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"where words fail, music speaks"

As the music weaves its melodies around them, she can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her chest. The sun's warm embrace illuminates his features, casting gentle shadows that accentuate the earnestness in his gaze.

Their lesson this week has just ended, and somehow, it seems like they're both grasping for reasons to make their time expand past its usual limit. She can almost sense his contemplation, a vulnerability she never expected from him.

A subtle shift in his posture catches her attention, revealing a hint of nervousness beneath his composed exterior. He's been acting this way for quite a while now, every bit more and more over the past three months. Does this mean that he is as captivated and anxious about her as she is about him?

Surely, that can't be the case. Right?

Melody stares at the keys, where her hands and the hands of her tutor rests. The veins on the back his hands are more prominent today, and she's caught herself staring at it more than once.

She swallows a bit, the last echoes of the notes she just played hanging in the air. She's been wanting to ask him something for the last while, but she never seems to muster up enough courage to go through with it.

But after numerous talks with her best friend about the matter, she realises that she can't be cowardly about this any longer. She came for the piano lessons, to learn more about the world of music. What she got is so much more.

And then, her words spill out, raw and unfiltered. The request hangs in the air, her voice carrying a mixture of hesitance and hope. He blinks in surprise, taken aback by her sudden vulnerability. The atmosphere is charged with a newfound energy, and he can't help but smile at her endearing awkwardness.

Her embarrassment is palpable, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her yellow dress. It's something she's managed to snag from her mother's closet a few days back.

It was a risky move, but she wanted to wear something he'd notice. Something he'd remember.

There's a small pause in the air, a look of slight hesitation on his features.

Then, his harmonic laughter dances through the room, a musical note that mirrors hers. Her laughter eventually joins his, and for a brief moment, the weight of their shared amusement bridges the gap between them. It's a lighthearted moment in which she finds herself acutely aware of the space they occupy together.

He gazes into her eyes, a playful spark in his own brown ones as he decides to seize the opportunity. "You want my number, huh?" he teases, his tone laced with a hint of mischief.

Her flustered response warms his heart, and he can't help but admire the way her cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink. It's endearing to see him in this state, stripped of his usual cool composure.

She can't decide if she wants to stay here forever, or bury herself underneath this very piano.

He leans in slightly, his own slight nervousness masked by a playful demeanour. "Of course I'm okay with it," he replies, his voice softening as he matches the sincerity that must be in her gaze. "But you better not bombard me with music questions through texts."

His wink after that is met with a small giggle from her. As the laughter subsides, they share a moment of unspoken connection. There's something intimate about this exchange, a bridge between the structured world of their lessons and the realm of personal connection.

The exchange of numbers feels like a small yet meaningful step, a testament to the bond they've forged. As she retrieves her phone from her bag, she can't help but appreciate the way this seemingly ordinary moment holds a deeper significance.

His number is added to her contacts, a reminder of the journey they've embarked upon together. And as they share a smile, she can't shake the feeling that this connection is only just beginning - a melody that promises to unfold in beautiful, unexpected ways.

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