Falling for my best friend [OFFICIAL]

Chapter 3: Getting to know my best friend I

"What? No, not at all, Shuichi! I just thought I saw something... It's nice having a friend around. I don't have anyone else, too." He gave me a genuine smile. Don't look at me like that. It's such an awkward, yet cute smile. I shook my head. I need to stop staring. I think we could be really good friends. "Anyways, I'm guessing you have free time, too?" He nodded. "What should we do?" Before we could think about it, a couple girls walked up to me.

"Hey, are you Kaede?" I nodded a little shocked. "Nice to meet you! I'm Miu Iruma! This is Maki Harukawa and she's new like you!" Miu was really perky and Maki seemed a little shy. Kind of like she was being dragged into this.

"Nice to meet you two. You said Maki is new so I'm guessing you're not?"

"That's correct! I've been here since kindergarten." I heard Shuichi make a small cough sound. "Oh sorry, didn't see you there. Woah, you're cute!" Shuichi and I were taken aback at her forwardness. "Oh, sorry is he your boyfriend?"

"No!" I exclaimed a little too loudly. "Uh I mean, no he's just my friend."

"Hi, I'm Shuichi Saihara."

"Nice to meet you!" Maki hadn't said a word this whole time.

From across the hall we heard a group of boys talking. "Hey, Shuichi! Come over here!"

"You know those guys?" I asked.

"Yeah, we met at the entrance ceremony. I'm not sure what they want, though."

"Well, go then." I smiled and nudged him over there. "I'll see you later, okay Shuichi?"

"Yeah see you, Kaede." As he headed towards them, I looked back at Miu who had an angry expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. Those boys are just so annoying. They hit on every girl they see and can never shut up. Make sure your boyfriend doesn't turn into one of them."

"I-I told you he's not my boyfriend!" I sighed. "Anyways.. I had a question. What do you normally do during free time?"

"Well, since this is morning free time you can chill with friends at the usual hang out spots throughout this school or head to the cafeteria and get some breakfast."

"But beware, there are cliques everywhere." That was the first time Maki spoke. She had a soft, cute voice but there was an eerie tone in that sentence.

"Oh yeah, the main nerds hang on the second floor near the computer lab. Populars hang in the cafeteria, jocks are always in the gym or out in the field and artists are on the fourth floor! Normally we hang on the third floor where there are tables to just chat and do work."

"And what about the piano?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, our school bought a piano, but no one uses it. Do you like playing the piano?"

"Oh I love it!" I exclaimed, but coughed to hide my excitement.

"Are you any good?" Maki asked.

"Oh I'm alright I guess. I've played in a few competitions." A few is an understatement. I won the National Piano Competition when I was 7 and won the Dedicated Global Piano Competition last year. I was practically born on the piano, but I hate bragging. If I want to show that I'm good I'll play.

"Oh you should show us! Since it's free time and there's no work to do we can try it out!"

"Oh I'm not su-"

"Hey you wanna be friends with us right? This is a ticket to being in our friend group!"

"But we approached her..." Maki quietly said. I smiled and looked at them bickering.

"Sure, why not?" Miu's eyes lit up and I could see Maki sigh, but she give me a soft smile. We talked as we headed to the first floor.

Once we entered the piano room, my eyes lit up. Standing in front of me was a beautiful-untouched black piano. I could feel my fingers start to play a melody already. I walked to the piano and sat on the seat lifting up the heading.

"Wow, you look comfortable!" Miu exclaimed. I blushed, but she wasn't wrong. The piano is my home. "What should you play though?"

"Hmm.. oh I know! Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No. 1."

"Erik who?" I chuckled and readied my hands to start playing. As my fingers glided across the keys, the piano sang a beautiful melody. When I play the piano, I feel myself engulf in each ring of every key creating a space around me no one can enter. I love it, I love this world. I didn't realize that Miu's mouth was gaping open and Maki had wide eyes. I also didn't notice Shuichi listening standing at the door.

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