280 Let Me Show You Something Good (1/2)
It poured heavily through the late autumn night. A man wearing a black raincoat stood beside a carriage and opened the door for Andrew.
Andrew paused and nodded. ”Apologies for keeping you waiting, Gavin.”
”It's my duty, sir.” Gavin smiled.
When the door closed, the carriage charged into the rain and toward the uptown district. In the silent carriage, Andrew placed the long cone on his knee and slowly loosened his grip. He had held it too tightly. His whitened knuckles cracked like stones scraping as he opened his fist.
”You can take care of the docking work with the Research Institute,” he suddenly said. ”Assemble four-hundred within nine days.”
Gavin nodded. ”Yes, sir.”
”Thank you.” Andrew closed his eyes. ”It's late. Let the driver take you home. I'm tired too. We can discuss the Musician Division tomorrow.”
”Yes, sir,” Gavin replied. He did not have any complaints.
The carriage soon stopped. After Gavin bid farewell, he left with his black umbrella. The carriage began moving forward again. Even the sound of breathing had stopped in the once again silent carriage. However, there was a pair of eyes that shone faintly like a sword.
Andrew pressed down on the cone on his knee. As if he was touching red-hot iron, his finger split open after brushing past a sharp edge. Scarlet blood oozed out and fell to the floor along the blade. The cone silently turned to powder and scattered on the ground.
”A machine that can replace musicians? What a joke…” Andrew looked up at the darkness before him and said in a low voice, ”Someday, Newton, you'll go to Hell too.”
-
The sound of the rainstorm traveled through the window. The faint whistling of wind seemed to blow past the sole lantern in the hall, dim light weakening under the rain sound. The once glamorous hall was now a blur under the light as if it was covered in dust after years of weathering.
The drenched young man entered quietly through the door but froze when he saw the old man under the light. The aging man still had a respiratory on his face. The tubes were tangled in his graying hair as if it grew naturally. The rumbling of pulmonary water accompanied the faint breathing. Hearing the footsteps, the old man raised his eyes and looked at Gavin.
Gavin's steps paused. He said softly, ”Father, I'm back.”
After a stretch of silence, a voice of disgust came from the respirator, ”You know to come back? You still think I'm your father?”
Gavin hung his head. ”I'm sorry, Father, the Musician Division is busy these—”
”Enough. Don't say things that I don't want to hear.” The man waved his hand in annoyance. ”Gavin, do you still see yourself as part of this family after joining the Royal Musician Division? Don't disappoint your mother!”
Gavin froze. His gray eyes trembled and he looked down after a long time. ”Yes, Father.”
The old man huffed coldly. His expression was filled with dissatisfaction. ”Deputy Head Andrew took you back today? Why didn't you invite him to stay for dinner?”
Hesitating, Gavin replied quietly, ”He said that he's…tired today.”
Undisguised disappointment flashed past the man's eyes. He looked away from Gavin. ”Whatever. I never expected much from you. All I need is for people like you to not trouble the family.”
Gavin gripped his sleeve cuff and did not answer.
”Also.” The old man panted heavily. Rising from the wheelchair, he looked at Gavin. ”About Banner…how has it been going?”
”Mr. Flynn has promised to me that Banner will have a spot three years later.”
”Three years?!” the old man exclaimed in anger. He glared at Gavin and demanded through his muddled breathing, ”How many more years do you want Banner to waste? You have no space for your brother in your heart! So disappointed. Gavin, you disappoint me so much!”
He was attacked by a bout of coughs. It sounded like a steel hammer slamming down into an empty cavern. Gavin rushed over to support him but was pushed aside in annoyance.
A hand reached out from behind and pulled him away. Then the newcomer walked forward, gently pressed down on the old man's back, and injected the cough medicine with ease. Gavin froze in his spot.
”It's okay, Father. I can become a royal musician even without my brother's help,” Banner comforted the old man softly. He glared at Gavin as he pushed the wheelchair. ”You've waited for too long. You should go sleep now.”
The youth pushed the old man out of the hall. Gavin stared as their silhouettes disappeared into the distance. He reached out, wanting to say something. But after a long while, his hands fell down weakly.