54. Mercenary Tournament

Chapter 4: Gone Too Far

One month later, Evo Matte, the young master of the Mattes, celebrated his birthday. Just like the past years, the celebration isn't simple  attended by important figures but in the middle of this grandiose event, the celebrant's focus was not to these notable personalities.

The young man unconsciously look at a certain seat from time to time. Grandma Matte seeing this scene, she restrained herself from teasing her grandson.

The event comes to an end, Evo didn't see the figure of the little girl. Grandma Matte who is also expecting the presence of Yuri rather felt disappointed, she felt unsettled. A month ago, Yuri obviously wanted to attend the celebration. The old lady asked someone to call the Coopers but only answered by their butler saying the family had an emergency. When she tried to explain to her grandson, Evo who is not in his mood indifferently said that he really didn't care and didn't even notice Yuri didn't attend at all.

Two days after Evo's grand celebration, Yuri wearing a simple pink dress was dropped by a noticeable entourage. The convoy was eye-catching enough and when Yuri exited with two old men from one of the lift, almost everyone around the school ground look at their direction.

The two old men whom catches the attention and the salute of the parents around are not bothered with the spectators' gaze as their focus was only to their granddaughter. They compromise their granddaughter for the tenth time today to be accompanied even by the butler but Yuri is with unwavering answer. When they saw their Little granddaughter plead silently with her eyes full of helplessness for the last time, the two old men's weak heart gave up adding they are being scolded by their wives to get in the car, they let their granddaughter go.

Yuri, with the news around about her parents and the breaking of the engagement of the young master of the Mattes as she was not invited to Evo's celebration two days ago, is the focus of everyone's gaze. This is her first appearance to the public after the news about her parent's affairs broke, unexpectedly to the students whom are used to her arrogant demeanor and belittling gaze, the Yuri they are seeing now is with shoulder dropped head down and with careful steps walking alone around the campus.

When the bell rang, Yuri didn't go first to where his real target was but roam around the campus first. The classes are going on so the hallways are almost empty. Yuri stopped when she heard a play of a piano, she followed the sound and was brought to where the original Yuri's favorite place in the campus, the piano room.

When Yuri saw who is playing the piano, she then remember this character of the story.

Gino West, he was crippled at aged eleven and killed himself at age fifteen. The incident was related to the two male protagonists and so with his suicide, the two male lead's friendship didn't go well afterwards.

Before the incident happened, Evo Matte, the male protagonist, Heiro Klin, the second male protagonist, and Gino West, was with a brotherhood relationship. This friendship was tainted after the incident of Gino West resulted he was crippled and even gone worst when he killed himself.

Yuri looked at the young man in wheelchair as he is immersed on his own music not noticing her presence from afar. Yuri took a seat to the floor while listening to the piano piece, the little girl curl into a ball propped her head with her arms currently hugging her knees. Her act got the best of her that she unknowingly slept for real in that position.

After two piano pieces, Gino whom was about to get out of the room stopped by the door and saw Yuri who was sleeping curled in a ball position. Gino after recognizing the little girl instructed his butler to call her family.

Not long gone, six adult arrived whom brought a doctor. When the worried grandparents and parents saw their little granddaughter was curled into a ball silently sleeping, they almost cried of the view of their princess. Knowing what their little princess had been through these past few days now seeing her sleep even in such position, they are relieved somehow.

Gino West, who have been observing the scene how the little girl's family tried to stop the tears on their eyes while looking at the little girl, how they carefully lifted the petite body with extra care of her right arm, and how come doctors are on standby he somehow had an idea of what is happening.

That day, Yuri's plan had a little adjustment when she met earlier one of the character of the story that she didn't expect to see before she leaves.

Evo, the male protagonist, whom had heard the arrival of Yuri to the campus had readied himself to hear her reasons first for not attending his birthday but the same as that day, he had wait and didn't see the figure of the little girl.

The next day, Yuri appeared again to the campus and went straight to Evo but didn't saw him. He encounter once again the cannon fodder of the story Gino West who is on his way to the piano room. The young master sitting on his wheelchair saw the little girl sitting at one of the the bench outside like waiting for someone while she's caressing a small thing on her hand. When his butler noticed the gaze of his young master, the butler didn't stopped on his track as he is not told so but slow down to let his young master had a view of the little girl longer. When arrived at the piano room, the butler didn't fully closed the door while his young master was playing the piano.

Yuri when heard the playing of the piano, she again strive on her way to the piano room stood near the slightly opened door leaning at the wall as she deliberately didn't hide fully, her pleated skirt was poking at the door waiting for the young master to notice her presence.

Just as expected, Gino had seen the 'hiding' little girl so stopped on playing the piano. Yuri like a little kid poke her little head to the opened door to see why the music stopped and when she saw Gino looking on her direction, her big doe eyes went even bigger and like a shy child who had been discovered she hide herself again. Gino's butler was amused to this scene, he asked his young master if he wanted to invite the little girl but the young master only pursed his lips so he didn't do any movement.

Yuri who had expected this had went out of her hiding spot and like a guilty little kid, she slowly walks toward Gino's way not looking at his eyes. She apologized using her gentle small voice while fiddling her small fingers out of nervousness.

"Are you here to play the piano?"

The original Yuri was renowed pianist even at a young age so this question of the young boy was expected by the soul inside Yuri.

Yuri who was playing her role was startled to the question of the young master. She bow her head looking at her right hand as she smiled bitterly, she shook her head and didn't talk.

"You don't have to stay outside if you wanted to hear me play."

Yuri surprisedly look at Gino and with her big bright eyes, she asked happily but tentatively,

"C--Can I?"

Gino just nodded and instructed the butler to put the chair on his side. Gino played the piano while Yuri was sitting on his side. While Yuri was immersed on the calming music, Gino was immersed on the view of the little girl. Yuri's eyes are closed her pink lips are with a gentle smile while her left hand are tapping gently her own lap with her pink small finger tips following the notes of the music. He then look at her unmoving right hand on her lap, Gino once again look at the small face of the little girl silently smiling. He averted his gaze before the little girl opened her eyes and act indifferently.

The little girl would request a piece and the same as the other piece, she would close her eyes and imagine she is playing the piano while her eyes closed smiling gently. This is the harmonious scene Evo saw when the door of the piano room was opened.

Gino's fingers stops when he saw a group of young men entering the room. When Yuri noticed this, frowning slightly she opened her eyes and look at him. When she saw his line of sight, Yuri's smile spread she grab the small box on her small sling bag and bid her farewell to Gino as she smilingly strive her way to Evo.

"Big brother Evo."

Yuri whom was smiling happily to see him made Evo more irritated. Yuri noticing the other people around, she asked hesitantly if she can talk to him in private.

Evo scoffed and act indifferently, "If you can't tell it here, then don't bother."

"I---it's just a small matter. I---I just want t---to give big brother Evo something."

Evo's friends around are amused how they see with their own eyes the arrogant heiress was stuttering in front of their friend. While the people around are excited, Evo was more irritated knowing it's a present for his passed birthday made him remember things so when Yuri tentatively offer a small box with both of her small palm, he tap her hand resulting for the small box to fell.

No one noticed how Yuri held her right hand in pain as the people around focused on the now opened small box and the bracelet on the floor. Evo's friends are surprised at first with their friend's impulsiveness the same shock as Evo to himself but when he saw the beautiful bracelet on the floor, his irritation rose more. He then stated mockingly,

"Oh. It's a bracelet this time. You must had travel to the mountains to harvest the beads yourself."

Evo smirked and added,

"This year it seems you had done too well and the present was not poorly made."

The onlookers chuckled with their friends remark restraining their laughs to be noticeable. They all know, everyone knows that Yuri's present to their friend every year was especially made by her pand now Evo just said to her face how her gifts in the past years are poorly made.

Yuri on the other hand was bowing her head while holding her right hand, she restrained herself to beat the male protagonist keeping her role in play. Although she didn't expect the male lead would physically hurt her, Yuri can only view how things are going more favourable on her way to console the pain on her right hand. She sob quietly and run away when the insults are done. Gino's butler followed the young miss under his young master's order.

"Oi oi why would you be too honest to her, Evo? Look at her now, my mom would scold me for not protecting my soon stepsister." Heiro teasingly said to his friend.

Evo didn't appreciate his friend's joke. Ignoring him, he strive to Gino's direction but was only met with a glare.

"You've gone too far this time."

Moving the wheels on his own, Gino ignored everyone and left the room leaving the group of young men in deep silence.

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Chapter 5