New Sound

Chapter 6: The Dark Past of a Guitar Prodigy

Nashry's PoV

Tapos na n'yang tugtugin 'yung arrangement, pero hindi parin ako makapag-react sa sobrang pagkamangha.

Ibinaba n'ya 'yung headphones n'ya sa leeg n'ya. "Did I hit the notes correctly?" tanong n'ya. Doon lang ako nabalik sa ulirat.

"Ha? Ah oo. A-Ang... galing" sagot ko naman sakanya. Iba 'yung feeling nang marinig ko s'yang tumugtog. Parang magic na may nararamdaman akong mixed emotions. Tapos may nabubuong mga scenario sa isip ko. Feeling ko may touching na lyrics 'yung tinugtog n'ya, pero... wala naman.

Pa'no n'ya nagawa 'yon? And to consider that he didn't hear what he just played, it's just a wow.

"Plano kong abandonahin lahat," Napatingin ako sa mukha n'ya no'ng sabihin n'ya 'yon. "ng mga bagay na hindi ko na gustong gamitin pa, dahil wala na rin mamang kwenta" sabi pa nito at inilagay sa stand 'yung gitara.

"Una na ang bagay na 'to." sabi n'ya habang hawak pa sa fretboard ang gitara.

What?! Matapos ang gano'n kagaling na pagtugtog, biglang ayaw n'ya na?!

"Teka, bakit naman?" Nabibigla kong tanong.

Tumingin naman s'ya sa'kin. Malungkot na 'yung mga mata n'yang kanina, walang pinapakitang kahit anong emosyon.

Bumuntong hininga muna s'ya bago s'ya nagsalita ulit. "It's a bit complicated. Once I tell you, please refrain to tell anybody, okay?"

Medyo nagalangan pa akong sumagot nang marinig ko 'yon, pero pinili ko nalang na tumango.

"My dad is Francisco Hikumi, a music genius as how may sees him. Bata palang ako tinuturuan n'ya na ako tungkol sa music. Lalo na rito sa paggigitara. Sikat s'yang isang band man noon, at ngayon isa na s'yang piano soloist." pagu-umpisa n'ya.  "But behind that, back when he's teaching me... he's unexpectedly violent."

Nakaramdam ako ng bigat ng atmosphere, dahil sa topic namin. Is being genius and being strict always comes together?

"He pushes his students to be the best of the best, seemingly searching for a unique sound that is comparable to someone's playing." pagpapatuloy nito. Saglit s'yang huminto bago nagpatuloy ulit. "Of course, I'm no exception."

"Wait, So you mean, you are just pressured to be the best all this time?!" pagre-react ko.

Lalo pa akong kinabahan sa sinasabi ni Yuki. Unique sound huh. I wonder what it is when defined by a dubbed music genius.

Tumango s'ya. "At least, not until I ran away. Actually, I'm... tired. Sawa na ako sa laging gano'n. I feel like I'm losing my original intention why I play music."

My gosh, we're approaching to a topic that tackles the darker side of music industry. Hindi ko akalaing may mga ganito palang artist sa industry.

"So I learned to compose and arrange songs at an early age. Won competitions locally and internationally, back when dad was still mentoring me."

"When I get away with my mom, I feel a bit more free to express my kind of perfection through my playing, so I continued playing, and soon enough, my talent has been recognized, I gain a bit of recognition, until after some years, it gave me a career."

Nanatili lang akong nakikinig.

"But as I continue my career, I've noticed that I was getting flashbacks of the time I was learning under my dad's supervision, and felt occasional tremors with my hands whenever I am playing. " he sighed and looked at his hands, which are now slightly trembling. "I thought  it was nothing at first, but as the time went by, it keeps getting worse... and I discovered that it happens whenever I hear my own playing."