Michael's cold living room that night was filled with sad piano serenade. Adam put several kinds of food on the dining table and then tilted his head to the second floor where the piano sound came from.
Since coming home from school, Michael had locked himself in the music room and played his piano without stopping. It worried Adam, as his master had been there since two hours ago when he looked at his watch.
Michael had this habit of playing the piano non-stop if he had something on his mind. If this happened the whole day, Adam couldn't help but have to stop him to eat or rest.
'Has the young master's autism recurred?' Adam thought to himself.
Adam thought for a moment then stepped up the stairs into the music room. However, as Adam's feet climbed the steps, the piano sound became more intense, the rhythm got faster, fast enough to make a person shudder.
Suddenly, the piano stopped, as if the whole world had fallen silent. A few seconds later the piano sounded again. The melody sounded so sad and suffocating that Adam found it difficult to breathe.
Adam had been looking after Michael since he was born because Michael's father and mother were always busy with their work travelling around the world. They were so busy that they didn't have the time or energy to care for their child.
Back when Michael was seven years old, he accidentally fell into the lake and nearly drowned, when Adam contacted his parents they only asked about their child's condition and hung up on him. Since then, Michael had never spoken to anyone but Adam, even if there was a need.
Feeling worried, Adam took Michael to the hospital the next day and the doctor told him that the boy had autism and suggested some therapy. Before Adam and Michael returned to live in Bandung, Michael's condition was constantly getting better.
"Young master, what's the problem? Please open the door... "Adam slowly knocked on the door.
No matter how hard or how many times Adam knocked on the door, Michael didn't open the door and kept playing the piano, as if he didn't hear Adam's voice.
Adam tried to open the door and sighed when he found out that Michael had locked the door from the inside. When Adam wanted to force the door to the music room he heard someone pressing the doorbell on the first floor.
Adam looked at the door in front of him, looked down the hall and then decided to go down and see who wanted to visit on nights like this.
When Adam opened the door from inside, he narrowed his eyes trying to see who was standing in front of the fence. After his gaze got clearer, he saw that Gabby was the one who stood there.
Adam hurried over to the railing and heard Gabby shout, "Sorry to disturb you at this hour, Mr. Adam! Is Michael in the house? I want to apologize to him!"
Hearing that made Adam pause, "Apologize?" He then approached the fence and opened the lock, "Does this have anything to do with the attitude of the young master today?"
Gabby frowned and almost shook her head because she really didn't know, "Ah, yeah, maybe." She answered, confused.
Adam looked at Gabby's face for a moment then invited the girl to come in, "Come in! Maybe something is wrong with Young Master today so I suggest you be careful."
"Okay! Thanks, Adam." Gabby then jogged into Michael's house.
When Gabby got inside, she could hear the faint sound of the sad piano. She glanced up and then climbed the stairs quickly. As Gabby's feet stepped on the carpet on the second floor, the sound of the piano became clearer.
Gabby hurried to the front door of the music room, took a deep breath and knocked on the door, "Michael, it's me Gabby. Please open the door, I want to talk about something." She was welcomed with the sound of piano stopping.
After waiting for a while and not hearing Michael's footsteps, she immediately hit the door so hard and shouted, "What's your problem?! I just want to apologize! But you don't want to open this door to hear my apology! Alright then! I will not bother you anymore!"
Less than five seconds after Gabby finished pouring out her emotions, she saw the door open slowly and then a pair of black eyes peeking out.
"Come inside." Michael softly said.
Gabby saw Michael's black eyes then stepped into the music room. The girl saw that only one lamp was turned on, dimly illuminating the music room and the piano in its center.
The young man preceded Gabby and sat back down on the piano chair. His hands rested on the piano keys and the dreadful melodious sound filled the room again. The first time Gabby saw Michael playing the piano, she was amazed. But now somehow the girl felt scared.
Gabby swallowed hard and called the boy's name quietly, "Michael ..."
"Come closer." The girl heard a deep voice behind her. When Gabby turned she saw Adam's sad eyes peeking into the room. The man didn't see her but his eyes were on Michael's back.
Gabby nodded her head then walked over to Michael who was still busy playing the piano, "Michael ..." She whispered.
"I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to you." Gabby lowered her head, she didn't dare look at his cold face.
"I promise I'll never talk to Billy again."
"Michael, do you want to forgive me or not?"
"If you forgive me, tomorrow I will buy you food at the school canteen."
"You're still angry with me, aren't you? Michael, I'm really sorry."
When Gabby didn't receive an answer she looked up to find Michael still busy with his own world, his long hands still moving swiftly on the piano keys.
The girl turned her gaze to Michael's fingers and saw that his white hands had turned red from playing the piano too long. But the boy seemed to not feel any pain and continued to hit the notes faster.
Gabby's eyes felt hot and then she lowered her face again. She tried to blink her eyes so that no tears came out, but after a while the girl couldn't hold it back. A teardrop then fell from her left eye.
Gradually, Gabby's sobs filled the music room that she did not realize that the piano sound had stopped earlier.
Gabby felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to find Michael sitting facing her, his right hand holding a handkerchief. The handkerchief was cold against Gabby's hot skin, the boy gently wiped her tears.
Gabby's lashes were wet with tears, her lips trembled, and her voice sounded like she was in pain as she called out the boy's name, "Michael ..."
Michael's black eyes saw the girl and then opened her hands wide. Without thinking Gabby immediately stepped forward and hit the man's body hard, which resulted in Michael falling from the piano chair.
Michael grimaced in pain and tried to release Gabby's deathly embrace, but the girl hugged him even more and shed tears again, "Michael, I'm really sorry ..." She wiped her tears on Michael's shirt, "... Please don't… don't leave me, I promise I won't make you angry again."
Not knowing what to do, he awkwardly patted Gabby on the back, "Yes... don't cry anymore."
Gabby broke in tears when she felt the boy pat her back, "P-please don't ignore me anymore." This time the girl's cracking voice grew louder.
Adam took his handkerchief from his pocket and then wiped the tears that almost came out of his eyes after watching them from afar. He soon closed his ears when he heard Gabby's sobs which echoed throughout the room.
After making sure that the two of them were fine, Adam closed the door to the music room and headed into the kitchen to make tea.
Michael closed his eyes and wondered how he could release Gabby's hug since he had to really sit down now, his head aching so much.
After a while, he gently pushed the girl's body and returned to wipe the tears streaming down her face with a handkerchief.
Gabby's lashes still looked wet but her face was already adorned with a broad smile, "Thanks, you are the best for me."
When Michael wanted to go back to wiping her tears, she took a handkerchief from Michael's hand and blew her nose there.
Seeing the woman's action, Michael distanced himself from Gabby and smiled faintly.
'Geez, this girl is gross.' Michael thought.