Hopes of Paris

Chapter X: Chopin's Curse

"That was... my very own punishment."

Sall was seen running fast through the empty, white hospital hallways. He was looking for a particular room number. Heavy breathing and the echoing sounds of his steps was all that filled the hospital in what seemed like broad daylight, except that the sky was all white and way too bright. Just when he was a few steps away from the room, Sally was seen leaving it and wearing black all over. She looked sad and rather at despair. Her face was held towards the ground and her skin was awfully pale in contrast to her brother's brunet skin. Sall stopped as soon as he reached her side, and Sally looked up and noticed his presence.

"She's inside. She's not doing all well though." Sally spoke out in a monotone, not even daring to meet his eyes again.

He didn't want to hear her say anything further. Sall looked towards the white door and walked slowly towards it, pushing it open once more. On the only bed in that room laid the lonely Sylvie. Everything was just so white about that place. The light coming through the window was a bright white, as were the assets of the room. Even Sylvie's skin was pale and she looked so different from the last time Sall saw her. She was just way too skinny and her face was practically of bones. Sylvie was all covered up except for her arms that laid above the blanket, filled with serums and patches. Her lidded eyes opened slightly, and her dry lips smiled weakly at Sall's sight.

"You made it," she said through the oxygen mask, her eyes moving towards her student. "I'm glad you have."

Sall didn't reply. His lips parted slowly as if he wanted to say something but retracted. The plants outside the window blossomed in white and the wind moved them slightly. Sunshine wasn't even yellow to begin with, it was white as it shone over Sylvie. Something didn't make sense, because Sall had climbed up to the third floor in the hospital, but it looked like it was the first floor through the window. A few minutes passed and by now, Sall was sitting on a lonely wooden chair that laid beside her bed, his elbows on his upper thighs and his eyes hidden inside his palms.

"Bone marrow cancer...?" Sall mumbled underneath his breath, his tears started dripping out of his hold. "Why have you never said a thing?"

Sylvie smiled weakly, moved her hand up slowly and quietly, and removed the wig on her head. It seems she had been bald all that time.

"It makes sense now... Why you'd usually cancel our private lessons because you're feeling tired," Sall sniffled, still trying his best to talk straight. Crying infront of a girl was taboo to him. "Your random coughs too. I'd always ask you if something's wrong and you'd dare smile in my face and reply negatively."

"I didn't want you to worry for me." Sylvie replied, setting the wig beside her on the bed.

Sall quickly wiped his tears away and looked up at his teacher with red, puffy eyes. "If I'm not going to worry for you, who's going to?" He frowned slightly, his voice a bit shaky. "You said you're not married and the entirety of your siblings are abroad. You're like a mother to me and I'm your son. If I'm not there for you, no one will be. You owe me to at least tell me these kinds of things!"

"It's because I'm like your mother that I didn't want to distract you from the important things to you," Sylvie met eyes with Sall with such a tender look of her own. "I'm so proud of you. You've risen higher and became known country-wide. You also have a dream you're working on."

"My dream... Heh," Sall smirked sarcastically and thought of how stupid and ironic his dream is. "I didn't even come close to making it come true, and I don't think I ever will."

Sylvie coughed a couple of times into her mask, visibly in pain afterwards. She struggled for words to come out of her mouth. "Your friends and cousins you told me about. Your dream will come true through them."