Chapter 4: The Chord That Cracked The Silence

[Late Friday Night]

Dence sits along in his dimly lit room, the soft glow of a single lamp casting long shadows across the walls. The kids were all sleeping. His guitar is cradled in his hands, as it often is, but tonight something feels different. The familiar weight of the instrument feels like it's tied to a deeper purpose. There's an almost unspoken tension in the air, a sense of something waiting to unfold. He stepped out into the cold night air, the glow of neon flickering over empty streets. He returned to the Family Mart near Toyohashi Station — retracing old steps, eyes scanning corners, signs, reflections. Looking for clues. Hoping for something to speak.

But the silence spoke louder. With confusion tightening in his chest and answers slipping through his fingers, Dence made his way home.

He entered the apartment quietly, careful not to disturb the peace of the night.
The door to his small music room creaked open — that sacred space with a single round mirror hanging like a silent moon on the wall.
Dence sat.

He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out the note again. His eyes locked on the etched symbol: #.

Faintly glowing under the dim light.

Something stirred. He picked up and tuned his black guitar. Breathed in. Strummed a clean D chord — clear, grounding. Then, with instinct guiding his hands, he climbed the scale. Doing "#" or sharp chords.

F#... G#... A#...

Each note echoed differently, like knocking on doors not fully open yet.

Something was shifting. The air. The mirror. The silence.

Then came the whisper.
"D#"

As he strums his guitar on D# ― the mirror on the wall cracks... then shatters. Instead of shards, light spills out like mist, forming a portal. Dence stood, heart racing, instinct guiding his hand to reach for his katana.

On the other side ― a distorted version of Toyohashi Station, with twisted skies and reversed signs. The small blue elephant, welcomes him, nodding slowly. Eyes shimmering with some ancient light. The elephant turned toward him and, for the first time, spoke clearly:
"My name is Ere. I am your intuition. Not every mirror shows your reflection... some reveal your truth."

Without thinking, Dence stepped in.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
[Inside the Mirror Realm] 

Everything changed. Light surrounded him. A ringing in his ears. A humming echo of all the songs he never finished. Suddenly, he realized, he is standing on a crowded place. He recognized, he's at Toyohashi South Side Station Square ― but different. Time seems suspended. The people are faceless, repeating their motions like broken records. NV101.9 Radio Station posters are everywhere, promoting artists who all look like Dence... but aren't him.

Ere (explains):
"These are echoes of what could've been ― the lives of those who silenced their song."He continues, "This world listen differently. Every note is a weapon... every silence, a choice."

The mysterious hooded character appears again. Watching from afar, and just before vanishing, echoes a cryptic message through the air:
"The sharper the note, the clearer the light."

Dence grips his katana tightly.He's beginning to understand ― this isn't just about survival anymore. It's about reclaiming what was taken: His sound. His soul. His story.

The portal begins to close, and Dence, overwhelmed but determined. Steps back into his own world.

The tiny room settles back into its familiar form, but Dence feels something has shifted. He's no longer the same person who walked into that room moments ago. The D# chord was more than just a note ― it was a key, unlocking something deep within him. With a new sense of clarity, Dence looks down at his guitar, got clearer look, and notices the bridge pins glisten faintly in the low light. Shocked and dazed.

"The bridge pins are not plastics... it is made up of glowing stones!"

It's time for him to discover what lies ahead.

(To be continued...)
(Next: The White Stones)