What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V2 Chapter 8.2

Dance on the Keyboard 2

“But, I was able to change a little—well, there’s someone who changed me like this. It’s Azusa Tomori.

She became friends with a difficult, unsociable troublemaker like me.

And through being with Tomori, I realized…

Spending high school life with friends of the same age can be this enjoyable.

—That’s why. There’s something I really want to tell Tomori.”

On the stage.

With a confident stance, Kagisaka simply earnestly projected his voice through the microphone.

“I like Azusa Tomori.”

A confession.

At the words spoken by the troublemaker of the academy, the audience collectively gasped their breath.

“I want to be in a relationship with you.

You don’t have to answer now, even after the prom is fine.

I’ll wait as long as it takes. You can take your time, beause Tomori, who changed me like this, is someone I love.”

And with that, Kagisaka’s speech ended.

He returned the microphone to the chairman and as he left the stage, the current of excitement exploded throughout the venue.

“Is this for real!?”

“He confessed on the prom stage!”

“What’s up with Kagisaka, he’s trying to act all cool!”

“But, the confession just now… wasn’t that pretty good?”

“Um, yeah! It was really heartfelt… and the performance before that was amazing too!”

“Is that really the Kagisaka we know?”

“I’ve never seen Kagisaka so serious…”

“Playing the violin to entertain us…!”

“Just like the confession earlier, Azusa-chan really changed Kagisaka!”

“Could it be that those two will start dating?”

“Then maybe they’ll dance together tonight…?!”

The voices of the students buzzed around.

From the offstage, I couldn’t see the whole picture of the venue.

I couldn’t confirm how Azusa, who should be downstage, looked, but…

(…It’s obvious they’ll be together)

I’m the only one who knows.

Azusa had been interested in Kagisaka for a while.

So, she should accept the confession.

If that happens…

“….ugh.”

I think she won’t care about me anymore, won’t she?

In the face of this idea that seemed like a sudden descent of a devil, I couldn’t stop trembling.

The boy she has always liked for so long is going to be her boyfriend.

She might lose interest in reconciling with me.

In fact, Azusa might even distance herself from me because she thinks I dislike Kagisaka. If that happens…

No matter how much I apologize, reconciliation might become impossible…!

“Fufu. It was an unexpected surprise, huh? Well then, it’s time for the piano next.”

The chairman’s words on the stage sent a shiver down my spine.

The performance and confession were so shocking that I had completely forgotten I was supposed to play the piano.

The audience must be feeling the same way too.

My head is full of Kagisaka.

Already, my mind is a mess, and to succeed in performing under this kind of atmosphere, it’s impossible, even if it’s a god…!

“Chifuyu.”

I was suddenly called from behind.

When I turned around, I saw Azusa Tomori in a red dress offstage.

“.. Azusa? Why are you here?”

“I was worried that Chifuyu was nervous. If you want, should we play the piano together?”

“Huh!?”

“We used to play duets together often, right? If you’re so nervous that you can’t play alone, why don’t we do that? I’m sure it will be fun!”

Her smile was like the unclouded sun.

In that moment of seeing Azusa, dressed flawlessly in her crimson dress, offering to help me, I realized.

(Ah)

Tonight is the last night.

Azusa should remember my words at the pool.

—Always helping me, yet never relying on me even a little! I hurled ugly emotions at her, so unpleasant to remember.

And yet, she’s trying to help me tonight—probably because it’s the last chance.

As a settlement of our friendship, Azusa Tomori intends to help Kazami Chifuyu.

Agreeing with her confession earlier, she decided to walk with Kagisaka…

“——Alright.”

I nodded, squeezing out what little pride I had left.

Tears were about to spill, but I struggled to hold back.

(Don’t cry! It’s all your fault! I’m the bad one…)

Frantically telling myself this in my mind, I felt miserable beyond belief.

My best friend is going to date the guy I despise.

And worse, I’m seeking help from the friend I once rejected.

There’s no going back to being friends now.

I feel so awful that I want to die. But—maybe it’s fitting for me now.

Punishment for hurting Azusa, who has always helped me.

(After tonight’s performance…)

I’ll stop getting close to Azusa forever.

With determination deep in my heart, I walked onto the stage with my friend.

******

“Has it begun?”

Whispering quietly as I returned from the stage to under the stage, I watched as Chifuyu and Tomori appeared on the stage together once more, causing the venue to buzz with excitement again. Amidst that, the performance started!!

A duet.

A collaboration by Kazami Chifuyu and Azusa Tomori.

Their fingertips danced on the black and white keys.

——Even though they were supposed to be fighting, can they really play a duet?

Probably everyone in the audience had thought so.

However, their doubts were blown away in an instant.

Perhaps because they didn’t notice, I had returned offstage after finishing my confession earlier.

The performance by the two of them was tremendous.

I don’t know the piece they played. Perhaps it was an original composition they created together in the past.

Still, what’s clear is the extraordinary skill of the performers on the stage.

It’s a melody so harmonious it’s captivating to listen to.