Chapter Text
Shoichi's fingers softly grazed one of the guitar's string, playing a slightly wrong tune of the Do note
"Not quite there yet huh?"
There were easier ways to tune an instrument than using your own voice, but he thought it was worth the try. After all, the better you knew the notes, the easier playing would be right?
With each note he struck a wave would crash into the sandy shore of the beach.
One would think that a town with such a beautiful coastal view would attract lots of people, but the town wasn't really that big so most tourists would oversee it while passing by. It was better that way, or so thought Shoichi. Lots of people meant more chaos and the little town would loose its magic if tons of visitors crowded the place out of nowhere. Specially if it was the beach we were talking about. It was a special place, his favorite spot, not that there were many places to visit in such a small town, but sitting on the fresh sand and feeling the ocean breeze run through his hair while looking at the sea was a feel he wouldn't exchange for anything else in the world.
The quiet afternoons made it a perfect place to just sit and relax after a busy school day.
"It still doesn't sound right. Maybe if I turn it to the left just a bit…"
He sighed, no one said it was easy to tune a guitar, but at least no one was listening to him at the moment. Not that he minded that much, he would get to that part eventually since his dream was to play music for a living after all, but it'd be sort of embarrassing if anyone listened to him now. Although, the thrilling thought of playing in front of a crowd was still there. He loved music, it had to be his favorite thing in the world. Through good and bad times, his favorite songs had always been there for him like a loyal companion and it really hold a special place in his heart. He really dreamed of the day his songs would be the same way for someone else
"...I wonder what it feels like to know that your song reached at least one person's heart"
He started to get lost in his thoughts, sometimes they just had to come out even though he never noticed when that happened. His head was a continuous flow of thoughts in this moment so, he couldn't help it
"That should be it"
He played each string singularly and then a loud chord for the final check.
It was ready.
Some shy notes started to come out as he tried to remember the rhythm of the song, and once his fingers got comfortable enough with it, he started to play the real thing.
As soon as the first notes struck, his head got taken over by the lyrics and cleared from anything else unrelated to the song. It was only natural that he'd know them by heart, it was one of his favorites but, it just had a different vibe to it. Even though he didn't have much skill, the way he'd interpret every note was so pleasing. He sang each word with so much passion it was like a poem filled with his deepest thoughts and feelings, a whole performance for the sea itself and nobody else.
...Or so he thought
Right in the middle of the song a different sound other than the nature surrounding him caught his attention
-Wait is that...clapping?-
His body froze. Clapping? As in a person striking their hands together? It was nowhere in the list of sounds that were supposed to be there.
"Wow! I didn't know there was a concert today! Got anything else for tonight?"
A stranger. A boy he had never seen before was standing right in front of him, not only interrupting his song but claiming to have listened to it.
Shoichi dropped his guitar for a moment. That was it, this was the next thought that was going to haunt him for weeks from now on. Maybe it was just some strange illusion induced by the hot weather?
"That was a very cute song, are you going to sing something else? Can I ask for one?"
Nevermind, that was a real person
"W-who are you?! How long have you been standing there???"
"Oh? I've been here the whole time! And let me tell you, you've got some interesting thoughts to share guitar boy"
The stranger smiled playfully as he started to walk towards him
"You've got a lot going on inside, don't you? I could tell from how much effort you put into that"
The boy sure was fast as he was now standing right in from of Shoichi, squatting down to his level.
"And...You got such a lovely singing voice too"
Too close.
Shoichi's body instantly retreated but failed miserably as his hands slipped on the sand, falling on his back and right into some algae that were behind him.
The stranger bursted out laughing at the poor guy now laying on the ground, hair covered in sand and small pieces of green.
"Haha you're so funny too! I'm so glad I found you, this town was getting kinda boring you know?"
The situation was just humiliating. This guy just came in, interrupted his song and now he was laughing at him -what a total disgrace- At least he tried to take the clapping and his words as something positive instead of what he hoped was just not blatant teasing.
He tried to sit back in his spot as he shaked the sand out of his hair with his hands. His head hurt a bit now
"I'd say it's more of a peaceful place than boring, but most people like you don't really visit these parts unless they get lost"
Shoichi assumed that the guy probably got lost on his way back home.
He never saw someone like him around before and he was sure he would remember someone so...unique. Not that his clothing was anything out of the ordinary, his style was pretty casual actually, just a plain shirt and some ripped jeans, but the choker on his neck and the spiky white hair really made him stand out, not to mention the strange mark under his right eye...
"If you got lost you should go to the town hall, they can call a bus for-"
"I really like your guitar, very classic! really matches your style you know, how long have you been playing for?"
Shoichi's questions were all going completely ignored while the guy continued to try start a conversation with the confused boy.
"Ah, this? I just started recently, a few months ago actually but I just know how to play a few songs..."
-That's not the point though!- the conversation started to derail as he tried to speak up but once again he resulted too slow for the other
"Well you did a pretty good job there"
-Did he just? Make a compliment?- The guy quickly sat right next to him, pulling both his legs to his chest and hugging them with his arms, face facing the ocean as he watched the waves come and go.
Both of them fell into a small bubble of silence that the stranger decided to break only after a few seconds.
"What did you say before? Something about reaching someone's heart? That sounds...funny"
For a moment Shoichi regretted all that thinking from before, however the stranger's expression didn't point out any teasing intention, it actually sounded more like a reflection than anything, he just looked so pensive; for sure Shoichi wasn't the only one that had some stuff going on inside his brain.
"Hm, mind if you play again? so I can see if it works? I was getting so bored and I think I felt something when I heard you! a little show would make my heart so happy!"
-There it is, that cheerfulness from before- The situation was so odd. They had just talked for a few minutes and yet this guy seemed so keen on listening to the song again.
It was an awkward situation, he knew this, but at the same time a part of him couldn't help but think if the guy really meant what he said. His expression shouted that there was something else going on; could it be that deep inside he felt the urge to listen to it because he actually needed to? Perhaps he just needed someone to be there for him, and at this point leaving him by himself just felt wrong anyway.
"So? Are you gonna play?"
"I guess I can try and do it one more time..."
The other boy smiled, bursting into joy like a little kid over candy
"You go guitar boy! Delight us with your singing!"
"But no interruptions! I can't concentrate otherwise!"
The stranger zipped his lips with his hands, now fully focused on Shoichi and his guitar
-Here goes nothing…-
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let the music do the rest. Although the
start was always kind of rough, soon enough the notes started to take over his mind and set a very nice atmosphere around the two boys. Shoichi couldn't tell since it was like being in a dream for him, but the simple and warm notes coming from his guitar really made a simple spot in the beach become a somewhat nostalgic and extremely pleasing place to hang at.
Once over he really couldn't tell what had happened or how he played, the only thing he knew was that he enjoyed it and that was enough for him. Although, the loud round of clapping made him realize that perhaps he wasn't the only one who did so.
"That was so much fun to listen to!! Are you sure you're not hiding some secret power there?"
It was so weird how he'd try to compliment him, couldn't lie though, he felt a little flattered by his words, he truly appreciated them.
"It's really nothing, I told you I just started playing, I only know like 3 songs so far"
"For real? What a shame, that would've made things so much more interesting don't you think?"
"I...guess so? I think I just need a lot of practice"
"Oh you'll see you'll get better in no time, just play your funky little notes and you’ll be alright guitar boy!"
He couldn't lie, this guy was actually kinda enjoyable and fun to be around. Perhaps just a little too weird for Shoichi's standards, nevertheless he still was glad that he liked his song
"Thanks I guess, but! I'm not guitar boy! my name's Shoichi so stop calling me that"
The stranger laughed at how angry he seemed to be over his improvised nickname
"Oh I'm sorry I just thought it fit you so well, nicknames are kinda cute don't you think?"
"You really go around and give random nicknames to people you don't know?
"For fun!"
He felt kinda sorry now, this guy must had a pretty boring life if he really went out there and gave random nicknames to complete strangers just to spend some time.
"But since now I know your name now, I guess I have to present myself too right? Well then!"
He turned his body in a single spin, making sure to face Shoichi for this one
"I'm Byakuran! Nice to meet you"
The name didn't sound like any other he had heard before, so he had to be right after all. Byakuran wasn't from anywhere around this town
"You're not from around here right?"
"You're also very smart I see"
He smiled with a brief spark in his eyes
"Well then I guess that makes you perfect for it..."
"Perfect for what?"
Byakuran looked away for a second as a sudden gust of sea breeze covered his face for a couple of seconds, hiding whatever expression was lying under that white hair.
"Hehe. For what else but for...being my tourist guide!"
He quickly stood up and twirled in place as if he was announcing some first prize winner
"You asked if I was lost before right? Why don't you show me around a bit?"
Now that was just taking advantage of the situation...
"I-that's true but I never said I would take you!"
"You didn't say you wouldn't either"
"I..."
He was speechless
"So? Come on, let's go together! you can sing some songs while we go through the town if you want"
-No way I'm singing for you again- he was stuck, stuck with a random weird guy he had just met and now it was too late to run away even if he wanted to. Shoichi couldn't do anything else but just let out a sigh of defeat
"Alright fine I'll go! but let me pack my things first"
Byakuran smiled and tried to almost tackle hug him in his excitement, but this time Shoichi actually managed to evade him, making him fall into the sand like how he did with him before.
"Now we're even"
Shoichi snickered a little as he started to pack his belongings back in his backpack
"Wow, didn't know you were this cruel!"
"Cruel? You're the one that made me fall before! I could've hurt my head back there and you also interrupted my song!"
"Hehe yeah but, at least you got to reach someone's heart with it didn't you?"
Shoichi's face went full red out of what probably was embarrassment and decided to no longer continue the conversation. He then grabbed his stuff and started walking back to the pavemented road.
"Hey! Wait for me Sho-chan don't leave me all alone, I'm gonna get lost again!"
Shoichi put on a smile while waving to Byakuran to follow him.
The day sure didn't go as anything he had imagined, and even though he was now pretty much forced to play tourist guide, he didn't find it all that annoying. Actually, it was sort of nice to have a change once in a while...
"Just make sure to follow me okay? Also, did you just give me another nickname?"
Byakuran ran as fast as he could just to be able to stand right next to him and continue to bother him with more silly questions.
Yeah, a change was nice once in a while, but sometimes, one would come hand in hand with another, then another one and so on. Just to make you realize that perhaps, a single change was not enough, and that deep inside, you knew it all this time...