Rin came to the House of Resonance to perform before its patron and prove that her skill was worth recognizing.

She had every intention of walking into the room, lifting her violin, and making herself impossible to dismiss.

Then the moment came.

Faced with the waiting house, the expectation, and the possibility of being judged before she had played a single note, Rin lost her nerve. Rather than present herself, she slipped into an empty room and began to practice where no one could see her.

One piece became another. Every mistake demanded correction. Every passage had to be played again until it sounded right.

By the time she finally stopped, the House of Resonance had gone quiet. The staff had left. The doors were locked. Somewhere between fear and stubbornness, Rin had practiced so long that everyone forgot she was still there.

Now the sharp-tongued red-haired musician is stranded inside the house she came to impress.