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Brand New Breeze (or for short, BNB) is a roleplay forum based on the anime "La Corda d'Oro". We don't have a serious plot yet, which means that you may all chill out and enjoy your school life at Seiso to the fullest! But how long will those peaceful days last? Stay tuned to learn about the challenges Seiso Academy has yet to face...!
Feel free to join us, we're always happy to see new roleplayers! Latest Plot Development: "The price of the land in which Seisou is located has risen and Kira decides to move the school to somewhere else. But since he can't find a large place big enough for both departments, he wants to seperate the two departments. Both music ed. and gen-ed. students decide to work hand in hand and to rescue their school." THE ROLEPLAYING SECTION IS APPARENTLY ON TEMPORARY HIATUS Completed Reviews: 0/2 Tsuchiura Ryotarou (Kay) Honda Arina (Akahana) |
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| { CADENZA | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 6 2009, 12:38 PM (551 Views) | |
| peculuiarities | Feb 6 2009, 12:38 PM Post #1 |
 
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ca·den·za n. 1. An elaborate, ornamental melodic flourish interpolated into an aria or other vocal piece. 2. An extended virtuosic section for the soloist usually near the end of a movement of a concerto. { cadenza, As a rule, Kaji Aoi did not usually look forward to the end of a class day-- the proximity of his seat to a certain ruby-haired girl, paired with the natural ease he felt when confronted with anything even vaguely academic, made the normally interminable hours almost comfortable-- but today he was making an exception. With autumn break just around the corner, it seemed like the school faculty was trying to cram as much lessons into the next couple of weeks as possible before the students were released for their eagerly anticipated (albeit somewhat brief) vacation. As a result, it had become increasingly difficult to keep up with the relationships that he'd forged over the past few weeks. Now, it wasn't as if he was feeling particularly lonely; in fact, all evidence pointed to the contrary. He'd managed to slip easily into his role as 'smart, athletic, handsome transfer student' (something further corroborated by the increasing number of girls who cornered him at breaktimes in order to confess undying devotion), and his easygoing, friendly personality had helped him forge quite a few friendships. His teachers had been easily impressed by his proficiency in almost every subject, and his grades had never been higher. He was enjoying himself immensely with school, despite the occasional blip, and there really wasn't anything to complain about. All in all, it seemed downright ungrateful for him to feel unsatisfied. If the Fates were ever going to be personified into human form, then they were probably going to end up hunting him down and demanding eternal servitude in return for all gifts they'd handed him on a platter. He did appreciate all his good luck, really-- after all, he wasn't a completely ungracious idiot-- but, what with the pile of schoolwork they'd been given over the past few days, he could barely find the time to do what he liked best, which was to hang around Hino Kahoko and pick her mind. Of course, his desire to be around her couldn't quite be contained in those particular words; he liked to think that it was impossible to define, period. To an outsider, his reason for getting closer to Hino (and, ultimately, transferring to the same school) would probably seem incredibly shallow. From a rational point of view, one couldn't uproot oneself and enroll into another school simply because one admired a certain violinist. That sort of thing only happened in shoujo manga (not that he read any, mind you), or in cheesy daytime television. But Kaji tended to defy the usual strictures with an almost manic glee, and so he had gone against prudence and transferred to Seisou the first chance he got. It had taken his parents some convincing-- after all, the Kaji family were established patrons of his previous school-- but, poof! Two weeks after he'd asked his father for more information on Seisou Gakuen, and he was in it. Soon, he was walking the school's halls with all of the ease of someone who was, well, a student. That had been the first step; the second step was to establish a relationship-- any relationship-- with Hino Kahoko, and (hopefully) become her friend. Or something more. But really, 'friend' was good enough for him. The aforementioned distractions (i.e. schoolwork) had gotten in the way, however, and a month or so after the training camp incident-- a brilliant example of his infiltration abilities, although it didn't quite work out the way he'd expected-- there hadn't really been any headway with Hino. Of course, he still complimented her in the early mornings (and late mornings, and noontimes, and afternoons-- basically, any period he was near her), and she still flushed and gave him embarrassed (and slightly grudging) thank-yous, but that sort of thing was seeming more and more like a familiar routine. A change of tune was needed. Which was why today, instead of heading home after clubs like he usually did, he decided to stay behind and see if she wanted to walk home with him. And if he managed to catch a couple of minutes of her practicing on the roof or in the practice rooms (he'd sniff her out, if needed), well, so much the better. ooc;; It's long!! based on manga because I fail in general like that.8D |
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| poetryinmotion | Feb 8 2009, 08:57 PM Post #2 |
 
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As a rule, Hino Kahoko, unlike Kaji, generally very much looked forward to the end of the school day. She was merely an average student and often, her studies perplexed her or frustrated her, making her staring longingly out at the crisp autumn days and wish she was elsewhere. Another benefit to the day’s ending was that she could take the time to practice her violin as much as she desired before leaving for the evening—to her regret, being a general education student meant that she could only use practice rooms when the music students weren’t busy with them, and she often took to the roof instead to seek out the peace and quiet she needed to be at her best. She always felt vaguely self-conscious when using the practice rooms, because ever since the concours, she would look up from her perusal of a score, only to see a pair of eyes on her through the small glass pane on the door. Sometimes those eyes belonged to a friendly face, like Shimizu-kun just passing by, but sometimes the music student seemed judgmental of her paltry talents (now that the magic violin was no longer magical, she had pushed herself harder than ever to regain that easy skill, but she knew every time she played a sour note that her sound probably wasn’t the same). However, it would have been ungrateful of her, much like Kaji, to complain about her life—after all, she had been privileged with the gift of music, and offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop not only a love of the violin, but also new friendships; a whole world had opened up to her as a result of the concours and the music fata’s meddling, a world she cherished with all her heart. The self-consciousness she felt as a result of her fumbling and her lack of experience should only serve to further her dedication and commitment to her instrument. So, all in all, although her life was stressful currently, and she’d been so busy with schoolwork and practice that she’d had little time for a social life of any sort, let alone bonding time with her fellow concours participants, Kahoko couldn’t actually gripe that much. She had, other than incidents with music and magic and fairies, a fairly normal life for a second-year student. Which was where she differed immensely from Kaji-kun. She couldn’t imagine transferring to a new school in the middle of a semester, or managing to blend in as well as he had in such a short time. Nor could she imagine the life he must have led, in a family as wealthy as Yunoki-senpai’s… and yet, unlike the two-faced senior, Kaji’s sincerity shone through in everything he did. Except, possibly, when he had approached her in class and declared himself her number one fan (which wasn’t possible! He’d never heard her play before, had he? The whole incident had been very confusing, and had he not continued to be so polite and kind to her, she would have thought it a very poor joke). In turn, she always thanked him, turned red, and awkwardly looked away whenever he complimented her, and didn’t know what else to say. It was a mystery to her—almost all the other girls at Seisou had taken to him like flies to honey, and had he turned his ample charm on any of them, they would have swooned and he would have had himself a girlfriend in no time. But he didn’t pay more than was proper attention to them, and instead focused his gaze on her. She hardly knew what to think, at first, but as the weeks had passed and he had continued to behave in the same manner, she just assumed it was part of his personality to be so flattering and kind, even if it wasn’t deserved, and more or less learned to coexist with him in class without troubles. It wasn’t that she wasn’t willing to become friends with her supposed admirer (and really, why would anyone choose to admire her ?)—but they had just fallen into a strange routine of Kaji complimenting her in class, her brushing the praise off with an embarrassed thank you, and turning their attention back to the teacher, and she suspected they might continue on that way forever. And so it was, as she ran through some simple scale exercises and the melody line to Pachebel’s Canon to keep herself from getting rusty before launching into her latest selection, that she had lost track of the time entirely, and would have been surprised to know that the sports clubs were already going home for the day. She would have been further surprised to know that Kaji was searching for her in the practice rooms (which was where she was currently located). (ooc: I hope it's long enough! *bows*) |
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| peculuiarities | Feb 14 2009, 08:04 AM Post #3 |
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{ cadenza, Despite having been in Seisou for less than three months, Kaji felt like he knew it like the back of his own hand. After all, the school wasn't ridiculously huge like some private academies he knew (and had gone to; his parents had apparently considered his primary school education as the perfect opportunity to show him off to as many prestigious establishments as possible), and it had been constructed in such a way that turning a simple 90-degree angle was enough to get you to where you wanted to go. This was exceedingly helpful, especially to a (somewhat) new student, and it had lessened the need for time-consuming detours and oh-gee-I-seem-to-have-lost-my-way's. It also made it easier to navigate through what could have been an incredibly confusing topography-- after all, were there any other academies out there that boasted of a separated Music and General Education Department?-- and left over a generous grace period which could be used for other, more important activities, such as looking for Hino Kahoko. The late afternoon sun drifted almost lazily across the sky, painting it in purples and oranges and reds in preparation for the coming night. Sunlight, strong and slanted, filtered through the windows and trees, superimposing lacy patterns onto the ground. Kaji could hear the final strains of a conversation as he walked through the vacant corridors of the Music Department, towards the practice rooms; there were very few students still left about, and those that remained were preparing to go home. The halls and walkways of Seisou seemed lonely, devoid of the usual crowd of teenagers that teemed through the school. Empty, it felt larger, less of an institution and more of an enigma. He whistled tunelessly, one hand shoved in his pocket, the other swinging his schoolbag. At this time, he was usually on his way home, but selfishness (re: his insistent need to catch up on things with Hino) had prompted him to conduct a schoolwide search of the redheaded violinist. That part was relatively easy; he only needed to check the rooftop, and, finding that she was not there, merely conclude that she was in the practice rooms. Unlike him, she had a habit of staying an hour or so after school in order to practice by herself, as the final measures Pachelbel's Canon in D (he was partial to it in C, himself) that drifted over to him evidenced. He smiled to himself as the tune ended and a new one began; she was far from perfect, but there was always that touch of heart that she put into her playing that made listening to it worthwhile. Usually, she was accompanied by someone-- her former teacher, Ousaki, or that blue-haired virtuoso from the Music Department-- but today, he could only hear one violin. It was, he admitted to himself, rather lucky; it would have been awkward to ask her to walk home with him in front of another guy. Not that it wasn't embarrassing now, but still. Reaching what he hoped (he was relying on his ears) was the right practice room, he came to a stop. Hino was playing the final movement of the piece, it seemed; her bowing was slower, if a little choppy, and her pressure on the strings was getting lighter. He winced as her fingers stumbled a little on the vibrato-- he knew by experience how difficult it was to do that, especially in fourth position-- and leaned forward against the glass as she moved into the last few measures. Despite the errors, he found himself relaxing as she played; her music always had that effect on him. When the piece ended, he waited a moment before rapping his knuckles sharply against the door, and popping his head into the room. "Hey there, Hino-chan," he said casually, sidling into the practice room and grinning at her. ooc;; Sorry for the late reply!!/headdesk And, your post WAS long enough, and fun to read!8D I'm sorry for my terrible post ending ;w; |
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| poetryinmotion | Feb 18 2009, 06:22 AM Post #4 |
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As Kahoko concluded the last movement of her final piece of the day, frowning a little at her inability to master the vibrato in fourth position, then going back and correcting her bowing before continuing on (as she knew all too well, continuing on and letting a certain mistake go uncorrected meant it could become ingrained in her playing of that particular piece as habit, and that was unacceptable to the red-haired musician), she thought she could hear footsteps passing through the halls outside, a signal to her that it was time to finish for the evening and go home. When she breathed out and lowered her instrument, allowing for a moment of silence before attending to packing, letting the last note hover in the air before dissipating into the sound-proof walls, she finally heard the confident knock. Kahoko looked up just in time to see Kaji’s head appear through the crack in the door, followed by the rest of his body a moment later, giving her just enough time to stop from jumping out of her skin at the definite unexpectedness of his presence. True, he sat beside her in class every day and was nothing but a perfect gentleman (if a little heavy-handed with his startling compliments), but he had never sought her out outside of the school day before (to her knowledge). It was an interesting development. "Kaji-kun!" Kahoko said, a little more loudly than she'd meant to, her voice echoing in the tiny chamber in which she had played while her eyebrows rose in surprise. She tilted her head at him slightly, wondering if he'd gotten lost, then dismissing the thought just as quickly- Kaji seemed like a natural student at Seisou already, and he would surely have mastered the school’s layout by now. "What brings you here?" She attempted again, with a small smile as she packed her violin lovingly into its case with great affection and care, then slipped her sheet music into a folder that went into her school bag before standing again to greet him properly. |
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| peculuiarities | Feb 23 2009, 01:10 PM Post #5 |
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{ cadenza, "Ah, nothing really," Kaji said, shrugging easily after he'd given her the customary bob of the head by way of a proper greeting. The sky outside the windows was a drowsy, golden sort of pink, and it was purpling quickly at the edges; he calculated that they had, at the most, half an hour before night set in fully, which was just enough time for him to walk her home, if she agreed. He had yet to ask her her opinion on the matter, however, as throwing the question at her all of a sudden, after appearing out of the blue, wasn't exactly what one could call a proper conversation tactic. That, and the fact that Hino had a penchant for blushing whenever something vaguely romantic happened, and he wanted to keep the awkwardness to a bare minimum. "I suppose that I just wanted to hear you play again, is all. You played really well just now, by the way," he told her cheerfully, nodding at her violin case. "It was a pleasure to listen to, as always. I haven't really had the chance to hear you again, since everything's been so busy lately, so I got lucky today, don't you think?" He paused, noticing for the first time the load she was carrying. "Ah, let me take your schoolbag," he said, holding out his hand for it. "I don't feel comfortable letting you carry both your violin case and your school things. And, ah..." Kaji paused, awkward for the first time. Really, how did those shoujo manga heroes go about this sort of thing, anyway? (Not that he read any, of course. No, seriously.) The silence stretched on for a moment, each tick from the clock like a drumbeat of doom. This was impossible; he couldn't think of a single way to complete the sentence without sounding less like a suave, confident suitor (yes, that kind), or some seriously depraved ass. Finally, he took a deep breath and finished lamely, "If you like, I could, ahm, walk you home as well. Seeing as your house is more or less on the way to mine...?" In this case, 'more or less' meant two other streets, a right turn at the next intersection, and ten minutes' walk along the road, but then again, who was counting? ooc;; I'm so sorry this was late.;___; I had a busy week last week, and I got sick during the weekend.>__> Also, I'll try to keep my future posts in this length because the rest seem to be disproportionately large.;w; |
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| poetryinmotion | Feb 25 2009, 08:19 AM Post #6 |
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Having heard Kaji's reason for dropping in, Kahoko thought it only fair that she should balance the praise of her meager talents with that of someone more worthy than she. "Kaji-kun, you know, if you want to hear a really talented violinist, you ought to drop in on Tsukimori-kun's practice sessions sometime. He's much more technically advanced than me. Ah, but of course I don't mind your listening," she added hastily. "Oh, that's very kind, but really not..." She trailed off and handed Kaji the bag upon realizing that he was determined and likely wouldn't give up without a cordial yet firm verbal confrontation of some kind. The end result would be the same, so why not save herself the trouble of arguing with him? Upon looking out the window to see the sun rapidly sinking down on the horizon, Kahoko turned back to Kaji and nodded thoughtfully. She had an instinctive sense for when someone was floundering in social settings and had a penchant for rescuing them without even realizing she was doing so. This talent was applied to the transfer student now as she acquiesced to his kind invitation. "Thank you for offering. If it's not too much trouble, I suppose I would feel more comfortable walking home with someone else. I hadn't anticipated quite how early it gets dark these days..." Shouldering her violin case more firmly, she offered the boy a small, tentative smile. He really was a gentleman. It was a bit baffling to her, but certainly appreciated. She would be hard pressed to think of anyone else who would offer to walk her home on such short notice at some inconvenience to themselves. |
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| peculuiarities | Mar 8 2009, 11:21 AM Post #7 |
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{ cadenza, "Ah, but Tsukimori is so cold," Kaji said, waving a hand vigorously, as if to shoo Hino's suggestion away. "And his music is so perfect, too-- a little like a robot, if you don't mind me saying. You're much more fun to listen to, Hino-chan; you make mistakes, and you sound so earnest when you play that it gives off such a warm, friendly feeling." His grin grew wider as her protests trailed off, and he closed his fingers around the handle of her schoolbag. Hino was always so selfless, so fond of putting other people's comforts before her own, that he had begun to tally little victories like this. (He currently had a grand total of three. Yes, three.) It was a little silly, but really, she was so independent and giving that it was almost abnormal. "Besides," he continued, swinging the unremarkable brown bag with one hand and slipping the other into his pocket in one easy movement, "I'm more inspired by your playing than I am by his. No matter how well Tsukimori plays, he still doesn't enjoy his music half as much as you do, and I'd rather listen to someone who really loves music than to some cold virtuoso. Meaning no offense to Tsukimori, of course." He stole a look out the window as he spoke, squinting a little as the light from the setting sun reflected off the glass in sharp bursts. Although the practice rooms had no clear view of the entirety of the sky, the lengthening shadows were enough to tell him that the night was coming on fast. He didn't bring around a watch, and the practice room they were in didn't seem to have a clock, so he couldn't be sure of the time. Despite that, however, he had the distinct feeling that they were probably the only students left in that part of the campus; he'd taken a longer time to find Hino than he'd initially thought. "It's no trouble at all," Kaji told her, dancing a jig inside. He gave the room a cursory glance, to make sure that she hadn't left anything behind, before pulling the door open. "It's getting a little late, so I think we should get going before it gets really dark, ne? After you." ooc;; I'm sorry for the late reply!D: And, I wasn't sure whether Kaji uses honorifics for Tsukimori, so I just left it blank. |
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| poetryinmotion | Mar 10 2009, 04:28 AM Post #8 |
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“But Kaji-kun… I thought the point was to try not to make mistakes,” she replied, a little flustered that he’d noticed her errors so much that he felt the need to comment on them—albeit in a perplexingly nice way. Although she agreed with what Kaji was saying in theory—Tsukimori-kun’s music could be a little mechanical—she didn’t want to speak ill of a musician to whose level she aspired. But she smiled when Kaji told her that her playing sounded ‘warm and friendly’. That was the sensation she always got when listening to Hihara-senpai play, and she was happy to know that her own style had brought that feeling to others as well. “He does strike me as being something you’d put in a museum display, sometimes,” she said at last, and then, putting on a voice of a tour guide, “‘here we have Exhibit A, the classical violinist. Note his perfect technique and the subtle tilt of his chin.’” She had forgotten for the moment, as she walked out into the breezy evening air, that she was being followed by Kaji-kun (rather than, say, Mio or Fuyuumi-chan, to whom she could voice such thoughts without fear of censure). Glancing back, she immediately remembered just who her companion was, and her brows drew together as she hastened to make up for her error in judgment. “Ah, but I think we all love music in our own ways… why else would we play?” She asked innocently, unable to fathom a world where parents forced their children to train rigorously at instruments that they had no desire to touch. Admittedly, she had initially felt resentful toward Lili’s interference and the violin had seemed burdensome, but now she loved it so very much that she had all but forgotten those earlier frustrations (although she had many technical frustrations to make up for them, she persevered, rather than throwing the bow down and running away). “But it’s nice to know that you enjoy listening to me, warts and all… although I’m still not sure how I’m an inspiration.” She shrugged. “Thank you, really, for walking me home—and carrying the bag. I hope it’s not heavy.” ooc: that’s fine! I sort of doubt he does, so I wouldn’t worry about it. Also, your siggy! The Last 5 Years! What a great show!  |
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| peculuiarities | Mar 10 2009, 11:58 AM Post #9 |
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{ cadenza, “But Kaji-kun… I thought the point was to try not to make mistakes.” "Ah, of course!" Kaji replied quickly, half-shrugging in embarrassment. "I didn't mean that mistakes are good things, and should be repeated over and over again-- they aren't, and I should know-- I just meant that I find it much easier to listen to someone who makes at least a few errors while playing. It makes the experience more human, in my opinion, and it's easier for me to enjoy music that's played with heart, instead of music that sounds robotic." “He does strike me as being something you’d put in a museum display, sometimes. ‘Here we have Exhibit A, the classical violinist. Note his perfect technique and the subtle tilt of his chin.’” He laughed out loud at Hino's impromptu rendition of a stuffy museum guide, amused in spite of himself. He would never have thought that she could poke fun at Tsukimori, of all people; after all, one didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see how much she admired the other violinist. She was always so polite in front of him that it was a pleasant surprise whenever she loosened up and cracked a joke. (He couldn't understand why; it wasn't as if he was overly-dramatic and surrounded by rose petals like some shoujo manga heroes. ...Not that he read any shoujo manga, of course. Really.) “Ah, but I think we all love music in our own ways… why else would we play? But it’s nice to know that you enjoy listening to me, warts and all… although I’m still not sure how I’m an inspiration.” "Oh, but you are!" he cried, his eyes widening a little in perplexity. He'd thought it was glaringly obvious how much of an amazing person Hino was, and always found it difficult to believe that she wasn't being hounded by suitors left and right. (Except for a certain quintet of musicians-- Kaji wasn't dense-- but he chose to ignore the warning signs. After all, if they didn't know what they were missing, exactly, he wasn't obligated to tell them.) "Your music is so full of heart, and it's obvious to anyone watching that you love the violin! You're not a perfect violinist, like Tsukimori, yes, but even so, I believe that your playing is better than his. I mean, even someone like me, who has barely any musical ability at all, was inspired to practice. You're too modest, Hino-chan," he finished, shaking his head. “Thank you, really, for walking me home—and carrying the bag. I hope it’s not heavy.” "Ah, it's no problem at all!" he said, hefting her bag up to show how light it was. "Your school things aren't heavy at all, and it's a pleasure to walk you home." ooc;; Frequency of quotes because...um...conversation!8DD AND OMG YES THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS SO AWESOME. Shiksa Goddess is one of my favorite songs, even though I haven't seen the show.XDD; And. Tamaki-reference. Because Mamoru Miyano is synonymous to roses and 'Okaa-saaan!'s. |
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| poetryinmotion | Mar 16 2009, 04:23 AM Post #10 |
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Robotic? Oh, no, is that what she’d implied with her silly quip about Tsukimori’s grave style? She hadn’t meant to. His was a level of mastery she could only hope to aspire to someday in the far distant future, after all. “Ah, but I didn’t mean it in a bad way, of course!” She hastened to correct her error. “I could see him belonging in a museum as a display of how exacting and rigorous training to play an instrument can be, and how the results can pay off, too.” Sadly, despite Kaji’s mental protestations that he didn’t resemble a shoujo manga hero, Kahoko would have had to disagree. Although he wasn’t surrounded by softly drifting flower petals or aptly placed bubbles in soft lighting, his behavior was very much that of a knight in shining armor type or a prince charming (although Yunoki senpai outwardly displayed that latter behavior as well, and she of all people knew that it could be nothing more than a façade) . No, she decided, definitely a knight. He even looked the part, with his handsome features and his noble actions like carrying her bag- because really, who did that anymore? Not that she was complaining- Kaji was clearly much stronger than her, since he didn’t find her bag with all her music and school books heavy. “I’m not,” she protested weakly, waving her hands in front of her and shaking her head in reply to his, so they were a pair of matching bobble-head dolls in the eyes of any passersby. And Kaji was indeed more aware than the quintet, and as such, stood a much better chance of insinuating himself into her affections than the boys who had yet to assess and come to the obvious conclusion regarding their feelings toward the red-haired violinist. “And now you’re the one being modest, Kaji-kun,” she said plaintively, pointing a finger at him. “I know you work hard to improve your technique on the viola, and you’re far from having ‘barely any’ ability. But I’m glad I could play a small part in bringing you back to music,” she admitted, her love of the instrument and hope that others would feel the same way about theirs shining clearly in her eyes. Ooc: You’ve gotta see the show, it makes so much sense in performance. The forward-backward thing where they meet in the middle for The Next Ten Minutes? Pitch-perfect. And ppppffttt is Kaji a host now? |
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| peculuiarities | Mar 16 2009, 11:30 AM Post #11 |
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{ cadenza, “And now you’re the one being modest, Kaji-kun. I know you work hard to improve your technique on the viola, and you’re far from having ‘barely any’ ability. But I’m glad I could play a small part in bringing you back to music.” "'Working hard' is not the same as 'playing well', Hino-chan," Kaji laughed, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "But thank you; hearing that from someone like you makes me want to try harder. Unfortunately, the only claim I can make to any natural music-related ability is my hearing, which is about as useful during practice as having a forty-piece orchestra play in a fishbowl. Which is, not at all, since it's difficult for me to correct the mistakes I hear in my own playing." They paused at an intersection, the red light behind the pedestrian sign glowing weakly against the final threads of sunlight. "Ah," he said quickly, escorting her across the pedestrian lane as soon as the green light blinked on, "but I don't mean to complain. Hearing like mine makes appreciating music so much easier, so it's more of a blessing than a curse, I suppose." There was a dull 'click' as the streetlights were switched on, and Kaji had to blink a little at the sudden brightness. The sidewalks were largely unpopulated at that moment-- most people were in shops, looking around, or still at work-- but there were still a few stragglers strolling about. It was a quiet town in the late afternoons and early twilights, so they could carry on a conversation comfortably without any loud interruptions. In fact, the only sounds that drifted through the night air were the gentle "Thank you"s of store employees as customers filed in and out of their doors, or the occasional high-pitched squeal from a teenage girl. It was a sharp contrast to the weekends, when the streets were alive with the buzz of conversation of throngs of people. The quiet was pleasant, however, and for a few moments Kaji didn't speak. "Ah, Hino-chan," he said suddenly, after a companionable silence, "I've always been meaning to ask this, but the opportunity never came up. Why did you suddenly decide to take up the violin? From what I've heard, you only started a few months ago, is that right?" ooc;; The last paragraph is a scramble for conversation topics, I'm sorry.XD And, wahh! I wish I could see it.;_; They don't show it here.D: A...and, I need to get Tamakaji out of my head, so...Host Club!XDD;; /shot repeatedly |
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| poetryinmotion | Mar 30 2009, 06:27 AM Post #12 |
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“It would be very difficult to fit an entire orchestra in a fishbowl, Kaji-kun,” Kahoko said with a mischievous smile. “I think you would need an aquarium for that. Don’t roll your eyes at me,” she scolded him without any actual censure. “I’m quite serious. I have certainly wished for perfect pitch at times—tuning my violin would become so much easier, for one thing.” Walking with Kaji had been surprisingly peaceful and companionable, even when they lapsed into a mutual silence. Outside a classroom setting, when he wasn’t continually (embarrassingly, for her at least) complimenting her with every sentence that left his mouth, Kaji was rather nice company. And then Kaji-kun asked her the one question for which she had no readily available, logical answer. There was truly no good way of telling the truth without making herself sound like a complete lunatic. ‘Well, you see, a fairy of music came to me one afternoon and gave me a magic violin, then enrolled me in the concours without asking for my permission’ just wouldn’t do. Sometimes the truth really was stranger than fiction. “Well, I suppose you could say it was a gift,” she began slowly. “The violin was a gift, anyway. I’m ashamed to admit that I wasn’t interested in playing, at first… but then I heard someone playing Ave Maria on the violin from an open window, and the music touched me. From then on, I realized what music could do and be for people… and I resolved to keep working until I could make that kind of sound from my own heart. And I’m still working, and probably will be for the rest of my life,” she concluded with a soft smile. “But it’s a journey I’m both willing and happy to make. How about you, Kaji-kun?” She asked, turning the question back around on him and simultaneously taking the focus of attention off herself. “Why do you love the viola?” |
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| peculuiarities | Apr 14 2009, 04:21 AM Post #13 |
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{ cadenza, “Well, I suppose you could say it was a gift. The violin was a gift, anyway. I’m ashamed to admit that I wasn’t interested in playing, at first… but then I heard someone playing Ave Maria on the violin from an open window, and the music touched me.” Despite the fact that Kaji was sincerely interested in the roots of Hino's violin-playing, a small part of him couldn't help feeling just the tiniest bit jealous. It was irrational of him, he knew; after all, there were scores of violinists in Seiso, and any number of them could probably play Ave Maria without much difficulty. Talent was anything but scarce in the music department, and Hino's mysterious violinist could have been anyone. He was (almost) completely convinced of this. So, it was ridiculous of him to allow the name 'Tsukimori Len' to roll around in his head like some demonic marquee. Really, his self-esteem couldn't be that low, could it? “From then on, I realized what music could do and be for people… and I resolved to keep working until I could make that kind of sound from my own heart. And I’m still working, and probably will be for the rest of my life. But it’s a journey I’m both willing and happy to make. How about you, Kaji-kun? Why do you love the viola?” He paused, caught off-guard for a moment. How like Hino to twist the conversation away from herself; it was endearing, if a little disappointing. After all, humility, while an admirable trait, wasn't exactly a useful variable in the 'get-to-know-Hino-better' equation. He wasn't complaining, though-- without her ever-present sense of selflessness, she wouldn't be Hino, would she? That aside, however, Kaji was at a loss at how to answer her question. While he did, in fact, love music-- the fact that he had enrolled himself into Seiso Gakuin after hearing Hino play was proof of that-- he wasn't sure if he felt the same way about the viola. It wasn't his first instrument, so he had, if any, very little in the way of devotion. That wasn't to say that he cared for it not at all-- he wasn't heartless. But the viola, to him, was simply a medium-- a bridge that linked him to that elusive mistress, Music. He was grateful to it, in the way that a drowning man was grateful to a buoy for keeping his head out of the water, but he did not love it. "I... don't know if I can say that I love it, per se," Kaji said aloud, his brow furrowing slightly as he tried to piece together his thoughts. "Not as much as you love your violin, at least. I'm thankful for it, I guess; I'm able to use it as a medium for music, and it's beautiful in the way that only instruments can be, but I suppose I just haven't reached that point where I start thinking, 'I want nothing more than to play, to bring this music to everyone else.' I'm a little selfish in that respect, maybe?" He laughed once, sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Hino-chan. That probably wasn't a very good answer." ooc;; I...have no idea at all if Kaji loves the viola, so I just made the above up.;w; I'm sorry if it goes against canon. "orz |
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| poetryinmotion | Apr 16 2009, 05:27 AM Post #14 |
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If Kaji had known that the violin in question was, in fact, Tsukimori's, and that it was his playing that had inspired Kahoko to take up the violin in earnest, he probably would have had even more reason to be jealous. So it wasn't all that irrational of an assumption, or a fear, although Kahoko might have been a bit amused to know that the seemingly-unflappable Kaji Aoi was prey to the same insecurities as normal human beings. All the same, his jealousy was undoubtedly misplaced, since Kahoko remained fairly oblivious to anyone who attempted to woo her, and Tsukimori had certainly never made any advances in that regard. The most that could be said for the chilly violinist was that he had defrosted a little (a very, very little) by the end of the concours. And while it was true that he had inspired her to dedicate her time to music, so had all the other concours members. She had learned from each of them in turn, and while she would never forget the haunting melody of that first Ave Maria, there was other music in her heart now, as well. Certainly there was room for the strains of a certain golden-haired violist, should he be inclined to play. Kahoko listened intently while Kaji confessed to his lack of enthusiasm for his instrument with a rather serious look on her face, wondering if she should counter his thoughts or not. "The viola is necessary, though. You can't have a string quartet without it, let alone an orchestra. It provides the 'alto' tones and there's a rich, warm quality to it that the violin just can't replicate. It's like listening to honey, or... butter," she said, and then winced at how stupid that had sounded. "Ah, don't listen to me. That was an awful analogy. I don't play it, I don't know what I'm talking about. But you're... you're not selfish, Kaji-kun. It's a fine answer, if that's how you really feel." Kahoko bit her bottom lip as they walked, wondering just how much she could safely confess. "It took me a long time to feel that way about my violin. I almost... put it down and tried to walk away, once. But the farther I walked, the worse I felt, and... I had to run back to it. That's horrible, isn't it? That I tried to abandon my instrument? I'm sure a music department student would never even dream of doing such a thing," she said with a sigh. "Like I said, I have a long way to go." |
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| peculuiarities | Apr 16 2009, 11:03 AM Post #15 |
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{ cadenza, "The viola is necessary, though. You can't have a string quartet without it, let alone an orchestra. It provides the 'alto' tones and there's a rich, warm quality to it that the violin just can't replicate. It's like listening to honey, or... butter. Ah, don't listen to me. That was an awful analogy. I don't play it, I don't know what I'm talking about." "I don't think that's a bad analogy at all," Kaji said, laughing. There was something warm about the viola; it provided a comfortable background to the stately, elaborate melodies that violins usually had. Even when it was played at speed, it was earthier, somehow-- thicker, mustier, reminiscent of afternoons spent leafing through dusty old albums, or attics draped in veils of late sunlight and dust. Like Hino mentioned, it did sound a little like honey-- thick and slow and amber-colored. "A food analogy? Don't tell me you're hungry, Hino-chan," he teased, turning to grin at her. They were past the town proper by now, and the streets had made the subtle switch from commercial to residential. Instead of store signs like pennants above their heads, canopies of trees and the occasional streetlight courted the sky. "Seriously, though, you hit the nail on the head-- the viola does sound like that. I mean, it's different with a violin-- it's a regal thing-- all proud and beautiful, like a queen. The viola just fleshes her out, like, oh, I don't know, her scepter or her gown." "But you're... you're not selfish, Kaji-kun. It's a fine answer, if that's how you really feel." "Ah, that's good to know," he said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "It's just that, seeing the way you-- Tsuchiura and your friends in the music department too, of course, but mostly you-- love your instrument so much makes me wish I did, too. It'd be nice to have that kind of relationship with my viola, and I really wish I did, but I suppose it just comes with time." He chuckled, once. "No shortcuts, right?" "It took me a long time to feel that way about my violin. I almost... put it down and tried to walk away, once. But the farther I walked, the worse I felt, and... I had to run back to it. That's horrible, isn't it? That I tried to abandon my instrument? I'm sure a music department student would never even dream of doing such a thing. Like I said, I have a long way to go." "Really?" Kaji was genuinely surprised; perhaps it was because he had only known her for a short while, but he could never imagine Hino Kahoko without her violin. It was like trying to teach a goldfish to dance the tango-- inconceivable. If anyone else had told him that, he would have brushed it off as a joke. "That's... wow. I never realized that Hino-chan would ever want to do that, but I guess I was wrong. "But even so, I think something like that was good for you, in a way," he said after a moment of thought. "I mean, without making the decision to stop playing, like you did that time, you wouldn't have been able to truly appreciate your music. I mean, the fact that you came back, even after you put the violin away, just shows that you do have a bond with your instrument. It's not horrible at all-- I think it makes you a better musician, in a way." ooc;; |
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5:58 PM Nov 8
