yogen | npc contact.3

[ They're trying very hard not to think about how haunted it is here. The music room isn't really a place they go to a lot— at all, actually, like most of the rooms on the upper story outside of the art room and occasionally home ec.

They don't know much about pianos either, BUT they know it's a percussion instrument and that the best part about grand pianos isn't the richness of their sound, but the fact that the lid opens and they get to position themselves at the back of the piano to watch the little hammers strike the strings, rather than sit up front to watch Kaede's fingers glide across the keys. ]

[why is it worrying, amami-kun. Why Is It Worrying, Amami-kun.

she'll ask him later. she'll put it out of mind for now, because the piano is the only thing in her field of vision as she steps in after the other, inhaling softly.

... it's been so long.

kaede'll lift the piano's lid and make sure it's secured so kamo-kun can watch as they please, she'd always liked to watch the way the hammers struck the strings and cause sound to appear too, and then she'll tuck her skirt in as she sits at the bench proper. if they're going to be there... then she needs to make sure it isn't going to be a song that's too loud, but one that is fun to watch--

and once amami is seated wherever he wants to be, whether it's to watch the strings or her hands, she'll start with a li'l mozart. it's not impressive on the latter, but it is something that's nice to listen to!!!

more important than anything, though, is that she finally feels at home. it's evident in the way she relaxes, and the ease at which it comes to her.]

( can he sit on the bench with her if he sits on the edge to give her room to play... he wants to...

more importantly, it's plenty interesting in watching her play — the deft movements of her fingers as they pull together the notes into a cohesive song. he watches for a while, as the song begins, mesmerized by the way she builds the melody. it doesn't take long, however, for his attention to be drawn up — watching to see how kamo-kun seems to be enjoying their little performance. )

[ Oh she's right: they immediately recognize the tune despite not knowing the name of the song, enough that they can hum along under their breath whenever she loops back around to that melody, taking care not to be any louder than Kaede's softest notes.

A light piece, cheerful and upbeat... Yeah, they can't help but smile, listening to her piano. ]

[yes, amami has space to sit beside her if he'd like, she made sure to leave room for just that possibility -- though she'd still say it isn't particularly interesting to watch on this end of things, and it melds from the gentle serenade to something that is--

and it's pretty mindless, a piece that can be played over and over and over forever. kaede takes the time to look at her audience, heart lifting at both their smiles, and the waterfall of notes (while endless and ever-flowing from one end of the piano to the other) feel more like a gentle rolling of sound across the room versus the thunderous vibe the intended title gives off.]

You probably don't know this one, [unobtrusive and gentle in tone,] but it's relative to another one of my favorites from Chopin. Doesn't it sound just like a waterfall? Chopin was a mastery at sounds like this -- he could paint a picture using notes alone.

[the piano a canvas, the pianist an artist, and chopin their inspirational reference... please don't let her talk about piano all day though time will move on]

( looking up, the smile on kamo-kun's face is quickly mirrored on amami's — something a little softer maybe, fonder, but in the end, just happy to see that they seem to be enjoying themselves. with that confirmed, he can glance back to kaede, meeting her eyes with that same warm smile reflected in his as he listens to the explanation. )

Haha, as expected of Akamatsu-san — you make it look easy.

( effortless enough that she doesn't have to stare intently at the keys to make sure she hits the right ones. amami knows he sure would have to do that, and he'd still end up with a bunch of off notes. )

[ Mindless, maybe, to Kaede, but npckun can see how exact her fingering has to be, how tirelessly they glide across the keys to the tinkling of falling water. It makes them think of the one by their house, and how the water crashes into the rocks below, and sometimes they...

... ]

What's your favorite favorite? I want to hear that one!

[... yes, this is why she plays, to see the smiles on their faces. the last of her tension leaves her, a nervousness she hadn't realized she'd still been holding, and she feels the press of the keys beneath her fingers, closing her eyes with a smile of her own.

it slows, like a waterfall into a river, and seeps into heavy clouds; the notes are closer together, tight within the octave compared to the wide berth it had been before, and though it has a calmness now... her favorite piece is very much the beginnings, the weathering, and the ends of rainfall.]

Op. 28, Number 15: Frédéric Chopin's Raindrop Prelude, the relative I mentioned. It's calming, both for players and listeners.

[and lonely, with its solemn sound. wide windows dotted with rain, curtains drawn to the side and the only light being the natural sort that lingers behind the clouds, dim and grey. melancholic, but not always unhappy.

... sorry if you were expecting something more energetic and fun as her Favorite favorite, this is canonically it. her tone's a little apologetic too; she knows, she knows. normal people choose a difficult piece, or a cheerful one]

I'd spend hours on this, even when it wasn't raining out.

( oh, this is a nice one too... he listens attentively; the steady, continuous rhythm of the raindrops underlying the soft melody. slowly, it becomes something more heavy— somber, if still beautiful. amami finds his gaze drawn from kamo-kun, and from her hands on the keys, to look at her expression. at the apologetic sound of her voice, his smile instinctively mirrors the feeling, wishing he had something a little bit more reassuring to offer her than only that.

he hadn't expected it, no, but... it's interesting, seeing a side of her that he hadn't before. )

I think it's nice. ( very eloquent. )

Well, uh, what I mean is... it's soothing. A little melancholy, but you can really feel the way the clouds begin to part too.

( he can see it — a comfort, in a way. capturing not only the sound of rain, the downcast feelings that it can represent, but surrounding it with that lightness — something fresh and cool, that makes it feel like "this too shall pass".

...

he feels kind of like he's sitting in a music class, trying to figure out what she likes about it this way. )

[ Maybe it's because they rarely go out, but they do like the rain. How it's cool and washes the world in grey and the sound of rainfall is calming, like white noise.

... ]

Tarou-nii, do you think you're strong enough to carry the piano to the dorms?

[amami's attempts are charming, appreciated; it shows in the bright smile she gives him, eyes glinting with laughter as she habitually keeps it down when performing. there's a time and place for sweeping, emotional bursts like that, and it isn't while playing this particular piece. he certainly does shine a better light on it than the probable truth.

on the other side, kamo-kun's question throws her off key for a moment, but thankfully the piece's wound down enough that she settles her hands in her lap and honestly debates not if amami was strong enough to carry the piano to the dorms, but if it'd be worth the trouble.

...]

Even if he was, [and he most certainly isn't,] I wouldn't want him to move it. Pianos are delicate, just one wrong bump or exposure to the elements and they'll totally lose their tone. Besides, this belongs to the school. I couldn't take it away from the other students who go here just because I wanna play on it too, you know?

[how ownership was the last thing on her mind. kaede grazes the keys again, yearning a little, and smiles warmly.]

Instead, why don't you join me every now and then? If you hear me playing, don't shy away -- I love playing for others, and to be honest I probably won't even realize you're there until the song's over.

[... oh. she hasn't forgotten the other in the room promise--]

And of course that offer extends to you too, Amami-kun.

Yeah, I'd love to hear you play. And if you do decide that you want the piano to visit for a little while, you can let me know. Not sure about carrying it myself, but I might know someone who can move it safely with some help — no worry about exposure or anything.

( void pockets... kinda wishes he had one of his own. the piano can't be any bigger than ball monokuma, right? )

How's that sound?

[ It'd still be nice to have that music playing in the dorms, though, where everybody can benefit from it. Maybe they could get her a keyboard... maybe it wouldn't be so difficult to make one themselves... ... no, it's definitely more complicated than a music box. They're confident they can make a xylophone, though, the closest thing to a piano except it's not really.

...

They still want to try building one. ]

No... I can come upstairs and watch the hammers. I won't bother you.

[... if they build her anything she'll be happy with it and learn to play it i promise. and thank goodness kamo-kun's fine with just coming up, because she was about to give amami a Look. but it's fine, all smiles]

And there you have it! No piano moving.

[it stays here.]

The hammers really are fun to watch though, huh? Do you wanna try moving them yourself? I'm sure Amami-kun wouldn't mind switching spots with you.

Haha, I guess that's that then.

( nobody likes his piano-moving idea!! we'll see... but he brightens up at the offer for her to show kamo-kun, knowing that they're like a sponge for any kind of knowledge. he's already halfway out of his seat by the time she's finished, making his way over to kamo-kun's spot to peer at their supposed hammers... no he does not know how pianos work, he is also going to learn. )

But I'm fine with that idea. Why don't you give it a try, Kamo-kun?

Okay.

[ They take Amami's wrist and drags him back to the other side, though, making him sit down first and then they're sitting on his lap like they're 5 and not 15. ]

Ergonomics. Can you show me again? The song you were just playing.

[ This time they'll watch her fingers, the notes, the fingering. ]

[they sure are close... maybe "tarou-nii" isn't just for show after all.

regardless of her passing thought, kaede brightens up and lays her fingers delicately on the keys again, careful not to press just yet, and shows them first how to pose their hands; it's not with the whole finger, but the tip that pianist play. it's why they don't have long nails.]

Sure! Though I definitely don't expect you to be able to be able to play it, at least not off the bat. It is one of his easier songs at least.

[things take time, and practice... but she'll still play for them, and they can see how she lightens her touch on softer parts, how she strikes harder on louder ones, feel the shift of her legs as she uses the pedals as if part of her body -- she'll play as many loops as they'd like, to absorb it all.

what's most important for pianists, they can learn, is the flexibility of the hand, how her fingers seem to elongated to press the notes she needs, with ease and precision, enabling her a control on the sounds she produces.]

( oh, charmed. super charmed. amami's lit up like a star at that, lightly resting his chin on the top of kamo-kun's head as they watch kaede run through the notes over again — and he's sure they'll be able to capture every detail of it from this side. as for amami, it's all greek to him; music really is another language, and it's not one he's particularly practiced in either. for all he appreciates kaede's deft movements, there's little he actually absorbs from watching beyond the soft sound of her playing. it's nice though. )

[ It's nice because it's Kaede still playing, npckun drumming their fingers in time with hers as they watch her go through the motions, committing those keystrokes to memory and all those finer details of hers are things they'll have to sprinkle on top after the fact. Fingers arched, knuckles flat, scales crossing at the middle or ring fingers, their hands are small so if they can't reach an octave both at the same time then a quick jump from one key to the next is okay too as long as it's only that split second's difference. Piano... is hard. You have to be exact, hitting the right keys with the right timing with the right pressure, you have to be able to think ahead and improvise if necessary, and do all of that with TWO HANDS.

Kaede doesn't even have to look. ]

Akamatsu-san, you're incredible.

[ But they want to learn too, so after they shake off being mesmerized, they place their hands on the keyboard an octave apart from Kaede's, moving only their right hand despite both being on the keyboard but it's because the right hand carries the melody and that's what they need to feel out first, humming the notes under their breath and if it doesn't match the sound of the key they hit they're able to adjust and try again. ]

Oh, no, I just... spent a lot of time playing piano, that's all.

[a singleminded devotion that threatens her health if she isn't careful, that definitely cost her plenty growing up as she preferred notes and scores and the reflective tones of the piano beneath her fingertips. but kaede is still happy they want to try, because many people just sort of

stop

once they see her, they don't want to go any further once they see what she has to offer (there's no way they could match up to that, after all, why bother,) so this is pleasant and nice and she'll take her right hand off the melody to let them find the right flow, adjusting slightly so she can play the base harmony a little closer to their own octave.

it should be a little easier, since chopin's works pair that way.]

( ohhh yes!! look at these two! they are having fun and being talented and getting along... together. two of amami's favourite people! it's easy to tell how pleased he is with this turn of events, fond and warm and definitely excited to see kamo-kun give it their best try. kaede may be worried by the prospect of discouraging others, but really, from amami's perspective? )

If you learn from Akamatsu-san, I'm sure you could become pretty impressive yourself, y'know.

( it's about the only comment he has while they begin to find their melody, and he's careful to phrase it without putting too much weight on kaede either — kamo-kun is sharp, and self-taught in most things. while he's sure she wouldn't mind sparing some lessons for them, he doesn't think it's beyond kamo-kun to learn quite a bit just from watching either. )

[ They're also quiet, thinking that if they talk they're going to lose focus on their fingers and mess up, slow and stumbling as their playing is. Let them get to the end of the melody...

npckun lifts their hands off the keys and just sits for a second, before looking up at Kaede. ]

Are you good at teaching music?

[ Playing and teaching are sort of different. It'd be like asking them to explain woodworking when it's something they just... do. ]

[at least it isn't too embarrassing to be complimented on the side like that, implied as it is... she watches them as they focus, thinks of herself when she was younger and only a beginner -- when she simply liked to play, lose herself in the fun of making sound, and starts a little at the question.]

I've never taught anyone before, but I don't think I'd be bad at it. It isn't like I became a pianist overnight, either.

[she had teachers she learned technique from, practice pieces and concert etiquette. kaede can take how she was instructed and apply it here.]

So I'd be happy to teach you a few things, Kamo-kun, if you'd like to learn.

( oh? maybe it's about the passive faith then — though amami's not too concerned with his social skills right about now, more intent on the slow melody that kamo-kun plays as they experiment. his expression brightens tenfold once they pause, because in his opinion that's quite a lot better than he'd have been able to do just from watching and testing and trying, but he's happy to see them getting along too. )

It's up to you, but if you do end up trying, I think I'd like to hear you play some time.

( wants to hear how much they grow between now and when he loses that chance. )

npc contact.3

full navigation

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject