2.6 Third Small Star – Fortitude

Inside the Audition Room.

An almost endless silence.

The lone figure of the exhausted fallen angel at the center of the stage.

Everyone's eyes were on him but none of it was felt by him.

As if exhausting his last breath of desperation, the little fairy on the stage slowly lost consciousness. Looking at him carefully they could see that he is hyperventilating. The audience gasped when they saw his current state, but the following scene struck them dumbfounded. The one who appeared on stage without anyone noticing is no other than this industry's demon king, Wan Lengya.

He caught the little fairy on the stage in his arms, carrying him precisely within his embrace with his cold eyes slowly melting to show his tenderness and love for the one in his arms. Gasping as if trying to catch his breath, the little fairy's misty eyes could only see Wan Lengya's blurry figure but what caught his eyes were those obsidian irises that seemed to be filled with stars and galaxies.

Before he let his sight completely fade, he felt air being forced in his mouth for him to intake allowing him to stabilize his breathing for a moment. When he opened his celestial blue eyes, he saw Wan Lengya giving him CPR, to allow him to intake oxygen that will prevent him from blacking out even for a few seconds.

Hei Xue could see Lengya's silver eyes reddening as if those deep black eyes from before was a fragment of his imagination and then he heard Lengya call for him between his trembling hoarse voice.

"I...I finally… found you…" said Wan Lengya as he pulled Hei Xue tightly in his embrace afraid that he would escape from his clutches once again.

Feeling the sweetest pain from this person's obsession, Hei Xue couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart as he hugged this person back unconditionally. This man is his and can only be his. The audience was shocked by what they heard. Among the audience only few of them are able to recognize the identity of the person with Wan Lengya's arms.

Yue Wuya watched from the distance with a smile as if he expected that scene to unfold before him. A seat distance beside him he saw Xing Ran's innocent façade broken showing his craziest side while glaring at the stage. To be exact, at Hei Xue in Wan Lengya's arms with eyes filled with madness and envy even gritting his teeth could hear it clashing.

Seeing that Yue Wuya couldn't help but frowned while looking coldly at Xing Ran, their investigation was not in vain. This person is indeed a black lotus with a two faced persona. In Wuya's mind this person was definitely the mastermind of Xue's accident 3 years ago.

After Hei Xue fainted, the event was forcefully finished especially when Wan Lengya left the venue with his wife in his arms without caring for others even the event itself. Xing Ran who tried to follow received a death glare from Wan Lengya and froze at where he stands unable to run after them. Yue Wuya took the reins of the event in his friend's instead, letting the pair leave without anyone blocking.

Those who pass will become assistant professors to be trained properly before giving them a proper position in the conservatoire. After finishing all that, he left to see his friend who took his best friend to leave, worried that something will happen. In the manor owned by Lengya, he let his wife rest on his bed after changing his clothes to pajamas.

Wan Lengya never removed any traces of Wu Xue in the manor. This person's clothes and other personal things remained where it was. Even when cleaning the place, Wan Lengya didn't dare to move it somewhere else. The only thing he changed is the 2 single beds that used to be found in the master's bedroom and changed it to a King size double bed instead. During their married days, they are the kind of couple which is only written on the paper. There were no romantic feelings between them. Before it was just Hei Xue one-sidedly loving his ex-husband, Wan Lengya. Then they got divorce.

Letting his wife sleep properly on his bed, his silver irises never move away from this person. Afraid that he will lose him all over again.

Manor.

Master's Bedroom.

Wan Lengya couldn't understand the reason how his wife could play piano once again. The truth is that he didn't care as long the latter had returned to his side but when he noticed the black gloves covering his wife's hands. Lengya enchanted by his curiosity remove the gloves only to see visible surgical scars all overs his wife's 10 fingers extending to the whole back of the two hands. The scars were deep, leaving visible and ugly traces on his wife's fair hands.

It was very obvious that those are traces of constant surgery. Seeing those scars Wan Lengya could feel the hardship Hei Xue underwent just so he could play instruments in this lifetime. He once again felt regret and hate for himself. Gently kissing the hands of his wife as if wanting to ease his sufferings.

All of the sudden Wan Lengya someone ringing the doorbell. He doesn't need to guess who it was as there are only two people in this time that would come over to see him. One is the annoying, attention seeker, Xing Ran and the other one is his friend, Yue Wuya. Once he peeks through the house front door surveillance monitor, the man outside is indeed one of the two. This person came over as soon as he finished his business with the audition.

Knowing that the latter's relationship with his wife, Wan Lengya could only reluctantly let him inside his manor. Yue Wuya sighed in relief when he saw that Hei Xue was only sleeping with no other problems. Seeing that Lengya is tightly holding Xue's hands without gloves. Yue Wuya couldn't help but frown for a moment and once again sigh when he saw his friend's sharp gaze on him.

As he knew the reason for that, he could only explain things to Lengya and ease his anger.

"Lengya. Please don't glare at me. If my wife (Hei Yu) didn't brought me to France with his excuse of business trip I wouldn't know that Xue was in France." explained Wuya who is under Lengya's sharp gaze.

"Why didn't you tell me?" replied Lengya coldly.

"Woa~ if you ask me if I'm afraid of my wife divorcing me in case I told you about Xue then, I am. Moreover, Xue wish not to tell you as well. Going along with his wish than yours have always been my priority since before. So, you must not get angry at me!" said Wuya with his arms raised in defeat.

Wan Lengya could only accept his friend's reasoning as he knows that Hei Yu and Yue Wuya have always put Xue before him at all times. But that doesn't stop his fury and could only ignore his friend in disappointment. Though his eyes turned gentle as it fell on Hei Xue's sleeping figure. It is as if that cold-hearted man from before is not him.

Yue Wuya seeing the scene of the cold-hearted man's face turning gentle as he looks at the sleeping little fairy on the bed, he can only feel happiness at first then next his face portraits extreme worry. After all, he doesn't know why Lengya let Xing Ran, this person who caused the whole situation, to stay by his friend's side all this time.

Yue Wuya is worried about Wan Lengya's fickle heart.

With a deep frown on his face, Wuya spoke, "Lengya, Xue had suffered enough for this lifetime and there is no way we will tolerate any more of the past. That person... You shouldn't allow Xing Ran to stay by Xue's side no matter what. Even though I don't know why you still let that black lotus stay by your side, that person is dangerous."

A dark expression appeared on Lengya's face even though his voice turned colder than usual.

"I know what you wish to say, Wuya. In the first place I let that thing remain by my side because it was the most painful punishment, I could give him. He is obsessed with me. Wanting to own me, my heart, and my body all for himself but for these few years he could only see but not touch. Sooner or later even seeing will be just a wish. I was planning on playing with that toy for a bit more to pass time but... Since my wife returned, I would no longer waste my time with him. You may remove him, Wuya."

It was by then that the person on the bed woke up, groggily opening his eyes. The first figure Hei Xue saw was that familiar cold but captivating face of the protagonist gong. Then he looked at the large hand holding on his. The moment he saw that his gloves were removed with his hands for others to see. Instantly, Xue removed his hand from the larger warm hands gripping on it. With a deep frown between his eyebrows, Hei Xue instinctively hid his hands under the blanket as if fearing for others to see his ugly hands.

The pair who saw that action of his, couldn't stop themselves from making ugly expressions especially Wan Lengya whose face turned completely grim when he saw his wife's defensive reaction. Hei Xue ignored their expressions acting like he didn't see them frowning. If not because the two noticed the awkwardness in his body movements, hidden behind his nonchalant façade, they would have believed that his reaction was of surprise instead of being a defensive one.

Hei Xue looked around the room and recognized that this was the master's bedroom in the manor owned by Wan Lengya inside the conservatory. The manor that used to be under their name when they were still married. Seeing that there are no apparent changes inside, his expressions soften a bit in nostalgia.

Without looking at the faces of the other two inside the room, "Did I faint?" asked Hei Xue, avoiding to meet their gaze.

"Yes, your heart is still weak as usual. Don't get too emotional when playing, Xue. " Replied Yue Wuya as a smile appeared on his face while looking at Hei Xue.

"I... I feel too deeply at this time. It won't happen again. Wuya, tell Yu to fetch me." said Hei Xue, still not looking at them.

It was by then that someone grabbed his chin and gently moved his face to look at the one who made such action. Hei Xue saw the usual deadpan face of his former husband before him. Seeing that familiar obsession on those silver eyes, Xue's heart started beating so fast but he hid his emotion behind his cold façade while his impassioned eyes stared at the latter like he was looking at a stranger.

Seeing those emotionless eyes staring back at him, Lengya felt someone piercing his heart. His wife's emotionless eyes brought him to the reality that this person before him which used to see him as his everything is no longer around. This is the person he chose to leave when he made that foolish decision to pursue that fake muse. The choices he made before, now condemned him to become a stranger to the person he loves. Now former wife.

Wan Lengya's fingers shook a bit before he spoke though his face remained as indifferent as before. The only changes were the tenderness within his gaze and his unconsciously action of making his voice less frightening. Lengya's face remained cold as his voice turned softer, seemingly afraid that he would scare the beauty before him.

"Stay. You have made your choice to enter the conservatory and as a passer you shall become my assistant. You will live in this villa as your abode. I will have someone send your things over. Please rest for now." said Lengya as he removed his hands from the latter's chin, averted his eyes and left the room without looking back.

He wanted to give Hei Xue space and privacy. After all, their current relationship has no difference from being a stranger to one another.

Seeing his friend take his leave, "Lengya!? Ah, Xue I'll send your things over tomorrow. Have a rest for today." said Wuya who immediately followed Lengya who left the room.

As soon as the two left the room, the deadpan face of Xue had suddenly disappeared. Right now painted with a hint of mischievousness within his eyes, an evil smirk could be found by the uplifted corner of his lips. He looks like a playful little evil fairy.

"Since you've dared to divorce this lord, don't think you'll be able to stay by this lord's side without any punishment my dear husband~" murmured Hei Xue as he remembers that man's shaking fingers who held his chin for a moment.

Right after Wan Lengya left his manor with Yue Wuya following behind him, he went to the place where most instructors gather.

As he expected his target is among the crowd, socializing. Upon his arrival the original loud area turned silent. Not only the new assistant instructors were quiet, even the old ones remained shut off their mouths.

Wan Lengya looked at Xing Ran, his current assistant instructor, "Xing Ran. Xue'er had passed the test. He will be my assistant starting tomorrow and live in my manor." said Lengya.

Everyone was startled when they heard that the prodigy from before will work under the demon king much less live in the same place they've all considered as the forbidden zone in the whole conservatoire. The Manor.

"What!?" replied by the stunned Xing Ran.

Ignoring Xing Ran's reaction, Lengya continues to speak his lines.

"You will no longer be my assistant and will be promoted to a regular instructor of regular class starting tomorrow. Without any acceptable reason, you are forbidden in going to my manor. Dismiss my classes for today as your last duty as my assistant."

The demon king just finished issuing his commands and took his leave after speaking one-sided.

After the demon king and Wuya left, a dark and extremely ugly expression appeared on Xing Ran's face. Within his eyes are hints of jealousy, envy, and hatred. Among the others who had seen the performance Hei Xue had done, some of them recognized his former identity and so happened that Xing Ran isn't one of them but his hate towards him is the same as before.

On the other hand, as Yue Wuya left to go attend his classes for that day, Wu Lengya went back to his manor to check on his wife. But as soon as he enters his bedroom, the room or the bed has no one on it. The person he left there for a moment suddenly disappeared. His heart was once again struck with immense fear. He ran around the manor just to look for that slender and beautiful figure haunting him in his dreams. It took him years to finally find him again. This time he is not willing to lose his sight on him.

So, when that person suddenly disappeared from his sight, he felt immense distress of losing this person. He was about to go crazy in his mind as he looked for his former wife. Just when he was about to fall in madness, piano sounds entered his ears. Following the sound, he saw Hei Xue in front of the pure white jade piano, playing a single piece.

Afraid of disturbing him, Lengya stood quietly at the distance listening to the piano only to regret listening to it. The piano piece was filled with feelings of sadness and melancholy.

Schubert's Winterreise.

This song cycle starts with a man being dumped by the love of his life and it goes downhill from there. Winterreise is a long journey through a desolate landscape of lonely melodies, chilling figures, and ominous crows. Just when you're thinking 'this guy's not taking it well', he comes across as a lone hurdy-gurdy player.

They play this duet and walk off into the dusk together presumably to die only for this piece to be played with one person amplifying the feelings of desolation. It's a very sad music piece. Hearing this piano piece, the memories of years ago played in Lengya's mind. The lonely back in that hospital room.

That desolated atmosphere surrounding that slender back of his wife which is facing him. With those scenes from that hospital when his wife got into an accident where he was deemed not to be able to play any instrument ever again. It was the very day that he, Wan Lengya, had chosen somebody else instead of his wife to like.

Following the day he lost him and then he realized his wife had left. The other half of his soul and his love had gone somewhere else. Outside of his reach. The notes strike his heart like making him realize once more that the person who first let go has always been him.

Wan Lengya could only close his eyes, plunging in his deepest regret.

His gravest mistake.

Lamenting within those past memories.

After finding his determination,

Opening his eyes once again.

He looked at that figure imprinted within his soul.

'This time.

I won't allow you to leave.

And this time,

I will never leave your side again.

My Muse.

My Wife.

My Everything.'

-Thoughts of Wan Lengya-