"Rio! You are in danger! There are a group of men in the building and I just noticed it! Damn!" Something crashes on the other side, "Rio, get out of there! They are not someone we could afford to offend! Hurry!"

She halted.

But then she quickly pulls the trigger, successfully killed the man, Robert, with a clean kill.

She ran to window so quick that it was just a blur and jump down from the third floor.

"Wait!" The man yelled urgently.

To her own surprise, her body, no, her soul is yearning for her to turn around and run into the stranger's embrace. She could feels just how uneasy every single cell of hers are.

Overwhelmed by the strong feeling, her other consciousness, Rio forcefully fight against the powerful feelings and ran.

She somehow got a glimpse of him in the corner of her eyes and all she could make out was a mop of platinum blond strands before she jump and slide down the ice slide she make amidst the chaos.

Summoning the darkness and shadow, they all eagerly fly towards her, enveloping her every being in the safety blanket of void and blackness.

She is now blend with darkness and no one could see her. When she saw the car they drive with here, she dashes forward and throw herself in the car swiftly.

Breathing heavily, she ordered, "Go."

Alaric reverse out of the side of the road and drive out of the place.

15 minutes on the road, Rio pulls her main consciousness back to the surface when she sure they are safe.

Eyes faded back to silver, Ara slumped on the seat in relief.

Her heart is still beating loudly, and she panted, trying to catch her breath.

Alaric glances in worry, "What happened?" He asked softly, giving space for her to collect herself.

Ara let her eyelids droop, hand automatically went to her forehead. "I don't know," she looks up, "I don't even know what happened. It's just... I don't know how to word it out, Alaric." she turned her troubled eyes towards her brother.

Alaric's expression softened, "It's okay, Ara. Rest. As long as you're okay."

"Ara, are you okay?" A soft, child-like voice sounded behind her in concern, before a small hand landed softly on her shoulder.

Startled to see her Bear has awoke, she smiles assuringly to him and put her own hand on his on her shoulder. "I'm okay, bear. How's your nap, hm? You slept for quite a long time." She teases.

A faint blush crept up the chubby cheeks of her little brother as he sends her a sheepish look, "Uh, urmm.." He stutters in embarrassment, "I-I was sleepy...I-urmm.." Lost for words, he was silent for a moment before he hung his head and through his long eyelashes, he asks in a weak voice, "Am I in trouble?"

She laughs, laughter in her voice, "No! You're not in trouble, bear. It's okay. I was just saying." She chuckles before smiling and caressing his silky strands of hair lovingly.

He instantly brightens up and spoke in excitement. "Then, we are going to Isaac Xenakis' concert right?!"

Ara tilted her head in puzzlement. "Who is Isaac Xenakis?"

Alaric face-palm. "I forgot about that!" He exclaimed in regret. "Is it tonight, Aro?"

Alvaro pouts angrily, crossing his arms across his chest. "Yes, it is tonight! How can you forget, Ricky? Humph!"

"Who is Isaac Xenakis?"

"Okay, okay. We are going there, now." He coaxes, panicking when he saw his baby brother's slightly teary eyes, before searching and groping for something in his jeans pocket. "I have the tickets with me. We are going to the concert, we are going."

"Who is Isaac Xenakis?"

___________

Ara peek her head out of the window to look at the magnificent building in front of her. "This is the place?"

"Yes!!" Her little brother squeals in excitement.

She casts a doting glance to her little brother, smiling at his excitement.

"Yeah, this is it." Alaric narrows his eyes in concentration, looking at something on his phone. "I think."

"Anyway, let's go check it out." He open the car door to get out.

"Yes!" Varo too quickly jumping out of the car despite his short little legs.

They walk into the building, and it was already full with people, especially girls, chattering in excitement with each other.

Ara still confuses on who is Isaac Xenakis but then a big poster on the wall of the building answers her.

A man with white, glittering masquerade mask poses like a model, hand in pants' pocket like those drool worthy international model, on the poster.

Looking at how many people here in the concert hall, it looks like this man is really a popular artist.

Is he a singer? Why didn't she know of him before?

"Ara, come on! "

Alvaro tugs at her shirt impatiently, urging her to move on. The queue has move on into a door.

"Okay, okay."

They walk with the people to the door, and what greets them is a really beauteous and fancy concert hall. The red seats are placed in rows, closing in on the stage on the opposite. The light is refreshing instead of blinding, giving a surge of excitement into every souls.

"This way."

A man leads them to the very front rows, seats for VVIP.

She takes a seat near the end, with Alvaro in the middle and Alaric on his other side.

The light then dims dramatically, the chatters fade into nothingness.

Alvaro leans into her as he dangles his unreachable-to-the-floor feet and whispers enthusiastically, "It has started!"

Ara smiles gently at him.

A soothing and slow melody resounding through the big hall as an opening song. The thick red curtains slowly part, and soon a man in white tuxedo walks out.

There's a piano in the middle of the stage, and he gracefully walks to it and takes a seat. The clicking sound of his shoes is the only noise in the hall.

His near-white platinum blond hair was parted on the side and styled to perfection, leaving a few strands to fall gently on his clear forehead.

The man, Isaac, she persumes, is the most gorgeous man she has ever seen in her entire life so far, as cliche and corny as it sounds.

His fair skin looks smooth with some roughness. He is also a tall man, around Alaric's height, with a model like figure you see on the magazine, but with muscles but not so bulky.

He looks delicious.

Ara shakes her head. Silly her.

The guy put his long fingers on the keys of piano, and the result is on another level.

She didn't even notice the standing mic near his mouth, as she is too focused on the graceful movements of his fingers. And his voice echoing in the air through the mic, her eyes widen in astonishment.

What a melodious voice!

The song is sad to say the least, pulling at people's heart strings. And not long after, it ends, makes Ara purses her lips in disappointment.

But then another songs were played, makes her brighten up again.

After a few hours, they takes a break.

"Ara, do you see him?! His voice is so good!" With eyes sparkling and fists joined together under his chin, Alvaro exclaims dreamily.

Ara lets out a laugh as she lifts her hand to caress his soft hair, smiling.

"Yes, Varo. I heard it." She then pouts playfully, "Is he better than me, then?"

His eyes widen in panic, "No, Ara! Of course you're better! You're the best!!!" He declared a little loudly.

Ara laughs again, and suddenly puffs out her cheeks in mock anger, "You don't have to lie just to not hurt my feelings."

Her little brother looks like he gonna cry in any minute, with hand flailing vigorously, "No, no Ara! I'm not lying! I speak the truth! Ara!"

Ara then laughs again, suddenly didn't have the heart to see his cute face in trouble.

She awed.

"I was joking!" And proceed to engulf his small figure in a loving hug.

He sniffles against her shirt as she caress his back in a soothing manner.

"Ara."

She glances at her brother. He shoves his phone to her face, "Its already 11.30!", he whisper-yelled.

Her face turns grim as she untangle herself from Alvaro.

"Nothing's gonna happen, Ric." she huffed as she turns her body to the front again. "Don't you remember what the woman said?"

"But she said that it is a possibility. Not a fact!"

"Still!" She casts a glance filled with melancholy, "I don't want to hope."

She could hear his defeated sigh. "Okay..."

The concert then continue again. She falls in love again and again with the songs of this Isaac Xenakis. For the first time in a long while, she is excited that she is bouncing slightly in her seat, eyes shining glued to the stage.

The hall roared with the fans cheering, as the concert is near to the end.

Isaac stands from his seat and get to the front stage with the microphone.

11.49

"Thank you so much for your support for all these years. I feel so much appreciated. Thank you."

11.50

He bows humbly and a loud round of applause reverberating in the hall. He then retreats back behind the curtains.

For some reason, her heart doesn't stop palpitating.

10 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵