A Few Hours Ago...
...
Steam ended Day 1 of their Concert with their final performance of the night: 'Lights'.
The stage was set with a virtual reality theme. Its entire mass lit up like a scene from a science fiction video game just like in the sci-fi action-adventure movie series 'KRON'. **
The members of the sensational band, Steam came out looking like android robots. They energetically sang and danced the complicated routine of their hit song with neon lights lining their artistic costumes and highlighting their every move.
They hit the climax of the intense performance with a fantastic light show and then struck their final pose.
C country's Magnificent Stadium went wild, with a standing ovation that lasted hours.
Day 1 was a better success than anyone could have ever imagined.
...
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...
However...
That Night, at Grande Avenue...
...
Reo lay in his rich beddings tossing and turning from another traumatic nightmare. Terrible flashes of his ugly past haunted his mind, tortured his senses.
...
IN HIS DREAMS...
...
8-year-old Reo stood by his bedroom window with an old Cremona violin in his little hands. Old, but good enough for a beginner. On it, he played a broken tune to his silent audience, a group of stuffed animals on his bed.
He struck the strings of the violin in his little hands. It started a pleasant melody, but then ended with a terrible screech.
Reo's face twisted into a disapproving frown.
"No! That's wrong! This is hard, mom. I'm not getting it right like you.", he said to the pretty Asian woman with long, silky black hair and pale skin watching him.
She smiled brightly. Her beauty shone brighter than the golden sun rays filtering through the window.
Myeong-Suk, retired professional violinist, grounded housewife, mom and now Reo's teacher had noticed his natural talent for music and his love for the violin, her favourite instrument. So she encouraged him. Taught him to play.
Reo was a genius. A fast learner. A prodigy. But Reo himself was yet to discover it. The sheet music he was attempting to play was Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9 ('Kreutzer'). A complicated piece to master.
Myeong (as her European husband called her) got on her knees by the 8-year-old and turned him away from the sheet music to face her.
"Patience Reo, patience. Practice makes perfect.", she whispered to her frowning son. Her voice was an angel's.
Her full pink lips turned up into another heavenly smile.
"Tell you what, sweetheart, if you master all these lessons up to this last bit, I will get you that brand new violin you've always wanted.", she promised, marking the very last page of the advanced notes. The last piece was titled 'Paganini - Caprice No. 24'. A hellish piece to play.
"Woah! A new violin?!! Can I get a black one, mom?", Reo hoped excitedly.
"Haha... You have to finish first, Ray.", mom said, ruffling his curly hair.
Reo's large dark brown eyes twinkled with determination.
"I will finish right now! I'll get it all right! You'll see.", he declared, supercharged.
Myeong giggled.
"Haha... Alright, sweetie. Now try again.", she instructed with a proud grin.
Reo struck the violin again, ending with another embarrassing screech.
His mom laughed hard.
He giggled freely with her.
...
A year later, 9-year-old Reo stood at the same spot in his bedroom with the same Cremona violin. His audience of stuffed animals was now neatly shelved and abandoned on the beautiful toy rack in the corner.
Under the golden sun rays, he played the last piece of the advanced notes to his listening mother.
For months and months, he had been practising non-stop on the old violin, all day (except when he was at school) and many times through the nights when his father was out on the high seas.
Finally, he had mastered the violin and become a celebrated performer amongst his peers; an exceptional professional, only less than his celebrated mother, Myeong-Suk in experience.
Today, Reo played with finesse.
Myeong listened quietly with a perfectionist's ear. Her deep brown eyes shut in bliss.
Reo hit a perfect last note.
She smiled with satisfaction, glowing brighter than the golden sun rays.
...
That quiet night, Myeong-Suk kept her promise.
"I'm proud of you.", she whispered heartily, passing Reo her Stradivarius violin with teary eyes.
A Stradivarius!
Reo had expected a new Cremona or a Yamaha, but then tonight, mom passed down her own Stradivarius! A priceless violin of the highest grade, gifted to her by C country's biggest opera house!
Its polished, reddish-wine surface reflected its rich quality under the bright moonlight.
"I'm sorry it's not black, sweetie.", Myeong giggled.
Reo hugged her, overwhelmed with joy.
...
...
The pure joy of a child who receives a new toy cannot be restrained, let alone the joy of a musical child who is encouraged with his most loved instrument, one of the finest grade.
9-year-old Reo stood by his window in the dead of night with his brand new violin. His precious gift from mom. He had been watching it since it entered his little hands. Mom had long tucked him into bed with a goodnight kiss, but Reo would not sleep that night. No. His excitement wouldn't let him. His fingers wouldn't wait till morning to try out the new instrument.
9-year-old Reo struck the violin in his hands the way his mother had instructed him to.
A sweet sound filled the air. Years of practice had turned him into a pro.
He shut his eyes with a beautiful smile, sinking deeper and deeper into the melody, playing harder, playing louder... forgetting it was 3 am and dad was home tonight...
Suddenly, his room door opened and mom rushed towards him with quiet steps.
"Shh... Ray... Ray... stop playing. It's late. You'll wake your father.", she whispered anxiously with a shaky voice, trying to get Reo to put the violin down.
Reo stared at her, distracted by the new swellings and bruises on her cheek and her purple left eye. He also noticed a fresh crack on her lips. It looked like it had been bleeding only hours ago.
Immediately, sudden chills hit his spine.
"Mom... Did dad...", he started to question about the marks.
But again, he was too loud.
"Shh... Quiet. Just give me the violin, Ray. Quick!", she whispered again, her anxiety seemed to be increasing by the second. Her quivering hands went for the violin - the once cherished instrument that now only invoked fury in her husband, Hank.
Suddenly, Reo's father barged in, stinking dead of alcohol, intoxication and frustration. His ferocious eyes spotted the violin in Reo's little hands.
"Are you crazy boy?! Do you know the time?! Stupid! Disturbing my sleep with your nonsense again! I'll bash your head in!", he spat, staggering with anger.
"Give me that crap! I'll send it off where it belongs!", Hank bellowed.
Reo just stood there, frozen stiff with fear, staring back at his drooling brute of a father.
"Give it to me! Move boy!... You dare challenge me?!", Hank roared angrily, getting more infuriated with Reo's motionlessness and taking it as rebellion, a challenge to his authority in his drunken haze.
He charged at Reo.
Immediately, Reo's mother, knowing what was coming next snatched the violin from her boy and shoved him behind her to protect him from his father's rage.
The fiery eyes of the monstrous beast turned to Myeong. His face filled with hate. He pounced on her, hitting her blindly, punching and kicking his favourite punching bag with all his might.
"Get out of the way, useless whore! You gave him that shxt!! To turn him into your stupid self! You ugly, talentless, worthless piece of shxt! I'll beat you both to death with it!", he roared and spat as he took out his anger and frustration on her. Again.
But Myeong wouldn't move away. She blocked her brutish husband from reaching Reo, fighting to keep him alive, taking terrible blows to the face, to the chest, everywhere!
Hank hit her mercilessly and mindlessly. He was so blinded by drunkenness that he turned everything into his target; the furniture, the shelved toys, the night lamp, the dressing mirror... His fists flew everywhere, smashing everything in sight. Everything shattered along with Myeong-Suk.
Reo rolled into a ball in the corner as he watched the bloody assault on his mother. His little heart pounding, his tears running, his lips quivering, his entire being quaking with terror.
"Run, Ray! Run! Get out of here!" Myeong screamed, but little Reo couldn't get his terrified legs to work.
The drunken brute flung Myeong hard against the wall on the side and then grabbed the reddish violin on the floor.
Smash!!! He broke it to bits on her head.
The discordant sound of the shattering violin echoed loud in Reo's head, breaking him to pieces.
Myeong collapsed!
...
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...
****** BEHIND THE SCENES ******
...
Director: Aaand... Cut! Brilliant! Hank, that was wonderful! Excellent work! You're absolutely horrendous! The perfect ferocious beast! (thumbs up)
Hank: (overjoyed) (bowing at the Director) Thank you, sir. (charming smile)
Neo: Aish... Is that supposed to be a compliment? Haha!
Reo: Poor extra. He's so happy he got the part, he'll take anything from the Director! Haha!
Zero: Haha! Classic! Haha!
(Ciara and Lana walk past the boys in flaming hot beachwear) (It's actually summer)
Guys on the set: Oooo...
Ciara: (To Director) We're stepping out for a brief tan with Surrealish. We'll be back shortly.
Zero: Mmm... Noice...
(Reo immediately goes up to Ciara who is carrying lots of beach supplies)
Reo: (To Ciara) Need any help? You've got a lot to carry to the beach. (Takes umbrella and bags from her with an alluring smile and wink combo)
Ciara: (blush) Sure. Thank you.
Bono: Haha! Reo, are you sure you aren't an extra? Haha!
Neo: (Looking at Lana) (licks lips) ... I can help too. I've got some free time.
Zero: (smirks) Mm... Yeah. Me too. Let me help... I'm known to be very helpful. Helpful is like my second name (wink)
Bono: (facepalm) They're all extras now (smh)
...
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