Chapter 6 – The Secret Composition
The music room was quiet again.
Afternoon light filtered through the curtains, painting the piano with gold. Ren stayed behind after practice, fingers ghosting over the keys even after everyone had left.
The duet still echoed in his mind — that final note, that shared glance.
He couldn't stop replaying it.
Then, his eyes caught something.
A crumpled sheet of music sticking out from between Kai's violin scores.
Half-finished. Untitled.
Ren hesitated.
He shouldn't read it. But his hands moved before he could stop himself.
The notes were messy, rushed, but beautiful — haunting, like a cry trapped in melody. At the corner, written in small handwriting, was a phrase:
> "For R."
Ren froze.
R. His name's first letter.
He smiled sadly. "So it really was for me…"
He sat down and started to play it — slowly, carefully, filling in the missing chords with his own guesses. The melody bloomed, fragile and aching. It felt like Kai's voice speaking through the keys: I'm sorry I left. I didn't know how to say it.
Halfway through, a quiet sound made him stop.
The door clicked.
Kai was there, leaning against the frame, violin case still slung over his shoulder.
"You found it," he said softly.
Ren turned, flustered. "I—I didn't mean to. It just—"
Kai walked closer, eyes unreadable.
"I wrote that before the duet. I couldn't finish it. I thought… maybe you'd hate me too much to hear it."
Ren looked down at the keys. "I never hated you."
His voice trembled. "I just wanted to understand why you stopped playing."
Kai smiled faintly, the kind that hid pain.
"My mom… she got sick. I had to stop coming. Music felt selfish when she needed me most."
Ren blinked. The air between them softened. "You should've told me."
"I didn't know how." Kai opened his violin case and took out his bow. "But… maybe now we can finish this together."
Ren's lips curved into a small smile. "Together."
And just like that, they began to play — piano and violin merging, filling the room with something fragile but healing. The unfinished piece finally found its ending.