Life Made Anew

8: Piano! And Determination

Maki's lesson started right when she got home, but first, Kazama was going to play the song that he intended to play for her yesterday. He played Beethoven Sonata no. 8: Pathétique, movement 2. (The song with the score is in the media.) It was a slow and peaceful song; Maki immediately fell in love with the song.

She was sitting on the stool facing the piano. She almost nodded off and slept on his shoulder. She could feel the passion in his playing. It was as if yesterday never happened. "This is why I want to learn piano: to convey my feelings through music, and to play songs like this. I want people to know how much I love you not just through my words, but through my actions and playing as well."

He finished the song. "Do you want to know why I was hesitant to teach you?"

Maki looked up at him. "Why?"

"First off, I was taught through pain. I don't know any other way to teach you, but I'll figure it out. Secondly, I'd lose a unique way of conveying my feelings that you don't have. Am I just being selfish?" Maki tapped his shoulder with her fist.

"Darn right, you are. Just teach me already." She laughed. Luckily for her, Kazama took that as a joke, as it was intended, and not in a bad way. He has learned to love that about her: how she can turn his mood 180° with just a single sentence.

"All right, calm down. Let's start your lesson now." He stood up and had Maki scoot to the middle of the stool. "Sit in the middle of the stool and have your knees barely under the front lip of the piano. This allows you to be able to reach the pedals while still giving your legs some room."

She did just that but slouched a bit as she looked down at the keys. "Wrong! Not never slouch. Sit straight up and bend your head when you need to look at the keys," Kazama said forcefully.

She was already starting to get a bit nervous. Sweat started dripping down from her forehead. "At least, that's how my aunt would have said it." He gently straighter her back up. "Don't worry, I'll try my best not to something like that."

Immediately, all of her fears left her. His gentle touch placated her mind, and her fears were gone. His soothing voice touched her heart. Her heart was racing a bit at this moment, and she loved it.

"Now, I'll teach you something very simple: the C major scale, with proper fingering." Her played the scale too quickly for her to see it. "Got it?"

"N-no..." She replied.

"Of course not, that was just the example. I haven't shown you how to do it." He laughed. It was all a joke for him.

"Come on, be serious," Maki pleaded. She folded her arms and pouted. "This is just a joke for you, isn't it?" She mumbled.

This time, he directed her fingers to each note, left and right at the same time. Left going down then up; right going up then down.

She played it by herself slowly. No mistakes. "I got it!"

"Good job. That's the simplest thing for piano."

"Come on, at least compliment me for playing it right on the first try." She pouted again, cheeks puffed and arms folded. "Meanie."

He laughed before ruffling her hair and patting her head. "I'm just joking." He kissed her cheek. She smiled at that. "Good job."

She was loving this attention. Having Kazama do this was a dream come true. She had wanted him to teach her since she found out that he played piano. Now it was finally happening.

He then proceeded to teach her the Clefs: Treble and Bass, including accidentals.And after that, basic rhythms up to sixteenth notes, no tuplets yet. All of this theory was filling her head. You could see the steam coming out of her ears and the spirals in her eyes. She fell of the stool.