When Fate Writes the Music

Piano teacher...

Piano teacher...

Macie scanned the directory on her screen looking for a piano teacher. She had been in Seoul for two years and with the stress of teaching know-it-all twelve year olds the English language, she had finally decided she needed a hobby to defer some of the stress.

At first it was the stress of living in a foreign country, no friends, and everything being unfamiliar. Then once she started teaching, it was the stress of having to deal with people who expected you to know every nuance of their culture. She knew a lot before coming, but acclimating to it was a whole other beast.

Thus the desperately needed hobby.

She had always wanted to learn to play the piano. It seemed like a nice, fun thing to do. It definitely couldn't hurt. Her eyes shifted around the screen and finally landed on an uninteresting little ad.

"Need a piano student or two. Call for an appointment."

She frowned for a moment. It sounded fishy.  That's all there was to it?  Just a causal request for a few students?  She shrugged and dialed the number anyway. 

"Yeah."

She raised an eyebrow.  "Excuse me?"

"Just tell me why you're calling.  Is it about the ad?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"See you at four o'clock." 

The phone call was terminated.  She laid the phone down harshly, scoffing at the man's bored and lazy voice - that strangely made her feel things.  It was deep and a bit husky.  She cleared her throat and looked back down at her phone.  It was one o'clock in the afternoon.  She froze.  She had no idea where this guy wanted her to meet him.  Panicked thoughts ran through her mind.  What if he was some psycho luring people in?  She giggled nervously at her ridiculous worries and picked up her phone, redialing his number. 

"Yeah."

At least he was consistent.

"You never gave me the address of where to meet you." 

A heavy sigh came through the phone and a tense voice spoke.  "Is this your phone?"

"Well, yeah." 

"I'll text it."

And again he hung up.

Macie sat with the phone up to her ear for a good thirty seconds.  Who did this guy think he was?  No wonder he was in need of a few piano students to make ends meet.  He was so rude how could he ever hold down a job or even keep a piano student for that matter?

Her phone dinged and it startled her a bit.  She looked at the address and then put it into her maps.  Using public transportation it would take her about an hour to get there.  Great.  An hour of her life she wouldn't get back if this jerk didn't come through.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The building was beyond grungy. "Dilapidated" was more of a fitting term for it. Paint was peeling from every surface. Blocks were chipped; bricks were cracked. What few windows were present were filthy and only vague shapes could be seen through them.

Macie hesitated in front of the main entry door. A neon sign hung on the building advertising a love motel was a resident business here. She cringed thinking what could possibly be harbored inside this building. A small music shop was located in the basement, and a dingy looking bar was on ground level. Looking up towards the top of the building she saw residential apartments occupying the upper floors. She needed to go the sixteenth floor.