The teaching atmosphere was indeed quite pleasant.
There was a young teacher who, despite her age, possessed genuine talent, and a faint, sweet fragrance unique to a young girl often wafted from Catherine.
Beside her was a lively assistant who seemed like a serious student but would secretly snack whenever no one was looking and occasionally make faces at Landon. In such a relaxed teaching environment, it was hard for Landon not to get fully immersed.
It seemed the musical talent and memory of his young body had also been activated, as he learned very quickly.
Of course, Katie was only fifteen, after all.
As the lesson moved into the latter half and required Landon to repeatedly practice a dull scale, her lack of patience began to show.
While Landon was buried in practice, she would wink and exchange whispers with Zoe, occasionally picking up the nearby guitar to casually strum a few chords.
When Landon looked over helplessly, she would immediately straighten her face, widen her eyes, and say in a tone that was still a bit high-pitched but feigned severity, "What are you looking at! Focus on your practice! Don't let your breath break!"
Landon could only rub his nose, turn back, and force himself to ignore the occasional suppressed giggles and whispers from the two girls behind him as he continued practicing his scales and breathing.
Lunch was handled by Zoe, the all-around assistant.
During lunch, Landon remembered his "plan" for tomorrow and instructed Zoe, "In a bit, go buy a camera for me. A portable digital one."
Although Zoe blinked curiously, she didn't ask any questions and just nodded to take note.
The afternoon lessons continued.
Landon's rate of progress surprised even Katie; his pitch stability had improved significantly, and his reaction to solfège was much faster.
This sense of accomplishment in teaching made Katie more and more relaxed. Occasionally, when Landon sang particularly well, she would clap softly, her eyes sparkling.
During the final session, while Katie was squatting by the coffee table rummaging through a stack of CDs for the next practice track, a cover design of a CD inadvertently caught Landon's eye.
Landon's gaze froze instantly. "Wait," he interrupted Katie's movement, "that CD... can I see it?"
Katie pulled out the CD with some confusion and handed it over. It was an album by All Saints.
On the cover were four young women with distinct styles, and one of them was none other than the face Landon had caught a glimpse of in the car this morning—Nicole Appleton!
The hairstyle, the features, and even that somewhat rebellious look in her eyes were identical!
Landon's heart skipped a beat.
So it was her! A member of All Saints, Nicole Appleton.
The group was currently at the height of its popularity. Holding the CD, his fingertips unconsciously brushed against the smooth cover, his gaze complicated.
What a coincidence... to have her identity confirmed here.
So, would he "run into" them again tomorrow morning?
Justin Timberlake, Nicole Appleton, and Britney, who lived here... this relationship was quite interesting!
The first day of vocal lessons ended with a mix of progress and lingering thoughts.
Landon said goodbye to the still-excited Katie and Zoe and drove home.
To be fair, the gains from today's study made him feel more fulfilled than ever before. Catherine's direct and enthusiastic teaching satisfied Landon greatly; crucially, such a young teacher didn't make learning feel dull at all.
Only then did Landon remember that he had just turned eighteen not long ago, only a few years older than Catherine.
Previously, on 24 hours, he was always hanging out with veteran actors like the older Black gentleman Dennis Haysbert, making himself act very mature and forgetting that he was actually just an actor who had recently reached adulthood.
Spending the whole day with two energetic girls like Catherine and Zoe finally made him feel young again.
Thinking of this, Landon couldn't help but smile. The experience itself was quite interesting.
However, seeing the brand-new Canon digital camera on the passenger seat, Landon looked forward to whether he would encounter them again during his morning run tomorrow.
Back at the villa, Tracy opened the door for him with a mysterious smile on her face. She gestured toward the living room behind her and said in a low voice, "There's a guest."
Landon walked into the living room with confusion, immediately hearing familiar video game sound effects and the cheerful exclamations of two girls.
Rachel and another blonde girl were sitting cross-legged on the living room carpet, their bodies tilting left and right with the images on the screen, staring intently at the TV, fully absorbed in their game.
Landon gave Tracy an inquiring look, but she just smiled and gave him a nudge.
"Go wash up and change your clothes first. Dinner is almost ready."
By the time Landon had taken a quick shower and come out in a set of comfortable loungewear, the battle in the living room had reached a fever pitch.
Both girls were gripping their controllers tightly, muttering under their breath.
"Quick! Quick! Just a little bit more!" the blonde girl shouted excitedly, her body almost jumping.
"Argh! I messed up the turn again! Dammit!" Rachel slapped the carpet in frustration.
On the screen, the finish line of Mario Kart 64 was within reach.
Finally, the car controlled by the blonde girl crossed the finish line first.
"Yay! I won!" she cheered, jumping up as her blonde hair bounced with her movements.
Only then did the winning girl turn around, her eyes meeting Landon's as he stood to the side.
Landon froze the moment he saw her face clearly.
Was this world... just a bit too small?
The radiant girl before him, dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, was none other than "The Princess of Pop," Britney Spears, whom he had only glimpsed from a distance this morning!
Rachel put down her controller and ran over excitedly to take Landon's hand, leading him to Britney and introducing him enthusiastically:
"Britney, this is my boyfriend, Landon Williams! Honey, you must know who this is—Britney Spears! Surprised? She lives nearby! We ran into each other in the community this afternoon and hit it off immediately!"
Landon suppressed his surprise, put on a proper smile, and extended his hand. "Miss Spears. I'm a fan of yours. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Britney shook his hand graciously with a sweet smile and the approachable charm of a girl next door.
"Just call me Britney, Landon. Rachel has been talking about you non-stop. I'm happy to meet you too."
Then, Britney turned to Rachel, and the two girls huddled together, whispering in low voices.
Landon could vaguely hear snippets.
"Your boyfriend is really handsome!" Britney whispered.
"Ha! Isn't Justin super handsome too?" Rachel replied with a laugh.
Both girls laughed, but Landon keenly noticed a flash of disappointment cross Britney's smile.
He immediately thought of the car driving away this morning and that kiss.