“Good morning!” greeted Allen cheerfully in the fine morning.
Nathan squealed in his unique dolphin voice. “Good morning, Allen! Eu kyang kyang!”
“Yo! Morning!” greeted Benji in his cool way. He looked more lively than when he first arrived here.
“Hye. . . Good. . . morning. . . Yawnnn. . .” said Kaien, sleepy.
“Kaien, are you ok? You look pale,” asked Allen, worried.
“I’m ok. . .” mumbled Kaien, followed by yawning. “I just lack sleep. Couldn’t sleep well last night. Yawnnn. . .”
“Me too, at first,” snapped Benji. “But I always have trouble falling asleep. So, it's not a big deal. But once I fall asleep, I'm in a coma. Hard to wake up.”
“Nice to hear that,” mumbled Kaien, trying to stay awake. “But it's not good for your health. Try to sleep early and have a good sleep.”
“You should worry about yourself first, man. Hahaha!” laughed Benji at Kaien’s sleepy face. “You should go back to your room and sleep, Kaien.”
“I will do that if I have my earphone,” sighed Kaien. “I could sleep well if I could listen to music.”
“Take my earphones!” snapped Allen, a bit louder which made everyone shocked and looked at him. “I’m sorry. . .”
“Oh, that’s nice,” Kaien broke the awkward moment. “Are you ok with that?”
“Yes. Definitely!” exclaimed Allen. “I’ll go take it for you.”
Before Kaien could agree, Allen dashed out. As he was about to leave the dining room, he met Dominique at the door.
“Good morning, Allen. And everyone,” greeted Dominique, looking at Allen and then everyone else in the dining room. “I apologize for the wait. Breakfast is here.”
“Yey!” squealed Nathan, clapping his hands cutely before taking a seat at the dining table. Benji followed and sat next to him.
“Come, sit here, Allen,” invited Kaien, patting the next seat to him.
Allen pouted but still obeyed and sat next to Kaien. Once everyone had sat at the dining table, Dominique served the breakfast which were scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, pancake and hot milk. He left even though everyone insisted that he should join them.
After the enjoyable breakfast, the four of them went to the living room which is located next to the main hall. Kaien and Allen walked a bit faster when they reached the main hall. They still remember the main door, the carving and the words on it which still send shivers to them until now.
As they reached the living room, there was something that attracted their attention more than anything else.
In the middle of the living room, there was a great grand black piano with its keys facing them. So beautiful, so great, so grand, so elegant, so attractive that it could attract anyone, anything to come near it. It was beyond words, as though the piano was a symbol of peace and heaven.
Opposite of the piano was an immense fireplace. So gigantic that people could walk inside it. At a glance, the fireplace looked like a door to another world. The only thing that prevented people from walking into it was its burning flame. It was a warm and comfortable mix with ‘dark aura’ in some other way. If the piano looked like a symbol of peace and heaven, the fireplace looked like a symbol of darkness and hell.
“Uwaaaa!” amazed Nathan and Benji at the same time. Kaien and Allen showed a big smile since they had seen it yesterday when they toured the place.
“This is so cool,” exclaimed Benji as he ran to the piano and touched its keys. As soon as he touched the keys, the piano let out the most beautiful, soothing sound. “This is really awesome!” exclaimed Benji again as he sat down, ready to play the piano. “I've never seen a grand piano like this! This is totally awesome! Hahaha!”
“Do you like piano that much, Benji?” asked Nathan as he, Allen and Kaien surrounded Benji and the piano.
“Yeah,” smiled Benji shyly. He played with the keys a bit and created a soothing melody. “I love playing piano. But I couldn’t read notes very well because I learn to play piano by myself. Hehehe.”
“That’s cool! I never touched a piano or saw it up-close. Eu kyang kyang,” grinned Nathan.
“I don’t know how to play too,” said Allen. Kaien nodded as well as he also did not know how to play piano.
“I can teach all of you if you want,” offered Benji, a bit shy. “But I’m not a pro pianist.”
“You are really good!” snapped Allen which caused everyone to look at him. “I heard you play. It sounds so beautiful.”
“Where and when did you hear me play?” asked Benji. He tilted his head in confusion.
“Err. . . Last night, here. . . I guess,” answered Allen, stuttering.
“No, you are mistaken. I didn’t play piano last night.” Benji rubbed his temples thinking about last night. “And I just knew and saw this piano a few moments ago. I didn’t know there’s a piano here.”
“B-but. . .but. . .I’m sure I heard someone play piano last night,” protested Allen.
“I didn’t hear anything last night. Maybe it’s someone else,” mumbled Nathan. “Perhaps, it’s Dominique who plays it?”
“Urgh, No.” Groaned Dominique from the door. “I don’t know how to play piano,”
“Oh,” muttered Kaien, Allen, Benji and Nathan at the same time. Somehow they started getting used to Dominique’s ‘ability’ to suddenly appear from behind.
“Is there another piano other than this one?” asked Benji.
“No,” answered Dominique, simple.
“Then Allen must have been mistaken. Eu kyang kyang,” laughed Nathan, followed by a big smile from Benji.
“No, I don't!” protested Allen. “I'm sure I. . .”
“Allen, calm down,” comforted Kaien, trying to avoid any fight. “I think I should sleep now. Do you mind walking with me to the room?”
“Y-yes. Of course,” said Allen, looking at Kaien and then everyone else.
“I’m sorry Benji, Nathan and Dom,” apologized Kaien. “We will take our leave and beg you all to have a nice day.”