Tuition?

[x A m r i t a . . .]

OOC: Private.

Audiotorium-- It is by far the most favoured place in the academy for him. Apart from his now-his-own dorm room. He had a room mate once. Before he kind of disappeared into thin and and never even inhabbited the supposedly 'share room'. He thought of it as his own nowadays. But still, such places are not properly accousticised for guitars which are plugged into an amplifier and played loudly for one's joy.

There he stood, in front of the audiotorium, twisting the door knob open with his left hand. His right was used to carry a hard case, and his torso was strapped with a soft case, which is carried like a backpack. The door swung open, the boy stepped inside and placed his hard case down. His hand descended down from the wall, down to the light switched.

Soon the place brightened up, viewing the properly accousticed room. It is, the best for music and the likes afterall. Soon, the school's clock tower's second hand reached twelve o'clock and the bell rang twelve times. Suggesting it was midnight by now. The boy picked up his hard case once more, and walked inside the room, closing the door behind him.

He took off the softcase off his back and placed the hard case back on the ground, this time, lying down. The soft case was placed gently against a table. He opened the hard case, revealing what was inside it: his fender stratocaster.

Smiling as he saw the guitar, he picked it up and placed the straps around his shoulder, immediately plugging the said guitar into the amplifers, connecting it to the different sorts of effect frogs that were neatly packed on a foot paddle tray.

Doing the usual warm ups, and adjusting the pick ups, he smiled. Definitely satisfied with it now. He stretched, holding his black pic tightly in between his index and thumb. Then positioning his fingers on the third fret of the E string, the same with he B string, second fret on D nd third on A, strumming t once. Moving on to third on E, third on B, second on G and third on E. It was then followed by: third on E, third on B, second on A and third fret on E.

The chords are continuously repeated, with him humming the tunes of the song, trying to immitate the vocalist of the song.

[Ri]

She thought it was unfortunate that she had finished her supply of sleeping pills. She still couldn't sleep well at night. She had been lying on her blue sheeted bed for three hours now, shifting from varied positions over time. She just couldn't get herself in that, supposedly, comfort zone of her own mattress.

It was definitely nostalgia.

Risha had been at home for almost eleven years. She was home schooled, narrowing her world around her mother and her seldom present father and brother. She was a sweet, quiet child towards her family. And now, without her family to cling on, she had no comfort to speak of.

Ri prayed for a yawn...even just one. Nothing came.

She sat up, ruffling her ashen hair as she slid down the bed. She slipped into comfy pants and shirt and went out of the room, thinking of getting herself a nice warm cup of milk to aid her need for slumber.

With soft, silent slippers, she sauntered towards the canteen. She had her glass minutes after and then walked back up with hopeful satisfaction. However, she did not reach her room for as she turned her gray eyes through the window, she saw the clock tower strike twelve.

The bell sent her goosebumps.

Ri sighed, aiming for her door when the sudden flicker of light caught her eyes. It was an unfamiliar building--knowing she hadn't taken much of a tour of the academy. But it hit her curiosity. Someone's still up this late? She smiled, musing she related to whoever it was in there.

With a decision in mind, she grabbed a night robe and then went to the audiotorium. She was somehow excited, like any other curious cat, as she slipped through the entrance of the structure and made her way to the front door proper leading to the room where the light originated.

Taking careful measures if ever that was a professor, she pulled the door ajar slightly and something amazed her right away. Someone was playing a guitar--her most beloved instrument among all made by human hands. And not only was the person playing, he was also...singing.

It was too much. She blushed right then and there. And it was no sooner that Ri pulled the door further, hoping not to distract whoever it was. But upon getting a better view of the...guy...?

She gasped.

"You!" Her round eyes and her parted lips betrayed her stalking.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

His continous strums were abruptly interrupted by a shout. With a false last-chord, he strummed it weirdly, making a horrible sound. He switched off the amplifier immediately, turning his head back to the direction in which the voice had came from.

He'd definitely seen her before. It was not long ago.

He sighed.

Lifting the fender stratocaster up above his head, he threw the strap over from the back of his neck, parting him with the metallic blue guitar. Gently placing the stratocaster on the piano seat, where he had been sitting. Careful that it wouldn't drop-- it is a piece of his very much loved collection after all.

"Be quiet." He ordered. "It's the middle of the night, someone might wake up. You can either come in or leave, your choice."

Surprisingly, he had invited the strange girl in. Was it his will or did he just doesn't want to be caught. True that, sending her out would be more risky than asking her to stay there with him until he was finished-- Which is currently unknown.

The raven-haired may take a few hours, around four or five. That just shows how dedicated he was, but he was also risking his healthy state. He soon manouevered his stance, facing away from the girl and walking towards the windows. Dressing it with its curtains. If they were closed earlier, he wouldn't have been disturbed now, would he?

[Ri]

"It's the middle of the night, someone might wake up. You can either come in or leave, your choice."

Risha was still holding her breath as she waited for the next words. She slowly eased into the room and closed it, carefully not making the littlest sound. She was expecting the handsome guitarist to lash her with his sharp tongue like what he did with Psycho before. However, his smile that time in the North Woods calmed her somehow.

The guy moved over to the windows and pulled the curtains. It was obvious that he didn't want any more visitors. Well, maybe he didn't want any.

Ri blushed involuntarily. She kept her hands clasped behind her back as she dared approach him, decreasing their distance of fifteen feet by two. He scared her still, though. But with those raven strands crowning his handsome, sharp face distracting her, she almost thought he was an attractive demon.

Her brows creased when they met. She was getting odder being around with the guitarist.

Knowing that she caused that faulty strumming, she cleared her throat and tried hard to make her voice loud enough to reach him. "I apologize..." she would have easily choked. "If it's alright...may I come...nearer?" A small smile she failed to cover because of excitement crossed her white face. "I want to see you play."

[x A m r i t a . . .]

His head turned to an angle, viewing the girl, but then soon reverted to its previous position, continueing to close the curtains. Hearing her, it was sort of flattering. The comments the girl had made, that is. He had never been that much praised. Of course, the only one that knew about his skills was probably the people who auditioned for the band and Shugo.

Other than that, others may know him for knowing a lot in the musical industry. The dance that him and Shugo had made was a real hit, and that was probably the trampoline for those who came. Though his amazingness was limited to only that. Although he wasn't really very good at dance, his flexibility attracts attention.

The raven-head let out a sigh. As he let his hand part away with the curtains' seams. He walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come over." He said to her, not even bothering to take a proper look at the girl.

He continued walking to where he had been before Picking up his stratocaster and strapping it around his torso once more. He turned on the amplifiers once more, then holding his pic with his right hand.

With the same chords, he played the three-chorded song once more. It was by far the most basic song to play, which had a deep meaning to him. From the start to the end, the guitar oly played the same three chords at all times. He after the third round of the same three-chords over and over, he opened his mouth.

"Kuusaki wa midori, hana wa saki hokori iro." He sang softly, "Toridori shiki wa mata meguri koharu biyori..."

[Ri]

He's coming near me.

The distance between them was lessening.

He's coming near me!

He was three feet away.

HE'S COMING NEAR--

"Come over." The guy, whose name was still unknown to her, touched her shoulder. No one, as in no one, had touched her shoulder in that school. A little zap of lightning, related to the many mushy stuff she heard before, hit her when that short contact happened.

Before she knew it, Risha was like a lamb seated on the floor near his feet. She watched him turn the amplifier, unaware what they were. She smiled to herself as she thought how cool he was as he got his stratocaster strapped across his body. She wondered at his agile fingers as they pressed on the exact strings while the pick touched the right strings.

The chords were the same and they made a nice pattern that set the melody. Ri quickly got drew into the music, almost inching further towards the guitarist. The rhythm was head moving though she kept her head still, her smile inching wider.

She wasn't exposed to such music and language. Her mother was a fan of opera music, all in either Latin or French. She didn't understand them either but she liked how they sounded with their inhumanly shrill voices. But this...this was different.

It was definitely soothing despite her unfamiliarity. What was more charming was seeing the guy play live. His voice was...sexy. Ri was surprised herself--she never used that word. But there it was, handsome, manly, ever sexy.

It was new for her but she stared at him, nonetheless. He was beautiful. It felt like a warm breeze was blowing through his hair, his voice, his music, sending her into an odd, floaty place. She felt...so happy.

Ri embraced her knees and laid her chin on them. Unknowingly, a tear fell from her eye.

She was so happy watching him.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

He-- who was too into his music, didn't even notice the girl anymore. Only strumming steadily, immitating the likes of how the song would go. The vocals was no big deal-- He was better at vocals than guitar in the first place.

The young man's guitar volume did not engulf the soft vocals, saying the lyrics with a tone; singing it. A lot of pauses are built into the song. That implies on both the lyrics and the guitar's lines. Though, the song's main aspect was the vocals, and he was somewhat performing it greatly.

Lifting his head, as he felt his neck stiffening in its position, he does not need to stare at his left hand to make sure he was playing the right chords. He could hear if he had made any mistake.

Catching a glimpse of the girl, now on the floor with tears streaming down her eyes. His attempted strum was once more disturbed. Though at this moment, he not annoyed... Yet. It would depend on the reason why this girl is crying.

If it was a good one-- then he'll forgive her. On the opposite-- that would only increase the temperature on his temper-level. He was short-tempered. Anyone would know that even in their first meeting. Still, it was hard to believe for him to be making a girl cry. Or was the girl crying out her sorrows? Even though he does not dare to, there was no other choice than to ask.

"Miss?" He started the question, "May I know why you're cryin'?"

[Ri]

"May I know why you're cryin'?"

Ri's eyes refocused on those orbs eying her. She felt like looking up straight at a mirror. She stared at first, wondering why the music stopped. The next second, she tried remembering if she heard what he said.

"What?--" She suddenly felt another tear drop on her hands curled around her knees. Risha was surprised herself while she hastily wiped her damp cheeks. Her blush was growing on her pale flesh once more. "I-It's nothing." She replied rather with no assurance. She was trying to decipher the reason behind the tears.

Risha looked down on her wet fingers. I've not cried for...years. Whenever she felt intense emotions, she quickly flew into rage. That was because of her Alice. But now with the restrictor, she could skip the anger and delve into deeper feelings. She wasn't in touch with her inner self until those minutes of pure ecstasy, drowning in his voice. What was his name, anyway?

Ri smiled at the beautiful god of the guitar before her. "I'm just happy." She sighed. "It's not everyday I feel this joy. Your voice..." she looked down in embarrassment. "...it's too beautiful. Too much for me." She clasped her hand on her lips. "I get soothed by it, like how my mother's opera mu--" she stopped. The tears choked her.

It was nostalgia, still.

"I'm sorry, please, play." Ri drew closer, she felt finally at ease. "After you finish, I'll go. I promise."

She was not a talkative person. However she remembered Saint's words when they spoke one day.

"It's been a while since I thought of the outside world, it's refreshing to hear from someone about it."

However, it was different. She felt like being embraced once more by her comfort zone as she listened to him. "Please, ignore me." She almost begged. "Please play, sir." She lowered her head against her knees as if slowly being enchanted by sleep.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

'Nothing' didn't seem like the correct and honest answer coming from her. Non-the-less he still got an answer, and that's all he ever really cared about. Hey, at least he asked her why she was crying, no? Even though he really had no intentions of doing so.

Once again her words had flattered him due to his talent. It wasn't the first time that he was praised, but this one was over-praise. He was probably only professional amongst his year group, but he was nothing compared to the world's guitarists and vocalists out there.

His voice was yet to crack into a deeper one. However, Japanese boys rarely get their voices down real low. It only had a tinge of bass in it, that was it. Forced to take care of his vocal cords, or else he'd never really feel at ease.

The praises and begs coming from the girl had hesitated him from playing his guitar, and singing on top of that. Sure he could just play his solos-- self created ones, and probably not so good. But he was in the mood to let out his voice. It's been a while since he did sing afterall. He cleared his throat.

"Please, miss." He said, "You're flattering me. I'm pretty narcisstic and I want to hide that fact."

He ran his left hand around the arm of his stratocaster once more, stopping on the first fret. His fingers pressed to create the strum of an E note, then changing to F-minor and to A. At the same time, singing an english song that he enjoys due to the nice guitar lines.

[Ri]

I can't think well. Am being attacked by fever...again. XO

Ri looked up once more when he spoke. "Please, miss. You're flattering me. I'm pretty narcisstic and I want to hide that fact." She looked away from his gaze. She was also flattered that she flattered
this guy with the guitar. She apparently missed the part when he said he had narcissism. Who could focus on his words when his voice was too much to handle?

As she looked back at the handsome man seated--poised on the piano cushioned stool, she found him contemplating on something before his slender fingers moved once more to touch the third, fifth and fourth string. She didn't know what note it was...but it sounded like E, basing on the times she watched musicians playing at some spots by the sidewalk of London streets.

His lips parted and now, she heard English words. Her cat-lips pursed, musing what a nigh tangle he was.

There they were, making a musical haven out of the simple audioterium. It was amusing to watch that such a warm, enticing environment was made by only two people. A girl, a slave to his voice and skill, sitting at his feet, almost touching his knees with her stubborn white hair. And a boy with that ardor passion for his songs, with a sharp look mixed with unfathomable softness in his eyes, playing to his calling's content.

Ri thought of asking his name but she was afraid of distracting the god in his majestic strumming. She opted to wait for his lips to be pursed once more before speaking. However, doze was taking over her. He was too relaxing to be with--at least when his voice was seducing her inner attraction.

Her gray eyes were drooping, her head slightly moving to the side. Her strands of snow almost brushing against him.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

Again was he too into it. Too into his music that he forgets everything. Everything-- even the fact that a girl is sitting so near to him. It was expected from a maniac; music maniac. He was one of them who's serious. His pierced bottom lips moved in motion with the words he was saying. Although it would be pretty hard to read from the lips only, to see what he was saying.

"What a fool, I don't know 'bout tomorrow..."

The chorus hit. His strums were a little more aggressive, as it hit C minor, A and E. Then trailing off to the others as he continued with the chorus and the rest of the song's lyrics.

It was pretty odd with the effects, non-the-less it still sounded good and clear. Unlike the loud noises coming off from effected-guitar sounds. To him, it was horrible. He had much enjoyed the clear sounds. The marshall amplifier had supported him with the clear sound he was getting. It was a good thing that the academy was prestige enough to buy good quality amplifiers.

He was lucky for that.

Or else he would have been a wandering ghost in the academy, not even knowing of what to do. He had always seemed calm. Although sometimes he does snap out his cold words. And he does get angry very easily, he had tried to keep it stable. And the only sanity he was getting is from this. His life.

[Ri]

major block. sorry Kuro-san. :0

His voice was like a soft lullaby, inducing her the sweet slumber she needed for nights now. "What's your name?" She whispered more to herself than to him. "What's your name?" She repeated, her eyes closed.

When she was young, her mother played music to help Ri sleep especially when she was going out on an errand. Those nights left Risha alone, curled with wide eyes on her bed. But the music, it soothed her and tamed her to sleep. Music fought her nostalgia.

If only I could remember his voice and his name, Ri thought, I could play his song every night in my head.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

"... Kuro..sagi, Tatsuya"

With hesitation, he told her his name. It was a name he had hated most. Mostly because of its meaning behind its characters: fraud. And it was exactly like how he was acting before. Before all the scary things happened with the moon, another him, involving him and his afterlife.

He had always wondered why his parents would name him such a name. Usually children would get something nice and corny. Something that means nice and cheesy. However his was amongst the most horrible names given to any Japanese children. Or so he thinks.

With his arms, he carefully lifted his fender stratocaster and placed it on the floor, leaning it against the seat he was seating at. He took another look at the girl. She was-- if he ever got the chance to be honest-- odd. Never had a fan of his was this eager and dying to hear him play.

Turning his head around, he eyed his other guitar which was leaning against a table. It was good thing that it hadn't moved from where it was left. He took off the plugs connecting to the frog effects.

"You're very much into it-- music, I mean." He started, not even bothering to ask her name (mostly because he could call her by 'you' instead of her own name). "Do you play an instrument?"

[Ri]

Tatsuya Kurosagi...a name said with much hesitation--at least that was what his odd pauses told her. Risha didn't know language behind it...Chinese? Japanese, maybe. What made Tatsuya-san pause like that might be from a memory. She feared being nosy, maybe she'd ask someday instead.

"You're very much into it-- music, I mean." The movement of Tatsuya made Ri look up.

I'm not really... She thought.

"Do you play an instrument?" He lifted another guitar from the spot beside the table.

"No, not..." Risha was lost in her own train of thoughts. "I tried learning the guitar." She beamed slightly. "But I stopped when I was hospitalized. I never learned much." She shifted and crossed her legs. "My fingers are pretty short." She showed them to him with a slight blush. "I only learned Iris, the first part of the song...it's pretty easy compared to those you played."

[x A m r i t a . . .]

OOC: Actually, Kuro didn't pick up his guitar, he only looked at it. xD Don't worry 'bout it though, since he's going to pick it up anyway...

Being so carefull not to bump the piano chair, he swiftly lifted himself up from his seat and looked at the floor as he walked. Carefull once again, not to step on anything neccessary. Anything like cables, effet frogs and et cetera.

"The songs I played?" He said, cocking an eyebrow. He didn't even bother to look at the girl though, he was focused on the floor. With a scoff, he opened his mouth once more. "That's not even what I call hard. A newbie at playing would be able to play, trust me."

He stood in front of the soft case, staring at it, and it stayed still as if it was staring back at the raven-haired. He lifted it up by the straps that would go around the shoulders as it sits on his back. Lifting it to the table with one hand, he placed it flat on the table. Then unzipping the zips of the soft case to reveal yet another guitar of his.

Just how many does he own? That's something he hadn't even bothered to count. His room was just so filled of it that he had to hang some of them up on the wall as if it was paintings. He had a range of them, but only four were basses.

The soft case's insides revealed a AD850L Dreadnought-- a Cort brand accoustic guitar. It was still in good condition, even the strings were still so silk-like. He took it out of its case and brought it back with him to the piano seat. Once again, placing it flat on the piano seat, making sure it doesn't fall or bang against anything-- especially his fender stratocaster.

The young boy didn't come back. Instead he walked away, grabbing a stool with him as he come back towards the guitars and the girl. He placed it near her and a considerable range from his seat to he stool.

"Sit here." He ordered as he patted the stool. Then grabbing his Cort's neck, he handed it to the girl. "Hold this like how you would hold a guitar."

Only after the girl had taken the guitar off his hand would he go back to his seat and place his stratocaster back on his laps, and its neck kissed by his left hand. He waved his right hand in front of the girl's face, then stopping for her to get a better view.

"My hands are pretty small too. I'm Japanese afterall." He said, "The guitars I have are mostly small-necked, but I do have standard sized ones."

[Ri]

Sorry. XD

P.S. Rei-chan, you know a lot 'bout guitars... My Gawd, I'm a newbie!

When in front of Tastuya, all Ri could manage was follow him with her ever passive eyes and then speak if only asked. She wondered if every girl mesmerized by his music acted the same way. However, now as not the time to think of the girls she saw on television who swooned and "ooh-ed" and "aah-ed" for their loved artist.

Once again, he had moved from his piano seat to aim for a soft case nearby. She knew the shape was guitar-like and she wasn't surprised to see another one--the model unknown to her like the first. Risha envied the boy of his possessions including his skills.

Thinking that Tatsuya wanted to change his music to acoustic, she parted her lips to say something but the boy moved away and took a stool...

"Sit here."

...for her?

Like before, all Ri could do was literally follow. She pushed herself up without a word and then sat like a stiff doll with her head slightly cocked to the right. And when the newly taken guitar was placed onto her hold, she could not resist--though she naturally wouldn't--and took the instrument carefully like it was porcelain.

"Thank you..." Her words trailed off when Tatsuya showed his small fingers.

"My hands are pretty small too. I'm Japanese after all. The guitars I have are mostly small-necked, but I do have standard sized ones."

That slightly made her envious...more. There she was saying that her small hands made it hard for her and yet the guy before her had the same dilemma. What was I thinking?

"Tatsuya-san," Ri said, "I might...your guitar...I might damage it." But she held it, the base sitting on her laps and the neck enclosed with her white left hand. "I don't know how to play right."

Stop it, Ri. A voice told her. You keep on letting yourself down, it's pathetic.

She sighed and blushed. "I meant, teach me, please." She looked down, ready to be rejected or something related to that.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

He cocked a brow up when he heard his words. He was planning to teach her something she likes very much without a charge... and she's going to reject it?His slight raise of anger was soon relieved by her next words though. A smile, once again a fake, but he was good at faking smiles. He looked sweet, although he looked like a delinquent. Perhaps it was due to the tattoos and piercing that made him look like one. But his smile was so sweet, like a little boy's. It's what's good about him. He could fake it and no one would notice, since they're wrapped in his hypnotism. Even though he doesn't even hypnotize anyone.

"This one's a small necked. I'm sure you'll be able to reach."

He ran his left hand on the strings of one of his stratocasters. The most popular fender guitar, so commonly used that it was known to be one heck of a comfortable guitar with a nice sound. And that was what he liked. He liked the designs, the colors and so forth. It just explained why he has three stratocasters. He stopped his left hand and pressed his fingers against the strings to the fingerboard. A major.

"Let's just start off with Majors now, shall we?" He said. The boy moved his left hand towards the girl, letting her see which strings on which fret to press. It was a C major, one of the most simple majors to be playing. He then strummed it. "Try doing C."

[Ri]

"Try doing C."

Obvious pain was in her face now as Ri pressed the three corresponding strings which Tatsuya showed her. If there was no one before her, she could have begged her fingers to follow her mind. She had a hard time placing her fingers and pressing the strings drew red lines across her flesh.

"...C." She muttered with a weak smile she managed to show despite the pain and the shame. The six notes she remembered by heart were D, E, E minor, A, G and B minor. They were the only notes required for Iris.

bee-el-ow-see-key.

[x A m r i t a . . .]

A smirk. It was his only true smile that he had. Was he that sadistic looking that god only have him one type of smile: the smirk.

"It hurts doesn't it?" He started, "It's like that for beginners. Sometimes your tips will be in the worst case scenario, though after that, you'd be a whiz."

He strummed the six string instrument, playing the chord C. Getting it to stick on the girl's head. The note C, if he could remember correctly, it was the chord he had first played when he learnt the guitar a few years back when he was still a single-digit age.

OOC: 'Tis on me too ._.;;

[Ri]

What exactly was with wild, carefree, bad boy guys that made them so appealing to her? One reason she had yet to realize was the fact that she was passive and all and she was not the one who was comfortable with just doing what she wanted. She was not an utterly goody-good child but she made an effort to be a disciplined one.

Tatsuya smirked--something she saw only now. It was, to a fan girl's choice of words, "hot". However, Ri maintained her description to "cool." It defined him completely, especially that moment when he held his guitar so delicately.

"It hurts doesn't it? It's like that for beginners. Sometimes your tips will be in the worst case scenario, though after that, you'd be a whiz."

Kurosagi knew how to encourage the girl. Being a whiz never did pass her mind.

He strummed it repeatedly until even in between his pauses, Ri could hear the echo of the chord C in the recess of her mind.

"Tatsuya-san," she imitated his strumming when she paused her speech, "why did you study playing the guitar?"