Damian Hawthorne's eyes darkened.
"Damian, you know you can't have it all." As if reading his mind, Hugo Grant walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "Since you've chosen Serena Hughes, you should commit to being with her."
"And from now on, stop messing with Cecilia Nathan."
Hugo Grant's words were delivered casually, without a trace of emotion.
But to Damian Hawthorne, they sounded grating.
"Are you sticking up for Cecilia Nathan?" Damian Hawthorne looked up, his gaze meaningful as he studied his normally taciturn friend.
"Any of Cecilia Nathan's friends would do the same."
With that, Hugo Grant turned and walked away.
Damian Hawthorne remained rooted to the spot, unmoving for a long while.
His thoughts turning to his relationship with Serena Hughes, Damian Hawthorne finally walked away.
The elegant sound of a violin drifted from a hospital room.
A dozen seconds later, the music stopped abruptly.
Damian Hawthorne, who had been resting in a chair with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
Serena Hughes said nervously, "I only remember this part. The rest... I've forgotten."
Damian Hawthorne said nothing, his narrowed eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts.
"How could you not remember?" Damian Hawthorne's expression hardened. "Logically, amnesia shouldn't make you forget how to play music."
The hand with which Serena Hughes held the violin trembled. "I don't know why I can't seem to remember it..."
At this, Serena Hughes grew even more tense.
The piece was called "Eye of Love," an original violin composition that couldn't be found anywhere.
She had only played a segment of it in a coffee shop, and that was when Damian Hawthorne had taken an interest in her.
'She knew Damian Hawthorne cared deeply about this song.'
'Or rather, the only reason he was pursuing her was because of this song.'
"It's fine. It's probably because of your memory loss. You'll remember it eventually."
Hearing this, Serena Hughes breathed a sigh of relief.
'When she was with Damian Hawthorne, she was always on edge, terrified of making a mistake.'
"Mr. Hawthorne, a lot of famous people will be at our school's graduation ceremony. Will you be there too?" Serena Hughes tilted her head up, her face full of anticipation.
Damian Hawthorne glanced up, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Do you want me to go?"
Serena Hughes nodded eagerly, like a chicken pecking at grain. "Of course! I hope I'll see you at the graduation ceremony."
"Okay," Damian Hawthorne replied, his tone indifferent. "I'll be there."
Serena Hughes's eyes instantly brightened, and her heart pounded in her chest.
'She knew Damian Hawthorne never attended events like this, but he had agreed to go just because of her offhand remark.'
'This meant her place in his heart was very important.'
After Damian Hawthorne left, Serena Hughes excitedly posted a message in her dorm group chat:
"Mr. Hawthorne agreed to come to our school's event!"
Her roommate, Claire Hale: Does that mean we'll get to see Mr. Hawthorne in person?!
Her roommate, Tia Bennett: Oh my god, Serena, you're amazing! You even managed to get Damian Hawthorne to come.
Claire Hale: Of course! Mr. Hawthorne is pursuing our Serena, after all. He has to put on a good show.
Tia Bennett: So cool! Serena Hughes, you're my new idol!
Claire Hale: Once Serena becomes Mrs. Hawthorne, we'll be set!
Serena Hughes blushed to the roots of her hair at her roommates' teasing.
She glanced at the empty bed beside hers, a small smile playing on her lips.
'She had only mentioned once that she didn't want to be disturbed by others, and Damian Hawthorne had moved her to this private room.'
'Cecilia Nathan had clearly stayed here before, yet he still let her move in.'
At this thought, Serena Hughes let out a soft, smug smile.
'Cecilia Nathan's place in Damian Hawthorne's heart must not be that important after all...'
Remembering how important the song was to Damian Hawthorne, Serena Hughes made a silent vow.
'I have to find that song!'
...
People streamed in and out of the entrance to the Korsyth First Conservatory of Music.
The wide, imposing gates towered over the entrance as beautiful music drifted from the campus speakers.
A fountain before the gates shot water dozens of feet into the air, where it exploded into a fine mist before falling back down.
This was the most famous conservatory in Korsyth, and the premier music academy in all of Veridia.
Every music student in Veridia dreamed of getting in.
Seeing her alma mater again, Cecilia Nathan lowered her head with a faint smile.
'She never thought she'd be able to set foot here again.'
Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Hugo Grant's cousin: "Come to the dorms near the north gate."
Hugo Grant's cousin was a professor here.
When Hugo Grant had sent her the contact info, Cecilia Nathan couldn't help but think what a small world it was.
This was the very same person Serena Hughes had recommended to her.
Ten minutes later, she found Aria Miller's apartment.
Cecilia Nathan was a little surprised when she met Aria Miller.
She had imagined Aria Miller would be a tall, elegant woman. Instead, she was petite with short, neatly-styled hair that gave her a crisp, clean look.
The moment she saw Cecilia Nathan, Aria Miller smiled and stepped forward, warmly taking her hand. "I finally get to meet you, Cecilia."
Seeing Cecilia Nathan's confusion, Aria Miller quickly explained, "I was your senior here, three years ahead of you. I saw you perform back in your freshman year. It was absolutely stunning. I never thought Hugo would be able to get you to come. To be honest, having you as my teaching assistant is a bit beneath you."
Cecilia Nathan shook her head. "You're too kind. I haven't touched an instrument in a long time. I'm very rusty."
"Don't be so modest with me. A natural-born talent like you... forget a few years, even if you didn't touch an instrument for ten years, you could make it sing the moment you picked it up." Aria Miller was, of course, delighted that Cecilia Nathan would be her TA.
She loved music and had a deep appreciation for talent. When her cousin offered to introduce her to a teaching assistant, she'd been reluctant at first. But when she heard it was Cecilia Nathan, she couldn't have been happier.
"I have a performance for the graduation ceremony, so I'll need you to look after my students for a few days. We can skip the proficiency test; I trust your skills." With that, Aria Miller slung her own violin case over her shoulder. "My students will be here shortly. Just give them a few pointers. It'll be an honor for them to have your guidance."
Then, as if in a hurry, she waved to Cecilia Nathan. "They're all yours!"
Before Cecilia Nathan could even react, Aria Miller dashed to the door and was gone in a flash.
Cecilia Nathan didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her behavior.
She spotted a violin on the sofa. As she reached out to touch it, hoping to get a feel for it again, something on the table caught her eye. It was a piece of paper.
It was the student roster Aria Miller had left.
Cecilia Nathan picked it up and, to her complete lack of surprise, saw a familiar name.
Serena Hughes.
'Aria Miller is Serena Hughes's professor!'
At that very moment, Serena Hughes and her roommates were walking toward their professor's apartment.
"I heard Professor Miller got a new TA," Tia Bennett said, sharing the gossip she'd picked up with Serena Hughes.