The expression of pure shock on Daniella's face was indescribable.
Believe me, I tried as best as I could hiding my laughter and grin. Still, it was too much for me to handle when Lumi joined in at the song's chorus. I did not know eyebrows could raise so high and eyeballs could enlarge so wide.
"Pfft—"
Daniella looked like a cartoon character. I was not exaggerating her features. She was shaking; that was how shocked she was. She drew in a sharp breath at the next line of the song and almost choked herself on the lyrics.
Yet in the end, she nailed it. It was a declaration of her passion and skill as a musician.
"I believe in your soul~
So my soul will go on and on~"
They held the last note together before breathing again. I gave Lumi a beaming thumbs up in my mind. This was the effect I hoped for.
Well, not exact to the tee of what I hoped.
I watched Daniella inhaled a deep breath and stomp towards Lumi. Another side of her appeared which was new. Energetic, modest, comical, and now dead serious.
She bent over Lumi and pried into her eyes. Their position reminded me of predator versus prey. A tiger standing imposing over a newborn rabbit.
Lumi agreed with my analogy. Her cry of desperation rung in my mind.
Dad… w-why is sister Ella so fierce? She isn't supposed to be like this...
Don't worry, dumpling. She won't harm you… at least I hope so?
Dad!
That last pitiful whimper of Lumi's came as Daniella grabbed her jaw with one hand. Daniella held it, scrutinizing every detail on Lumi's face, before she forced her mouth open.
I watched her play charades as a dentist. She peered all around poor Lumi's mouth. Her growing teeth. Her little tongue, shrunken with fright. Most of her attention directed to Lumi's vocal folds, down her throat cavity.
"This isn't right… you didn't swallow a speaker? An auto tuner? Where is it?"
I saw a deep shudder run down Lumi's spine. She limped backwards and placed a protective hand atop her stomach.
"I-I didn't swallow it, sister Ella," Lumi explained, her voice quivering. "T-that was my voice. I was singing."
Daniella stood straighter with a hand knocking on her own forehead.
"No, this is unscientific. I have to see it for myself. I'm going to grab the scalpels, scissors, and the forceps."
"O-operate me…?! Dad!"
I heard Lumi's cry of anguish for a split second. I saw her jump in the air at the next second. But before I knew it, she nestled herself secure in my arms. Her nervous eyes darted across the room as Daniella exited. I could not mistake how her heart skipped a beat whenever she found an object she could hide behind.
Then her eyes landed on the front door we came through. Lumi decided then and there to fight for her life.
I chuckled, trying my best to console her. But no amount of physical suppression worked on her, so I took it to our minds.
Silly dumpling, can't you see your sister Ella is teasing you?
Dad, no… look behind you.
I complied. I turned around, not expecting much, but the sight gave me a coughing fit. Even I could not help but flinch.
Daniella had leaned over my shoulder, peering down at Lumi with those now lifeless eyes of hers.
Lumi was faster to react than I was, which came as a surprise when she was freaking out earlier. She dug into her pockets, her voice feeble, her hands weak, and offered some candies.
"S-sister Ella, h-have some snacks," she mumbled. Her voice laced more carefulness than engineers during rocket launches.
But the offering did not appease Daniella. She lowered her voice to a sinking, unfeeling baritone. "This is what I gave you."
Before I could interject, Daniella began circling around Lumi and I like sharks. A pack of wolves. I zipped my mouth shut, for the glimmer of silver on the surgical tools in her hand did not seem fake.
What was a millennium passed before I interrupted with a wry smile. I sensed that Lumi's body turned on the long-term stress response which was not healthy for her.
"Okay, okay, Daniella. That's enough. Poor little Lumi is about burst into tears."
Daniella paused at my words, grinning. She reached into Lumi's outstretched hand and opened the wrappings with lightning speed. The candies were all gone in one bite.
"Hehe~ how small-minded do you think I am, ice cream?" Daniella bent over and chuckled, messing up Lumi's hair. "I'm not jealous at all! I like you even more after our duet. This is only how I share my love for horror movies with people! Wasn't it exciting?"
"Her heart's not very good at handling surprises," I told her.
Lumi was in a daze, but my words jolted her awake. She pouted and all the sudden thrusted herself out of my arms. Her eyelashes flickered as teardrops threatened to fall. She rushed out of the living room, her cheeks ballooned, her voice wronged.
"Hmph! All the two of you do is tease me all the time!"
Daniella and I glanced at each other before chuckling.
"Don't worry, she'll cheer up in no time. She's grown a temper and a hatred for teasing these days," I said.
"I can tell. It's good that she's lively."
I turned to her, noticing her words fell flat.
They were only half genuine. My stomach stirred.
I did not expect how difficult this would be. She was more astute than I first thought. Were all college students like this?
Did she scare away Lumi on purpose?
"You can ask whatever's on your mind," I said, pursing my lips, preparing myself.
A storm was brewing.
Daniella's tone changed. She leaned against the leather couch, her arms folded, her eyes wary.
"Are you a colleague of my professors? I've never heard a five, six-year-old sing that well. Lumi's basic technique and vocal control are impeccable."
Woah. That was a big assumption.
The first part of her words put a deep frown in me. The second was comparable to a spa treatment.
But I did not dare indulge in the relief. I hurried to explain myself, but Daniella cut me off.
"Err, I—"
"If it weren't for her age, she could enter the Royal Institute right now. I can only imagine that's possible if she's professional trained from when she was young. Tell me, what is your purpose?"
I was at a loss of works. The matter was devolving out of my control, fast.
But I knew I needed to salvage it.
Lumi's dream was still far out of reach. There needed to be progress made, or I would not be able to sleep night.
I immersed myself with the memories of my past life, trying to calm my mind. A college music student was not about to out-pressure me.
"Were my intentions that obvious?" I began.
But Daniella craned around her neck and smiled. "Any normal parent would not let their daughter approach and get so close with a stranger for a whole week. That's not to mention asking them to babysit."
I tried to appease her with our familiarity. "Ah. Yet we weren't complete strangers."
"I didn't have quite a good impression of you," Daniella stated. Although blunt, the words were as sharp as a knife. Her eyes bore holes in me. "You were decadent and lifeless two months ago."
I understood her implications and sighed.
Arguing would only deepen the misunderstanding and her negative impression of me. This was my loss.
"No, Lumi is my daughter. I was not trying to sell her, swindle you of pity money, or change my identity or do anything illegal. I realized I was neglecting Lumi and decided to make it up to her. But the outside world and people terrified her. I only wanted her to gain experience with trust. A stranger's act of kindness would be the most meaningful."
Daniella drummed her fingers on her arms. I paused.
"That was my intentions at first. Then today, I overhead heard the two of you talking about you studying music. I dared not to waste this opportunity. Lumi wanted to be a singer, and I am rid of musical knowledge. That answers your question, too. I am no professional. I work odd jobs and sing at karaoke's. Lumi's talent is what you see."
I raised my gaze and faced her. "A waste father and a genius daughter. Would you believe it?"
Daniella was silent for was an eternity to me. But she spoke.
"It sounds like a script to a movie. Or a plot of a book. But I do believe it."
"E-eh?"
"I believed you from day one. You're terrible at hiding things. Your love for Lumi was an open book."
I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. "I've got a lot to learn, then."
Daniella chuckled. She rose from the couch and made her way nice and slow to the piano bench. She sat, turning to me.
"Then let's end this farce. We don't need pretenses now, do we? I asked my questions, so now it's your turn."
She was no ordinary college music student. In my eyes, she was the indescribable talent.
I asked her the very question she was expecting.
"I know your qualms about teaching. But still, I want to ask: would you like to take Lumi under your tutelage?"