"Uh, what's going on?" Kenneth asked when they arrived at Justin's practice room.
Shawn suddenly called for them during the weekend but without telling them why.
At first, he thought it was because they were going to show their support to Justin, who was preparing for his international competition in advance, but looking at the serious atmosphere, he and the other two couldn't help but wonder what was going on.
Justin was also looking at Gabriel in bewilderment.
The three came, and then suddenly both Shawn and Harmony left for some odd reason.
Kenneth and Kathrine arrived one after another without an idea of what was going on as well.
Beatrice was already in a video call but was also unaware.
"Let's just wait for them. It was Harmony who wanted to call for all of us," Gabriel simply said.
All could only wait.
But each frowned when the two came with Shawn opening the piano in the room while Harmony was holding a violin.
They looked at one another in confusion. Even Gabriel was furrowing his brows.
After positioning themselves, Harmony nodded toward Shawn.
The moment her bow touched the string, the air seemed to shift. It was quiet, but something about that first note made everyone listen more closely.
Justin instantly furrowed his brows.
He was obviously well aware, with just one note, he already knew just who the person playing in front of him was. Someone he couldn't defeat in the last competition.
Salut d'Amour began, not shy or timid, but with a soft, steady confidence.
The notes flowed gently, each one clear and smooth. Her bow moved across the strings like a whisper, like brushing silk. She didn't rush, didn't force anything. Every rise and fall in the melody felt like it had been carefully shaped, like a painter guiding each stroke with purpose.
Beside her, Shawn played the piano with care, matching her perfectly.
His touch was gentle, his timing exact.
But even as he played, he couldn't help glancing at her now and then. He watched how her bow moved without effort, how her left hand glided up and down the fingerboard like it already knew exactly where to go. There was no pause, no mistake.
Just smooth, quiet control.
Her vibrato was calm and even, just enough to warm the sound without overdoing it. She didn't try to show off. She let the music speak. Her intonation was perfect, every note in tune, every shift clean.
Harmony wasn't just good.
She was incredible.
And what made it special wasn't flashy moves or big gestures. It was how careful and thoughtful she was. She played with grace, holding back when needed, giving the melody space to breathe.
There was strength in how gentle she was, in how well she understood her violin, and how much control she had over her bow.
Shawn followed her lead, every note from the piano wrapping softly around her sound.
He looked at her and remembered how she asked for him to play with her.
-FLASHBACK-
"Can you accompany me in playing the violin? I think that is the fastest way for me to let them know who I am."
"I think that is not the only reason," he couldn't help but comment.
Harmony smiled slightly, "Indeed. It is a personal one."
"What do you mean?"
"Just once, I want to play alongside you. After watching you perform with Justin, I had this small urge to play with you as well."
Shawn slightly squinted his eyes, "The perfect Wynter Morgrave wants to play alongside me?"
"Alongside the jack-of-all-trades Shawn Lockhart," she replied.
Shawn laughed, "I see. Very well. I will give it my best to play the piano and not hold you back."
-END OF FLASHBACK-
'She really is something else when it comes to playing the violin,' he thought as they reached the climax.
When Harmony reached the final note, she barely touched the string, letting the sound drift into silence.
No one moved.
For a few seconds, the room just sat in stillness.
"Wynter Morgrave," Justin commented, snapping everyone else from the shock of witnessing such an overwhelming performance.
Kenneth looked at Justin.
"So that is who you are," Justin added.
Harmony looked at him, "Yes."
Kenneth was deeply frowning when he looked back at Harmony.
"You are THAT Wynter Morgrave?"
Harmony nodded her head.
Kenneth scoffed. What came to his mind first when he heard that it was her was the fact that Justin had been through a lot of mental pressure because of his competition against her.
"I suppose you were laughing while competing against Justin. Watching how he agonizes over his competition against you. Shawn and Gabriel were right. You were just acting. Harmony Thomas was nothing but an act."
Harmony did not comment.
She understood why he reacted this way.
She came out to them to try and be true to them.
If they got mad, that was also fine with her. After all, Wynter Morgrave is a very difficult identity.
Kenneth shook his head while looking at her indifferent look.
"How fun was it? Playing around like that?"
"Ken—"
Shawn wanted to speak, but Kenneth did not hold back.
"This is bullshit. Just as I thought, befriending you is not something I could do."
"I understand," Harmony replied.
Kenneth frowned at her look before walking out.
"You have questions towards her, I'll go and speak with him," Shawn said to the rest.
Harmony sighed as she carefully put the violin back in its case.
"So, Wynter Morgrave is your real identity?" Kathrine was the first to speak.
"Yes, that is indeed the case," Harmony replied.
"Harmony Thomas is a character in a story you are playing," Beatrice spoke as well, through the tablet.
Harmony looked at the tablet before nodding.
"I knew you were amazing in acting, but I did not expect for you to be this devoted," Beatrice chuckled.
She felt like she would truly learn a lot from her.
"I hope you'd allow me to ask you a few questions when it comes to my acting," she added.
"I will try," Harmony replied.
After a bit she once again spoke.
"I won't apologize."
"You don't have to," Gabriel answered.
"That's right. What happened a while ago was Kenneth's opinion, but we think otherwise," Beatrice added.
"Thank you," Harmony replied.