Chapter Seven - Deaf Ears
“So please accept that I refuse, I am simply saying ‘no’.
I just need you to let me fly.” － Hearing But Not Listening, Miss Tee
“Sorry about that. Magsimula na tayo,” Kotone says in a hoarse voice while wiping the last of her tears.
Kazuhiro sensed that Kotone wants to act normal as if nothing happened so he just averted his eyes from her and focused on his guitar.
“Hindi ’yan ’yung gamit mo nung nagperform tayo kina Touma,” he heard the girl commented and he showed her the guitar more.
“’Yung ginamit kong gitara doon sa café ay ’yung gitara na nandoon na talaga. Lagi namang may spare instruments si Touma kasi may music store ’yung parents niya. Pero ’yung drum set na nandoon, kay Itsuki na talaga. Ayaw niyang gumamit ng hindi sa kanya.”
Kotone nodded and just continued to observe Kazuhiro’s guitar.
“Okay so una sa lahat, dapat matutunan mo muna ’yung mga cho－”
“Hiro.”
Kazuhiro looked at Kotone who’s just looking at his guitar with sparkles in her eyes.
“Before anything else, pwede bang tumugtog ka muna ng kung ano? Kahit maiksi lang,” Kotone requested and Kazuhiro bursted into laughters.
“What?” Kotone asked in confusion and the boy just shook his head.
“Akala ko kung anong sasabihin mo. Masyado ka bang nagandahan sa gitara ko?” he asked and almost bursted into another laughing fit when Kotone nodded enthusiastically like a child.
“Ang gwapo ng gitara mo.”
That was it for Kazuhiro.
The poor boy was almost out of breath from laughing.
“Kaya ba gitara ko tinititigan mo kasi mas pogi kaysa sa’kin?” he asked in between laughs and Kotone nodded which made him snort.
“Aray ha. Anyway, makinig ka sa tutugtugin ko. Madali lang siyang tugtugin kaya sana sa susunod makaya mo nang tugtugin,” Kazuhiro says as he positioned his guitar.
He stopped. “Teka, baka marinig sa labas ’yung tunog ng gitara.”
Kotone only shook her head. “Soundproof ’yung kwarto ko so no need to worry.”
He can feel Kotone’s eyes on him as he began playing.
(Author's Note: According to my research, this isn't exactly what it sounds like since Kazuhiro didn't use an amplifier. The sound will basically just sound the same as an acoustic guitar's without an amplifier. I just attached this video for you to have an idea what the song sounds like and how it looks like to play it on an electric guitar but Kazuhiro's playing doesn't sound like this since he didn't use an amplifier. I hope it's clear.)
He wasn’t lying when he said that it was easy but to a beginner like Kotone, even one of the easiest to play still looks and sounds so cool to her.
And when he stopped playing, Kotone gave him a round of applause.
He put a hand at the back of his head and smiled bashfully.
“Sabi ko sa’yo madali lang ’yun kasi paulit-ulit lang ’yung chords most of the song.”
