Sound of Your Heart

CHAPTER 15: MOTHER HEN SEES NO WRONGS WITH HER CHICKS

"We can explain," there was a solemn silence between a pair of youngsters and an old man sitting across each other in a dense, dark room.

The older man, compared to the two nervous youngsters didn't let any emotion show on his face as he calmly drank his tea.

"I'm waiting," it's almost like the tension in this room had nothing to do with him, but the two sitting opposite of him knew better. After all, the moment this guy saw them, he raised a fuse because of their appearances for over half an hour making their heads ache like crazy.

"So, you see, we found out that we were acquainted from before and well... We couldn't control yourselves," the girl began to speak. Yes, it was Violet and Daniel coercing his grandfather we're talking about.

Although the two acted like the last night didn't even happen, but it was middle of April right now and it was hot outside, so they wore light clothes. Even if they wanted to hide what happened, the bite mark on Daniel's eyebrow and other bruises, not to mention Violet's new haircut and plasters all over her skin were too glaring to not notice!

They only aimed to make the other party suffer as much as possible, so they didn't hold back much - well, Violet didn't - which left them with countless battle scars to show off today.

So, when they came to this grandson-con following their usual routine, and he noticed the state his grandson was (ignoring Violet), he immediately prepared to attack her and then started to complain for half an hour before getting tired. Daniel who became like a mother hen upon remembering Violet's sobbing story, naturally chose to shield her from his grandfather - even going as far as to scold him.

That, in turn, made the old guy's heart break as he dejectedly slumped down before making an expressionless face.

With Irene timely handing out the morning tea and Daniel's coffee, he proceeded to act like a stranger, his sullen expression making the room appear darker than usual. So, in order to salvage the situation, Violet chose to start explaining what happened - but when she thought about the whole situation, she suddenly realized that she had no idea where to start from.

Contrary to her worries, Daniel - whose personality went 360°, calmly ignored his grandfather and instead began to worry about Violet. This kid doesn't have a common sense, if he left her alone - she'd get herself in trouble!

Therefore, forget about this old man in front of him, he needs to think about how to protect this little girl! He cannot let her live on her own, but keeping her at his home might be too much? She already had a weird idea that he's an overbearing, rich psychopath - if he made her stay forcefully, won't his image worsen in her mind?

'Ah, what to do, what to do?'

But he also needs to make sure she gets educated more than anything! This kid, if let out alone in her current state will be endangered, but what if she uses her newfound education to leave him?

She also has a habit of beating people up, won't she end up in jail at this rate!? Who'd bail her out? Can she even find strength to speak with her grandmother and ask for help when she didn't even have guts to admit that she failed a single task given to her upon arriving in this city? What if she chooses to hold everything in? What if she the learns more bad things while in jail and becomes a thug instead?

Can't let that happen, but have to make her get accepted to the university...

How troublesome.

Perhaps he's been influenced by Violet's exaggerated thinking, but Daniel's train of thoughts went into some weird direction and he shivered at the thought of thug Violet covered in tattoos and beating people on the street.

No, can't do!

"I see," Sebastian acted uninterested. "What a joke, you turned my grandson against me, he has some weird injuries and even chose to side with you? Not to mention that you appeared just three days ago and suddenly you're saying that you're old acquaintances?"

"..."

Well, that is...

"What's next? You two are already married?"

He huffed, but his eyebrow twitched when he noticed an odd silence between the two. Glancing at them who, for some reason, had weird expressions, his heart skipped a beat.

"No way, right?"

Violet didn't miss how his hand shook unsteadily when he asked that.

"No, we're... Not," at least, in real life.

"..." But how could this grandson-con not notice that slight pause she made.

"Engaged, then?"

"..."

Old man, why is your imagination so wild?

"Maybe, maybe not. Grandpa, we need to talk!" Daniel couldn't stand their stupid conversation anymore as he got up and dragged Sebastian away. Violet who was left alone finally noticed Irene and Ian at the door frame throwing her a knowing, yet weird look.

"We really aren't, trust me. We're just old Internet..." Can't say enemies to his family, can she now? "Pals. Yeah, friends. We play some games together and we are..."

Would those old ones understand the concept of marrying within a game?

"In the same guild - a group, that is. We had a little fall out about the game before meeting in real lives, and yesterday we found out about the other one's identity, so we couldn't control ourselves and decided to settle our problems in real life, but it kinda got out of hand," well, that should be enough, right?

Sometimes, ignorance really is a bliss.

The two only smiled "knowingly" as Irene left them to start the practice while she went ahead to listen to what Daniel and Sebastian were talking about.

However, not even she was prepared to hear the following words from Daniel.

"Grandpa, I need a way to make her a family member."

"..."

"..."

To Sebastian, time really seemed to stop at that moment. He even dramatically clutched his chest from (imaginary) pain that pierced his heart (not that much) like knives (retractable ones).

Daniel's thoughts were pure, actually.

Since she already met his family and he wanted to keep her by his side, he thought that if he made her feel loved in warm environment, she would come to love this place and find it hard to part ways. In that case, she won't take the initiative to leave!

They just need to make her feel like she's a part of this family, and truth to be told - Daniel found out that he wanted her company. At least, his ever-still dull days seemed to be a bit more vibrant ever since meeting that red-hair.

Contrary to his pure thoughts, Sebastian thought that Daniel finally decided to marry that girl. Although he acted overprotective with Daniel, he naturally understood that this girl didn't have odd thoughts about him and much less did he believe that she wanted to snatch him away and marry after knowing him for less than a week. He just acted like that for convenience's sake!

But. What. Did. He. Hear!?

They already knew each other for a while!

What kind of a third-rate romance drama is this? What's next, they met as kids on the countryside and promised to marry each other when they grew up, she came to the city and now the two found out about their real identities?? It's what that girl wanted to say, isn't it? That's what Daniel's "maybe, maybe not" meant, isn't it?!

"Grandpa, no weird thoughts," Daniel finally noticed odd expression on his face finally realizing that his sentence rubbed off the wrong way.

"What am I supposed to think when you say it like that?" Sebastian had a hunch that he might go bald soon. This grandson of his only knew to stack trouble upon trouble for him, and nothing else!

"Ah, she's a fine girl, isn't she?" In fact, Daniel didn't try to do this half-heartedly. He naturally knew his grandfather well, and although this old man acted like a senile grandson-con, he actually quite liked Violet too - but his pride wouldn't admit it.

There are many who wanted to be his students, yet regardless of their identity and money, Sebastian never gave way and accepted a proper pupil. In fact, no matter how talented one was, he charged them astronomically for a single class, and if he didn't like them after that single class, he'd make sure to never see them again.

So even with Daniel asking for him to tutor Violet, if Sebastian really didn't want to help, he'd risk even Daniel's hate to get rid of her. But he even got her that Daniel's granduncle he absolutely hates to teach her about violin and music!

One needs to know that Ian pinched himself ten times to make sure that he wasn't dreaming when Sebastian called him for help!

In the end, this grumpy guy is actually quite soft - but again, his pride wouldn't allow him to admit it. And his absolute weakness are kids!

So, Daniel like a proper hen mother caring after his chick, decided to utilize that weakness for the old guy to accept her more. Basically, he was just buying positive points for her.

"However, for such a nice girl, can you even imagine how sad her past actually is?"

It's something many people in higher circle knew, this grumpy softie has extremely soft spot for orphan kids. He would organize five Charity events per year, not to mention that he himself donates money monthly to various orphanages and safe houses. And even Daniel's parents send monthly donations on top of it, with Irene's family joining the tray.

They naturally have few resources for the income, so they'll never go poor.

His identity is that dangerous.

In fact, the reason he'll take some people to teach here and there or accept offers for concerts is so that he can loot some money of them to donate or bait his student's parents into joining his Charity events to donate money.

And his personality is that crafty.

"Humph, don't tell me that she was abandoned by her parents because she could see some creepy things or say something scary, so they left her at a countryside and you met her and promised to marry when she grows up?"

"..."

Other than the later unnecessary part, he was mostly right. Old people's intuition is scary.

"She didn't see nor say anything creepy, but she was abandoned," whatever, he won't give up on selling pity points.

"Huh, say what?" Sebastian showed concern for her for the first time, "Which stupid bastards did that? What they want now? Marry her to some rich guy with weird fetishes so you're jumping in to save her?"

"..."

"Grandpa, you should really get away from internet for a while. All those stories are becoming bad influence for you," isn't he quite like Violet in that sense? Are you sure she's not your legitimate granddaughter?

Why do they both read some weird s**t?

'Where did normal love go? Why is everyone selling someone or themselves to rich people nowadays, ah?'

"You should know that she lived with her grandmother for years, right? It happened because she was in really poor health. It seemed that it was some problem with heart, and her odds for survival were too low so her parents decided to detach themselves from her while she was young," she surprisingly didn't hide anything when he asked her about it.

People with no common sense are quite dangerous.

How can that little girl keep secrets? As expected, he can't let her go out alone.

"What the f**k? Who are they? Where's my cane? Irene, book us two tickets, we're going to beat some people up!"

Irene on the side only hit his head and urged Daniel to continue. She was usually a patient person, but these news made even her flustered.

"Not only that, those two went ahead and made another two babies, and completely forgot about Violet!" Let them become villains. Daniel showed no mercy to her parents, he too was disgusted by their actions.

Sure, if he found out that his kid's life was endangered, he too would be shaken by that information. However, he would never abandon his child just because he couldn't bear to watch it suffer and die! As someone who was raised with nothing but love and coercing, Daniel didn't know of any other way to raise a child himself.

To him, a child is something to be loved - a gift. A parent should only focus on loving and supporting their child as it grows up, and child - in turn, should focus on returning that love and then take care of parents once they grew old. Neither should meddle in others life too much, nor try to drag them down, nor destroy their confidence - but confide in each other, support their decisions and make sure they don't become enemies with each other.

If the child grows seeing their parents as strangers, what's the point of family then?

If a parent abandons the child just because they didn't turn out to their liking, do they even deserve to have a family? To be a parent?

So Daniel couldn't bring himself to understand nor forgive Violet's parents.

She turned out so well just because she was showered with her grandma's love, what if her parents stayed by her side too? What if she miraculously made an even faster recovery with them by her side?

When Daniel got into that accident, he never heard words urging him to give up or do something else from his family? In fact, they all supported whatever he chose to do, kept a little distance as if to give him some room to breathe, yet stayed close to leave him few shoulders to lean on if he couldn't do it on his own.

None of them made it feel like his injury is a burden. None of them made him feel any different than before. They didn't let him feel like he was a fragile doll made of glass walking on a thin layer of ice.

It's fine if you fall - they told him. He didn't hesitate to walk forward because he knew they'll catch him.

It's fine if you show weakness - we'll be your strength until you find it back on your own.

It's fine if you're hurt - we won't shun you if you show your wounds to us.

He believes, that had it not been for his family, he would've broken down when he lost that which mattered the most to him back then.

"Crazy bastards," Sebastian cursed, "So what did you mean when you said that earlier?"

Sebastian began to ponder, it can't be that they want to use her now that she's fine and all, right?

"Although she's a grown girl, she's actually still a child at heart. In fact, her common sense is so lacking that I'm seriously worried to let her out to live on her own," it's wierd how he felt like he knew her his entire life. He wasn't sure where did this strong urge to protect her come from, maybe it was pity, maybe something else.

Unfortunately, Daniel was a dunce who only had eyes for ice and skates when he was younger, so he never fell in love and didn't understand that he was interested in Violet.

But even if he did understand, it's already too late to change his mother hen-like disposition now.

He too, though he didn't want to admit, lacked just as much common sense as Violet did.

"But when she told me about this yesterday, she felt nothing at all - but it's only a facade to hide her pain," in fact, Violet really saw those people as strangers and didn't feel anything at all since her grandmother made sure she didn't lack anything, "But which child doesn't want to experience parental love?"

And everyone around her treated her like she was their own child.

"How fulfilling can it be to live with only one person? Could her grandma show her what a fatherly love is? Take her on her shoulders and all?"

...

In fact, she could.

Violet picked her brawling habit from watching her grandmother, not that Daniel needed to know.

"Not to mention that she spent most of the time in bed..."

After beating other kids - but oh, well...

"She wasted her entire childhood and doesn't really feel what family feels like. Grandpa, I'm quite fond of this girl and I know that you feel the same, you enjoy your quarrels - admit it!"

Sebastian lowered his head.

Despite Violet being here for only three days, Sebastian couldn't refute that the house where only he and Irene lived seemed more lively with that little girl. Not to mention that she didn't try to act with him like other students he taught, she pretty much found his money and status useless.

"Which is why I want to make her feel comfortable here. It's like she was meant to be here!"

Daniel too, despite his random crookedness, was quite soft guy just like his grandfather. It explains why he didn't hesitate to help Violet, despite saying that he only did so because her music was helpful to him.

It's just that he didn't know how to properly show that soft side of his - but Violet who grew up surrounded by old people who also acted tough but we're actually softies inside, recognized that he wasn't a bad guy, so she decided to trust him.

The same went with Sebastian. She couldn't properly gauge if someone was bad or evil, but she at least, trusted her heart.

If she messed up, she could only move forward, no need for regret. Better to mess up something, than give up before even giving it a try.

"So, what do you say? Can you be a bit softer on her? She's a good kid, really. Just a bit stupid," and it's that stupidity that worried him to death.

In the end, Sebastian sighed and got up. He already made his mind even before Daniel tried to persuade him. In fact, the girl is quite likeable, and his grandson is finally able to smile thanks to her; he and Irene found the past few days to be some of the best days they had as of lately.

He glanced at Daniel and spoke.

"It's fine, I admit that I like the girl too. I'll be nicer," he then paused before grudgingly adding, "You have my blessings."

"..."

Blessings? What blessings?

Irene who understood the negative EQ of this grandson of hers just gave him a gentle pat on shoulders before leaving after Sebastian.

Whatever, it's too early. Let their relationship grow naturally.

Daniel threw that blessing at the corner of his mind, happy that one part of his plan went well as he wanted, however...

"Girl, take it easy today - no need to overexert yourself. We can continue our lessons in afternoon," he's heard his grandfather say.

"...What the, old man don't speak so nicely with that weird smile. It's creepy."

"..."

And so, not even a minute after Sebastian promised to Daniel that he'll be nicer, he started another round of dog fight with Violet in the living room, throwing all Daniel's efforts down the drain.

Perhaps he made a move too soon.