Do You Like Brahms?

Epilogue: Encore

After the movers left, Song Ah stayed behind at Joon Young's new apartment to check on the piano that had just been delivered. As Kyunghoo Cultural Foundation had recently received a new Steinway & Sons piano from a corporate donor, they loaned one of their existing pianos to Joon Young so that he could practise at home. 

Joon Young's new rented apartment boasted a splendid view of Namsan Tower and even had an attached music room because the former occupant was a musician. Joon Young had brought Song Ah along when he was hunting for a new place to stay. Both instantly agreed that this apartment was the one and only choice once they laid eyes on the music room.

It was the piano from the rehearsal room at Kyunghoo, a place that held special memories for the two of them. Joon Young did not tell Song Ah that he had asked Young In-noona for that specific piano, but Song Ah could recognise the piano at once. There was a small but visible scratch on the fall board because Joon Young once clumsily knocked the metronome and sent it crashing down, an accident that happened when Song Ah stepped into the rehearsal room to look for him. She smiled, remembering how bashful and flustered he looked at that moment.

Opening the fall board carefully, she ran her fingers gently across a short length of the keyboard. She pulled out a brown handkerchief bearing her embroidered initials—C.S.A.—from her handbag and wiped the keys in a clean stroke. The handkerchief was a gift from Joon Young that she carried in her handbag every day. 

She silently wished that tomorrow would come sooner, because he would finally be returning home after yet another overseas performance. After releasing his critically acclaimed Brahms album, he was invited to perform Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83 with the Berliner Philharmoniker at their annual gala concert. He wished she could have been there to watch his performance in person, but she had to remain in Seoul to oversee a comeback recital by a world-renowned cellist. The Berliner Philharmoniker had also performed Brahms' Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90.*, a piece that both have grown to love dearly. When he called her after the concert ended, they made a promise to watch this symphony together next time.

Sitting down on the piano bench, she randomly tapped on a few keys without purpose, then felt inspired to began playing. She had not planned to, but her fingers started playing the opening chords of one of his favourite pieces—Debussy's Clair de Lune. She remembered the warm smile that he wore when he spoke about the first time that he heard someone play the Clair de lune at the piano school where he spent his early childhood. She played as much of the song that she could remember, her fingers more used to playing the violin than the piano. Then she transitioned to Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight Sonata), recalling the memory of the time he comforted her with music.

Moonlight Sonata by Chae Song Ah: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGz3LdiHoCn/

She stopped playing after completing the first movement and took a deep but quiet breath.

"Song Ah-ssi, I'm home."

She sprung up from the bench, momentarily wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Joon Young-ssi? How come you're back now? Weren't you supposed to be home tomorrow?"

"Caught an earlier flight. I've actually been standing outside the music room since you started playing Clair de Lune."

Still lost in the moment, she remained rooted where she was standing. Without saying more, he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She buried her head in his chest, snuggling closer to him as they stayed locked in an embrace. When they finally broke apart, he kept her close by keeping an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Would it be ok to visit your family tomorrow?"

"Sure, but why tomorrow?"

"I need to seek your parents' formal consent."

He lifted her right hand wearing their engagement ring and pressed it to his lips.

"Are you proposing now? Just like that?"

She was only teasing him, but he was already starting to panic that he had somehow botched the proposal the last time. In the spur of the moment, he had forgotten to drop the knee and left out the flower bouquet. And to fail even more spectacularly at creating the perfect ambience, he had popped the question at his house, right before leaving to prepare for the piano trio performance. His relationship coach and best friend, Hyun Ho, would have disapproved loudly if he ever found out.

But before he could utter a word to make amends, she already made her move.

"Will you marry me?"

Those were clearly not the words he expected her to say.

"Well...Do I have a choice?"

He flashed a cheeky grin and earned a light jab to the stomach. He enjoyed teasing her too much. Pulling her close, he gave her a peck on her forehead. Then he pulled back to study her face.

"Will you marry me?"

This time he asked her the question looking at her straight in the eye. She was starting to melt under the intensity of his gaze, but she kept her composure. Barely.

She nodded with a smile, and that was all the assurance he needed to lean in for a lingering kiss. Dolce. Accelerando. Appasionato.

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Notes: 

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83 :

*Brahms featured the F.A.F musical motif in Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90., paying homage to his personal motto of frei aber froh (free but happy). In episode 15, Song Ah wished for Joonyoung to be "free and happy" in reference to frei aber froh.

Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90. (3rd movement):

Clair de Lune performed by Son Yeol Eum: