A String on the Verge of Breaking

A few days had passed since the incredible concert. Lyola had unveiled a brand-new song for the first time, sending her entire fanbase into a frenzy.

 Since then, I had spent my time lazily sitting in front of the air conditioner at home—sometimes reading books and writing poetry, other times watching movies and shows, just passing the time alone in this unbearable heat.

My parents usually worked until the evening, and my older brother had moved out and gotten married a year ago, so I had spent my days alone at home.

But even though I didn’t really feel like it, I had to go out today. Ray’s birthday was coming up, and I needed to buy him something. 

I had been thinking about gift ideas for a while, and the most logical option is to visit a music store and find something that suited him. After all, we had been childhood friends for so long, and we exchanged gifts every year.

Breathable clothes? Check. 
Train schedule calculated?
Check. Cold water? Check.
I was ready.

I set out for the city’s most well-known music store, the one with the biggest selection.

While riding the train, my social media feed was flooded with clips from the concert we had attended.

What a day… I thought to myself. 

Despite the scorching heat, we had an amazing time even outside the concert. And then there was that girl who was a Lyola fan—or at least, I thought she was. 

Why else would she have asked all those questions?

Thinking about how Ray was still annoyed about their sudden exit made me smile involuntarily.

But then I quickly stopped myself—randomly smiling to myself in public was probably creepy.

With my earphones in, listening to acoustic music, I finally arrived at the massive music store. I could feel the sweat trickling down my back.

A five-minute walk in this 35-degree weather, no matter how light my clothes were, was brutal.

I wandered through the floors, checking out the products. Occasionally, I came across some random items unrelated to music, which strangely tempted me to buy them. At one point, I saw a collection of 1990s pop CDs.

I hadn’t been alive during that era, but man… what a time it must’ve been.

Then again, the early 2010s were something else too. Both globally and in our country, some amazing music had come out.

As I wandered aimlessly, I eventually found the guitar section. 

N-n-not that I was l-lost or a-anything!

I enjoyed watching people pick out instruments, choosing what suited their tastes, working hard for their passion, and selecting the best within their means. Whether it was a hobby, a profession, or both, it didn’t matter. Just as a painter needed colors and brushes, a musician needed their instruments and tools. To me, playing or singing music was an art form in itself. Every instrument here, every piece, was like a singer’s closest companion—just like how a painter needed their tools to create.

Anyway, I started examining the products from the beginning of the aisle.

“Effects pedal… already has one. Tuner… he has that too. Guitar cases are expensive. He doesn’t need extra strings right now. A capo would be way too basic…”

Muttering to myself, I kept browsing for a while.

And then I realized something:

I couldn’t find anything!

I had no idea what to get him. More accurately, nothing I could buy here would be as significant as Ray’s passion for music. Everything here was either unnecessary for him or simply not enough. 

And more than that, I hadn’t even found a single item I could confidently buy.

Ray was a bit of a strange person. Sure, no matter what I got him, he’d be happy that I thought of him. But I didn’t want him to just accept the gift—I wanted to see his eyes light up with excitement.

Feeling a little hopeless, I started wandering through the electric guitars. Not that I was planning to buy one—I was just curious.

“What the hell are these prices?!”

After seeing the price tags, I decided to get the hell out of there.
And I wasn’t joking—I literally backed away fast. The store was already packed with musicians and music lovers, and standing there aimlessly felt like I was intruding on their world.

Honestly, I was perfectly fine just staying in my own little bubble, analyzing music in my room. My only real investment had been a top-tier pair of headphones that could adjust settings for different types of songs. In my opinion, creating these headphones was just as much an art form as making music—but whatever, I was getting lost in my thoughts again.

I had unknowingly wandered into the section with shelves filled with small instrument parts.

Amazing… There were pieces from various different instruments. As I was scanning the shelves, my eyes landed on something that stood out from the rest. It had "Tuning Hammer" written on it.

 Could this be the tool used to tune piano strings? It had such an unusual shape. 

I tried to reach and grab it from the case, but at the same time, without realizing it, someone else had reached for it as well, and my hand accidentally touched theirs. I quickly pulled my hand back

“I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there!” I bowed my head in embarrassment, immediately apologizing.

"N-no, it's okay. I didn't notice you were there either." It was a girl’s voice—soft and slightly panicked. I had reached for the tool without noticing her presence and even made contact… I really hoped she didn’t misunderstand and find it weird…

Though, now that I thought about it, her voice sounded strangely familiar… but I couldn’t quite place it.

I hesitated to look at her face—I didn’t want to seem like a creep—but curiosity got the best of me, and I lifted my head. She had striking hazel-green eyes, fair skin, and short black hair with green highlights. Her lips were a soft pink, and her makeup was natural.

The moment our eyes met, I realized I wasn’t the only one staring. She was looking at me with the same stunned expression. Green highlights, black hair, hazel-green eyes… Could it be—?

"Y-Yuta?" She spoke my name in shock.

And she wasn’t the only one. Because at that exact moment, I whispered hers as well.

This girl is without a doubt...

"Lyra?"