The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1306

Si-Woo already knew the person who had shown up at Si-Hyun’s studio.

Davey was curious. “Is that someone you know?”

“Ah. Not personally, no, but she’s famous. That’s Juliana, the world-renowned violinist. She used to be in an orchestra with Si-Hyun for a while.”

Si-Woo’s explanation stirred something in Davey’s mind. “Then why is she so angry?”

Si-Woo redirected the question to Si-Hyun. “Hey. What the hell did you do?”

He just simply shrugged. “What do you mean, what did I do? I didn’t do anything.”

Despite his words, he had a guilty look about him.

“So you didn’t do anything, and yet she came all the way here to find you? Come on, be honest. What did you do?”

“It’s nothing! We just didn’t get along, so I left the group, that’s all.”

“You quit?!” Si-Woo’s eyes went wide with shock.

Beep beep! Beep beep!!

Right then, Juliana somehow managed to get the correct door code and barged in.

She was seething with rage. “Mr. Park! If you leave like that, what are the rest of us supposed to do?!”

“We agreed on that from the start,” he reminded her. “I told you I’d leave whenever I wanted.”

“And you think that time is now?” It was ridiculous! She reached out to grab him.

“Shouldn’t you be the last person to say that?” Brushing her hand aside, his eyes narrowed. “You people are a damn disgrace, calling yourselves artists.”

She was stunned by the sudden verbal jab. “That’s...!”

Si-Hyun firmly told her, “Whatever personal gains you're chasing, I don’t care. I brought it up over and over, and you all completely ignored it. I’m not working with people like you.”

“Please... for my sake, okay? It’s not too late to come back,” she pleaded.

“Get lost. The only reason I’m not exploding right now is that it’s you who came. If Brady had come instead, I’d have already smashed his head with that wine bottle.”

“Park Si-Hyun!! How can you say something like that?!” Si-Woo, unable to hold back, lashed out in his place. Yet, Si-Hyun just shrugged at him and walked off.

The tension lingered in the air like a storm had passed by. Si-Woo turned to Davey and apologized, “Haaah, I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have ever sent you guys a proposal and wasted your time.”

“Your cousin’s got a pretty firm personality,” Davey commented with a chuckle.

“Yeah. Once he locks onto something, he’s impossible to deal with.”

As Juliana stared blankly after Si-Hyun’s retreating figure, her legs gave out and she collapsed.

“A-Are you okay?!” Si-Woo rushed to help her, startled. Juliana, her face pale, couldn’t catch her breath, much less say a word.

“Uuuh. S-Saint! Please, help her!” Si-Woo nervously pleaded.

“Leave her be. It’s just a temporary ailment of sorts.”

No diagnosis was necessary. Her expression said it all.

* * *

Even after Si-Hyun stormed off and effectively ended the whole situation, Juliana still didn’t leave.

Instead, she found herself sitting there on the floor, her face pale, staring blankly at the spot where he had disappeared.

Whatever had gone down between them was clearly personal, so Davey and Si-Woo chose not to get involved any further.

Regardless of what was happening, Davey simply blamed it on artists being dramatic and continued teaching Super Ribbon how to play the harp.

“Father, how about this?”

“Hmm. It’s not bad, but you’re holding back too much here.” Davey tried to be as sincere as he could, yet unfortunately, unlike Mute, he didn’t possess a sharp ear for music. He couldn’t provide fundamental guidance and critiques.

All Super Ribbon felt she needed was a bit of direction, and then she’d figure out the rest quickly. Doubtful, Davey hadn’t seen that kind of chaotically genius talent from anyone other than Illyna.

Just then, he heard Si-Woo and Si-Hyun arguing in the distance.

“Hey. She came all the way to see you. Why are you acting so cold?” Si-Woo’s voice echoed from across the house.

“Don’t say that when you don’t even know the whole story! I warned them! I told them that, if they kept pulling that crap, I’d quit. They ignored me, and so brought this on themselves.”

Eventually worn out from the quarrel, Si-Woo left. Si-Hyun, now alone, covered his face with both hands.

Super Ribbon was confused why Davey had suddenly gone quiet. “Father? What are you doing?”

“Hm? Oh, it's nothing.”

Super Ribbon walked over slowly and tilted her head as she looked out the large window. She had spotted Si-Hyun, sitting alone in silence on a bench in the garden. “Why is he...?”

Unaware of the full context, Super Ribbon frowned with concern. Without even thinking to set down her instrument, she dashed out toward him.

Si-Woo went to Davey and apologized, “I’m sorry about that, I didn’t expect that idiot to act like this. He’s got talent, but he hasn’t had his share of life’s bitterness yet.”

“It’s alright.”

“If you’re upset, I apologize on his behalf. Honestly, I don’t think there’s much else we can do here. Should we go? Let me at least treat you to dinner at the famous local steakhouse as an apology. Or are you not a fan of simple meals?”

“I prefer tteokbokki[1] over steak, but I don’t think we need to go anywhere. I’m pretty satisfied.”

Si-Hyun had spewed some nonsense to him in the past, but he also knew that was the best he could express at that time. So, Davey figured this time was no different and had answered with a sarcastic reply as well.

Just as Si-Woo was about to ask what Davey meant, a thin yet deeply resonant flute sound filled the air.

Both Si-Woo and Davey turned their heads toward the sound.

“Ooooh.” Si-Woo couldn’t help but let out a gasp of awe, while Davey watched in silence.

Si-Hyun had taken the small instrument Super Ribbon handed him and started playing without a word. What came out was far beyond what someone of his age should’ve been capable of.

There was a reason certain people were called geniuses. More than anything, what made Davey respect him as a musician was that Si-Hyun knew how to move people using his music. As a person, he wasn’t sure about him yet.

However, the music the young man pursued, pure and unfiltered, resembled his teacher, Mute.

“Sounds beautiful, doesn’t it?” a woman's voice commented.

Turning his head, Davey saw Juliana, her pale expression now gone, calmly gazing at Si-Hyun through the window.

“Park Si-Hyun’s known in our orchestra as a complete psycho. A real pain in our fuckin’ asses, really.” She shook her head. Si-Woo looked like he wanted to argue but stayed silent, unable to come up with a retort.

“The reason we never cut that crazy psycho from the orchestra is simple.”

“Because he’s talented,” Davey finished.

“Exactly. You’ve got a good eye, Saint. Or rather, in this case, maybe it’s a good ear?”

“I can also play a song like that, just like he’s doing.”

Juliana chuckled. “Apparently, you’re pretty good with jokes too, Saint. Anyway, he’s known in our group as the bastard genius. He loves his music so much that no one else measures up. That’s why he lashes out with brutal honesty, making him a psycho. Even the most prominent professors stood tall at first, then after a while, they’d run just to avoid bumping into him.”

Age didn’t always reflect skill. Si-Hyun and Super Ribbon, both visible through the window, were perfect examples.

Si-Hyun was one of the rarest geniuses of the century, and Super Ribbon was a walking disaster whose full potential was yet to be seen. The thought alone made Davey laugh.

“Haah. That bastard. I gave up everything to follow him there, and now this happens,” Juliana lamented.

“Sorry?”

She waved her hand. “It’s nothing.”

“So, what exactly did he do in the group?” Si-Woo cautiously asked.

Juliana shook her head. “To be fair, we brought it on ourselves. He kept pushing to improve, while we had gotten too comfortable and couldn’t even maintain our current level. That’s what started it. You think a stuck-up genius like him would be impressed by us?”

Si-Woo tried to console her. “Still, there are some pretty big names in that orchestra...”

“That doesn’t mean anything to a psycho like him. What matters is whether you’re putting your soul into the music. That’s it.”

Si-Woo nodded in understanding. “No wonder. That must be why he’s been staying in Korea lately.”

“The problem is that even though he left in a way that followed the contract, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Then we find out he’s saying he wants to start a small private ensemble? How could we possibly stay calm? Doing that means we’re worse than some hastily thrown-together group in his eyes.”

Her words hit a nerve, but Davey had nothing to say to that. Still, he had no plans on understanding it either.

“But I didn’t know he was thinking of getting the Saint as one of his members.”

“A little later, and there might’ve been no turning back.”

“Haha. Don’t they say you have to listen until the very end in Korean to know what Koreans really mean?”

“I’m not Korean,” Davey reminded her.

“Me neither, but we’re in Korea, aren’t we?”

‘What an Impossible woman.’

Davey held back a laugh, while she shrugged.

“It was an American joke—”

Si-Woo cut in, “Wait, Juliana, aren’t you British?”

“Come on, please.” She glared at Si-Woo with a frown. “According to Si-Hyun, you’re supposed to be a really considerate guy. You’re seriously not going to back me up here?”

“Sorry, but I’m not in the best of moods either. That bastard embarrassed me pretty badly just now.”

“It’s fine,” Davey comforted. “It’s thanks to him that Super Ribbon gained something good out of it.”

“What?” Si-Woo turned his head in surprise.

Super Ribbon, who’d been talking with Si-Hyun, looked like she'd suddenly realized something. Clutching her instrument, she suddenly bolted back inside.

Davey figured it was most likely to practice.

After a deep sigh, Si-Hyun got up, adjusted his expression a few times with his head in his hands, and walked back into the studio. “Sorry, everyone. I made a bit of a fool of myself.”

“If I hadn’t heard you play so beautifully earlier, I would’ve already walked out and dropped this entirely,” Davey said in a calm tone.

“Please, anything but that!”

“It’s alright. I’m not leaving.”

“So... what did you think?” Si-Hyun cautiously asked, hopeful he’d choose to stay and play.

Davey let out a short laugh. “It’s good.”

Si-Hyun, seemingly satisfied, responded with a hearty chuckle. Then, turning to Juliana, who still stood there in the ridiculous empire dress, he said, “You heard that, right? Go back. I’m not going back to you guys.”

“Mr. Park, are you seriously going to do this?”

“Yeah, I am. I already gave you all plenty of warnings. Brady ignored them, while the other members became complacent and even regressed.”

Juliana was indignant. “Still, was it bad enough for you to just leave like that?”

“Wasn’t that what the contract said?”

“So... this is where you ended up after leaving? Just how big of a shot did you land for you to be this confident?”

“Hey, watch your mouth.” Si-Hyun glanced at Davey, gauging his reaction.

Then, with a sigh, he grabbed Juliana by the arm. “Enough. Just come with me, and you’ll get it once you see for yourself. Saint, if you could follow along as well, please. Your daughter said she feels like she’s discovered something new.”

Since Davey had been planning to check on Super Ribbon anyway, he followed Si-Hyun into the practice room.

Inside sat the lone Super Ribbon, holding an instrument identical to the one Si-Hyun had just played, except in a different color.

She first nodded her head slightly, then moved her fingers as if tracing something. Finally, she adjusted her grip on the instrument, looked up, and motioned toward Davey.

“Father! Let’s play together!”

* * *

Davey sat beside Super Ribbon, picking up the base instrument to support her.

“I really love playing with you, Father,” she said with a satisfied smile.

“Play as much as you want. I’ll back you up.”

As Davey and Super Ribbon spoke, Juliana stood silently, then muttered under her breath, “She really is a pretty girl. It struck me the moment I walked in.”

“Forget that and just listen.”

Juliana looked at Super Ribbon with eyes steeped in prideful doubt, but it didn’t take long before her mouth hung open in disbelief.

Davey began by laying down an ordinary, cheerful background vibe, just enough to let Super Ribbon carry the melody. Then, as Super Ribbon started to play, everything changed.

“Sloppy. Wait, what the hell...?”

The moment Super Ribbon began playing, after listening to the sample only once, the atmosphere in the practice room completely shifted.

Juliana was familiar with the ways in which music could stir emotions. After all, she’d moved countless hearts with her own performances. Yet, even she felt chills from Super Ribbon’s performance.

The music started with the tone of a beginner. Nothing outstanding, not too impressive.

However, with each passing measure, that sound began to evolve. The transformation was shocking.

She was improving in real time, right in front of their eyes. It felt like watching a legendary musician reveal their true skill little by little, after hiding it all along.

Juliana was absolutely stupefied. “What in the...?”

“Now you see it? Every time she plays, I keep thinking the same thing,” Si-Hyun said with a sigh.

Super Ribbon was progressing at a speed that defied belief. Despite only being a beginner, she was grasping a special sound the instrument seemed born to make.

It didn’t feel like a soloist showing off. It was as if she resonated with the entire space, pulling everything and everyone into harmony. It felt like listening to a sacred hymn.

Juliana couldn’t help but imagine how incredible Super Ribbon could become as an artist, if she actually trained seriously and perfected a single piece. Before she knew it, her hands began to tremble. It was as if her body was aching to join in and play with them.

However, pride held her back. She suppressed the urge.

“You feel like joining them, don’t you?” Si-Hyun teased. “That’s what she does to you. Now do you understand why I came here, and why I want to start a small ensemble?”

It’d be a small group. No worries about fame, no weight on reputation. Still, the result would be beyond anyone’s imagination.

Juliana sat there in a daze, listening to the rest of the performance.

Once Super Ribbon finally finished, Juliana collapsed to the ground.

“Now, you’ve heard enough. Go back,” Si-Hyun told her. “I wasn’t even asking you people to chase after something that pure, that fundamental and elusive. I can’t even do what she just did. The problem is, all of you became complacent. You used to be passionate, but now you only chase luxury and fame. That fire you had in the beginning? It’s gone.”

Even after that passion died, they didn’t let go, too obsessed with success.

“Like I told you all, I don’t want to be like that. With this group, I want to pioneer a new path. I don’t want to become a fat pig choking on personal ambition, like the rest of you.”

“Si-Hyun...” She even forgot to address him formally.

He wouldn't budge. “I’m a musician, and I’m not stopping until my music moves the hearts of everyone in the world. So go. You don’t even have a reason to stay, do you? I’ll take you to the airport.”

Just as Si-Hyun reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, she slapped his hand away.

“Juliana?”

She pulled out her phone and started calling someone. The language wasn’t Korean, but Si-Hyun understood her perfectly.

“Hey... hey! What are you doing?!” Startled, Si-Hyun tried to stop her, but Si-Woo, who’d been watching, tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, what’s she saying?”

“What the hell... Why are you calling people?!”

Juliana was indignant. “Why? You want to know why, you fucking psycho? You really thought you’d keep a treasure like her to yourself? Get real!! You say we’re not musicians? Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way we’re letting this go. Sorry, but a small ensemble? Don’t make me laugh. I’m joining too.”

“Who said you could?!” Si-Hyun shouted back at her.

“I did!! You wrote this, right?” she asked, pulling up an ad on her phone. “Recruiting violinists? You did, didn’t you? Got a problem with me joining then, punk?”

Si-Hyun stood there frozen, then Si-Woo nudged him again. “She just said she’s quitting the orchestra and joining us here.”

“Then who’d she call?”

“Professor Bachtobel... The world-renowned cellist.”

Of course, he was only the beginning.

The call Juliana made soon started to draw the attention of world-class artists.

1. Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food. It is a spicy rice cake dish that is made with a Korean chili paste (gochujang). ☜