"Are you hungry?" Ravi asked with a bottle of red wine in his hand as he poured it into the crystal glass in front of him.
"Yes." I looked at the food on the table and wondered which to eat first.
"Eat some salad first." Ravi handed me a plate of salad.
I sat down, picked up my fork, and quickly finished the salad in my bowl. I took a piece of bread and finished it at the same pace.
Ravi handed me another plate of sliced foie gras. As I smelled the delicious aroma of the meat, I felt delighted.
"How old are you?" Ravi asked me.
"Nineteen." I shoved a large piece of foie gras into my mouth.
"I thought you were three." Ravi glanced at me and took a sip of his red wine.
I ignored him and continued to eat. After eating the meat, I finally felt invigorated.
I set down my knife and fork and wiped my mouth with my napkin. "Dinner was sumptuous."
"You should say thank you."
"Thanks."
"This is the first time we've had dinner together." Ravi set his glass down and looked up at me.
I suddenly remembered my dream this afternoon. I still couldn't be sure if it was a dream. I wanted to ask him, but I held my tongue.
"Speak." Ravi nodded at me.
"Did you come into my room this afternoon?" I felt myself blushing.
"What do you think?" Ravi stared at me. Under the candlelight, I saw his eyes shining.
I didn't respond.
Ravi got up and walked around to my side. He took my hand and motioned for me to stand. I followed him to the piano in the living room. He pressed my shoulder and asked me to sit down. He sat beside me. He opened the cover of the piano and played a few notes with his index finger.
"Do you know how to play this tune?"
I flexed my knuckles, then played "River Flows In You" according to the few notes Ravi had played.
I loved that song. In the past, I couldn't practice the piano when Raul was home, because he thought it was noisy. I could only stay in the piano room alone after school and practice it over and over. I had practiced this tune for three months. Every little segment of it was in my mind, and every note carried memories of the past. I closed my eyes and ran my fingers over the keys. I moved my fingers rhythmically, sometimes gently, and sometimes slowly.
Suddenly, Ravi grabbed my left hand, and my right hand stopped moving. I opened my eyes and turned to look at Ravi.
At that moment, he was staring blankly at the white wall opposite him. His gaze looked empty and distant. I tried to pull my hand away, but Ravi grabbed it tighter.
"Ravi?" I called him softly.
He didn't respond, and he simply closed his eyes. His big hand was warm, and his palm was a little rough. I thought it was because he held guns often.
"What is the name of this song?" He opened his eyes and stared at the white wall.
"River Flows In You."
"You performed it well, Irina." He turned to look at me while releasing my hand.
"Thanks."
"This is my mother's piano." Ravi got up and walked toward the French window. He stopped with his back to me and shoved his hands in his trouser pockets. "Now, it belongs to you."
"Me?"
"In the future, you will be the owner of this piano."
I couldn't believe my ears. Such an expensive piano actually belonged to me. I was overjoyed and my hands carefully caressed each piano key. I believed that everyone who liked to play the piano dreamed of having such a piano. It was flawless in both sound and quality. It was like a holy goddess that was elegant and noble. I felt like I had found a treasure.
I suddenly realized that Ravi had been staring at me. When did he turn around? I gradually suppressed the smile on my face and covered the harp.
"You should say thank you."
"Thanks," I told him sincerely.
"Come with me." He walked towards the stairs.
I followed him. He unbuttoned his shirt as he went upstairs and went into his bedroom. He took it off and threw it on the floor, then turned around to look at me. This déjà vu scene made me nervous. I stopped at the doorway.
"Don't be nervous. I won't hurt you, because you're my woman."
"Was the person sitting by the pool with you yesterday your woman too?"
"She's at my service."
"So, you gave me the piano in exchange for my service? If so…"
Ravi suddenly smiled, even though he tried hard to hold it in. His smile was beautiful. Despite his cold aura, he could also warm one's heart with a smile.
"Someone has to play the piano for it to be valuable," Ravi said as he took off his watch and placed it on the table.
"You're right. But I want to know what the condition is."
"Come with me somewhere tomorrow."
"No problem. I'm leaving. Good night."
I had just turned around when Ravi grabbed my arm and pulled me into his arms. I looked up into his face. His eyes were so beautiful and charming. His gaze was gentle now. There was no obvious expression on his face, but it made me feel warm inside.
"Aren't you going to ask me where we're going?" Ravi said softly.
I suddenly came back to my senses and said calmly, "I'll know when we get there."
"Okay. We leave at eight in the morning. Remember to wear black," Ravi said gently.
"Okay. Good night."
Ravi brought his lips to mine, and I ducked. He smiled while showing his neat teeth. Then he kissed me lightly on the forehead and let go of me.
I blushed and walked out the door.
I went back to my bedroom and closed the door. I leaned back against the door and touched my blushing face with both hands for a minute before going to bed.