Aces Series: Lucky's Charm

LC 02

The hallways inside the amphitheater were empty yet a sound of a violin playing one of Franz Schubert’s violin masterpieces, the Der Erlkönig, echoed on the walls, filling the silent spaces of the amphitheater. The sound the violin strings made as the bow runs back and forth on it was not difficult to listen to. In fact, it was very evident from the sound the strings were making that the violinist playing it delicately had mastered the masterpiece. It brought so much satisfaction to Clover as it was the first thing he heard upon stepping in the backstage of the amphitheater using the backdoor.

Before Clover could even think of who was possibly playing such a difficult violin piece, Clover was already following where the sound was coming from. It led him to the stage, to the exact same spot where he practices while being guided by his mentor, who is also a violin virtuoso just like him. Their only difference was that his mentor had way more experience compared to him.

It was too late for Clover to realize that he was looking at the guy trying to get into his nerves these past few days. Clover was staring at Aster on the stage with a spotlight directly pointing at him as he played a violin. Wrinkles started to form on Clover’s forehead as he frowned. His brows furrowed in the process. He got confused as to why Aster is in the amphitheater with his mentor watching him. He had never seen Aster in the place before. Definitely, Aster showing in the amphitheater now got Clover in total surprise.

The nerve of this guy to practice in the same place where I practice. Clover then moved his eyes off Aster. He then turned to see his mentor who has a face that looked so proud of Aster. Clover doesn’t know what to feel nor to react by knowing he and Aster had the same mentor. And although their mentor was silent and just watching Aster, Clover could tell that their mentor was amazed by Aster.

Clover, too, was amazed by Aster. It was the first time he saw Aster play the violin even though he already knew he was a violinist from the news last night. He just did not expect that Aster would be this skilled and great in playing the violin. This alone added to Clover’s dislike of Aster. He would never forget how Aster silently mocked him from his most recent concerto. A grinning Aster and clapping his hands slowly kept on popping in his mind, which annoyed Clover.

His eyes became furious as Clover darted them back at Aster. Clover might deny that Aster could be a great violinist but could not deny the fact that he doesn’t like what he is seeing. There is a big possibility that Aster would be on the same level as him. And only time would tell when. Clover just felt it and Aster was showing him that he is after him. If Clover did not understand it wrongly, Aster is there, doing the same thing he does to prove himself that he could be him. That Aster could reach Clover or surpass him and put Clover to the side because he is the one on top, the best among the best.

A few more minutes had passed and Clover just found himself staring at Aster. Clover got stuck on the spot where he was standing, holding the handle of the violin case in his right while his left was resting inside his pocket. He was ten minutes early for his scheduled practice and assessment with his mentor. Well, Clover was never been late for his appointments. In fact, he is always minutes early from the scheduled time.

Shaking his head as he shrugged his shoulders lightly, brushing off the thought that Aster would be on the same level as him, Clover took steps towards the grand piano. There, his mentor was sitting on the piano stool, both hands resting on his lap.

The moment Clover was next to the grand piano, Clover then placed the violin case on top of the grand piano with care. He crossed his arms afterwards when he secured the violin case on the flat surface. And he leaned his side on the grand piano. His eyes went back to Aster still playing the last couple of bars of Der Erlkönig towards its ending.

As much as Clover doesn’t want to be drowned in Aster soft playing, he had to admit that Aster made it easy to listen. He knew too well how difficult the violin piece is. It was the same piece he played during the grand finals of the same violin competition where Aster is one of the finalists. If Aster would be playing this in the grand finals, Clover could not help himself but think that Aster is really copying to be him and tracking his way. And it would never be a coincidence if Aster would really play the Der Erlkönig. Well, it would be an intentional one, especially from Clover’s perspective.

Clover may look calm and remained composed from outside but his mind was now filled with thought, making Aster more bad in his eyes. No one could blame Clover for thinking these things. His first face-to-face meeting with Aster was not that good and it never gave a good impression to Clover. Aster voluntarily put himself on Clover’s hate list.

Keeping himself silent for the time being, Clover never lost sight of Aster until the guy finished playing the Der Erlkönig as if he just did a finger exercise, earning him praise from their mentor. Clover simply stared at Aster with sharp gazes. Aster was still facing his back to them, taking deep breaths as if he was feeling the moment, imagining that it was the grand finals already.

Clover’s eyes met Aster’s when the latter finally decided to turn around. For a split second, Aster paused, making Clover huff and grin. He seemed shocked to see Clover yet he instantly recovered. Aster then countered Clover's eyes as if he was not bothered with the way Clover was looking at him. It’s as if he enjoyed having Clover’s attention on him.

Their mentor stood on his feet, leaving the piano stool, clapping his hands. “That was great, Aster. I wasn’t wrong to personally select you to be my mentee when I saw the determination and eagerness in you. Believe it or not, as early as now, I can say that you have a great chance to be the grand winner of this year’s competition. You would be as great as Clover in the near future.” With a smile, their mentor glanced at Clover, gesturing that Clover had just arrived.

Aster followed their mentor’s gesture. A teasing smile crept on his lips as he looked at Clover. Yet, it immediately changed into an innocent smile when their mentor turned to Aster. This gave Clover another meaning. For Clover, Aster was nonverbally telling him that in no time he will be at the top, the number one of their generation, and Clover would be second to him.

Heaving a sigh, Clover nonchalantly stared at Aster in return, trying himself not to show any signs of affection from Aster’s action. His eyes were cold and bored as they fixed themselves with a silent battle with Aster’s pair of innocent-acting eyes.

“I never knew you had another mentee, Eric. I thought you only have me as your one and only mentee,” Clover uttered, still his eyes not leaving from Aster. It was as if he was indirectly gatekeeping Aster out, that he is not welcome in the place where he is. That Aster doesn’t deserve to be in the seat with him and Eric, their mentor. His first impression of Aster really stuck deep in his brain.

“Because you never ask, Clover. Anyway, who am I that you should be minding with,” Aster replied before Eric could speak a word in reply. He then curved a full-lipped smile, hiding his teeth out of sight.

“Yeah. You are right. Who are you to be worthy of my attention,” Clover rebutted. He sounded so cold and unemotional like he really did not give any care at all.

Eric frequently moved his head, looking at Clover and Aster, surprised. The confusion was all over his face. “Seems like you already know each other. . .” were the words he commented as Clover turned to glance at him. “Do you?” Eric then looked at Aster, waiting for either Clover or Aster to answer his question.

“I don’t, Eric. I just saw him last night in the news.” Clover shrugged his shoulders.

Aster shook his head. “As for me, I have known Clover since then. Is there a person in the music industry who doesn’t know him? The youngest violin virtuoso,” he said, holding his violin in his left hand and putting it down, hanging on his side. Aster then completely faced Eric as he walked near Clover.

Clover was watching Aster closely to where the guy was going and what he would do, following Aster only with his eyes, up to the extent of his peripheral vision. Suddenly, the way he looks at Aster slowly transitions from unaffected to showing a bit of seriousness and deadly stare, especially when Aster stopped beside him. Their eyes met again. And an invisible and silent fight began. The feeling Clover had never felt from any violinist in their generation. A rivalry.

“Oh. . . I thought you didn't know him, Clover? But why am I witnessing the opposite?” chuckling, Eric interfered in between the heated silent battle of Clover and Aster.

“I am not. And I don’t care who this Aster is,” Clover denied as if he did not ask Lizter to dig for information about Aster.

Sighing, Eric shook his head. “Well, anyway, if that’s the case, let me introduce you two to each other formally.” Eric tried to lift up the atmosphere. Being Clover’s mentor ever since the very first day Clover took hold of a violin, Eric already knew and could read Clover’s actions and words.

“I always forget to tell you, Clover, since you don’t have the same date schedules. It just so happens that I needed to assess him today before the grand finals. Both I and Aster don't have any day available other than today.” Eric took a deep breath, exhaling a large amount of air. “Anyways. . .” He then glanced at Clover. “Clover, this is Aster, my second mentee. And I guess he would probably be the last.” He softly laughed. He then added, “You know I don’t accept mentees if I don’t see anything special.”

Eric extended an arm, pointing his hand to Aster, who was getting his violin case that was placed under the grand piano a step away from Clover. And Aster placed his violin in the case, handling it with care. Clover looked at Aster down, not bothering on lowering the level of his chin, showing and giving Aster not to mess with him; that he is the superior and dominant among the two of them.

“And, Aster, this is Clover.”

Aster closed the violin case and stood up next to Clover. In his right hand, he carried the violin case. Aster then looked at Clover with his small innocent smile as if he did not just send a challenge to Clover. He offered his free hand for a handshake. “Nice to finally meet you in person, Clover. I hope we get along since we are under the same mentor.”

Yet, Clover noticed how innocent Aster's face is but he reminded himself not to fall for it. It is just a trap. Aster’s face was just a facade of an arrogant and overconfident guy challenging a prodigy turned virtuoso like himself.

Clover then simply stared at Aster’s hand. He did not even bother moving an inch of his hand to accept Aster’s hand. Instead, Clover checked the time on his wristwatch. “Your time here with Eric is already done. If you don’t mind, just leave already so we can start on my scheduled practice with Eric.”

Turning his back at Aster, Clover dismissed him, not waiting for a word from him. He then got his violin from the violin case, and he positioned himself, standing on the spot being pointed with a spotlight.