Tenten [ テンテン ] (oriental_dragon) wrote in last_stretch,
@ 2009-09-09 23:19:00

Entry tags:

[ Closed - In Progress | Give me just a second and I'll be all right ]
Who: Tenten and Uchiha Itachi
What: Friends making with music?
Where: Music Department of the University
When: September 10th; early morning

There was something eerily calm about the silence that greeted her when Tenten slowly creaked open the door. It was tranquil. It was familiar. After two years of walking the same halls to that very room, it could not be anything else. And besides the buildings where her own classes were held, this was the only place on campus that the young girl knew by heart. And she was not even majoring in Music.

This had been one of the better arrangements that she had made over the years. Convenient. As long as she did not interfere in the classes or cut into the actual student's practice times, the Head of the Department allowed her to make use of the piano. For his love of the written notes. Because he held a small measure of pity for Tenten's lack of funds. Or because she had simply been that convincing with her cause. It did not matter the reason. He had said yes. And she was not going to question it.

Setting her things aside in a chair near the door, it was an easy trek across the room to the piano that just seemed to call out to her in its siren song. It had been a while since Tenten had a chance to play. With the summer break, came an endless string of work hours that were necessary for her to survive in the city on her own. And so access had been next to none. But now, with the start of the new semester and less hours at the cafe...

There would be music again.

"Did you miss me?"

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oriental_dragon
2009-09-13 02:59 pm UTC (link)

"You as well, Professor," she responded. Such was the level of respect that she had been raised to give to those above her. Teachers were above her.

His gesture was obvious, although it was true that he had not actually tired to hide it in the first place. Still, the way he seemed to touch the piano keys was telling enough. She knew that look. On some level, she shared that look. He wanted to play.

"Third. This is my third year." Almost out of habit, Tenten idly played the first three notes of a particularly favorite song of hers. One that she had not been able to play this time around. But perhaps next time... "And that would explain why I haven't seen you before." Feeling the sudden need to explain, she lifted her head and met his gaze before adding, "I've... met most of the professors in this department."

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silentlucidity
2009-09-13 04:48 pm UTC (link)

Unable to help himself, Itachi played the next three notes in the song, and offered her a small smile. He interpreted her speech and mannerisms as being nervous-not that he was all that great at reading people. He was just trying to remember how he had often felt when speaking to a teacher.

"With your talent at the Piano, it is no wonder to me that you have met most of them."

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oriental_dragon
2009-09-14 02:52 pm UTC (link)

That had rather been a bit of a shock. But a welcomed and pleasant one all the same as she returned the gesture with a small smile of her own with a look that was somewhere between impressed, curious, and amused. And continued by playing the next five notes that followed after. After all, since he knew the song...

"You flatter me far too much, Professor," Tenten responded softly, taking one step over to reach the keys that she needed to play, "I haven't taken lessons in ten years and the last time I even practiced was before the summer."

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	silentlucidity 2009-09-14 05:24 pm UTC (link)
	That surprised him a little-clarity and nimbleness on the keys after a whole summer away from a piano? Itachi followed with the next 10 or so notes, eyebrows raised slightly. "Ten years? Are you a music major, Miss Tenten?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

oriental_dragon
2009-09-14 06:08 pm UTC (link)

And there it was, the question she had been waiting for. It always came up when she would speak with a professor in the department. Or even a student who happened to be passing by while she was on the piano. And for a moment, Tenten had begun to wonder if the topic would come up at all. Still, she supposed, it was inevitable.

"No, actually," she replied, her tone light and soft, "I'm a Philosophy and History major."

And while she watched his fingers move along the keys with precision and expertise, the young woman glided her own hand over to play the next three measures of notes. "I just enjoy playing the piano."

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	silentlucidity 2009-09-14 08:57 pm UTC (link)
	Shame. A girl with such talent could probably go far. Still, he didn't blame her. Even he did not stay solely with music. "There is no shame in that." Itachi turned slightly, putting both of his hands on the piano so that he could follow with a few more measures. "Philosophy isn't so far off from music." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

oriental_dragon
2009-09-15 02:50 pm UTC (link)

"Oh?" she pushed, following his lead and placing both her hands on the keys to sound out the next few measures of the song, "How so?"

It was beginning to be a fun little game, at least to her. Granted, only one that could be played by those who knew and loved the piano. But a game nonetheless. That this had come about on a whim from both parties did not escape her mind. But as the melody came out in their broken syncopation, Tenten could hardly force herself to care. It was almost as if they were... playing together instead of just taking turns back and forth mapping out the course of the piece.

Still, she stumbled once or twice in her latest attempt -- and cringed just slightly at the slight tweaks of the notes before muttering a soft apology -- but did well to recover quickly in order to uphold the integrity of the song. For both their sakes, she supposed, and their love of the music itself.

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silentlucidity
2009-09-16 02:07 am UTC (link)

Itachi smiled faintly as they played, listening and playing, listening and playing. It was a fun game. And he was greatful for the sounds.

"Both require a slightly skewed vision and the ability to think outside the box. No great musician got where he-or she-was without breaking some rules. I have never met a philosopher who followed any one else's ideals to a T." He glanced at her, amused and enthusiastic. "And both require discipline."

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oriental_dragon
2009-09-16 03:27 pm UTC (link)

"And years of study and research to perfect?" she added, although, more as a question than a statement.

He was right of course, both on his observations and his comparative analysis on the concept of philosophy and music being similar. And she really had not thought of it in that perspective. All things in life had a basic foundation and format. What made them different was how people as individuals viewed them. But, Tenten supposed, that was why he was the professor and she was simply the student. "And both... leave plenty of room for individualistic interpretation, right Professor?"

The song was slowly nearing its end and she could not help but feel slightly... disappointed at that knowledge. It was just as well, she thought. If were not careful, the both of them might well spend the entire morning there. Still, there were still a few pages of measures left. And the conversation would at least hold them until then.

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silentlucidity
2009-09-21 02:01 am UTC (link)

Itachi only barely heard her over the music. Oh, the piano. Such a beautiful thing...

But when she called him 'Professor' it pulled him out of his lulled state. "Yes. Yes..." It took him a second to rehash all the sounds she'd made at him while he was playing and translate them into words. He hit one note and let it die, one finger poised above the next.

"And Soul." He hit his last note and then looked at her thoughtfully. "A lot of soul."

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oriental_dragon
2009-09-22 03:06 am UTC (link)

And as they finished out the song, the young woman could only turn to the other as his words reached into the deeper recesses her mind. A small smile tugging gently at her lips. "...Right."

She was... somewhat in awe of him, really. Which was a strange feeling in and of itself considering. he was a teacher and not a student like she was. He seemed almost too young. And Tenten had heard of professors enjoying their professions. But never had she ever come across one so very passionate like he was. And perhaps that made all the difference. "Very poetic for you to say so, Professor Uchiha."

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silentlucidity
2009-09-22 03:21 am UTC (link)

"Mh." Itachi let his hands fall from the piano and find their way to his pockets. Stilled keys always brought to him a sense of melancholy-as if, when the music stopped, he were back in Italy in a dark, cramped basement...

"Perhaps." He said, his voice low and thoughtful. He'd not thought it poetic. It was the truth-plain, simple, and tangible. Whatever soul existed in the human body, he knew it moved not only to God but also to music.

Music had been in existence long before belief in any modern deity.

Tacked up in his office, still, was an article he'd found during his own college days about cave drawings. Scientists found that a great many of the drawings were most often done only in the most resonant portions of caves.

They, as a species, sang with the soul long before they had contracted it away to gods.

Itachi realized he'd let their silence linger and he again brought his eyes to the girl, noting that she was indeed a lovely young woman. "Some people pray. Some people play music. I find poetry has little to do with it." He gave her a very small smile and moved away to pick up his now cool cup of tea.

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oriental_dragon
2009-09-25 02:41 pm UTC (link)

Very carefully and quietly she slid the cover over the keys -- it would be far too tempting to play them again if they were still in plain sight -- giving the process the same sort of respect she would a religious ritual. Because, in some strange way, the piano was like a religion. At least it seemed so with them and how they played it. Together or individually. It was a belief in something that was within themselves to create and offer. A miracle in and of itself. So it was the small link between the two concepts that he provided that Tenten of a bit of a fond smile before responding. "But isn't poetry similar to music in a way?"

Because, much like poetry, it was not in the actual words or sounds themselves, but what came out. The feelings and emotions that they were meant to convey. they conveyed. Concepts. Thoughts. Ideals. They all came out in melody and verse. Both from the heart and from the soul. And from the very being that housed the two. It was the reason why Tenten had taken such an interest in the piano all those years ago. Why she fell in love with it in the first place. And it was a belief that she still held to this very day.

"What music does with sound, poetry does with words," she continued, her long and thin fingers casually brushing over the wooden cover she had just slid into place. Even now, they were still a temptation. One she would gladly succumb to over and over again. However, the young woman quickly reminded herself once more, time was not on their side. And her first class of the day would begin within the hour. Sooner if she continued to lingered near the instrument any longer. So at his shift in stance, Tenten finally found the strength within herself to step away as well. "It's only natural that speaking of one would link you with the other in some way, even unconsciously."

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