Chapter 394 - ARROGANT (2/2)
Elder Yamazaki sighed. ”It is inevitable for you to have experienced hardship. You are too mȧturė for your age. Your life couldn't have been simple.”
Akira was amused. ”It was not. But it was not bad. And now, I am independent enough to live my life the way I want. I don't lack anything, and I pursue things I like. I have the freedom to live without worrying so much.”
”You are really arrogant.” The old man said. ”But that is the spirit my granddaughter should have.”
”Aren't you even more arrogant for saying that?”
”Of course, the grandfather must be more arrogant.” The elder puffed his ċhėst. ”Now, play me a tune. It would be a shame if I did not hear you playing after coming here.”
Akira stood up and sat at the piano. She had not played the instrument since it was sent to the house. The people who had gifted it were probably that group of eccentrics who lived and died for music. She saved them while she was on a special brigade mission in Poland.
They were not thankful when she helped them avoid being crushed by rocks in some old underground ruins. But their tune changed when she gave them what they were looking for in the dangerous zone: undiscovered manuscripts of Chopin's music.
Akira placed her fingers on the delicate piano, and the soft tunes of Chopin's Barcarolle flowed out softly. The piece was not difficult, but it required a subtle gentleness and tempo to capture the right feeling. Akira ċȧrėssed the keys of the crystal piano without pause.
Her grandfather felt the indulgent tones flow through his soul like a gentle, cool river. He felt re-energised as the earlier frustrations as he faced his useless members of the family ebb away. As expected, his granddaughter was the best.
Hanae's hands formed into tight fists that she could hardly breathe. Her short nails dug into her palms until blood flowed out. She could not suppress the monster within. She wanted desperately to turn away unaffected, but her body and mind did not listen.
She was confident in herself because she had always believed that her piano playing was unrivalled in Mountain Ridge. Even when Akira played her violin, she was angry until she experienced a breakdown in mentality.
She could only recover and hold her head high because she was a piano prodigy. She was still valued by everyone because her skills were unrivalled.
Hearing Akira playing, she understood the meaning of effortless and moving music. Everyone praised her music for being so beautiful and perfect. But some experts had told her during competitions that her music lacked soul.
She always thought that they were looking for a fault because her playing was too flawless. But it seemed it was not the case. She always thought that classical music did not need feelings. It did not need meaningless emotions like the music composed for commoners.
She was wrong.
She was wrong.
Akira breathed life into the simple music and made it into a real living force.
She could not compare.
”What are you doing here?” A voice broke her out of the trance.