Devil’s Music

In a VIP hospital room in Georgia, a grandmother and her granddaughter sat together on a sofa, each engaged in their own activities.

The grandmother, who had been bedridden, had improved enough in recent days to sit on the sofa occasionally and enjoy her favorite book.

The hospital staff, amazed by the grandmother's condition, conducted tests every other day, but despite the absence of progress in her illness and no pain, they stopped all tests after being sternly scolded by Gregory.

The grandmother, flipping through her book with a serene expression, smiled at her granddaughter.

Kiska seemed troubled by something as she lay sprawled on the sofa, spreading out three sheets of paper.

She had written effortlessly on the first two sheets, but now, faced with the last sheet, she just scribbled aimlessly, eventually burying her head in her hands and stomping her feet in frustration.

"Why won’t this one work, huhh!"

The grandmother, who had been quietly reading, closed her book with a tender smile.

"What’s not working?"

Kiska turned her head to look at her grandmother sitting near her feet and shifted to lie with her head on her grandmother’s thigh. The sight of her granddaughter looking up at her with big, round eyes seemed to warm her heart, and she gently stroked Kiska’s hair.

"When you're stuck and can’t figure something out, try doing something completely different. Sometimes the answer just comes to you."

Kiska’s eyes fluttered, and she puffed out her cheeks.

"It’s been over two months already! I finished the lyrics for the two new songs I got the day before yesterday, but I just can’t do this one. I can’t think of anything. Why is that?"

The grandmother gently rearranged Kiska’s bangs with a kind expression.

"What song is it? Maybe I should listen to it."

"You listen to it all the time, grandma. It’s the music I play for you when you sleep. It’s called 'The Song of Water,' and usually, when I listen to music, the lyrics come to me, but for this one, they just don’t."

"Ah, that comforting music with the piano and guitar sounds that feel so soothing, that young man who came by recently created it?"

Kiska turned to lie on her side and said.

"Yeah, my brother wrote it, and he asked me to write the lyrics. It’s going to be on his first album, but I feel like I’m the roadblock, it’s driving me crazy."

"Ho ho, if you’ve already done the other two songs, just one more to go. Take it easy."

Kiska grabbed her head.

"It’s not easy, huhh. I thought if I took my time and thought about it slowly, it would come to me, but it’s been two months and I haven’t written a single word!"

After a moment's thought, the grandmother suddenly asked.

"You said the lyrics come to you when you listen to music, right? How does that happen?"

Kiska sat up again, looking at the ceiling, and fiddled with her hands as if touching something.

"You know, when I listen to music or read a book, I can see what emotions the creator wanted to convey. And then in my head, the words just start floating around like this."

"Ho ho, is that so?"

The grandmother laughed again at Kiska’s adorable response, who then puffed up her cheeks.

"But the words for 'The Song of Water' just won’t come! I can clearly see the color of the emotions my brother put into making the music, but no words come to me!"

The grandmother patted Kiska’s plump cheeks while laughing.

"Maybe that’s a good thing?"

Kiska blinked her large eyes at her grandmother.

"Huh? What do you mean, that’s a good thing?"

The grandmother, with a wise expression of someone who has lived a long life, replied.

"If no lyrics come to you for any music you listen to, perhaps it’s because the song shines the brightest without lyrics."

Kiska blinked, pondered for a moment, then suddenly got up and hugged her grandmother, exclaiming.

"Grandma! That must be it, that’s right! You’re the best, haha."

The grandmother, smiling kindly, patted Kiska on the back as she hugged her.

"Ho ho, don’t rush to conclusions and take some time to reflect on your own state. But from what I see, the lyrics that our Kiska can’t think of, nobody else will be able to think of either."

Feeling her grandmother’s warm heart, Kiska smiled brightly and hugged her tighter.

After enjoying her grandmother's warmth for a moment, Kiska got up and grabbed the phone.

"I have to tell my brother!"

Her mood seemed to lift compared to just a few minutes ago, and the grandmother watched her with a contented smile. Kiska, not

wanting to disturb her grandmother's rest, left the hospital room and walked down the corridor, calling Geon.

It was just past 11 AM in the United States, so it wouldn’t disturb Kay’s rest, she thought, as she made the call. Kiska was surprised to hear Geon's voice, hoarse as if he had just woken up.

“Umm... hello?”

“Huh? Brother, are you sick?”

“Just a moment... cough.”

“Brother, brother! What’s wrong, are you sick? Is it a cold?”

After hearing a swallowing sound, Geon’s voice sounded better.

“Ugh, refreshing. No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it, it’s morning there and you were still asleep?”

“It’s not that, the Fantagio branch in Manhattan just opened. I got my own space there.”

“Oh, you mentioned that before, you promised to take me there later.”

“Yeah, but an unexpected booze demon showed up, and I got caught up again yesterday.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Haha, that’s just how it is. I’ll introduce you later.”

“You’re going to introduce a ghost?”

“Hehe, I mean it’s a person, don’t worry. I drank a lot, that’s all. Where are you?”

“I’m at grandma’s hospital.”

“Hmm, how is grandma?”

“The doctors said there should have been complications by now, but her condition is so good it’s weird, always drawing her blood and taking pictures until dad caught them and it was nearly a disaster at the hospital.”

“Haha, I can imagine. So, she’s okay now?”

“Yeah, dad put a gun to the hospital director's head, and the doctors all disappeared. Only the personal nurse remains and they’re not bothering us anymore.”

“Keke, must have been funny.”

“Yeah, yeah! It’s the first time I saw a grown man pee himself, hehe.”

Realizing that what was said in jest was actually true, Geon broke into a cold sweat.

“Really?”

“Yeah! It was hilarious, hehe.”

“Uh... uh-huh.”

“Brother, about 'The Song of Water'.”

“Hm? Ah, yeah.”

“I was going crazy because I couldn’t write the lyrics, but I figured something out after talking with grandma.”

“Oh? Grandma?”

Kiska went on to explain to Geon at length what they had discussed. Geon listened quietly before speaking.

“So, you mean to say that the song is most complete without lyrics?”

Kiska, perhaps eager to avoid seeming like she was making excuses for not being able to write lyrics, explained earnestly.

“Yes, really. You know I write lyrics quickly. But no matter how long I wait, I can’t think of a single word for 'The Song of Water'.”

“Hmm...”

After a moment of silence, Kiska anxiously awaited his response, her feet tapping nervously.

‘What if he’s disappointed?’

But her worries were unfounded. Geon, who knew Kiska’s abilities better than anyone, wouldn’t misunderstand.

“Okay, if that’s what Kiska says, then that must be it. Alright. Can you send me the lyrics for 'The Song of Earth' and 'The Song of Wind'?”

Holding the phone, Kiska’s face brightened significantly.

“Yes! I’ll send them right away!”

“Thanks, and... I’ll follow your advice and leave 'The Song of Water' without lyrics, but it might need some humming. The company dislikes instrumental tracks.”

“Okay, that’s up to you. Surely I don’t have to write humming lyrics like 'uhh, ahh', right?”

“Haha, of course not.”

“Hehe, got it! I’ll send it right away!”

“Thanks, Kiska.”

“You’re welcome, brother.”

After hanging up, Kiska stared at Geon's name displayed on the phone for a moment, then hugged the phone to her chest with a happy expression. The fact that she had been able to help her brother filled her with joy as she eagerly ran back to the VIP room.

*

Just past lunchtime.

Geon left the Red Castle and went to school to meet Professor Sharon. He informed her that a Fantagio branch had opened near the school, and Sharon immediately went to the dean to arrange for Geon to use Fantagio's studio for better music production, merely marking his attendance with the professor each morning.

After finalizing the arrangement, Sharon returned to her office and smiled at Geon.

“The talk went well. Ho ho.”

Geon stood up, beaming with gratitude.

“As expected! You’re the best, professor!”

Sharon sat on the sofa, laughing.

“I only wish I could do more to help Kay. As a professor, I’d like to offer more, but he’s grown too big for that now, ho ho.”

Though she

said this, Sharon couldn’t hide her pride in Geon’s achievements.

As they shared updates, Sharon heard about leaving 'The Song of Water' without lyrics and adding humming instead, and she tilted her head curiously.

“Oh, really? A song without lyrics…”

“Yeah, I plan to do it like the humming in Edward Scissorhands, without interfering with the music.”

Watching the smile fade from Sharon’s face, Geon asked, puzzled.

“Why, professor?”

Sharon bit her lip, her expression turning serious. After a moment of thought, she spoke.

“I know about Kiska’s ability.”

Geon’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What? How do you know?”

“That child… can read emotions, right?”

“Gasp... how did you…”

“You don’t have to say it if it’s hard. I’m not trying to dig up such facts.”

Sharon took a deep breath and looked Geon in the eye.

“I think Kiska said she couldn’t think of lyrics because a song without someone else’s voice added achieves its highest completeness. In my opinion, it might be better not to add humming either.”

Hearing Sharon’s opinion, Geon stared at her, deep in thought. The astonishing revelation that Sharon knew about his and Kiska’s abilities was quickly overshadowed by his concerns about the song.

As Geon became absorbed in thought, Sharon stood up to boil water, turning her back on him and filling the kettle. Over her shoulder, she gave Geon a serious look.

‘Kay. The moment humming is added, the direction of the song might change. The fate of many who hear this powerful track might be altered. Please reconsider.’

With these thoughts unspoken, Sharon watched the bubbling kettle in the quiet professor’s office.

>

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