"Yukino can play the piano?!"
Kotomi Izumi instantly understood how Shizuka Hiratsuka must've felt earlier upon hearing that she could play the guitar. When a close friend, who usually keeps such things under wraps, suddenly reveals a talent for a musical instrument, it's natural to feel surprised—or even find it hard to believe.
"Don't be fooled by how Yukino never performs during music class and spends most of her time reading. She's actually been practicing piano since she was a child."
"It's probably a talent she inherited from her mother. Her mother was once a somewhat famous pianist a long time ago. After marrying into the Yukinoshita family, she changed her name to Chiaki Yukinoshita and almost completely stopped performing, instead becoming a strong-handed politician."
"But it looks like she still teaches Yukino piano in private."
At this, Shizuka let out a chuckle. "Or maybe in Lady Yukinoshita's eyes, it would be too shameful for her daughter, the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, to lack any artistic skill or not be able to play an instrument."
"Shizuka-sensei, you know Yukino's mother?"
"Mm, the Hiratsuka and Yukinoshita families have long kept in touch. Back when I was little, Yukino wasn't born yet, so the one I knew was her older sister, Haruno Yukinoshita. We used to play together a lot. But now, if she hears my name, she probably wouldn't recognize me. After all, when we were kids, I thought it was cool to act mysterious, so I never told her my real name and used a fake one instead."
At that, Shizuka gave an embarrassed smile. Like many girls, she had wanted to be pretty and dainty as a child—a little princess. But Shizuka preferred to act cool and aloof. So when Haruno once asked, "What's your name?" she answered with a fake name she had spent a long time thinking up—one she thought was super cool at the time, but now found incredibly cringeworthy.
Kotomi let out a wow. So Shizuka actually knew Haruno! But if Haruno didn't recognize Shizuka now, then the fake name she used back then must've left a stronger impression than her real one. Even if Haruno heard the name "Shizuka Hiratsuka" now, it probably wouldn't ring any bells.
Of course, if she mentioned the fake name, Haruno would likely remember instantly.
"Shizuka-sensei, what fake name did you tell Haruno back then?"
Shizuka wasn't surprised that Kotomi spoke of Haruno so familiarly—Kotomi was close with Yukino, so it made sense she'd know her sister as well.
"It was a bit too chuuni. I thought it was cool back then, but now I just find it embarrassing. I'd rather not say..." Shizuka tugged at the corner of her mouth, trying to dodge the question.
Sometimes she really wanted to crack open her younger self's head and ask: why did you think that name was cool?
"No way! I want to hear it!" Kotomi insisted.
"Even if you want to—"
"If you don't tell me, I won't run the 800-meter girls' race this afternoon! And I won't perform at the cultural festival either!" Kotomi brought out the ultimate threat.
"Tch—fine, you win! But you can't laugh when you hear it!" Shizuka gave in, hesitating a bit before finally blurting out the name she had once thought so cool and had presented as her real name to Haruno: "Shijin... Shijin Shuaiqi..."
"Eh?"
Kotomi froze for a moment, then took a deep breath. Her adorable face puffed up like she was trying hard to hold back laughter.
"Ahhh! Didn't I just say no laughing?! What did you promise me just now?! Ugh... This is exactly why I didn't want to say it. It's too mortifying. Why did I ever come up with such a name and think it was cool?!"
If she could, Shizuka really wished she had a spaceship to escape Earth right now.
"I never actually promised not to laugh just now... pfft pfft pfft! Hahahahahahaha!!! Shijin, Shijin Shuaiqi!" The little witch Kotomi was now laughing so hard she couldn't even straighten her back.
"Stop laughing, stop laughing! I'm still your teacher, give me some dignity—at least laugh a bit quieter…" Shizuka Hiratsuka quickly surrendered.
"No wonder Haruno-san didn't recognize the name Shizuka Hiratsuka. The fake name you told her as a kid left such a strong impression! Aside from both having 'Sh' in them, the two names have nothing in common. No wonder she couldn't make the connection."
Kotomi was laughing so hard she nearly collapsed. People were starting to worry whether she'd be able to catch her breath.
After a long bout of laughter, Kotomi finally calmed down. She admitted to herself that her laughter just now did carry a tiny bit of payback.
"Back to the main topic, Shizuka-sensei, do you have any other recommendations for the pianist and vocalist positions?"
"Eh? Isn't Yukino, who's good at piano, already good enough for your standards?" Shizuka was surprised—she had assumed Kotomi would invite Yukino to play piano.
"Of course she is. I'm just not sure if Yukino would agree to perform on stage."
Shizuka considered Yukino Yukinoshita's famously cold and aloof personality and instantly understood Kotomi's hesitation.
Yukino Yukinoshita—true to the double "snow" in her name—was like a flower on a snowy peak. Whether in looks or temperament, she embodied the term "ice beauty." Inviting her to join Kotomi's three-person band and perform piano live at the cultural festival... did indeed sound unlikely.
After some thought, Shizuka said, "Still, why not try asking her? Who knows, maybe she'll say yes? You two are pretty close, aren't you? As for the vocalist, I honestly don't know who in our class sings well. I teach language arts, not music. Maybe ask the music teacher when you have a chance?"
"Shizuka-sensei, you probably haven't seen what our class's music lessons are like... There are barely any students willing to sing during music class. And the few who do? They pour their hearts into it, sure—but have zero technique."
Shizuka mulled over Kotomi's words, then gave her shoulder a firm pat and said solemnly, "It's just us here, Kotomi. No need to be so tactful."
"Ugh... Now I'm starting to worry whether I can even find the other two members before the cultural festival. I'll try inviting Yukino to play piano, but if she says no, I'll need to find someone else."
"Then you'll just have to do your best! Go for it, Kotomi! Think of this as a growth opportunity. After this whole process of forming a three-person band, I'm sure you'll have matured a lot."
Shizuka gave Kotomi an encouraging pat on her small shoulder.
"I was supposed to have a relaxing cultural festival…" Kotomi said with a resentful glance at Shizuka.
"Ahahaha… but it'll become a memorable part of your student life!" Shizuka laughed awkwardly.
Guitarist: herself.
Pianist: Yukino Yukinoshita. (If she agrees)
Vocalist: Unknown.
Kotomi ran through the current list in her mind and couldn't help but sigh. Could they even form a three-person band at this rate? It didn't feel very promising.
Someone good at singing... someone good at singing... Who in Class 1-F is actually good at singing?! As she and Shizuka Hiratsuka walked back toward the sports field, Kotomi wondered this silently to herself.
...
"Boss, give me a bottle of lychee-flavored sports drink."
"Alright."
After paying, Seiko Kirigiri twisted open the cap and took a big gulp.
Her thirst was instantly relieved—just as expected from a sports drink.
She didn't leave right away, instead leaning against the window and sipping slowly while watching the field in the distance. She planned to finish the drink before buying some snacks to take back.
She wasn't sure what snacks her friends liked, but potato chips were a safe bet—almost everyone liked them!
As for the flavors, she'd stick to the safest options: tomato, barbecue, and original.
Come to think of it, Kotomi seemed to really like Lay's original flavor—she was often seen returning from the school store with a big bag.
"Boss, could I get a bottle of lime-flavored sports drink, and two energy bars? One sea salt almond, one raspberry chia seed cashew. Thanks."
A bright, cheerful voice called out. Just hearing it gave the impression that the speaker was a sunny, energetic guy.
Seiko Kirigiri turned to look, recognizing the voice—she'd heard it a few times before.
"Toyokawa-kun?"
"Kirigiri-san, what a coincidence running into you here. Congrats on getting first place," said Shouji Toyokawa, smiling as he stood at the store entrance.
"No... If you hadn't gotten injured, you probably would've taken first. My win had a bit of luck to it," Seiko said with a light smile, declining the congratulations.
Hearing that, Shouji gave a sheepish smile. Yesterday, he had slipped on the stairs because his soles were wet. It wasn't too serious—just a twisted ankle. Even so, he forced himself to compete today and pushed himself hard to place second.
"How's your ankle? Competing with a sprain… that's really pushing it," Seiko asked.
"It's fine, really," Shouji said quickly, a bit flustered by her concern. "It's almost fully healed."
"Glad to hear it," Seiko nodded, tossing her empty bottle into the trash and preparing to grab some snacks before heading back.
"Oh, right—Kirigiri-san, here. This is for you." Shouji held out the raspberry chia seed cashew energy bar he had just bought. "I remember you really like raspberry."
"Huh? Thanks, but I can't just take it for nothing. Let me get you a snack too—what do you want? I'll buy it."
"Nah, it's fine. Since I train regularly, I try not to eat snacks. Just one energy bar, no big deal."
"Oh yeah, you're aiming to get into university through sports recommendation, right?"
"What about you, Kirigiri-san? You're great at long jump. Ever thought about going into the athletics track?"
"Me?" Seiko pointed to herself, then laughed. "Nah, I only have a bit of talent in long jump. It's just something I'm relatively good at. Doing it occasionally is fine, but keeping it up long-term... not really for me. Athletes have to get to the field early every morning to train. I can't even handle that idea."
"True, everyone has their path. We have to be on the field first thing every morning, jog two laps to warm up, then start drills. I can't remember the last time I had a proper nap."
Shouji let out a dry laugh.
"Sounds tough."
"I'm used to it. If I want to get into university through sports, it comes with the territory," he said, shaking his head.
"Uh..." Shouji glanced at Seiko's profile, nearly zoning out before quickly snapping back. "Sorry."
"Huh? Why are you suddenly apologizing?" Seiko looked at him curiously. Why apologize out of nowhere?
"After I got back to class post-race, a friend told me that there's been a rumor going around school lately—that you and I are dating. I think it's because some students saw me handing you that letter before... and the gossip just spread from there. I'm really sorry for causing you trouble."
So that's what he was apologizing for...
Seiko Kirigiri thought to herself for a moment, then replied, "It's nothing. You probably feel troubled too, suddenly being linked to a dating rumor with a girl. If you hear anyone mention it again, just help clear things up."
"Of course," Shouji Toyokawa nodded.
After paying for her snacks, Seiko waved her small hand. "I'm heading back to the field. See you."
"Yeah, take care. I hope we get to compete for first place in the long jump again next sports festival."
"Haha, looking forward to it."
Seiko gave a faint smile, grabbed the plastic bag filled with snacks, and headed down the stairs.
Watching her retreating figure, Shouji let out a long sigh, finished off his sports drink, and tossed the bottle into the trash.
Maybe it was love at first sight. Shouji Toyokawa had fallen for Seiko Kirigiri the moment he first saw her in gym class.
It was his first time writing a love letter. First time confessing to a girl. He had been nervous—he'd never done anything like that before.
—Toyokawa-kun, thank you for your feelings, but I'm sorry. I have no plans to date right now.
He remembered Seiko's words from that day clearly.
She hadn't even accepted the letter. She just bowed and politely turned him down.
Sure, he felt disappointed. But more than anything...
Her refusal was so straightforward. After he confessed, she looked surprised for a few seconds, then rejected him without hesitation.
From that alone, Shouji knew—there was no chance between him and Seiko.
He wasn't the type to cling on after a rejection. He never liked people who did that. If someone doesn't like you, they just don't. Persistence rarely moves someone's heart.
Still, the thought that his first ever crush had ended so quickly brought a wry smile to his handsome face.
"I wonder what kind of person Kirigiri-san would fall for... Haha, not like it matters. Clearly not someone like me. I just hope she finds someone she likes."
"Kid, heartbroken, huh?" The shopkeeper lit a cigarette and asked in a nostalgic tone, like he was reminiscing about his youth.
"Not quite heartbreak. I got rejected before anything even started," Shouji said with a shrug and a helpless smile.
"Want a smoke? Getting turned down by a girl isn't the end of the world. A smoke will ease the pain."
"No thanks, boss. I don't smoke." Shouji smiled and turned to leave.
Neither Seiko, who had left earlier, nor Shouji, who now walked away, noticed someone standing just around the corner.
Hibiki Naegi was there, hidden behind the wall.
"When did Seiko get confessed to...? Why didn't I know about this?"
Hibiki looked down at her feet, muttering softly to herself.
"Good thing she turned him down..."
Ring ring—
Her phone suddenly rang. She blinked, then quickly pulled it out. Seeing the caller ID—Eiren Kanagawa—her hand trembled slightly, and the phone nearly slipped from her fingers.
After hesitating for a long moment, she finally picked up.
"Hello, Kanagawa-sensei?"
"Ah, Hibiki."
Eiren Kanagawa had just finished teaching an art class at Kyoto University and was walking down the corridor while making the call.
"How have you been lately?"
"I only just got back to Chiba not long ago. The way you say it makes it sound like we haven't spoken in years."
"Really?" Eiren suddenly realized—Hibiki had only returned recently. But to her, it felt like it had been ages since they'd last talked.
She mocked herself inwardly and continued:
"Hibiki, I might be visiting Chiba in a few days. A friend of mine is holding a private exhibition at an art gallery there, and I received an invitation. We graduated from the same art school. I'd like to invite you to come with me and treat you to a meal. Would that be alright? Just one day."
"You're coming to Chiba?!"
"Why? Not happy to see me?"
"N-No, I am! It's just... one full day..." Hibiki didn't know how to decline.
"I'll schedule it for a weekend. That okay? Also, I don't have any classes over the next few days. So if you run into any issues with your artwork, just call me—I'll help."
"Kanagawa-sensei, the meeting's on the third floor," a colleague from Kyoto University passed by and reminded her.
"Got it, thanks," Eiren replied, then spoke to Hibiki again:
"You heard that, right? I've got a meeting to attend. Need to grab my laptop from the office. Talk to you later. Bye."
Before Hibiki could even say goodbye, Eiren had already hung up. Looking at her phone, Hibiki sighed softly.
She still hadn't decided whether to accept Eiren's invitation.
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