Makiko was not done with her self-directed drama.


    "Can you believe that she is iming that the violin that she yed yesterday is a genuine Stradivarius?" She shook her head in apparent disappointment.


    Cherry Blossom looked at the olddy behind him with a strange smile.


    "May I take a look at the instrument?" The olddy asked.


    "Yes," Akira responded before anyone could say anything.


    It was a good thing because Kazuo was about to tell the old woman that it was their family problem, and outsiders should not get involved.


    The olddy stepped forward and picked the violin. She ran her fingers almost lovingly over the instrument as she examined it. Unlike Master Matsumoto, she did not make unnecessary gestures and movements.


    After three or so minutes, she looked at the small crowd.


    "It is genuine." She dered.


    "Impossible!" Both Makiko and Master Matsumoto spoke up at the same time.


    "Why do you say it''s impossible?" The olddy asked suspiciously.


    "She is a…" Makiko stopped short of calling Akira a con-woman.


    But she was not ready to use that trump card yet. She wanted to learn more about the fraud before tearing her face apart. When she dealt with this so-called niece, she wanted nothing to remain of her. It would be best if she took down her current family with her.


    Master Matsumoto stepped forward. "Lady, I don''t know who you are, but I have examined that instrument. It is an imitation. This is my word as a member of the Institute of ssical Music."


    The olddy''s face changed into one of difort. "Has the standard of the Institute declined so much?"


    "You! What does a decrepit olddy like you know about the Institute?" Master Matsumoto retorted.


    The room fell silent. Cherry Blossom cleared his throat after watching the events.


    "Let me introduce you all to the President of the Institute of ssical Music, Fujita Omi. She is a bit of a recluse. However, she was deeply moved by Ms Yamazaki''s performance as well as her instrument and flew overnight to visit. Sorry for the intrusion." He smiled without a hint of apology.


    The awkward silence in the room intensified.


    "She made me do it!" Master Matsumoto caved under the invisible pressure and shouted while pointing at Makiko.


    Makiko''s face darkened at the weak teammate. She knew that things would not go her way as soon as the weakling betrayed her.


    The truth was that she had asked a casual acquaintance from the Institute who was her ''devoted'' fan to act as a master appraiser for the asion. There was no need to hire a real one when she knew that Akira was a fraud.


    "Madam President, could you be mistaken?" Makiko asked with gritted teeth.


    "I am not mistaken." Fujita Omi said firmly. "However, you, Ms Satou Makiko, are mistaken if you think that the Institute can keep members like you among our number. Both of you are a disgrace to the art of ssical music."


    Fujita Omi was a decisive woman, and she had some momentum, even though she was an olddy.


    Makiko''s face changed colours dramatically. She did not know if thedy was telling the truth about her identity and the violin. However, Cherry Blossom could not be lying for Akira. Plus, if they lied, they knew that the ruse would be discovered within a short time.


    It could only mean that she had lost a sure-fire bet against her niece raised in the wild. Unable to bear the blow, she matched out of the house in anger. Matsumoto followed.


    With that, the strange drama of the expensive violin came to an end.


    The three family members who were unable to help their little Akira in the crisis weed Fujita Omi with enthusiasm like she was a deity. If it were not for her, their baby would have lost her precious piano.


    Kazuo was embarrassed by his mistaken stance against Akira once again. In addition, his mother, father and brother were all too angry to even look directly at him. So, he and Chiharu left the mansion shortly after.


    With the nuisance individuals gone, the atmosphere became lively. Cherry Blossom was a sociable person who knew how to make everyone feelfortable. Fujita Omi was entranced by the violin. She even yed for them a little with her old but surprisingly flexible fingers.


    Akira did not contribute a lot to the conversation, but she enjoyed the warm ambience with a smile.


    This happy and carefree atmosphere was the exact thing she had been searching for when she came to Mountain Ridge.


    "Perhaps the quiet Ms Yamazaki can y something for us before we leave." Cherry Blossom suggested as evening drew nearer.


    Sayaka and Fujita Omi pped their hands childishly in encouragement. Even Seiji smiled.


    "What do you think Akira?" Daiki asked with a smile.


    After a lot of cajoling, Akira stood up and picked up the violin. Her lips stretched into a smile as she thought of something. Then, she started ying the ''Swallow Tail Jig''. The piece was simple and short, but any musician worthy of the profession could y around with the tune and extend it as much as they wanted.


    The living room was silent for a while at the unexpected sound before this group of important people cheered and started pping in time with the tune. Akira smiled wider as she became morefortable and started hopping yfully in a silly dance as she yed.


    The household staff heard the racket and came to see what was happening in the usually quiet and formal house. They found the youngdy dancing and ying the violin, her bare feet tapping lightly on the floor.


    She was like a cute little fairy, frolicking in the woods without care.


    The household staff could not help smiling as they looked on. Before they knew it, they were pping together with the other five people.


    Akira was in a good mood, so she kept ying the jig and dancing. She did a couple of dance tricks while ying the jig. The olddy felt like her heart was in her throat when she thought about the expensive Stradivarius.


    However, she could not help enjoying the youthful spirit and exceptional ying disyed by the youngdy. It was a shame she was not interested in a career in ssical music.


    For the Yamazaki father, mother and brother, this moment was too perfect to be put into words.


    Their little Akira, who always seemed cold and detached, was dancing happily for them. They felt like they were watching the perfect little girl they had lost, innocent and untouched by the world, ying around on thewn, calling out to them.


    This brilliant image made it seem like Akira was covered in light and dancing in slow motion,ughing merrily along with the fiddle song.


    Akira did not think about the details of her impromptu performance. She was just having the fun she never had. She was in the moment, and in that instance, she captured the elusive feeling of family that she had craved when she was a child.


    As she increased the tempo of the silly jig and the audience pped louder and faster, making the scene feel ethereal and unreal. It was like she was at the centre of a small but ideal world.


    Little did she did not know that this perfect dream would soone to an end.


    And she would have to wake up.