Page 166 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“I’ll make something. Sit… or lie down.” He was already on his feet before Mano could respond.

By the time he came back, balancing two plates, the apartment was filled with the smell of food. “Here.”

Mano took the plate, his fingers brushing Ody’s before he looked down.

They ate without talking, the silence easy this time.

After a while, Mano’s attention drifted to the guitar leaning against the wall. “You kept it…”

A small, shy smile formed on Ody’s lips. “Yeah. I’ve been practicing.”

“Show me.”

Ody hesitated. “N-no…”

“Why?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Because… you’ve been playing for years. Next to you, I’m not… good enough.”

Mano held his gaze, his jaw tightening. “Ody. Play.”

Ody lingered a second, then stood and grabbed the guitar. When he came back, Mano shifted, making space beside him. Ody sat, adjusting the guitar in his hands. His fingers found the strings. The first notes came out uncertain. He faltered once, then again, but kept going, finding his way through it. It wasn’t flawless, but it held. When he finished, he looked at Mano, waiting.

Mano hadn’t looked away once.

“See?” Ody muttered, setting the guitar aside. “Told you. Terrible—”

“You play beautifully.”

Ody blinked.

A faint smile touched Mano’s lips. “You’ve improved. A lot.”

Ody exhaled softly, glancing down. “Yeah… sure. You’re just being nice.”

“I’m not.” Mano’s hand came up, brushing his cheek. His thumb lingered there. “What music do you listen to?”

Ody shrugged. “Everything. If I like it, I don’t care about the genre. Pop, rock, rap… Greek stuff… even ballads.” He gave a faint laugh. “I don’t usually listen to jazz, but there are a few songs I like.”

“Yeah… Makes sense.”

“You?” Ody asked. “What do you listen to?”

“Mostly rap, metalcore, dark R&B…”

“And what do you make? Show me.”

Mano pulled out his phone and played a few of the pieces he’d composed.

“This is really beautiful. Do you have more? Play me more,” Ody exclaimed.

“I’ll put something different now. Less live instruments. More electronic.” He pressed play. The sound that filled the room shifted. More modern. The bass deeper, the rhythm sharper, something darker underneath it, like R&B with electronic edges.

“I make these on my DAW,” Mano said.

“DAW?”

“Digital Audio Workstation. That’s where I put everything together.”