May 30, Monday.
After the morning homeroom session, Chisato, who was on cleaning duty for the day, helped the teacher carry a stack of thick workbooks back to the staff room.
On his way back, he spotted Kazusa, resting her chin on her hand and staring idly out the window.
Due to her mother's illness and, afterward, her boyfriend's confession, all sorts of chaotic events had entangled together, causing her to be absent from school for several days.
So when she suddenly returned to her seat through the back door of the classroom after the first morning class, the other students couldn't help but steal glances in her direction.
Previously, thanks to Chisato, the intimidating aura that once surrounded her like an icy fortress—making anyone who approached feel chilled to the bone—had somewhat dissipated.
She had become a little more feminine, a little more approachable.
A few cheerful girls had even grown quite familiar with her, chatting with her casually, joking around, and occasionally having lunch together during breaks.
But today, after not seeing her for several days, and given the expressionless look on her face, even those girls who had grown closer to her hesitated to start a conversation.
However, Chisato didn't overthink it.
Kazusa finally returning to school was, in a way, her way of signaling reconciliation.
He didn't hesitate and walked straight to her desk.
"Ka—"
"Is Gotoh still going to the music room as usual today?"
Before Chisato could even greet her, Kazusa preemptively asked her question as soon as she noticed him approaching.
The girl blinked her calm eyes and quietly waited for his answer.
Although she looked completely harmless, her expression peaceful and free of any sharp hostility, the fact that the first thing she did upon returning to school was inquire about Hitori's whereabouts still made Chisato feel slightly uneasy.
So instead of answering immediately, his gaze naturally shifted downward, through the collar of her uniform where her tie was neatly fastened, and he caught sight of the necklace chain he had given her just yesterday.
Good. She was wearing it properly.
Kazusa narrowed her eyes slightly, following Chisato's gaze toward her chest.
When she saw his meaningful smile and recalled what he had done while kissing her the previous night—when she had been dazed and barely conscious—she completely misinterpreted his intent.
A hint of vulnerability flashed in her eyes, and the tips of her ears turned red.
"You really are an idiot."
She muttered as if it were the most natural thing.
"?"
Chisato was puzzled, but he didn't get upset over her off handed remark.
"You specifically asked about Hitori—do you want to talk to her?"
Kazusa raised an eyebrow.
"I was the one who asked first, wasn't I?"
"Yeah, she'll be there. She doesn't have many people to talk to. During lunch, if she's not in the music room, she usually spends her time under a quiet, deserted staircase."
"Oh."
Having received her answer, Kazusa returned to her original position, resting her chin on her hand and gazing out the window again, as if there was something truly fascinating about the empty sky outside.
Chisato pulled out a chair and sat beside her desk.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"I do want to talk to her."
"Hmm… Can you tell me what you plan to talk to her about first?"
Kazusa turned her head toward him.
"Are you worried I'll give her a hard time at lunch and feel bad for her?"
No, why did that sound so much like Utaha…
"It's not that. I just want to understand you better. I want to know everything about you—nothing more."
Kazusa stared at him for a moment, then turned away, giving a simple "No comment" in response.
Just then, the bell rang for class. Chisato couldn't keep pressing the issue.
For the rest of the lesson, Kazusa returned to her usual routine—burying her head on her desk and dozing off. Now that her priorities had shifted, academics no longer mattered to her.
She slept soundly until the lunch break, then stretched lazily and got up to head to the music room with Chisato.
"What time did you sleep last night?"
During their break-time chats, Chisato had already confirmed that Kazusa wasn't just pretending to be asleep—she was genuinely exhausted.
"Around four in the morning, I think."
"That late? Were you practicing?"
"That's why I was late today. If my mom hadn't woken me up, I probably would've skipped again."
Kazusa covered her mouth with her palm and yawned.
"I have to make up for all the time I wasted. At my current level, if I entered a competition, I'd just be there to make up the numbers.
I don't care about school, but when it comes to piano, I refuse to lose to anyone. Even a silver medal would be a failure."
That determination was admirable, but something else caught Chisato's attention.
"Competition?"
"Yeah, there's a youth piano competition in Tokyo next month. I signed up for it. I thought I told you?"
"No, you didn't."
"Oh, then I must've forgotten."
Kazusa looked completely indifferent.
"You…"
Chisato, annoyed, reached over and ruffled her jet-black hair.
The two of them bickered all the way upstairs until they finally stepped into the music room.
Kazusa had only been absent for a few days, but everything here remained just as she remembered.
The windows were half open, and the breeze fluttered the curtains.
She walked to the piano, traced her fingers lightly over its surface, then lifted them to inspect for dust.
"Don't worry. Hitori wipes it down for you every day. There won't be any dust."
Kazusa understood that he was deliberately saying something nice for the other person's sake, but she didn't point it out.
Instead, she asked when the other person would be arriving.
"You know how Hitori is. Most of the time, she brings lunch from home, but occasionally, she buys bread from the store. She should be here soon."
Just as he finished speaking, the door of the music room was pushed open, and Hitori walked in as usual.
However, the moment she saw Kazusa, her expression suddenly turned panicked.
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