The sound of the piano danced in the room. Smooth, moving notes poured out from under fair, slender fingers. The girl hummed along with the soaring melody.
Until the last chord dissipated, her shoulders still maintained a slightly forward-leaning arc. Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help but applaud for her.
"Mana-san has already mastered this piece very skillfully. I think going on stage next shouldn't be a problem."
Facing Toyokawa Sakiko's praise, Sumita Mana smiled somewhat embarrassedly.
"Don't praise Mana like that - she'll become arrogant. Being able to learn to this extent, Mana thinks it's Saki-chan's achievement, you know?"
"I'm only responsible for teaching some basic knowledge. If Mana-san hadn't worked hard, there wouldn't be such results."
"Eh, isn't Mana working hard enough?"
"I... I didn't say that."
Watching Toyokawa Sakiko looking somewhat awkward, Sumita Mana suddenly burst out laughing, her eyes crinkling with mirth.
"I feel like we're both so polite when we've already known each other for so long."
Toyokawa Sakiko knew she'd just been teasing her and counterattacked slightly: "Actually, our meeting time isn't even 24 hours yet, right?"
"So Saki-chan remembers so clearly?" Sumita Mana was very surprised, then grabbed her small fist. "Next time let's work together to double that number!"
Toyokawa Sakiko said nothing. No wonder Hoshino Miru could know her - both had the same personality.
Sumita Mana began humming softly again, her fingers playing a melody.
"Hey, did Saki-chan meet any new friends at school today?"
"Not yet."
"Mana made a friend! She's also a very amazing idol, and we've both heard each other's songs!"
Toyokawa Sakiko listened to Sumita Mana talk about school matters, feeling inexplicably warm and reassured inside. Then she unconsciously thought of Hoshino Miru and Wakaba Mutsuki. Would the two of them also chat about these things like she and Sumita Mana?
They would, right? After all, Hoshino Miru also seemed to be an expert at making conversation. She'd been the first time seeing a boy naturally invite her to visit his home.
Moreover, she'd also foolishly followed along.
Now it was already a new semester. What would he chat about with Wakaba Mutsuki?
Just as Toyokawa Sakiko was thinking about these things, she discovered Sumita Mana had somehow already sat beside her, eyes blinking as she looked at her.
In an instant, Toyokawa Sakiko's face immediately turned slightly red.
"What is Saki-chan thinking about?" Sumita Mana carried a somewhat mischievous smile.
"Nothing." Toyokawa Sakiko tried as much as possible to avoid this topic. "Weren't you talking about the friend you just met? What's her name?"
"Mana already said her name just now. Saki-chan wasn't listening carefully to what Mana was saying." Sumita Mana somewhat dissatisfiedly pouted her mouth, though she immediately became cheerful again. "How are Saki-chan and Miru getting along?"
Like trying to cook alone for the first time, Toyokawa Sakiko was dazed for a moment. But seeing Sumita Mana's eyes, she could only force herself to calm down.
"Why suddenly ask this?"
"Hehe, because Mana is somewhat curious - besides practicing piano with Mana, has Saki-chan been with Miru these days?" Sumita Mana blinked. "Also, Mana doesn't seem to have asked how you two met."
Toyokawa Sakiko had originally been somewhat embarrassed. She'd just been thinking about Hoshino Miru, never expecting Sumita Mana would ask about her and Hoshino Miru's matters so quickly.
After hesitating a moment, Toyokawa Sakiko told Sumita Mana about their first meeting scene.
"So it was just like that - lending an umbrella in the rain. Sounds somewhat romantic." Sumita Mana tilted her head, her eyes sparkling. "As expected of Miru - really good at dealing with girls."
Toyokawa Sakiko didn't feel there was anything romantic about it, but being able to encounter Hoshino Miru at that time perhaps really had a few parts destiny-like feeling.
However, talking about not having met recently and only messaging each other, Toyokawa Sakiko felt Sumita Mana seemed somewhat disappointed.
"Isn't that about the same as Mana then?" Sumita Mana puffed out her cheeks. "Recently he's also just messaging Mana, with absolutely no intention of coming to visit."
Because she needed to help conceal the guitar practice, Toyokawa Sakiko didn't mention Hoshino Miru and Wakaba Mutsuki's matters, much less mention that Hoshino Miru was now learning music theory from her.
"Maybe he thinks you're busy with idol work?" Toyokawa Sakiko helped guess.
Sumita Mana was indeed very busy. Being able to practice piano with her today was also because these two days happened to be the start of school - Sumita Mana had no work scheduled.
"Not at all. Mana knows what he's thinking." Sumita Mana suddenly said. "He's definitely found a new target."
Toyokawa Sakiko was stunned for a moment. She saw Sumita Mana's eyes flash with a moment of darkness, then immediately show a cute smile again.
"Without realizing it, we've practiced for over an hour again. Why don't we chat while eating something? It can recharge Mana's battery!"
Though her face wore a smile, Toyokawa Sakiko felt it was somewhat unnatural.
She seemed to have been targeted by Sumita Mana.
...
Hoshino Miru finished playing guitar. Wakaba Mutsuki beside him also stopped.
"How was it, Mutsuki-sensei?"
"Mm, worked very hard."
"Seems there's still room for improvement."
Hoshino Miru looked at the time on his phone. Today's practice was ending again.
"Let's stop here today. It's getting a bit late. Mutsuki-sensei wants to go back early too, right?"
Wakaba Mutsuki held her guitar. Actually, she felt the time was so early. It was ending so early again - couldn't they go back a bit later?
However, she didn't say it out loud.
"Was that person just now one of your former teammates?" Hoshino Miru brought up the girl on the second floor as if casually chatting.
"Shiina Ritsuki." Wakaba Mutsuki said softly. "Before, she was the drummer."
So she was the drummer. Hoshino Miru thought to himself.
Speaking of bands, Hoshino Miru discovered he seemed to have never watched a band's live performance. Right now, besides guitar, he hadn't even seen what other instruments looked like.
"Want to go say hello later?"
Hoshino Miru looked at Wakaba Mutsuki. She didn't speak, as if saying "you decide."
If Wakaba Mutsuki were his little girlfriend, Hoshino Miru felt he'd spank her little bottom sooner or later.
"Forget it. Let's go out and see first. Having finally gotten the 20% off coupon, at least have a drink before going back."
Hoshino Miru packed up his guitar, then openly walked out. Wakaba Mutsuki followed behind him like a little tail.
As soon as the two came out, Hoshino Miru saw the girl was still working as an attendant at the second-floor coffee shop. The other party, seeing him and Wakaba Mutsuki, was also slightly stunned.
At the same time, Nagasaki Sose, who was pretending to drink coffee, finally saw what the boy she'd been thinking about day and night looked like. Her eyes sharpened.
However, if Nagasaki Sose could shift her gaze at this moment, she could also see familiar figures passing by downstairs at this time.