24th July - Windsor Square - 7:25 PM
After another session with the Maestro, Kai was being escorted to his room by the ever-faithful Albert. His thoughts were a whirlwind. Despite feeling he was on the cusp of leveling up his singing to Level 3, the looming deadline tomorrow filled him with unease. The pressure gnawed at him, making every passing moment feel heavier.
Albert carefully placed Kai onto his bed, refreshed the water on his bedside table, and, with a polite bow, wished him a good night before quietly closing the door. Left alone, Kai stared at the ceiling, the weight of everything pressing down on him.
He didn't want to watch anything, nor did he feel like sleeping. The anxiety churned within him, making his stomach twist.
"What else can I do?"Kai muttered aloud. "Am I doing something wrong? What's holding me back?"
The questions repeated in his head like an unending loop. He had followed every piece of advice Jeffrey had given him, yet he still felt stuck.
Jeff's words from earlier echoed in his mind:
"You're training to be a musician, kid. I'm not saying the surgery isn't a big deal, but as an entertainer, you need to keep a cool head. Never show anyone what you're feeling on the inside. If you can't master that, no amount of talent will make you successful."
It had been harsh, but Kai knew it was true. Yet, knowing didn't make it any easier to calm his racing thoughts. Frustration began to bubble within him, his hands clenching into fists. The thought of failing now, so close to the deadline, filled him with dread. He sat up, running his fingers through his hair, trying to will away the fear.
His mind wandered to his Nana, as it often did in moments like this. She had always been his anchor, the one who could calm his storms. He could still picture her kind smile, her soft but firm voice when she scolded him, and the way her hugs made everything seem okay. Nana had been everything to him—his biggest supporter, his moral compass, and the one person who believed in him unconditionally.
"She wouldn't want me to be like this," he whispered, his voice breaking slightly. "She always said I was stronger than I thought."
Kai closed his eyes, letting the memories flood him. He thought of the afternoons spent baking cookies with her, the smell of vanilla and chocolate filling the house. He remembered how she'd sit on the porch with him, pointing out the constellations and weaving stories about each one. And, of course, he remembered the lullabies she used to sing, her voice soothing him on sleepless nights.
The memory of her singing stirred something deep within him. Without realizing it, he began to hum a familiar tune. It was Nana's favorite song—one she had sung to both him and his mother when they were restless. Her voice would wrap around him like a blanket, carrying him into dreams. His humming grew louder, turning into soft singing.
(Credit - 'You Are My Sunshine' by Christina Perri. It is one of the most soothing songs/lullabies I know and I love it. Feel free to check it out)
🎼🎶🎤
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
🎼🎶🎤
As he sang, fragments of memories surfaced. He saw himself as a little boy, curled up in Nana's lap as she rocked him to sleep. He could almost feel the warmth of her hand brushing through his hair. The image shifted to the time she surprised him with a homemade cake for his birthday, the crooked lettering reading, "My Sunshine Kai." Her laughter echoed in his ears as he remembered her chasing him around the house when he accidentally spilled flour everywhere.
🎼🎶🎤
The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
So I hung my head and cried
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
🎼🎶🎤
Kai's voice trembled as he poured his heart into the song, his tears spilling over. He didn't hold them back. He let the pain, the love, and the longing flow through every note. It wasn't just a song anymore; it was a message to his Nana, a way of saying everything he couldn't put into words.
The room grew quiet as the last note faded. Kai's tears continued to fall, but he felt a strange sense of peace. He missed her so much, but in that moment, he felt closer to her than he had in years.
In the stillness, the faint DING of the system went unnoticed, a quiet acknowledgment of the progress Kai had made—not just in skill, but in letting himself feel.
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Skill: Singing - 2 → 4
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Outside the Room
Jeffrey hesitated outside Kai's door. The guilt of his earlier harsh words weighed on him, and he wanted to check on the kid. But as he approached, he heard Kai's voice carrying through the door. The raw emotion in the song stopped him in his tracks.
The pain in Kai's voice resonated deeply with Jeffrey, pulling him into his own memories. He closed his eyes, leaning lightly against the wall, letting the song wash over him. The grief Kai was expressing was all too familiar—a reflection of the loss Jeffrey himself had endured.
When the song ended, Jeffrey stayed for a moment longer, listening to the silence that followed. His heart ached for the young man inside the room, but he knew better than to disturb him now. Some wounds needed solitude to heal.
With a heavy sigh, Jeffrey turned and walked away, his own thoughts drifting to the past. He thought about the laughter he used to share with his wife, the nights they spent making music together, and the emptiness that followed when she was gone.
"You're stronger than you think, kid," Jeffrey murmured softly as he entered his own room, shutting the door behind him. For the first time in years, he allowed himself to remember her face clearly, and though it hurt, he smiled.
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In Kai's room, the young man's tears eventually slowed, leaving him feeling lighter. Exhausted from the emotional release, he lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Though he didn't fully understand it yet, something had shifted within him. The weight of his emotions had found an outlet, and for the first time in days, the anxiety that had been suffocating him seemed to loosen its grip.
As his breathing evened out and his eyes grew heavy, Kai whispered, "I miss you, Nana," before drifting into a dreamless sleep.