Chapter 181: Going Back to the Magic

"Is Eve really not coming?"

Eri sat at the backseat of a car. She wore her best dress. The gray-checkered top covered her from the neck and down to her wrists. The bright white tulle skirt ballooned until its hem reached her knees. A gold ribbon wrapped around her waist with a bow in front.

Ede wore the same style but in a dark blue skirt and black-checkered top.

Jarrett glanced at the rearview mirror. Both children had been eerily quiet since they got in the car. He understood them a bit. They hardly saw their sister as it is. Now, she's more unavailable than ever unlike when this dual identity first started.

He peeled his gaze off them and directed it towards the passenger seat.

Andie caught the look. She turned her head back to the windshield and sighed through her nose. The back of her head bumped into the cushion. How was she supposed to say this? "I know how you feel, girls, but your sister's part-time job requires her to work during weekends."

"We knoowww," Eri whined, crossing her arms over her chest. "I still think she's with a secret boyfriend that she didn't introduce to us yet."

"Maybe it's someone at her job," Ede added. She played with the tips of her caramel hair. Aunt Georgie had curled it for them. The texture of hairspray felt weird against her skin. "If this fundraiser ends early, maybe we could surprise visit her."

Eri jerked to life as if her spine got struck by lightning. She rose to her feet, stretching her seatbelt and poked her head between the two front seats. "Can we do that? It would be so cool! It could even be a surprise! Bring her a box of French macarons!"

"I don't know…" Andie mumbled. Her stormy blue eyes flashed at Jarrett. They made eye-contact for a split second before he resumed his focus on the road. She was also alone in this one.

'Gee, thanks!' She scoffed in her head, mentally rolling her eyes while she was at it. Then, she shifted her attention towards Eri. "We'll just have to wait and see. She might get home before we could. We could always buy her that box even without going to her workplace."

Eri pouted. It made her cheeks puff out. "But she must be so miserable. She's working because we want to keep studying in The Magical Symphony, right? I knew it cost too much!"

Andie opened her mouth. Then, she closed it shortly after. It may not be for the music school specifically but it was for the twins. There wasn't anything she could say to counter it. "Eri, listen. You can ask Eve all about her job later, okay? If she says she's fine, believe her. Your sister wouldn't stay if it was bad."

"You also said her boss at the company made her work late. It caused her a lot of stress and that we shouldn't fight whenever we meet her because it would only make it worse."

"I did?" Andie frowned.

"Yes, you did!" Eri practically screeched.

Andie had to cover her ears. "But you met him, right? At the recital? You even talked to him about work. Was he as bad as I described him?"

"I am still withholding judgement."

She shook her head at the girl's seriousness. The corner of her lip curled up. "Well, then I am also withholding the decision to visit Eve at her second job. We need to ask her permission first. It might get her into trouble if we showed up."

'Literally get her in trouble for that matter,' Andie kept to herself. This would be the second time when Evangeline would be in the vicinity as the twins. She wondered if they'd notice this time.

The Magical Symphony rented a different venue this time.

Part of their event was held at their school while most of it were at a nearby building with a backyard. Teachers gathered students in circles for simple sessions. They played the same sheet music, choosing popular songs for fun.

The twins were chosen to have their own room in the school. Guests could come through the back and watch them play. Focusing on one student became a lot more difficult that they thought. 

Ede caught their attention when she played the piano with her eyes closed.

Eri swayed along with the music as if the melody also reached her legs. 

Andie listened to the opinions whispered among the audience. She couldn't help but smile as she recorded the whole performance. Jarrett sat beside her and paid close attention to the twins. Their passion for the instruments shined. 

A low note broke the spell on the watchers.

"Oops," Ede uttered. She had her lips turned down at the corners with her teeth showing.

Eri merely laughed and matched the note with her violin. "Come on! The show must go on!"

The audience became amused. The twins let down their guard and continued the performance casually. Eri moved to her twin's side, reading the same sheet music placed on the piano stand. Ede flipped the page for them as they tried their best to keep up. 

Even the assigned teacher found their actions charming.

Meanwhile, at the other venue, Eve had her crimson hair up in a high ponytail. She wore a navy blue wrapped dress. The sleeves cinched at her wrists and puffed around her lower arm. The sun gleamed on the pattern of silver stars, making them glint for the camera. Her black boots reached up to two inches above her ankles.

There was a guitar in her hands.

It surprised her a bit but Amy explained the concept to her.

"Another part of our expansion is the number of instruments to teach," she stated when they walked down the hallway that led to the backyard earlier. "Guitar is easily recognizable by the public. We think it could attract a lot of attention."

Eve brushed her fingers against the strings. 

There was only one song she could play.

She placed her finger on the thinnest string. With each stroke, it glided to another fret. The melody was simple—purely meant for beginners. She entertained herself with it while waiting for the guitar instructor and the students.

It seemed that for this scene, she would be a helper.

"Well, that sounds nice," Mila chuckled, sitting down with her legs crossed. She unzipped the guitar case she brought and pulled out her personal acoustic guitar. It had her initials, MC, engraved on the wood.

"Ms. Clark!" Eve exclaimed.

"Surprised?" The gingerhead teased.

"Well, I shouldn't be, should I? You are the one running this school."

Mila tuned the guitar by testing the strings and adjusting the knobs. She played it by ear. "Amy thinks I should also be in the shot so you won't entirely hog the spotlight. Potential students and their guardians might expect to see you here if they dropped by. At least, this way, one of two people in the ads are present."

She strummed all six strings once and beamed at model. "So. Wanna learn the intermediate level of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? You already mastered the Beginner Level."

Eve blushed. Her voice came out small and soft. "I think we should start with the chords…"

"Good call."

Children soon came by with their own guitars. They weren't students of the school as Eve initially thought but volunteers for the session. They had been playing for a while and already knew the chords. 

Eve gulped. 'I think we should switch places. It feels like I'm the student here.'

"Hey, Mila!" The photographer called out, a DSLR camera dangling from his neck. Stubbles of a beard covered his chin and his 5 o'clock shadow. His shaggy raven hair covered his forehead. He opted for a green plaid button down and a pair of jeans.

"Tae!" Mila yelled. She got up to her feet, dusting the back of her dress. Her arm wrapped around his shoulders as he greeted her the same way. "Glad you could make it! There's two venues though. Will you be alright?"

"Not a problem, not a problem," Tae reassured. "I'll go check out the school with Amy. Rest assured just do what you had planned. My friend and I will keep up. If you have any new ideas, feel free to share them, okay?"

"Thanks, Tae. I don't know what I would do without you," Mila sighed. 

Tae merely patted her head. "Hey, that's what childhood friends are for. I really gotta go. I know the school has the important performances of the students. I'll check back here later."

"Got it. Now, get out of here. Shoo!"

Mila sat down and resumed the lesson. Eve followed the instructions diligently. For the most part, she focused on her posture and placement of her fingers—trying to match Mila's fluid movements.

Then, they broke into pairs and matched up with two students. Eve partnered with a boy. He had been quiet during the session but kept up easily. 

"How long have you been playing guitar?" She asked, trying to strike a conversation.

The boy paused and looked up at her smiling face. 

"Hold it right there," a photographer instructed. He kneeled in front of the pair and stared through the lens. He adjusted the focus before clicking on the shutter. "Perfect!"

Then, his hands pulled down the camera to reveal his beaming chocolate eyes. "What do you say about changing positions a bit, hm? So we could get more people in the shot."