The Bolton Concert (2)

“I don’t accept it.”
Theron finally retorted.
Of course, from Selene’s perspective, it didn’t matter whether he accepted it or not.
Strictly speaking, Ramon Cooper’s performance was not deeply moving or perfectly impressive.
It was just a shame that Theron didn’t seem to be willing to step up with this much encouragement.
She didn’t know how skilled Theron was, but since there were not a few amateur performers, it wouldn’t have been a very burdensome stage.
Just as Selene was about to give up, something unexpected happened.
“Did you all enjoy my performance? The beauty of the ladies who attended today was so beautiful that I don’t think I was able to show my full potential, but I hope you will understand with a generous heart.”
Ramon Cooper finished his performance and stepped up as if he were the host of today’s party.
He was a not-so-bad performer and also a silver-tongued speaker who could capture the hearts of the audience.
The ladies burst into laughter at his nonchalant demeanor.
“Ah, and one more thing. If you enjoyed my performance, there is someone I would like to respond to with a performance. I’m sure you all secretly want it too.”
Ramon Cooper smiled greasily, took a single white flower from a vase on a side table near the piano, and started walking.
It was towards Selene.
“Miss Ashcombe. If you don’t mind, I would like to ask you to play a short piece.”
“…”
“If you are not burdened, would you respond?”
Selene looked at the flower that was held out to her.
With all eyes on her like this, it might be against etiquette to coldly refuse.
If it had been one-on-one, she would have ignored him right away, but since there were people watching, it became a matter of dignity and noble duty.
Nevertheless, she didn’t feel like accepting it just like that.
It was because of the situation where Ramon Cooper was smiling and handing her a flower as if to show off, even with her partner Theron right next to her, and the situation that was pressuring her.
That was one of the reasons why Selene disliked such gatherings.
She really didn’t want to accept this rude request.
After all, her grandmother who would scold her as she did when she was young was far away, and Ramon Cooper was the one who hadn’t acted like a gentleman first.
“I will respond instead.”
But just as Selene was about to open her mouth, Theron snatched the flower that was held out to her.
The attention of the people instantly shifted from Selene to Theron.
Ramon Cooper was also surprised.
“Can you play the piano, Mr. Cox?”
“Yes, a little.”
As he said that, Theron irritably took off his jacket.
The ladies blushed and carefully observed Theron’s muscles, whose outlines were revealed under the thin fabric of his shirt.
“It may not be great, but I just can’t stand to see someone hitting on my woman.”
At Theron’s remark, Ramon Cooper had a very embarrassed face.
“Hitting on her… such a misunderstanding…”
“Wasn’t it? Or maybe it was.”
Theron grinned and walked past Ramon Cooper to sit on the piano stool.
The man with a huge body and the delicate and exquisite piano created an inexplicable and strange harmony.
Theron, who took a deep breath, slightly rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and placed his hands on the keyboard.
It was then that Selene noticed.
Although he had gone out with a confident air, Theron’s eyes were subtly stiff.
It had been a long time since he had played the piano in front of many people, so he must have been a little nervous.
He hadn’t even warmed up his hands beforehand.
Nevertheless, Selene was looking forward to Theron’s performance.
Regardless of the completeness or skill of the performance, she felt she could enjoy the melody coming from under his hands pleasantly, without nitpicking.
Selene was quite surprised at how generous she was in evaluating a performance, and yet she did not take her eyes off Theron.
As the murmur of the audience completely subsided, Theron’s fingers moved.
Unlike his nervous appearance, the movement of his fingers was smooth and flexible.
A somewhat familiar melody.
Although she didn’t know much about jazz, since it wasn’t completely unfamiliar, it seemed to be a piece that was often played in coffee houses or pubs.
The kind you could hear once in a while while walking down the street.
However, the performance, which was filled with Theron’s personality, quickly erased that familiarity.
It was rough yet calm, fast yet delicately capturing the notes.
‘It’s obvious that he hasn’t played in a long time.’
Compared to Ramon Cooper’s performance, it was so.
Unlike him, who played the piano regularly, there were some clumsy parts in between.
However, as strength and confidence gradually emanated from Theron Cox, who was immersed in the piano, that much felt insignificant.
Probably not just her, but everyone here would feel the same way.
A performance is not just something you listen to with your ears.
The atmosphere of the place, which contained the resonance of the keyboard, the attitude of the performer, the unpredictable flow of the melody, everything becomes a part of the performance.
And Theron was as skilled as someone who had been away from the piano for a long time, when all those things were evaluated comprehensively.
Selene was momentarily captivated by that sight.
Without any other way to put it, Theron Cox, who was focused on the piano, was cool.
So much so that she desperately wanted to know the detailed circumstances of why he, who had such a talent, had stayed away from the piano.
And so much so that she wished she could see this sight of him being completely immersed in the piano often in the future.
But when the performance ended and Theron’s fingers stopped, Selene quickly came out of that dream-like time.
Clap, clap, clap.
A heartfelt applause flowed from the audience.
Selene, not just standing there blankly, also applauded Theron.
To Theron Cox, who had shown a performance so great that it had completely erased the performance of the likes of Ramon Cooper.
In this moment, only Theron remained in Selene’s eyes.

Theron would sometimes imagine, without even realizing it.
What would his life be like now if he hadn’t injured his finger and had continued to play the piano?
Would he not be a businessman going in and out of the financial district, but a man who had opened a big jazz pub in the city and was playing there himself?
However, the reason that imagination had never lasted long was probably because he knew that in the end, it was just a useless assumption.
Because his real self was a person who spent most of his day counting numbers, signing documents.
But after meeting Selene, Theron naturally came into contact with the piano often.
It was unavoidable, as he was close to a woman who was crazy about the piano.
And every time, Theron was tormented by an ambiguous emotion.
Like when Selene had asked him to sleep with her for the sake of the piano, it was a state of being willing yet unwilling.
To be honest about his feelings now, it was so.
It meant that he didn’t dislike playing the piano, even if it was for Selene.
Still, he had never once thought that he would play the piano properly again, but Selene kept knocking on the desire he had firmly locked away.

“It might have been different if you had learned step-by-step from the basics for a long time.”

At the indifferent voice that came through the phone line, Theron had imagined himself like that for a fleeting moment.
The image he would have achieved if he had built up his piano skills with ample support and in a leisurely environment, as he had once imagined.
‘If that were the case, the person who would have come to mind first when talking about the piano in the empire might have been me, not Selene.’
Theron, thinking so presumptuously, twisted his lips.
It was true that Selene played the piano well, but it was not a result achieved solely by her talent.
From the moment she used her uncle to interfere with the judging of the competition, Selene could not be evaluated solely on her pure effort.
In this way, Theron still could not consider Selene, who played the piano, and Colonel Orlando as separate entities.
It was a fact that did not change, no matter how close he and Selene became, or how much his heart pounded like a madman whenever he saw her.
It was something that had already happened.
However, the reason why Theron had stepped up to play the piano at Neil Bolton’s private concert was not based on the arrogant thought that he might have been better than Selene if he had continued to play the piano.
It was just that he couldn’t stand the sight of Ramon Cooper, who was showing off just because he could play some jazz that the effeminate blondes couldn’t, and Selene, who was staring at such an idiot.
Why, as time passed, as he got closer to Selene, did he become more anxious instead of more relaxed?
So much so that he impulsively stepped up to play the piano he had only watched from a distance, even though no one had asked him to.
Still, after the performance, Theron felt a sense of satisfaction rather than unease in the confusion of these inexplicable emotions.
‘Was it because the performance, which I thought would be a mess, turned out better than I thought?’
‘Well, that wouldn’t be completely wrong.’
‘But more than that, the satisfaction that fills this chest is probably…’
Theron turned his head.
His eyes met Selene’s.
‘Yes.’
‘It’s probably because, right now, Selene is holding only me in those eyes.’