Justin rushed out of the amphitheater, where he met up with Kathrine, who had messaged him where she would be waiting.
Kathrine smiled when she saw him and waved her hand, but a slight frown appeared on her face when he seriously continued walking toward her.
Then suddenly…
"!!!"
"Thanks," Justin said.
There was undeniable joy in his tone.
Kathrine was first shocked when he suddenly came and hugged her, but upon hearing his words, she chuckled before hugging him back, giving him a few pats.
"If the others were here, they would surely have done the same. Not one of us would have allowed you to truly spiral down."
Justin moved away with a smile.
"Well, it was still you who was here and pulled me up, so I am thanking you."
"Buy me some coffee as payment then," Kathrine grinned.
"I could even add some pastries to that," he replied.
"Oh, I am so choosing the most expensive one around here," Kathrine did not hold back.
"Do the honor of escorting me there then," Justin laughed.
For the first time since the two of them started conversing with one another, not in a serious manner, but joking around, they were not bickering at all.
Kathrine did as she had said and brought him to a very expensive coffee shop.
"I did want to try this place, but I found it too much of a loss since I could get the coffee and pastries I like in an inexpensive place. But because today it is your treat, then I will surely go all out."
Justin laughed just as a waiter came to take their order.
True to her words, Kathrine chose the expensive ones and the best-selling coffee.
"Are you not afraid of getting fatter?" Justin raised an eyebrow once she was done ordering.
He bought some for himself because it was obvious that Kathrine would be eating everything she ordered.
"Nah, I have too many things to do from here on out. What I eat today will surely disappear in a few days," Kathrine shrugged, not the least bit angered by his remark.
Though she would normally argue back with him, today she felt like not doing so.
Justin shrugged before finally opening the messages from his friends.
Oddly enough, the only one he had opened was the message from Kathrine telling him where she would be waiting. He just felt like he needed to meet her a while ago to properly thank her for everything.
The rest he had left unopened.
Only now did he read the good luck messages from his group and what they talked about in the group chat.
"You told them," he said, looking up at her.
She looked at his phone before looking back at him.
"Well, you did not tell me not to tell them. At the same time, I know you would have told them as well."
Justin once again shrugged. It was just a statement, and she was right. He would have told the others if they were the ones who came to him during that time.
He might have even run to them himself if they were in City S.
Especially Gabriel.
He had always been the one friend they ran to for advice whenever they hit a wall in their life. Somehow, his words were always the ones they needed to hear during those times.
Kathrine looked down at her phone when she felt it vibrate.
Justin: Second place, guys.
He added a grinning emoji.
Shawn: You still seem to be in a good mood.
Shawn was the first to read it, having some free time and playing on his phone.
Justin: Miss Morgrave told me I was seriously amazing.
This was one of the real reasons he was truly feeling happy.
Because he felt like Wynter had seen him as someone worthy of going against her.
Ken: You lost to her, but you are happy because she said you were great.
Gab: Congratulations on being second.
Shawn: Indeed, congratulations.
Ken: Treat us when you can.
Kenneth was also not in City S at the moment.
He had training at a shooting site, which was why, despite studying in City S, he still could not attend Justin's competition.
His instructor from Ashcroft Nexus had tasked him to be an assistant manager to one of their actors who had a high chance of being nominated as Best Actor.
Ken: Congrats as well.
Even though Wynter was indeed the competitor that Justin was trying to defeat, it was still a known fact that most of those they were up against in that competition were great violinists as well.
Justin chuckled just as their orders arrived.
Justin: Thanks.
Kath: *photo* Too bad I will finish everything.
Justin laughed when he saw the photo of all the pastries Kathrine had ordered.
When he looked up, she had already started devouring the meal.
Ken: Send us some too.
Justin: Some other time.
He also started eating and drinking coffee. He felt really light at this moment and was even wondering where he should start with his plan for the next six months after Lucius left.
"What are your plans from here on out?" Kathrine asked.
"I will be going to more places that we did not get to go to in this country," he replied.
The places they went to were already known for their music.
Now, he planned to visit places and find out more about their music.
"And someday, I may do it all over the world as well."