Cadenza [BINI Mikha X OC]

Chapter 13: Old Friends

The next day marked a special occasion for Jon. He was finally meeting his old bandmates after such a long time. Despite their disbandment due to location constraints, they had remained on good terms. Now that they were older and had more freedom, they could reunite as long as they had the resources.

As the clock struck 1 p.m., the first of Jon's friends arrived—Rose. She was known for being punctual, a trait Jon admired, especially since he often struggled with it himself, given the unpredictable traffic and weather in Quezon City during the rainy season.

As Rose entered the house, she exchanged greetings with Jon. She was wearing a light denim jacket over a fitted black top and high-waisted jeans. Her wavy chestnut hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She always had wavy long hair ever since their highschool days, but now she was able to style it better than before.

"Punctual as always," Jon remarked.

"Gotta be on time," Rose noted.

"You're the first one here. Want to wait upstairs?" Jon offered. "I've got a studio built up there."

"Damn," Rose couldn't help but cuss. "When did you get so rich?"

"Mom had it built," Jon answered.

"Ohh. Is she here? How is she?" Rose asked.

"She's... in Baguio right now," Jon stated. "She's taking some needed rest."

"I see," Rose replied. "Say hi to her for me if you visit soon."

"Sure," Jon smiled. "Anyway, come on. I'll show you around first."

Jon gave Rose a tour of the house while they waited for the others to arrive. The first floor had a living room, dining room, and a large kitchen with a pantry. Jon had always liked cooking—his mother had taught him the basic survival skills of cooking, laundry, and cleaning, which explained why his current residence was in such good shape.

There was also a comfort room on the first floor, along with a well-equipped laundry area. Of course, the crème de la crème of the house was the built-in studio room. It was packed with multiple instruments, gear, and equipment and was also very spacious. Located on the second floor, it was accompanied by three bedrooms. Rose wondered why there were so many bedrooms if Jon lived alone.

"My sister comes over sometimes," Jon responded.

"Your sister? I didn't know you had a sister."

"Yeah. She went to a different school, so I never had the chance to introduce you back then."

"Oh. Where is she now?"

"In Baguio. She's taking her college degree there."

"Ohhh... Good for her."

"Yeah. Though if she knew what I was working on, she'd probably freak out."

"Why? Oh, you didn't even tell me who you work for anyway."

"I signed a contract, so I can't say who until everyone's here."

Rose pouted but understood. "Fine. Anyway, let me see the bass guitars you have."

Jon smiled. "Sure, right this way."

As the two set up the necessary gear, they jammed for a bit, playing old songs they used to perform like "Migraine," "Magbalik," and the band starter classic, "Ang Huling Sayaw."

After a few songs, the doorbell rang. Coincidentally, the rest of the group arrived at the same time—a welcome surprise. They settled in the living room as Jon prepared refreshments and exchanged greetings.