Chapter 7: Ah! Je veux vivre

With the temporary closure of St Mary's until media attention had cooled, Mei Yun found herself having more time to practice the pieces for the piano trio exhibition performance. How time flies, it was two weeks until said performance and today was the dress rehearsal.

Wang Jun had informed her that the dress rehearsal was moved to this week instead of next week due to the professor not being available at the time. It was of no problem, she took note and arrived at the back door of St Michael's Concert Hall 15 minutes before the meeting time as usual.

Mei Yun messaged Wang Jun to let him know she was waiting outside.

Mei Yun: I'm here （.＾▽＾）

Wang Jun: Ok! :) We'll be here in five.

Mei Yun: o(*￣▽￣*)o

Mei Yun put away her phone and waited quietly for her members to arrive. The sun was high in the sky, covering the downtown area in a bright happy glow. She took a deep breathe, it was a good day.

"Oh, is the door not open?" An older male voice caught her attention.

A man in his early 40s just arrived at the back door and noticed Mei Yun standing there.

"I'm afraid not. Sorry." Mei Yun gave the man an apologetic expression, "My friend has the access card, he'll be coming in around 15 minutes."

"Ah, I see. You don't mind if I wait with you? If that's alright with you." The man gestured to the spot a few metres away from her.

"Not at all." Mei Yun politely replied.

"Thank you very much." The man thanked Mei Yun and stood at the spot he just gestured at, "One of my students also has the access card so we can wait and see who comes first."

Mei Yun pulled a concerned expression.

'Another student…wait, is the concert hall double-booked? Oh dear…this isn't good.'

"Um, sir?" Mei Yun called to the man.

"Hm?"

"You don't happen to have a booking in the concert hall?" She asked.

"Oh, it's not my booking. It's my student's. He and his piano trio have a sound test today."

Mei Yun knew that dress rehearsals for performing arts involved testing the timbre of the sound in a performance venue to see if the sound carries well, hence the term 'sound test'. Costumes are sometimes involved but that was usually reserved for operas and musicals.

"A piano trio?" Mei Yun was starting to get worried. What if other members of this other trio start arriving? Should she tell Wang Jun?

"Yes, the performance is for their midterms. I am the professor arranging the assessments though I am not the one to grade them."

'!!!'

A sudden realisation dawned upon Mei Yun.

'Wait a minute.'

"Um sir, are you perhaps Professor Wen?" Mei Yun hesitantly asked.

"Hm, yes, I am? How do you know about me?" Professor Wen gave Mei Yun a bemused look.

"Well, I am the outside violinist for the piano trio with Wang Jun and Liu Fan." Mei Yun replied.

Professor Wen gave a look of surprise, "Oh! You're the replacement for Tao Xinyin. Yes, yes, Wang Jun has told me about you. Mei Yun, correct?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Hahaha." Professor Wen gave an awkward laugh, "Forgive me for not recognising you. It's a pleasure to meet you." He reached to shake her hand.

"Likewise." She took his hand and gave a firm handshake, "Don't apologise, Wang Jun and Liu Fan never told us what the other looked like so it was natural for us not to recognise the each other."

Professor Wen gave Mei Yun a once over, "You're quite young. Are you still in Secondary School?"

"Yes, I am in my final year in St Mary's."

Professor Wen pursed his lips, "I've no doubt you've heard the scandal then. So, I guess school is out for a while?"

Mei Yun nodded, "For a week; maybe longer depending on the media coverage."

"Hm, yes, it would be tricky to study with all the camera crew trying to ask you questions." Professor Wen agreed, "So that's why you're here without your uniform."

Mei Yun shrugged, "Taking advantage of the unscheduled break to work on ambitious things."

"Hahaha. Ambitious things huh. I can see why they chose you." Professor Wen laughed at Mei Yun's response.

'???'

Before she could ask what that meant, a voice called out to her.

"Mei Yun? Oh! And Professor Wen. You're here already." Liu Fan walked up to the back door, cello case strapped to his back.

"Yes, we were just having a little chat." Professor Wen spoke.

"A chat? Wow, I didn't think the two of you would be acquainted so fast." Liu Fan took out his access card and opened the back door.

While he held the door open, he looked around a bit, "Wang Jun isn't here yet?"

"Not yet. He said he would be here in five minutes." Mei Yun replied before walking into the concert hall.

"Hm ok. That's fine, we're all early after all."

Professor Wen, Liu Fan and Mei Yun set up the stage and after five minutes of moving items around, Wang Jun arrived to set up and help out.

"You already acquainted yourself with Professor Wen?" Wang Jun asked Mei Yun.

"Yeah, he was outside waiting with me and we started chatting a bit."

Wang Jun was a little surprised, "I thought you would be intimidated but I guess I thought wrong."

"Haha. If I can take down my school's corrupt administration, facing your university professor is nothing." Mei Yun laughed.

Wang Jun chuckled, "I stand corrected."

Mei Yun noticed it was the first true smile Wang Jun had shown to her.

'He has a lovely smile.'

She shook her head to rid herself of the thought.

'No, no. I can do that later. We need to prepare the stage.'

A few minutes of moving things around later, the piano trio was in position. Professor Wen was standing in the first row of seating, ready to give feedback on the sound.

"Let's start with Mendelssohn No. 1." Wang Jun called from his place at the piano.

Mei Yun and Liu Fan nodded and began to play the tempestuous first movement. Professor Wen had his hand on his chin, moving around to the other areas in the audience seating area.

Halfway through the first movement, Professor Wen stopped them.

"I can hear the violin and cello clearly but the piano sounds a little muffled. Are you using the una corda pedal?"

Wang Jun shook his head, "No, I'm not."

"Hm…I guess that's fine. It might be the way sound travels in these kinds of old places. Try move the piano a bit forward."

Wang Jun pushed the piano a metre forward.

"Ok, start from where I asked you to stop."

The trio played where they left off and Professor Wen nodded vigorously, "Much better. I guess it's just the way sound travels. Go to the next movement."

The tranquil second movement began and Professor Wen frowned, "Oh, the violin and cello sounds way too bright. Can you release the weight on your playing for this one?"

Mei Yun and Liu Fan looked at each other.

"We're already playing with minimal weight already though." Liu Fan replied.

"Oh, is that so?" Professor Wen thought for a bit, "Try playing with more legato. Perhaps that will offset the brightness."

Mei Yun and Liu Fan jotted down a few notes before re-playing the passage with more legato.

"Better." Professor Wen nodded but he didn't seem completely satisfied, "Still somewhat bright but I suppose that will have to do. Third movement, please."

Bright and playful sounding notes rang in the air and Professor Wen listened for a couple of bars before stopping them, "Ok, this one is good. The concert hall timbre suits this movement well. Let's go to the other piano trio, Mendelssohn No. 2, right?"

This pattern of playing, stopping and correcting went on for the two hours they were booked in the concert hall. Mei Yun had a blast playing for someone of such high calibre in S-City University's Music Department. Even though, they were some things the trio had to work on before the performance proper, it was the best rehearsal she's ever been to so far. She learnt a lot and now knew what an educator of music should act like: Criticise but not too much; give advice but not coddle.

She felt immensely satisfied after the rehearsal was done and it showed. A wide smile was plastered on her face as they packed up their instruments and moved everything back to where it was originally located.

"You look happy." Professor Wen noticed her joyful aura.

"It was a great rehearsal." Mei Yun honestly admitted.

"Yes, it was. Some days, you can't get it right no matter what but some days, things go alright. Today was one of those days."

Mei Yun looked at Professor Wen who was looking around the concert hall, ensuring that nothing was damaged during the move.

"Thank you for your guidance today. I've learnt a lot." Mei Yun thanked him.

Professor turned to face her, "Your very welcome. Your skills are not bad, why don't you try for the special admissions to S-City University's Music Programme?"

"Oh, I've already applied and passed the first stage. I just need to go for the audition."

"Is that so?" Professor Wen looked happy, "I'll look forward to your audition. I'm the professor in charge of admissions this year."

Mei Yun was stunned that she just played for her future examiner but she managed to give a confident smile, "Then, I'll look forward to playing for you. It'll knock your socks off."

"Hahaha. Such straightforwardness." Professor Wen chuckled before looking at his watch, "I have to run so I'll take my leave."

He turned to Liu Fan and Wang Jun who were just finishing packing up, "I'll be leaving now, it was a good rehearsal. Best of luck for the midterms, I'll believe you'll do well."

"Thanks for coming." Wang Jun thanked politely.

"We'll see you in lecture tomorrow. Thanks prof." Liu Fan casually bid him farewell.

Once Professor Wen left, they trio finished up and left the concert hall.

"Liu Fan, going to see friends again?" Mei Yun noticed Liu Fan about to take off.

"You know me." Liu Fan laughed, "I'll see you next week, yeah?"

"Yup! Bye!" Mei Yun waved.

It was Mei Yun and Wang Jun alone once again but Wang Jun looked to be ready to leave as well.

"You too?" Mei Yun asked.

"Mm." Wang Jun nodded, "I have to go for a recording."

"Ah, Lynx Records! For your album, right? Wah…I can't wait to buy it and listen to your lovely playing."

'I don't care how expensive it is, I'm definitely buying it even if I have to go to the black market!'

"Your expression looks very sinister."

"Ah! Is it?" Mei Yun touched her face, concerned that she was staring to look like a crazed fan.

"I…don't mind that you like my playing but don't do anything reckless." Wang Jun sighed.

"Wang Jun, I know I am a bit exuberant but I am always careful. I won't do anything that is ridiculous." Mei Yun retorted.

Wang Jun had an unreadable expression on his face.

"…But whenever you're alone, you do risky things." He whispered.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

Wang Jun shook his head, "Nothing. Just don't do silly things."

"Don't worry. I won't." Mei Yun assured, "You'd better get going or you'll be late."

"Hm." Wang Jun turned to walk away, "I'll see you next week."

"Yup! See you next week, Wang Jun." She waved at him.

**

Wang Jun arrived at Lynx Records and told the receptionist about his appointment with Lu Hao, the representative.

After that performance exhibition and impromptu lunch with Mei Yun, he called Lu Hao, the representative who approached him. They wanted to create an album with Wang Jun as the artist. After many meetings and negotiations, Wang Jun signed a contract that allowed him to pick his own pieces to play as well as the album concept and artwork. There was a lot of artistic freedom given to him and Lynx Records was shrewd enough to grant it to him. The classical music scene was starting to become popular among the youth and they needed someone to catapult the label.

Lu Hao emerged from the elevator and met Wang Jun in the lobby.

"Great to see you, Mr Wang." He shook Wang Jun's hand.

"Likewise." Wang Jun replied.

Lu Hao led him to one of the recording studios in the company building, a spacious studio room with a grand piano in the middle. Wang Jun made himself comfortable and pulled out the score for Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, also known as 'The Tempest'. He will be recording the entire three movements today.

"Ok, Mr Wang, whenever you're ready." The sound technician called from the sound booth.

Wang Jun closed his eyes and prepared his mind.

'The Tempest'.

The piece was inspired by Shakespeare's play of the same name. A story of love and revenge taking place on an island plagued with tempestuous weather, hence the name.

Wang Jun opened his eyes and began to play the first movement, Largo.

When he watched the news on the Monday morning, he was both relieved and worried. Mei Yun had risked expulsion to save a friend from unfair treatment. She even recruited his ex-girlfriend, Tao Xinyin with much awkwardness from the both of them. Although he didn't show it, it didn't sit right that she was doing so much just to leave a programme that was known for its unfairness. He himself wouldn't have bothered so much. But he knew that Mei Yun cared about others so she was willing to go the extra mile. It was admirable yet foolish.

During that time, he was working on this Beethoven Sonata. It represented his mood perfectly. The fast passages spliced in with periods of calm tranquil chords, the extreme range in dynamics and notes, the minor key.

He trusted Mei Yun since she exuded maturity unlike girls her age but he couldn't help but worry. He held back from contacting her seeing as he didn't have anything to contribute but he kept her in his mind constantly.

The first movement ended. He started the second movement, Adagio.

This second movement was calmer, almost an expression of relief and satisfaction. The soft chords and lovely melodic line allowed for his gentle playing to show, indicating that Wang Jun is not only known for his feats with gushy, romantic works that required big hands but also playing with a range of colours.

The day at the gallery afterwards was like a stroke of luck. He didn't know her parents owned the gallery and was immensely glad that she accompanied him for most of the morning. The events that happened over lunch was amusing but he felt sorry for her predicament since it was clear she cannot tolerate spicy food. He bought her ice cream as an apology but he found himself more happy than apologetic as she ate it. When they finally got back to the gallery, he noticed her father staring straight at them so he didn't enter with her. He'd wanted to say goodbye inside the gallery but her father seemed determined to confront him so he left it at that.

The second movement ended. He started the final movement, Allegretto.

His playing reached a fever pitch, going faster and faster; clearly representing turmoil. The fast octaves and running notes emphasised this greatly. He played them all with such clarity and precision with no rushing in sight.

This reminded him of his breakup with Tao Xinyin. Theirs hadn't been a very messy breakup but it did crush his heart. He was ready to settle down but she was not keen. He should've seen the signs that she was still in the midst of working towards her goals but he was so in love that he didn't notice at all. He was happy to be starting his career as a concert pianist along with his love but it was just a dream in the end. It took him a while to get over her and move on with his life.

The octaves were getting faster and louder.

Now that he had moved on, was he ready for love again?

His face broke out into a smile as he continued to play the last part of the piece.

The last bar ends with a decrescendo and a quiet silence surrounded the studio.

'Well, a man can only dream. Although dreams must always end.'