Chapter 5 – Issen (Part 15)

After 3 PM, the sunlight in Issen gains a viscosity. Unlike the morning light that flows like water, it has a somewhat sticky feeling. The yellowish, heavy sunlight carried warmth.

The spacious drawing room was soaked in that light. Yellow light settled on the red velvet-covered armchairs and couches, and the beautifully grained piano. The marble bust of an angel placed by the window tilted its head back toward the sun. Its face, bathed in light, wore an expression of basking in blessings. It even seemed to be in a state of utmost ecstasy.

Evelyn, who had been gazing at the angel statue, placed her teacup down with a clink. The refreshing scent of peppermint lingered in her mouth. In the bright and quiet drawing room, there were only the man and the woman. They were sitting across from each other at a round tea table, drinking tea. It was a picture-perfect peaceful afternoon.

“What are you thinking about?”

Bryant asked. His low voice disturbed the serene silence. Evelyn blinked slowly, once.

He had been asking that question quite often lately. ‘What are you thinking about?’ Each time, Evelyn had to find something suitable to say. But since a person’s mind has its limits, she couldn’t completely fabricate something untrue.

“I was thinking about the people I used to have a reading group with…”

Although she answered, she couldn’t meet the man’s eyes. Even after finishing lunch and leaving the café, and while walking side by side along Hugel Street for a stroll, it was the same.

It was fortunate she didn’t get indigestion from that nerve-wracking encounter. She managed to eat just enough not to worry Bryant. After returning to the townhouse, washing her hands and face, and quietly drinking a cup of tea, she felt much calmer, but she still hesitated to look him straight in the eyes.

“Reminiscing about the past. Not a bad thing.”

Bryant said as he placed his teacup down with a clink. The two teacups sitting on the saucer were now almost empty. After gazing at the remaining tea for a moment, he lifted his eyes.

“I hope you don’t do it too much.”

“……”

“So the present doesn’t feel neglected.”

Evelyn looked up. The man met her gaze as if he had been waiting. His expression was one of a faint smile. His gaze towards her was relaxed. Bluish eyes. A blue-gray reminiscent of the sky just before rain. Sometimes, when she looked into those eyes, she would suddenly think they didn’t seem human.

“Returning after a long time, I guess you’ve become more contemplative, but do think about the present, too.”

He sat with impeccable posture. He could be considered the model of a gentleman sharing tea with a lady. But Evelyn knew the intention hidden beneath that perfect exterior. He was displeased that the woman sitting across from him was lost in other thoughts.

“The past and the present are separate.”

Bryant said, faintly smiling as if satisfied with the regained attention from the woman. Evelyn’s heart trembled as she met his gaze. It was a reassuring statement. The past and the present are separate.

“Do you really think so?”

She asked again for that reason. To get confirmation. To reassure herself that the past is separate, so even if the situation she feared came to pass, the worst could be avoided.

“You should already know my view on that matter.”

“You might have changed your mind in the meantime. You’re someone who doesn’t value consistency.”

“That’s a clearly intentional exaggeration, but I won’t argue.”

Bryant laughed. Evelyn laughed along with him. Her timid heart gained a bit of courage. So she decided to continue the conversation a bit more.

“Isn’t the past part of the present? The things we did and experienced in the past accumulate to become the present.”

The woman threw out a topic. The man thought for a moment. It was the usual pattern signaling the start of a debate. But Bryant unexpectedly diverted the woman’s attention with a different topic.

“You said you learned to play the piano. At boarding school.”

“Yes.”

“Then play for me.”

He gestured with his eyes towards the piano placed over there. Evelyn, looking in the same direction, shook her head.

“I can’t play now. I used to play a little back then.”

“You said the past is part of the present.”

“……”

“If that’s true, somewhere within you is the you who used to play the piano.”

What a novel logic. 

Evelyn, having caught on to his intention, let out a small laugh. The man’s lips already had a playful smile on them.

“Let’s prove it.”

Bryant said lightly, getting up from his seat. He approached the woman, who wore a troubled expression, and gently helped her to her feet. Practically dragged along, Evelyn stood awkwardly, looking down at the large instrument. The piano, with its smooth wood grain, looked luxurious. Even to her untrained eye, it was far from a beginner’s instrument.

“I haven’t played in so long, it’ll be terrible.”

“It’s okay. As you can see, it’s just me here.”

It’s not okay because you’re here. 

Internally protesting, Evelyn perched on the piano stool. She let out a light sigh for him to hear, then looked up at the man who kindly opened the keyboard lid for her.

“Promise you won’t laugh.”

“I swear.”

Feigning solemnity, Bryant straightened his posture. Standing with one hand lightly on the piano lid, he signaled with his eyes that he was ready to listen. Evelyn smiled lightly and opened and closed her hands. There was no sheet music, but even if there were, she doubted she could read it properly. She had no choice but to recall as much as she could of a piece she knew.

After hesitating a bit more, she placed her hands on the keys. Once she made up her mind, she pressed the first note with a sense of ‘come what may’. 

Lorelia Lorelai. It was an old song from the central region that any beginner could play. Evelyn continued to play, one phrase at a time, slightly slower than the original tempo.

It was a curious thing. As she pressed each key, the sensations she thought she’d forgotten came back. It felt as if the memories sleeping beneath her fingers were stirring awake. Was this what memories engraved in the body were like? Like ink that, once absorbed, couldn’t be erased.

Her stiff fingers gradually became more flexible. Thanks to that, she managed to finish the latter part quite decently, unlike the very hesitant beginning. Evelyn was secretly satisfied with having played an entire piece. After all, her piano skills had never been particularly excellent even back then.

“Bravo.”

With a soft word of praise, the man clapped. Evelyn looked up at him with an embarrassed smile.

“Your view has gained significant credibility. I’m convinced.”

“That’s delightful to hear.”

“May I request one more piece, performer?”

“I’d like to oblige, but I don’t know any more pieces.”

“How about ‘A Single Rose for You’?”

Smiles passed between their gazes as they looked at each other. Bryant, who had been leaning on the piano, moved to sit on the woman’s right. The stool was big enough for two, but not spacious. Their bodies were closely pressed together, and she felt the warmth of the man.

“Let me help.”

“You know how to play the piano?”

“I learned a little. When I was young.”

Two large hands moved over the keys. Evelyn widened her eyes at this unexpected fact. The man nodded confidently as if to trust him, so she began playing the serenade’s melody with a newfound sense of anticipation.

It was less than two bars in when she thought something was off. The man on her right was playing in a very peculiar manner.

His keystrokes were so poor they could hardly be called playing. He knew how to hit the keys but pressed them so poorly that he added a certain charm to the woman’s already awkward performance. The two of them continued clumsily through several measures, but eventually, Evelyn couldn’t hold back her laughter and stopped playing.

She laughed very cheerfully. She laughed until her stomach hurt. Only after that could she barely close her lips and speak.

“Wherever you go in the future, you shouldn’t mention having learned the piano.”

“You’re laughing out loud. After telling me not to laugh.”

“I’m sorry.”

Even as she apologized, Evelyn couldn’t completely suppress her laughter. She bit her lips inward to hold back the sound and lowered her head. It was then that warm fingers touched her left cheek.

“You’re beautiful.”

Bryant murmured. He gently lifted her face towards him. Their eyes met at a very close distance. Evelyn stopped laughing entirely.

“You’re beautiful when you smile like that.”

The fingers caressing her left cheek brushed her lips. He sighed softly with his dark eyelashes lowered, then without warning, lowered his head to kiss her lips.

The kiss, which started softly as if teasing, quickly deepened. It wasn’t until their tongues intertwined and their breaths quickened that Evelyn pushed him away as if burnt. She mumbled like an excuse with her now very flushed lips.

“What if someone… someone comes in…”

“No one will come.”

“But still, it’s not okay.”

Bryant, who was quietly looking at her face, stood up. He walked briskly to the entrance and clicked the door locked. Then he smiled brightly at the woman staring at him in disbelief. 

Now it’s fine. 

She wanted to tell him it absolutely wasn’t.

He returned and pulled her up by the arm. Leading her to the red velvet-covered couch, he began kissing her again with urgency. His hot hands roamed ceaselessly over her face, neck, back, and waist.

Evelyn was wearing a light brown linen dress today. It was an outfit as modest as a schoolteacher’s. The buttons started at the neck and continued closely down to the hem. So even as she received increasingly intense kisses, she thought he wouldn’t do anything more drastic. It was, after all, a warm sunny afternoon at 3:30, and this was a drawing room with a piano and teacups.

As expected, Bryant behaved himself. Even as he brushed her cheek with his lips and rubbed his nose in her hair, he didn’t move lower. He nibbled her earlobe and pressed his lips to the skin behind it, but that was all. The teacher-like dress effectively blocked the man’s kisses. So Evelyn was reassured that it would indeed stop here.

Therefore, when his hand lifted her skirt, it wasn’t surprising that she froze in shock.

Evelyn’s attire was as conservative inside as it was outside. She wore no less than four layers of petticoats, excluding the chemise. It was an aesthetic consideration to make the skirt look fuller, but Bryant chuckled as if it was ridiculous.

“Thoroughly hidden, aren’t you?”

He whispered low. It sounded like admiration, but also teasing. But what exactly had she hidden? Flustered and confused, Evelyn finally realized what that ‘something’ was, and her face flushed with heat.

“No, it’s not because of that—”

Just as she was about to attempt an ill-fitting excuse, his hand slipped between her drawers.

It was enough to make her faint.