Saturday, the perfect day for picking up the cello.
Shea Thorne walked into the music store carrying her cello case and saw Milo Sinclair sitting in the lounge area, reading a magazine with his head down.
Sensing someone enter, Milo looked up and smiled, "Ariana, you finally made it."
Is this a teacher's instinct, getting familiar naturally, calling her by her nickname without feeling awkward at all?
Today, he wasn't as serious as before. He was wearing a casual sky-blue sweater, without his gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was down, adding a gentle hue to his presence, making him appear much more approachable.
It was as if he'd swapped personas with the "Living Devil" known as Professor Sinclair from the National Medical University; could it be that someone else had taken over his body?
"Hi, I'm here to return the cello and pick up the one I brought in for repair last week." Shea handed the rented cello back to the counter and gave all the receipts, and the staff took it to the back for inspection.
"Please wait a moment." With the cello being checked, the staff smiled and invited her to wait in the lounge area for a few minutes, while they took her receipt to get her repaired cello.
At this moment, Shea turned around to glance at Milo a couple more times and asked, "What a coincidence! Are you here to check out some instruments too?"
"Yes, but I haven't liked anything yet. I was just thinking of asking for a professional's opinion." Milo put down his tea cup, stood up, walked over to Shea, and bent down to meet her gaze, "So, how about it? Help me choose a cello that meets international standards, and as a return favor, you can call me over anytime for a late-night session."
His words were no longer a hint but an obvious tease, which Shea understood, though Ariana was still in the dark.
This girl is really clueless—a guy's clearly interested in bedding her, and she hasn't even realized.
"Why don't you just admit you were waiting for me?" But Shea understood and deliberately didn't buy his "coincidental meeting" act, bluntly exposing his lie.
Unfazed by Shea's direct address of his intentions, Milo just shrugged indifferently, "Am I not to your young crowd's taste? From what I've seen, all my students use this 'coincidental meeting' trick to woo girls, and it seems to work like a charm with young ladies."
Direct romantic advances can sometimes backfire with young girls, scaring them away rather than attracting them, which is why he planned on being more circuitous for a few days.
He arrived early in the morning and explained his purpose to the store, who didn't mind him waiting there, so he waited until now. Luckily, Shea came today; otherwise, he would've come waiting again tomorrow.
Shea wasn't sure if she should inform him that this "coincidental meeting" tactic doesn't work for every guy. Take Milo Sinclair for example; his presence and the way he looks at people give off an air of a headteacher lying in wait, creating a pressure that normal twenty-year-olds just can't handle. Their first thought would be whether they finished their homework, not sparking any romantic notions.
"Hmm... Mr. Sinclair, when you're doing things like this, you should consider your age." Shea, with a touch of humor, smiled and said, "Did you also rely on just changing your clothes and hairstyle to pursue girls in the past?"
She checked his profile and was surprised to discover that they were ten years apart. Milo was thirty years old this year, although his appearance didn't show it. With all his achievements and international and domestic doctorates, thirty was already a mark of a promising young talent.
Whereas Shea was just twenty, and a ten-year age difference was quite significant.
"If people my age don't pretend to be young to lure girls, all that's left would be blind dates with older single women." Milo didn't dwell much on his past and wasn't offended by her mention of age, saying, "Don't worry, as long as I'm not luring minors, I promise to keep up with your young folks' trends."
He's not out of touch; however she wants to play it, he'll go along.
She did appear young; the first time they met, he didn't get a good look at her face and couldn't be sure.
The second meeting even made him question if she was underage.
...
The front desk tried the instrument, putting it into Shea's old case and handing it to Shea. Shea needed to pay the remaining balance, so she didn't have the chance to take it; hence, the case was handed to Milo, who handled it with gentlemanly poise, without the slightest attempt to pay the fee himself.
This could be the advantage of a mature man; even when pursuing a girl, his manners wouldn't come off as overstepping boundaries.
"With that arm injury, it's best not to lift heavy objects." Milo remarked lightly on the elbow injury Shea got the night she fell.
Shea suspected he was trying to take the credit since an experienced doctor like him would know that minor scrape wouldn't affect daily living and wouldn't even scab over.
Shea went along quite well; if he wanted to carry the cello case, she'd let him carry it, leaving herself more relaxed.
As the two walked out of the music store, Milo suggested, "How about a date? Shopping or whatever you have in mind, I'm up for it."
Shea felt a resistance rising again, and a refusal was about to leap from her throat. She knew it was her loyalty to Miles Crawford, mixed with an innate fear of Milo Sinclair, stemming from Ariana Thorne's side.
Their first encounter showed Milo's aggressiveness, and during their second conversation, with some not-so-appropriate adult talk, Milo had somewhat scared off the gentle and helpless good girl, Ariana Thorne.
However, following the cold and hurtful distance from Miles, where Ariana almost fainted from emotional pain and had a fall, along with the favoritism incident at the school's instrumental room, Shea developed a rebellious streak against Ariana.
She wouldn't voluntarily meet Miles anymore, deciding who to befriend herself, even if it felt awkward, she was still going to go for it.
Incidentally, since Milo had a car, her musical agenda made things more convenient today.
"Sure anything we do is fine? What if it's boring?" Once in the car, Shea buckled her seatbelt and asked Milo.
He casually shrugged and said, "Serious stuff I save for work; vacations are meant to pass time aimlessly."
Of course, it was also an escape from loneliness.
...
That afternoon, Milo fully experienced what Shea meant by "boring."
They first drove to the famous National Conservatory of Music in Kingscrest. They parked at the entrance, leaving the cello in the car, and walked in together.
Being back at such a nostalgic school made her soul tremble at its core. Shea closed her eyes, feeling the music in the air. This place was renowned home and abroad, and the students' spirit starkly contrasted with those at F University.
Shea reminisced about her early school days, from the dormitories to the practice rooms, passing a grove of maple trees, whose leaves had already yellowed and fallen, creating an autumn romance.
Soft music wafted through the grove, a single note enough to recognize it as "Swan."
Shea sat on a bench by the road, closing her eyes to enjoy the music, while Milo watched her profile beside her, savoring the moment.
Innocent eyes, yet a worldly soul.
He admitted that it was due to her beauty that he first felt a tint of desire, but their conversational connection made him value this day over his restful downtime, opting instead to wait in the music shop for a possible encounter.
If she hadn't come today, he would've returned the next day, awaiting her arrival.
All just to enjoy her profile, to savor the time.
"That's such a beautiful piece, 'Swan.' But there were sixteen wrong notes, and the tempo was not well handled." When the music stopped, Shea commented, while feeling endless regret within her heart.
Last week, she wandered all over F University, unable to find a place to practice in peace. Even playing by the artificial lake, which she could only manage for two mornings before complaints came in, citing disturbances to students' rest.
Renting practice rooms outside was too costly and not worthwhile, but currently, she had nowhere to practice.
Milo was surprised that she could, by simply hearing the ethereal music, discern which notes were off; such skill was entirely above what one might expect from an F University student.
She's a hidden treasure, he's sure of it.
"Professor Sinclair, I have an unreasonable request."
After much consideration, Shea decided to seek help from the man beside her. Having spent more time around the school, he would certainly be more familiar with its geography than her.
"Go ahead; I'll help with whatever you need." Milo replied.
"Professor Sinclair, are you familiar with the area around the National Medical University, like where it's more secluded? Somewhere that doesn't disturb anyone, no matter what happens?" She knew that no matter how good the music, playing at the wrong time would disturb others.
Upon hearing this, Milo knew what she meant. The National Medical University was quite remote in its location, with many such places around. But she, being a young woman, it might not be safe or appropriate for her to go to secluded places to practice.
"There is," Milo replied, with a perfect location in mind where she could practice, ensuring she remains within his sight frequently.
"The medical community."