Author's Note: In this chapter, I had to write some lyrics. I'm not very experienced with this kind of thing so I hope that it didn't turn out so bad.
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Chapter 4: The Other Side of the Snow
"Kaori-chan, this is the practice hall. You can practice your routine here and use the various instruments present. I'll just sit over there in case you need anything at all. Feel free to ask me anything or if there is anything you need." Tsukimiya-sensei then took a seat at one end of the room. This room is big enough to let a whole group practice! This is so cool!
I saw a piano and immediately went to it. I love the piano very much. It was my first instrument and I have been playing since I was five years old. I was forced to learn at first and didn't like it very much but I soon learned to love it and never stopped. The piano is a long old friend of mine.
Now I have to compose the melody first and make the lyrics. A song soothing like the sight of snow but gives a nice warm feeling inside. How could I put two opposite things like snow and warmth together? This is something similar to being happy and sad at the same ti—
Before I could finish the last word in my thoughts, I remembered someone. I remembered someone who was important to me...I remembered my father. My father is still alive and well but ever since long before I was born, he has been working overseas. He's one of my idols in life and he was always supporting me in everything I chose to do. He is barely around but when he is able to get a long vacation, he would always come home and spend it with us.
Thinking of my father, I remembered the day that I graduated from junior high school. It was a snowy day just and father said that he was going to attend my graduation ceremony. However, when the ceremony started, he was nowhere to be found. I still had my hopes up but by the time the ceremony ended, he still wasn't there. I didn't mind so much since I know he's a busy person and all but I couldn't help but feel a bit sad. "Well, it is normal to feel sad." I told myself.
I decided to go to our favorite resting place which was a bench under a tree that faced a big grass field which was covered in snow that day. I also bought one cup of hot milk from father's favorite vending machine which was on the way. I sat there and texted father that I would wait for him here since the school was closing after the ceremony and most of the students and parents were already leaving. I sat there by myself waiting in the cold.
It turns out that father couldn't come because his flight was delayed. He couldn't contact me right away because he kept losing signal. At least he was safe. I thought something bad happened to him that's why he couldn't come. He told me his flight was delayed for five hours so he'd probably arrive here on the next day probably in the afternoon.
He kept apologizing to me for not being there during my graduation but I kept telling him that is was okay. We talked for a while over the phone and then I told him to take care and our call ended. I put away my cell phone and on that bench under the tree, I drank the cold milk by myself.
That's it! I could use that! It may sound like a sad story but it wasn't that sad at all. Through that sad experience, I also realized just how warm my father's love and concern for me was. There was happiness and sadness within that story and in the end, love was still what I felt in the end. Yes, I was sad but I was still happy.
My hands just started to move on their own and before I knew it, I was writing a music sheet as well as some lyrics. Everything just started to appear in my head—the way the music should sound, what the lyrics should be, how should this song be sang. It all just came to me. I continued to write.
"Hmm? She's already writing? It didn't take her too long to think of something. That's fast." Tsukimiya-sensei said to herself. "I wonder how it will turn out?"
"Excuse me, Tsukimiya-sensei."
"Ah! Yes? What is it, Kaori-chan?"
"Can I ask for your help?"
"My help?"
I gave Tsukimiya-sensei a guitar. "You see, I need someone to play the guitar but I can't do that at the same time while I play the piano so could you play for me?"
Tsukimiya-sensei nodded and I handed her the sheet music that I finished.
"Wah!? You already finished writing the melody?!" Tsukimiya-sensei said.
"Ah...yes I finished it. I would like to practice the melody now so that I could complete the lyrics."
I walked back to the piano and Tsukimiya-sensei sat beside the piano. The beginning of the song has the piano playing first and on the latter part of the song, the guitar comes in and takes the lead while the piano accompanies it then at the last portion of the song, the guitar and piano will play together. We started practicing the melody.
"Kaori-chan! The melody sounds good! I think it's wonderful." Tsukimiya-sensei said with such an enthusiastic smile. It made me feel happy.
"Tsukimiya-sensei, what did you feel when you were listening to the melody?"
"What did I feel? Hmm...I thought the song was going to be sad in the beginning but after a while, it made me feel happy inside. I don't know how to exactly describe it but it's like I felt sad but I was happy at the same time."
When Tsukimiya-sensei said that, I knew that the melody was in the right track. That was what I was aiming for. We continued to practice the melody and I made a few revisions after listening to it over and over again. I felt that it was getting better each time we played it.
After playing the melody over and over again, I felt satisfied with the melody and started to write the lyrics as we played each part of the melody. I already wrote some lyrics a while ago but I had to revise them to fit the melody and give a better meaning or feeling to the song. After a long while, I finally found the right words for the lyrics and the song was complete.
"Finally! The song is complete!" I said in joy.
"It is a very nice song, Kaori-chan. I think that you could pass Saotome's test!"
Tsukimiya-sensei...thank you very much. I smiled at her and we practiced until the time for the performance came. Tsukimiya-sensei brought me to the auditorium where a piano was already waiting for me on the stage and Saotome-sensei and Hyuga-sensei were already sitting in the audience.
I greeted them and proceeded to the stage together with Tsukimiya-sensei. I sat on the piano chair and Tsukimiya-sensei sat beside the piano with the guitar in her arms.
"A guitar and a piano? Interesting." Hyuga-sensei said.
"HAHAHA! I wonder what kind of song did she come up with? Will it shine like the spirit in her eyes?" Saotome-sensei then crossed his arms and waited in anticipation.
"This is it, Kaori-chan. Do your best!" Tsukimiya-sensei gave me a thumb up.
"The title of this song is The Other Side of the Snow. I hope you will enjoy listening to this song."
I smiled, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath before I began with the piano and sing.
I miss you sitting here with me on this bench under the tree
I know you're somewhere out there in this cold snowy field
Walking down this street covered in sweet powder, I smiled to myself
The birds were flying by going to a warmer paradise
They were beautiful like the smile on your face
The way you looked at me was the best thing in this place
I turned to the corner on the bottom of the sugar hill
There, I saw the vending machine you loved to get milk
I put a bill inside and ordered one
One not two because one is gone
I continued walking down another path
Just by myself with the falling sugar wrath
But after a while, I finally reached the bench
I sat down alone and placed the milk on the other end
In this weather of sugar powder I wonder to myself
Where did you go? I wonder why you left
It's different now that you and I are alone
How long has it been since we both sat and felt cold?
Over and under, left and right
I don't where I lost my sight
I just know that somewhere here
I know I'd find you sitting near
Holding a cup of milk warm just like the sun
I feel my heart burning for what I've done
I hear you thank me and a smile grows on me
I wish that these things would just let things be
You're cold on that bench don't worry I'm coming your way
For being so late, I've got nothing to say
My arms long to touch you and make you warm again
I'm sorry for leaving you I don't know how to explain
I know we're in the same powdered hill but somehow we're not
I hope that I'll find you with your love in my thought
In this journey I seek, I wonder where you could be
I wonder if what you see is what I see in front of me
I miss you sitting here with me on this bench under the tree
I know you're somewhere out there in this cold powdered field
I'll wait here for you today, tomorrow, all of my days
Just hurry or else this hot milk will freeze in its place
My song finished and I opened my eyes. "Thank goodness, it went well." I thought to myself.
I looked at Tsukimiya-sensei and she was smiling.
"Congratulations." She whispered.
I looked behind him and searched for Saotome-sensei and Hyuga-sensei.
They were both smiling at me. My heart felt really happy.
"BRAVO! Well done! That song was perfect! It was the mixture of sadness, love, and happiness! They were blended so well that I couldn't explain the emotion that was born inside of me!" Saotome then struck another pose. He jumped into the air and landed on the stage. I don't know how he can do that. That was cool.
"Congratulations! You have passed the test! You are accepted into Saotome Academy!" once again, he struck a pose.
I stood up immediately and bowed. "Thank you! Thank you very much! I will give it my all!"
I was so happy that I didn't know what else to say or do. I was just too happy.
Saotome-sensei gave me my acceptance letter and I said my farewells to him and to Tsukimiya-sensei and Hyuga-sensei.
"See you this coming school year!" Tsukimiya-sensei shouted.
I smiled and waved at her and went on my way home.
As I sat there in the train under this dark night sky filled with stars, all I did was smile until I reached home with my acceptance letter in my coat pocket.