“Dear me, I’m in trouble now… However should I respond…”
“I, I came up with a decent move.”
Rain shyly said that while Zeke scratched at his head in distress.
“As expected, you’re strong… Rain, have you played chess before?”
“No.”
“My my… Meanwhile, when I play with Anya…”
Zeke played chess with Rain like this on occasion but he had never won once. Playing against Rain raised Zeke’s chess skill but Rain himself had not studied chess at all.
“No, I can’t make you and Anya play against each other. Your talent is a bit too ruthless.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“You can go all out against me as much as you want… But this could definitely cause problems in your friendship if we’re not careful.”
Zeke awkwardly moves his chess piece. The man who had been studying chess every day and playing matches at home with his family was being driven into a corner by a middle schooler who hadn’t studied chess at all.
“I-I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s fine. I’m used to it.”
“…………”
Rain feels apologetic even as he kills Zeke’s pieces, leaving Zeke no choice but to make a bitter face.
“Umm…about Anya…”
“Hm?”
“….Shouldn’t you…let her win on purpose?”
Rain glances up from the chess board to look at Zeke sitting across from him, seeming to gauge his reaction.
“I failed on the first day of the science division…but Zeke san, couldn’t you skillfully lose on purpose without letting your opponent notice?” If you’re bothered by Anya’s antagonism, losing on purpose might smooth things over…”
“…………”
“Oh, no, I mean …… Sorry, but …… “
Zeke crosses his arms and ponders Rain’s suggestion for a bit. A brief silence settles over the three as Rain ducks his head down and scratches furiously.
Zeke opens his mouth to speak.
“I don’t think that’s right…”
“….Is that so?”
“Yeah, it’s not.”
He takes a sip of his coffee.
“It’s a different situation from when you were in the science division. It’s fine to clash with people. To be mocked, to be irritated–that’s fine. We don’t have to be at odds with each other because we’re fighting.”
“…………”
“Bumping heads at full power is part of connecting too. Even if we hurt each other a bit.”
Zeke says, looking a little shy.
“And, well, I’m having fun too…”
“Is that so?”
“That’s right.”
Rain listens closely to Zeke’s words. Rain often consults Zeke when he runs into trouble in his daily life. To Rain, Zeke was a good senior in life, almost like a teacher.
“….So maybe it was a good thing that you went all out on the science test on the first day of the science division.”
“Huh…? Really…?”
“There are a lot of things you can’t convey without giving it your all.”
Zeke says. The surrounding clamor causes Zeke’s voice to fade into nothingness, but his words reach the two people right in front of him clearly.
“If you had held back then, you would have had to keep hiding it forever. Then no one would be able to understand the real you.”
“…………”
“It’s fine to clash at full power. Even if we get a little hurt.”
When Zeke says this, Rain smiles gently. The aroma of coffee filling the noisy cafe blends nicely with the intense chess match on the board.
“….Being tormented by Anya is nothing new. Nothing new at all.”
“M-Marriage seems tough…”
The one who said this was Touri.
“She’s always at full power… Even when we first met she kept tormenting me nonstop. ….When she goes that far, yeah, she should restrain herself a little.”
“But aren’t you married?”
“Well…yeah…”
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Zeke crosses his arms, looking troubled. Seeing him unable to refute, Touri thinks marriage must be complicated.
“I want Anya’s strong mental fortitude too.”
“….Rain, you’re looking to the wrong person as a role model.”
Zeke tries to admonish Rain that Anya just doesn’t understand people’s feelings well, but Rain’s admiration for Anya does not waver. Envious of Anya’s genius and her ability to blow away anguish and conflicts, possessing a free and undefeated spirit, Rain looks up to her.
But that wasn’t because Anya was amazing, just that their personalities were different.
“….Check.”
“Yeah, you got me.”
Rain moves his piece decisively, and Zeke nods slightly. They both understood that after another dozen or so moves, Zeke’s king would be unable to escape. Zeke tips over his king piece to signal his resignation.
“I lose.”
“….Thank you very much.”
The two face each other and politely bow. Rain is victorious once again in this match.
The pleasant weather of early summer spills out into the world outside. Looking at his utterly demolished army, Zeke laughs softly. Inside the slightly noisy cafe, the three enjoy their drinks, whether it be cooling coffee or tea. Though the drinks soil their mouths, this too was part of their everyday lives.
The next day.
“Hmm…Touri, that’s not very good, huh?”
“R-Really…?”
Touri was taking piano lessons in the intermediate course at the music school. She continues her guidance under a piano teacher she had been close with for many years. Though she was now in intermediate studies, Touri remained devoted to the piano. However, her teacher cocks his head as he listens to Touri play, blue stubble on his chin. While he had a unique way of speaking, his discernment was sound.
“How to put it…? It feels kind of…overthought? Like you lost that straightforwardness you’ve had up until now…?”
“….Was my individuality straightforwardness?”
“Wellll….”
Her teacher makes a bitter face, twisting his lips. One’s individuality and charm can’t be definitively described, and at a loss for what to say, he rubs his head. Not waiting for her teacher’s reply, Touri starts talking.
“….Over there, Tiffy’s playing is just, like…Tiffy’s playing!”
“I guess so…”
“You’re embarrassing me~”
Sitting in this room is a girl with fluffy golden hair. Tiffy, who attends the same school as Touri. She came to visit during her free time, bored. Pointing a finger at her, Touri says,
“So, what defines my performance? Like, what would make people say, ‘Let’s go to Touri’s concert because it’s Touri’s concert’? What creates that unique element that sets me apart from others?”
“It’s the eternal mystery worldwide… around that area…”
“What does ‘originality’ even mean?”
Touri exclaimed, fidgeting her feet. It was rare for her to display such childlike gestures.
Touri was in a slump. Since last summer’s competition, her rival Tiffy had started to show improvement. Listening to Tiffy’s captivating performance, Touri found herself losing understanding of her own music.
“Your technique is amazing, but there’s something missing, you know?”
“There is indeed.”
“Yeah.”
“What is that thing?”
Touri was frustrated.
“It’s like there’s a lack of flavor or charm… Please give me more specific advice!”
“Alright, Touri-chan, calm down.”
“Ugh, I just don’t understand expression!”
Touri was trapped in the musician’s dilemma.
“Individuality in expression, charm… That’s really a difficult part. Even professionals struggle with it. Even globally renowned top professionals are always troubled by how to express themselves, you know?”
“…Really?”
“That’s right. In fact, professionals often have many concerns. It’s something you should ponder throughout your life. By deeply exploring how to create an enchanting performance and how to play in a way that’s true to yourself, that’s the important job of a professional.”
The teacher lightly patted Touri’s head. The rough hands of the man swayed her red hair. Including her past life, Touri was 43 years old. It was frustrating to be treated like a child, but she didn’t dislike having her head patted like this.
“So take your time and think about your performance. You have plenty of time.”
“…But there’s not that much time until the big fall competition.”
“Well, that’s a separate issue.”
The piano teacher spoke vaguely.
“That being said, just do your best for now.”
“Mmm…”
To the softly given advice, Touri pursed her lips.
Touri and Tiffy walk along the night road after leaving the piano school, taking their time.
Bathed in moonlight, Touri and Tiffy slowly walk along the path home together. The hot sunlight from the afternoon doesn’t cool the night, rather the humidity makes the air thick and muggy.
“Ugghhh! Music is sooo hard! Soooo complicated!”
“I know right~”
Tofi responds to Touri clomping along energetically with a listless reply.
“Heyyyy, you little missy. Share some of that talent with me!”
“No way Jose~”
Touri lightly pinches and pulls on Tiffy’s cheek again like she’s nagging her. Her soft cheek was very pleasant to touch.
“Haah….I wonder what originality is…”
“It’s the parts you feel like, I want this kind of thing.”
“….Don’t really understand.”
The two slowly walk along the night road. The path of music the girls were walking was just like the night road–you couldn’t see the end, and it just continued on and on forever.
And they slowly walked that path together.
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