Vanstein Copyright

Chapter 14 – Lesson at the Bar

Opening the door to “Crazy Louis” as usual, Angela was met by the sound of a piano, one that she would not typically hear.

The tune was the latest craze, incidental music. Even the sparse audience was looking seemingly contented by the luxurious piano performance from early in the evening as they sipped their glasses.

Of course, the man seated at the piano was Adonis, Angela’s new piano instructor.

“Master, why is Adonis playing the piano?”

She called out to the master, who was replenishing the shelves with bottles of liquor while leaning on the counter bar.

“Oh, he requested yesterday that he will take turns playing with you for the coming month.”

Watching the master who seemed to be struggling to place the bottles on the top shelf, Angela offered her assistance without another word.

“I see no reason to refuse such an expert pianist who is willing to perform without any payment under the condition that I close the bar an hour early.”

“Closing an hour early?”

“I hear it’s for your practice session for the London competition.”

“Oh, that’s what you mean…”

“Last night’s spree earned me a considerable amount of income, and I, for one, would welcome a little time off.”

Angela was beyond amazed and dazed. With this, an environment has been laid out where she can take piano lessons with Adonis both day and night.

She was genuinely thrilled to have lessons by Adonis. Nevertheless, the incongruously fast pace of the situation rendered her somewhat incredulous.

At the exact moment the song ended, Angela approached Adonis.

“You caught me off guard. When did you have a private conversation with the master? About taking turns playing.”

“I mentioned it last night. Since this is the only place you can practice the right hand piece… how many hours have you been practicing after I left today?”

“Well, uh, around three hours, I guess. Now that I’m on a roll, I don’t want to forget it.”

“Then take a break for a while. Oh, I’ve transcribed the right hand piece. You can check it out.”

After Adonis pointed to the counter bar with his gaze, he would begin performing the following song without a second thought.

Until now, Angela had been told by both her mother and her piano teacher to “play,” but never once had she been told, “don’t play”.

Although she was convinced during the lunchtime lesson that tenosynovitis from overuse of fingers would never heal, she felt a twinge of itchiness from the unfamiliar situation of having her piano time restricted by other people.

On the counter bar was a handwritten score of “Piano Solo for Right Hand”.

Angela retrieved the printed sheet music from the bag she was carrying. Here was the commercial version of “Piano Solo for Right Hand” that she had purchased in the past.

A transcription by anyone apart from the composer would often include some minor details that are different or omitted. Even though Angela felt sorry for Adonis who made the effort to write it for her, she thought it would be better to go with this one.

Angela compared the handwritten score with the commercial one she had brought along. Her expression shifted to one of astonishment.

They are perfectly identical. 100% spot on.

Even the strength and speed signs were written in the same place, revealing how flawlessly Adonis had executed this piece.

Needless to say, “Piano Solo for Right Hand” was a superbly composed, single-handed-only variation.

There may be relatively few people in the whole United Kingdom who can grasp and pull off this rare piece of music so impeccably, which even prominent pianists avoid playing.

His expertise as a tuner, his solid performance techniques, and his convincing guidance. And this solfège proficiency.

With all these competencies and aptitude, he should be able to immediately win a competition somewhere and make a flourishing debut as a pianist, coupled with his exceptional aesthetics. Why did Adonis choose not to pursue a career as a pianist, but to live as a piano tuner?

While wondering, Angela read the sheet music and hit the musical notes on the counter.

Despite her numerous failed attempts at this piece, she felt as though her fingers could handle it now, and her heart was racing to play it.

As she read the sheet music deeper and deeper, Angela became further submerged in the world of “Piano Solo for Right Hand,” her mother Merch’s masterpiece.

＊　＊　＊

After the closing hour, which was earlier than usual, they finally entered into the practice of “Piano Solo for Right Hand”.

As one would anticipate from a piano composition of such extraordinary virtuosity, the piece demanded remarkable handwork involving a multitude of challenging parts.

Nonetheless, if performed at a super-slow tempo, Angela managed to work her way through the score from the beginning to the end.

Even Adonis went on to explain that no special advice was available simply because the piece was a difficult one, and they proceeded with the practice in a very conventional approach.

For the parts she couldn’t handle, she practiced repetitively at a slower tempo. When she could play the parts, the emphasis was on precision. If she wished, Adonis would actually play the phrase and instruct her on the fingerings.

In no time, Adonis’ handwritten sheet music was brimming with Angela’s note-taking.

After confirming all the tricky parts, she raised the tempo a little and tried to play it through… but she still couldn’t play it.

Instead of overcoming the smallness of her hands, the first day’s practice ended with the conclusion that she would have to solve the difficult parts with the softness of her joints and the speed of her fingering.

＊　＊　＊

Following the end of the lesson, Adonis gave Angela a unique hand massage.

It was a massage that consisted of fingertips cooled in ice water and then gently stroking the back of Angela’s hand.

Although the sensation of the wet fingertips lightly tickling the exhausted muscles of her fingers felt pleasurable… there was something erotic about it as well.

While Angela was too shy to decline, Adonis’ face was so serious as he continued to massage her that she couldn’t bring herself to say it so she left her hand in his care.

“Isn’t it better to practice fingering than to take this seriously…”

Both of them remained silent, which made Angela feel even more embarrassed. Angela quickly snapped the silence with a complaint.

“It’s okay, this is fine. You’re not going to master this in a brief space of time. Take it slowly. If you overdo it, you’ll only overwork your fingers and will never master it,” Adonis replied as if he were conversing with Angela’s right hand. “Everyone dreams of excelling in one step, but I can assure you that no one can achieve that. One must continue to do what is within their capabilities. After all, that’s the shortest way.”

“Is that something about you, Adonis? Or are you referring to the pianist in your family that you mentioned before?”

“Who knows. I’m just being general.”

Angela shot back a complicated smile at the plain lie.

Adonis wasn’t very keen on sharing much about himself.

Since it was a family matter, surely there were stories that were not so positive. From her experience in the orphanage, Angela was well aware that she should never press anyone about matters concerning their family, even if they were friends.

“I wonder if that is how it is with Mabel Faze too. I’ve only heard her play once, and she’s terrific.”

“Speaking of which, Mabel is scheduled to be at the upcoming competition, right?”

“Yes, as a special jury member, she is supposed to evaluate the competition seated in the audience. That makes me extremely nervous because I am in the opposite position, performing from the stage while facing Mabel in the audience.”

“You have to be more and more psyched for that. You’re going to have to be ready to take on your rival.”

“No, no, no, no, I’m not at a level where she’s a pianist to be matched with me!”

“It’s up to you, Angela, to do your best from now on. Alright, we’re done. If I do it any longer, the circulation will get worse.”

After wiping Angela’s wet hands with a towel, Adonis stood up with his back to her and stretched with a groan.

His magnificently proportioned body shimmered in the lighting with his blonde hair sparkling in the light.

Good looks, good style, good ability, and excellent quality. Her earlier question resurfaced.

“Why didn’t you become a pianist, Adonis?”

At the girl’s simple question, the self-appointed tuner’s movements came to a halt.

He eventually turned around, and the smile that he had directed at Ms. Jacquelyn during the day hung on the corners of his mouth.

“I prefer to be like this, supporting people.”

“That’s such a… waste. I believe that you can find a lot of patrons, and if you participate in the London competition, you might even win it.”

“I don’t think I have a chance in the London competition because you’re going to win, Angela.”

“Oh, yeah! I’m sorry.”

“Here, go home now. I’ll be visiting your house again tomorrow.”

After a light pat on Angela’s head twice, Adonis headed off to the master.

Feeling mildly dissatisfied with this child-like treatment, Angela nevertheless made her way to the piano.

As she reached out with both hands, the melody spontaneously produced was, after all, “Requiem”.

Despite having only begun piano lessons with Adonis today, the things that she had resigned herself to as being impossible until now suddenly seemed to be within her grasp.

While she still had trouble understanding the reason for this, she may never have another chance in her life to have such a brilliant person cooperating for her.

Although she can’t… confirm the reason yet.

I’ll play “Piano Solo for the Right Hand,” win the London Competition, and if luck is on my side, I’ll meet my mom.

Together with Adonis, all of these things seemed really achievable.