Volume 1 Chapter 7

Volume 1 + Chapter 7: The Piano Competition And Another Encounter

It seemed to have begun, the surrounding lights dimmed gradually until everything fell into complete darkness.

I had only ever seen something like this at concerts. Having never attended one myself, only formal recitals, I found it somewhat unfamiliar.

Although I knew about this competition, having never witnessed it in person, everything felt entirely new and strange to me.

At that moment, a young boy dressed in a brand-new little suit stepped onto the stage, so nervous that his arms and legs moved stiffly and awkwardly.

His clumsy demeanor, the kind that would normally draw a smile, failed to elicit even the faintest reaction from the audience.

Even as a spectator, I could feel an intense pressure hanging in the air.

The boy sat down on the piano bench, his legs still trembling. When he tried to unbutton his jacket, he fumbled and couldn’t do it smoothly.

Hmm… this doesn’t look promising, does it?

I couldn’t help but think he might falter. Aside from the venue being different, the performers didn’t seem especially high-level.

In that sense, it felt quite similar to youth competitions from my previous life. Just as I was thinking this, however, a beautiful melody began to flow from the piano.

Huh???

I stared at the boy in shock, once again, my assumptions had been completely overturned.

The fluidity, the clarity, the rhythm, it could rival a second-tier professional musician from my previous life.

And yet, as he played, the boy’s expression looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

Wasn’t he playing wonderfully?

I couldn’t understand why he looked like that. Was this level of performance still considered a failure to him?

That unremarkable-looking boy now seemed to shine brilliantly in my eyes.

What an extraordinary prodigy.

As I was still admiring his strict professionalism, Yuna beside me suddenly said something that sounded almost fantastical.

[The spirit… did not respond to him.]

Caught off guard, I turned to look at Yuna sitting to my left, confusion written all over my face.

From her profile, I could see an unusually cold expression, one that gave off an icy feeling I had rarely seen from her.

[Spirit?]

I asked, but in the next instant she returned to normal, smiling gently and placing a finger to her pale pink lips in a “shh” gesture.

You’re the one who brought it up…

I silently complained and turned my attention back to the boy playing.

Knowing little about this field, I found myself wishing I had suppressed my earlier distaste and learned more about music in the past.

If I had, I wouldn’t feel so ignorant now.

But thinking back, that had never really been possible. I sighed softly.

Just then, the boy finished playing. Even from a distance, I could see his hands were still trembling.

Not from fatigue, but from overwhelming emotion.

After bowing his head slightly, tears glistening, he quickly turned and left the stage with movements far more composed than when he had entered.

The announcer, whom I hadn’t noticed before, stepped forward with a microphone and called out the next performer.

Judging by the name, it seemed to be a girl. Sure enough, after a moment, a girl in a beautiful dress appeared.

The second performer walked more steadily than the first boy.

Still, facing such a large audience, her nervousness was evident.

Her playing was even better than the boy’s. By now, I had grown somewhat accustomed to the high level of the competition, so it didn’t shock me as much.

But in the next moment, I was even more stunned than before.

Green motes of light suddenly appeared around the girl, and upon seeing them, she looked visibly reassured.

Certain my eyes weren’t deceiving me, I fell silent.

The glowing specks increased in number as she continued playing… more and more…

As her performance reached its climax, the green lights began to flicker.

Then, they vanished in a gentle glow, and in their place, a grassy field appeared beneath her feet.

Grass?!

Stunned by the sheer fantasy of it all, spirits, apparently, I felt the strength drain from my body again and slumped weakly into my seat.

At this point, I could already predict how the story would unfold, like a game scenario. As the yuri-side character, Watanabe Yuu either lacked this ability or possessed it only weakly.

If she did have the ability, it would still pale in comparison to the male protagonist. Because her crush liked him, she would treat him as a romantic rival, like a man would, and repeatedly get humiliated by him.

Unable to surpass him in ability, she would try to trouble him in other ways, only to have her crush defend him or apologize on her behalf, thus drawing closer to him.

In the end, Watanabe Yuu would become nothing more than a foolish supporting character, an unwitting tool pushing her beloved closer to the protagonist step by step.

I felt I had already fully grasped the role of Watanabe Yuu in this story.

With lifeless, rotten-fish eyes, I watched the stage as flowers, forests, and other colored lights continued to appear one after another.

Eventually, it was time for the protagonist to take the stage.

I exhaled and straightened my posture, curious to see what he would bring.

Needless to say, his performance was just as beautiful, his technique even more refined than the previous children.

Most importantly, not long after he began, countless cherry-blossom-colored lights appeared around him.

Though the color was somewhat delicate, paired with his elegant and handsome appearance, it looked nothing short of beautiful.

His performance was both impressive and refined, truly worthy of a protagonist.

If this were a typical storyline, watching the protagonist shine beside her crush would devastate Watanabe Yuu.

At that moment, the hand I was holding suddenly tightened. I glanced at Yuna beside me.

Her clear sky-blue eyes, usually calm, were now filled with fascination and admiration. A faint blush had spread across her pale, lovely face.

According to the game’s side story, this would be the heartbreaking moment when Watanabe Yuu realizes her beloved has fallen for the protagonist.

“Your hand is holding mine, and you’re right beside me…

Yet it feels like you’re so far away, forever out of reach.”

Something like that would probably appear as narration in the game.

…Well.

A romance game’s writer would surely craft something far more poetic and moving than I ever could. Otherwise, it wouldn’t sell.

That sudden practicality made it clear, I’d never make it as a scenario writer.

I lacked both elegance and artistic sensibility.

After mocking myself, I concluded that none of this really had much to do with me anyway.

Watching childish love stories unfold was, to me, either dull or faintly amusing.

Even at nearly nine years old, I was still an irredeemable mess.

Pretending not to notice Yuna’s state, I turned my gaze back to the protagonist.

Behind him, a budding cherry tree appeared, clearly the highest level display so far.

At the climax of his performance, the tree seemed to come alive, its buds slowly blooming into full cherry blossoms.

Such a sight was rare even in real life, and it drew gasps of amazement from the audience, something none of the previous performers had achieved.

Yuna, who had merely been holding my hand, now interlocked our fingers tightly, gripping with excitement.

She seemed to be celebrating his achievement as if it were her own.

Yes… another emotional “pain point” for the side character.

When the performance ended, the cherry tree dissolved into glowing petals that drifted away into the air.

Even the finale was graceful and beautiful.

“Clap clap clap…”

The audience applauded warmly as the refined young boy left the stage.

The performers who followed were also good, but none matched his level.

As expected, he would take first place.

After the event ended, Yuna and I went to the restroom together, but when I came out, she was nowhere to be seen.

After looking around and confirming she wasn’t nearby, I walked to the sink and splashed my face with warm water again and again.

Drying my hands, I took out a handkerchief and wiped my face slowly.

In the mirror, the medium-haired girl stared back coldly, but the faint blush on her face softened that impression, giving her a slightly willful charm.

Yet when meeting her dark red eyes, that charm turned cold and untouchable.

I was starting to look more like a girl.

Feeling a bit warm, I removed the hair tie from my wrist and tied my hair into a ponytail.

Even after that, Yuna still hadn’t appeared, and I understood why.

From the mirror, I noticed the protagonist approaching. Dressed in his fitted suit, he looked like a refined little gentleman.

Seeing that I had noticed him, he stopped.

[Um… Watanabe…-san. Yuna is at the results announcement area. She asked me to come get you.]

Uncomfortable being alone with me, he stopped more than two meters away, frowning slightly.

[Got it.]

I nodded and walked beside him as we headed out.

[Is something wrong?]

Noticing him glancing at me repeatedly, I asked impatiently.

[Ah… it’s just… You feel different somehow.]

He scratched his cheek awkwardly as he spoke.

Used to him speaking politely, I found his sudden casual tone, whether a slip or intentional, slightly uncomfortable.

Though gentle in appearance and speech, he clearly had his own pride.

Even if it wasn’t wrong, I just couldn’t like him.

Given that I was mentally much older, his attitude felt like a child acting arrogantly toward an adult.

Still, as I grew older and kept my long hair, more boys would likely speak to me this way. Better get used to it.

[…]

Ignoring him, I walked ahead even more arrogantly than he had been.

A normal person might get annoyed, but not him. He simply smiled and said.

[Haha, you haven’t changed, Watanabe.]

Exactly. That line.

By the time we found Yuna, the results were being announced.

[Tomoya-oniisan, you got first place!]

Yuna ran toward us, her face filled with shy joy reserved only for someone she liked.

Her beautiful blue eyes were filled entirely with him.

Yes… another painful scene.

Noticing raindrops on the glass, I sighed again.

Perfect, melancholic weather to match the mood.

Feeling that today wasn’t treating me kindly, or perhaps that the plot was advancing, I decided to leave as soon as possible.

[It’s raining. I’ll head home first.]

[Eh? Aren’t you coming with me, Yuu?]

Yuna looked surprised, finally acknowledging my presence.

“People forget their friends when they fall in love”, the phrase suddenly came to mind. I shook my head.

[I have something else to do. You can go with Horikita.]

I maintained polite manners in front of others.

Unaccustomed to this, the protagonist looked surprised.

Even at the end, I fulfilled my role as a perfect supporting character.

I really deserved an award, Best Supporting Girl.

Praising myself inwardly, I turned and left, like someone who did a good deed without seeking recognition.

The night rain felt cold. I should have dressed warmer.

After retrieving my belongings, I was about to open my umbrella when someone tugged lightly at my clothes.

[Hm?]

Expecting more “plot,” I turned calmly, and sure enough, it was the girl from yesterday.

Her violet eyes now carried a sense of elegance and allure.

Wearing a matching purple dress, she simply tugged at my clothes without speaking.

[What is it?]

Knowing her personality, I understood she wouldn’t speak unless prompted.

[…Pika… won’t eat…]

She said softly, her expression downcast.

As I had thought before, she was truly beautiful, both in appearance and temperament.

Seeing her like this, I instinctively reached out and touched her face.

Not that I had any particular obsession, I wasn’t a lolicon, after all.

But since I’d already done it, I might as well follow through.

[Can you take me to see?]

[https://ko-fi.com/golden_dragon]