Chapter 2

| Chapter 2 : "Enthralled by Your Music"

...🎶...

The school courtyard was unusually quiet for a Thursday afternoon. Most of the students had either gone home or were busy with club activities, leaving the campus wrapped in a serene stillness. Lyneora wandered the grounds, her thoughts a tangled mess as she clutched her notebook.

She had been restless all day. The weight of her secret, her newly discovered resolve, and the uncertainty of her future pressed down on her like an invisible hand. Writing in her notebook had become a small solace, a way to spill her emotions onto paper. But today, even that had failed her.

Rounding a corner near the back of the school, Lyneora paused. A soft, haunting melody drifted through the air, carried by the breeze. It was delicate yet powerful, like a cry from a soul yearning to be heard. She followed the sound, her curiosity piqued.

Behind the old gymnasium, she found the source: a boy sitting cross-legged on the ground, his head bowed over an acoustic guitar. His fingers moved naturally, coaxing emotions from the strings as if they were alive. The melody was melancholic, resonating with a beauty that made Lyneora's chest tighten.

She recognized him immediately- Shinden Roy Incognito II, her quiet classmate who rarely spoke more than a few words in class. He was the kind of student who blended into the background, unnoticed and unbothered. But here, in this secluded spot, he was transformed.

For a moment, Lyneora hesitated. She felt like an intruder, witnessing something deeply personal. But the music was magnetic, drawing her closer until she couldn't resist.

"That's beautiful," she said softly.

Shinden Roy's fingers faltered, and the melody abruptly stopped. His head snapped up, his wide eyes meeting hers. He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Lyneora smiled, stepping closer. "I didn't know you could play like that. Why hide it?"

Shinden Roy shifted uncomfortably, his fingers still resting on the guitar strings. "It's... just a hobby," he said, his tone defensive. "Nothing special."

"Nothing special?" Lyneora repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That was incredible. You've got talent."

Shinden Roy glanced away, his grip on the guitar tightening. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Lyneora tilted her head, intrigued by his guarded demeanor. "Why not? If I could play like that, I'd want everyone to know."

"It's not about that," Shinden Roy muttered, his voice barely audible. "I just... I don't want people to make a big deal out of it."

Lyneora crouched down to his level, her hazelnut eyes studying him intently. "You know, you're a bit of a mystery, Shin. You don't talk much, and now I find out you're secretly a musical genius? What other secrets are you hiding?"

Shinden Roy's lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but he quickly masked it with a shrug. "Nothing. This is just something I do for me. That's all."

"Well," Lyneora said, sitting cross-legged across from him, "I think it's amazing. You don't need to hide it from me."

Shinden Roy hesitated, his gaze flickering between her and the guitar. "You really think it's good?"

"Good? It's incredible," she replied earnestly. "The way you played... it felt like you were telling a story without words. It's something I've never heard before."

For a moment, Shinden Roy seemed to wrestle with his thoughts. Then he sighed, setting the guitar down beside him. "It's not something I talk about. My family wouldn't understand, and I don't want to deal with the questions."

Lyneora nodded, her expression softening. "I get that. Sometimes it's easier to keep the things we love to ourselves, so no one can ruin them."

Shinden Roy looked at her, surprised by her understanding. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Something like that."

They sat in silence for a while, the tension between them easing. Lyneora couldn't help but feel drawn to Shinden Roy, not just because of his music but because of the quiet vulnerability he carried. It reminded her of herself, the way she had to mask her fears and dreams from the world.

"You know," she said after a while, "I've been thinking about starting something... a project. Something meaningful. And I think music could be a big part of it."

Shinden Roy raised an eyebrow. "What kind of project?"

"A band," she said, the idea forming more clearly in her mind as she spoke. "Something different. Anonymous, maybe- just about the music, not who we are."

Shinden Roy frowned. "A band? You play?"

"I dabble," Lyneora admitted with a grin. "Mostly piano. But I think music has a way of connecting people, of saying things words can't. Don't you think?"

Shinden Roy didn't answer immediately. He picked up his guitar again, plucking a few strings absently. "Maybe," he said finally. "But why a band? Why now?"

Lyneora hesitated, her fingers brushing against the edge of her notebook. She couldn't tell him everything-not yet. Instead, she shrugged. "Why not? Life's too short to wait for the perfect time."

Shinden Roy studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he smirked, just barely. "You're persistent, aren't you?"

"Very," Lyneora said, her grin widening. "So? Are you in?"

Shinden Roy sighed, shaking his head. "You don't even have a band yet."

"Details," Lyneora said breezily. "We'll figure it out. But it won't work without you, Shin. Your music... it's something special. Don't let it stay hidden."

Shinden Roy looked down at his guitar, his fingers brushing the strings as if considering her words. Finally, he nodded, just once. "Fine. But only if we stay anonymous. No one can know it's me."

"Deal," Lyneora said, extending her hand.

Shinden Roy hesitated, then shook it, his grip firm but warm.

As they sat together, the sun dipping low on the horizon, Lyneora felt a spark of hope she hadn't felt in days. For the first time since her diagnosis, the weight on her chest felt just a little lighter.

This was just the beginning.

...🎶...

...⚜️ AerixielDaiminse ⚜️...

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