a talent donation.”

The assistant moistened his lips and pondered how to explain.

“The professor believes that there are many textbooks in the world made of visuals. It’s not wrong, but that doesn’t mean that people really only encounter and grow up with visual textbooks. We have cell phones and televisions. When we look at fairy tales, our parents read them next to us, and these days, the times are so good that a lot of sounds come out.”

However, there are people who do not have such experiences.

“But there are friends who are not like that in the world. There will be friends who have lived in pediatric wards for a long time, or friends who live in environments where it is difficult to access televisions or computers.”

Following the professor’s talent donation activities, Assistant Ahn, who initially wondered why he had to do this, began to understand. Those friends couldn’t see, hear, and experience what everyone else could.

“Assistant Ahn.”

“Yes, Professor, I’ll go now.”

Assistant Ahn transformed into a weary modern person at the professor’s call.

“The purpose of this project is to create ‘auditory textbooks’ for those friends. It will be a little easier to think of it as sounds that ‘they’ cannot access rather than sounds that ‘we’ cannot access.”

The sound that ‘they’ miss.

Halo nodded, and the assistant, interpreting it as a sign of understanding, was delighted.

“Please tell me anytime if you need help.”

“Thank you-.”

“And maybe an autograph-.”

“Assistant Ahn.”

“Yes!”

Assistant Ahn disappeared with a tearful face.

Halo watched him go and slowly raised his gaze.

Sunlight sparkled through the leaves.

Contrary to Assistant Ahn’s wish for a rain ritual, it was a terribly clear day. It was even cooler than in February.

Halo spotted a leaf falling in the wind. The leaf landed on the water with a splash.

Waves rippled outward, seeping into the stones and soil of the waterside.

And on top of that, a sprout was growing. A new life that had overcome the cold. The wind gently caressed it as if praising it, announcing the existence of a new friend in the forest. The trees sang a welcoming song with their branches and leaves.

His hand twitched.

“What are you doing?”

It was then.

Professor Ma approached as Halo stood blankly for thirty minutes.

Just in case, he was worried.

He was aware that Halo wasn’t his disciple, and he also knew that he was a young man who wasn’t even twenty years old.

‘Did everyone in the world call him a genius, and I agreed?’

The professor cared a lot for Seo-yeon Moon, and he had no intention of putting pressure on the boy she liked.

Anyway, most of the recordings would likely be discarded for various reasons. If they needed a specific sound, they would come back and record it again.

The professor was going to tell him not to feel pressured and to just do what he wanted.

However, Halo nodded and replied.

“I’m waiting.”

“For what?”

“For the sound.”

It seemed like the sound he was waiting for would arrive soon.

“Is that so?”

He wasn’t playing, he wasn’t complaining about difficulty, he was waiting, so the professor had nothing to say. He decided not to interfere anymore.

Instead, he stopped others from talking to Halo and kept a close watch on his actions.

‘Maybe—.’

Something was about to happen.

He just had that feeling.

He still didn’t know if this boy was a genius or not, but the moments of inspiration he had witnessed always felt like this.

Halo slowly closed his eyes.

The senses that he had neglected when his eyes were open awakened one by one.

The sound that had been noise when he was young filled his head. To Halo, who knew how to filter that sound, it soon transformed into music and a story.

Halo’s finger twitched once again.

And at some point, his eyes flashed open.