K-ON! Encore

Chapter 10: Practice! (With no real practice)

"Alright, now, move your hand down again" I strummed the air to show Emi how she was supposed to do it.

She moved her hand up "Like..." She struck the strings fast, but with too much force "This?"

I swung my head from side to side. "That speed is nice... But you are putting too much force on your fingers... You are accidentally muting some strings" I took the guitar from her arms.

"Look" I strummed her guitar "See? It's almost like slapping the strings with just the tip of your fingers" I gave her the guitar back. "Try to do it"

She took the guitar, look at her hands trying to put her fingers in the same position as mine when I strummed "Ok..." She imitated my hand movements. It wasn't perfect to be honest, but a real improvement from her first try. "Hm... I see what you said about putting too much force on the fingers... Maybe, I should..." She strummed again.... Now that's much better...

"That was actually pretty good. Try it a few more times" And that's what she did, and perfectly might I add!

Ohhhh I'm so proud "Alright now, let's move onto the important stuff... Chords!"

And that's how our practice went by... Emi actually learned pretty fast, but still has some problems with chord changes. Rei just stayed on her phone checking how she has to play, silently practicing, she's always done it like that.

The club hours ended... And I didn't actually practice... I just spent my time helping Emi. To be honest, it was really nice seeing the small progress she made through this practice session.

...

We were headed towards the gates of the school before we got stopped by someone calling us.

"Dad... Oh right!" Emi said, running towards her dad. "Could you wait a bit here? I gotta go and get some stuff from home"

"No need for that," Hidetoshi-san said with a big backpack in hand. "I went quickly to the house and got you the stuff you need"

Emi stood in silence for a few seconds... She looked back at us, and then back to her father "Thanks, old man..." She looked back at us, her dad chuckling at her weird change of attitude. "Let's go" Emi walked towards the exit of the school

"See ya on monday!" I said before following Emi.

"Bye" Rei said while she walked away with us.

...

So.... I keep thinking about that weird change of attitude of Emi... Was she trying to be cool? Well, it didn't really work. Maybe she was just embarrassed? I don't know, whenever I think I know Emi, she does something like that... She's weird? Fun? Interesting? I just... I shouldn't be questioning something like my friendship with her...

"That's the house," Rei pointed at my home.

Emi looked up and down scanning the place. "Huh, looks cool"

Rei opened the front gate on the porch "Come in"

"I should be the one saying that, you know?" I said walking towards the main door and opening it. "Now, come in please"

Everyone took their shoes at the entrance, by the sound we made my mom noticed that I had arrived, with company.

"Is Rei with you?" She asked from the living room, expecting the usual routine of having Rei come over.

I walked over to the living room where mom was sitting watching tv. "Yeah, also, we have a brand new guest" Emi walked up beside me.

Mom looked at her for a few seconds, I looked at Emi who looked surprisingly nervous "It's nice to meet you ma'am" She bowed "I'm Emi Hidetoshi, I am in Yumi's class and also I'm a member of the light music club with her"