Chapter 138: Kiska Meets Juilliard part 3

Late in the early evening, Geon Kim finally returned home and immediately entrusted Kiska's bath to the nanny before seeking out Gregory, who was always in his study. The organization members guarding the main house's corridors, now accustomed to Geon's presence, saluted and made way for him.

*Knock knock*

"Come in."

Gregory, who hadn't been informed of Geon's visit, was slightly surprised to see him enter but quickly smiled and stood up.

"It's been a while since you've come to visit without calling, Kay. Haha. Take a seat here."

As Geon sat down in the single-seater sofa offered by Gregory, Gregory came around from behind his desk, perched on it, and crossed his arms with a smile.

"So, how did it go today? Did Kiska enjoy it?"

"Haha, yes, it went well. I think Kiska liked the professors too."

"Ha, that's good to hear. So, what brings you here?"

In a cautious tone, Geon relayed that Professor Corigliano wanted to teach Kiska. He calmly advocated for Kiska's genius while mentioning that he wouldn't be able to spend much time with Kiska due to returning to opera practice and then attending school after re-enrollment. Listening intently with a serious expression, Gregory took out a cigar, fondled it in his hand, and then cut the end with scissors.

"Hmm... I understand that you have your own life to lead and can't be cooped up here with Kiska forever. If it were a normal student, I'd keep them close with a hefty sum, but doing that to a genius like Kay might invite attacks from who knows where. Heh. So, does Kiska want to do it?"

With Gregory hinting at approval, Geon's face lit up.

"Actually, it was Kiska's own desire to help Professor Leontine Price."

Lighting the cigar, Gregory's eyebrows twitched.

"Kiska? The child expressed their own wish? How?"

"It wasn't expressed verbally. Professor Price inferred it and asked if it was correct, to which Kiska nodded in agreement."

Gregory chewed on the end of his cigar and crossed his arms, looking out the window at the view of the annex.

"Our Kiska expressed a wish... Not just likes and dislikes, but conveying what they want to do... Hmm."

After a long silence spent looking at the annex, Gregory turned back to Geon, cigar in mouth.

"Let me say this again, I'm very thankful to you. Kiska's rapid improvement is all thanks to you. I trust you with this matter too. Just take good care of Kiska's security. This... Corigliano professor can be trusted, right?"

Geon chuckled and nodded.

"Of course, he's a well-known figure, never caused any trouble throughout his life and is a capable professor who adores Kiska, so don't worry."

Gregory exhaled a long stream of smoke with a smile.

"So, what will our Kiska be doing in this Leontine's retirement performance? If there's even a small role for an extra, I'd love to go watch. Kiska hasn't been to a school festival or anything like that."

"Haha, of course, I'll invite you to the performance. But unfortunately, Kiska's role isn't to be on stage."

"Ha, I suppose it makes sense not to put our Kiska on stage at Juilliard, especially not for a retirement performance of a legendary professor. Then what is the role?"

Geon got up from the sofa and approached Gregory, who was seated at his desk, looking him in the eye.

"Kiska will be writing the lyrics for the opera, based on Professor Corigliano's music and Professor Price's scenario."

Gregory stood up abruptly from his desk, shocked.

"What did you say? Are you joking with me right now?"

Geon grinned and rested his hands on his hips.

"Haha, even though we've become close, I know who you are, and I'm not someone you can easily joke with. Haha, it's true that Kiska will be writing the lyrics. Do you know the song I released recently?"

"Ah... yes, that song. Miroslav told me about it. It's quite popular, congratulations, albeit belatedly."

Geon playfully pulled out his phone and played 'If I could change the world,' showing the screen to Gregory, who looked puzzledly at the lyrics displayed.

Composition by Kay

Lyrics by Kiska Miocic

Gregory, surprised, stared intently at Geon, seeking an explanation.

"Haha, it's true. The song was made from writings Kiska had in their sketchbook."

Gregory, astonished, tapped on the lyrics on Geon's phone to read them again.

"Is this really written by our child? Kiska wrote this?"

As Geon

 nodded with a smile, Gregory, unable to grasp the reality, read the lyrics over and over, eventually showing tears of emotion. Remembering he was in front of Geon, Gregory turned away, raising his head to the sky to stop his tears from falling. Watching quietly, Geon waited for Gregory's emotions to settle. After a while, Gregory, covering his face with his hands, murmured softly.

"Natalie... this is the gift you left Kiska."

As Gregory became immersed in thoughts of his late wife, Geon quietly stood up and left the room, closing the door gently behind him. Just before the door closed, Geon caught a glimpse of Gregory's back through the gap.

'May the despair and tears that filled your life become light through your daughter.'

Quietly blessing Gregory, Geon headed to the annex where he usually found Byungjun lying on the sofa and Kiska lying next to him, looking at something. Kiska spotted Geon first and ran over to hug his legs, followed by Byungjun, who raised one hand and smiled while still lying down.

"Hey, did you get Gregory's permission?"

Geon, lifting Kiska into his arms and sitting down on the sofa, laughed.

"Of course, I got it. Kiska? What were you doing?"

Kiska, smiling brightly at Geon, leaned in to show him a paper she was looking at.

"Huh? Oh, the scenario you received earlier, is it interesting?"

Kiska nodded vigorously with a cute smile. Geon, without looking at the scenario, set it aside and looked into Kiska's eyes.

"Our Kiska. You don't have to do well, you know? Just think of it as a fun game and give it a try. I'll help you a lot. If it's too hard or you don't want to do it, just tell me, okay?"

Kiska, with eyes full of affection, touched Geon's hair. Laughing, they looked into each other's eyes, while Byungjun, lying down, opened his eyes wide and tapped Geon's arm with his toes.

"Hey, this guy is getting worse. Look, that kid is only ten years old. Don't look at her with those eyes."

Geon pushed Byungjun's foot away with his arm, frowning.

"Don't talk dirty, will you?"

Byungjun, undeterred, poked Geon's side with his foot.

"Come on, isn't it obvious? Look at Kiska's eyes. Does that look like just an older brother's gaze?"

Geon frowned and glanced at Byungjun before looking at Kiska, who was still touching his hair and looking at him with a flushed face and a bright smile. Byungjun, with a disbelieving look, said,

"Hey, man! That's the Child Protection Law! The Act on the Protection of Children and Youths from Sexual Abuse!"

"Ah! What are you saying! Stop talking dirty!"

Byungjun gestured with two fingers towards Geon's eyes as if to poke them.

"How do we deal with this guy's shady gaze? Shall I gouge them out?"

"Ah, come on! Leave me alone!"

Geon, holding Kiska, stood up from the sofa and headed towards the fridge, laughing.

"Kiska, shall we eat some ice cream? Have you already eaten?"

Kiska clapped her tiny hands together and nodded vigorously. Geon looked down at Byungjun and asked,

"Hyung, Kiska hasn't eaten ice cream today, right?"

Byungjun, lying on the sofa and kicking his feet, replied,

"She hasn't. Yeah, boiling blood needs to be cooled with ice cream. Youngsters."

"Ah, come on!! What kind of talk is that in front of a kid!"

"She won't understand if I'm talking in circles, kid."

"Ah, stop talking weird stuff!"

Geon, opening the fridge, took out the ice cream he had bought earlier and grabbed a spoon, then set Kiska at the table and handed her the spoon. The ice cream was so frozen that he took out another spoon to scoop it for her. Resting his elbows on the table and chin in hand, Geon watched Kiska enjoying the ice cream.

"Do you like it? Shall we try a different flavor next time?"

Kiska looked up at Geon with big eyes, then shook her head and pointed excitedly at the ice cream she was eating.

"Haha, you like this one? You haven't tried the others yet. They're tasty too, Kiska."

Kiska, with a serious look, seemed to ponder this. Finding her adorable, Geon burst into laughter.

"Alright, then we'll always buy this one and try one more flavor each time, how does that sound?"

Kiska smiled brightly and nodded, offering Geon a spoonful of her favorite ice cream. Unable to refuse Kiska's kind

 gesture, Geon took the spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. Just then, Byungjun, scratching his belly and heading towards the table, caught Geon's eye. Byungjun, having seen Geon and Kiska's actions, stiffened and then charged at Geon, locking him in a headlock from behind.

"This bastard!! I knew it! I'm reporting you, you bastard! Spit out the ice cream, you filthy creature!"

"Choke! Hyung, what are you doing! Cough!"

Byungjun, holding the scenario Kiska had been looking at, rubbed it against Geon's face while shouting.

"This bastard, trying to groom a pure child!"

"Choke! Groom, what's that!"

"Raising to take advantage later, you bastard!"

"Cough! Ah, let me go!"

Geon, frowning, stood up abruptly, and the scenario Byungjun had released fell on the table. Irritated, Geon glared at Byungjun and sat down.

"Stop having such dirty thoughts!"

Geon, tidying up the scattered scenario on the table, suddenly noticed something interesting. After examining the scenario for a moment, he looked at Kiska with astonishment.

"Kiska, why did you underline everything in different crayon colors?"

Kiska's eyes widened as she reached out to grab the scenario, then ran to fetch her crayons. Climbing onto a chair at the table, she began to explain by mouthing words. She took a green crayon and diligently drew a line under one paragraph, then switched to a pink crayon for the next paragraph. Watching Kiska's actions closely, Geon looked at the scenario she had underlined with a thoughtful expression.

"Kiska."

Kiska looked up with wide eyes.

"Can you see colors in letters?"