"Focus." Riki said without looking up.
"...I know." Nagasaki Sose said stubbornly.
I won't lose to him, either!
"Für Elise" was a piece Beethoven had written when he was fond of a young woman. He'd written the words "Dedicated to Therese" on the sheet music, and it had become one of the most widely known pieces in the world.
Nagasaki Sose had learned it at Tsukinomori, too, but her teacher had always told her that she wasn't capturing the essence of the piece. She hadn't really cared much—after all, she couldn't hear what that "essence" was supposed to be.
But now, she thought she was beginning to understand. As her fingers settled on the keys, the person who appeared in her mind wasn't just anyone. It was Riki.
Why?
Why was she thinking of Riki?
As she played, Nagasaki Sose stole glances at Riki beside her, his attention fixed on the piano.
If I'm thinking about him right now, who is he thinking about?
Am I in his thoughts?
When the music ended, thunderous applause erupted from below the float.
"That was amazing! Who was playing?"
"My girlfriend's got a level-ten piano certificate, but she's nowhere near that good."
"Are those two on top a couple?"
"When do we get to the kissing part?"
You'll be waiting forever.
Kissing? Sakiko-bao and I haven't even kissed.
"Sorry, I made a few mistakes just now." Nagasaki Sose looked embarrassed.
"It's nothing. I thought you played much better than all those by-the-book performances." Riki shrugged.
"...You think so?"
Nagasaki Sose froze for a moment, then looked at Riki, her cheeks turning pink.
What would it have been like if I'd played with Riki just now in a wedding dress?
The float reached its stop, and Nagasaki Sose stepped down. "Riki..."
She started to speak, then stopped when she saw Riki surrounded by several young students, including two pretty girls.
The happiness Nagasaki Sose had felt drained away, and dark clouds gathered over her mood.
Riki turned toward her, then walked over with the students. Nagasaki Sose hurriedly put on an unconcerned expression.
"They're my juniors from high school. I didn't expect to run into them here. They're trying to decide what to study, so I gave them some advice." Riki smiled.
So they were his juniors... Nagasaki Sose relaxed a little and smiled at the students.
"Riki-senpai, can I study land engineering?"
"Are your parents doing okay?"
"They're fine. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
"Tell them to have another kid. Just pretend this one's a write-off."
"Senpai, I want to study painting, but I'm worried I won't get in."
"It's fine. You can always try again next year."
"Okay... Wait, which 'again' are you talking about?"
Nagasaki Sose watched Riki chatting happily with his juniors. She couldn't find a way to join in, so she just stood off to one side.
So he was this popular. Even his high school juniors relied on him so much.
Especially those two pretty girls. It bothered Nagasaki Sose whenever they smiled at Riki.
To him, I'm probably just an ordinary friend he happens to know, right?
The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Then she looked up and realized everyone else had left. Only Riki was standing in front of her.
"Where are your... juniors?" Nagasaki Sose asked, looking around.
"Huh? They went off to have fun, of course. Where else would they be?" Riki said, puzzled.
"I see." Nagasaki Sose's spirits sank.
Riki thought for a moment and decided to bring up something interesting. "You know, those two girls just now are lesbians. The principal doesn't know, but they're pretty well-known at our high school."
Les...bians?
Nagasaki Sose was stunned. She'd actually met two girls who liked each other.
They were so pretty, and they liked girls?
So that meant they weren't interested in Riki?
"I thought you were popular!" Nagasaki Sose perked right up again, then looked at Riki with a huff.
Had she been feeling a little more aggressive lately?
Riki and Nagasaki Sose walked on. Since he'd gotten free unlimited drinks, he planned to make the most of it. First, he'd order a three-tier cheeseburger—something he'd never even dared dream of before!
Maybe I'll grab a drink first... Riki walked over to the store's drink cooler and suddenly spotted Ramune.
"They even have this foreign stuff. Think the moon looks rounder in foreign countries, do they?" Riki muttered. He really had no idea how to drink it.
"Isn't that just an ordinary Japanese soda?" Nagasaki Sose leaned over to look. "I drank it when I was little."
"Please show me how!"
Riki asked humbly.
Nagasaki Sose picked up the Ramune. "First, press down hard on the top. That pushes the glass marble inside into the groove in the neck of the bottle. Then, when you drink it, you'll hear the marble clink around. Ah!"
Nagasaki Sose pressed down the marble in the top of the Ramune bottle. The fizzy drink immediately bubbled up, and she hurriedly put her mouth to the opening to drink it. Droplets of water glistened on her rosy lips. Her face flushed with alarm, and when she noticed Riki looking, she glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes.
Was it the wind that moved, or the banner?
Riki thought anyone would have been moved by that sight. He found himself staring.
"Hah... What are you looking at?" Nagasaki Sose set down the Ramune, her face flushed with embarrassment.
She'd wanted to show off for Riki, but the soda had bubbled up and made a mess of things. How annoying!
"Nothing." Riki felt a little awkward and turned away.
Nagasaki Sose stared at Riki.
Why was he acting weird?
"It's nothing, it's nothing. Let's go check out the rides over there." Riki hurriedly said.
That was a close one. The Sakiko Sutra almost stopped working.
Once a day, a fistful of thoughts about Sakiko...
"Sure, I guess." Nagasaki Sose said. She headed straight ahead, then heard something rushing toward them. When they reached the railing, she noticed that everyone around them was wearing raincoats.
Raincoats?
Nagasaki Sose was puzzled. Then she heard a chorus of screams approaching, followed by the sound of water rushing aside.
Come to think of it, there was a ride called "Log Flume" that sent water splashing onto both banks. And I'm standing right on the bank.
Whoosh!
A curtain of water came crashing down. Nagasaki Sose froze, then realized Riki had pulled her into his arms to shield her. Only half of her body got soaked.
Holding Nagasaki Sose, Riki asked with concern, "Are you okay? When your clothes get soaked, they cling to your figure. Don't let people see you like that."
Nagasaki Sose felt a warmth in her heart. She didn't have time to pretend to be nonchalant, so she nodded. "I'm fine."
"We've had our fill of fun anyway. Let's head back first, before you catch a cold."
"Okay."
Leaning against Riki, Nagasaki Sose nodded, her cheeks pink.
What Riki hadn't expected was that Nagasaki Sose really did catch a cold. As soon as they got home, her forehead was burning.
Come to think of it, she was a homebody. She might have been an innocent schemer, but she was still just an ordinary girl.
Everyone had a different constitution. Some people could slide-tackle a tiger, while others caught a cold from getting splashed with water.
Riki got Nagasaki Sose settled in bed. "I'll make you some porridge. Do you eat cilantro?"
"No." Nagasaki Sose's face was red with fever, but she answered firmly.
At least she could still talk. So much for my plan to sneak cilantro into her food.
People who hated cilantro could only live relatively unsuccessful lives... But Nagasaki Sose had a cold, so he had to make a decision that went against his ancestors and let her be a successful person for now.
Nagasaki Sose pulled the blanket over the lower half of her face and watched Riki in the kitchen through the bedroom doorway.
Whenever something happened to me, he always came to take care of me.
Why was he so good to me?
Nagasaki Sose's face grew even redder. It seemed like it wasn't just the cold.
"The porridge is here. Don't worry, I didn't add any cilantro..." Riki said. "The video we made seems to be getting a lot of attention on Bilibili. Let's have a look later. It'll make you feel a lot better."
"Okay." Nagasaki Sose gave a small nod and opened her mouth.
Does he want me to feed her?
Riki nervously scooped up some porridge and brought it to Nagasaki Sose's mouth.
"Is it hot?"
"No." Nagasaki Sose said.
If she'd been feeling normal, Riki could've made a snide comment. But Nagasaki Sose wasn't well, and she wouldn't get mad if he teased her right now. There was no fun in that. He'd wait until she was better. A healthy, straightforward insult was much more satisfying.
Nagasaki Sose obediently opened her mouth to eat the porridge, staring absently at Riki as he focused on feeding her.
Ever since things went wrong at home, this was the first time anyone had cared about her like this.
Someone who would stay by her side no matter what happened.
Nagasaki Sose's heart began to race, and her gaze lowered.
What should I do?
I think I'm starting to like Riki.
But... he's the person Sakiko likes, isn't he?
Aching bitterness welled up in Nagasaki Sose's heart, as though a cramp were twisting it.
******
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Chapter 65: Fingers Intertwined with Sakiko (Please subscribe!)
"Are you full?" Riki asked as he cleared away the empty bowl.
"Mm."
Nagasaki Sose's face was red from the fever, and she lay quietly on the bed. Her softly curled brown hair was spread across the pillow, and together with her lovely, fair face, she looked like Sleeping Beauty.
"I'll be in the living room. Just call if you need anything. As long as I'm not in Summoner's Rift, I'll come right over... Actually, forget that. I'll risk getting flamed by my teammates—call me and I'll come." Riki sighed.
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