Xie Chuchu smiled to herself.
Just as she thought. He was a child.
"But your teacher didn't say that."
Xie Chuchu still looked doubtful.
"She said you weren't playing well during your practice this afternoon."
"Are you nervous?"
Xie Chuchu looked as if she'd just realized something.
"That makes sense."
"The competition is tomorrow."
"And it's a pretty big one."
"Even if you are nervous—"
"I'm not nervous!"
The child shouted again.
"If you're not nervous, why are you hiding in here?"
Xie Chuchu pursed her lips.
"Weren't you acting nervous just now?"
"No!"
The child's face turned red with frustration.
"My teacher told me to rest in here for a while!"
He hadn't chosen to come back to his room and rest!
"Then you know why your teacher sent you back to your room, right?"
Xie Chuchu pressed him, step by step.
"You're not sick."
"And you're not tired."
"All the other kids are practicing, making their final adjustments for tomorrow's competition."
"Why did your teacher send you back?"
The angry expression on Xue Jiamin's face faltered.
As he glared at Xie Chuchu, his gaze began to wander without his realizing it.
Th-that was...
The child clenched his hands at his sides.
"I'm sure your teacher told you the reason, too."
Xie Chuchu's gaze swept over his clenched fists.
"Something's on your mind."
The child opened his mouth to speak, but Xie Chuchu quickly continued.
"Don't deny it."
She didn't want to hear him make excuses.
"Your teacher could hear it in your playing."
"You know it yourself, too, don't you?"
Xie Chuchu looked him in the eye.
"I'm sure you can tell whether you're playing well or not."
"I heard from your teacher that tomorrow's competition means a lot to you."
"Tomorrow's competition