Chapter 519 - Remember this feeling and you're ready

Ryn did not eat as much as she wanted despite the food that was spread on the tables were a lot. She was aware that the food was for everyone in the orphanage. She did not want because of her, some kids could not eat this delicious food.

When she was done, she washed the dishes and cutleries she was using, just like everyone else here, and put them back to where they belonged. She even greeted some of the kids who were choosing candies. Being Jeremy, when the mood hit him, he would buy a lot of candies and chocolates for the kids to enjoy and a corner of the room was dedicated for that. 

"Here for you," she handed the huge pinwheel candy to the 5 years old kid and the kid licked it happily as she followed the older kid who already chose what she wanted.

Ryn straightened and smiled watching the cute kids so happy with their treats. Then, she sighed, wondering about their future. For the older kids, the probability for them to be adopted was so small, it was almost impossible. But for the younger one.... as far as she knew, only babies were chosen to be adopted, and even for the five years old, it was rare for her to be adopted.

Maybe... maybe they could do something to help those precious souls.

She shook her head. She would discuss it with Jeremy but not right now. They needed to concentrate on the practice.

She returned back to the practice room and saw the kids were practicing hard under Jeremy's touch instruction. She crossed her arms and shook her head in bemused. It seemed like once Jeremy was in his environment, he turned into the monster the insider of the music industry knew so much. The perfectionist Jeremy only wanted the best regardless of whom he was facing. And these people were kids. He should lower his expectation and be kinder to them. He should know with their age, the pressure was too much to handle and it might traumatic them!

"Hello, everyone," she greeted them again, just to break the stressful atmosphere. She made sure she was smiling widely, almost the opposite of the serious Jeremy who did not change his expression when she came.

"You all take five minutes off while Jeremy and I start my practice," Ryn told them cheerfully, waving them to leave quickly. She planned to talk about the importance of taking care of these precious feelings before they got too scared of performing.

"Catherine," Jeremy sighed heavily once the kids all scurried out of the room. They even left their musical instrument as they hurriedly left the 'hell'.

Ryn just smiled as she stepped forward and hugged him, totally ignoring the cameras. Her intention right now was to sweet him up so he would not be the monster once the kids returned.

"Why are you in bad mood today?" she asked as she patted his ċhėst after the embrace. "Trouble in the company?"

"No. Why do you think so?" he frowned. Why would she think that way? If she was to have a problem in the company, he would not come here for the practice.

"Because you're being harsh to them," she pointed out dryly. She did not like to see the kids scared and he was doing that to them; scaring them. No wonder they could not perform to their best ability. Their nervousness blocked their potential.

"They're not your workers. They are kids."

"I know," he was still confused with why she thought he was having a problem in the company.

"Don't treat them harshly. We have to treat them according to their age," she said. She pulled him to sit on the chair for the piano. "Come, play a song for me."

He sighed. He now understood what she was trying to say. But he could not help from being harsh because he wanted the best for Mika's wedding. He did not want just a half-baked performance during the wedding. It was not him.

"Warm up your voice," he said as he tapped the piano.

She smiled and did what he said. She let her voice warming up following the note he tapped on the piano. Once he thought she had enough, his fingers went faster and before long, she heard the familiar song.

The first song she would sing during the wedding.

She cleared her throat and began to sing on his cue.

He smiled as he played the piano. Her singing technique was getting better despite the short notice and very little time for practice. She took note of her mistakes and did not repeat them at all. He could even feel that she meant every single word she sang and it made him fell in love with her again and again.

"What do you think when you're singing?" he asked once she finished the first song.

"Hmm...? I'm thinking that Mika will love it when she hears the song," Ryn shrugged.

"This song does represent Mika and Jason's love, don't you think?" Ryn asked Jeremy, oblivious to his hurt feeling.

"Why?" he asked half-heartedly.

"Because everyone thought they would break up after we finish school," Ryn replied. She remembered how Mika cried when she told about what the other girls said. Jason, being on the basketball team, was one of the popular boys and when he simply announced during one of the games he played in that Mika was his girlfriend, everyone was shocked and most girls were heartbroken. Starting that day, Mika received threats and jeer because even though Mika came from a rich family, her refusal to join the popular girl clique and stubbornly being with Ryn put her off from the other girls. And once she was known as Jason's girlfriend, she was treated as the enemy and some of the girls took the pŀėȧsurė of bullying her. 

No wonder both she and Mika did not like the school that much. And they loved to spend their time together or with Jason and Jeremy, away from the others.

It was the story of their school life and none of them wanted to repeat it back.

"The next song," she said expectedly when he kept quiet.

With a heavy sigh, his fingers started to dance on the piano.

She waited for the cue and started to sing. Her voice was clear and full of feeling.

The kids were listening outside and their eyes widened to hear Miss Catherine's voice. They knew she was a model and right now was filming an episode for a TV reality show, but they did not know her voice was this good. Of course, they knew they would be performing with her for Young Miss Long's wedding but they never thought much about Miss Catherine's voice. Some of them even though they needed to cover for her weakness when they saw how harsh Jeremy's way of teaching was. They never heard her sang before.

"Careful with your breath for the high note," he reminded. He noticed how she went breathless when she needed to go higher. 

"Hmm..." she nodded. She cleared her throat a few times before stood up and went to get a bottle of water. She smiled when she saw the kids outside. It seemed like they were scared to get into the room without permission. They did not want to receive another scold from him.

"Bring your water bottle. This is going to take a long of time," she reminded them. Then she led them to the room next door to get a bottle of water each.  Well, Ryn took two bottles.

They returned back to the room and saw Jeremy frowning at the music score. The kids gulped and looked at Ryn worriedly. Their eyes plead with her for help.

"Don't worry. Don't look at his face," Ryn said but she went to Jeremy to hand him a bottle of water, "Stop scowling. You're scaring them. Smile."

She even blinked her eyes cutely just to make him smile.

"You..." he sighed.

"Yes, me. Let's start with the first song? I need the score," Ryn took the book from him and flipped to the song. "Let's start, kids."

The kids felt better when Miss Catherine was smiling warmly at them. The nervousness started to drift away and they took their position. The kids for the backup singers gathered around the music score while those who had to play musical instruments held their precious instruments.

Jeremy was not playing the piano this time. He just stood in front of them and watched them fiddling with their instrument first. Then, he took his seat at the piano and started to play it once he made sure everyone was ready.

See, she knew if he treated them nicely and patiently, they would not keep repeating the same mistake over and over. It only took them once to improve.

"Remember this feeling and you're ready," he told them and his lips twitched when the kids all cheered up. He gave a tired look at Ryn and received a huge smile. He smiled as well. Well, who could not smile facing that beautiful face of hers?

He thought a cupid just shot him another arrow of love when he saw her face. He just fell in love with her again.