1 Episode One, Normalcy at home: We meet Shinseino Tskui as she used to be
The golden dawn crested over Mt. Rainier in a rare show of beauty on the white snowy peaks. As it filtered through the horizontal blinds in Tskui's bedroom, the girl's shoulder length black hair was illuminated, and her pale skin was kissed with a flaxen gleam. As it reached her closed dusty violet eyes, she groaned.
"No..."
Her alarm clock chose that moment to sound intrusively for the third time that morning. Her hand flashed out quickly from the sanctuary of her warm comforter to turn it off.. again.. when she casually glanced at the time. In red glowing digital letters, it blinked 7:00 AM.
"Omigosh! Aww... Hell! I am going to be late!"
Leaping from her bed, she grabbed a pair of jeans off the floor, wriggling into them as fast as possible while searching for clean socks. She flew to her dresser and pulled her hair back on either side of her head with red bow clips. She ran to the door and had her hand on the door knob when she realized she was about to leave without a shirt on. Snatching a silver tank top out of the closet she made a graceful exit while still pulling the shirt over her head.
Hurricane Tskui entered the kitchen where her mother, Mary, was fixing herself a bowl of cereal. Tskui snagged a piece of toast from the plate on the kitchen table. She ran past her disheveled father, Ryoshuu, who had obviously just gotten up, and gave him a quick, crumb filled kiss on the cheek.
"Late. Gotta go. Love ya!" she called over her shoulder to the house in general.
"Don't forget your violin, 'Kui-chan, you have that concert today!" her mother yelled in reply.
"Oh shi- I mean, thanks Mom!"
"Bye." Her father mumbled sleepily.
The only answer to his farewell was the thud of the door closing behind her.
"Was that Tskui?" Ryoshuu yawned.
His wife nodded, her red hair glinting in the sun.
"Who else?"
Ryoshuu scratched his head, mussing his black hair even more.
"Another morning in the Shinseino household..." he sighed.
***
Violin solidly in hand, backpack over her shoulder, Tskui walked into her classroom. She caught her best friend's eye as she slunk into her seat at the first music stand, and winked. As she opened the case to her violin, (whom she had affectionately named Scooter) she heard the grumpy "Harrumpf" of the orchestra director. When she looked up, there he was, glaring down at her from the podium over his half-rim glasses.
"If Miss Shinseino is ready, then perhaps we can begin?"
The entire class nodded in agreement, and got into ready position.
"Alright then everyone, 2nd moment of Beethoven's 9th, please."
Tskui's embarrassment faded as the opening chords sang in the air. The music always seemed to take her away. Problems, worries, fears, all melted away in the swell of sound. Beethoven's music especially moved her. The manic changes from minor to major in the span of a few heartbeats seemed to touch a place in her heart nothing else, not even her boyfriend, could stir. The music seemed to mirror... something. It was like an echo from a past life.
The director brought one hand to a stop, holding the orchestra back while the other beckoned the timpani to bring the group to their frenzied finale. As Tskui's bow drew faster and faster , her heart raced with it. When the final notes hung suspended in the air, spent, only then did Tskui breathe.
"Right then," the director began, " great job, guys. Remember, 5:00 tonight, auditorium, Everyone," here his eyes fell upon Anna, Tskui's best friend, "is to wear their black concert attire. You can pack up for today."
Tskui took the soft cloth from her case to wipe the white rosin dust off Scooter's bridge and finger board. Anna came up behind her, tossing her long auburn hair with attitude.
"Can you believe old Mr. 'Harrumpf'," she whined sarcastically. "I mean, so I wore a red dress to the last concert? I thought that being cello section leader gave me some leeway."
The black haired girl shook her head as she closed the now shining violin back into its' case. She walked to the instrument storage room to put it away when the bell rang. Anna's voice floated to her from the door leading to the hallway.
"Catch ya in English, right?"
"Yeah!" Tskui called back.
"Great!"
When Tskui entered the crowded hallway, she searched the sea of faces for one in particular, one with deep green eyes and a smile to melt the coldest heart, her boyfriend Aidan Phillips. But before she could find him, strong arms wrapped around her waist and picked her up off the ground. Warm lips pressed firmly against hers in the sweetest of kisses.
"I was looking for you!" she giggled as he set her back on the ground.
"I know," he laughed. "I saw the confused look on your face and decided to rescue you."
"Arigatou!" Tskui hugged him tightly.
"Ummm… that means thanks, right?" a confused Aidan asked.
"Yup, now let's go eat, I am starving!"
"I can't," Aidan said regretfully. "Anna said she'd tutor me for the next computer programming test."
"Oh, ok! I'll just eat outside then, it's a gorgeous day." Tskui's broad smile hid her secret disappointment. Aidan and Anna had been spending a lot more time together, without her, lately.
"Alright then, have fun 'Kui!"
"Will! Bye now!"
The black haired girl walked slowly toward the double doors that lead to the steps in front of the school. And so Tskui Shinseino was by herself the day her world turned upside down.
***
Parts 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10
The golden dawn crested over Mt. Rainier in a rare show of beauty on the white snowy peaks. As it filtered through the horizontal blinds in Tskui's bedroom, the girl's shoulder length black hair was illuminated, and her pale skin was kissed with a flaxen gleam. As it reached her closed dusty violet eyes, she groaned.
"No..."
Her alarm clock chose that moment to sound intrusively for the third time that morning. Her hand flashed out quickly from the sanctuary of her warm comforter to turn it off.. again.. when she casually glanced at the time. In red glowing digital letters, it blinked 7:00 AM.
"Omigosh! Aww... Hell! I am going to be late!"
Leaping from her bed, she grabbed a pair of jeans off the floor, wriggling into them as fast as possible while searching for clean socks. She flew to her dresser and pulled her hair back on either side of her head with red bow clips. She ran to the door and had her hand on the door knob when she realized she was about to leave without a shirt on. Snatching a silver tank top out of the closet she made a graceful exit while still pulling the shirt over her head.
Hurricane Tskui entered the kitchen where her mother, Mary, was fixing herself a bowl of cereal. Tskui snagged a piece of toast from the plate on the kitchen table. She ran past her disheveled father, Ryoshuu, who had obviously just gotten up, and gave him a quick, crumb filled kiss on the cheek.
"Late. Gotta go. Love ya!" she called over her shoulder to the house in general.
"Don't forget your violin, 'Kui-chan, you have that concert today!" her mother yelled in reply.
"Oh shi- I mean, thanks Mom!"
"Bye." Her father mumbled sleepily.
The only answer to his farewell was the thud of the door closing behind her.
"Was that Tskui?" Ryoshuu yawned.
His wife nodded, her red hair glinting in the sun.
"Who else?"
Ryoshuu scratched his head, mussing his black hair even more.
"Another morning in the Shinseino household..." he sighed.
***
Violin solidly in hand, backpack over her shoulder, Tskui walked into her classroom. She caught her best friend's eye as she slunk into her seat at the first music stand, and winked. As she opened the case to her violin, (whom she had affectionately named Scooter) she heard the grumpy "Harrumpf" of the orchestra director. When she looked up, there he was, glaring down at her from the podium over his half-rim glasses.
"If Miss Shinseino is ready, then perhaps we can begin?"
The entire class nodded in agreement, and got into ready position.
"Alright then everyone, 2nd moment of Beethoven's 9th, please."
Tskui's embarrassment faded as the opening chords sang in the air. The music always seemed to take her away. Problems, worries, fears, all melted away in the swell of sound. Beethoven's music especially moved her. The manic changes from minor to major in the span of a few heartbeats seemed to touch a place in her heart nothing else, not even her boyfriend, could stir. The music seemed to mirror... something. It was like an echo from a past life.
The director brought one hand to a stop, holding the orchestra back while the other beckoned the timpani to bring the group to their frenzied finale. As Tskui's bow drew faster and faster , her heart raced with it. When the final notes hung suspended in the air, spent, only then did Tskui breathe.
"Right then," the director began, " great job, guys. Remember, 5:00 tonight, auditorium, Everyone," here his eyes fell upon Anna, Tskui's best friend, "is to wear their black concert attire. You can pack up for today."
Tskui took the soft cloth from her case to wipe the white rosin dust off Scooter's bridge and finger board. Anna came up behind her, tossing her long auburn hair with attitude.
"Can you believe old Mr. 'Harrumpf'," she whined sarcastically. "I mean, so I wore a red dress to the last concert? I thought that being cello section leader gave me some leeway."
The black haired girl shook her head as she closed the now shining violin back into its' case. She walked to the instrument storage room to put it away when the bell rang. Anna's voice floated to her from the door leading to the hallway.
"Catch ya in English, right?"
"Yeah!" Tskui called back.
"Great!"
When Tskui entered the crowded hallway, she searched the sea of faces for one in particular, one with deep green eyes and a smile to melt the coldest heart, her boyfriend Aidan Phillips. But before she could find him, strong arms wrapped around her waist and picked her up off the ground. Warm lips pressed firmly against hers in the sweetest of kisses.
"I was looking for you!" she giggled as he set her back on the ground.
"I know," he laughed. "I saw the confused look on your face and decided to rescue you."
"Arigatou!" Tskui hugged him tightly.
"Ummm… that means thanks, right?" a confused Aidan asked.
"Yup, now let's go eat, I am starving!"
"I can't," Aidan said regretfully. "Anna said she'd tutor me for the next computer programming test."
"Oh, ok! I'll just eat outside then, it's a gorgeous day." Tskui's broad smile hid her secret disappointment. Aidan and Anna had been spending a lot more time together, without her, lately.
"Alright then, have fun 'Kui!"
"Will! Bye now!"
The black haired girl walked slowly toward the double doors that lead to the steps in front of the school. And so Tskui Shinseino was by herself the day her world turned upside down.
***
Parts 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10