Strings That Shouldn’t Have Crossed

Chapter 2: Strings That Shouldn’t Have Crossed**

The weekend air carried the faint scent of rain as Takumi adjusted the strap of his guitar case. The streetlamps flickered, casting long shadows as he hurried through Aozora’s quiet backstreets.

He hadn’t planned to step out tonight. Normally, he just sent his recordings to Kanae, his manager, who handled the uploads and schedules. But fate had other ideas.

The old guitar string snapped mid-practice, recoiling like a whip. He tried to replace it, but the fretboard had cracked—a wound he couldn’t fix with his own hands.

*Kanae… I can’t call her now,* he thought. *It’s the weekend. She’ll be visiting her mother. I shouldn’t disturb her.*

Kanae had never spoken much about her personal life, but Takumi knew enough. She was the only one who understood the weight of being pulled between dreams and responsibilities. Her mother was hospitalized, and weekends were her sacred visits. Takumi would never disturb her then.

So he carried the guitar case himself and walked toward the small music shop named "Kaze no Oto"(Sound of the Wind) near the station, the quiet streets echoing each step. The bell above the door jingled as he entered, and the familiar scent of varnish and wood greeted him.

“Takumi-kun! Another emergency?” Mr. Kōsuke Hayasaka’s eyes twinkled behind his glasses.

“Yeah… it broke again. I… need it fixed before Monday,” Takumi muttered, placing the guitar on the counter.

Hayasaka chuckled softly. “Better safe than sorry, huh?”

As Hayasaka began work, the shop door jingled open again, letting in a gust of cool evening air.

“Wait… Takumi?” Haruki’s voice broke the quiet, a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Takumi blinked, startled to be spotted. “Uh… Haruki?”

He could feel his heartbeat quicken at the unexpected sight of both his best friend and Miyuki together, casually standing in a music shop on a weekend. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say, just smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

Haruki grinned, shrugging. “Violin needed a little tuning before our practice tomorrow. You know, keeping it ready for the festival.”

Miyuki nodded, adjusting the strap of her case. “And I wanted to go over some parts for our duet. Didn’t expect to see you here, Takumi.”

Takumi’s chest tightened slightly, seeing them both in the same place—his best friend and the girl he liked, casually planning and laughing together. *Of course they’d be together… why wouldn’t they?*

He managed a small, awkward smile. “I… uh… just came to get my guitar fixed. Broke a string.”

Haruki’s eyes flicked to the guitar case, curiosity piqued. “Wait… you play guitar?”

Miyuki’s eyes widened slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Really? I didn’t know…”

Takumi’s hands tightened around the strap. He hadn’t expected anyone to see it.

“I… I just never thought it mattered,” Takumi mumbled, a little embarrassed. “It’s… just a hobby.”

Hayasaka, standing nearby and adjusting a string on another instrument, laughed softly. “Hobby, huh? You’re selling yourself short, kid.”

Miyuki’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “That’s amazing. We might actually need a guitarist for the cultural festival…”

Haruki grinned, leaning a little closer. “Yeah. How about it, Takumi? Want to join us?”

Takumi’s heart skipped a beat. To play with them—their natural rhythm and energy—was both exciting and intimidating. He hesitated, tugging at the strap of his guitar.

“…I don’t know. Maybe not,” he said quietly, giving them an awkward smile.

Miyuki tilted her head, still smiling gently. “Well, we’ll figure something out. It’s just… nice to know.”

Haruki let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “So you’ve been hiding this all along, huh? You sneaky little musician.”

Takumi couldn’t help but grin a little, despite the nerves. “Haha… I’m not so good.”

He grabbed the repaired guitar from the counter. Hayasaka gave a small chuckle and a nod. “Don’t be shy. You’re too good to stay hidden.”

Takumi stepped out into the night, the cool breeze brushing past him. His fingers itched to play, but for now, he kept his secret close—just a quiet boy with a guitar, and a little surprise he hadn’t expected to share.

end of chapter

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***