The morning sun was just breaking through the tall windows of the harmony concert hall when conductor William Chen walked through the main doors. He was carrying his coffee and a stack of music sheets, ready for another day of rehearsals.
The opening night was only three days away, and everything had to be perfect. William had been the main conductor at this famous concert hall for over fifteen years. He was known for being strict but fair. The musicians respected him, and the audience loved his performances. This upcoming show was especially important because many rich donors and music critics would be there.As William walked toward the stage, he stopped suddenly. Someone was sitting at the grand piano. This wasn't supposed to happen; the hall was supposed to be empty at this early hour.The person at the piano was a young man, maybe in his twenties. His clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks: his jacket had holes in it, and his shoes were falling apart. His hair was messy and long, like he hadn't been to a barber in months. He was just sitting there on the piano bench, not moving, with his eyes closed.William felt his anger rising. This concert hall was his responsibility. The grand piano was worth more than most people's cars; nobody was supposed to touch it without permission."Hey!" William shouted as he walked quickly toward the stage. "What are you doing here? This is a private building!"The young man didn't move or open his eyes. He seemed to be in his own world, completely unaware that someone was yelling at him.William got closer and saw that the stranger looked even worse up close: his clothes were dirty, and he smelled like someone who had been sleeping outside. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his hands looked rough and worn."Security!" William called out loudly, his voice echoing through the empty hall. "We have someone who broke in!"Two security guards came running from different directions. Tom, the older guard, had been working here for ten years; he knew William well and trusted his judgment. The younger guard, Pete, was new but eager to help."Sir, we'll get him out of here right away," Tom said, walking toward the piano.But just as Tom reached out to touch the stranger's shoulder, the young man finally opened his eyes. They were deep brown eyes that looked sad, but somehow peaceful. He looked at the three men standing around him, but didn't say anything."Look, kid," William said, trying to calm down a little. "I don't know how you got in here, but you can't be here. This is private property. The piano is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. You could damage it just by touching it wrong."The stranger looked down at the piano keys for a moment. His fingers were hovering just above them, not quite touching. He seemed to be listening to something that nobody else could hear.