The music room was bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sun, its light spilling across instruments neatly arranged in their places. The faint scent of polished wood and paper sheets lingered in the air, familiar and calming.
Rei Hayakawa sat at the piano, his fingers absentmindedly brushing against the keys—not playing, just feeling.
Around him, the usual atmosphere of the music club carried on.
Miyu Takasugi was flipping through sheet music with exaggerated frustration.
"This is so boring," she groaned. "Why do we always practice the same things?"
"Because consistency matters," Reina Kisaragi replied calmly, standing near the window. "You can't improve if you keep running away from fundamentals."
"I'm not running away," Miyu protested. "I'm just… avoiding them creatively."
Yuna Takahashi let out a small laugh, her voice gentle. "That doesn't make it better."
"It makes it feel better," Miyu insisted.
Rei exhaled softly, a faint hint of amusement in his expression.
"…You're all loud today."
"That's because you're quiet," Miyu shot back immediately. "It's weird."
"It's not weird."
"It is," she said, pointing at him. "You've been like this since yesterday."
Reina's gaze shifted toward him, sharp and observant.
"…Something on your mind?" she asked.
Rei didn't answer right away.
Instead, he pressed a single key.
A soft note echoed through the room.
"…Not really," he said.
Miyu narrowed her eyes. "That's a lie."
"It's not."
"It is," she repeated confidently.
Yuna stepped in gently, trying to ease the tension. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."
Rei glanced at her briefly, then back at the piano.
"…It's nothing important."
Reina didn't look convinced.
But she didn't push further.
A short silence followed.
Then Miyu suddenly clapped her hands.
"Alright, enough of this," she declared. "Play something."
Rei didn't look up. "We've already practiced."
"Not that," she said. "Something different."
"…Like what?"
Miyu grinned.
"Something romantic."
Rei paused.
Yuna blinked. "M-Miyu…"
"What?" Miyu shrugged. "We've never heard
Rei play something like that properly."
Reina crossed her arms slightly, her gaze still fixed on him.
"…That could be interesting," she said.
Rei let out a quiet breath.
"…You're all making this difficult on purpose."
"Absolutely," Miyu replied without hesitation.
Yuna smiled faintly, though there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes now.
"…I'd like to hear it too."
Rei was silent for a moment longer.
Then—
"…Fine."
He adjusted his posture slightly, his fingers settling on the keys.
For a brief second, the room grew completely still.
Then—
He began to play.
The melody started softly.
Gentle.
Unassuming.
Each note flowed into the next with a quiet kind of warmth, like something familiar… something close.
It wasn't dramatic.
It wasn't overwhelming.
But it carried a feeling—
Subtle.
Deep.
The kind that didn't need to be loud to be understood.
Yuna's expression softened almost immediately.
Miyu, unusually quiet, leaned forward slightly.
Even Reina's sharp gaze stilled, her attention fully captured.
The music continued, building just slightly—never losing its calm, but gaining depth.
There was no tension in it.
No conflict.
Just something pure.
Something sincere.
Rei's expression didn't change as he played.
Calm.
Focused.
But somewhere within the melody—
There was something real.
The final note lingered in the air before fading into silence.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"…Wow," Miyu said quietly.
"That was…" Yuna hesitated, searching for the right word. "…beautiful."
Reina didn't speak immediately.
She simply watched him.
Carefully.
"…That didn't sound like practice," she said.
Rei glanced at her. "It wasn't."
"Then what was it?" Miyu asked.
"A love song," she added with a grin.
"Obviously."
Rei leaned back slightly, exhaling.
"…I guess."
Yuna looked at him, her curiosity growing.
"…Do you… have someone in mind when you play like that?"
Miyu's eyes lit up instantly. "Oh! That's a good question."
Reina said nothing.
But her gaze sharpened.
Rei was quiet for a moment.
Then—
"…Yeah," he said.
The room stilled.
Miyu leaned in immediately. "Wait, seriously?! Who?"
Yuna's heart skipped slightly.
Reina's expression didn't change.
But her attention didn't waver for even a second.
Rei looked down at the keys.
"…My sister."
Silence.
Complete.
Immediate.
Miyu blinked.
"…Huh?"
Yuna froze.
Reina's eyes narrowed.
"…Your what?" Miyu asked slowly.
"My sister," Rei repeated, his tone unchanged.
The room remained still.
Then—
Miyu leaned back slightly, squinting at him. "Wait… wait, hold on you are into your own sister ?"
Yuna looked visibly flustered. "R-Rei, that's—"
Reina spoke quietly.
*
"Really ?."
Rei glanced at them, noticing their expressions.
Then let out a small breath.
"…Not like that."
Miyu pointed at him. "You have to clarify that."
"I am," he replied calmly. "It's not romantic."
Yuna visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping slightly.
"…Oh," she murmured.
Miyu still looked suspicious. "Then what do you mean?"
Rei looked back at the piano.
"…When I play," he said, "I think about something important to me."
Reina listened closely.
"My sister is someone I've always been close to," he continued. "Someone I care about."
His fingers lightly pressed a few keys—soft, absent notes.
"It's not about romance," he said. "It's just… feeling."
The room grew quiet again.
Yuna let out a small breath, relief clear in her expression.
"I see…" she said softly.
Miyu crossed her arms. "…You really should've said it like that from the start."
Rei shrugged slightly. "You didn't give me time."
"That's because you said 'my sister' like it was normal!"
"It is normal."
"Not the way you said it!"
A small, quiet laugh escaped Yuna.
The tension eased.
Just a little.
Reina, however, remained silent.
Her gaze lingered on Rei, thoughtful.
"…Your music," she said slowly, "is honest."
Rei didn't respond.
"But honesty can be dangerous," she added quietly.
He glanced at her.
"…How so?"
Reina turned her gaze toward the window.
"Because it reveals what you don't say."
A brief silence followed.
Miyu stretched her arms lazily. "Well, whatever it is, it sounded amazing."
Yuna nodded. "Yeah… it really did."
Rei looked back at the keys.
"…Thanks."
The conversation shifted after that.
Back to normal.
Light.
Casual.
Just like always.
But somewhere beneath it—
Something lingered.
Unnoticed.
Unspoken.
As the sun dipped lower, casting longer
shadows across the music room—
Rei played again.
This time, quieter.
Softer.
And without realizing it—
The melody he played carried their feelings.