Chapter 10 #4
He’d considered moving to New Malden with Jaewon, but when he’d looked up the cost of his flat in Bishopsgate, the price tag made Reno shake.
The flat, when he’d looked it up five years ago, was worth over two million euros, and Reno knew it was rising in price every year.
Sterling had given it to him. When he’d freaked out about it to Kandi, she had only told him that, as their most popular signed artist, Reno had more than earned it, and Reno felt his focus snap back into place.
He started working even harder, writing more, booking more photo shoots and meet-and-greets; throwing himself into social media, too.
The YouTube vlog he’d started during that time had over one hundred and ninety thousand subscribers now.
The label congratulated him on his success, and Reno never forgot the price of his life.
Reno had grown up wanting for nothing, but this was another level of wealth he never really got used to, at least not in the comfortable way Arnaud had about it.
But Arnaud was Industry family and grew up with his mom on a record label and his dad a wildly successful painter, so he was no help to Reno’s anxiety when the money started rolling in.
In the end, he let Kandi help him find financial advisors and charities to sink his money into, and then sent a large chunk back home to his mother and tried to act like he was anyone else.
They rolled through the private access gates for the Sterling building and into the parking deck. The driver said he’d make sure Reno’s things ended up with the rest of the equipment, and Reno thanked him, took his guitar and violin, then walked inside.
He paused at the receptionist's desk and placed his cases on the ground to ring the bell. The front secretary, Jasmine, popped her head out from a door behind the desk and squealed his name, launching herself at Reno to barrel him into a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re back!” Her volume always made Reno smile; it reminded him of Arnaud.
“Only for today, Jas.” Reno squeezed her tiny frame, feeling like he could break her in half if he weren’t careful.
She swept her straight bangs away from her face and blinked at him with her pretty brown eyes.
“You gotta stop doing this to me. It’s so dull here without my boys.
” She plopped into the chair behind the desk and crossed her legs, her skirt pulling tight around her thighs.
“When do you get back, maybe we can all get hotpot again?”
“In a month, but please let me have a non-spicy half this time. I’m not strong like you.”
“It’s in my blood, babe.” She smirked at him, and Reno ducked down to dig around in the pocket of his guitar case.
“Here." He handed her a magnet he’d picked up in Arizona featuring a cactus and a bird he didn’t remember the name of. The thing was shaped like the state and labeled with its name.
“Oh!” She ran her fingers over it and blushed. “Thank you. One day I’ll get all the states, won’t I?” She stuck it onto the mini fridge below the desk alongside the dozens of others Reno had gotten for her over the years after she mentioned she liked them. “You’re so sweet to always think of me.”
“You’ve been here almost as long as me. Nice to know a friendly face is waiting for me when I get home.” Reno shrugged and his phone pinged in his pocket. He checked it to find an angry devil emoji from Sebastian, since he’d forgotten to reply earlier. “Oops, Sebby is mad at me, gotta go.”
He waved goodbye to Jasmine, who waved back then turned to her computer monitor.
Reno grabbed his cases and headed to Voltage’s practice room, a path that always felt good to walk with his guitar heavy in his hand. They made so much magic here, together.
“You," Sebastian started as soon as Reno walked in the door, “need to learn to text me back.”
“I was hurrying down the stairs when you texted the first time, the second time I was busy hugging Jas.” Reno winked, and Sebastian frowned at him. “I’m here, I’m here. Where’s Jaewon?” Reno watched Arnaud come in from the recording suite, a bottle of water in his hand.
Sebastian answered, “About ten out. He has the decency to update me.”
“Violin?” Arnaud pointed his bottle at the smaller case Reno was still holding.
Reno ignored Sebastian, knowing he wasn’t actually upset. “I’ve been composing.”
“On the violin?” Arnaud asked, brows shooting high on his forehead.
Reno clicked the case open. “I am not done, but I will be by the end of the month with your help.” He looked up at Sebastian and watched all of the irritation drop away from him. “Please, help me.”
“Always,” Sebastian answered easily. “Are you sure, though?”
“Yeah, this isn’t like you,” Arnaud said, still eyeing the violin which was in Reno’s hands now. “You don’t play that for us. We’ve been trying to get you to play for thirteen years.”
Reno hummed. “It’s time.” He locked eyes with Arnaud, who looked surprised at whatever he saw in Reno’s expression. If it were showing anything of what Reno felt, he would be startled seeing it too. “Feeling confident on guitar yet?”
“You’re going to take us to a whole new level, aren’t you?” Arnaud slowly smirked.
“Yes.”
“What’s going on?” Jaewon asked from the door, looking down at where Reno sat on his knees with his violin in his hands.
Sebastian answered, “A new album, that's what.”
“Fuck yes.” Jaewon dropped to the ground next to Reno. “Are you finally…?”
“I am.” Reno put his violin under his chin and said, “I’ll show them what we’re really made of," before striking the first, haunting note he’d dreamt up on the airplane.
1 Thank you very much,
2 Sorry,