The teacher, who was watching the female dodgeball referee, ran over upon hearing the little kid’s crying.
“Young-jun, why are you crying?”
So this kid’s name was Young-jun, huh?
“Sniff, he hit me!”
This pathetic guy was crying while pointing at me.
C’mon, dude, growing up to be a snitch?
After hearing the whole story, the teacher decided to have a parent-teacher meeting with me.
After class, during after-school time,
I stayed behind in the classroom to have a meeting with the teacher before my mom arrived.
“Do-hee, why did you hit Young-jun?”
The teacher started grilling me.
I felt it was unfair, but resolving this issue at such a time felt amateurish.
“I have nothing to say.”
“I messed up.”
“I’ll make sure it never happens again.”
“I’m a piece of trash.”
I said it all with a pseudo-regretful face, pretending to be really sorry.
“I deserve to be hit.”
Finally, I slapped my own cheek with my own hand while delivering that line.
And then, I performed a tear drop worthy of a future Academy Award for Best Actress.
Now that’s top tier.
The teacher seemed extremely flustered and grabbed my hand that had just slapped my face.
“No, no, Do-hee, that’s not what I mean—”
“It’s true, I’m a bad girl.”
“No..!”
Dramatically, at that moment, my mom walked in.
What she saw was:
The teacher holding my arm,
My cheek with a bright red handprint,
And me, tears rolling down my face pathetically.
Anyone would see this as a misunderstanding, right?
Mom quickly rushed over, releasing the teacher’s arm, and hugged me while yelling.
“Teacher, why are you hitting my child?!”
“Mom, that’s not it…”
“Do-hee, be quiet. Why are you hitting her when she can understand you with words?!”
“Ma’am, that’s not what happened…”
…
“Really, I’m so sorry, teacher.”
Mom kept bowing her head in apology.
“No, ma’am. It was clearly a situation that could be misunderstood.”
“See, mom, just apologize and let’s call it a day. Don’t let this happen again.”
“Ew, Do-hee. Go outside.”
“Huh…?”
On the way home after the meeting,
my mom pulled my ears.
“Mom, that hurts!”
“Are you going to hit your friend again?”
“I won’t! I swear I won’t!”
Finally, she let go of my ears.
“What if my pretty ears turn into donkey ears because of you…”
“You wanna get scolded again?”
“Ugh…”
“Sigh…”
Mom sighed and then picked me up in her arms.
“So, why did you hit the ball?”
“Why did you hit him with the ball?”
“Because that little brat was pulling my hair and pinching me first!”
Of course, I shouldn’t behave immaturely towards kids now that I’m an adult.
“Good job! If someone bothers you again, make sure to hit them back.”
“Okay.”
“But don’t pick on them first.”
“Okay, love you, Mom.”
“Yeah, me too.”
It seems that a mother is still a mother after all.
A few days later, during piano lessons,
After learning for three years, I had finished all the Czerny pieces and was now playing Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven.
“Do-hee.”
As I was leaning on the piano, my teacher called me softly.
“Yes?”
“Why are you practicing piano so diligently?”
I didn’t really have a specific reason.
I just thought people who could play instruments looked cool in my past life.
“Um, I think it’d be cool if I could play well.”
“I think you could consider a career in music. You’d do great as a pianist.”
“Oh, I’m just better than other kids.”
“You practice a lot, and while others are just starting Czerny, you’re already playing Chopin, Beethoven, and Mozart.”
“That’s just because I practice a lot.”
“Plus, you express emotions in your playing that are beyond your age. I really believe you have talent.”
I can do it because I’m not really a child, but I think my teacher is overestimating me.
“And even though it’s pre-school level, you’ve won the grand prize five times in a row. So, about that…”
My teacher swallowed her words before saying,
“Let’s prepare for the competition coming up.”
“Okay.”
“You know you’ll be competing in the elementary division this time, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“The elementary division is a much more prestigious competition than the ones you’ve entered before. Participants will come from all over the country. Plus, the first graders will be competing with sixth graders.”
“Then I won’t be able to win the grand prize?”
“But there are separate awards for each grade and a grand prize overall. I believe you’ll definitely win the grade award without worry. Let’s just focus on practicing.”
The piece I was preparing for the competition was by Chopin.
I practiced five hours a day as usual.
On the day of the competition,
I sat in the waiting room with my teacher, feeling at ease.
“Do-hee, don’t be nervous. Just play like you always do, and you’ll definitely win the grade award.”
My teacher reassured me in case I was feeling unnecessarily anxious.
“This is my sixth competition already. I’m not nervous. Our Do-ah is here for the first time to watch. I have to do well.”
After the previous participants finished, I stepped onto the stage and sat at the piano.
Since I entered, winning the grade award was a given, but I should aim for the grand prize too.
I should aim for it.
I started playing Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1.
Before I knew it, a minute had passed, and with a ding sound, I stopped playing and went off the stage.
Every time I participate in the competition, I feel that the competition stage is way too quiet.
When they call out the number, I go up, play for just one minute, and then stop with the ding sound and quietly come down.
The more I participate in the competition, the more I realize that the stage I want isn’t classical music.
I went to the waiting room and hugged my teacher’s chest.
“Do-hee, you did so well.”
“Yup. Hehe.”
If it weren’t for this kind of healing, I would have lost interest in the piano.
As usual, my teacher didn’t go to the audience seating but had me sit in a chair.
Even though today’s performance was perfect, my teacher’s expression was dark.
“I think it might be time for you to stop lessons with Do-hee.”
The quiet words from the teacher, who has built the strongest bond with me in this life aside from my family, left me speechless.
“Why… why?”
“To be honest, I feel I’m no longer qualified to teach you.”
“But you performed much better than me in high school!”
“Of course, I’m still better than you for now, but once you become a middle schooler, you’ll probably play better than me. Your talent needs to bloom under a more renowned professor than I am.”
“But I’m still an elementary student… can’t I keep going? Besides, I don’t particularly want to be a pianist.”
Talking with my teacher made me start tearing up out of disappointment.
Since she’s someone who has cared for me more than anyone else in both past and present lives, her sudden mention of parting was a pain I had never felt before.
“Ah, our Do-hee is still a baby. Come here.”
I hugged my teacher.
“You’re already 27 and should get married; you can’t be with Do-hee forever.”
“I’m not saying we should part immediately, and we can always meet, right?”
Yet, when I didn’t stop crying, my teacher gave in.
“Alright, let’s just continue lessons until I get married.”
I replied with a smile through my tears.
“Okay…”
After calming down, I left the waiting room and went to the audience seating where my family was.
Seeing me, Do-ah quickly waddled over to greet me.
“Sis!”
“Shh, other people need to perform.”
“Okay! Shh.”
As I made a shushing gesture with my finger on my lips, Do-ah mimicked me.
Thanks to my adorably cute little sister, the heaviness in my heart lifted.
I must keep Do-ah with me for life.
Before long, the competition ended, and the winners’ announcements began.
The bald uncle giving the awards called out the names one by one.
“1st grade winner Kim Min-soo.”
Huh?
Why wasn’t my name called?
I was so sure I would get the grade award.
Not even the grade award?
What?
After all grades had completed their presentations, the last award for the entire competition remained.
“Grand prize of the national student competition in the piano category, 1st grader Do-hee Lee.”
As the name was called, the atmosphere around me stirred.
“Do-hee, you should go up and receive it.”
My piano teacher, Yeon-ji, said with a smile.
It seems she was confident I would win the grand prize, which is why she had said she would stop the class.
I went up to receive the prize of 2 million won, along with sheet music and an award plaque.
I took photos and got interviewed by some reporters who gathered for the national competition.
A few days later, the article was posted online.
“A once-in-a-lifetime piano prodigy!”
Unusually, a first grader won the national piano competition, Do-hee Lee.
She showcased exceptional piano skills matched only by her striking appearance.
Next is the Q&A session with Do-hee Lee, who has the potential to become a world-class pianist.
Q1. What are your thoughts on the award?
I’m happy to have won six in a row.
I never thought I’d win the grand prize as a first grader.
Q2. You mentioned six in a row; what has been your record and experience in competitions?
I started piano at five years old, and including this competition, I’ve participated in six and won six times.
Q3. How many hours do you practice each day?
I practice five hours a day.
Q4. What motivated you to pursue music?
It looks cool.
Q5. What are your hobbies besides music?
I exercise or play with my younger sibling.
Q6. What else do you like? What do you want to do?
Not much else.
I want to keep doing music but don’t know much about classical.
Q7. What are your plans for the future?
I’ll find something new I want to do.
Q8. You look so pretty.
Thank you.
My mom saw the article and broke her promise not to post about me on social media, so she ended up posting again.
Kwon Joo-hee
May 20, 2015, 11:23 AM
Our Do-hee has won the competition again!
(Article link)
Can you believe it? Even as a first grader, she beat the sixth graders and came in first! (ˊᗜˋﾉﾉ
( Photo of the first-grade grand prize winner )
└ Wow, a first grader is first among all elementary students. Truly insane talent.
└ I can’t wait to see Do-hee’s future.
└ She’s got looks and talent; nothing is lacking!
└ Practicing five hours a day for three years must be what makes one a genius.
└ A first grader seems to live harder than I do; I’ll upvote. LOL.
└ What have I been doing?
└ It’s not too late for me to do something; I’ll get going.
└ You’ve been saying weird things on my comments; why suddenly nice?
└ Exactly.
└ Thinking of making her an entertainer? If so, contact me.
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