“You’re playing your guitar again.”

The blonde doesn’t flinch, and merely hums in affirmation, strumming the strings of her guitar idly. She isn’t playing any song in particular, merely trying to come up with a tune. Kia does this quite so often. Their teacher, who took them both under her wing, often commented on how she has a gift for music. However, all Kia does is shake her head, and smile. 

(“You should pursue it.” Their teacher, Hime, tells Kia one afternoon while they are studying. Airi glances at Kia in curiosity, hearing her just chuckle nervously and shake her head. “Why not? Sure, it will be difficult, but…”

“I’m not so sure, teacher.” Kia has a small smile on her face, placing her chin on her palm. She fidgets with her glasses, giving off another chuckle. “My music will be drowned by the melodies of the wind.”

Hime puts down her ink pen and runs a hand through her unruly hair. Her teacher cannot tame it whatever she does. “But it will be part of it, no? A symphony has many parts.”

Kia doesn’t speak at that, and merely smiles and looks down onto the table.

Airi tsks at that. Her best friend is a stubborn mule.)

Why she is so stubborn, Airi doesn’t know. She sighs, and sits beside her best friend, looking up to the night sky.

It is a peaceful night. The sky is quite clear, none of the usual smoke and fog that covered their eyesight. Kia scoots closer to Airi, still strumming the guitar.

“I’m making us a song.” Kia plays a tune, something that she possibly made up while waiting for Airi. She gives Airi a big grin while playing. “It’s my gift to you.”

Airi eyes Kia’s guitar. It is old, visibly so. The guitar is something Kia’s father gave to her before he passed away while on duty. It is the last thing Kia has of her father, so she treasures it.

And the way she does it is by playing it, making sure that it doesn’t lose its purpose in this chaotic world.

“Your gift to me?” Airi asks in a quiet tone. “You don’t have to.” She doesn’t really know what to feel about that. On one hand, her heart flutters at the thought. Kia making a song for her means a lot to her.

On the other hand, it feels like a goodbye. It feels like her best friend is slowly walking away from her.