Gangster to Idol

Fifi floated beside him, her tiny form buzzing with impatience.

"You can't be serious," she muttered. "Do you even know how to hold that thing?"

Cain shrugged. "Never tried before. How hard can it be?"

Fifi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Alright, let's start with the basics. Sit down."

Cain complied, sitting on his bed. "Now what?"

"Rest the guitar on your thigh," Fifi instructed. "Your right thigh if you're right-handed."

Cain adjusted the guitar, resting it against his thigh. "Like this?"

"Exactly," Fifi confirmed. "Now, angle the neck slightly upward and keep the back of the guitar against your body."

Cain tilted the guitar neck and pressed the body against his chest. "Okay, what's next?"

"Support the neck with your left hand," Fifi continued. "Your thumb should be behind the neck, not wrapped around it."

Cain placed his thumb behind the neck, his fingers hovering over the strings. "Got it."

"Use the tips of your fingers to press down on the strings," Fifi explained. "Press just behind the fret, not directly on it."

Cain followed her instructions, pressing down on the strings with his fingertips. "Like this?"

"Perfect," Fifi nodded. "Keep your fingers slightly curved."

Cain flexed his fingers, ensuring they were curved just right. "Alright, what about the other hand?"

"Hold the pick between your thumb and the side of your index finger," Fifi said. "Leave a small portion of the pick exposed to strike the strings."

Cain picked up the guitar pick, holding it as she described. "And now?"

"Strum using a smooth wrist motion," Fifi demonstrated with a tiny swing of her arm. "Make sure the motion comes from your wrist, not your elbow."

Cain tried strumming, the motion feeling awkward at first. "This is harder than it looks."

"It takes practice," Fifi reassured him. "Now, let's move on to some basic chords. Start with E major."

Cain raised an eyebrow. "E major?"

Fifi wanted to smack her head. "Oh, right. You're musically illiterate. Let me show you." She flew closer to the guitar strings.

"Place your index finger on the first fret of the third string, your middle finger on the second fret of the fifth string, and your ring finger on the second fret of the fourth string," Fifi instructed.

Cain positioned his fingers as she described. "Like this?"

"Exactly. Now, strum all the strings except for the sixth one," Fifi said.

Cain strummed, the chord sounding rough but recognizable. "Okay, I think I got it."

"Good," Fifi encouraged. "Now, let's move on to the A major chord. Place your index finger on the second fret of the fourth string, your middle finger on the second fret of the third string, and your ring finger on the second fret of the second string."

Cain shifted his fingers to the new positions. "Got it. What's next?"

"Strum from the fifth string down," Fifi instructed.

Cain strummed, the A major chord ringing out clearer. "Alright, I can hear the difference."

"Now practice transitioning between E major and A major," Fifi said. "It'll help your fingers get used to the movements, and maybe the music will help improve your tone."

Cain nodded and began practicing the transitions, his fingers fumbling at first but gradually becoming more confident. "This is tricky, but I'm getting the hang of it."

"Remember to keep time," Fifi reminded him. "Use a metronome if you need to."

Cain smiled, feeling the music coming to. He wasn't into music to be honest, but having to create music himself felt . . . weird. A nice kind of weird.

[NEW Skill! Playing Guitar LV. 2]

"I got another new skill," Cain said, unbothered.

"L-level 2 . . ." Fifi lamented. At this rate, it would take years for Cain to reach the top of stardom!

Fifi leaned in close to Cain, her smile tight and her eyes menacing. "You better practice every day to increase those levels, or there will be hell to pay . . ."

Cain backed away from her and changed the topic instead, "Still, this isn't my hidden talent."

Fifi flew up and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm not surprised. Level 2 isn't considered a hidden talent at all."

Cain remained unperturbed and grab the remote.

"What are you doing?" Fifi asked.

"Since playing an instrument isn't my hidden talent, maybe acting is. I'm trying to find a movie where I could act it out," he said seriously.

"Huh? You've only tried the guitar. Maybe you've got talent with other instruments . . . who am I kidding?" Fifi sighed, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"You're tone-deaf. What music could you possibly create?"

Cain ignored her, smirking as he grabbed the remote and flipped on an action movie featuring a famous action star. The screen exploded with high-octane stunts and heart-pounding sequences, drowning out Fifi's complaints.

Cain sat down on his bed, his eyes glued to the screen. The moon was high in the sky, casting a silvery glow through the windows, but Cain was oblivious to everything except the movie playing in front of him.

He had picked an action film known for its stellar acting. The room was dimly lit, creating an almost cinematic atmosphere. Fifi hovered nearby, watching him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

As the movie unfolded, Cain focused intensely on the lead actor. He studied every nuance — the subtle shifts in his voice, the fluctuations in his tone, and the myriad of expressions that crossed his face. The actor was delivering a powerful monologue, a pivotal moment in the film.

His voice was steady, but laden with emotion, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, his brow furrowing as he conveyed a deep inner turmoil.

"Do you think this is easy for me?" the actor said, his voice breaking slightly. "Every day, I fight this battle inside my head. Every smile, every laugh, it's a lie — a mask I wear to keep from falling apart."