Naruto: Snow Cold

Later that day, I went out with Mother and Sora, just strolling around the village before we got into any actual training. My jaw was still sore and aching, but it was bearable.

It was fun. We went to Ichiraku and had some ramen—Sora loved it. You know what I find impressive? The fact that we haven't run into Naruto yet. How? Isn't he supposed to be a regular here in the future? Good lord, my memories are so hazy.

After that, we wandered around a little more, and on our way, we noticed a certain workshop.

"Hey, could we check that out really quick?" Sora asked, pointing toward the shop. There were acoustic guitars and other instruments on display. I even spotted a few electric guitars, although the place looked a bit empty. Music probably wasn't very popular, considering how this world works.

"I don't see why not. Let's go check it out," my mother answered.

We made our way to the workshop, and stepped inside, the bell jingling as we entered. The shop was quaint, a mix of warm wood tones and dusty shelves, with the instruments carefully arranged along the walls.

"Whoa," Sora breathed out, his eyes widening slightly as he walked up to one of the acoustic guitars, "This is actually pretty good."

I glanced at him, smiling slightly. I didn't know he was into music like that.

"Do you play?" the shopkeeper, an older man with a graying beard, asked as he emerged from behind the counter. His voice was warm and inviting, like one of those kind grandpas that would sneak you candy when your parents weren't looking.

Sora turned to him, and answered, "A little. Is there smaller guitars that I could try out? I'm afraid this is a tad big."

The shopkeeper stroked his graying beard thoughtfully, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he glanced at Sora. "Why, of course. Follow me, my dear customers."

The shopkeeper led us toward the back of the shop, where a row of smaller guitars was neatly displayed on a shelf. Each one was a little shorter in length and slimmer in body compared to the full-sized guitars. They looked really nice, to be honest.

"These are 3/4-sized guitars," the shopkeeper explained as he carefully pulled one down. "Perfect for the young ones. They have a full sound, but they're far more manageable. Go on, try it and tell me how it feels."

Sora gratefully took the guitar, adjusting it in his lap with a focused expression. I'd take a picture if I could, haha. He plucked the strings in order—Low E, A, D, G, B, High E—listening intently as each note filled the air. He wasn't rushing through it; instead, he was savoring the sound, making sure every string sounded just right. His eyes remained closed, as if he were shutting out everything else to focus purely on the feel and tone of the guitar.

I don't actually have any idea on how any of this guitar stuff works, but I know some stuff because I did have music as a subject at my school, and our teacher was keen on making us learn at least how a guitar works and its parts.

"How's it feel?" the shopkeeper asked gently, not wanting to break Sora's concentration.

Sora slowly opened his eyes, and a soft smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "This feels unreal," he murmured, his voice quieter than usual, "It's just right. Like it's meant for me and me alone."

The shopkeeper chuckled, clearly pleased with Sora's response. "Hohoho, well, there you go. This one's definitely a keeper."

Sora's fingers hovered over the strings, and for a moment, he paused before deciding on something. And then, he began to play.

He started with a clean slide up to the 9th fret, the notes echoing softly in the air, and then moved down to the 7th fret on the G string. His thumb caught the low E string, and Sora's focus was absolute as he followed the flow.

9, 7 on the D string, followed by a quick slide from 7 to 9 on the G string. He repeated the pattern, his eyes closing again as he lost himself in the melody, fingers moving up and down the fretboard—9, 7, 9, 7. He continued to play, the rhythm coming naturally as he shifted between the strings.

This melody... I recognize it. How the hell does he know it? That's clearly Silhouette. I knew something was off about him!

He kept playing the same melody, while both Mother and I just gawked at each other, our mouths wide open, although for different reasons. Not the old man, though—was it an easy song? All I knew was that it sounded nice.

Sora was way too immersed in his playing of the guitar, fingers gliding smoothly over the strings, each note flowing naturally to the next. He was already almost done with the intro. The way he played was almost effortless. I'll have to ask him later how the actual fuck he knows about this song, and who he really is.

He finished, and there was just silence.

"Uh... Was I that bad?" Sora asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he looked up at us.

Mother and I exchanged a long, stunned glance. The shopkeeper was frozen, his mouth hanging slightly open.

"Bad? Oh nonono!" The shopkeeper managed to choke out, his eyes wide with surprise. "Kid, that was good for someone your age. You sure you just play 'a little'?"

I glanced at my mother and she glanced back at me. We nodded in unison. I'm getting him a guitar, no matter what. Imagine the amount of music we could 'compose'—video game OSTs, anime openings, and stuff like that!

"Yup, I don't have much experience. What I just played is actually a pretty easy song, although I do not have a title for it yet."

You do not have a title for it, my ass. Once we're alone in the training grounds, I'm questioning the hell out of you.

"Well, kid, if you ever want to come back for lessons, just give me a heads up. You've got talent for this. Real talent."

"You flatter me, mister. I'll make sure to return, thank you for letting me play," Sora replied with a polite smile, his voice as calm and collected as ever.

We prompty bid the shopkeeper goodbye, and we headed off. Today, I will train 'til my limbs give out.

And I will get my answers.