After getting permission, Hoshino Miru followed Wakaba Mutsuki to the practice room.
This place surprised Hoshino Miru. Rather than a practice room, it was more like a dim basement without even sunlight, dust everywhere.
"It's quite dark here." Hoshino Miru looked around. Though there were many instruments and equipment here, it gave off an empty feeling.
"It won't be dark once the lights are on." Wakaba Mutsuki turned on the lights, bright illumination casting down from the ceiling as her shadow swayed on the ground.
Hoshino Miru found it somewhat glaring. As he averted his gaze, his fingers unconsciously touched the sofa nearby, and he retracted his earlier comment.
There wasn't much dust here - just no signs of use. It was too clean; even a few specks of dust would be immediately noticeable.
Hoshino Miru's gaze settled on a stool that had obvious cracks - signs of long-term use that stood out starkly against everything else around it.
"Do you usually practice here alone?" Hoshino Miru seemed to see the image of the girl sitting here all by herself, practicing guitar.
"Mm." Wakaba Mutsuki didn't think there was anything wrong with this - she was used to it.
Hoshino Miru watched the girl take out a gray guitar, carefully as if retrieving some incredible treasure from her treasure box to share with a friend she'd just met.
"A guitar I used before." Wakaba Mutsuki held the guitar and gently played a few notes. "It still works."
Hoshino Miru wanted to make a joke, like "gently used by girl, 99% new condition."
But the guitar the girl had carefully preserved looked very clean, without a single scratch, as if it had just been bought recently.
"Don't you feel it's a pity to give it to me?" Hoshino Miru felt it was too precious.
"This is all I can give you." Wakaba Mutsuki showed a trace of confusion. The guitar was the only thing that belonged to her - if she didn't give this to Hoshino Miru, what else could she give?
"I mean if I accidentally break this guitar, that would be too much of a pity." Hoshino Miru told her quietly.
"It's fine, I have better ones." Wakaba Mutsuki seemed to understand what he meant and pointed to a guitar nearby.
Hoshino Miru didn't know what brand it was, only that it was pink - obviously a girl's guitar at first glance.
"Well, I wouldn't dare refuse sensei's gift." Hoshino Miru extended both hands to receive Wakaba Mutsuki's guitar, and holding it seemed to still carry residual warmth.
He forced himself to calm down. Being able to detect even a trace of body temperature was too pathetic.
"Want to play?" Wakaba Mutsuki looked at Hoshino Miru with some anticipation.
Hoshino Miru didn't want to disappoint the girl's expectations and slowly plucked a string.
Wakaba Mutsuki looked at Hoshino Miru as if asking, "Is that all?"
"What a clear sound - seems like a good guitar." Hoshino Miru put on airs, though he had no idea how to play and couldn't tell good from bad.
Wakaba Mutsuki looked at him like he was an idiot. She rarely expressed her emotions, but that didn't mean she was stupid.
"What's this?"
"The headstock."
"And these?"
"Guitar strings, in order: E-A-D-G-B-E."
"Play something for me to see."
"I can't."
Hoshino Miru straightforwardly admitted he had only studied the most basic parts and had no practical experience.
Wakaba Mutsuki wasn't surprised. When she learned Hoshino Miru hadn't even prepared a guitar, she had already been mentally prepared.
That Hoshino Miru knew what guitar strings were actually exceeded expectations.
"I'll play for you." Wakaba Mutsuki took the guitar back from Hoshino Miru and habitually sat on her usual stool. "Watch my fingers."
Hoshino Miru sat beside her, smelling the girl's fragrance while staring intently at her fingers - white, tender, and particularly slender.
Wakaba Mutsuki began playing a melody. After listening for a while, Hoshino Miru realized it was "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
Though it was a particularly simple melody, in her hands it became very beautiful. The strings trembled lightly, and infectious notes eagerly danced out. Combined with the girl's serious expression, Hoshino Miru gradually became entranced.
When Wakaba Mutsuki stopped, she turned to look at Hoshino Miru.
"How much did you remember just now?"
Hoshino Miru felt somewhat awkward. At first he could remember her fingering, but later he was simply watching the girl.
"Ahem, let me try." Hoshino Miru took the guitar, recalling the earlier scene and attempting to pluck a few notes, mimicking a small section.
Without finishing, Hoshino Miru couldn't bear to listen anymore.
"Sorry." Wakaba Mutsuki bit her lip. "I don't know how to teach people."
"This has nothing to do with sensei." Hoshino Miru could only comfort the girl. "Don't worry, my learning ability is amazing - I'll learn it right away."
Wakaba Mutsuki wasn't very convinced. She took her guitar and played a small section for Hoshino Miru.
Hoshino Miru immediately mimicked it back, surprising Wakaba Mutsuki because his mimicry was very similar - just a few wrong notes and unfamiliar fingering.
Wakaba Mutsuki began to feel eager to try. She continued playing guitar while Hoshino Miru watched intently and played along.
One really dared to teach this way, and one really dared to learn this way.
Hoshino Miru relied entirely on memory to mimic Wakaba Mutsuki's movements. At first there were some mistakes, but under the effects of [Intelligence] and "Music Theory LV1," after just a few repetitions, he could quickly keep up with Wakaba Mutsuki's rhythm.
After finishing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," Wakaba Mutsuki held her guitar motionlessly because Hoshino Miru had actually learned this piece.
Though it was just a very simple song, Hoshino Miru's learning ability left this teacher unsure whether to be happy or worried.
"That's it? I'm done learning?" Hoshino Miru felt somewhat unsatisfied.
Wakaba Mutsuki shook her head and said: "You haven't learned anything - you're just mimicking."
"Huh?" Hoshino Miru was deeply struck. "This doesn't work either?"
"Mm, it doesn't work." Seeing his dejected look, Wakaba Mutsuki showed a barely perceptible smile.
"I thought playing exactly like you meant I had learned it." Hoshino Miru was completely puzzled. Wasn't producing the same melody enough?
"That won't work." Wakaba Mutsuki lowered her head. Real music required making the guitar sing.
Hoshino Miru waited a long time without hearing her explanation and sighed. He was beginning to doubt his decision. This sensei was cute enough, but too much of a clam.
Having her teach guitar might have hit her blind spot.
But whatever - he was already here.
Hoshino Miru held the guitar and began recalling the earlier fingering.
"Will we always practice here in the future?" Hoshino Miru asked.
Wakaba Mutsuki hesitated, then heard Hoshino Miru seemingly talking to himself: "I don't mind practicing here, but this is sensei's home after all. Practicing here all the time would be too disruptive. If possible, I'd like to go somewhere with better sunlight."
Wakaba Mutsuki looked at him uncomprehendingly. Somewhere with better sunlight?
"A real guitarist must be dazzling, especially a girl as cute as sensei. Staying in a basement all the time is such a waste."
Hoshino Miru spoke this nonsense with a straight face, as if he really understood guitarists' stage effects.
Wakaba Mutsuki looked at this boy, silently holding her guitar.
After a moment, the girl finally turned her pretty face and quietly retorted:
"Don't... keep calling me sensei."