P.S.: Before we dive in, I just want to mention that this story will explore an alternate timeline from the original narrative of those anime, featuring the heroines that will show up later.
Thanks a lot!
•••••
Plink... Plink... Plink...
The steady, slow sound of water dripping from the faucet in the back room echoes softly in the air.
Every drop landed in the stainless steel sink with a steady beat that made the quiet in the studio feel even more intense.
In the studio, there's a guy named Haru who's in his mid-twenties, just chilling back in his old office chair.
He stared up at the ceiling tiles, which were stained from water damage, listening to that annoying sound he had been planning to fix for weeks now.
He was fully aware of what the issue was and understood the reason behind everything that had been going on.
The handle for the cold water was showing some wear because the washer inside it needed to be replaced.
"...Sigh." It was a simple five-minute job anyone with basic tools could manage.
Today was just like many other days lately; He found himself lacking the motivation to get up and do anything. It just didn't happen.
He then looked around the room where he had invested all his savings.
Haru's Studio.
The freshly painted letters on the frosted glass window boldly announced something to the street, almost as if they were trying to ignore everything happening around them.
He had taken on a lot of the work by himself, putting up the soundproof panels that were now covering the walls. The sleek gray look of them, which seemed so professional, didn't really bring him any comfort at this point.
The second-hand mixing console that he had spent months restoring was shining brightly under a single track light. Its sliders and knobs were perfectly aligned, and it had only been touched by him.
In the nearby live room, two microphone stands stood there quietly, almost like they were waiting for someone to speak, but no voice ever came.
"...Yawn"
It had been three weeks since he officially opened up shop, and during that time, he had just been watching dust gather on the equipment he really couldn't afford to replace.
All of his savings were gone, used up on soundproofing, wiring, and paying this month's rent.
"Oh man... Money, you have a way of slipping away so easily, my dear." He was grumbling, and it was clear that his face appeared pale and pitiful.
His part-time gig at the electronics store over in town hardly paid enough to cover his utility bills and the small meals he managed to get by on.
The phone in his pocket felt pretty heavy, packed with all those unread reminders. Every time it vibrated, it just added to the weight on his shoulders, which were already drooping with disappointment.
"...Hmm?"
Suddenly, breaking the usual sound of water drops, there was a different noise coming from the alley behind his building.
It wasn't just the far-off sound of cars or the random shout from outside; it was something much more intense and chaotic. It was like a guitar that was really battling itself, with notes tripping over one another in a wild, uneven beat.
A G chord came out all twisted and unsure, and then there was a quick, sharp breath taken in, followed by a stifled sob that was quickly held back.
Haru suddenly found himself standing up, almost without even thinking about it. The sound had a way of grabbing his attention and making him get to his feet, something that his own issues never seemed to do.
He opened the heavy back door, which creaked loudly on its rusty hinges, and walked into the narrow, shadowy alley that had a strong smell of damp concrete and leftover garbage from yesterday.
There, wedged between an overflowing dumpster and the dirty brick wall, was a girl curled up into the smallest ball she could manage, almost as if she was trying to vanish completely from sight.
A tangled mess of hair covered her face, and her arms were wrapped around a basic, starter-model acoustic guitar as if she were shielding it from the world. She shook all over, trying hard to hold back the tears.
The sudden noise of the door caught her off guard, causing her to jump back quickly until she found herself pressed against the solid brick wall. She held the guitar tightly against her chest, almost like it was a protective barrier against everything around her.
One wide, scared eye peeked through the pink curtain of her hair, keeping a close watch on him with the kind of frozen panic you'd see in a cornered animal.
"...Sigh," Haru lets out a sigh without being able to help it. "Hey there, kiddo! What are you up to in this spot?" Haru spoke gently, his voice soft and low, much like how he would talk to a frightened animal.
Hold on, did you just say creature? Honestly, she seemed more like a creature than a human when I saw her scared reaction like that.
He didn't go any deeper into the alley; he just leaned against the doorframe, keeping a comfortable distance. "Hey, my bad for sneaking up on you like that. I didn't mean to catch you off guard!"
She replied with just a frantic shake of her head, and as she did, her pink hair swayed back and forth.
"...Cough, I'm the one in charge here," he said, casually pointing over his shoulder at the open door behind him.
"It's a music studio, so you're actually in the right neighborhood for making noise." He gave a smile that he hoped came off as reassuring, even if it was a bit lopsided.
"It seemed like you and your guitar were really not on the same page out here."
Her shoulders slumped even more at his words, and the way she carried herself showed a deep sense of shame that made Haru feel a twinge of sympathy in his chest.
Without really thinking about it, Haru's unique "knack," or maybe that odd, natural talent he has for seeing and understanding things in an incredibly detailed way, kicked in and turned the gear.
He noticed everything around him—the worn-out surface of the beginner guitar and the way her left hand was gripping the neck awkwardly, with her thumb placed too high and incorrectly.
It was draining her strength even before she had a chance to play a single note.
He could hear it clearly, that slight buzz coming from the A-string. It was obvious to him that the nut had been filed wrong at the factory.
To someone just starting out, this little mistake might seem like a huge problem, but he knew it was just a minor issue.
"..."
He stepped slowly and carefully into the alley, taking his time with each movement. After a couple of steps, he managed to get about six feet away from her.
By crouching down, he positioned himself below her eye level, hoping it would come across as less intimidating.
"Hey, is it cool if I take a look at that?" he asked softly, nodding toward the guitar she was gripping firmly.
She paused for a moment, her knuckles turning pale as she gripped the neck of the instrument tightly.
For a while, he really believed she might take off, but then she let out a shaky breath that looked like it drained her of all the bravery she had left. Slowly, she moved a bit closer and nudged the guitar toward him.
He picked it up gently, feeling the warmth of the wood left behind from her touch and the afternoon sun shining down.
He gave it a strum, and the sound that came out was kind of weak and strained, with the pitch clearly going off after the fifth fret.
"Yeah," he said quietly, almost as if he was just thinking out loud rather than speaking to her.
"The action is set way too high, haha..." He let out a soft sigh before he continued on. "It's no surprise that it feels like you're attempting to twist rebar."
He gently traced his finger along the neck, noticing the gentle curve beneath his touch. "There's also a bow in the neck, and honestly, the whole thing feels like it's pushing back against you at every turn."
He didn't have to go grab his toolkit from inside; his hands just instinctively knew how to handle the tools.
He held the neck steady, his fingers reaching into the soundhole to find the truss rod access. With a careful twist, he made the small adjustment needed, sensing the alignment shift just right beneath his fingers.
He then picked each string one by one, his hands moving smoothly over the tuning pegs until every note sounded just right, perfectly in tune with one another.
He played a C chord, and the sound filled the dingy alley, warm and deep, so vibrant that it felt like it transformed the air around them.
He handed her the instrument and said, "It's your turn, Miss."
The girl looked at the guitar like it had turned into something entirely different, something valuable and strong.
Carefully, she took it back, her hands shaking a bit as she placed it comfortably in her lap.
She took a deep breath, clearly mustering her bravery, and then positioned her fingers on the G chord that had tripped her up just moments earlier.
With a focused look on her face, she pressed down and plucked the strings.
The chord that played was clear, it was vibrant, and it felt just right.
She quickly looked up, her eyes wide with shock, and the tears still on her cheeks made them sparkle in the dim light of the alley.
She glanced from the guitar to him and then back, her face showing complete and bewildered surprise, as if he had just pulled off some kind of real magic right in front of her.
"Told you," Haru said, a genuine, warm smile finally lighting up his face and pushing away the shadows of his earlier mood. "It wasn't your fault; it was the equipment."
"A skilled craftsman doesn't point fingers at their tools, but it's also important for beginners to have tools that work well for them."
She played the chord again, and this time it sounded stronger and more confident. Then, with a bit of hesitation, she tried another one, her fingers gliding more easily over the fretboard.
A gentle, straightforward melody started to emerge, no longer feeling strained and urgent but rather tentative and exploring, discovering its path one note at a time.
Haru got up, his knees making some noise as he stood.
"Hey," he said, pointing to the open studio door where warm light poured into the dark alley, "I've got this entire room in there that's just sitting empty."
"It's totally soundproof, so no one can hear you, and even better, no one will interrupt you." He shrugged, a laid-back move intended to make her feel more comfortable.
"Honestly, it can get a bit too quiet in there, so feel free to use it if you'd like, at no cost at all." He didn't stick around for an answer he already knew wouldn't happen.
Instead, he just turned and headed back inside, leaving the door wide open behind him like an easy invitation.
He went back to his chair, greeted by the familiar sound of the faucet dripping... plink... plink... plink, reminding him of his own issues waiting for him.
He completely ignored the door and didn't bother to see what she might do. Instead, he just fixed his gaze on his blank computer screen, acting like he was totally absorbed in absolutely nothing.
One minute went by, then another. The only sounds were the dripping faucet and the faint noises of the city coming through the front windows.
Next, there was the gentle scuff of a shoe on the concrete, a quiet sound of someone stepping carefully, and a long shadow crept across the studio floor, pausing at the entrance.
He caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, standing there, caught between two worlds. One foot was still in the alley behind her, while the other was ready on the studio's concrete floor.
She held her guitar close to her chest, like it was a lifeline.
She looked around with wide eyes, taking in the tall ceiling, the soundproofing that was done so well, and the top-notch equipment. Her face showed pure amazement at the place he had started to overlook.
With a determination that felt like it drained her completely, she finally stepped inside, crossing into his world.
She avoided looking at him or saying anything, just glided like a ghost around the edges of the room, sticking close to the walls until she reached the farthest, darkest corner she could find.
She dropped down to the floor, her back against the soundproof paneling, pulling her knees up to her chest to make herself as small and hidden as she could.
After a while of just holding the instrument and soaking in the calmness of the space around her, she started to play.
The melody from the alley was still the same, but now it felt more alive, with plenty of space to expand. The notes hung in the air, clear and free from any echoes or interruptions.
She's still a bit hesitant and shy, but now she feels clear and true. The sound flows around the steady drip of the faucet, not overpowering it but instead giving it a new purpose.
That annoying drip becomes a metronome, keeping time for the music she's rediscovered.
"...Heh," Haru smiled gently before closing his eyes.
He relaxed in his chair, feeling a calm sense of satisfaction wash over him as the last rays of sunlight disappeared from the tall windows.
The quiet was lifted, the studio was filled with life again, and for the first time in weeks, the future felt open instead of like a door just waiting to be shut.
(TBC)