🍀 Midnight Cats

Chapter 2: Risa Matsubara

From the beginning I didn't really care for other people. More so, I had no reason to care for people who did nothing but bother me.

"It's that weird robot girl again..."

"Does she ever talk to anyone?"

"I don't even think I've seen her blink..."

"HEY! RISA! YOU'RE A WEIRDO! See. She doesn't react to anything either."

Remarks like that I dealt with more frequently than need be. What is so robotic about just trying to get through school? Regardless, I had no care for being social. All I was interested in was music.

I got my first guitar on my 7th birthday. My parents weren't home much due to overseas work and decided to give me something to keep me busy. They also signed me up for guitar lessons. My teacher was a high school aged girl named Sayo.

"Risa is it? You're looking to learn guitar?" Sayo asked.

"Yes. I want to be the best at it." I replied clearly.

"Oh my, don't get too ahead of yourself. But who knows, you could be a child prodigy." Sayo jokingly replied.

I was far from a child prodigy. I was horrible at guitar from the start.

"This... is more difficult than I thought it would be..." I mumbled.

"Risa! Don't give up! You've only been playing for a few months. It took me years to even get decent." Sayo assured me.

Sayo was the first person I ever connected with. The first person I really ever spoke to. I owe it to her for all the skills I have today. By the time I was in my final year of middle school I began composing my own songs and showing them to Sayo. Until...

"Um... Risa... I have something to tell you..." Sayo mumbled.

"What is it?" I asked

"Well... I've been thinking about it awhile and... I'm moving to Tokyo." Sayo told me.

"T-tokyo? Why there?" I was shocked. Why would she wanna move away?

"There's a lot more opportunities there. I wanna form a band and become famous... It's a silly dream I've always had but I want to achieve it." Sayo replied.

"Will we still be able to talk? Will you still visit?" I asked.

"I'll visit and much as I can, and if I get rich enough I'll pay for you to visit, okay?" Sayo said.

And that was that. The only person I ever connected with had left. I was happy for her, but felt even more shut off from the rest of the world.

After that, not much happened. Sayo would occasionally email me from time to time with not much to say. I entered high school as a first year, but never showed up so I could work on playing guitar instead. I did all my schoolwork at home as well. I was required to go to school at least 7 days a month, but didn't really learn there as I didn't pay much attention.

It was one of the days I was required to be at school. I sat at lunch alone, working on sheet music. That's when a red haired girl approached me.

"I've never seen you here. Who the hell are you?" She asked.

Another bully I assumed, but I decided to feed her interest this time.

"I'm Risa. Risa Matsubara." I replied coldly.

"Yeah yeah whatever. You working on sheet music right?" She asked another question...

"Yes."

"Guitar! You can play guitar? You're just what I need!" She exclaimed.

"Uhh... What?" I was completely lost.

"I'm Kyoko. I'm trying to form a J-rock idol group and need a guitarist." Kyoko explained.

"Is an idol group anything like a band? I have no problem composing music and performing if it's similar." I said, deep down pretty excited.

"Mhm! Come to my place after school and I'll explain more. I'll be waiting for you at the gate." Kyoko then ran off.