Reckoning Arc: The Art of Music

Loose clothing felt so nice, though it was more accurate to say that the less something grazed against her closed wounds the better she felt considering that was the crux of the problem.

She did, however, feel bare without her weapons or forehead protector. It was a uniform. One that was worn almost every day for two years. A symbol of allegiance and affiliation and always being prepared for a moment's notice.

Yuina walked into the small koto shop. Her lack of a teacher didn't matter when she still hadn't bought one of her own. She wondered how Sakumo would have responded if she asked to play her mom's, but that could have been a potential sensitive topic so she avoided it. Especially when it would need to be re-strung. It wasn't like she couldn't afford one, so she deemed it the best course of action.

The shop had four rows with three kotos on each row. A girl a little older than herself lightly grazed a string horizontally, from one end to another. There was a curtain area, the bottom raised from the ground. She could see two pairs of feet standing side by side back there.

The girl turned. Long dark brown hair. Her bangs pushed back by a light pink headband. Her eyes were as dark as her hair. "I haven't seen you before."

Yuina was confused. "I was looking to buy a Koto."

"Hmmm." The girl tilted her head. "You're kind of old to be starting now."

Yuina didn't have a reply to that. She hated how often she was called young, but she had never been called old. She was seven. That was hardly old.

"Many people start formal lessons at three, you know."

That explained the talent at two music schools she visited. "Does it matter? Anyone can learn to play."

The girl's face slacked before she gripped her head as her head spiraled. "Does it matter? Does it matter, she said." She shook her head. "Of course it matters! Every year late is another year you can't catch up." She placed a hand on her chest. "Sometimes you'll come across someone special, but that's super rare." She moved her hand off her chest and rested the back of her wrist on her hip. "You'll never catch up or impress anyone with that attitude."

"That's fine. I'm looking to play as a hobby, not make a career out of it." Others must have been trying their hardest to get notice. Yuina had no need for that. If she could get someone to show her the basics, she could work it out from there.

"A hobby?" The girl began muttering to herself. She slapped her cheeks. "It doesn't matter. It's not something to be learned on your own. How else would you learn songs?" She grabbed into her pocket and put the picks on three of her fingers before playing a short except of a song. It was fast an intense, mirroring the girl's emotions.

"Are you trying to scare by business away?" A large burly man entered from the back.

"But Old Man Asobu, wannabes give us a bad name. It's not even the difference between a street performer and a court performer. It's the complete disrespect for the art."

"Oh? Am I disrespecting the art then?" A young man followed Asobu in from the back. "I told you not to let your ego get to your head, Mariko." Mariko took a step back and felt like she was stabbed in the heart.

Mariko lowered her head a little. "Sorry, Rei."

"Don't you think you should be apologizing to someone else?" Rei looked at Mariko expectantly.

Mariko turn to Yuina and frowned. "Sorry." She mumbled out. It didn't sound sincere, but she did sound defeated.

Yuina wanted to break the last remainder of the tension. "You have lovely phrasing. You probably worked really hard to become that good. It's natural to take pride in that."

"Phrasing?" Mariko tilted her head.

Yuina wondered whether they had another term for it. "How you express the sequence of notes for expression."

"Did you hear that term from someone?" asked Rei.

"I—" Yuina started coughing. She grabbed the handkerchief from her pocket as she coughed up phlegm. It was a common post-surgery symptom. As much as it was annoying it, as long as it wasn't red she was fine. It felt a little strange to have three strangers stare at her though. "Excuse me. I know the music theory. I just need someone to show me how to play it. That and buy one."

"You alright kid?" asked Asobu.

Yuina waved him off. "Well as I can be."

Mariko opened her mouth to say something, but Rei cut her off. "How much theory do you know?"

Yuina blinked. "The standard: the ledger lines, the staff, the clefs, measures and time signatures, rhythm, meter, scales, key signatures, interval chords…am I missing anything?" It had been a while and it wasn't something people typically listed off.

"Did someone teach you?"

Yes, but it wasn't anyone in this life. Couldn't exactly use mother as a cover either considering her early death and lack of learning books among her sheet music. "It's math. It's easy enough to figure out." She hated calling music math. It wasn't wrong, but it also ignored the inspiration and artistic aspect or creation and interpretation.

"Are you sure you want to be a hobbyist?"

The questioning left Yuina on edge. There was something that the others knew that she didn't and it was shaping their views of her. This was why it was better to keep her mouth shut until she learned a topic well enough. "Yes." Her answer was definite. She needed to become stronger and that was her priority. "I want to play for myself." There was one exception. "Though, it would also be nice if I could learn to play a piece for my dad. She used to play, but died before I got a chance to know her."

Mariko uncrossed her arms, and looked at Yuina with sympathy.

"Music is best shared with others, kid," said Asobu.

"Perhaps, but the stars aren't in alignment. I have a different future ahead of me, yet I still hope to have it added into my life." A lightbulb went off in her head. "I have the money. It's not a question of affordability." Though, maybe she should have asked someone to come with her. The kotos were easily 50cm longer than she was tall.

"But who do you plan to learn from?" Mariko brought a finger to the edge of her lips.

"Ah, well, I haven't found anyone yet. It would have preferred to have a teacher when buying one, but I have a little too much free time now of days."

"You don't have to worry," said Rei. "Asobu is a great craftsman." Asobu puffed out his chest. "He also has perfect pitch, so there's so better place for tuning."

"And don't you forget that," said Asobu.

"I'll keep that in mind then." Yuina nodded. "If I may ask a question, would any of you know of someone who may be willing to teach me? I'm not sure who else to approach." Much like Earth, many opportunities were known within circles. Except, here didn't have advertising and the internet for exploring opportunities.

"Before that, can I ask your name?" Rei stared down at Yuina.

"…Yuina."

"Then Yuina, how would you like to be my student?" Rei wore a pleasant smile while Mariko gawked in the background. Even Asobu gave him a side eye.

It didn't matter why. He could be a complete amateur and it wouldn't matter as long as she could learn how to properly use the picks to pluck the strings, how to move the bridges, and proper form.

"I'll be in your care then." Yuina bowed.