I sat on one of the couches at my aunts as I spaced out from Nagi's playing. It's been a week and I still haven't visit Kaori after the incident.
Her words kept repeating in my head, I stared blankly at the piano. If me and my father didn't come back here none of this should've happen, he would still be by my side. I wouldn't see Kaori suffer like this.. I-...
"I'm done" I snapped out from my thoughts and looked at Nagi.
"Y/N. Your turn to teach her." Aunt said.
I sighed, I didn't listen to her playing. "Kousei will do it. I spaced out again, sorry" I said for the third time.
"How will you teach her if you keep spacing out from her playing?" Aunt said shooking her head. "Hey, go over there, teacher" Aunt pushed Kousei.
"Your candid opinion, please" Nagi said.
"Don't hold back, all right?" Aunt reminded...
Kousei pushed his glasses to the bridge his nose. "Make sure there's a distinction between fortissimo and pianissimo. And count all the rests. You wrinkle your brow when you play. Your posture is terrible. Don't grit your teeth like your in pain." Kousei said. "The rhythm of your left hand keeps lagging" Kousei said softly.
"My hands are small, so my fingers can't reach right away." Nagi explained looking down.
"Play the notes by moving your wrists." Kousei said. "Play the first note with your little finger, and then use that momentum to take your wrist over... And move like this" Kousei gestured.
"I'll be outside" I said and stood up from my seat, eyes trailing behind me as I exit the room. I sat on the steps. The wind made me calm. I closed my eyes.
What did Koari met by me having Kousei?
~•~
I opened my phone as I received a text.
From: Kaori
Let's meet up at the rooftop of the school at 4.
I looked at the time, it was 3:41. Thinking nothing will be wrong I walked up the high stairs of the school.
I texted my aunt saying I won't come to her house today to teach Nagi. Kousei will be there anyways.
I opened the two doors and my hair swayed by the air.
Kaori stood there in her uniform. I stopped a little far from her.
She glanced at me and walked slowly embracing me in a hug. I didn't hug back, I let my arms stay by my sides.
I quiet sigh escaped my lips as I slowly wrapped my arms around her.
"I was so worried you weren't visiting me" Kaori stated pulling away from the hug.
"Sorry" I said staring at floor.
"I should be the one saying that" Kaori said.
"It's fine, really. I know your just getting stressed on what's been happening lately" I answered and flashed her a small smile.
She smiled slightly. "I don't know what I'll do without you" she said and sighed.
I started at her. Why? I wanted to ask her.
Why did you have to say all of that?
Why have you been acting so strange?
Are you really happy I came back?
Do you need me?
Why... Did you change?
Why did you have to get this disease?
"Whatever happens, I can never bring my self to hate you" I said rubbing my arms from the cold air.
"Same goes to me" Kaori answered.
I looked at the ground like it's the most interesting thing in the world. "Kaori, promise me"
"Promise you what?" Kaori asked confused.
"Promise me, that you won't leave me" I said, "That you'll watch me perform at the finals"
"Promise that you will listen to my piano"
I stated as she stared in silence.
"I promise you" she answered with that smile. That fake smile.
I left not even glancing at Kaori.
~•~
I sat in one of the classrooms scribbling on my notebook. I glanced out the window removing my earphones.
"Time went by that fast?" I muttered. It's already dark outside maybe around 6:30...
I leaned on my chair. I haven't even figured what to play on the finals. Just a few more months.
"You should make your decision fast, Y/N. School there starts at February"
I groaned, why do I have so many things in my mind...?..
I looked at the door as I heard a footsteps and voices.
"Who'd be here this late?". Me.
I grabbed my stuffs and placed it in the bag quietly. I closed the door slowly preventing it to make any sound, as I slowly approached the classroom just beside from where I was I listened to the voices.
I leaned on the wall just beside the door.
"Where's your bag?"
That voice... It's.. Kousei?
"Um... Over here, maybe? No, maybe it's over there"
And Kaori?! What are they doing-- Did she come for school? Perhaps yes because they seem to be looking for her school bag...
"You lied?! Did you lie to me?!"
"My bag isn't here at the school..."
"You did come to school today, right?"
"They let me out just for today. Sorry" Kaori apologized. "I wanted to come here no matter what" She explained. "Because I was starting to forget it.."
"I'm the one who should be sorry. You should've had Watari, not a substitute" Kousei said apologetically. "I mean, it was your one day out..."
"Are you going to forget?" Kaori asked slowly. "The girl who explored the school grounds. The girl you helped rescue a lost child. The girl who snuck out of the hospital and waited for you"
My head snapped at the side as I listened. "What is she meaning to say?"
"Are you going to forget?"
"I won't forget" Kousei stated firmly. "I won't forget, even if I die."
I slowly walked away, why am I even listening to them? They're not keeping anything from me, right?
~•~
I stood at the side of the piano.
"Too slow. The tempo starts lagging because you're not playing it in one go" Kousei said bluntly.
I glanced at Nagi as her features clearly indicates the she's annoyed.
"So here's how you do it..." Kousei said as he played the part better than when it was Nagi playing. No offense.
"Why, you... Stupid Machine!" Nagi shouted angrily as she slammed the piano shut on Kousei's hands. I tried to stifle my laugh at Kousei's face. Keyword; tried.
"Don't play it like it's a piece of cake!" She smiled evily but it quickly flattered as she heard Aunt behind her.
"Have you been listening?" Kousei asked simply.
"Y-yes!" Nagi answered all to quickly. I glanced at her as tear pricked her eyes.
"Okey, then, let's just get this part out of the way"
~•~
I waved as she walked home and glanced to Kousei. "I'm going home, are you coming?" I asked.
He nodded in response and stepped out of the door closing it.
We walked in peaceful silence.
Till I broke it. "Where were you yesterday night?" I asked and looked at Kousei.
"Teaching Nagi.. Why?" He asked.
Lies. You were with Kao-chan.
"Oh no nothing." I smiled. "Good to hear I studied all night yesterday I didn't have time to come to the lesson" I answered and we continued to walk home.
Why were you lying to me?
~•~
"Too fast. Your fingers are slipping because you're trying to play it too fast" Kousei said with yet, another, blunt look. "That doesn't make it forte"
My eyes widen as she run out the house.
I quickly run after her and hear Kousei in the distance.
"Huh? She ran off!"
I stopped as I panted and leaned on my knees. I glanced up the stairs and a memory flashed inside my head.
I walked up the stairs and sat down beside Nagi.
"What am I supposed to do? My hands are small..." Nagi muttered.
I wrapped my arm on her shoulder as she hugged her knees. "Don't bother about what Kousei said" I said. "Doesn't mean your hands are small, doesn't mean your not a great pianist"
Her head snapped to my direction. "You think I'm a great pianist?" She asked fastly.
I hummed in response and smiled.
"I think you just might be a lot greater than your brother" I said.
"That means a lot Y/N" She said and smiled. First time I ever saw her smile. "I always idolized you, but since you moved to London. My brother... He practiced and practiced, he said he wanted to beat you. He never had any time for me anymore" she said sadly.
"Doesn't mean that you had to be formal when me and Kousei found you" I said, I knew she was familiar. I just remembered lately.
"Eh.." She said and rubbed her nape.
"It's fine" I chuckle with an closed eye smile.
"Your brother was my first friend, well before he became competitive." I said and she nodded smiling.
"I remember when you first came to the house and slept in my room, we played here"
I laughed at the memory. "He was muttering when we were walking home that it was unfair I won the game we played" We laughed at the memory.
"Right! And when we were about to came home he kept going on about how it was unfair and he tripped falling to the lake"
We laughed more.
"He was lucky he knew to swim. We ended up swimming in the lake and coming back dripping wet"
I just smiled till our laughs died down. I thought Where in the world is Kousei?
And like in time he arrived panting heavily holding a paperbag. Nagi crossed her arms not even looking at Kousei.
"It just as Hiroko-san said" Kousei said relieved and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Humph!"
I just laughed and watched the two of them.
"Um... Sorry about that. Um, I've never taught anyone before, so..." Kousei desperately tried to explain as he walked up the stairs. "Here, a piece offering" Kousei opened the bag and unwrapped a sweet potato.
Nagi slowly glanced at the food.
"It looks realky good. Melt-in-your-mouth good. It's a Beni-azuma"
Her eyes twinkled and grab the sweet potato from Kousei. Kousei sighed in relief and sat beside me handing me one. I thanked him for it.
Nagi took a bite till she froze.
I chuckled, "You just fell for a sweet potato" I said voicing out her thoughts.
"Do you come here a lot?" Kousei asked as he chewed.
"I used to play here all the time, years ago"
I listened intently as ate the food.
"With... My hero" I smiled at how she referred her brother. "He was the one who started playing the piano first. So I... Followed in his footsteps"
"You like him" Kousei said.
"But he's obsessed with someone else besides me." Nagi said and I frowned. "And because of that, I feel lost now, and confused... I'm in a dark labyrinth, deep inside my heart."
"That's why I want him to notice. That I'm here. With my playing."
Nagi stood up and we looked up at her. "Talk about ulterior motives, right?"
I stood up and smiled at her. "Most opportunities are, you know" I said and Kousei stood up.
"Paper, rock... Scissors!" I sat up at the top of the stairs as I watched them play, and me, yet again. Won.
"P-I-N-E-A-P-P-L-E!"
"Let's go!" I watched as they started to play again. "Paper, rock, scissors!"
I closed my eyes as I zoned out from their talking, slowly falling asleep.
~•~
Srry, there's a lot of time skipping ._.
If there's a wrong spelling, grammar mistakes, incomplete sentence! Gomen!!!!