(La Corda D'Oro) Plot-bunnies
Community: 31_days
Day/Theme: September 9/the linguistics of emotion
Characters/Pairings: Len Tsukimori/Kahoko Hino
…
…
…
…
…
…
Heart
…
…
…
…
…
When Len was little, his mother used to teach him how to make music. Sometimes they’d use the violin, sometimes they’d use the piano, but it was always a lesson.
“Music isn’t meant to be cold-hearted,” his mother told Len after she played a piece by Mozart. This was an important lesson, something she tried to teach him for the last two weeks. “Music is supposed to help others feel things, whether it is sorrow or joy. Music is a way of connecting people.”
Len just stared at his mother, listening.
“Music is supposed to be warm.”
He didn’t understand that but his mother ruffled his hair slightly. “You’ll figure it out someday.”
-x-
He still didn’t understand it many years later. His mother stopped teaching him about it, instead going on tour in Europe.
The closest thing he got to understanding it was remembering his mother’s music. It was a gentle sound she gave, a motherly one, and many people were moved to tears by her performances.
Maybe it was emotion, then, that he needed. That would be hard to do, considering he didn’t know how to add that element to his performance. He didn’t show them much himself as well, so that might have something to do with it.
“I’ll play perfectly,” he decided several years ago. If he can play it perfectly, that should make up for emotion.
He thought that might be the case.
His mother never asked him to join her in a concert.
-x-
Something’s missing. He felt that as he played Ave Maria. The sound is perfect, each note playing at the right pitch and tempo, just like the sheets depicted. His stance gave him the best support and sound and nearly all of it was memorized.
A sound drifted through the air and he pauses. It was also Ave Maria, just a different sound.
Parts of it needed fine-tuning, such as the higher notes and the strength of the beat, but other than that…
The sound was familiar and he thought that might be the something he had been missing.
Following the noise-why? He wasn’t sure. Maybe he just wanted to learn the answer to that question-he discovered a girl standing by a swing.
“Oh,” she flushed, embarrassed to have been caught. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Your notes need to be more precise.”
“What?” She stared at him, surprise written on her face before she angrily snorted. “You…”
Instead of finishing that sentence, she paused, as though she realized something. Taking deep breaths, she calmed down. “Thank you.”
“…” Most people just glared at him angrily when he helped.
“Say,” she noticed his case, “Want to practice together later? Tomorrow?”
“…sure.” The words are out of his mouth before he could think. Oh well, this way he’ll find out what his mother meant.
That’s all.
“Good. I’m Hino Kahoko.”
“Tsukimori Len.”
“See you tomorrow, Tsukimori-kun.” She packed up her violin and waved goodbye.
-x-
They were on the roof the next day, after school.
“I’m glad you came,” she told him, an eager smile on her face. “The way you play the violin…I really enjoy it. It’s a lot better than mine.”
He didn’t doubt that. His skills were superior to hers; that much was obvious from yesterday.
What he did wonder was why he liked her music more. There wasn’t anything amazing in the sound, no special skills. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was only beginning to play classical music.
“Can you…” She paused, thinking about what she was about to say. “I’d like to listen to you play. Would you mind? I could play after.”
He did mind. This was a waste of time, something he didn’t have in spades because practice makes perfect (and perfect was as good as he’ll get). However, she did promise to play after and he wanted to hear that sound again, to make sure it was real and not something he imagined.
Carefully, he positioned the violin and started to play. His notes were on time, the violin properly tuned, and the sound flowed out as it should. No sudden stops or starts, no extra flats or sharps; just the sound of music.
“Wow…” It escaped her lips, soft and awed. She was amazed, a bright look in her eyes as she watched his bow dance on the strings. He expected as much.
As promised, after he played, she nervously stood up and adjusted her bow. “I’m not as good,” she murmured before she started.
Something was different this time.
“Let’s play together,” she asks and he agrees. “Aa, I see,” he thinks a few weeks later, “This is what she meant. Emotion.”
Butterfly
Community: 31_days
Day/Prompt: August 24/The turn of her heel, the nape of her neck.
Characters/Pairings: Kahoko/everyone
She’s running ahead of them, far away and too fast for any of them to catch up with. A butterfly that won’t be trapped, a cheetah that won’t stop moving.
They try their best to keep up.
Melody
Community: Autumnwrite
Challenge: 24/50
Prompt: #14. Silent Melody
Characters/Pairings: Keiichi Shimizu/Kahoko Hino
Practice, practice, practice. That’s what he knew would make him good at the cello. Practicing, learning, growing. Discovering new ways of playing, reading the notes and making sure to be precise.
The sound doesn’t capture him and he is at a loss.
A sound drifts into his room and he is haunted.
“Play for me.” He asks and she smiles “sure”
“Thank you, I know how to play the cello now. I know how to play.”
The sound echoes in his heart and he thinks it will stay there for a long time.
Innocence
Children are innocent and that’s why when she hears their answer, she cries. They don’t lie, they don’t see the world’s illusions. Everything’s black and white, and she hears the honesty from their mouth where others would lie.
Community: Autumnwrite
Challenge: 24/50
Prompt: Silent Melody
Characters/Pairings: Shouko Fuyuumi
Five scars
Kazuki/Kahoko
He whispers, something unusual for him because his voice is meant to be loud and vibrant.
Day/Theme: September 9/the linguistics of emotion
Characters/Pairings: Len Tsukimori/Kahoko Hino
…
…
…
…
…
…
Heart
…
…
…
…
…
When Len was little, his mother used to teach him how to make music. Sometimes they’d use the violin, sometimes they’d use the piano, but it was always a lesson.
“Music isn’t meant to be cold-hearted,” his mother told Len after she played a piece by Mozart. This was an important lesson, something she tried to teach him for the last two weeks. “Music is supposed to help others feel things, whether it is sorrow or joy. Music is a way of connecting people.”
Len just stared at his mother, listening.
“Music is supposed to be warm.”
He didn’t understand that but his mother ruffled his hair slightly. “You’ll figure it out someday.”
-x-
He still didn’t understand it many years later. His mother stopped teaching him about it, instead going on tour in Europe.
The closest thing he got to understanding it was remembering his mother’s music. It was a gentle sound she gave, a motherly one, and many people were moved to tears by her performances.
Maybe it was emotion, then, that he needed. That would be hard to do, considering he didn’t know how to add that element to his performance. He didn’t show them much himself as well, so that might have something to do with it.
“I’ll play perfectly,” he decided several years ago. If he can play it perfectly, that should make up for emotion.
He thought that might be the case.
His mother never asked him to join her in a concert.
-x-
Something’s missing. He felt that as he played Ave Maria. The sound is perfect, each note playing at the right pitch and tempo, just like the sheets depicted. His stance gave him the best support and sound and nearly all of it was memorized.
A sound drifted through the air and he pauses. It was also Ave Maria, just a different sound.
Parts of it needed fine-tuning, such as the higher notes and the strength of the beat, but other than that…
The sound was familiar and he thought that might be the something he had been missing.
Following the noise-why? He wasn’t sure. Maybe he just wanted to learn the answer to that question-he discovered a girl standing by a swing.
“Oh,” she flushed, embarrassed to have been caught. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Your notes need to be more precise.”
“What?” She stared at him, surprise written on her face before she angrily snorted. “You…”
Instead of finishing that sentence, she paused, as though she realized something. Taking deep breaths, she calmed down. “Thank you.”
“…” Most people just glared at him angrily when he helped.
“Say,” she noticed his case, “Want to practice together later? Tomorrow?”
“…sure.” The words are out of his mouth before he could think. Oh well, this way he’ll find out what his mother meant.
That’s all.
“Good. I’m Hino Kahoko.”
“Tsukimori Len.”
“See you tomorrow, Tsukimori-kun.” She packed up her violin and waved goodbye.
-x-
They were on the roof the next day, after school.
“I’m glad you came,” she told him, an eager smile on her face. “The way you play the violin…I really enjoy it. It’s a lot better than mine.”
He didn’t doubt that. His skills were superior to hers; that much was obvious from yesterday.
What he did wonder was why he liked her music more. There wasn’t anything amazing in the sound, no special skills. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was only beginning to play classical music.
“Can you…” She paused, thinking about what she was about to say. “I’d like to listen to you play. Would you mind? I could play after.”
He did mind. This was a waste of time, something he didn’t have in spades because practice makes perfect (and perfect was as good as he’ll get). However, she did promise to play after and he wanted to hear that sound again, to make sure it was real and not something he imagined.
Carefully, he positioned the violin and started to play. His notes were on time, the violin properly tuned, and the sound flowed out as it should. No sudden stops or starts, no extra flats or sharps; just the sound of music.
“Wow…” It escaped her lips, soft and awed. She was amazed, a bright look in her eyes as she watched his bow dance on the strings. He expected as much.
As promised, after he played, she nervously stood up and adjusted her bow. “I’m not as good,” she murmured before she started.
Something was different this time.
“Let’s play together,” she asks and he agrees. “Aa, I see,” he thinks a few weeks later, “This is what she meant. Emotion.”
Butterfly
Community: 31_days
Day/Prompt: August 24/The turn of her heel, the nape of her neck.
Characters/Pairings: Kahoko/everyone
She’s running ahead of them, far away and too fast for any of them to catch up with. A butterfly that won’t be trapped, a cheetah that won’t stop moving.
They try their best to keep up.
Melody
Community: Autumnwrite
Challenge: 24/50
Prompt: #14. Silent Melody
Characters/Pairings: Keiichi Shimizu/Kahoko Hino
Practice, practice, practice. That’s what he knew would make him good at the cello. Practicing, learning, growing. Discovering new ways of playing, reading the notes and making sure to be precise.
The sound doesn’t capture him and he is at a loss.
A sound drifts into his room and he is haunted.
“Play for me.” He asks and she smiles “sure”
“Thank you, I know how to play the cello now. I know how to play.”
The sound echoes in his heart and he thinks it will stay there for a long time.
Innocence
Children are innocent and that’s why when she hears their answer, she cries. They don’t lie, they don’t see the world’s illusions. Everything’s black and white, and she hears the honesty from their mouth where others would lie.
Community: Autumnwrite
Challenge: 24/50
Prompt: Silent Melody
Characters/Pairings: Shouko Fuyuumi
Five scars
Kazuki/Kahoko
He whispers, something unusual for him because his voice is meant to be loud and vibrant.