Because of You, My Heart Beats - chapter 3

Chapter 3: Shared Frequencies

The single practice session became a routine that quickly swallowed up their after-school hours. It was no longer a Class Rep’s demand but a shared sanctuary. They didn't just practice 'Starfall'; they used the Old Music Room as a laboratory, a place where Akira could dissect chord theory, and Yui could fill the silences with her boundless curiosity. Their communication became a complex tapestry woven between intense, quiet collaboration in person and quick, insightful exchanges over the chat app outside of school hours. This digital space became their primary medium for emotional risk.

"Hey, check out this indie artist. I think their synth-pop sound matches that chord progression you used in your melody. 🎵," Yui messaged one night.

Akira responded instantly, "The bass line is predictable. But the harmony structure is clever. The second inversion on the chorus is unexpected." Yui would often tease him, calling him a "legendary underground producer" because of the depth of his technical knowledge, a term he would deflect with curt denial—"No. Just obsessed."

As their trust deepened over two weeks, Yui pressed him again on the subject of the memory, approaching it not as a demanding Class Rep but as a genuine friend. "Can I ask about the memory again? You don't have to tell me everything. But knowing might help us choose a song." It was the most vulnerable he had allowed himself to be since the incident, but he felt anchored by the consistency of her presence. The walls came down completely.

"It was a competition," he typed out slowly, the text appearing piece by piece. "The biggest one for middle schoolers. The lights, the noise, the pressure... I had a seizure on stage. Completely blacked out. The whole thing was televised." He finished the message with the phrase that haunted him: "It was less a memory and more a recurring nightmare of the sound of silence when the music stopped."

Yui’s reply was swift, gentle, and utterly sincere: "Akira... Oh, you poor thing. That’s awful. I’m so sorry. I won’t push you to the main stage. We can do a small, private set in the art room!" Her immediate willingness to sacrifice their club's goal for his well-being was the final piece of the trust they were building. It was also the catalyst for his ultimate decision. He refused the compromise. "No. I want to do the main stage. I made a deal. If I’m going to face it, I need to face it fully. But I can only play the rhythm track to ‘Starfall’ if you promise one thing." Yui's promise was immediate: "Anything!"

"When I freeze," Akira messaged back, his hand no longer trembling as he held the phone, "don’t look at the audience. Don't look at the other band members. Just look at me. Remind me of the beat." Yui sent a determined warrior cat GIF, her promise sealed. "My focus will be entirely on you."

Akira found himself practicing not just his chords, but his ability to look at Yui. He realized his emotional life was no longer encased in silence. His heart no longer jumped with fear when he touched the strings. It now jumped a little whenever Yui laughed, a sound far more complex and beautiful than any clean chord substitution. The shift was subtle but profound: his rhythm was now dependent on her.

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