Wuhuu new work! This is my summer challenge. Have fun!
The boy was nervous. It was his first time playing in front of people. His small hands held on to his guitar when he entered the stage together with other kids with guitars and other instruments. He looked at one of them – his best friend who had started with playing the guitar together with him but he was sot so passionate about it. The two boys just wanted to do something together.
He smiled and nodded towards the other boy. It would be the same as always, he told himself. Just playing the songs he knew by heart. And he knew his parents and sister would be in the audience! So there was no reason to be afraid. The audience applauded politely when the kids took their seats. Only his one year older sister couldn't resist calling out his name: "Shuusei! You can do it!"
He took a deep, embarrassed breath. He loved his sister. And he knew it was her way to show her support, because she knew how hard it was for him to perform in front of people. She knew how insecure he was, but she didn't make this easier. He just tried to ignore it and looked on his music sheets and waited for the conductor to start.
But while he played, he had the feeling to sink into the music; a calm world where only the sounds of the instruments existed. It was different from the times when they had rehearsed the pieces. Was it the audience? He didn't know. He just existed to feel the music he and the other children created for all the parents watching. Nothing else mattered right now. All the anxious feelings which accompanied him almost constantly were gone. It was not perfect and he cringed inside whenever someone played a wrong tune but all in all it was something he would never forget.
The longer they played the deeper he sank into the mystical world full of beautiful sounds and the more he sensed them. They touched him deeply.
But way too soon it ended and he only realized it, when he felt his best friend jumping up and down next to him.
"Hotsuma... Calm down", he pleaded and sounded much too mature for his eight years. Absentmindedly he put his guitar on the stand next to him and tried to focus back on reality.
"But... Your play! You need to go on playing the guitar", Hotsuma sounded excided. Shuusei couldn't exactly remember what he played; he had been too deep in this strange world.
Nevertheless... "I don't plan to give up." Shuusei stood up like the rest of the kids to go to his family and receive their praises. Hotsuma stayed at his side as always. The two boys were almost inseparable.
Shuusei smiled at his friend. "And you know, I think I might try to earn my money with music one day in the future..." he mused. He really wanted to have this strange, calm feeling again!