Sound of Your Heart

CHAPTER 10: SOCIAL MEDIA... IS SCARY!

THERE WAS solemn atmosphere in the room like someone died. Not a single one of four people seated around the table spoke as the younger pair of man and woman solemnly stared at the tablet in his hands. There was only the weak sound of violin and skates clashing against the ice echoing in the midst of the silence filling the room.

Yes, the two were exactly Violet and Daniel watching the video of him skating to her music yesterday. As of his grandparents, his grandfather was sending daggers at Violet while his grandmother calmly sipped on tea. The video finally ended and the two couldn't help but sigh.

"So it turns out this is why they were pestering us," he really couldn't understand how did he fail to notice someone recording him skate. This video was done so well that he suspected involved a pro, but he was certain that there were only the two of them.

"Return of Daniel," that was the title of the video and it already had over eight million views on YouTube after a single day. Not to mention that the uploader provided the link to their own site which turned out to be his fandom zone and under the video there was a bunch of photos of him "helping" Violet skate from yesterday with countless question about their relationship.

This rotten fandom, they could type faster than pro gamers used keyboards, there were already few tens of thousand comments inquiring about their relationship, some even actively saying how they began to write fan-fiction novels — it's really no wonder that those reporters were so excited when they saw the two earlier.

"You really didn't know about this?" His grandfather grit his teeth in anger, still sending daggers at Violet.

"How can I be so bored to look on internet for this," Daniel rolled his eyes, "Moreover, I broke my phone, so I've no access to news even if I want to."

"..." Of course, to this old man, Daniel was always right and a victim regardless of situation, so he turned to scold Violet instead.

"And what about your phone? Surely you saw the news when you went on internet or something?" The news were so heated that they were all over the internet. Merely going to Google on phone, one would see the news had already climbed to second place.

"My phone also broke."

"..." While his grandfather sulked in a corner, grandma still continued to sip on the tea like nothing happened.

"What a coincidence that your phone broke down just before this news came out, how can I know that it wasn't you that took this video, huh?" Bias is this case was too obvious.

"It's not a coincidence, it's your lovely grandson that broke it; also, our phones were broken at the same time two days ago, so I can't have recorded that video even if I wanted to. Moreover, aren't you too obvious? What is this discrimination, grandpa? I was playing the violin in this video, unless I managed to project my ghost out of my body, it's impossible for me to record myself!" Although her words were logical and made sense, he only heard when she called him a 'grandpa'. In his head that grandpa was equal to "Look how close I'm on terms with your grandson. His grandpa is my grandpa, it's only a matter of time before I marry into your family, so get used to me calling you like that", and he almost got a heart attack.

"What's with this tension, old Sebs? Didn't you call me here for something good, why does it seem like you're burying someone?" A tall man in his middle ages suddenly entered and broke the tension.

"You- How did you enter?" Daniel's grandpa jumped off the sofa and grabbed the nearby stake, ready to fight.

"You didn't answer when I rang the bell and I saw the noisy bunch outside, so I walked around, across the wall, then through the window and done. I've been telling you for over three decades to lock the goddamn windows, how come your IQ is still as negative as always," the man seemed to be natural enemy of Sebastian's as the other couldn't even say a word to defend himself. Violet's eyes bulged open when she heard him explain his entrance, but both Daniel and Irene seemed unfazed by this situation, so she couldn't say anything either.

"You uncultured swine, how can you break into other people's homes! s**t, I'm calling the police, if they don't arrest you now, I won't be able to sleep at night peacefully!" He already reached out for the phone while the other man shrugged.

"Whatever, I'll just have to pay some money, and be out the next second. It's not really troublesome," he really didn't care, "Moreover, who'd believe that a graceful master such as myself would break into other people's homes? Just by looking at your repulsive face, police would arrest you instead." Violet could understand his words, Daniel's grandfather really looked like a swindler.

"You- you- you-" he was at loss of words while the other one rolled his eyes.

"You, you this, you that, is that the only thing you can say? As expected, people with no education are really limited in vocabulary." The man really looked like he was grieving the other's lack of knowledge.

Violet felt really good about this situation. Seeing this loathsome dwarf being bullied, it truly made her previous grudges vanish into a thin air.

"You... I have witnesses!" He triumphantly turned to look at the rest of them, yet Irene simply continued to drink the tea, Daniel pretended to seriously be looking at the tablet while Violet naturally ignored him. What a joke, he's berated her earlier, why would she help him out now?

"You, you, you—"

"You this and that again, can't you change something? Ah, my poor little sister, why do you still stay with this fool? Come, let me take you home with me, you don't deserve this kind of suffering," he went to Irene and hugged her affectionately.

Yes, this man was her older brother and extremely crazy sis-con. There was a time when he found out about her engagement and went to threaten indifferent Sebastian to let go of her, and they often even fought. Up to this day, he still comes often and asks her to leave him and come to live with him and his wife, naturally through the window and wall since Sebastian makes sure to lock the doors and gate because of him all the time.

But windows, up to this date, those bloody windows... It's something he'll never learn.

"Get lost, you damn bastard!" Sebastian really wanted to beat him up.

Violet only sneaked a glance at Daniel and poked him few times before whispering in his ears.

"Say, your family doesn't seem to be that normal, no?" He only turned around and gave her an incredulous look.

"Is that really what you should be asking me?" He asked back, he was still a member of that family, after all.

"It's fine, you aren't that bad," he just picks up random people and offer them a home, "you're a good crazy."

Yes, although he acts like a vile swindler and such, to Violet — especially after hearing his tearful past — he almost seemed like a saint. She couldn't wait to get her phone tomorrow and Google some more info about him. She didn't dare to ask this rotten grandfather of his about him, because Daniel was even higher than a saint in his eyes — completely unreliable.

"... Why do I feel like you're mocking me?"

"That's why your IQ is in negatives, you can't even recognize a true praise..."

"..." Is it too late to kill her and get rid of her body now?

The two's relationship was quite odd, full of bickering, recognition and respect at the same time. Any other person would've stopped bothering with each other, but the two felt like they knew each other for a lifetime, so although they cursed each other, they didn't take it too seriously. They just threw even worse remarks at each other and continued until they eventually got tired.

"What are you two whispering about like a love-struck idiots!?" At that moment, his grandfather interrupted them. To him who barely overcame a heart attack, seeing the two snuggling so close and whispering with smiles on their face, it really looked like lovers teasing each other.

"You retarded old dwarf, shouldn't you worry about keeping your wife first instead of bothering poor kids?" The man threw a remark once again before returning to sweet-talk his sister into leaving Sebastian, "Ah, my poor little sister, it's been hard on you all those years. Come now, don't be afraid, your big brother is here to save you from this creature," for some reason, Violet could see where Daniel's poisonous tongue came and she subconsciously nodded.

She was right. He spent most of his childhood with his parents and other grandparents in Russia — they were always refined and in harmonious relationship. Daniel was well disciplined and never spoke a rude words — however, after he came here... Well, America was America, alright. He couldn't help but change after the daily interaction with this family.

Anyway, that small nod of hers was obviously noticed by Sebastian.

"You, you even admit it so openly!" He pointed his finger at her instead.

"Yeah, you really shouldn't torture us poor kids," she had no idea what he meant. She already decided that he's delusional a bit. Living in her village, she was well aware that some older people... Began to change in certain way, so she didn't think it was that odd that his grandpa was a bit wrong in his head. After all, life can be really boring when you grow old, one needs some kind of fun. Acting like a little child at that age is completely normal.

At that moment, the man began to laugh before coming to Violet. Despite his old age, he looked like he was just in his forties or something, and he skillfully took her hand before kissing it.

"God didn't wrong me when he sent you to me. I can feel it, little girl, you're meant to annoy that old dwarf. It's almost like looking at a kindred spirit!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Well, Violet could see where those words came from, she felt the same looking at this guy, but still to openly say that to a stranger in front of the target of that gossip... Realizing that he started off this meeting a bit wrong, he immediately coughed to fix the mood.

"Well, my name is Dean, this lovely queen's big brother. I already saw the video of you two and I must say that I'm quite amazed with your music. Was that something you practiced for a while or someone else's composition?"

"...I made it on the spot."

"..."

Daniel and his grandma just ignored them like it was no big deal while Sebastian grit his teeth in anger. He found the two to be quite loathsome together.

"I say, little girl, how about you accept me as your teacher?"

"..."

"f**k, you old swine, you even want to steal my student away? I called you here for little help, not to steal from me, was my wife not enough for you?" Sebastian wouldn't be Sebastian if he didn't get angry, alright.

"It's not stealing if they willingly follow me," Dean snorted, "Moreover, who'd willingly stay with you. Admit that you're holding something against my sister that makes you stay with you!"

In the end, the two continued their banter for another hour or so until it was time to eat breakfast and since Irene really hated noise while she ate, they couldn't help but to obediently eat in silence. After Daniel read everything that was on internet, he prepared a speech for media that still didn't leave from the front gates, while Violet began her daily training. It didn't become less painful or easier as she expected, she almost died by the time Sebastian was done with his torture.

Turns out, the reason why Dean was here is because Sebastian wanted him to help her with violin classes. He's apparently a famous violinist and even had his own music school, and since Irene told Sebastian that the little girl's music could help Daniel, he naturally wanted to make it even better.

Regarding Dean, it could be said that he was both satisfied and unsatisfied with this new student of his. She had a proper stance when playing a violin. Not graceful, but no movement was wasted as she played - she was really talented and devoted to violin. She could make a piece out of nowhere and play it perfectly. Just by hearing a piece of music once, she could immediately remember it and play it down to the smallest note exactly as it is in original.

But...

She absolutely had no idea how to read the scores!

In fact, when Violet tried to enter the university before, they did think of giving her a chance to see her talent — despite not liking her attitude and usage of connections. But as if God was enraged with her existence on that day, the test included playing a score — the simplest test possible for their university.

Daniel who always found it odd why they threw her out finally understood why they acted that way. If he was in their place and haven't noticed her talent beforehand, he'd really think that she was screwing him up. After the strenuous day of going back and forth, and media waiting for hours just to get some good scoop, they finally got a positive answer from Daniel which became a headline for most newspapers the next day. However, just as media gloated in happiness and his fans and friends continued to send him congratulation messages he didn't see at all, the two unknowingly drew closer to disaster.

Tomorrow was the day they get their phones back. And it was also tomorrow that the two would finally find out about each other's identity. Needless to say, game that has even peaceful for the longest three days ever since it came out was about to be thrown in even bigger chaos.