Chapter 3; Episode 37 and 38

Episode 37

Practice

2016 Sep 24

Autumn suns shines through the dappled shade. The trees lining the streets turn yellow, while clusters of green gather around their trunks.

"Follow this road... Yes, keep going straight until the end, it's on the right side." In her left hand Chelsea holds the map and address her teacher gave her; in her right hand is a heavy-looking bag. The bag contains class notes from this week's lessons plus some desserts that she made.

"Heehee. A good class monitor always looks after sick students." Chelsea gives herself a little pep talk as she walks along. She was lost for half an hour before she found this path.

A cool breeze passes through the forest, ruffling Chelsea's short hair.

Fragments of faint music can be heard carried on the wind. They are hard to decipher but weave together to create a delicate, magical sound.

Chelsea stops walking and looks up, searching for the source of the music.

"...Is that a piano?"

"Who is it?" The elegant sounds are carried off by the wind, as if the music itself is waltzing back and forth along the path. It sounds both inviting and reclusive at the same time.

As she gets nearer the fragments of piano music fluctuate, sometimes sounding strident, sometimes vulnerable.

Chelsea stops in front of a white two-story building. The piano music is coming from inside.

The walls of the white wood house are flanked by navy blue shutters. The spacious garden in front comprises well-maintained flower beds and manicured lawns. An expensive looking black car is parked at the end of the driveway.

The low hedge does little to block Chelsea's view. She can easily see into the living room on the west side of the house, where the floor-to-ceiling windows make the room seem to be from a movie scene, complete with an air of grace and elegance.

A well-dressed teenager sits at the piano with his back to the window.

"Is it him? He plays really well..." Chelsea stands outside the window and listens.

Episode 38

Street Singing

2016 Oct 05

"Hello everyone. We’re J&O. The first song we have for you today is: ‘Ocean.’" Jessy looks at Ocean, who nods his head and starts strumming.

"One, two, one, two, three, go..." Jessy counts them in and the upbeat sounds of guitar fill the plaza. Ocean starts strumming and they create music filled with autumn ambience.

Jessy's voice has genuine warmth and is complemented by Ocean's deep harmonies and guitar chords, together they weave a set of complex and heartfelt tunes.

Ocean and Jessy sing their hearts out on their side of the plaza.

Under the banyan tree on the other side, elderly people move the benches and tables around to drink tea, chat and play chess games.

"What kind of language is this guy singing? I can't understand a thing," one balding old man says.

"You're so out of the loop. Street performers are all the rage these days. All you need is a guitar and microphone, then you can sing for money." Beside him sits a portly old man pouring a pot of hot water into a teapot.

"How much money? As much as his dad earns at the garage?" the bald man quips. Several of the senior citizens break into laughter.

"Who knows. Drink your tea." The portly man steeps the tea and serves it to his friends.

A teenager sits nearby in the shade and listens to them play. Hair and shade cover the teenager's face, but he doesn’t look pleased.

At the end of the first song, the teenager climbs into a black car and it drives away.

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