Rhythm of Life [Ryuu & Rowan]

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

He was wearing the traditional Yuuei School Uniform, but Ryuusei Igarashi wouldn't be himself if he did not put his own style into it - even if it meant slightly breaking the Academy's rules. He was wearing two earings in his left ear - two silver hoops, one a little bit bigger than the other and with a silver chain attached and dangling from it. Such accesories weren't allowed, but what was the harm if you weren't caught? At least Ryuusei had never been since the start of the school year. His tie was also a little loose and his pants slightly baggier than the usual tight fit everyone had. With his black backpack over his left shoulder, the VIce-President of Class 1-A walked the halls of the Hero School.

Today, instead of playing the piano at home, he decided to play it at the school grounds, something that was extremely rare. There was, however, a reason for this decision. Ryuusei had a meeting scheduled with one of the professors later that day - something about paperwork he had to take care fo due to his postion in the class - which meant that he had to wait for some time in school before heading home. Because of this, he decided to spent this time waiting for the time of the meeting by practicing his piano skills.

He opened the door of the music room. Inside, leaning against the piano and looking towards the windows, was a girl with a violin on her hand. Ryuusei recognized this girl. She was around his age, but shorter than him and had black hair: her name was Sakamoto Rowan. She was one of the people from Class 1-A that had remained there since, basically, the start of the school year. However, Ryuusei did not know much about her. Had they even ever had a conversation?

He let his left hand flow through his dyed blonde hair while still standing at the door, deciding on what to do. Socializing was hard, but he was getting better at it... Right? He thought so, at least. Afterall, he really was trying his damn best at the "being a normal teenager" thing. And he was already there, so...

Hey - he said, not escaping his own cold voice - Do you mind if I use the room too?


Notes: Ryuu arrives!
Words: 391.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

She took some time to react to Ryuusei's arrival and a little more to reply to his words. Looking at her, she didn't seem to be fully in that room. Her body was surely there, but her eyes gazed at the windows just like her mind was trying to escape from there. Standing at the door, Ryuu simply waited for any kind of response by Rowan.

The words he received were few - a short answer from someone who wasn't expecting to have to speak at that moment. For Ryuusei Igarashi, however, it was enough. He himself wasn't one to talk that much and if Rowan didn't want him there she would've just said so... or at least she should've. With permission to enter the room, the 1-A Vice-President crossed the door of the music room.

He left his school bag near the entry before slowly walking in the direction of the piano. There he sat down in front of the musical instrument, his back as straight as possible - a good pianist needed to have a good posture. Rowan was just a few steps away, being actually near Ryuusei and facing his direction even if without satying a thing. He began pressing a few keys: no actual music or melody, just caressing the white and black keys with his fingers as if getting to know the instrument for the first time. While he did so, he was looking at the girl with the corner of his eyes.

She was just there, her head feeling like it was in the clous. However, Ryuusei noticed something strange: her arm. Rowan had the sleeves of her shirt rolled up, leaving both of her arms naked for anyone to see. One of them was freshly bruised in the shoulder area, blue and black paiting the canvas of her skin. Perhaps a result of a training session? It was Yuuei, so that wouldn't be that out of the ordinary. With some reluctancy - and still touching a few keys here and there - Ryuusei asked about what he has caught on, thinking that if Rowan was going to stay there he might aswell get some type of conversation going on.

What happened to your arm? he directly asked, not really thinking that deeply into it.


Notes: ---
Words: 381.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

He continued to look at Rowan with the side of his eyes as he gave her explanation about her bruise. According to her, the small injury was the result of coming face  to face with a villain.

Right... Ryuusei thought to himself.

He allowed the girl to continue speaking, ending up hearing about how she couldn't really properly use her shoulder because of the state of her arm, which in turn affected how she played the violin she was holding.

Once she finished her words, Ryuusei pressed one or two keys in conclusion to the non-melodic tune he was toying with. He then turned his body to the girl for the first time, facing her while speaking.

He was a nice villain if all he did was bruise your arm - he looked at the injury before looking Rowan in the eyes again - That or you just beat him before he could do more, in which case well done - he added.

It didn't seem to add up very well: an Yuuei student having a direct confrontation with a villain but no one knowing about it? However, Ryuusei wasn't one to pressure poeple into talking about subject matters they didn't wish to elaborate on, so he would just keep quiet about it if Rowan chose to do the same. Instead, he would talk about the reason they both were in that room for: music.

If it hurts you should rest it instead of forcing it... But if you really want to play we can do it together, since we'd be playing over each other anyways - he said, finsihing with a question regarding the same topic - For how long have you played the violin?

He said, pointing with his head at her instrument. Ryuusei had to be there and she was already in the room, so he might awell just make that time as good as possible... Even if that means trying to socialize properly.

Notes: ---.
Words: 327.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

"I don't remember what I did", she said.

It was with confusion that Ryuusei Igarashi listen to such words as he kept looking at Rowan, perhaps not being fully able to hide that feeling of his. How didn't she remember fighting against a villain but, at the same time, knew she had a confrontation with one? How did she knew how she got that bruise but, apparently, had no idea as to how or, maybe, even who? Ryuusei tilted is head while trying to figure out what was going on but, in the end, just decided it was best not to ask any further questions: if he was confused about it, than Rowan should be even more. It was after this that he got the conversation going in another direction, asking the girl if it wasn't best for her to rest, if she wanted to play with him and for how long she had been playing the violin.

The answers tat the classmate gave him were short and simple: a quality that Ryuusei always appreciated. Despite this, no information was lost or omitted. She was playing exactly because it distracted her from the damage on her shoulder (and, most likely, from un-wanted thoughts) and she picked up the instrument for the first time when she was just seven years old.

When Rowan threw the question back at Ryuu, he looked at the instrument that was facing him.

My first time was probably when I was around four? Maybe five... - he caressed the piano with his prefered left hand - My sister taught me. But I stopped playing almost two years ago, I just picked it back up at the beginning of the school year.

The reason for this stoppage he wouldn't tell, of course - no need to tell a classmate (or new friend?) about a sad past.

I'm enjoying it more and more though, especially composing my own stuff. Do you also write your own music or do you like sticking to the classics?


Notes: Music talk!
Words: 336.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

"Did you ever have the feeling you did something but you did not?"

That was a fun question. For Ryuusei Igarashi, it was the complete opposite: having the feeling you haven't done a thing, but you totally did it... No, it wasn't even that. That would mean he wasn't taking responsibility for his sins had committed; that he did not feel constant deatachement from his own soul because of them. In Ryuusei's case, the question that would've made him say yes would be: "Did you ever wished you did not do something, but you did?" There were so many things.. It was that thought that lingered on Ryuusei's mind, which made him not even pay attention to Rowan's little slip up of starting the name Nakahara with "Yo" - but, to be fair, it wasn't like Ryuu would know what the girl was talking about if he was, indeed, paying attention.

To his question, the classmate told him that she wrote her own pieces from time to time, but that she actually prefered to play the classics. A purist! That was good. Ryuusei had found a good balance between composing and covering, but it was always good to find someone who respected the ones who came before so much that they sticked to honoring the classics written by those masters. However, that did meant that freestyling right now would probably be difficult.

Not that I adhere to the jazz philosophy, he thought to himself, remembering that not even he was used to jam freely with another person.

He thought for a bit, his left hand pressed against his chin. Then, it came to him. A favorite of his, one that he played when younger and just barely remember, but the feeling... The feeling still plagued his hands while touching the keys. It was an orchestra song, but Ryuu's mind for music told him it would still sound nice with only the piano and violin.

Do you know Danse Macabre? 1875, based on a French poem? he asked.

The Dance of the Death, it could be called. A melody to accompany the appearance of Death itself at the midnight of Halloween night; to accompany Death's calling of the skelotons underneath her, skeletons that will dance for her until dawn. If Rowan said yes, then Ryuusei follow-up sentence would be quite simple.

Well,you start then. I'll follow your lead.

Playing with someone... Should be interesting.


Notes: Song request (and foreshadowing for Music Night!).
Words: 403.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto

You don't need a dream or even a tomorrow
Just live

It helped that Rowan knew the first song Ryuusei proposed for them to play together - it meant that there wasn't a necessity to ping-pong song suggestions for several minutes before making a decision. Ryuu liked this: quick and straight into action.

Rowan started first. Even with her injury she played well - for Ryuusei, whose musical ears were well-tuned, it was easy to notice that the girl's level was about the same as his on the piano. This meant that he could play without worrying that much, just having to make sure he came in on tempo and to keep the progress and flow of both instruments aligned. He did just that.

When they finished, Ryuusei felt good. He didn't show it by smiling or anything, but he knew that, for it being a first time, they had played very well together.

You play well, he simply said.

Glancing at the girl, he could clearly see how better she felt now that she had played. Music really heals everything, huh? It allows not only to forget what plagues the mind, but to numb what plagues the body. Perhaps Rowan needed more of that. Perhaps it was why Ryuusei asked the following question.

I work at this bar in Toyko, it's called The Fourth Corner - he looked at the girl while removing his hands from the piano keys to rest them upon his own lap - They're going to do a Music Showcase of some sorts in a few days and my boss as been asking us to invite some people to join. Do you want to play together with me?

By his natural cold tone, it was obvious that there was no second intentions in his question: just an innocent invite of someone who wanted others to feel less pain.

And hey, if someone played with Ryuusei that meant that there would be less eyes focused on him, so that was always great aswell.


Notes: ---
Words: 326.
Tags: Rowan Sakamoto