Chapter 73: The girl completed her score.
As expected, the two heroines, Toma Kazusa and Ogiso Setsuna, drawn by Kashiwagi Eri-sensei, were more sensual than he remembered, and lacked the distinct angular art style. However, this wasn't the main point. After all, they were in different timelines, so some differences were normal. Izumi Chihiro was not dissatisfied with this. A slightly sensual art style is definitely a bonus in a galgame; otherwise, the name Kashiwagi Eri wouldn't be so famous. Because of her seductive art style, most people who first learned about the game later chose to buy her doujinshi works. As long as it didn't deviate too much from the appearance he described, it was enough.
One day.
"Come to my house at one PM on Sunday. I happen to be free then."
His deskmate called out to him, then quietly spoke.
"Huh?"
Izumi Chihiro's mouth dropped open.
"Wait, don't misunderstand! This isn't some strange invitation... Didn't I have an agreement with you before? My house has a music room, and no one else will disturb us. I think I'll be able to compose faster there."
Nishikino Maki explained anxiously.
"No, I haven't said anything yet..."
Izumi Chihiro felt a little embarrassed.
"I understand."
He nodded. "But before that, Nishikino, please give me your address. It would be a headache to visit without even knowing the destination."
"Here."
Nishikino Maki tore off a slip of paper and handed it to him.
Then, on the weekend, Izumi Chihiro arrived at a grand villa.
Having seen similar scenes before, he didn't feel anything particularly special.
"Ding-dong."
"Wait for me..."
He rang the doorbell, and a girl responded, but the one who appeared was another mature lady.
"Good afternoon, Auntie Nishikino."
He said politely.
"You are... let me see, oh right! You're that child who's always with the young lady from the Sawamura family, aren't you! My, a few years have passed, and you've grown up so much..."
A hint of recollection appeared in Mis. Nishikino's eyes.
"Hm? Are you here for Maki?"
She suddenly realized this, and a brilliant smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
This was interesting!
"I'm here today because I asked Nishikino for a favor."
He replied.
"Classmate? Oh, that's right. When we arranged for Maki to enroll, I also heard that the young lady from the Sawamura family was also studying."
Mis. Nishikino immediately made the connection.
"Kasan, wasn't it agreed that he's my guest? Just let me entertain him myself."
Nishikino Maki, who had simply dressed up, suddenly appeared.
"Oh, oh, oh, what's the rush? I won't steal him from you."
Mis. Nishikino teased.
"Kasan, please stop joking! Izumi, why are you still standing there? Come in with me."
Nishikino Maki didn't want to endure her mother's interrogation for another moment, so she reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled him inside.
After awkwardly changing into indoor slippers, Izumi Chihiro was dragged into the girl's music room.
"Alright, to prevent her from causing trouble."
Nishikino Maki locked the door, then turned to look at him.
Izumi Chihiro's attention, however, was on the room's layout.
"No need to look, there's nothing special, it's just for soundproofing."
Nishikino Maki sat down on the chair in front of the piano and urged, "Hurry up, the sooner we finish the work, the sooner you can go back."
"Okay."
Izumi Chihiro responded.
Girl, are you sure you're not the one who's impatient?
Without voicing this teasing remark, he began to hum softly.
As he sang, Nishikino Maki's nimble fingers began to move, flowing effortlessly across the keys.
Unconsciously, she had already memorized the melody he hummed, so once she started, she felt a strong sense of familiarity, and the piano music she played along with his singing seemed to become the original accompaniment.
"You play beautifully! I didn't expect you, Nishikino, to grasp the melody so skillfully. Such great talent would be a waste if not used."
After Izumi Chihiro finished singing, he couldn't help but turn and praise her.
Although it was only a piano performance, it made him hear that familiar taste, that snowy season...
"No."
Unexpectedly, Nishikino Maki shook her head.
?
He expressed confusion with his expression.
"It's still missing something. Completing a score isn't that easy. I've only reproduced that feeling, but it's still far from truly complete. I need to slowly refine it... Hm? Izumi?"
As she spoke, Nishikino Maki suddenly noticed that his expression was a little strange.
Izumi Chihiro had almost failed to hold back a retort when he heard her unintentional remark just now, but he quickly suppressed it again, because the two of them were not from the same world and could not understand each other.
"It's nothing, you continue."
Izumi Chihiro waved his hand.
"Let's keep trying."
Nishikino Maki suppressed the doubts in her heart and immersed herself in the process of playing and composing music.
After about the fifth time, the blank white paper in front of her was already filled with musical notes.
The girl's score seemed to be almost complete.
"Alright, this feels about right..."
A look of excitement appeared on Nishikino Maki's face.
Her passionate and sincere expression was just as it had been before, with no change.
Although she forcibly suppressed her subjective consciousness, her instincts could not be completely hidden.
Izumi Chihiro felt this.
After playing it again, Izumi Chihiro also vaguely noticed the difference from before; it seemed the lyrics and piano sound had merged together.
"It should be like this..."
The girl murmured to herself, overjoyed.
"Nishikino, I can't tell the difference. Is it because I'm singing it myself? In that case, why don't you demonstrate it, Nishikino?"
Izumi Chihiro expressed his doubt.
"This..."
Nishikino Maki hesitated for a moment.
Singing a song should be fine, right?
So, she immediately picked up the rhythm and began to play and sing.
The flavor of her performance was clearly superior to his by more than a notch.
After a long while, the song ended.
"Clap, clap, clap, clap..."
Izumi Chihiro couldn't help but applaud her.
"That was so beautiful!"
"Actually, it's just so-so..."
Nishikino Maki turned her head slightly, playing with a strand of hair, a faint blush on her cheeks.
After finishing the recording of this song, the two quickly moved on to composing the next one.
When they finally finished, both let out a sigh of relief.