Chapter 54: After a Cloudy Day
On the rooftop behind the door, the sound of rain pattered, drip-drop, each sound entering their ears.
At the entrance, the boy and girl sitting on the steps fell silent, their thoughts inexplicably adrift.
Only the sound of playing from the music room next door still accompanied them.
Suddenly, a phone notification sounded.
The Silver-haired Girl opened it and her brows furrowed.
"Sorry, Senior, I have to go home; there's an urgent matter at home."
She turned her head and said.
"Mm..."
Izumi Chihiro nodded, stood up, and said, "Perfect, I was planning to head back too."
As they walked downstairs, the Kazuko Hashima suddenly realized something.
"My umbrella was taken by those three just now..."
"Uh, I didn't notice."
He looked a bit embarrassed.
He had overlooked that detail just now.
"It's okay, my home isn't far from school; I can get back quickly."
The Silver-haired Girl said.
She was ready to walk directly into the rain.
"Here, take this... I just remembered I still have club activities to do, so I won't be going back yet."
Izumi Chihiro handed over his umbrella.
"Senior, do I look like an idiot?"
The Silver-haired Girl looked up, a polite yet awkward smile on her face.
You already changed your shoes and were about to leave, and now you're using this excuse?
"No."
Izumi Chihiro was silent for a moment before answering.
"In that case, why don't you, Senior, see me home first?"
The Silver-haired Girl pursed her lips and said.
This invitation was very tempting.
Walking home with such a beautiful girl under an umbrella was something others would beg for.
"It's okay, you go back first. The rain is getting lighter and should stop soon. I can go back then... You have an urgent matter, so you should go back first."
He rejected the lovely suggestion.
"Oh, really... That's so sad. I mustered up the courage to make such an invitation to a Senior I just met, and I was still rejected."
The Silver-haired Girl said, feigning annoyance.
She looked up at the sky again and saw that the dark clouds were indeed thinning. So she sighed, reached out, and took the umbrella, saying, "Alright then, thank you, Senior."
Sure enough, Senior really is a good person!
She admired him even more in her heart.
She had been a bit shy when making that suggestion.
If Senior had agreed, she would have been at a loss as well.
After the Silver-haired Girl left.
Izumi Chihiro returned to the classroom, but after sitting for a while, he felt a bit bored. He suddenly remembered the reassuring music from earlier, so he turned around and went back to the previous floor.
"That piano music just now came from the music room... It's already after school, and someone's still playing piano here. They really have a lot of leisure time."
He stood outside and muttered to himself.
As he said this, he suddenly realized something.
This person, could it be his deskmate?
The music room would definitely be locked after school, but if it was her, getting the key would be a simple matter.
To verify his guess and to listen more carefully, he pushed the door open as a song ended.
"I knew it was you, Nishikino, who would be playing the piano in the music room after school."
Izumi Chihiro noticed that there was still some surprise on the girl's face.
"Izumi, didn't you already go home?"
Nishikino Maki asked, a bit puzzled.
"Could it be that you, Izumi, also didn't bring an umbrella? So, when you offered to give me a ride earlier, it was just talk, wasn't it?"
A hint of a playful smile suddenly appeared on her face, aiming to see his embarrassment.
Because he had deceived her, hadn't he!
"No, I just lent it to someone else."
He shook his head.
"Lent it to Sawamura?"
Nishikino Maki gave a surprised "Eh?"
"No, it was someone I just met today."
He denied it.
"…"
Nishikino Maki forced a smile on her face.
Lending an umbrella to someone you just met, why wasn't your attitude towards me like that before!
Suppressing her inexplicable thoughts, she asked again, "How did you know I was here?"
"Not really, I just happened to pass by and heard this familiar music, so I guessed it was Nishikino."
Izumi Chihiro said politely.
"Hmm…"
Nishikino Maki mused for a moment, scrutinizing him, and asked softly, "How was it?"
"It was pretty good, even better than before."
He understood her meaning.
"Of course, I've been practicing all along, so improvement is only natural. If I had used the time for cram school to study, I would have already…"
At this, Nishikino Maki became animated, but as she spoke, she seemed to recall something and fell silent again.
Musical dreams… it was better not to think about them anymore.
She only needed to follow her parents' arrangements and strive to become a qualified successor to the Nishikino General Hospital in the future.
"Nishikino, could I request a song?"
Suddenly, Izumi Chihiro's voice startled her awake.
"What? You're requesting a song? Aren't you just the guy who barged into my practice room? You don't have the right."
Nishikino Maki retorted.
This guy was too shameless!
"How about 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'? It's been a long time since I've heard that song, and I feel quite nostalgic… Nishikino, you haven't forgotten this song, have you?"
Izumi Chihiro raised an eyebrow and challenged her.
"Who are you looking down on! Such a simple song, even elementary school students can play it!"
Nishikino Maki said indignantly.
Then she immersed herself in playing.
Although it had been a long time since she had played this song, as one she frequently played during her beginner period, it was as if her body had memorized it. The moment she started playing, that familiar and nostalgic feeling surged forth.
The slight anger that had been stirred up was instantly drowned out by this feeling.
Allowing her to completely lose herself in her own world.
She suddenly remembered that night, she had also played such a song, and at that time, she still held a pure musical dream.
It was just a pity that with growth, one always had to try to compromise.
"Beautiful."
Izumi Chihiro applauded her.
Nishikino Maki showed no emotion, did not reply, and continued to play.
"It seems like something extra has been added… Is it my imagination?"
Izumi Chihiro continued to sit in the seat below, listening quietly.
Until the sound of the rain outside disappeared into nothingness.
"Hmm? Why did you stop playing?"
Izumi Chihiro, who had been enjoying it with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and asked.
"Going home."
Nishikino Maki replied coolly, picking up her school bag beside her.
"Oh, oh…"
He immediately understood.