#076 Back to the keyboard
As I was coming out of class with Dia, I heard a crashing sound in the hallway.
The sight of several girls whining and moving something like a piano caught my eye.
I said to Dia, pointing to the red-haired woman in the middle.
“Look over there. Diamond. “She’s carrying something bigger than her own body.”
Dia looked in the direction I pointed at her, then tilted her head and said.
“You look like Senior Citrine?”
“Yes? Really?”
Looking up close, it really was senior Citrine. I couldn’t recognize him because most of his face was covered by the large piano.
“Senior Citrine, what are you doing?”
As we got closer, Citrine and some of the student members slammed down the piano they were holding.
Then, Citrine looked at us and said.
“Ah! It just worked out well. “You guys help me with this too.”
“What’s going on?”
I was curious about the pounding sound that had been echoing throughout the hallway since morning.
Citrine leaned her body against the large piano and she explained.
“Do you remember the last class trial? All members of the instrument performance club were suspended and the club was confirmed to be discontinued. “I had to dispose of the instruments that were left there.”
“Then how can this piano be…?” “
“That’s right. “It’s one of the ones in the musical instrument department.”
At first glance, there were only instruments that seemed to be quite expensive.
“Anyway, please help me too. “These need to be moved to the warehouse.”
I was looking at the piano and thinking.
‘If I’m not going to use it anyway, wouldn’t I be able to borrow it?’
“What? It doesn’t matter as long as you don’t break it… “What are you going to use it for?”
“I want to bring it to the club. “For Miss Ruby’s practice.”
“That’s right, you said he played the piano too, right? Good.”
Citrine surprisingly coolly agreed.
“Take it. “It was difficult because it was the heaviest, but it turned out well.”
“Thank you, Chairman!”
After sending Citrine away, Dia smiled and said to me.
“Good, Amber. “The club is going to be noisy now.”
Actually, the combination of a piano in a library is quite inappropriate, but since no one really uses it as a library, it’s probably okay.
I looked at the piano with a proud face and said.
“… But how do we two move this?”
***
In the end, we asked several student council executives to help us move it out of the academy.
“Thank you. “We’ll move it from here.”
Even though two people couldn’t lift it, it seemed like we could just drag it from here.
I said while pushing the piano with Diamond.
“I’m sorry. “For causing you trouble.”
“No, Amber. I also want to hear Ruby play again. “We used to go to competitions together.”
Dia, whose face seemed wet with longing for a moment, looked at me and continued speaking.
“You haven’t played the piano at all recently, right Ruby?”
“… Yes. Ever since the class trial.”
It was just frustrating because no clear reason was given.
“Maybe I can use this opportunity to start playing the piano again.”
“It would be really nice if she would say that… “
In fact, even now that I’m working hard on the piano, I don’t know if Ruby will start playing again.
Anyway, we worked hard to push the piano and eventually succeeded in getting it into the library.
“Whoa, this is my first time feeling this heavy.”
“Still, I feel proud, Amber.”
There was still no one in the library.
The brown wooden piano went well with the library, which had a vintage feel.
‘Does it sound good?’
I opened the cover and pressed the keys one by one to see if anything had broken while moving it.
When I looked to the side, I felt Dia looking at me with curious eyes.
“Dia, would you like to play a song to celebrate the piano launch?”
She looked surprised at my suggestion.
“Me… ?”
“Other than Ruby, the only person in the club who can play the piano is Diamond.”
“It’s been so long… “
“Oh my goodness. Don’t do that, just one song. Now, please sit down.”
Unable to resist my demands, Dia had no choice but to sit on the piano chair.
At first, Dia was curious as she pressed the keys one by one, as if she felt awkward, but she quickly got the hang of it and started playing.
‘Oh, this…’ ?’
“You understand right away, right? This is Ruby’s own song that she performed at a concert. “I liked it so much that day that I received the sheet music separately from Ruby.”
Dia performed exquisitely and perfectly, putting to shame the fact that she took a 4-year break.
When the performance ended, I applauded in admiration.
“It was great to hear, Diamond.”
“Yes? Ahahahaha. Be ashamed… “
It’s the same song that Ruby played, but it felt a little different when DIA played it.
Dia said, looking at her piano with a lingering look on her face.
“… “I want to hear Ruby play this song again.”
“… “Me too.”
In a slightly gloomy mood, Dia looked at me and asked.
“Hey, Amber, why don’t you try it too?”
“Yes? Me? It’s impossible. I’m not even good at reading sheet music… “
“It’s okay. I’ll help you.”
“Umm… “
After thinking about it, I ended up sitting down next to Dia.
As I hesitated, she gently took my hand and placed it on her keyboard.
“Let’s start by getting used to the keyboard. “Remember where Amber’s hands are now.”
“Yes… “
She flashed her smile and began to play softly, placing her own hand over hers.
Although it was Diamond’s will that pressed the keys, she felt as if she was playing.
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“How do you feel?”
“… “It feels good to hear the piano sound when you press the keys.”
Did Ruby feel this way every time she sat in front of her piano?
The unfamiliar and scary sensation soon became dull and soon turned into joy.
“Amber, you learn so quickly, don’t you? “It’s like seeing myself when I was 5 years old.”
“Ahahahaha… “
She played a very simple melody repeatedly, listening to Dia’s exclamations that she couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or something.
I never thought the day would come when I would touch the piano.
Ever since I was young, I was prone to breaking anything I touched, so I never touched the piano in my mansion for fear that something might go wrong.
“Once you get used to it, try pressing it with your left hand.”
I followed her instructions and tried to put my left hand on the keyboard, but it was twisted like it was broken.
“… “Dia, I think my hand is broken.”
“It’s because I’m not used to it. “Practice is the only answer.”
I pressed hard on her keyboard, following the sheet music she had made hastily.
In order to make it easier for me to read, it was a sheet music with only the name of the key written in large letters, not the notes.
“Hey, Diamond.”
“Yes?”
“… Is it impossible for me to play Lady Ruby’s self-composed song? Even just a small part… ?”
“Yes, it’s impossible. “It’s a very difficult song.”
Although she had expected it, her answer came immediately from her.
“I guess so… “
“… But, maybe it would be possible with just the melody?”
“Really? Please tell us… !”
When I looked at her with her earnest eyes, her diamond responded with her slightly mischievous smile.
“Oh my, for free?”
“… How much do you need? I’ll give you all the money… !”
“I got the money. More than that, I want to buy Amber’s time.”
“Time… ?”
“Amber is going to hang out with me this holiday. How is it?”
I was rather embarrassed by the seemingly insignificant price.
“So… “Do you want to make an appointment for the weekend?”
“No, it’s a date.”
After hearing her say that it was her date, I blinked at her and asked.
“… Clara said that before, but dates are for people who like each other… “
“Yes. “It’s that date.”
“Oh, I understand. Date… “
Anyway, I promised to go on a date with Dia.
***
Several days had passed since then, but Ruby’s reaction to seeing her piano was as cool as ever.
[ Everything… ] He showed a little interest on the first day, but after that he didn’t even try to get close to me.
One day, as a few days passed by, I, who had remained in the club until the end with the young lady, took an opportunity.
“Amber, let’s go in soon.”
Ruby said to go back to the dormitory like usual, but I grabbed her wrist.
“Miss, come here for a moment.”
“… ?”
Ruby was taken aback by my sudden action, but she was obediently dragged to the piano.
Ruby shook her head and said as I opened the piano cover and sat down.
“Amber. I told you before. I don’t play the piano anymore… “
Before she could react in denial again, I cut her off.
“I have practiced something. “Please look from the side.”
“… Practice?”
Ruby eventually sat down next to me with her butt pressed against mine.
Let’s stay calm. Just don’t shiver.
I started playing with all my heart, just as I had practiced so far.
Compared to Ruby’s songs, the arrangement was at a shabby level of difficulty, but it was true that it was the same melody no matter who listened to it.
“… “
She said to her after she finished her performance with as much concentration as possible.
“… It’s a bit clumsy, right? I practiced in a hurry… “
I looked at her, scratching her face, feeling embarrassed for no reason, but Ruby was staring at her keyboard without saying a word.
“… Miss?”
She was about to ask Ruby if she was okay, but when she saw that there were slightly tears in Ruby’s eyes, she covered her mouth.
‘Are you angry…? ‘
I was trying to encourage the young lady in my own way, but I was worried that I might have done something for no reason.
At that time, Ruby placed her hand on one of my hands.
And when I turned my head towards her, I felt something warm touch her lips.
“… !”
What was directed at me was not Ruby’s angry voice, but her soft lips.
Skinship feels more natural than before. They exchanged each other’s body heat through their lips.
Ruby moved her lips little by little and gently touched my lower lip.
When her senses were heightened enough, she pulled away slightly from me and took her breath away.
“Miss, sleep… “
And, once again.
Not caring about her shortness of breath, she pressed her lips together again.
At some point, he completely surrendered his body to her and became a prisoner of her kiss.
The kiss was much more intense and deep than the last time.
After a while, Ruby slowly moved away from me with her slightly opened eyes and she said.
“… “I did it again.”
“…Yes.”
Apparently, she has become addicted to playing with her.
