Sixty Beats Per Minute

Chapter 1

03:12:08

"You've got to be kidding me!" Adrien groaned, "I just got called for another gig next week... The same week as finals!"

The frustrated and stressed-out blond walked over to the couch of his three-bedroom apartment and slumped down with a long, audible sigh.

"Why did I decide to be a piano performance major..."

"Well," his roommate and best friend, Nino, sat down next to him, "The college life comes with being stressed, depressed, and broke after all"

Adrien eyed his best friend, "Not helping, buddy"

Nino put his hand on Adrien's shoulder, "Relax. You're a smart dude with good time management skills"

Adrien blew his golden bangs out of his face, "But not only do I have a gig next week, I also have some piano students coming in for lessons tomorrow"

Nino frowned, "You look like you could use a break. Wanna head down to the café for a bit before your next class?"

The blond sighed and stood up, "I'd rather not. Thanks for the offer, though"

Without another word, Adrien silently made his way to his piano room and shut the door. He took a deep breath to calm down, feeling his lungs fill with air as his chest tightened.

He looked at his right inner wrist, where a timer had been embedded. Three months, twelve days, and eight hours. The day he meets his soulmate is still three months away... Or so he believed. Many girls have had crushes on him throughout his life, but he never felt a deep connection to anyone before. He never got to experience the feeling of falling in love.

Adrien turned his attention back to the piano in the corner. Sheet music had been scattered everywhere. Hundreds一perhaps thousands一of pages were spread out around the carpeted floor, looking as if a violent hurricane had struck this room. Across the room from the piano lay a tipped-over music stand and music books surrounding the stand.

He is currently on his third year of université, pursuing his career in piano performance. Although he enjoys playing piano, little did he know how stressful and packed his schedule would be with this type of major. He was required to take a large number of music classes, along with the general requirements of math, science, and French. He was also required to do on- and off- campus performances. As a way of making money, he started teaching piano privately.

His mother, Emilie Agreste, was a piano major, and he wanted to follow in her footsteps. Emilie passed away when he was thirteen years old, and his father became distant ever since.

But Nino was there for him through it all. The two of them have been best friends since collège. Adrien saw Nino as the brother he never had, for he grew up as an only child.

Right as Adrien was about to sit down at his piano, the door swung open and his roommate's voice followed.

"Hey dude一"

Nino paused with his mouth gaped open when he saw the horrors of the room. After scanning the room for a couple seconds, he looked back at Adrien.

"That's it, you're getting some fresh air," he demanded, "And cancel those lessons that you have tomorrow while you can"

Adrien ran a hand down his face, "I'm fine, really"

Nino shook his head and stepped into the room, "'Fine'?"

The young adult gestured to the mess around the room, "Does this look 'fine' to you? You're mentally destroying yourself, Adrien!"

"Nino," Adrien breathed, "I appreciate you for caring, but一"