Ebony Castle

The bird was chirping. A white bird, perched on the dry basin of the fountain, was softly calling out until it seemed to spot Doha approaching and fluttered away. Its shadow, like a black dot in the cloudy sky, grew smaller and smaller.The man, who had been stretching his hand toward the bird, did not turn around. Doha stopped a few steps behind him.Inside the fountain, dead leaves were visible. The late morning breeze rustled the dead grass in the garden and brushed against the man’s black coat.“It’s January 8th.”He was the first to speak. His low voice carried on the wind, drifting toward Doha.“You’ve spent a week thinking about it. Was that enough time?”“…”Doha found it hard to breathe. He inhaled the cold air as if he were floundering in water. After a few breaths, he finally spoke.“I haven’t made up my mind yet, but for now, I think I need to return to London.”Though the man was only a few steps away, he felt far. His straight figure blended into the shadows of the dark forest, as if it might vanish if Doha blinked.“I have to audition by mid-January due to company matters, and with snow coming soon… I’ll stay in London for now to avoid being stranded. I haven’t decided yet, but I can’t skip the audition….”The man didn’t respond. Doha, as if tripping over the long explanation he had just given, stopped speaking. The cold wind seeped into the gap in his collar.After a long silence, the man, still without turning, asked, “When are you leaving?”“…I’m thinking of heading down to the village this afternoon.”From the village, he would take Peter’s car to Inverness, catch an evening flight, and arrive at Heathrow Airport. If all went according to plan, he would be asleep in his London flat tonight. A journey that once felt endlessly far now seemed much shorter. It felt like there should be higher walls or steeper, more rugged obstacles standing between here and there.The cold made Doha’s body shiver slightly. The man let out a soft sigh and, without turning, said, “When you get there, you’ll have to clean up the house first. It must have gathered dust by now.”“…Yes.”Tristan’s hand rested on the dry basin of the fountain where the bird had been sitting. His pale, neatly arranged fingers peeked out from his long sleeves.“Alright.”He finally turned toward Doha, speaking calmly.“Have a safe trip this time, too.”His face was white and indifferent, just as always. He brushed past Doha, pulling his black coat tighter, and walked down the path leading to the mansion’s door. Without looking back, he soon disappeared behind the large doors.Doha, almost reaching out to stop him unconsciously, held his breath and let it out slowly. He stood in front of the dried-up fountain, unable to withstand the cold any longer, and turned back. He quickened his pace, passing the greenhouse and heading toward the mansion.“…Ah.”Just before reaching the door, something caught his eye, and he turned his head without thinking. Under the mansion’s eaves, where firewood was stored, something large and black was lying down. The eaves blocked even the faint light, making it hard to see its shape.Instinctively, Doha turned and walked closer. The outline of the fallen object became clearer the nearer he got. Withered green leaves that had lost their luster. The moment Doha realized what it was, he stopped in his tracks.It was no wonder he hadn’t recognized it immediately. The awkwardly made decorations had disappeared, leaving the tree bare. The Christmas tree, which had illuminated the dining room all through the holiday season, lay discarded with its stump exposed.***The sky was still overcast when they set off. Jean parked the truck in front of the mansion’s entrance and jumped out with the engine still running.“Eden! No luggage?”“No, just this.”“Let me take that and load it up.”Though Doha tried to decline, Jean had already taken the backpack from his arm. While Jean loaded the luggage, Doha stepped outside the entrance, half crushing the heels of his shoes as he walked. As soon as he stepped out from under the eaves, the bitter wind engulfed him.“Ah, don’t get in just yet.”Also swept by the wind, Jean closed the backseat door again.“Hazel said she wants to see you off.”“Pardon? There’s no need for that.”“Hazel!”Jean poked his head back inside the mansion and called out.Doha returned under the shelter of the eaves, put on his coat, and zipped it up, pulling his neck into his collar to shield himself from the wind that persistently crept inside.He thought he heard Hazel answering from afar, but it was Ulysses who emerged from the hallway instead. The retriever poked its head out, spotted Doha, and barked as it ran across the hall, wagging its tail so fast it was a blur. Jean chuckled, “Eden, did you put some snacks in your pockets?”Doha responded a bit awkwardly, “He might think we’re going for a walk.”Ulysses stopped right in front of him, looking up with hopeful eyes. Feeling guilty, Doha bent down to stroke the dog’s soft ears.“He’ll be moping for a few days when you’re gone.”Jean remarked from behind.“He always does. As soon as you leave, he sits by the door every chance he gets, just staring at it.”“…No way.”“Really, I’m not kidding. Poor dog can’t speak, so how would he know why you’re leaving, why you’re not coming back, or when you’ll return? We know you’ll be back in ten days, but all he knows is to wait like a fool.”A gust of wind carrying fallen leaves whipped Ulysses’ fur in every direction. His dark, intelligent eyes were now quietly fixed on Doha. Perhaps he had picked up on the departure from the truck’s engine, Doha’s clothes, and the atmosphere.The moment Doha let go of the dog, the cold wind stole away the warmth from Ulysses’ body. The dog let out a small whimper. Doha glanced at his now chilly fingertips.“Eden!”Hazel, wearing an apron, hurried across the dim hall.“Are you leaving now?”“Yes. …Thank you for everything. I’m sorry for all the trouble.”“Not at all. Have a safe trip. You’d better hurry; it’s cold.”At her words, Jean, who had been shivering behind them, eagerly grabbed Doha’s arm and led him toward the truck.“Eden, let’s go. We’ll freeze to death if we keep saying goodbye.”“Yes.”Doha took one last look at Ulysses and Hazel, who were standing side by side in the doorway, before turning away. However, he barely managed to take two steps before stopping. Unconsciously, his gaze flicked toward the staircase on the second floor.“…”For a fleeting moment, he imagined kicking off his shoes and running past Ulysses and Hazel, up the stairs. He could feel the hardness and slipperiness of the wooden steps beneath his socks, the breathlessness filling his chest. If he dashed down the hallway and flung open the door to the library, the man inside would turn, a little startled. His drowsy eyes would soften as he smiled at him.“Eden? What’s wrong?”Realizing he had taken a step without thinking, Doha snapped back to his senses and stopped. He forced himself to turn away from the entangling thoughts and opened the passenger door of the idling truck, climbing in. Inside, the heater had already made the air dry and stuffy.Jean, who had climbed into the driver’s seat, wiped the fogged-up glass with the back of his hand.“Peter’s going to complain about us going out in this weather.”“Yeah, I suppose.”Creak, the wiper slid across the windshield. Jean stretched and shifted gears.“Got your seatbelt on? Alright, let’s go.”The truck rattled as it entered the forest road. Jean hummed softly while driving, and Doha stared absently at his hands resting on his lap. It was then that Jean tilted his head toward the side mirror and muttered.“What the…?”Doha followed his gaze to the side and then to the rear window, clouded with mist. His chest tightened. There, along the path leading from the mansion, was a golden shadow. Ulysses was chasing after the truck.“Leave him be.”Jean clicked his tongue, increasing the truck’s speed instead.“He’ll stop eventually.”Contrary to Jean’s words, Ulysses continued running after the truck for quite some distance. Though he lagged behind on the steep road, his panting was clearly visible. Doha held back his words a few times but eventually couldn’t any longer.“Jean…”“Just leave it.”Jean kept his eyes forward, fixed on the road.“If you stop once, he’ll follow every time. It’s not good to spoil him.”“…”It wasn’t until the truck reached the steep descent that Ulysses finally stopped chasing. Doha watched the small figure of the dog standing alone at the top of the hill until it became just a dot, then disappeared. His throat felt tight, as if it was sore. Jean’s humming had stopped as well.The rest of the drive to the village was quiet. When they arrived in front of Peter’s house, Jean parked the truck and unbuckled his seatbelt.“Are you getting out too?”Doha asked softly, and Jean shook his head with a smile. Leaning over, he grabbed Doha’s backpack from the back seat and gave him a light hug as he handed it over.“Thanks to you, it was a fun Christmas. Take care, Eden.”“…I’ll see you when I get back. You’ll still be here in ten days, right?”“Of course. No matter how efficient Scott is, there’s no way he’ll bring in my replacement that quickly. Oh, by the way—”As he released Doha, Jean rummaged through his pocket, as if he had just remembered something.“Here.”He pulled out a stiff envelope from his inside pocket.“…What’s this?”“Mr. Locke asked me to give it to you.”The sharp sting in his chest caught Doha off guard. Jean, oblivious, waved his large hand with a laugh.“Look, there’s Peter. Hurry up, Eden.”“…Thanks for the ride.”As soon as he opened the door, a piercing, cold wind swept in. The chill cut through to the bone. Doha hesitated for a moment before stepping out. What if he shut the door again and asked Jean to take him back to the mansion? What if he said he wanted to stay a few more days, to hold and pet Ulysses, to have dinner with everyone at the mansion? Tristan likely wouldn’t ask why he came back. If he blamed the weather, Tristan would probably just nod without much of a reaction.His chest ached, like the wind had snuck inside his clothes. Doha forced his foot to the ground and shut the door. Peter’s car was already waiting a short distance away with the engine running.***He couldn’t open the envelope while sitting next to Peter in the car, and once they arrived at Inverness Airport, he didn’t have time. Boarding started as soon as he reached the gate, so he had no choice but to line up with his backpack slung over his shoulder.Though he placed the backpack at his feet to deliberately bring out the envelope, when the moment finally came, he didn’t want to open it. Some vague fear held him back every time he reached for it. In the end, Doha spent the two-hour flight leaning his head against the seatback with his eyes closed. The dry, warm air inside the plane made his cheeks flush. Every time he opened his eyes, he saw the black night sky through the small round window, and the distant lights of unknown cities twinkling far below.Even with his eyes closed, he couldn’t sleep. His dry eyelids felt like they were about to crack. By now, the mansion would be having dinner. He imagined the bright and warm light of the dining room, the crackling fire in the fireplace, Ulysses curled up by the hearth. Every time he thought of the dog, the dry sensation in his chest rose to his throat, making it hard to swallow. His fingers, which had stroked Ulysses’s soft fur, tingled as if suffering from phantom pain.Heathrow Airport, which greeted him after he cleared customs, was a shock, like being struck physically. The ceiling was too high, and everywhere he looked, people in colorful clothes swarmed around him. The air was filled with the sound of countless voices, creating an overwhelming, suffocating cacophony.The train Doha hurriedly boarded was no different. The cabin was crowded with suitcases and people, and the mixed scents of perfumes, colognes, stale sweat, and the stench of bathrooms lingered unpleasantly in the air. By the time he transferred trains and reached the East End, he felt half out of his mind. He walked mechanically through the cold, grimy streets, past small, run-down buildings packed tightly together. The straps of his backpack dug painfully into his shoulders, and every breath was clogged with the stench of cigarette butts.When he finally arrived in front of his flat, he absentmindedly rummaged through his bag, feeling the stiff envelope in his front pocket where he had placed the keys. Doha jerked his hand back as if burned. He unlocked the door and climbed the creaky stairs.The smell of dust hit him first. The stale, damp air of the unventilated room spread out around him. Doha stood for a moment in the dark, then reached out and fumbled for the cold wall.“…”The dim light revealed the familiar, shabby room. It was then that Doha truly realized he had traveled hundreds of kilometers away from Scotland. The vast forest that had always been visible outside his window, the practice room surrounded by fireplaces, Secretary, Hazel, Jean, Ulysses, Tristan. All of it felt distant, as if none of it had ever existed, and the distance he had put between them weighed heavily on his chest.He shut the door and dropped his backpack to the floor. Kneeling beside it, he fumbled through the front pocket like a starving person until he retrieved an envelope. Inside, he felt something hard and flat.Doha fixed his gaze on the envelope’s surface as he shuffled backward toward the piano. He slumped onto the stool, and after a few clumsy attempts, managed to open the envelope.His fingertips hadn’t been wrong. A black credit card slipped out from the luxurious envelope and rolled a couple of times on the dusty piano lid before falling to the floor.A small post-it note followed, written in a secretary’s slender handwriting:“By order of the CEO. For your living expenses in London.”Doha tore at the remaining corner of the envelope. After turning it inside out, nothing else emerged. Only when the stiff paper had crumpled in his hands did he release it and let out a shallow breath.The silence and chill of the dusty room rushed toward him all at once. Doha curled up small, burying his head, as if trying to avoid being swept away by it.***For over a year, no one had entered the dining hall before the piano arrived. After their first meal there, Tristan Locke had surveyed the long banquet table, where only two people sat, and declared, “This won’t do.” The next day, the secretary and Hazel had found a suitable sitting room on the second floor, converted it, and the first-floor dining hall soon became an unused, dusty space that wasn’t even cleaned.So, despite cleaning the entire room the day they brought in the piano, remnants of old dust still lingered in corners of the hall. After Eden had left for London, Hazel began tidying the room little by little and was now wiping the window sills. She had tied back the heavy curtains and moved chairs that had been stacked by the wall to the center of the hall. As she worked her way from the back to the front, the sun, which had hung over the treetops in the forest, slowly sank lower. Standing there with a duster in hand, Hazel paused for a moment to gaze at the gray sky outside.Just as she thought it was time to turn on the lights, she heard footsteps from the open door, and suddenly, the hall lit up all at once. Hazel turned her head to see Lowell standing by the light switch.“Why are you sitting in the dark?” the secretary asked, crossing the hall, pulling out the piano stool—not a chair from the audience section—and sitting down. Judging by his formal attire, it seemed he had just finished work in the upstairs office.In the blink of an eye, the secretary settled into the seat, opened the piano lid, and began striking random keys. The discordant sounds of the piano, which only resonated when Eden was around, now echoed through the hall in a jumbled, chaotic mess.Hazel, unable to find a proper reason to stop him, asked instead, “The CEO hasn’t returned yet?”The secretary, still tinkering with the piano, merely nodded in response. Hazel looked out at the darkening sky. Since the day Eden had left for London, Tristan Locke had frequently vacated the mansion. He would return at night, seemingly sleeping in his third-floor bedroom, but in the afternoons and evenings, he would disappear for hours outside the estate.Nothing seemed drastically different. When they did meet by chance, his expression and demeanor were the same as always. He remained gentle and courteous with the staff, and according to Lowell, he was handling his work just as efficiently. Yet, even Hazel could sense an uneasy tension lingering in the mansion—an atmosphere that felt unsettled, as if the once-familiar routine had shattered and they were all navigating an uncertain, unseen path.“Ah.”The secretary, now tapping the piano keys from low to high, spoke as if suddenly remembering something.“The grand piano will arrive two or three days before Eden returns. A tuner will come, and we’ll have it installed here in the hall.”“So it’s finally happening. Bringing in an outsider like that…”“I’ve told the CEO at least ten times already,” the secretary replied, shrugging as if he’d given up. Hazel felt the matter was out of her hands as well.“But Eden will be pleased.”She imagined Eden walking into the hall, surprised and delighted to see not the old piano but a large, brand-new one. Suddenly, she grew curious about his reaction, and the thought of the new piano’s arrival, and Eden’s return, filled her with anticipation.The secretary pressed an unexpectedly precise chord with both hands before closing the lid of the old piano.“I’ll be heading to London at the end of January,” he said.Hazel glanced over at him as he squinted slightly behind his round glasses.“Once we narrow down the chef candidates, I’ll meet with them personally to make a decision. It’s better to handle it myself than delegate it to an agent. While I’m there, I’ll take care of some work at the company as well. I won’t be gone for long.”“Who said anything?” Hazel asked, cutting him off as his explanation grew longer. He fell silent. She sighed, watching the chandelier light reflecting off the rough surface of the piano lid. Since Jean had announced his departure, it felt like a crack had formed in the sturdy barrier that surrounded the mansion. Now, even the idea of the secretary leaving for a few days didn’t seem so strange, and Hazel herself felt that if she set her mind to it, she too could take a short holiday. Just last Christmas, such a thing had seemed impossible, but now the possibility felt quite real.The secretary’s expression, his tone, even the way he stood beside the piano had subtly changed over the past year. To Hazel, it seemed he had already made up his mind to leave. He would come and go from London a few more times, and as the responsibilities by Tristan’s side dwindled, he would eventually leave the estate for good. Hazel knew Lowell’s character well enough. He was far too ambitious to remain like a loyal hound by the side of a fading master.“…Why don’t you take this piano to your room and play it, Lowell?” Hazel asked abruptly, watching him dust off the old piano. The secretary withdrew his hand and chuckled, as if the suggestion was absurd.“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”“You’re not that busy these days. Why not pick up a hobby for after work?”The way the secretary had been wandering around the mansion lately, seemingly with nothing to do, had been bothering her, so she’d said it half-jokingly, but he took it as a joke and scoffed.“Adults don’t learn instruments. If you can’t play properly, it just looks ridiculous.”“Then how about spending some time with Ulysses, like you used to? If you’ve got so much free time, why not take him for a walk during the day?”“…Fine,” he said, turning away as if to brush off further nagging.“If the weather’s good tomorrow, I’ll take him out for a walk.”Watching his straight back as he exited the hall, Hazel suddenly realized that the secretary had never truly adapted to the mansion, not once in the entire year. While everyone else had slowly grown accustomed to the isolated forest, he continued to report to his office each day as if it had been transplanted from London. He clung to the thought of the distant city, never allowing himself to become numb to his surroundings. Hazel couldn’t even imagine how much effort it must have taken to maintain that focus.***When Doha stepped off the bus, snow was falling in soft drizzles. He pulled the fur-lined hood of his padded jacket over his head and quickened his pace. Entering a wide alley lined with houses, he could see the familiar fence of Daniel Hunt’s estate in the distance.Daniel’s trip abroad coincided with Doha’s return to London, so it had been a while since his last check-up. Doha thought his hands were in excellent condition, likely due to spending more time at the mansion and interacting with Tristan, albeit in small ways. Even after several days in London, his fingers showed no signs of stiffness.He approached with light steps and pressed the bell, and the gate opened immediately. The garden, where snow had started to accumulate, now revealed a tree wrapped in colorful lights. A wreath hung on the front door.“Eden!”A blond man appeared at the door, waving.“Cold out, isn’t it? Come in quickly.”“How was your trip?”“I got back this morning.”A suitcase with its handle pulled up stood by the entrance. Doha shook the snow from his hood and switched to the slippers that had been set out for him.As usual, Daniel guided him to the living room sofa, served him warm coffee, and immediately took one of his hands. He carefully examined Doha’s fingers, and his assessment matched Doha’s expectations.“These fingers don’t need a doctor! Scotland really is the cure-all.”After inspecting the other hand, Daniel, satisfied, let go with a pleased expression.“You must have been diligent with your rehab. It must have been frustrating not being able to practice much there.”“Well… after Christmas, there was a piano.”Doha explained the ordeal of getting a piano, including putting snow chains on the truck and driving down to the village to retrieve it. Daniel listened with interest and then asked, somewhat surprised:“Tristan found you a piano? And went down to the village with you to bring it back?”“The former was probably Locke’s secretary.”“With someone like Tristan Locke, the only thing his secretary doesn’t do for him is brush his teeth. Still, that’s surprising. He’s changed a lot from the Tristan I knew.”With a strange look and a shrug, Daniel’s remark caught Doha off guard. He took another sip of the coffee Daniel had brewed for him and asked,“Have you known Locke for a long time?”“Oh… you didn’t know?”Daniel looked surprised as he replied,“Tristan and I are Eton classmates. We’ve known each other since we were quite young. Didn’t Tristan mention that?”“…No, he didn’t.”“That’s how I became Tristan’s personal physician later on. There are plenty of doctors in the Locke family, but Tristan wanted someone outside the family… I’ve spent years cleaning up after him.”Doha felt a slight pang of guilt. After all, the fact that Daniel was sitting across from him now, studying a field like Neim that he had no prior knowledge of, was just another example of cleaning up after Tristan Locke.“I should have an old Eton album somewhere. Would you like to see it?”Daniel got up, crossed the living room, and rummaged through the lower shelves of a bookcase for a while. Eventually, he found an old brown envelope and returned.“The graduation album is probably at my family’s place. But this will do… It’s a collection of photos from various events, like graduation and other ceremonies. I haven’t seen these in ages.”He untied the string, opened the envelope, and poured its contents onto the table. Various sizes of photos tumbled out near the coffee cup. There were passport photos and Polaroids with white borders. Most seemed to have been developed at a photo studio, as some still had the studio’s logo-stamped envelopes. Daniel sifted through the pile with long fingers and let out a soft exclamation as he picked one out.“Here’s one.”It was a picture of four boys in school uniforms, leaning against a stone wall. Even before Daniel rotated the photo so Doha could see it, he was already staring intently at the face in the center.“His face is a bit different from now, but you can still recognize him, right?”Daniel pointed to the boy as he spoke. Doha didn’t even have time to reply. In the photo, Tristan was on the delicate boundary between boyhood and manhood. His face, bathed in sunlight as he gazed indifferently at the camera, was fragile, sharp, and beautiful. Among the four boys, Daniel, standing to the far right and slightly chubbier than he was now, barely registered. It was as if the whole photo was drawn magnetically toward Tristan’s spot.“Oh, there’s more here.”Daniel dug through the pile and found three more photos featuring Tristan. Even in a group photo of twenty students, Tristan’s face stood out clearly. Daniel tapped a graduation photo of Tristan in a gown and said,“Though we weren’t particularly close throughout school, he came up to me during graduation and told me, ‘Once you graduate from medical school, come find me and be my physician.’ At the time, I thought he was joking.”“……”In the photo, Tristan was smiling. It was a cold-looking smile. While Doha was absorbed in the photos, unaware that his coffee was cooling, Daniel sorted through the remaining ones and returned them to the old envelope. He then laid four photos of Tristan neatly before Doha and said,“Would you like to take one with you?”“…A photo?”Daniel nodded earnestly, and Doha hesitated. How could he, of all people, take a picture of Tristan Locke? It felt inappropriate, and besides, what would he do with it?Sensing Doha’s hesitation, Daniel made a playful suggestion.“Consider it a Christmas gift. You can use it as a bookmark for a book you don’t like. I don’t look at these photos anyway.”“…Thank you.”In the end, Doha reached out and took the photo he had seen first. Daniel, grinning as if he’d won a game, tucked the remaining photos back into the envelope and stood up.“Wait a moment. I’ll find you something to carry it in.”“…Alright.”After Daniel left the room, Doha’s gaze wandered from the photo in his hand to the silently falling snow outside. Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, his eyes returned to the image in his hand. Tristan Locke from long ago, his face no bigger than a fingertip, stood out clearly. It felt as though a piece of the time Tristan had lived through had shed its skin and was now in Doha’s hands.***A few days later, late at night, Doha found himself standing in the hallway, inexplicably hesitating before opening the door to his flat.Only after the yellow sensor light flicked off, leaving the hallway in darkness, did he finally pull out his key. His frozen hands, numbed from the cold, fumbled with the lock as he opened the door and stared into the small, dim room.“You must’ve felt lonely living in London all by yourself for so long.”The quiet voice seemed to echo in his ears.The forgotten fatigue weighed heavily on his shoulders. As Doha shut the door and carelessly tossed his sheet music bag to the side, he was suddenly struck by how much he despised this flat.It was a place he had stayed for too long when things were rough. He wondered if, during that time, his melancholy had seeped out of his lying body and into the walls, ceiling, and the cracks of the furniture like black water. It felt like he could taste the damp particles in the air.With little hope for success, he turned on the heater and the electric blanket. Shivering slightly, he kept his coat on and was just heading towards the bathroom when—Buzz. Buzz.The steady vibration came once, twice, three times. It wasn’t a message—it was a phone call. Doha turned back towards the bag on the floor, thinking it must be Niklas with news about the audition.But the phone screen showed an unfamiliar number instead of a familiar name.“It’s almost dawn….”He was about to toss the phone aside when, on a whim, he sat down on the edge of the bed. He hesitated for a moment, then cautiously pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear.“Hello.”— Your voice is hoarse. Were you sleeping?A soft, kind voice. The sound itself felt like warmth, and it stung his hand as he gripped the phone. Doha stopped breathing for a moment.“…Mr. Locke.”— You promised to call me by my name.The voice had a faint trace of a smile. Doha recalled the winter garden, the last time he saw him, and the sight of his back turning away without a second glance. He had thought Tristan might never smile at him again, and his chest ached with belated pain.Before he realized it, he was on his feet. Clutching the small device that connected them, he anxiously paced the cramped room. When Doha didn’t say anything, just catching his breath, Tristan asked,— What’s wrong?“…It’s nothing.”He unconsciously responded as if letting out the breath he had been holding.“I’m just… happy you called.”— ….The other end of the line was silent this time. Doha slowly regained his composure and perched on the edge of the piano stool.“Why did you call? Is something wrong?”He’d only ever been contacted through Tristan’s secretary, never directly. He wondered if something had happened at the mansion, but Tristan’s reply was calm.— I was wondering how your practice was going. What did you work on today?“Oh….”Doha adjusted his grip on the phone and leaned back against the piano.“I’ve been practicing Scriabin’s Sonata No. 8. Are you familiar with it?”— Ah, Scriabin. No. 8—that’s a late work, right?“Yes.”Just hearing Tristan’s familiar voice had a calming effect, as if he had returned to the mansion. Doha exhaled the tension in his chest and continued,“I’m satisfied with parts of it, but I’m still not sure if the overall balance is right. I’ll refine it more tomorrow.”— When are you visiting the company?

“…Originally, it was supposed to be today.”That morning, he had been ready to leave when Niklas had called. Richard had an unexpected urgent matter and wouldn’t be at the company today. “Looks like we’ll have to reschedule. What should we do?” Niklas had said, his voice lacking any real options.“I’ll probably go to the company on Monday, since tomorrow and the day after are the weekend. I’ll return to Scotland on Tuesday, so I’ll go the day before.”— It sounds like the company isn’t particularly eager to renew your contract.“Yes.”Doha agreed. Based on Richard’s attitude so far, it didn’t seem like playing any piece at the audition would change much.“I’m not sure why he’s being so indecisive, though. If they didn’t want to renew, they could’ve just said so.”— They might not have high hopes for your piano skills, but they probably see your marketability. And they might be wondering if they can take advantage of your connection to me one day… That sounds like typical Richard Evans.Doha was mildly surprised that Tristan knew Richard, though it was only natural. As a board member of the Locke Foundation and a major patron of classical music, Tristan Locke would’ve been well acquainted with Richard and other prominent figures in the classical music world. Even before being selected as a Locke Foundation scholar, Doha had often heard Tristan’s name from afar, even in Korea.— Do you really want to renew your contract with that company?Tristan asked. Doha swallowed a sigh before responding.“No, but I don’t have many options. I can’t afford to turn down any opportunity. I’m looking into other companies, but I don’t think it’ll be easy.”The thought of having an unofficial audition to secure a contract, even if he had no intention of accepting it later, bruised his pride. What other pianist would be treated like this by the company that had once supported him?“Even if I end up rejecting the contract after reviewing it, I have to see it through for now.”— I see.Tristan replied quietly. Despite Doha’s talk about future plans in London, Tristan showed no sign of disappointment. It was as if he already understood that Doha’s heart had moved beyond the mansion to a larger world, and he wasn’t blaming him for it.Doha fell silent and sat still. The creaky heater blew out warm air little by little. The flat was so small that if he stretched his legs from the stool, his feet would touch the bed. It felt strange to be hearing Tristan Locke’s voice in this place.— Eden.His voice was low, like he was speaking directly into Doha’s ear.— Why aren’t you using the card?“…Ah….”Doha instinctively glanced at his bag on the floor.“Well….”— Would it have been better if I just transferred the money directly?“…No, I’ll return the card when I go back.”— Why?The question was asked with genuine curiosity.“You’ve already let me stay at the mansion and helped me with treatment. That’s more than enough. Financial support wasn’t part of the agreement, and I have no reason to accept it.”— If I’m already giving you more than enough, wouldn’t it make little difference if I gave you a bit more?His voice was soft, but there was a hint of steel behind it, the reaction of someone unaccustomed to being contradicted. Doha swallowed the urge to agree and responded.“Still, there’s no need—”— Eden.He interrupted.— I want you to focus on your practice without being distracted by other concerns, and I’m willing to spend money to make that happen. You know that to me, the amount you’d spend on living expenses is nothing.“…….”— Or are you trying to show pride to me that you wouldn’t even show to Richard Evans?His voice had dropped, carrying a subtle warning. Doha finally forced his lips to part and responded,“No. …Thank you.”Even though Doha had planned to keep track of any card usage and repay it later, he realized now wasn’t the time to bring it up. His calm agreement seemed to appease the man on the other end of the line, whose voice softened a little.— Good. How’s the weather in London these days?“…It was snowing until yesterday, but today it’s just cloudy. According to the forecast, I shouldn’t have any issues returning next week.”Talking about the weather made Doha curious about whether Ulysses had been going out for walks lately, so he asked.“Is Ulysses doing well? And how about Jean, Hazel, and… Mr. Lowell, are they all in good health?”— You’re giving away your priorities with the order of your questions.Tristan said. Doha realized this was true, but remained silent, figuring there was no point in responding. Amused, Tristan chuckled lightly and added,— Jean seems to have ordered new coffee beans for you.“I miss Jean’s coffee.”— Ulysses is his usual self, and everyone’s doing fine, so don’t worry.“…Okay.”— The house is a bit chaotic right now, though. We’re expecting a delivery tomorrow, so there’s a lot to deal with regarding letting an outsider into the estate.Doha stayed quiet, listening. The heater was gradually warming the room. He unzipped his coat with his free hand, slid out of it, and draped it over the stool. Then he climbed onto the bed, sitting on the heated sheet. The warmth and comfort were making him sleepy.“Are you on the third floor right now?” Doha asked out of the blue.After a brief pause, Tristan replied, his voice slow and drowsy.— I came up just a while ago, but the bed feels cold when I sleep alone.Doha paused before speaking. “Stay warm… and don’t catch a cold.”Tristan laughed again. Listening to the soft sound, Doha closed his eyes. The voice felt so close, as if Tristan wasn’t miles away but right there in the room. With his eyes closed, it felt like if he reached out, he’d be able to touch the smooth, solid warmth of Tristan’s body.— Only four more nights.Tristan said in an oddly innocent, clear tone, which was unlike him. His voice was low and gentle.— Ulysses is waiting eagerly for you. Take care, don’t get hurt, and come back safe.“…Yes.”— Shall we hang up now?“…Yes. Goodnight.”— Sleep well, Eden.Doha nodded, even though he knew Tristan couldn’t see it. After a brief silence, there was a soft click, and the call ended abruptly, like a severed connection.When Doha opened his eyes, Tristan Locke was nowhere in the small, shabby flat. He let himself slump down against the wall, pulling the blanket over his head.***By Sunday evening, Doha couldn’t wait any longer and called Niklas. He knew it wasn’t Niklas’s work hours over the weekend, but he might need to visit the company tomorrow for the audition. Niklas, who hadn’t replied to his texts for days, picked up after six rings, sounding cheerful.“Hey, Eden! What’s up?”His voice was half-drowned by loud noise, and Doha could hear fast-paced music in the background, suggesting that Niklas was probably at a restaurant or a bar. Doha kept it brief, not wanting to prolong the conversation.“You said you’d ask Richard and get back to me. I haven’t heard anything.”“Ah…” Niklas’s voice immediately grew awkward. “Right, I did say that. The thing is, I emailed Mr. Evans on Friday, but I haven’t gotten a response yet. I don’t even know if he’s back from Vienna. Like I said last time, he had to leave because something urgent came up, so he might be too busy to check my messages. It’s the weekend, too, so I didn’t want to bother him.”“……”“Sorry, Eden. I should have gotten back to you sooner… It’s just bad timing with the weekend.”Niklas’s explanation made perfect sense, but Doha still felt suffocated. While he stared at the wall of the practice room in silence, Niklas cleared his throat.“Hey, Eden,” Niklas said, his voice briefly distant before returning. “Do you still want to come to the company tomorrow?”“…Yes. I leave for Scotland the day after.”“Oh, you’ve already booked your ticket? When’s the flight? Is Tuesday morning okay for you?”“If it’s early in the morning, yes.”“Hmm…” Niklas hummed thoughtfully, dragging it out before finally responding. “Look, Eden, can I call you back? I’m out with friends right now, but I’ll try reaching out to Mr. Evans and get back to you.”“Okay. Sorry for bothering you over the weekend.”“No, it’s fine! I’ll be in touch.”Doha hung up, but he had a gut feeling Niklas wouldn’t be calling back that night. And as expected, his phone remained silent, even as he wrapped up his practice and went to bed around eleven.Niklas didn’t call again until just past noon the next day. His voice was subdued.“Sorry, Eden. It looks like today or tomorrow morning won’t work. Mr. Evans came in for a short while but left again, and I couldn’t catch him. I just got an email from him asking if Thursday would be okay.”Niklas sounded optimistic, as if this were a great solution. Dressed in his outdoor clothes but sitting on his bed, Doha had been waiting all morning for Niklas’s call, unable to go to the practice room.“Mr. Evans said Thursday would be definite. He’s reserving the whole day for you. Can you push your flight back by two days?”“……”Doha opened his mouth to reply but closed it again. Strangely, the first thing that came to mind was Tristan. He had expected to see him tomorrow evening. He could hear Tristan’s gentle voice, telling him there were only four more nights left. The thought made his heart sink.It made sense to delay his flight if he had come back to London for an audition. There was no pressing reason to return to Scotland immediately, and the piano in the London studio was far better for practice than the old one in Scotland. All he had to do was tell Niklas he agreed, pay the fee to change his flight, and ask Tristan if it would be okay to arrive two days later.After all, this was just an audition. If Doha resumed his performance career, it would be rare for him to return to Scotland on specific dates. Sometimes, he might only be able to stop by for a brief visit or, more often than not, cancel a trip altogether due to unforeseen circumstances.Doha bit his lip before finally responding.“I’ll do it.”“Thanks for understanding,” Niklas said, sounding relieved.“Alright, Eden, see you on Thursday! Let me know the time in a message before then!”After the call ended, Doha remained seated for a while. Eventually, he got up, turned off the heater, and prepared to leave, gathering his things. He shoved his phone deep into his coat pocket and headed out the door.It wasn’t until he arrived at the station platform that he pulled out his phone again, opening the messaging app. He stared at the empty screen for a long time, with Tristan Locke’s number typed in, but ultimately deleted it. Instead, he sent a message to the secretary.I’m sorry, but my audition has been postponed, so I will be departing two days later. If it’s alright, I would like to meet on Thursday evening.After hesitating, he added one more line.Please inform Mr. Locke as well.As more people gathered on the once-quiet platform and the announcement for the next train echoed, a brief response arrived from the secretary.Understood. I will inform the CEO.Feeling as though he was running away, Doha shoved the phone back into his pocket. The platform felt like it was shaking, and the air trembled roughly. The deafening roar of the approaching train reverberated through the tunnel.