A/N: This was supposed to be a birthday fic for ShinShin, but for all I know I might not be able to post this exactly on his birthday because of summer classes. -_-
But anyways, I can't ignore this any longer. I have to let this out! Here's a feelsy oneshot for you. Advanced Happy Birthday, my beloved Ike-NEET! :)
Keys Untouched
Ene glanced at the clock. It said 04/30, April 30th. 'So, that day has come again, huh..'
She knew what it meant. It was Shintaro's birthday.
There were two days which she allowed her master to be alone and free from her pranks. His birthday, and a certain girl's birthday.
Even if she gets pleasure from annoying the hell out of her master, she had given him the two days since she was the one who knew best why the dates were important to him.
His birthday, because the first time he actually celebrated it is caused by a certain girl.
And the certain girl's birthday, because it was, obviously, the day the certain girl was born. November 22nd. Ayano Tateyama's birthday.
She knew best because she was their friend, their senpai.
She had always left him during the days ever since Shintaro kindly asked her to leave him alone just for the special days.
And because she knew why he actually needed the time alone.
Back to the current scenario, the cyber girl then travels to our dear idol's, Momo's, phone to stay in during the day.
Her appearance surprises the girl, who was on her bed using her laptop and has her phone on her side.
"Hello, little sister! I'm here again!", she energetically greets the surprised teen.
"Ene-chan! You're here again!", Momo says in surprise.
"Yeah! Let's go out, little sister!", Ene asks her with pleading eyes.
"Umm, sure.", Momo agrees with a sweatdrop.
Ene had successfully distracted Momo from going to her brother's room, and they had gone to the amusement park.
"It would have been more fun if Onii-chan is coming with us..", Momo mumbles.
Ene was alerted by the sudden statement. "That's okay! I know master would be fine, since he's a NEET.", she says and laughs nervously.
Of course, Momo wasn't that dumb not to notice.
"Come to think of it, it's his birthday today, right?", Momo asks. Ene inwardly gulps.
"And today, again, you asked me to go out with you.", Momo adds. Ene was sure she was having imaginary sweat.
Momo had always thought of the reason why Ene was on her phone on two days every year, and had always asked her to go out with her. And now, she was going to find out what that was.
"We're going home, Ene-chan.", Momo declares. Ene was about to protest when she realized she couldn't anymore. Might as well let her find out what was happening in Shintaro's room during the two days.
They came back to the house, their parents absent, and silence filled the air. But not until Momo hears the faint sound of the piano.
'He's starting..', Ene thought.
Momo followed the sound upstairs and stopped by Shintaro's room. It was opened a bit, it might've been when their parents checked on him before they left for work and forgot to close it again, Ene thinks, and Momo made sure she wasn't seen by her brother.
She peeks in, seeing her brother in front of his keyboard, the instrument that he doesn't almost touch most of the time.
She sees her brother playing, with a sad but powerful tone.
Ene kept silent, knowing what was happening.
What shocked Momo was when her brother started to sing.
During these fleeting days, where nothing ever happens
I sit in the same seat as always.
"Well then, what do you think?"
As if attempting again,
The textbook without numbers said something.
If you're asking about my results
Well, they're fine I guess.
On this scrap paper was a 100% perfect score.
While grinning shyly,
You sat down on the chair next to me,
You, the one with a low grade.
Outside the window, there's nothing that I wish for
Because I'll already know what will happen.
"Hey, if that's how it is, then that's really boring."
You always seemed so cheerful.
Momo inwardly gasps in realization. Was this song for..?
Don't touch
The heart that wants to disappear anymore than this.
Today too, it can't be found anywhere on this earth.
The alarm starts ringing says to the alone me:
"You're a coldhearted fool."
Even if I'm told a miracle answer
It's no use because everything will somehow become obvious.
"If I died right now, someone would replace me."
Even just muttering that
is so foolish.
Although these floating days keep repeating,
Whenever you're absent, I get an uncomfortable feeling.
Well, anyway, even if my test results are returned tomorrow,
They probably won't get any better either.
Shintaro's voice cracks when he was about to sing the next part of the song. Momo's eyes widen.
Somewhere in these non-hectic days,
Something might have already gone wrong.
The color of your hair,
Your smile,
Some people might have already forgotten them.
"The window next to the vacant seat,
Will anything be reflected from it"?
Even though I tried to know you,
There wasn't even one thing I wasn't able to solve.
Shintaro was crying. Crying. An act she never saw, or even expected, her brother to do.
If I were able to get even a little bit
closer to the answer,
then these days could've continued forever.
At the moment where I stop the ringing alarm
I'm forced to notice that everything is gone.
Tears were also flowing from Momo's eyes as she realized why Ene leaves.
"This happens every year, little sister.", Ene soothes the crying teen who was trying to keep choking out a sob.
In the classroom the heart that wants to disappear was hurt,
You kept hiding it over and over again behind a smile.
The smile of you, who flew through this window and died,
I won't ever forget it.
Not even tomorrow.
Momo stayed to hear what was going to happen next.
Finishing the notes, Shintaro wipes his tears away. His eyes were red.
"It's been three years, Ayano. The third year you weren't present on my birthday.", he chuckles. "Did you hear that? I've always wanted to tell those words to you."
All he was seeing was Ayano, the keyboard in front of him, and everything around them being white.
He could see Ayano's laughing image and voice, nodding at him. Like him, she was crying, yet smiling at the same time.
"Sorry if my voice wasn't great. You know how I am, being a shut in for three years now.", he jokingly apologizes.
He could see Ayano laughing and saying, "That's okay, Shintaro. I know how you are."
More tears flow from Momo's eyes. She realized Shintaro was using his eye power to talk to Ayano. The overwhelming feelings had gotten to her.
Ene just soothed her, knowing how it felt. This was how she reacted the first time she silently snuck in to know what Shintaro was doing.
"Hey, Shintaro.", Ayano's voice earns Shintaro's attention.
"Stop blaming yourself, okay? And please, continue to live for me, okay?", she says with a smile.
Shintaro nods, now knowing what Ayano wanted him to do.
"I know, okay. I just miss you being here.", Shintaro says with a soft chuckle and stands from his seat in front of the keyboard.
Ayano blushes at his statement, and intensifies as Shintaro was moving close to her.
He laughs, enjoying the sight of Ayano blushing in front of him. He pulls her into a tight embrace noticing as their time was almost up.
"I love you, Ayano.", he mutters as Ayano vanishes while replying to his words.
Momo couldn't take anymore. She understood everything. The overwhelming love his brother felt for the girl. She stood up, not realizing she unconsciously sat down when her legs gave away because of her crying, and started walking to her room to cry for her brother.
"I love you too, Shintaro.", her voice rang in his ears as his eyes had slowly become their usual pitch black, him sitting in front of the keyboard and his room welcoming his sight. After a while he hears the shutting of the door next to his room and muffled sobs from the next room.
He then realized what happened. His sister heard the melody of the untouched keys. And he knew she understood.
A/N: Well, that was feelsy. I'm surprised my shirt wasn't madly wet from tears as I was typing this. Oh my god, me and my love for this pair. Just. Ugh.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this piece of something. Reviews will be appreciated. Thank you for reading! :)