Chapter 1

The Guarneri breathed the last note of Wieniawski's Polonaise in D major. Suspended in air, a sound loud and low and warm all at once before it ends. It takes but a moment, a single clap becomes ten, and ten becomes the whole concert hall. A sharp sound rippled over the ovation, a whistle of approval. His accompanist stood and they bowed to the applauding audience.

Backstage he was congratulated by the Maestro Shore, a greying man of the London Philharmonics Orchestra. The company was currently touring and had incidentally been on the same city as the prodigious Dr. Yoon Ji Hoo at the same time.

"Splendid performance, Ji Hoo!"

Ji Hoo nodded, smiling softly. "Thank you Mr. Shore."

"They won't be as enthusiastic with ours now, I'm afraid." The old man huffed, good-natured.

Ji Hoo had the grace to tease the maestro. "I'm fairly certain there are many still in the audience looking forward to it."

Both his accompanist and the Maestro laughed, the latter shooing Ji Hoo away to his dressing room with a "Thank you lad. It's my pleasure to hear you play again."

He shook hands with his accompanist, a young man of only nineteen and they parted at his door. While Ji Hoo placed his violin on its case, his assistant Mr. Kang waited for him, taking the case as Ji Hoo passed him. "Will you be staying Master Yoon?"

Ji Hoo paused. "I am. I want to see the concert through."

Mr. Kang nodded, murmuring to his earpiece the report. "This way please," he said to the younger man. "Miss Ha prepared for the best seat."

Ji Hoo followed him a level higher until he stopped to open a door, gesturing with a hand for Ji Hoo to enter. Ji Hoo paused. "You have my violin?"

The older man smiled at him ruefully. "Of course sir."

Ji Hoo nodded, thanking the man and proceeding inside. There are so few things he regarded very precious to him, he couldn't help himself. His Guarneri was one of those, an heirloom given to him by his grandfather when he turned twenty.

"Ah, there he is."

He looked up from adjusting his cuffs to see a blinding smile on Jae Kyung's face. In her hand was a small bouquet. "Here I am," he announced dryly.

"Oh don't look so sour."

Ji Hoo shook his head, amused despite himself as he accepted the flowers. He sat on a finely cushioned seat beside her. "I do hope you stay silent while the orchestra plays during the movements."

"Yes, yes. I'll pretend to know what that is. Here, I smuggled food."

The stage was now set, and musicians were entering from one side of it. The maestro at last strode from the side entrance, welcoming the audience in a short introductory speech. "Thank you again to the young man who opened this wonderful night for us. My old student, Yoon Ji Hoo, from South Korea. Dashing, talented young lad, isn't he?" The crowd hooted agreeably.

He felt, rather than saw, Jae Kyung's face splitting in a grin. While the Maestro continued to the topic of their proceeds and cause, Jae Kyung told him, "I was wondering why you accepted the invitation."

"Well now you do," he gave her a small smile that she'd often insist made him look mysterious. True to form, her eyes narrow. Her attention was otherwise snatched as the Italian piano virtuoso was introduced. And so the concert began.

Ji Hoo was thoroughly absorbed by the music of Liszt. Though Chopin's poetic and expressive style were more to his liking, Liszt's showmanship and his energy never fail to amaze. So enthralled, Ji Hoo did not notice Jae Kyung nodding off until the end of the second movement. He tilted his head, patting her head. "Jae Kyung, wake up."

She murmured some gibberish and blinked twice before some clarity came to her. "Is it done yet?"

"Not yet. Do you want to go home?"

"Hmm" she checked her phone for the time and smiled as she fiddled with it for a while. "Look, Jan Di said you were awesome."

"Really? Why?"

"Silly, of course I sent her a video of your performance!"

Ji Hoo suppressed a sigh. "Of course you did."

"Uri Ji Hoo-yah, so handsome, so talented. If you get some American digits, give 'em to me. Woo Bin said."

Now he did sigh. He wasn't looking forward to those. Maybe now's a good time to make a hasty exit. "Let's go."

"What? But you were enjoying the concert!"

"That's alright. I can always watch it in another country. Their tour is far from over."

"But you're busy with the hospitals." Despite her protests, she stood up and collected both her purse and coat from the seat next to hers. Ji Hoo had to smile.

"I'll make time."

"What's wrong with now?"

"Nothing, I'm sleepy is all. And you are too."

They left their dim box and only in the light of the hall did Ji Hoo notice the dress Jae Kyung was wearing, or the lack of it. Not unlike the color of a midnight sky, it dipped dangerously low on her spine. Jae Kyung noticed him staring and preened. "How do I look?"

Ji Hoo shook his head and said, taking her matching coat from her arm and draping it on her shoulders, "You look cold."

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You're worse than my dad."

"Jae Kyung it's autumn in New York."

"It's from a fall collection Ji Hoo, relax."

Exasperatedly, they hear Chen sigh from up ahead. In her arms she carried a longer coat, tan in color. She bowed to Ji Hoo and proceed to putting the coat on a similarly exasperated Jae Kyung.

"Master Yoon, Mr. Kang has arranged for your car before he went ahead."

"Thank you, Miss Chen."

"Ji Hoo is taking me home Chen, you can go ahead."

The female guard turned to the man for confirmation. "I am?" After Jae Kyung eyeballed him, he amended, "I am."