Chapter 9.11 - Act 9: Whimsically 11 (1/2)

Act 9: Whimsically 11

There was a saying that you could tell a person from how their house looked.

Though I couldn’t remember precisely where I heard it, it was probably something I heard while drinking because those kinds of boring stories would usually only leave the mouth when the brain was drowned in alcohol. It was one of those so-called proverbs of a drunkard.

But those useless proverbs would prove to be correct once in a while.

‘Bright.’

The house I entered after being welcomed by Chloe could be summarised in that one word.

It was bright – that was the obvious first impression anyone would have. White walls reflected light brightly, contrasting with the few pastel green furnishings placed around. The rooms were spacious with lots of empty space in the middle.

It gave me a thought that perhaps Chloe grew up to be that innocent because she lived in a house like this.

‘Well, it hasn’t been that long since she began living in Korea though.’

With a wry smile, I glanced around the house before finally stopping my eyes on Chloe. After the holidays began, it was my first time meeting her and… as expected, she hadn’t changed much.

That bright smile with her lips raised up was the same, as well as her green eyes, rich with warmth.

‘I guess it’s because it’s only been two weeks since the holidays began.’

Organising my thoughts, I asked how she had been.

“Have you been well during the holidays?”

Tapping on the sofa in the living room, she urged me to take a seat and smiled.

“Yes~ Went around playing a lot and last weekend, Sok… ah, Sokcho! I went there!”

Sokcho… She went to the ocean with her family because it was summer huh.

In excitement, Chloe then started energetically talking about the things that happened at Sokcho. She said it was rare going to an ocean and that she enjoyed it despite the crowd, as well as how she ate something called Spicy Stew for the first time…

She talked with a bright smile before suddenly frowning and throwing a question.

“But why is the Spicy Stew called a Spicy Stew?”

“Nn?”

Curious as to what she meant, I looked at her and she returned a rather serious gaze back.

“Isn’t it a Fish Stew because there’s fish inside?”

“…I don’t know. It’s spicy as well right? Maybe that’s why?”

Tilting her head, Chloe opened her mouth.

“I thought Soybean Paste Stew was called that because there was soybean paste inside… then why isn’t it called Salty Stew…?”

I watched her contemplating with a frown and broke out into a grin.

This girl was cute sometimes.

While talking about a few other things, I glanced around the house when a question suddenly popped up in my head.

“By the way, are your parents not inside? Shouldn’t I greet them at least?”

It was funny I only thought of it now but because she brought me to the living room so naturally, I thought they would be coming out any time soon. Blinking her eyes, Chloe seemed to be processing my question before whispering softly with a smile.

“Ah, they’re both out~ That’s why I wanted to do it today. Huhuh.”

“If my parents are here, it would be harder to practise”, she added while giving a chuckle and standing up.

“Should we practise now?”

“Uh… Mm, yeah.”

Arriving at the practice room, I realised that it was quite well-decorated. Albums and music sheets stacked here and there with a large speaker installed. In the middle of everything in an intimidating posture was the grand piano.

It was apparent with a glance that it was a practice room designed with a lot of money.

But more importantly, there was another reason I liked this practice room.

More than anything, there was this human-like vibe to it.

The albums weren’t just placed as decorations evident from the several scratches on them. The music sheets had its edges worn out and the audio was stopped in the middle.

It was a scenery which made me feel the weight of Chloe’s sweat and hard effort, and feeling that residue of passion, I opened my mouth with a faint smile.

“It looks cool.”

“Huhuh.”

She seemed to be happier than ever as she flew forward to the piano seat with a tall nose. Then, she gently placed her hands on the keyboard and asked.

“Since you came to my practice room, I should play you a song~ Do you have anything you want to listenn?”

“Umm…”

“If you don’t, I’ll play the one I’ll be doing for this concert!”

Energetically, like she was overflowing with excitement, she spoke and I returned a smile.

Yeah, we should start with a performance since we were at a practice room. Time to hear her piano after so long, I guess.

Seeing me stand next to the piano, Chloe gave me a smile before closing her eyes and quickly raising her left hand.

Then, she slammed down as a low note fell with a roar.

“Hmm…”

The abrupt start to the performance was rapidly connected by the right hand’s melody that aimed to quickly chase after it. On top of the low note supporting the melody, stories of harmony were built.

Hearing the performance which resembled two separate performances of the right and the left hand, I raised an eyebrow up.

‘This is…’

It was a song I heard before.

That wasn’t the end – it wasn’t just a random song I heard of. I remember watching this being performed live in front of me – it was the song Chloe played earlier in the semester.

Fantasie by Schumann.

“…”

However, it was clearly different from back then. I thought while watching the left hand falling in depression and the right hand waving and singing.

Chloe had a hard time with Schumann’s Fantasie because of that.

It was difficult enough to play the two melodies straight up. It required a multitask of the relaxed left hand and the threateningly rapid right hand.

However, an experienced pianist should be able to do that easily after years of practice if that was all there was to it.

Then why was it difficult?

That was because the main melody had to be properly sung in the midst of that busy multitask. No matter how difficult the digestion of the notes were and no matter how confusing it was, the song had to flow naturally so that the listeners couldn’t tell.

That dream-like melody which befit the name fantasy.

No matter how dazzling the background was, the spotlight towards the protagonist had to be still there right? In the past, Chloe couldn’t give this spotlight properly and sang a song plain enough that I, a non-pianist could tell.

‘But now…’

I watched Chloe performing with deeply sunk eyes of seriousness.

Before me, I could see the fingers dancing around. Countless notes filling up the small music sheet were being easily digested by Chloe’s right hand. In alignment with those fingers, the keys were pressed with force as the strings vibrated and the melody flowed.

It was beautiful.

Closing my eyes, I listened to Chloe singing Fantasie as a smile slowly surfaced.

‘Chloe has really changed a lot.’

Like that, beneath the warm rays of the sun, I appreciated her performance.

*

“How was it?”

After the song, seeing Chloe cautiously looking up at me, I thought.