It was not as though Gin was entirely suspicious, but what happened at the night after the live show still leaves a big question mark over his head. He could just leave things be and stay oblivious on that chance occurrence, but there was something he had to make very sure of.

Even a small hint of cognitive distortion has become an entirely big deal to him now with research results showing instances of psychosomatic death among cases who were believed to have been involved with the distortion, as relayed to him by Ginji.

Thus, he could not simply let go of that incident, and even immediately set out in an attempt to meet with Gaku once more.

All that Gin knows from Gaku's background was his disorder, and that he is currently living under his uncle's family. With his connection as a teacher, he was able to know the address of their residence and rang the doorbell of the house on a weekend.

"Good morning. Are you Mr. Shizuka?"

"Ah, yes. And you?"

"I'm Gin Sakato. We've talked briefly before."

"Ah… so you were his teacher. Please come in, but I don't really know if you'll be able to talk with my son. He's been shutting himself in since a few days ago, and I'm not really sure why."

"'My son…?'"

"Former teacher, actually. But thank you for letting me in."

Every step within the house made him realize of either the presence or hints of musical instruments all around the place.

"Pardon my curiosity, but are you a musician, Mr. Shizuka?"

"Not really that… but I do work as a sound engineer so the scope of my work is more than that. But because I own a lot of instruments, Gaku took a liking to them, so I'm glad that he found something that he is very passionate about even after what happened to him."

Slowly, pieces are starting to emerge for the puzzle to be solved. Then, Gin picked up the sound of a strum from a guitar.

"Is it just me… or do I hear someone playing guitar?"

"Huh… I got the house built to be sound treated or even soundproof in some places as much as possible since I have a studio here. It would be a problem if there is a sound leak, but I don't hear anything."

"Right… my ears."

Gin was once again reminded of the two years of silence he had experienced and enhanced his hearing for better or for worse. He would in occasion be able to hear someone's heartbeat, but the few days of him adjusting to the silence in the White Room made him hear his own organs which was an excruciating experience for him.

Nonetheless, the faint sound of the acoustic guitar became much clearer as they approached a room.

"Past this door is my sound studio. I think Gaku is currently inside, but if he's playing an instrument, he tends to be very absorbed into it. A lot of times he wouldn't even realize I entered, haha…"

"Would it be okay with you if I enter, Mr. Shizuka?"

"Alright. You can just open the door. I'll get you something to drink."

"Thank you."

With the head of the house leaving, he gently opened the door and beheld the room that was carpeted and covered with foam on every wall and the ceiling as the sound of the strings have reached its clearest. A quick turn took his eyes to a workstation full of knobs and sliders, to which Gin could only recognize an equalizer.

Further into the room, he saw a back together with the silhouette of a guitar sitting on a high stool with the pleasant sound continually playing to his ears.

"He really didn't notice me…"

Without even a pause, the music changed seamlessly to a new one that suddenly caught the tip of Gin's tongue. As he hurriedly tried to remember the song, he sat on the chair before the workstation and continued to watch Gaku's back.

A good memory that took pains to be remembered rewards a blissful satisfaction, so much that upon recollection, Gin immediately started humming the lyrics, completely breaking the silence he had upheld until now.

The second verse of the song has begun, and yet Gaku still hasn't noticed anything amiss, but in the midst of his oblivion, the humming has unconsciously increased the intensity of his playing as though there was a show of excitement, and with the lead to the chorus quickly approaching, a voice that was almost belting came out, but halted so abruptly as thought it was caught in Gaku's throat.

Suddenly, the music stopped.

As Gaku turned his head around vigorously, he saw a man sitting on his uncle's chair with a white handkerchief hanging on his hands so as to cover his face.

Gin's eyes poked out from behind the cloth that doubles as his white mask and found that he has made eye contact with Gaku.

"S-Sorry I came in without saying anything."

But the reaction he got shocked was not within his expectations.

All of a sudden, the guitar dropped to the floor with Gaku's arms idly following the gravity like a pendulum. A repeat of the night of the concert happened anew as Gin rushed anew to catch the seemingly unconscious body of Gaku. But with an arm supporting him, Gin saw that he was still awake, but his body did not respond until a second later when he regained control of his body.

Watching Gaku catch his breath as he was sitting up anew, Gin took a water bottle and handed it to him. He then stepped back to let the young man regain his composure. That is, if he can in front of him, all things considered.

"Are you alright?"

Gaku only nodded and started looking for something while rummaging in his pockets. As though he had no other choice, he pulled out his phone and swiftly typed—to which his thumbs just looked like a blur to Gin.

"Can I ask you to move to my room instead?"

With Gaku leading the way, they walked a few steps to a spacious bedroom where Gin was led to sit on a rocking chair as he placed back the guitar on its stand and grabbing a tablet and a stylus. For a moment, Gin scanned the room to have a computer with two monitors, an acoustic and an electric guitar, and a keyboard among other things.

"I am very sorry for how I behaved that one night, Sir Gin, and thank you for pulling me back," Gaku has basically confirmed that he was indeed the person that Gin met in the station that nearly collapsed.

"What's important is that you're doing well after that."

"I'm also very sorry for lying all this time."

Suddenly, Gaku's face soured and his hands trembled as he showed the apology he wrote to Gin. Gin was at first confused as to what he was apologizing for, then moments later, he was confused why he was apologizing.

After piecing together the implications that he had observed until now, he has reached an inferred deduction.

"You're saying sorry for something you didn't even lie about?"

Nevertheless, it was not the response that Gaku anticipated.

"If anything, I want to thank you for accommodating me even after everything. If I was your age, or maybe a few years younger, I would've bolted out. Well, I had my issues too.

But if you don't mind me asking; I know I saw you at the station… but are you also Zero—to?"

He nodded anew.

Hearing that, Gin kicked his feet and the chair started rocking on its own as Gin fell to a deep thought.

He recalled the only times he had heard Gaku's voice. The first time was the stray voice he picked up in the middle of the crowd within Blue Ink's gymnasium. The next instances were through the songs published online and then the live concert. Then the most recent ones were the time he was singing to himself at the station, and the brief note he heard just a few minutes ago.

And yet, even after knowing that he could speak, Gaku is once again conversing with him through another medium. But amidst that, Gin has noticed a common denominator in the situations he enumerated. He then took a deep breath and returned to the reality he is at now.

"You have my trust, Gaku. I don't know what it is exactly, but good job holding on until now.

I know it's hard to keep everything to yourself. I did that for 12 years, and I went insane more than I already was. I want you to know that you're not in this on your own. Got that?"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

With his still trembling hands, he mustered the courage to once again put the stylus onto the screen and wrote at a much slower pace.

"I have selective mutism."

Gin was slightly taken aback that Gaku admitted immediately. The chair stilled and his eyes laser focused on the digital whiteboard as he repeated the same words over and over again in his mind.

"I'm afraid I don't know much… but do you mean that there are times where you can and can't speak?"

"In my case, I am still mostly mute."

"So that's how it is…"

Gin once again eyed the keyboard he saw as he entered the room earlier and asked, "Mind if I use the keyboard?"

"Please help yourself."

As he saw that it was already plugged, he tested the sound with a singular press and changed the type of piano that he wanted it to sound like.

"Sorry for being so random," thus, Gin started playing.

"That's Shigatsu no Ame…"

The first five notes of the intro have immediately gave the song away to Gaku, and the song began going towards the lyrical parts, to which was only followed by his own instrumental. But as the second verse started, a voice gradually emerged singing to the melody of the keyboard.

Then, the song has once again reached a chorus, to which Gin felt a chill in his entire body as the serenade behind him effortlessly reached the high notes.

…

There was a hint of loneliness from Gin's fingertips as he released his hand from the touch on the keyboard upon pressing the last note as he only heard the singing voice in person for just three minutes or so. But more than that, he was more concerned with the person behind that voice, thus looking back at Gaku.

"I think I now have a rough idea of what you're going through.

But honestly, I can't get over the fact that you have a really beautiful voice. The first time I heard it was when a band was performing in Open Event. Rang a bell?"

"…

I… I thought… I made sure I wouldn't… be heard…"

Indeed, Gin heard Gaku retain his voice. But it was not to an extent where it would be comparable to how he talked in front of a crowd, although still very reserved.

Based on that, he now has inferred what Gaku meant of his case of selective mutism. It would appear that based on precedents, he would only be able to speak when there is the involvement of music one way or another.

"How did you… find out about the live… show… Sir Gin?"

"Your upperclassman in CA gave me a ticket since he doesn't know much about J-pop. I listened to one of your covers and it strangely sounded extremely similar to the voice at the Open Event.

I never knew it was you even when the live show ended, but I heard Zero—to singing while waiting for the train… and then I saw that it was you."

"I didn't… notice you at all…"

"It hasn't happened to me in so long until a few months ago, but I really can still go unnoticed, huh."

"Well, my takeaway is that you have an incredible voice.

I hope I'm not being too insensitive for saying this, but since it seems like you haven't been able to speak much yet you have a really good control of your voice. Maybe even better than most."

"I'm… happy to hear… that."

Instead of reflecting what his words conveyed, his body seemed to say otherwise evident with another sour expression from his face and the tightening of his fist a step away from his nails digging to the skin of his palms.

But then, a knock sounded from the door with Gaku's uncle entering afterwards with a tray of drinks on his hands.

"Sorry it took me a bit. I didn't see that you've moved here. I'll just leave it here."

"Thanks… Dad…"

"Ah…" a moment of shock was sculpted from his uncle's face that then seemed to have immediately dissolved with a smile. "I'm sorry for keeping it a secret, especially when you were still a teacher, Mr. Sakato."

"I'm fine with it, personally. I'm sure you have your reasons."

"Well, then. I'll leave you two for now."

"Thank you for the drink."

As the head of the house left, it would seem that the sourness from Gaku's face has disappeared, but he was far from getting over it. Then, he started.

"I'm sorry for my selfishness… but would you mind hearing why I turned out… like this…? I've always wanted for someone… someone who also loves art… to know how they would feel… about my past circumstances…"

"Somehow, art is involved to why he became disabled…?"

Gin had always known the severity of Gaku's situation as a teacher, even without knowing what it was exactly. But with the sudden insert of art, which Gin has observed Gaku to be very passionate about despite the parts he lacked on, Gin had become very curious.

Just as much as Gaku does, he also tried to keep his composure.

"I told you, didn't I? I was once a teacher, but now I'm a friend. Let it all out if you want to."

"Then…" Gaku's face brightened up ever so slightly. Thus, he continued.

"As a kid… People called me gifted or talented in drawing and painting. I was always told… my skills were far beyond my age… and it made me very happy. I won contests after contests… and it also made my parents happy. Truthfully… it was able to help us financially…

But as I grew… my improvement naturally slowed down… I would still win contests… but after they noticed that other people are starting to catch up… they slowly became disappointed…

They worried that in a few years… I would start to lose… so they put me in workshops, but I was not improving as much as they expected…"

"Before I say anything, Gaku… Observing your situation now, I take it that you've cut ties with your parents?"

The child only nodded.

"Then I guess there's no problem saying this…

They just thought of you as a money machine, didn't they?"

"Yes…"

Hearing the unfortunate affirmation, Gin's body tensed up as Gaku continued.

"It has come to a point… when I had complained about them of the stress that was being put on me… but they outright rejected everything I said… From that… I voiced my opinions less and less as they talked to me… like they know better… until I just decided that I wouldn't talk anymore thinking that everything that comes out of my mouth will be wrong anyway…

But then… I lost all my ability to talk when I watched them rip and burn… every single one of my sketchbooks…

…?"

Suddenly, Gaku felt a somewhat strong vibration from his feet. It was more akin to the vibration caused by sound rather than an earthquake, but it was enough to rattle objects that are on his shelves.

What he did not know was that it was an involuntary reaction caused by Gin's body tensing up even more that it had extended to the earth… and what he did not see was the effort to not let the rage leak to Gin's expression.

There was a point in Gin's life that the only thing driving him to live was art. As he saw definite improvements in his skill, he learned to take care of his previous sketchbooks as a proof of his growth, whether the contents of them were bad.

To this day, he still has all 37 of his sketchbooks stored safely in his house… and imagining even a page of it getting ripped and burnt intentionally was enough to make his blood boil.

"Give me a sec," without letting his face show, Gin uncapped the bottle of iced tea and poured his glass full, which all disappeared in one instant gulp.

"Hahh…

…

I'm glad that you're now at a much better place, Gaku. Really."

"Yes…"

After collecting himself, Gin poured a glass for Gaku to which he also took a gulp.

"My condition was never checked… so I ran away from home… The only person I could rely on was my uncle… who I consider my father now… He fought for my wardship… and I started living with his family a few years ago…

And then because my uncle is a sound engineer… I learned about music, and then I fell in love with Japanese songs… I later realized… that my voice was slowly returning by singing…

I loved it so much… that I broke out of my shell and Zero—to was created…"

As Gin tried to process his emotions and the information, he returned to the rocking chair and started swaying in silence.

But he was then reminded of his initial assessment of Gaku's artistic skill in which he has observed what seemed to be a show of experience on his paintings. He passed it off as a fluke, but it had happened way too many times to be a coincidence.

"That's explains your potential…

I've always thought that you have the perception abilities in you, but it's like your body could not keep up with it. I would guess that the trauma has hindered you from even holding a pencil which also means that you could not practice at all for a while."

"I guess… That's one way to put it…"

"And how do I even say this… I don't know if I'm using the right word, but it felt very repulsing hearing all of your hard work suddenly reduced to literal ashes. I don't even know how I would react if that were to happen to things I've put my life into."

"That being said… As much as I hate my parents now… there is something I feel guilty about…

I don't know what got to me… I have my memory of it, but it felt like I had no control of my body and emotions…"

"Don't tell me…"

"After seeing my drawings getting burnt… I found myself wrecking our house… In the past, every time I thought of it… it felt like I had gone completely mad…"

"Gaku.

That memory… I'm not telling you to forget about it, because I know it's hard to do, but I hope you will set your eyes on what you have now than what hurt you in the past. What you described was nothing new to me, and experiencing it repeatedly can be dangerous to you."

"What do you mean… Sir Gin…?"

"What I'm saying is that I've already suffered through so many of those episodes that I don't even want to remember it. And we just recently found out that things that trigger it can be life-threatening.

But now, you're probably living your best life. You now have a new family that you consider your parents. You're enjoying music and you're getting back to art.

And seriously, what is up with awesome uncles? I lost my uncle just after I was born, but he has helped me all throughout my life. You have your uncle, that is now your father, who fought for you and loves you like you're his actual son. What's important now is what's in front of you, yeah? It's great to have awesome people beside you that can make you set aside the bad things that happened to us."

Subconsciously, even Gin could not process how smoothly the words was coming out filled with both desperation and determination, as if he was so driven of not letting the past happen again to anyone else.

"It… won't be easy… but I'll try to press on…"

"Yeah, it won't. That's just the reality. But having great diversions like drawing and singing would really help a lot. At least that's what I think."

"About that…"

Gaku's frown could still be seen as he prefaced, but it was not as intense as the one he showed when he was sharing his story.

"I kind of… don't really know what to do…"

"…?"

"Singing has been going really well for me… way more than how I'm doing with art… but even if I'm doing poorly with it, I still love drawing after everything that's happened…

Still, I part of me feels like it wants to let go… even when I consciously don't want to… I guess… I'm just really confused about what I really am…"

"Hmm… I feel like I was thinking about things along the lines of what's bothering you quite recently. It's just that I wish I had this moment in high school.

But you still have more than a year in the VA department to weigh in what really is for you. Though I'm not really the one you should ask for career advice since I'm only a high school graduate, as you know. Perhaps time will tell whether you will settle for only one, both of them, or something entirely new.

Try asking your dad or Mato- I mean Sir Martin about it."

"Thank you… for hearing me out, Sir Gin…"

"I'm not your teacher anymore, so stop calling me that.

**Now, it that's out of the way, maybe we can talk about business?"

"H-Huh… You can speak Japanese, and fluently…?"

"Says the one talking with the language on stage. Did you always know how to speak with it before the incidents?"

"No… I learned mostly from reading lyrics and with some basics…"

"You're the amazing one here…"

"But, what did you mean about business… Sir Gin?"

"What else? The illustrations for your original MV, of course."

"H-How did you- Ah… Ah…?"

While it would appear that Gaku has been very taken aback by everything, it seems that he has caught on quite quickly with Gin's roundabout ways.

"You're Capy_nina, Sir Gin…?"

"Just equivalent exchange. I know you don't want the identity behind Zero—to out in the open, and I also don't want to get my personal life mixed with a capybara, so I might as well tell you now while we're at it.

So, how do we proceed on starting discussions?"

"If it's alright with you… are you still free after lunch…"

Following that, Gin hopped out of the rocking chair and rigidly reached his hand out towards Gaku.

"Should we close the deal with a handshake?"

For a few moments, Gaku only stared at the hand that was waiting for a response. But with the things finally starting to shape up to something that is real, he gripped the hand with his own.

"Thank you, Sir Gin…"

In the midst of this ever so lengthy exchange, Gakuon Shizuka has finally smiled.

"Also… can I… get a discount?"

"…

So you can joke after all, you cheeky bugger."