BallRoom Closed

"I would like a white rabbit probably. They're cute and small." Adohiro mentioned and he wondered what else he would want. "A tiger would be nice but I bet that is banned. It might harm everyone" He smiled softly and he would wonder what else he could think of to start a conversation. "I can show you my Chinese Guqin and play you a song." He would reach down to grab his small bag and he would present her his wooden bamboo piano looking instrument. It looked like any typical piano, however, it had strings on it. He would put on some hand gloves to make it easier to play. He would begin to play 'Unrestrained ' on the instrument. It would sound nice and melodic tune to it. "You might not know the tune because it's a Chinese song. I'm not Chinese though, but I did live in Shanghai when I was young for a bit. But I am half Japanese and half Korean." He revealed to her. It was often hard for people to ask what his ethnicity was and he would always have to say it. It was a bit annoying at times. Koreans would think he was Korean while Japanese would assume he was full Japanese. 

Harper listened to him and nodded. "A white rabbit... That's an interesting choice!" She laughed at his remark about the tiger. "You're right! A tiger probably wouldn't be the best idea, although that does sound like it would be cool." When he reached down into his bag she looked and watched him confused as to what he may be getting out. When he pulled out the Chinese Guqin she looked at him confused. When he said what it was she nodded. A song would be very interesting. She loved to experience new cultures and such. "I would love to hear you play!" She says out loud and smiles at him. She looked at the instrument obviously fascinated by such a beautiful and interesting instrument.

When he mentions his ethnicity she smiled. "That's really cool that you're half Japanese and half Korean!" She said smiles after she says it. She closed her eyes and listened to his playing. She really enjoyed talking to him and especially enjoyed listening to him play music. He was really good and she was shocked only because he was also 11 like her and was already so good. "I really enjoy listening to you play Adohiro! You're really good at both the piano and this... Chinese Guqin." She said smiling a little.

When he finished his piece, he heard his compliments and he shook his head. "I am not that skilled." He would say trying to look humble. Of course, he wouldn't mind bragging about his skills, but that was a bad, horrible trait to have especially. Being proud of your achievements was fine, but boasting about your achievements was a terrible thing to do.  "So you've never heard of the Chinese Guqin in your life? I guess we learn things every day. I guess my school teachers weren't wrong about that saying." He said and he would stand up and stretch his tired muscles. He sure did sit around a lot but he was hapy about it. He wasn't one for sports but he wouldn't mind trying quidditch. It seemed very fun. "Do you want to try the Chinese Guqin? It isn't hard if you've tried string instruments in the past or if you're skilled in guitar. It's sort of similar to the piano but not really but it's the same concept. It's a piano with strings basically." He smiled softly. "I can help you walk through it and I will pick an easier and beginner-level song for you to play." 

Harper was glad he was being humble but she felt like he had deserved some compliments and some credit because for an 11-year-old he was truly skilled. She shook her head when he had asked her if she had heard of a Chinese Guqin. "No I hadn't heard of it before now." She says as she was shaking her head.

When he asked her if she wanted to try to play it she was beyond shocked. "You trust me enough to play this?" She was curious because they had just met and this looked like such a beautiful instrument she didn't want to break it or anything. "I don't really have much experience with string instruments or piano. I was always more focused on academics growing up. My parents wanted to enroll me in piano lessons but we never got around to it." She responded although she was interested in learning. "Well, if you are willing to teach me how to play then I wouldn't mind learning but you don't have to... by all means." She replied. She took a closer look at the Chinese Guqin and looked at it. "This does sort of look similar to a guitar or piano." She commented.

"You can play it." He smiled and he would get off the seat and would stand. "Just sit down and I will try to teach you." He would smile. "You've never taken piano lessons? I thought that was pretty normal for most kids to go through. The more you know. I hated my piano lessons. My tutor was too stuffy and strict and my hands were always whacked whenever I missed a key." He would laugh, it was a bit funny. "I mean it didn't hurt too much and it makes me better and more focused to do better. Personally I prefer the voilin, I think it's easier." He smiled and he would wait for her. "So first press the E key." He would point to the key to the center. He didn't think of himself as a rather good teacher and this was his first time teaching someone. He didn't know if he would do good or bad, it was a bit worrisome and he would stand and watch waiting. "Then press the C key and you should have the tune of 'Twinkle' in 'twinkle twinkle little star' and you repeat the two keys twice." He said to her. 

Harper shrugged when he seemed shocked that she hadn't taken piano lessons. "Like I said my family wanted me to have them but we never got around to doing it." She laughed a little along with him. "Yeah, I think if I would've taken them I would be like you. I probably wouldn't like them either." She said with a smile and a little laugh.

Eventually, she sat down after he got up and watched as he told her which keys to press. First he told her to press the E key. She listened to which key he said that was and then pressed down the center key. She didn't think he was a bad teacher. She didn't know anything about how to play this instrument so it helped for him to tell her where the keys were instead of him just expecting her to know. She pressed the C key after the E key and smiled up at him. "Like that?" She asked and then when he mentioned Twinkle Twinkle little star she nodded to herself. She had heard that in the two notes she had just played. She did what he said and repeated the two keys and then looked at him. "What keys do I play next?" She asked eagerly. She had never really taken the time to learn any instruments so this was a new and fun experience for her.

Adohiro would nod and he would point out the 'f' and sharp 'c' keys and tell her to press them in a patter of one f and two sharp c and finish it with an A. He was a bit worried he wasn't doing well. He hadn't ever taught someone and he hoped he wasn't leading Harper to her downfall. He wasn't skilled and he would show her a few more keys and the pattern to press them. Now she knew at least one line of the twinkle twinkle little star now. It wasn't really a feat since even two year old pianists are taught this, but he would smile. "Good job. You have the first line remembered, but you should practice only the first line for a whole week and then we can learn the second line. Then you can practice both the first and second line at the same time. Then it will gradually become more difficult but this is a simple song. You are a promising player. I can lend you my instrument."  He would tell her. Luckily if she did happen to break this, he could easily buy a new one. Sure they were a bit expensive but he ha the money to buy it and his older brother could easily send a new one to him. 

(I kinda made up the keys for it lol)

Harper smiled brightly and did as she was told. She enjoyed learning to play these songs even though they were met for beginners she figured she had to start somewhere and if she started with symphonies or other super hard tunes she would probably have a really hard time. So she was glad he was teaching her songs like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" first instead to help her learn the notes and to get familiar with the instrument because she really hadn't ever played the piano or any instrument for that matter.

She began to carefully listen to what he was saying and nodded as he told her how to practice. She listened to him while she carefully touched the strings he had shown her over and over not making any sounds so she could still hear him. She did this because she wanted to commit them to memory. Harper was very shocked when he offered to lend her his instrument. Not that she wouldn't take good care of it but she was just surprised that he would trust her, someone he just met with such a nice and expensive-looking instrument. Adohiro... Are you sure you trust me with this? It looks to be fairly expensive and we just met." She said. She only asked because if something were to happen to it she would be devastated.

"No, you can borrow it. I have an extra one and if the strings break, I can easily have my brother buy me new strings or send me a new instrument. And actually it would work out to my favor, I wouldn't mind having a brand spanking new one!" He would grin, however, his older brother probably would be irritated with him, however. Oh well, guess that would be the price to pay for a new one!  "Just don't let other people use it and you should be okay with it. It's a bit heavy, but not too bad. I don't mind if it's just you borrowing it." He would blush a bit and he would try to look away to hide the redness of his cheeks. "So you can borrow it, I have a second one in my dorm room I can play with." He would smile softly. He hoped she wouldn't mind, but she did seem promising as a guqin player and a future pianist possibly. He was a tad bit worried and he would face her. "So are you really sure? I mean I personally don't mind but you seem a bit hesitant. If it breaks I can just ask for a new one."   

Harper smiled when he offered for her to still borrow the instrument. She was glad to have someone so willing to allow her to learn to trust someone he had just met with his instrument. However, she was just even more glad to have someone that was as good of a friend was Adohiro seemed to be.

She nodded and gave him yet another warm smile. "Well thank you so much for allowing me to borrow this instrument. I promise I will practice as much as I can between homework and class. And hopefully not annoy any other students at my dorms as I mess up notes and get frustrated. Maybe I will have to come here to practice instead." She says laughing at the little joke she made. She really was glad to have a friend like him.

She looked at the instrument she still had in her hands. "Now I suppose I should put this away before I really do drop it or break it or both." She said with a more serious tone this time. She looks at the case and then puts the instrument in making sure she didn't break it or anything. She would just make sure she was extra careful with it because she really didn't want it to break.