[ sousei & jae-ha make mistakes ]

[alttitude]

Comments

[alttitude]

If I say "not bad" again, will it offend you?

[but you know

it is not bad given the lack of instruction]

[disilluded]

[No, he knows it was pretty much mediocre, but--]

Save your breath and use it to instead assist--or I will try to figure it out for myself.

[so he's not offended but still too much of a perfectionist to let this slide.]

[alttitude]

Try again - you have the right idea in mind. Or would you like to watch and try to mimic?

[he'll hold his hands out - that's how he learned after all, just observing others and then trying to do as they did

a dragon adapting to human life]

[disilluded]

Hm.

Allow me to try again, first.

[Which he will do. It's a little smoother this time, but he's just working at trying to get the timing done correctly. It's a trip when you're not used to playing instruments at all.

He's.

Still trying through because he can.]

[alttitude]

[of course he is. meanwhile jae-ha waits patiently, listening to the sounds and ultimately finding it going much better than the time yona tried to play his instrument

on a particular improvement he nods - ]

Nearly.

[disilluded]

[...Hm.

Yeah, he's a bit more precise than Yona--but he simply nods, trying to remember that feeling in particular, and the other adjustments Jae-ha made before, and tries once more.

Progress...... slow progress.]

[alttitude]

[It is slow - but it is progress. And it gives Jae-ha something to focus on, and when he does help it's silent, reaching out to guide Sousei's fingers to more smoothly transition from one note to the other.

It takes practice, certainly, but more skilled hands showing the way also can't hurt.]

[disilluded]

[It definitely helps. With Jae-ha's guidance, that note ends up being much cleaner and smoother as it's transitioned.

Hm..... Nice. Even Sousei can appreciate that sound.]

... Hm. Acceptable.

[alttitude]

[Ah - Jae-ha's satisfaction mirrors Sousei's as he hums a moment later, oddly in tune with the notes.]

Once you master the transitioning between notes, and learn more of them, that's all you really need to play. An ear and some patience.

[disilluded]

[Hm...]

I do not really have any intentions of learning how to play more properly.

[He was...just doing this for Jae-ha's sake.......... not that he'll admit that either.]

But it is not terrible to be able to do even just this much.

[alttitude]

[gently ????

because why learn if you're not individually curious, was jae-ha really that pushy]

Mm? Why not? It's never a bad thing to pick up a new skill.

[disilluded]

[............

A long pause.

Sousei attempts the notes again, to buy himself some time.]

... It simply isn't a skill that will have much use for me.

[alttitude]

[ . . . . ]

And so you tried so hard to learn it because....

[disilluded]

[...Stop.]

Don't get any ideas.

[IT WASN'T FOR YOU, BAKA]

[alttitude]

Like what?!

[no he'll figure it out in a couple seconds actually

but right now he's even more thrown]

[disilluded]

[stOP]

...Regardless.

[CHANGING THE SUBJECT.]

This is a rather peculiar item to have had brought with you. Not that it does not have its own uses, but...

[In a murdergame...]

[alttitude]

I would trade it for about three of my throwing knives, maybe a small sword.

[he's so used to having more options here

but also

he's still thinking about it]

Did you learn it just to give me something to focus on?

[disilluded]

[Yeah. He gets that. Weapons are great? Weapons are gre--

STOP

SHUT UP]

No. Absolutely not. Do not be ridiculous, that would be an incredible waste of time and effort.

[You doth protest too much, Sousei.]

[1/2]

[alttitude]

The same could be said for learning something you have no interest in.

[look, he has to say it, because he's still trying to figure it out? sousei is a perfectionist, he figured that out very quickly, but if not for the sake of the craft then. just for the sake of being perfect? and if he didn't agree because he wanted to learn, it really was just so that jae-ha would stop fucking around and start focusing and

that's an odd type of kindness

but it is kindness]

[alttitude]

[but he laughs instead.]

Well, you must have your reasons.

[disilluded]

[Safe......

He suspects he might've been figured out, but if Jae-ha's not going to put words to it, then Sousei can pretend otherwise. He just huffs out a short breath, and offers the instrument back, so that he can offer up:]

Show me a simple song, if you are willing. Simply being able to handle a note or two doesn't help me much.

[Change the subject to something less embarrassing.]

[alttitude]

Ahah, I am willing. Do you hope to watch and learn?

[but he'll spare sousei for now, cease his questioning and take the erhu back.

naturally he plays twinkle twinkle little star

because that's a classic and it's fine]

[disilluded]

Indeed.

[Simply, and easily. He will watch and learn, and he'll at least be a very, very focused student.

He doesn't like having to be told things twice, after all.

Also I cannot find when twinkle twinkle little star was brought to Japan so fuck it I give up.]

[alttitude]

[tbh i guessed in fantasy korea land

anyway jae-ha plays twinkle twinkle little star, repeats it for a second round just in case it might help sousei to see and then as he thinks about it]

It uses... most of the notes of the scale?

I think that's why people use it to teach.

[he doesn't know

he's

winging this teaching thing]

[disilluded]

[Seems...legit to him? He's rolling with it.]

I see...

[Hm.]

I suppose it is sensible enough to teach with a simple rhythm like that. I will give it a try.