Chapter 3: Different Notes

"When a single guitar string draws a quiet new boy into the world of music...
And when different people—different notes, different moods—find themselves in the same room,
Friendship begins not with harmony, but with laughter… and unexpected chaos."

Golden light spilled through the tall windows of the music room, casting soft amber shadows across the wooden floor.
The air hung quiet—awkwardly quiet—after the last note from Ai’s guitar had faded.

Makoto sat on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest, eyes flicking nervously around the room.
Ai glanced his way, about to say something, when suddenly—

Creak—

The door opened.

Rayna stepped into the room, bathed in the late afternoon sunlight.
She paused, her sharp blue eyes landing on the unfamiliar boy sitting on the floor.

“Who’s this?” she asked, blunt as ever.

Ai turned toward Makoto instantly, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Oh right! So… who are you, anyway?”

Makoto flinched as if caught red-handed. Slowly, he stood, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I-I’m Makoto… I just transferred here today.”

Before he could say anything else, Ai lit up like a spotlight had hit her.

“I’m Ai! The cutest and most talented guitarist in this entire music club!”

Makoto blinked.

Rayna sighed.

Without skipping a beat, Ai spun on her heel and gestured grandly toward her friend.

“And this is Rayna! Our drummer. She’s just a little less cute than me—just a little!”

Rayna crossed her arms, unimpressed.

“That’s… a weird way to introduce someone,” she muttered.

Makoto chuckled under his breath. Ai grinned and stepped closer to him, her energy never fading.

“So, Makoto—do you like music?”

He looked away shyly, fingers still behind his head.

“...I think I started liking it… about ten minutes ago.”

Silence.

Ai and Rayna both turned toward each other—completely stunned.

“Huh?”

And then—

Ai burst out laughing. Loud, bright, unfiltered laughter.

Rayna chuckled softly, despite herself.

Makoto laughed too—quietly, nervously—but genuinely.

The tension in the room faded like a fading echo, replaced by the sound of something warmer, something lighter.

And just like that… the silence turned into laughter.

Makoto watched the two girls in front of him—Ai still giggling, Rayna pretending not to smile.
Maybe it wasn’t just the music he was starting to like.
Maybe… it was this strange, funny, musical moment they shared.

And maybe, just maybe… this was the first note in a song made of different notes.