ALT A promotional image for the OP’s fanfiction, the layout reminiscent of a music sheet and inspired by Red Velvet’s Feel My Rhythm graphics. The title is, “what we carry with us”, using a cursive font. The description is, “A simple song on the piano gets passed down over the span of fifty years.” On the right, is the OP’s AO3 handle, audrenes, in place of where the composer’s name is written. The chapters are listed below using the same cursive font as the title, but in a lighter weight. They are placed on musical scores, with the time signatures responding to the chapter number. The list is as follows: Li Hua & Xiao Qiao, Makoto & Lee, Tachibana & Kiryu, Makoto & Kiryu, Kiryu & Haruka, Haruka & Yuta, Epilogue.
ALT A promotional image for the OP’s fanfic. The layout is somewhat reminiscent of a music sheet, with the title of the fic, “what we carry with us” and the author’s name, “audrenes” written at the top. The chapter title is written on a music staff, where the time signature is “1/7” and the chapter title is, “Li Hua & Xiao Qiao”. The following is a condensed version of the excerpt on the image. The rest is on AO3.: This song was more gentle and slow. But it was difficult in the sense that Li Hua only had his memory to go off of to replicate it. He would only hear it whenever he was in the same room as his mother, at certain hours of the day. It was a simple song, but Li Hua knew that it could be more, so he added some chords to it and repeated it so that it wouldn’t be so short of a song, adding different inflections on the chords to give it more variety.
Oct 6, 2024 · 9:05 AM UTC
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: “Here, careful now.” The words were so achingly familiar, it made Makoto weep. She grasped the hands that eased her out of the cage as tightly as she could. The fear she had of him evaporated at that moment. After all, why would she be scared of someone who reminded her of her big brother? The more Makoto talked to Lee, it only confirmed her thoughts that they were a lot alike. They both seemed to be rough around the edges, but had a hidden warmth they’d reveal every once in a while. No one had ever been patient with her like her brother was. When he left, their parents withdrew into themselves—their mother, especially so when their father fell sick and passed away.
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: Tachibana waited for Kiryu to start the melody, his fingers ready to start playing the chords. Eager to impress Tachibana, Kiryu focused on the keys as he committed each note to memory. This was a lot like singing karaoke, except instead of memorizing the lyrics and the pitch, he had to memorize the notes and which was the right key to hit. With that in mind, Kiryu found himself smiling as Tachibana played the chords with his left hand. For such a somber-sounding song, it felt fun playing it with Tachibana. As disappointed as Kiryu was that their lesson was going to end after this—and by proxy, their drinking session, it made Kiryu want to learn more from Tachibana. Not just playing the piano, but other things.
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: It wasn’t as if Kiryu didn’t want to stay in contact with Makoto. He did. But keeping an eye on Dojima, making sure the Tojo Clan would never go out of control like this again, was the choice Kiryu decided to make. Unfortunately, it meant that he couldn’t stay in touch with Makoto. It’d be far too dangerous for her, and she had gone through enough already. The last thing Kiryu wanted was to endanger Makoto’s life again, after everything Tachibana had done to ensure her safety. Still though, none of this seemed fair—to either of them. They were both left to grieve over someone they didn’t have enough time with. They were all that they had left of Tachibana, and soon, they wouldn’t even have each other.
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: Whatever Kiryu showed Haruka, she echoed with near perfection. Kiryu figured that if someone else taught it to her—like Tachibana—she would’ve been better and learning how to play faster. But any mistakes he made, it reflected in the way she played. If he played a part too fast, then she’d do it too until Kiryu corrected himself. In between it all, Haruka would ask Kiryu questions: when did he learn how to play, who did he learn it from, how come he hasn’t played since then. Kiryu tried to answer as honestly as he could without accidentally stepping on a landmine hidden in his memories. “Does the song have a name, Uncle Kaz?” Haruka asked as she watched her dad’s fingers work the chords. “You know what, I don’t think I ever got a name.”
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: “It’s just—” Haruka sniffed as she forced a smile. “It’s silly. I don’t know why I’m still crying over the fact that I can’t come up with a name for this song.” “Is that it?” Yuta asked. “Let me help, then.” “Huh?” “If it’s too much for you, then I’ll help,” Yuta said. “Let’s start with the names you’ve already come up with.” “Well…” Haruka leaned against Yuta. “I thought about naming it after Tachibana-san first. But after hearing more about the song, I didn’t think it’d be right. And then when I started to think about everything the song meant to him, his sister, Uncle Kaz, to me…” “It wasn’t as simple as you thought it’d be?” Haruka shook her head. “And giving it a straightforward name doesn’t feel right anymore. It’s not simple at all. It’s so much.” “…So Much More?” Haruka frowned and lightly elbowed her partner. “Yuta!”
ALT The format is the same as the promotional image as the first chapter. The following is a portion of the excerpt shown. The rest can be read on AO3: “Haruto.” Haruka gently placed her hand on her son’s cheek so he could look at her as she spoke. Haruto’s teachers told Haruka that while Haruto was soft-spoken, he was easily one of the most considerate students they had. It made Haruka proud to know that Haruto was growing up to be a good person, but it also worried her. He always looked out for others, always put everyone before himself. It was admirable, but when Haruka saw the way Haruto interacted with his classmates, she felt like she was watching herself when she was a kid. It was then that Haruka realized that she didn’t want Haruto to grow up as fast as she had to. “I want to be on stage with you, playing this song.” Haruto frowned. Haruka could see the questions swimming in his head, but all he was able to ask was, “But why?”