Arlen beamed as the bells above the door chimed and he waved enthusiastically. "Hi! Welcome to Ye Bochord, how can I help you?"
The emerald-eyed young man startled. "O-oh! Hi!" Then he smiled. "Sorry, I didn't realize there was anyone so close by. I was wondering...do you have any books on...music composition, maybe...? And singing, perhaps?"
The librarian nodded excitedly, gesturing toward the upper floors. "Yeah! We have our media section upstairs! The aisle you're looking for should be number three! Would you like me to show you?"
Roka looked up in awe at the sheer amount of books. "Yes, please! Wow...you know where to find all the books here? Just from memory?"
"Well, I kinda spend a lotta time here." Arlen chuckled sheepishly and scratched at his scalp. "It's not as impressive as it seems, I've had a lot of time to familiarise myself with the place, is all!
You writing music?"
"...Here?" The music-composer looked around. "All by yourself? Or are there other people around here? It looks and sounds so...empty. Quiet."
He smiled. "I think it's more impressive than you make it out to be. Most people would just spend their time sitting around and reading if they had a job like yours, I think. Not taken the time and trouble to remember the sections of books and where they're all located in a multi-story library."
Roka glanced back, surprised, before blushing. "Oh...yes. Composing music is my favorite hobby, actually. But I've never been in this library before, so I wondered if it might have books on composing music that I haven't read before."
Then he turned back to the librarian. "Do you like music?"
"Nah, just me for the time being, but the work keeps me busy! Running a library is pretty fun!"
Arlen hummed, flushing slightly himself and patting his sides awkwardly. "W-Well—I mean, it's very nice of you to say, jeez—"
He beamed at the response. "That's amazing! Do you do it professionally? That sounds like a really cool hobby! I've never been good at playing music, but gods—it's so fun to listen to it! What's your favourite genre?"
"Fun? Isn’t it also a lot of work, though? I can't imagine it all being done just by one person!"
The university student looked at the other young man curiously before laughing. "You're the one being too humble!" He extended a hand. "I'm Roka, by the way. Roka Toshiro."
Then he reddened a bit more. "Not...professionally. My family owns a company that develops, manufactures, and sells music technology and I'm supposed to learn how to run it as the heir. Ironically, my parents don't think much of the professions involving making actual music."
Roka sighed. "Sorry, that was a lot of blabbing about my personal life. And you know what? I'm not good at playing it, either, because my parents would never allow me to take lessons. But I do what I can with my voice, I guess."
He looked thoughtful. "Oh, that's a tough one! I love all music, but maybe my favorites might be...techno and classical? What about you?"
"Aw, well, that's kind of fun! Keeps me busy!"
The brunet shook his hand happily. "Arlen! Arlen Halibert! Nice to meet you!"
Arlen all but swooned. "That's incredible! Well, I say ******** your parents! If it makes you happy, that's awesome! And making music is super fricking cool!"
He waved his hand dismissively. "I love to hear about other people! And I think your life sounds really cool! I love all sorts of music, but indie music is really my favourite."
"Oh. Are you busy now? Am I keeping you?"
Roka smiled back and bowed. "The pleasure's all mine, Arlen!"
His brows rose in shock before he laughed shyly. "Well...thank you. It definitely does make me happy."
Then he blushed more. "You're too kind. Indie music? Do you have some favorite indie songs?"
"Nope! Not in the slightest. Been a really slow day."
Arlen chuckled softly at the bow. "Why, thank you. That's really kind."
His smile softened. "Then I think it's awesome. And I'm just honest!"
He nodded. "Yeah! Well—actually, no. I just love all of it. But my favourite band is the Two Door Cinema Club! It's so cool!"
"How about we go somewhere and sit down? I'd love to talk to you more if you have the time," Roka said.
"Why do you like that band? Any particular songs of theirs that stand out to you?"
He tilted his head. "And what about your passions, hmm?"
Arlen nodded excitedly, navigating over to a small table in the corner of the library. "That sounds great! Here, please sit—want some water?"
He shrugged. "I really like their sound. 'What You Know' is a great one, and well... I just like how relatable it can be. Fun to sing along to, as well." He grinned.
"And ah, well—you're looking at it, for the most part! This library is my life!"
And well... Art. But he was still trying to find his center in that.
Roka followed him over to the table. "Oh, yes please. Thank you!"
He looked quizzical. "Sound? Like the instruments they use or the melodies their songs have or just everything in general?" Curious, he looked up their music on his phone to listen to it and read the lyrics of "What You Know".
Roka smiled at Arlen. "So you sing too, then?"
At the librarian's claim, Roka said, "Oh, come on, this can't be everything. Libraries are nice and so is reading, but are those really your passions?
"Yes, everything about them. I like everything about it. It's just very... Unique.
And yeah, noooo, I'm s**t at singing. But it's still fun to pretend like I can sometimes!"
Arlen flushed. "Ah—well—I mean... I read? Draw some?"
Roka listened to the song with one earbud in his ear and one open to hear Arlen. "Oh...for some reason, the beginning of this song sounds familiar to me. I think I must have heard at least this part somewhere before. It's nice! I can hear why you like it."
He grinned at his conversation partner. "Oh, no, you can't get away with just saying that! Now I want to hear you!"
His eyes widened. "You draw?! May I see? Please?"
Arlen blinked and then smiled. "You're listening to it? I'm glad you like it!"
He giggled, the sound a bit of a snort, and shook his head. "No wayyyy—Singing's not my thing. I wanna hear you, though!"
The red-eyed young man flushed even darker, his own eyes widening. "O-Oh, ah—w-well. It's n-not any good, or anything—"
Roka grinned and finished listening to the music, putting his ear piece down and turning to Arlen. "Pleeeease? I won't laugh, I promise. Unless...you want to sing together?"
He laughed. "I guarantee whatever you've drawn, it's better than anything I can do."
Arlen chuckled at the pleading. "Fine, fine—we can sing together."
He shook his head. "Oh, jeez, no—it's just a hobby these days. Haven't drawn anything serious in years."
"Wonderful! Thank you! What should we sing?"
Roka blinked at Arlen perplexedly. "'Serious'? You mean it used to be more than a hobby? Did you draw professionally?"
"Oh! Ahhhh, anything you like! You're the singer here!" He grinned.
The librarian opened his mouth, then closed it. "Oh—oh. Well, ah... sort of! It's... complicated."
The silver-haired student laughed. "You are, too! Fine, what songs do you think might be good to sing together?"
He mellowed at the mention of things being complicated. "Oh. Okay. Well if you'd rather not talk about it, I certainly understand." Roka smiled sheepishly. "Sorry if I pried too much."
The brunet hummed thoughtfully. "Well, ah—I dunno! I don't usually sing in front of people. Or with people. So ah..." He shrugged bashfully. "Any one you want!"
Arlen scratched his head absently and shook his head. "N-No! No ah... You didn't, I just... don't really have much of an aptitude for it anymore. But here!"
He then stood, jogging over to his counter and pulling out a little folder where he had drawn various scenery and the like, as well as a couple mixed in drawings of people, the most recently dated one a half-finished drawing of Jack.
"Hmm... Do you watch anime at all?" Roka asked.
"How can you say you don't have much of an aptitude for it anymore? Isn't aptitude natural talent? You can't really lose that, can you? I can understand if you might have lost your passion or motivation for it, though."
He watched him stand and jog over to his counter to pull out a folder of drawings.
"Whoa!! You draw everything! And you're so talented!!"
Arlen nodded hurriedly. "I do, yeah! Some—not as much as I used to, of course. But when I have time! Why?"
He flushed, and shrugged his shoulders. "Well. I'm—I don't have talent, I just—well I—"
He didn't know exactly how to explain the various reasons he had quit art, or how to insist any further on his ineptitude without sounding stubborn and ridiculous.
He definitely wasn't expecting the praise, though, and tucked the folders back up in his arms, cheeks heating a brilliant scarlet.
"W-Well, that's—very kind of you, but it's just a hobby, really, ah..."
Roka chuckled. "Oh, well...there's an anime opening I wondered if you might know and feel like singing with me. But if you don't sing in Japanese, I've got a back-up idea!"
He looked at Arlen seriously when he flushed and claimed not to have talent. "I think everyone has at least some innate talent. And if you don't, that just means you work hard to do what you do which makes you even more worthy of admiration because it doesn't come easy to you and yet you still choose to do it anyway."
He gestured at the folders. "If that's not talent, what do you call that? Hobbies take skill, hard work, and talent, too."
Arlen hummed, nodding again. "Well, I don't necessarily sing in Japanese, but I could try! I think..."
He only spoke the one language, unfortunately. At least fluently. He did speak some French, but that was mostly because his aunt would visit from there, before she passed away, and he had always been very interested in her and the fanciful way she spoke, so he learned.
"W-Well that's—" He realised, quite suddenly, he was just digging himself a bigger hole at this point, and sighed, chuckling softly. "I guess you're right, yeah. Th-Thank you."
He flushed, and nodded shyly. "Er—ah... yeah. I suppose. Like you with your singing?"
The silver-haired young man laughed. "No, that's alright. How about we sing the song that you mentioned, then? The one that I just listened to."
Pleased that Arlen was able to take his compliment, Roka nodded with a smile. "Of course, Arlen."
He blinked a couple of times when his singing was brought up before laughing aloud. "Well...I guess? Maybe? But I don't think that takes as much as skill or imagination or talent as drawing. It's almost as natural to us as speaking."
Arlen beamed, nodding sharply, his eyes widening with excitement. "Y-Yes! Yes, that sounds awesome, if you wouldn't mind?"
He was actually a touch more excited about the idea of singing, now, thanks to Roka's enthusiasm.
"Well, I can't sing for crap, so I think it's real impressive! Seriously! And I think it must take tons of work, to get good enough at it to do anything with it. So I think it's really cool!"
"Perfect! I would be overjoyed to be able to sing that with you," Roka told him, bringing up the karaoke version on his phone.
"I'm sure you don't give yourself enough credit just as you don't give yourself enough credit with your art," he said, smiling as he shook his head. "And I mostly just use it to help me compose music because I can't play instruments very well to hear what the music I compose sounds like. But I appreciate your compliments nevertheless."
He held up the phone to show the karaoke version of 'What You Know' by Two Door Cinema Club. "Found it! Ready?"
Arlen stared at the little screen, projecting the words to the song, and his eyes widened, curious.
"Oh, wow! I didn't know they made apps for this sorta stuff! That's cool, too!" He chattered happily, scratching absently at the back of his head.
"Well, I can't play music very well, either, so we're the same in that regard! Just playing it is insanely cool, you know! And awe, I think I give myself plenty of credit. It's just lines on a page, really."
He nodded hurriedly. "I am if you are, yeah!"
"You've never sung karaoke before?" the silver-haired young man asked, curious. "Or just not seen an app for it?"
He chuckled. "Yes, but not everyone can interpret those lines on a page as sounds."
Getting ready to press play, he said, "Alright...one...two...three!" And then started the music.
Arlen giggled sheepishly, and shook his head. "Well, no. To either. I really am bad at singing, and I never really had anyone to try it with. But I'm excited to give it a go."
Truly, "tech savvy" was not a phrase that should be associated with him, generally speaking. Nor personable. Unless it was under very precise circumstances.
As the song began to play, Arlen did his best to follow along—off-key, of course (he hadn't been lying about his abilities), but very enthusiastic, to make up for it.
Roka had to smile when he heard Arlen's singing. His smile affected his own singing, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed singing with someone regardless of skill level and it had been a while since he'd had the chance.
He was reminded of his sisters back home in Japan who were the ones he had last gotten the chance to sing with and it made him realize how terribly he missed them. He was glad to have found someone in Destiny City willing to let loose and have a good time with him regardless of what others might have thought.
When they were finished, the silver-haired student laughed and applauded. "Thank you for singing with me. I love how much you put into it," he said sincerely, beaming at the librarian.
Arlen, who had been ever so worried when they began, ended the song wondering what he had been afraid of in the first place.
He'd had... lots of fun. Even if he was bad at it.
He chuckled, and applauded for Roka as well, finding himself in a complex little whirlpool of pleasant emotions that tickled his chest, making him feel much lighter than he'd done in weeks.
"Thank you for singing with me! You're seriously great at it!" He exclaimed, taking both of the other's hands in his own and grinning wide enough to show dimples.
"Really! That was awesome. You should play me some more of your songs so we can do them together sometime! If you‐" he flushed, "if you'd like, of course. I always like the company."
"Thank you. I think the important thing always is that you enjoy what you do regardless of how good you or others think you are at it," Roka said, glancing in the direction of the folder that held Arlen's drawings. When his hands were taken in the other young man's, he blushed and smiled even more broadly, marveling at the librarian's dimpled grin.
"I would love that," he said to the brunet's suggestion. "I've been away from Destiny City for some years now, but even before then I didn't know very many people, so it's nice to get to meet someone as warm and friendly as you. I hope we can spend a lot more time together, Mr. Halibert. Both in and out of this library." He looked around at the many stories - both the architectural and book kind - with wonder. "It's a heck of a hideaway. But I'm sure you must get pretty lonely as quiet as it is in here."
Arlen faltered, just slightly, and nodded, cheeks flushing again, scratching his head absently.
"... Yeah, I—"
Sometimes the silence felt like it was choking him. Like he was the ghost haunting the library and nobody would ever really take note of him at all.
"It gets a little lonesome, for sure," he agreed, following Roka's gaze, before smiling slightly, "but it seems like it's looking up. Or at least beginning to. Thanks for coming in today, really—and you can call me Arlen. Next time, we can pick somewhere else to hang out, definitely."
Roka studied Arlen a while before smiling again and nodding in acknowledgement. "Thank you too, Arlen. I think I'll have to check out a book for sure, now, so I can bring it back and visit you again as soon as possible. You said the section I was looking for was upstairs?"
Arlen beamed, and nodded three times in quick succession, excited. "Yeah! Right up there! And I'll get you set up with a library card, too!"
This was really quite exciting to him. Lately, it seemed the world was trying to tell him to give it another chance.
He hadn't regretted it, yet, honestly.
He was hoping that maybe, if he did, in turn the world would give him a chance, too. He could use one.
Especially if it meant making more friends like Roka.
Eventually Roka had to leave, but not without asking to exchange numbers with Arlen and, if Arlen allowed him to do so, sending him a song. He knew what it was like to feel alone, too, and he didn't think anyone should have had to feel that way.
Leaving him with a track he himself listened to repeat quite often when he was feeling down, the university student said his goodbyes and made his departure, assuring Arlen they would meet again soon and that he was never more than just a phone call or text message away.
ArlentheAngel
((The End))
