The morning sun filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting long, slender streaks of light on the floor. Kyogumichi sat up from bed with a yawn, a slight tingling sensation still lingering in his fingertips from using Finger Pistol.
He felt his pocket; the black guitar pick lay quietly inside—it was time to return it to Hitori Gotou today.
After washing up, he deliberately left half an hour early. Based on his previous observations, Hitori always liked to detour to the small grove behind the school to practice her guitar before class.
Sure enough, as he walked through the morning mist into the woods, he heard the intermittent sound of a guitar, still that slightly unpolished 'Haru no Tonari'.
Hitori sat under a cherry blossom tree, her figure, clutching her guitar, looking exceptionally slender in the morning light. She had her head down, her long bangs covering her eyes, her fingers clumsily dancing on the strings, occasionally pausing because she pressed the wrong fret, her shoulders shrugging slightly, looking particularly dejected.
Kyogumichi lightened his steps and walked over, stopping three meters behind her. Only when a melody ended did he speak softly, "You dropped your pick."
Hitori sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her guitar almost sliding off her lap. She turned her head in a panic, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson when she saw him, stammering, "You, you, why are you here?!"
"Just passing by." He shook the black pick in his hand, "This is yours, right? It fell in the stairwell."
Her gaze fell on the pick, and she nodded repeatedly, reaching out to take it but then pulling her hand back as if she had received an electric shock. In the end, he gently placed the pick on a stone beside her.
"Tha-thank you." She lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
He noticed that her guitar score was filled with dense markings, and her fingertips were red from pressing the strings hard. He remembered the playing he heard in the stairwell yesterday and, after a moment of hesitation, spoke, "That part just now was much smoother than yesterday."
Hitori suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, "You, you heard it yesterday?"
"Yes, in the stairwell." Kyogumichi didn't hide it, "The rhythm of the chorus was very well controlled, but the key change was a bit rushed."
As a music creator, he had a natural sensitivity to music theory. He pointed to a section on the score, "Here, you could try slowing down by half a beat; using a slide to transition would be more natural."
Hitori listened in a daze, her fingers unconsciously tracing his suggestions on the strings. When he demonstrated by humming the rhythm, her eyes slowly lit up, as if she had found her lost direction.
"Like, like this?" She tried playing that melody, and indeed, it was much smoother than before.
"Yes, exactly." He nodded in encouragement, "You have a good feel for melody; you just lack practice. Don't rush, take your time."
Her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, but this time it wasn't from nervousness, but with a hint of shy joy. She whispered, "I, I always play badly... Everyone says I have no talent..."
"Talent isn't important." Kyogumichi recalled the tediousness of practicing his skills, "What's important is liking it. You like guitar, you like music, right?"
Hitori nodded vigorously, a determined light shining in her eyes, "Yes! I like it!"
"That's enough." He stood up, "Keep up the good work; I'm really looking forward to hearing you play 'Haru no Tonari' completely."
After speaking, he turned and walked out of the woods, leaving Hitori standing there with her guitar. The morning breeze blew through the cherry blossom tree, dropping a few pink petals onto her guitar strings. She watched his retreating figure, gently plucking a string, producing a clear note, and an unconscious, tiny smile curved her lips.
[Character: Hitori Gotou] [Bond Progress:1% → 5% (Triggered Event: Resonance of Music)] [Event Evaluation:Your recognition and guidance gave her the courage to persevere]
After morning classes, Kyogumichi saw Kitagawa Marin at the corner of the corridor. The girl was leaning against the wall, tightly clutching a drawing folder. When she heard footsteps, she suddenly looked up, the panic on her face not yet concealed.
"Kitagawa-san." He walked forward and took out a stack of drawing papers from his backpack, "Is this yours? It was left on a library seat a few days ago."
It was a stack of meticulously drawn doll designs, depicting various gorgeous costumes, with the lace of the skirts and the ruffles of the cuffs detailed with extreme precision, even including notes on fabric materials.
Marin's face instantly turned pale, then flushed crimson, like a cooked shrimp. She looked at the designs, her fingers nervously curled, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "It, it's mine..."
"They're very well drawn." He said sincerely, "The details are handled very professionally; you can tell a lot of effort went into them."
Hearing this, her head drooped even lower, her long eyelashes covering her eyes, her earlobes so red they looked like they might drip blood. This was her deepest secret, one she had never dared to let her classmates know. Now that he had stumbled upon it, she felt her cheeks burning and didn't know where to put her hands and feet.
"Tha-thank you..." She hurriedly reached out, snatched the designs, and hugged them to her chest, clutching them tightly as if guarding a treasure.
He wanted to say something more, but Marin had already turned and almost fled, running away quickly, her long ponytail drawing a frantic arc in the air, without even managing to say "Goodbye."
Watching her hurried departure, he smiled helplessly. He could understand that feeling; everyone has corners in their heart they don't want to be peeked into. Perhaps maintaining an appropriate distance was the best way to respect that secret.
[Character: Kitagawa Marin] [Bond Progress:1% → 6% (Triggered Event: Resonance of Secrets)] [Event Evaluation:You unintentionally discovered her secret, but you protected her shyness with respect, leading her to develop a subtle trust in you]
After school in the evening, he arrived at Shiina Mahiru's house as agreed. As soon as he reached the door, he smelled the rich aroma of food, mixed with a faint scent of gardenias, warming his heart.
"You're back?" Mahiru opened the door, a gentle smile on her face, still wearing a cute Kuma apron. "Come in quickly; dinner will be ready soon."
Three dishes and one soup were already set on the dining table in the living room. Braised fish pieces were steaming, the scrambled eggs with tomatoes were brightly colored, and there was a small plate of delicate cold cucumber salad. Kyogumichi changed his shoes and walked into the kitchen, seeing Mahiru busy at the stove, the miso soup bubbling in the pot.
"Need any help?"
"No, it'll be ready in a moment." She scooped up the soup. As she turned, she accidentally slipped on a wet spot on the floor. He quickly steadied her, and the distance between them instantly closed.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly regained her footing, "Tha-thank you."
"Be careful." He released her hand, noticing her fingertips were a little red, "Did you burn yourself?"
"Just a little, it's fine." Mahiru smiled and waved her hand, placing the soup on the table. "Eat quickly, or it'll get cold."
Dinner proceeded in a warm atmosphere. She occasionally served him food but ate very little herself, simply resting her chin on her hand and watching him, a satisfied smile in her eyes. He told her interesting things that happened during the day; when he talked about Hitori playing the guitar, she listened very intently.
"Gotou-san must be very cute, right?" She rested her cheek on her hand. "It's amazing to be able to stick with something you like."
"You too." He looked at her, "Even though you have your own difficulties, you always think about taking care of others."
She paused, then lowered her head, a faint smile curving her lips, "Because it's so happy when I'm with Okabara-san."
Outside, the sky gradually darkened, and the warm yellow light illuminated the small living room, casting long, overlapping shadows of the two, as cozy as a painting.
[Shiina Mahiru: Bond Progress: 25%]