Devil’s Music - Chapter 132: Stalker, Orchestra, and Zoo

Geon opened his eyes well past three in the afternoon the next day. Squinting to secure his sight, he glimpsed the warm afternoon sunlight shining through the hotel window.

“Cough, cough. Ah, I feel like I’m dying…”

Geon barely managed to roll out of bed, clutching his head as he bowed down.

“Whenever I come to Compton, it’s always like this, darn it…”

Geon, struggling to clear his mind with several attempts to shake himself awake, finally regained his senses only after taking a cold shower. Toweling his wet hair and picking up the sheet music laid on the table, labeled ‘parachute,’ it seemed as though the music had already been revised, with three different colors neatly dividing the staves. After briefly examining the music, Geon shook his head and set it back down on the table.

Dialing his phone placed on the table next to him, Geon called Shaun.

“Hey, K. Up already? Haha, you drank quite a lot yesterday.”

“Could you please stop mentioning it… Ugh.”

“How could I stop you? I had a good drink too and haven’t fully recovered yet. Haha.”

“Ugh, Snoop just can’t stop drinking. At this rate, he’ll be selling booze again today, so hurry back to Manhattan.”

“Demián has been in my room early anyway. All you had to do was wake up.”

“Oh, really? My bad. Meet me in the lobby in 20 minutes, K.”

“Yeah, take your time and get ready.”

Geon hurriedly left Compton with Demián and Shaun, their faces concealed with sunglasses and hats, as if being chased by someone.

Arriving at Juilliard, the group sought out Professor Alan Gilbert, head of the orchestral conducting department. Alan Gilbert, born to an American father and a Japanese mother, was a professor in his early fifties with a Western face and black hair.

Professor Alan Gilbert looked surprised as he opened the door to his office and saw the line-up of celebrities entering.

“Oh, K. and Mr. Demián Marley, and Mr. Shaun Yoko Lennon, right? It’s quite surprising to see such famous figures visiting. Please have a seat here.”

As Geon sat down on the sofa Alan pointed to, he greeted, “Hello, Professor. My name is K. It’s nice to meet you.”

Alan smiled warmly and replied, “Likewise. I’ve always wanted to meet a famous figure like you at our school, but since K. doesn’t play guitar in the orchestra, I never had the chance.”

“Haha, you never invited me. But not only this time, but if I have a chance next time, I’ll definitely participate, Professor.”

Alan chuckled at Geon’s cheekiness as he glanced at Demián and Shaun.

“Well, have you brought the sheet music today?”

Geon reached into Hakoo’s hard case box placed beside him and handed the sheet music to Alan.

“Yes, Professor. The arrangement is completed. And I have one more request.”

Alan, scanning through the sheet music, asked, “Yes, what is it?”

Geon glanced at the nervous Demián and Shaun before speaking.

“We want to try making the orchestra’s sheet music this time.”

Alan raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“The orchestra’s sheet music? Have you ever tried that before?”

Geon shook his head.

“No, I haven’t tried it before, Professor.”

Alan placed the sheet music on the table and crossed his arms, staring directly at Geon.

“And yet you want to try? Well, of course, it doesn’t concern me as this is a free performance conducted by a student. But from the perspective of the conducting student, it may not be an appealing proposal.”

Geon nodded.

“That’s right, so that’s why we came to you, Professor. Actually, the piece we’re going to attempt this time is not exactly an orchestral piece.”

With a puzzled expression, Alan looked at Geon.

“Perhaps you noticed Demián coming with us, but this time, we’re planning to rearrange Shaun’s song ‘parachute’ into reggae with Demián. And there will be rap in the middle.”

“Rap? So you’re going to rearrange a ballad song into reggae for the orchestra?”

“Yes, Professor. It might be an experimental attempt. It seems too experimental for the orchestra conducting department to handle everything, so we thought it would be better for us to take responsibility along with it, Professor.”

Alan closed his eyes for a moment, looking troubled. Geon, Demián, and Shaun watched him anxiously. After a brief moment of contemplation, Alan asked,

“What instruments will you need?”

As if he had already thought ahead, Geon took out a notebook and began listing them.

“The first violins are eight, the second violins six, violas four, cellos three, and double basses three,” Alan calculated before speaking.

“We’ll need 24 string players. What about woodwinds?” he inquired.

“Two clarinets and one bassoon, and one English horn should suffice,” came the reply.

“Do you also use brass instruments?”

“We plan to use two trumpets. If possible, we’d like to include a tuba as well,” Alan continued.

“Well, considering it’s a chamber orchestra, there should definitely be other instruments. How about percussion?”

“With Damian and two session musicians working with us, and only one Glockenspiel, we should be covered,” Alan concluded.

“That’s 32 musicians already, excluding the session players,” he noted.

“Indeed. Shaun will handle the piano, and I’ll take care of the guitar. That should suffice for a chamber orchestra, Professor,” Alan confirmed.

“Ah, not as large as I feared then. When you mentioned 23 string players, I thought we might need at least 50. But I see now,” the professor remarked.

After a moment of contemplation, Alan made his decision.

“Alright then. Since the student conductor won’t be limited to just one piece like ‘Parachute’, but will need to lead several, perhaps it will be less burdensome for them. Give it a try.”

With Alan’s approval, Shaun and Damian, who had been tense, breathed a sigh of relief. Geon, reassured, nodded in agreement, prompting Alan to add:

“For the performance at Alice Tully Hall, I suggest you visit beforehand. It’s a venue suitable for a chamber orchestra, although it’s essential to coordinate with a producer for the sensitive acoustics.”

Geon chuckled. “The producer is already secured. We don’t need to worry; Dr. Dre will handle it.”

“Dr. Dre?” Alan exclaimed, surprised. “You mean the famous musician is producing our school’s free concert? A hip-hop artist producing an orchestra – is that even possible?”

“Yes, Professor. When it comes to producing, he’s unparalleled,” Geon assured.

“Well, well. Today is full of surprises indeed. As Professor Corigliano said, you’re quite remarkable, Kay,” Alan concluded.

After exchanging a few more words, the four rose from their seats. Alan reminded Geon several times to take good care of the performance. Geon then offered Shaun and Damian to stay over at his place, an invitation they gladly accepted.

As Geon guided them home and went to wash his hands, Damian began exploring the living room and kitchen on the ground floor, rummaging through cabinets and even peeking into the refrigerator. Watching Damian, Shaun chuckled and settled on the sofa, closing his eyes.

A while later, Geon spotted Shaun sitting on the sofa as he descended to the ground floor. He grabbed three cans of cola from the fridge, placed them on the table, and cracked one open, taking a refreshing sip.

“Ahh, refreshing. Shaun, would you like one? And what about Damian?”

As Shaun opened his eyes to respond, Damian’s excited voice rang out.

“Hey, Kay! Shaun! Come here!”

As Geon and Shaun headed toward the kitchen where Damian’s voice came from, they found Damian inspecting a dried flower hung on the wall. Geon looked at Damian with a puzzled expression.

“What’s going on, Damian?”

Damian ran his fingers over the dried freesia. “Who gave you this flower?”

Geon examined the flower. “It’s from a girl at school who asked me to sign it. Why?”

Damian stuck his hand inside the flower, plucking out a miniature camera. He smirked as he showed it to them.

“I knew it. It’s strange for someone like you to live in such a secure neighborhood. Your security is lax.”

Geon’s eyes widened as he saw the camera in Damian’s hand. “What is this? A camera?”

Damian detached something from the small camera. “Yes, it’s not just a camera; it’s a bug too. It’s almost criminal.”

Handing the camera to Geon, Damian began searching other areas. After a while, they found four cameras and three bugs on the coffee table in the living room. Sitting on the sofa, Geon and Shaun examined the devices with seriousness.

“Even I, not an expert, found this much. If we search more, we’ll likely find more. We should report this to the police,” Damian suggested.

Geon looked bewildered. “Could it be that the girl who gave me the flower hid these?”

Shaun shook his head. “No, we can’t be sure yet. These weren’t only in the flower. Perhaps the girl used the bugs in the flower to locate your house, and someone else illegally installed them, or someone else illegally broke in and installed them. Given the lack of security here.”

That day, Geon’s house was visited by the NYPD’s scientific investigation unit.

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