In the end,
Hiroi Kikuri's sales pitch did not succeed.
From Tachibana Kanade's perspective, Toru would never lack girlfriends. In the simulation, his relationship with Kita was extremely ambiguous. They could even sleep under the same blanket at night.
And you are telling her there was nothing going on between those two?
Who would believe that.
Not only that, the others in Kessoku Band were the same.
Gotoh Hitori would always focus her gaze on Toru...
Ijichi Nijika had gone out on dates with him several times.
Yamada Ryo even went to his house every week to play games with him.
Tachibana Kanade discovered all of this through peeking—
Toru maintained a strange little circle, with all the girls revolving around him. If she had to describe him in one word...
A scumbag juggling multiple relationships.
When you know full well that there is a tiger on the mountain, would any girl be foolish enough to walk up there on her own?
Tachibana Kanade was not drunkard, who could drink a glass of vodka and go up the mountain to wrestle a bear.
If she tried to slide in recklessly, the most likely ending would be getting completely devoured by Toru.
What is more, Tachibana Kanade did not like Toru.
In reality, they were strangers. In the simulation, they were just ordinary friends.
They shared a small secret together, but aside from that, there was no special bond.
'I am as close as sisters with Kita-chan. There is no way I would step in.'
Tachibana Kanade watched Hiroi Kikuri leave the ward, speaking silently to herself.
Stabbing a close friend in the back was not something she could do.
On the simulator screen, images of her chatting and laughing with Kita were displayed...
Tachibana Kanade subconsciously placed her two index fingers at the corners of her mouth and pulled upward, imitating the smile shown in the simulation.
It felt a little strange.
She had not smiled in a very long time.
'Back in middle school, when my condition was not this severe, I actually had quite a few friends.'
She recalled.
After entering high school, Tachibana Kanade gave up on making friends.
Her body did not allow it. Every so often, she had to enter the hospital for treatment, and friendships were difficult to maintain.
That was how school relationships in Japan were.
Transfer students would not be welcomed like in anime. In groups that were already fixed, outsiders found it hard to join. In the end, the most likely result was being isolated.
Tachibana Kanade turned her face slightly and glanced at the unchanging scenery outside the window.
Then her gaze fell back onto the simulator.
[You received a video sent by Toru in the early morning.]
[The sunrise slowly rising from within the sea of clouds left you in awe. You wished you could witness it in person, but your current physical condition did not allow it.]
[Agreeing to Toru's request back then, letting him become your eyes, was perhaps the most correct decision you had made during this time. You had thought so more than once.]
[After the Mount Fuji trip ended.]
[In July, Toru took you to a fireworks festival once again. This time, Kita did not accompany you.]
[He pushed your wheelchair, taking you for a stroll along a long street lined with ginkgo trees.]
[Brilliant fireworks, no matter how many times you watched them, never seemed to grow boring.]
[After they ended, the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, which was quickly blown away by the hot summer wind.]
[You wanted to see them more often next year, the year after, and in the days to come.]
[At that moment, the doctor's words suddenly surfaced in your mind, and a trace of gloom passed through your heart.]
[If nothing unexpected happened, you had less than three years of life remaining...]
[Toru sent you home.]
[Before parting, you hugged him lightly as a sign of thanks.]
[In July, when Kessoku Band stepped onto a music festival stage for the first time, you followed them into the backstage area and watched the entire performance from behind the scenes.]
[Another item was crossed off your bucket list.]
[Watching them chase their dreams, shining brightly, you felt a little envious.]
[In August, you went to the beach with them.]
[Wearing a swimsuit, you stayed under a parasol, watching their lively figures, completely satisfied.]
[That summer, your relationship with everyone grew closer and closer.]
[They all liked you and were very accommodating toward you.]
[A thought of repaying them arose in your heart.]
[You decided—]
[1. Make handmade cookies.]
[2. Start learning composition and give them a heartfelt piece of music. Note: You may ask Toru for help during the process.]
[3. Forget about repaying them. This humble girl has nothing to offer in this life. She will repay it in the next life as an ox or a horse.]
Which one should you choose.
The first one felt a bit ordinary.
These days, handmade cookies were not even as good as giving some trendy online products.
Let us choose the second one.
[After making up your mind, you secretly began learning the basics of composition.]
[The process was not very smooth. Although you had practiced piano since childhood and even won many awards in elementary school, composition and performance were two different things.]
[Time slowly passed, and the new semester arrived quickly.]
[Toru noticed your little scheme. After asking a few questions, he understood your thoughts.]
[Coincidentally, he had some unique insights into composition.]
[You began accompanying him to study in the music classroom where you first met.]
[Half a month passed like this.]
[You have triggered a special storyline. Would you like to enter?]
A special storyline?
What was that?
◇
"The composition part is basically finished."
Toru looked at the girl sitting beside the piano, her aura ethereal, like an angel with white wings.
Tachibana Kanade came back to her senses, released her delicate hand from the keys, and replied, "All that is left is writing the lyrics."
Toru said, "If we want to perform on the cultural festival stage, we do not have much time left."
The Shuka High School cultural festival was on October 1st.
They had only half a month left.
With such a short time, finishing the lyrics would not be easy.
It had to be said, Tachibana Kanade's talent in music was extremely high.
Even by Toru's picky standards.
The quality of this piece was no worse than that of excellent commercial works.
Perhaps it was because genuine emotion had been poured into it?
Composition was a profession that relied heavily on inspiration. Even great composers would one day run dry. Once everything they wanted to express had been said and their passion burned out, naturally they could no longer create stunning pieces.
"Thank you for your hard work. I will try my best to finish the lyrics as soon as possible."
Tachibana Kanade took the score he handed over and lowered her head to think.
Toru naturally sat down beside her, pressing the keys with one hand as notes leapt into the air.
"Tachibana san..."
Toru sped up his hands. The black and white keys danced under his command. "There is no need to rush. We still have plenty of time."
Suddenly, it felt a little itchy.
Tachibana Kanade lowered her head and realized that Toru's thigh was touching her leg.
A few seconds passed.
Noticing that she was not speaking, Toru asked, "What's wrong?"
"You're sitting too close."
The white haired girl replied.
"Is not this kind of small thing better left unspoken?"
Toru smiled, his tone helpless. "Accompanying a beautiful girl while practicing piano, the accidental physical contact that happens along the way is a very precious treasure for an adolescent boy."
"Treasure?"
"Boys all like cute girls. Wanting to get closer during private moments like this is normal, right? Besides, Tachibana san is so cute."
"I am cute?"
"Of course."
"I see..."
Tachibana Kanade smiled softly. "Thank you."
It was the first time she had ever been called cute by a boy.