No...
The voice surrounded him.
It seemed to come from everywhere.
The old man couldn't tell where it was coming from.
Thud!
The balcony door slammed shut.
The old man leaned against the glass door, breathing heavily.
He was tired.
His head throbbed with pain.
He seemed unable to bear it any longer and lowered his head.
No...
At last, after he'd recovered, the old man made up his mind.
Tomorrow...
Tomorrow, he would knock on the door next door.
This time, he had a reasonable excuse.
Practicing the pipa at the crack of dawn...
Wasn't that disturbing everyone's sleep?
The old man went back to bed, but he didn't sleep again.
He lay there with his eyes open until dawn.
He didn't have time for breakfast.
After a quick wash, he went to knock on the neighbor's door.
He knocked for quite a while.
At last, he heard a drowsy voice.
"Who is it?"
Only then did the old man realize.
It was still early.
He tilted his head to look at the sky outside.
It was already bright out.
Another clear, sunny day.
"Who is it?"
The door opened a crack.
A girl's head poked out.
When she saw an old man standing outside, she immediately opened the door wider.
"Grandpa, is something the matter?"
The girl asked in confusion.
"Sorry."
This was the first time the old man had knocked on the door of the apartment across from his since the tenants had changed.
"Did I wake you?"
The old man smiled apologetically.
"It's okay."
The girl waved a hand.
The old man's pleasant manner dispelled the last trace of resentment she felt.
All that remained was curiosity.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well..."
The old man