With reservations, Leah contacted her mentor to begin rehearsing for the hospital's benefit dinner. Although starting over was challenging, Leah soon got her groove back and was playing almost effortlessly again.

"Just a few more practices..." Her mentor, Dennis, said.

As Dennis gathered the music sheets at the end of their rehearsal session, he picked up his phone and read his messages. "Kelan nga ulit yung benefit?"

"End of the month, Saturday." Leah replied while putting away her violin.

"Nakahanap ka na ba ng pianist mo?"

"Well, I was hoping..."

"May performance din kasi ang symphony on that weekend. They want us to play for a dinner for dignitaries, ambassadors." Dennis said, still looking at his phone.

Leah's mind raced. Dennis had always played the piano for her during rehearsals. Also, she had not played solo in years. She wasn't about to ask her mom or dad to accompany her.

---

"Li, here's the program flow." Her mom showed her the script of the dinner and show. "Although you'll have a solo spot but there will be other performers as well. Your Ninong Pablo said they're the winners of the in-house talent competition they had at the hospital."

---

"Try calling Derek o kaya si Camille." Dennis suggested. The two were pianist-friends of the orchestra.

"Diba they're both leaving? Derek for New York, and Camille is going to London?"

"Ah, oo nga pala. Hmm, teka, I have to go na. Mag-iisip ako kung sino pa pwede and I'll let you know. In the meantime, I can help you with a few more rehearsals."

"Thank you, Sir."

"O sige, don't forget to polish that part I pointed out to you. Lock up nalang pag-alis mo, ha?"

"Yes po."

"Bye"

"Bye. Thank you."

---

"O, how did your rehearsals go?" Kento met Leah outside the rehearsal studios and took her violin case from her. He gently pulled her down to kiss her on the cheek. Leah went behind Kento to push his wheelchair. They decided to grab dinner first before going home.

"Okay naman. I'm still a bit rusty."

"Hmm. I'm sure you'll do great by the time the benefit comes around."

"Naks!"

"Bakit?"

"Parang kailan lang, may masungit kasi na napaka-negative..." Leah teased.

"Ah, wala na yun. Umalis na sya."

"Ows?"

Kento nodded. He raised his hand to signal Leah to stop pushing his chair.

"Bakit?"

"Dito ka sa harap, please"

"Hmm?" Leah wondered as she moved to face Kento.

Kento thought for a moment then began to sign.

"Ano? Slowly."

Kento signed again.

"Isa pa...dahan-dahan"

"My...love...is...a...great...violin...person..."

Kento beamed. "Nagpaturo ako kay Mara at Raffy." Kento said.

"Thank you" Leah said then dropped her shoulders.

"Bakit? May problema?"

"Wala...wala akong accompanist"

"Oh. Si Sir Dennis mo?"

"May performance daw ang orchestra on the same day as the benefit. Dinner ng mga dignitaries."

"Oh." Kento reacted then paused. "Ilan bang piyesa?"

"Dalawa? At most, three"

"Ah. Eh di ako."

"Ikaw?"

"Oo. Ako."

"Marunong ka ng classical?"

Kento wiggled his eyebrows and nodded. "Yung girlfriend ko kasi, karamihan ng piyesa sa music room nila, classical. Nahiligan ko na rin. Actually, nung nagsimula akong matuto ng piano, classical ang karamihan ng mga piyesa na inaral ko. Mas madalas na ako tumutugtog para sa church choir pero minsan, tinutugtog ko yung 'Traumerei' ni..."

"Schumann!" Leah blurted out.

Kento nodded. "Ganda diba?"

Leah looked at Kento with a mixture of amusement, and surprise. Kento always played light and pop pieces when he played the piano at her house. Leah could not recall if they talked about him playing classical pieces. "Ah talaga? Manang na manang naman nung girlfriend mo. Hindi sya nag-p-pop?"

"Hindi ata e. Kung Manang sya, proud Manong din ako. DI ko lang nakwento ata pero isa sa hobby ko ang magbasa ng piyesa."

"Magbasa para tumugtog?"

"Hindi. Iniimagine ko kung paano patugtugin sa piano."

"Eh ba't di mo tinuloy?"

"Wala lang. Madalas mahahaba kasi yung mga classics e."

"Yun lang."

"Eh ikaw, may favorite violin piece ka ba? Baka pwede mong tugtugin dun sa benefit. Anong title para mahanap na natin yung piyesa agad."

Leah had been rehearsing 'standard' and 'safe' pieces with Dennis but she wanted to play something else. When they returned to her house after dinner, Leah almost immediately pushed Kento's wheelchair into the den.

"I can manage sa bathroom" Kento said in surprise as they entered the den.

"Ah, kailangan mo bang gumamit?"

"No naman. Ikaw?"

Leah shook her head then took her violin case from Kento's lap. She went to the cabinet by the window and took out a music piece which she handed to Kento. Kento moved toward the piano. Leah prepared herself and then nodded to Kento to begin playing.

"Howl's Moving Castle" Kento said as he gathered the score sheets together into a neat pile. "Mahilig ka rin sa anime?"

"Nakakanood ng konti..." Leah replied.

"Hmm. Parehas tayo." Kento said, returning the score to Leah. "You should definitely play this dun sa benefit"

Leah nodded. She planned to tell Sir Dennis during their next rehearsal.