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Eva sat on a bench, her violin case on her lap and her luggage in-between her legs. She had just gotten off the train from her native Luxembourg to Vienna, Austria and just wanted to rest for a bit and take in the scenery of the city before checking in her hotel.
Never had she dreamed that she was going to represent her home country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, but it was currently happening and it was a dream come true for her.
She had no idea what to expect from the biggest contest in Europe as she hadn't even done any rehearsals yet, but that was the fun of it. Yes, it made her a bit nervous, but if the pre-parties were anything to go by, the reception on her song was positive.
Eva was so wrapped up in thought that the didn't notice that someone was sitting right next to her on the bench. She briefly glanced at him, his black curly-haired being the most visible feature. His hands were folded on his lap and his face bore a casual smile.
"I like your violin." The man softly complimented. She wasn't expecting him to say something, but now she was obliged to respond out of politeness.
"Thanks." She quietly responded, hoping that'll be the end of it.
But it wasn't.
He turned to her, adjusting the buttons on his cardigan and asked, "Are you a performer, like a um...a singer?" Trying to find the right words for it, he must either be 1) clumsy on his words or 2) crap at English, and Eva understood, she was more of a French speaker.
Eva noticed that the man had a sort of French way of speaking if that was a good way to put it, it was easy for her to sniff out people whose native language was French, but she didn't want to assume anything about someone who she didn't even know.
"Yeah, it's why I'm here." She replied, still shy but was trying to make conversation with the friendly-looking guy.
The man gently took a smidgen of hair out from his ears helix that was trapped in the back bits of his round glasses. "If I may ask, what do you mean by that?" He asked. Eurovision wasn't really promoted that much in Vienna, which was a same, but she had seen some promotion.
She smiled, "I'm doing something called the Eurovision Song Contest, it's being held here."
"Ah." He nodded before continuing, "I was in Eurovision, it's nice. I was also there last year as an interval act."
What?
So she was chatting with a former Eurovision contestant?! Someone who was even successful enough to be an interval act last year? Eva was a bit naff with faces and still didn't recognise him, but maybe a name will jog her memory.
She hoped she hadn't made a fool of herself in front on him, with the whole trying to explain what Eurovision was without even knowing that he was in it.
Amazed, another smile came out of her as she tried to contain her excitement, "Wow, you must've had some success there."
His eyes lit up as he grinned, "Yeah, I came third in 2021, I won the jury vote and got the Marcel Bezançon Award."
Another thing to just casually say.
There was more information, but her mind still remained blank. She didn't want to hastily pull up Google in front of him, because that'll be rude, so she had to rely on more hints.
She wasn't just talking to a Eurovision contestant, she was talking to one who had achieved quite a bit, more than the average former contestant.
"Sorry, but it doesn't ring a bell." Eva honestly admitted with an awkward grin and added, "It's still an amazing feat regardless."
He gasped, with a chuckle and jolted his posture upright, "Where are my manners, I didn't introduce myself! I'm Gjon, who previously represented Switzerland."
Still didn't ring a bell, but at least there was now a name to a face. He did look like a Gjon though.
Gjon held his hand out for her to shake, which she did while introducing herself with a gleeful smile, "And I'm Eva Marija, representing Luxembourg."
Gjon's hand was warm, gentle and soft, it reminded her of her own hands. His curly hair and glasses also helped her own image of Gjon being a friendly person, which he obviously was by the interaction she was currently having with him. Even his outfit gave of the vibes of an absolute sweetie, a pastel cardigan and black-orange patterned floaty trousers.
"I was actually apart of the Swiss Jury in the Luxembourg National Finals last year and even hugged Laura Thorn after her Eurovision performance." He explained with a joyful smirk.
Laura was someone she could remember, and she only remembered her because she had won the previous national finals. She was nice enough from the interactions they had.
"Aww, you're sweet." She warmly cooed which made Gjon giggle.
He displayed a wide smile as he couldn't help but blush at the compliment. Gjon pointed to her violin and thanked her, "Thanks. I wish I could play the violin like you, I can only play the piano."
Both the violin and the piano were on the same level of trickiness, both had a steep learning curve so already knowing one was a feat in itself, but it wouldn't hurt to give Gjon a couple of tips if he was interested in it.
"If you want, I can give you a lesson later." She offered as Gjon kindly declined the offer:
"That'll be nice, but you'll probably be a bit busy with rehearsals so I don't want to distract you." He said, explaining his reasoning.
It was considerate of him, but it wasn't like she was going to be busy all the time.
"So after the contest?" She suggested, putting one leg over the other.
Gjon chuckled, "I'm not sure if I'll be in the city by then."
Fiddlesticks. How long was he going to be in the city? A day? A few days? Or by some stupid luck, a day before the grand finals?
Eva then came up with a solution that will solve the problem, "Oh, can we exchange numbers to keep in touch?"
"Sounds like a plan." He said as they exchanged numbers.
The new friends sat in silence for a bit, as Eva quietly put her violin case off her lap and on top of her luggage.
Gjon decided to break the silence again with a compliment, "I like your dress, it's reminds me of nature."
It was just something she threw on, most of her dresses her like this.
Eva smiled, "That's actually what my Eurovision song is about, nature is as gorgeous as anything."
With the way Gjon's eyes lit up like before, was this going to be something they had in common? Liking nature?
"I feel the same way as you do." He said as Eva grinned to herself.
So this was going to be something they had in common, what luck.
They spent fifteen minutes just talking about nature, learning about each other and Gjon even gave her some advice on how to handle the stage. He was a lovely guy.
But soon enough, Gjon had to leave to go somewhere, so they said their goodbyes, with Gjon promising to watch her semi final 2 performance in his hotel since it was obviously too late to buy tickets for the show
__
She did everything right, what went wrong? She just had to constantly wonder on what too expect from the contest and it ended up being a massive jinx.
So that's it, she wasn't even going to see the grand finals.
She was grateful for being presented the opportunity of going to Eurovision in the first place, but not even qualifying to the main part of the contest which was where most viewers tuned in too? That stung.
Even trying to sleep off the disappointment didn't work, as in the morning the feeling was still there.
She spent the rest of the day, attempting to cheer herself up, which didn't really work.
After having a quiet lunch at a small cafe, she managed to locate the same bench that she sat on once arriving in Vienna. It was only at the start of the month, but it felt like an entirety ago.
The bench brought many feelings to her. The last time she sat on it she was hopeful about her Eurovision venture, but now her heart was crushed.
Looking at social media and seeing many positive comments about her performance helped her get over the mental anguish, but it still lingered.
Then she heard a voice from behind her.
It was Gjon.
"I loved your performance it was absolutely gorgeous." He softly said, sitting down on the same bench where they first met.
She didn't know how to explain it, but his presence made Eva forget her woes. It wasn't in a romantic sense though, and was more platonic. He was just so kind that Eva's mood had instantly lit up.
Every word he said was in Eva's mind, and it felt like it solved something, like the final puzzle piece in her bottled up disappointment.
She softly thanked him, "Thank you, I don't know what happened though."
Gjon gave her a sympathetic look and asked, "Do you want a hug, it looks like you've been crying?"
He was so sweet. A hug was what she needed right now.
"Yeah." She nodded as the two shared a brief hug. It made her body tingle and Gjon's hugs were just that amazing. He was such a comforting guy.
After they finished hugging, with her mind now sound, she explained, "I'm not crying, just a bit downtrodden."
"Are you sure?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Positive." She said.
Gjon turned to her with a smile and explained, "I was talking to JJ the, um, Eurovision winner and he said that there's a nice area on the outskirts of Vienna to go and pick flowers. We can go there together if you want."
How did he manage to talk to JJ? He e seemed busy constantly, so it was impressive that Gjon got a word in with JJ, who was also a Vienna native so he must know the place like the back of his hand.
Picking flowers was such a sweet idea, the offer was so lovely for Gjon to make despite them only knowing each other for only a week. Eva didn't have any time to talk to Gjon through text, so this was their second time meeting and talking to each other.
Without hesitation, she jumped on the opportunity, "I'd love too."
She needed to pay him back some day in the form of violin lessons, the gesture was just so kind that she felt like she needed to return the favour in any way at all.
The two arrived to the place that JJ had recommended at it was gorgeous.
And as they were picking the most prettiest of flowers, with Gjon bringing along two baskets for the each of them to use, he started to sing.
"From the ground to my skin."
"As I'm howling at the wind."
"Dig my roots in the mud."
"And I lean my head back."
She instantly recognised the lyrics.
It was her song.
His voice was angelic.
She wanted to hear more of his voice, she craved it.
That was probably the reason why he won the jury vote.
"Let it out, let it in."
"Letting go of all my sins."
"Dig my roots, in the mud."
"And I lean my head back."
"Gjon." She said as he stopped singing and looked at her with a confused expression like he had not just graced her with his gorgeous voice.
Speechless, she stammered, "Gjon, you're singing m-my song."
He smiled, "What can I say? Your song really is beautiful."
She smiled back, continuing to pick flowers as they sung together.
And like magic, their voices were in perfect sync:
"Mother Nature, she knows."
"Mother Nature, she knows."
"I know that."
"Mother Nature, she knows."
"Mother Nature, she knows."
"Mother Nature, shе knows."