Dreams Upon A Silver Pine Branch

Chapter 3: School Assembly Anxiety

"Ohayou gozaimasu. Never thought I'd live to see my daughter turn into a morning person." Chiharu greeted Akira as the latter donned an apron and thinly sliced a loaf of milk bread.

"I still am not." Akira replied to her mom while spreading butter onto the bread and turning the temperature of the toaster oven to medium high. "I'm awake at the crack of dawn just because I lost a rock-paper-scissor match against Kenta last night. He got to sleep in while I'm forced to be in charge of breakfast. Lucky guy. I think kami-sama has a favorite in this family."

"Eh, I don't know if kami-sama cares about your desire to avoid chores. You shouldn't waste a prayer over trivial matters like that, anyway." Chiharu crossed her arms. "And I don't think Kenta is sleeping in. I heard strange noises from his room earlier. Was it just a dream or does your cousin own a very high-pitched musical instrument?"

"Oh, that wasn't Miyuki meowing for more kitty snacks?" Akira laughed. "Yeah, our music teacher assigned Kenta to be a flutist in our woodwind orchestra just because flute was the only rental instrument without any player yet at school. I think I told you already but maybe you forget. Today our orchestra is playing at the school assembly. I bet the fact that he's practicing at such an ungodly hour like this means he's a nervous wreck. Maybe I should check on him."

"Please do. Don't worry about the toast, I'll keep an eye on the oven. Go upstairs!"

"If you insist." Akira nodded. "Okay, I'll be back soon and we'll eat toast together."

Akira did not need to knock on her cousin's door because a distraught Kenta came out of his room, with an awful case of bedhead and eyes that looked puffy from...crying?

"Dude, why so sullen?" Akira stopped on her track. "Did you have a panic attack?"

"I hate music practice so much!" the disgruntled boy leaned against the door. "I've been pulling my hair out, literally, over this arrangement Masuda-sensei composed. Even with the help of my sound processors, I always trip up whenever the flute part comes on. It's hopeless."

"Do you want me to beg Masuda-sensei to switch you over to a less high-pitched instrument?" Akira said as she dug around her skirt's pocket for her handkerchief. She found the handkerchief and offered it to Kenta, who took it gratefully. "I know that you've been reluctant about telling him yourself about your difficulties with the flute out of fear that he'll tell you to try harder and stop whining, but you should be honest about your disability. Don't torture yourself like this."

"Too bad I'm not allowed to skip music classes for the whole semester." Kenta sniffled. "It's stupid how my other choice is to take choir class. Choir would be the death of me. You know I sound like a dying walrus whenever I sing. As difficult as orchestra is, it's better than exposing our classmates to my horrible singing voice. Damn, I wish I inherit Oka-san's talent."

"Maybe in an alternate dimension you do." Akira rubbed Kenta's back and the boy's sobbing turned slightly quieter. "But you didn't answer my question. Yes or no to the idea of talking to Masuda-sensei? There's no reason you should force yourself to keep playing flute."

"Yes, but I'm scared he'll not be very understanding." Kenta bit his lower lip and inhaled. "I've never heard of anybody switching instrument last minute. Will I still be able to get on the stage with everyone else or will I fail music class this semester?"

"I'll wage a war against him if he gives you a failing grade because it's just unfair to expect a deaf boy to cruise through music class." Akira vowed solemnly. "Maybe Masuda-sensei is kinder than we imagine. Maybe he'll let you sit out this performance and still give you a passing grade. We shouldn't be pessimistic before we even talk to him, Kenta. Ganbatte kudasai."