The Piano Romance (Notice Me, Senpai)

Slackers

Debussy's Claire de Lune playing in the middle of the night had awaken Bridgette from her chasing-the-rainbow-macarons dream. She checked her phone to see who's calling her in such a very bad timing, as she assumed that sleep is impossible after what had happened.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Yo imouto! Genki?" A male voice came out of her receiver, asking her how she is.

"Oniichan?" Bridgette groggily answered as she recognised his brother's voice.

"Yeah. Ore da."

"Oniichan?"

"Uh, Yui?"

"Oniichan?"

"Oi, daijoubu ka?" Heiji can't help asking her if she's fine, as she keeps on calling him.

"ONIICHAAAN! AITAI YO!"

Heiji laughed. It's been a while since he last talked to her, surely he missed his little sister. "Ore mo. I missed you, too."

"Hey, are you nuts? Do you know what time is it in Japan? You should've call me sooner or later-"

"Wakatta yo. Wari na. I just wanted to hear your voice." Heiji explained, making Bridgette smile. "So, how's life?"

"It's fantastic! I've got lots of friends now! People here are so nice as always. How about you? Where are you?"

"Luxemburg. Hectic trainings."

"Oh, so you're really giving up your sumo wrestler dream?" Bridgette asked. That question might've earn her a smack in her head had her brother was near her.

"I've never dreamt of becoming a sumo, baka."

Bridgette glanced beside her table. She saw the box of Ladurée in it, and the idea of asking her brother came into her mind. "Ne, Oniichan."

"Hmm?"

"When you fight with a girl, what do you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you just say sorry, or you give her something, say food? Or flowers?"

Heiji stayed silent for half a minute before he laughed at her. Bridgette just muttered some little swear words for him making fun at her.

"Well, usually I just say sorry. But if that girl is special to me, I buy her something to compensate with it." he explained. "Why? Fought with some guys?"

"Uh, no." Bridgette said, feeling lucky he can't see her blushing.

"Is it Shinchan?"

"Uh, no, definitely not him. We haven't seen each other."

"I see. Hey, I've got to go. I just checked if you're doing okay. Catch up with you later." Heiji said, going back to his training. "Take care Yui."

"Thanks Niichan. You, too. I love you."

"I love you, too. Gotta go. Bye!" Bridgette turned off her phone and lay her back on her bed.

"Special, huh?" she mused. "There's no way my sleep will be peaceful tonight."

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆

Aki was a bit down that morning. He's not in the mood to wake up early; he's thinking of calling in sick, taking a day off from weariness in the school.

Bridgette will wait for me.

It's almost six in the morning and he's still down on his bed. This morning is quite unusual- he's always up by 5am, making sure that he'll be at school by half past six. It's his first time to miss his waking schedule.