Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  I covered my mouth and exclaimed in admiration. I walked around the piano, examining it in amazement. This piano satisfied every romantic fantasy I had about music in my teenage years.

  Since I was little, I loved sitting next to Dongyu whenever he practiced on the piano. I’d become besotted with watching him play a monotonous piece of music over and over again.

  But I had never thought it monotonous to watch him practice.

  I loved how his hands interacted with the piano keys. His fingers were long and slender, and his fingertips were like porcelain. They complemented the black and white keys and were absolutely beautiful.

  Every afternoon, the sunlight would stream through the window and fall on his handsome side profile. It was quiet and perfect……

  I wasn’t born to love the piano. My obsession and love for it stemmed from my infatuation with him.

  He watched me pace around the piano, hands in his trouser pockets, a little exasperated. I looked up to meet his eyes, only to see his lips curve to form a warm, loving smile.

  “Brother! How much does this piano cost?”


  It was probably because I was stroking the piano’s frame like a devout believer praying, and he found the longing expression on my face too amusing. He chuckled, then frowned and replied, “Very expensive.”


  That got me even more curious and I persisted. “How expensive is it?”


  “Mmm…”


  Dongyu thought for a moment and said, “About 200,000.”


  I was completely stunned!

  200,000 yuan!

  It was an astronomical figure!

  He was tickled when he saw my eyes widen in disbelief. “This is a Yamaha piano. It’s a concert model.”


  “Then it must sound great!”


  “When will the school’s joint performance be held?”


  “In a week.”


  Dongyu frowned. “Time is of the essence. Are you already familiar with the tune?”


  “Yes, but there are some places where the fingering technique needs to be consolidated.”


  I was no more than an amateur when it came to piano-playing. It wasn’t as though I had learned it since I was a child. When we were little, I’d sit next to Dongyu and practice with him when he was playing.

  I loved it when he taught me hand in hand, that gentle look in his eyes would cause me to be completely immersed in the moment.

  “Which are the segments where you have problems with the fingering technique?”


  He sat on the piano stool and patted the space next to him. “Come over and sit beside me.”


  “Uh huh.”


  I walked over and sat down. He said, “Play it for me first.”


  “Okay.”


  I lowered my head and played seriously. From time to time, he would ask me to stop, lowering his head, and adjusting my hands in the correct way. But before I knew it, my mind was no longer on the piano. Instead, I kept staring at his side profile, lost in thought.

  I couldn’t help recalling asking Han Xiao once, how it felt to like someone.

  She said that it would cause one’s heart to pound and be filled with joy.

  And when there would be physical contact, one’s breath will become hot and it would be difficult to sit still. Those were the signs.

  I knew I liked him, to the point that it was out of my own control.

  This was especially so when I would just look at him quietly like this, it was as though ten thousand years could pass in a single glance. Time seemed to stand still.

  He looked up at me and was halfway through his sentence when he noticed me staring at the side of his face. For a moment, he looked startled. “What’s the matter?”


  “It’s… It’s nothing!”


  I looked away, feeling a little embarrassed!

  Dongyu smirked. “Mmm, keep going then…”


  When he drew my hand towards the piano keys, I could clearly feel how cold his fingertips were. But for some reason, I felt them burning my skin. I was so nervous that I held my breath. Suddenly, I held his hand tightly and refused to let go!