#6: Her Figure In Front
The Dance of Death.
It's said that during the first night of November, Death would dance with the dead on their graves until morning comes.
It's a fucking kiddie story, I know. But I can't believe we'll be playing that at next week's Gala Concert. Nor can I believe that I'm gonna fucking play as well.
Fuck you, Arima-sensei. First you got me to learn all those pieces in a week, and now, you want me to play in front of a heck lot of people! Better thank your goddamn daughter I'm still here dammit!
"Since the news was sudden, I picked the piece you two will play as an apology," Sensei approached the two of us who were hanging out at the studio. He was smiling as if he didn't do anything wrong to me and Arima.
Of course I was still boiling with anger, but due to the fact that he appointed me his official student or whatever, I had to respect him. At least I know some respect unlike some idiot who just assigns incredibly hard jobs to me suddenly!
I could feel that Arima was still upset as well since she kept on ignoring her father who was cheering the two of us up.
"Alright, here Shiihata-kun," he then gave me a thin book in which the title of the piece he picked was neatly typed in front. As I was looking at it, he gave his daughter one as well who was rather surprised.
"Danse Macabre, Op. 40, arranged for Two Pianos composed by Camille Saint-Saëns,"
I read the title in a whisper as I wondered how this song would've sounded. I have no idea what the hell this is, I can't even read the title or the name of the composer...
"But Dad, why this? It's…weird. Is there something else like Mozart's sonata or Brahms?" Arima protested with concerned eyes and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, Kizuna! I'll give you two a day off, so study the piece for now," Arima-sensei suddenly said and I looked more relieved than ever. Finally! I thought he wasn't going to let me rest!
"Ah, see Shiihata-kun off, Kizuna," he added and went straight back upstairs.
The two of us glanced at each other and sighed. "Shall we go, Seiichi-kun?"
I nodded and followed her out of the house and on the same road we passed for almost a week. The late cherry blossom buds were beginning to emerge as early ones were already wilting. The wind was cold as ever and even though it was mid afternoon, I could see the sky getting shrouded with dark clouds. Is it going to rain? Well, May is just around the corner…
"Hey, Seiichi-kun. I'm really sorry," Arima suddenly apologized that I was surprised. Against the calm ambience of the day, she was glowing steadily. I was too immersed in practicing these few days that I forgot to gaze at her occasionally.
Is this what Eiji means when the world begins to take color? I could only see the difference when Arima is around. But considering that she is a weird entity herself, it was a no-brainer.
"What the fuck are you apologizing for anyway?" I asked her and looked away. I can't have her noticing that I was gazing at her after all!
"Huh…but! Dad was being so unreasonable! I can't bare it anymore, you know! Later, I'm going to give him some payback!" Arima huffed and puffed in anger as she crossed both arms over her chest. It was rather cute though than scary.
"I'll give your father a fucking large piece of my mind too when this shitty Gala is over! So there's no need for you to apologize! Let him say sorry!" I expressed my anger as well and waved my fist up the air as I knitted my eyebrows.
Arima suddenly laughed at me and the cheerfulness that was lost earlier this morning returned to her cheeks which became supple and rosy. Thank God she looks perfectly fine now! It's darn depressing to see her under the fucking weather…
"Well, maybe Dad just trusts us so much that though you are still beginning, he put you into the stage! And even made you his student!" She told me with an understanding smile on her face.
"Or this could be his own version of entertainment," I said cynically and my frown worsened.
"I don't know about that~ To have your student perform in an important event…for a music teacher, it's like performing it yourself. If it was a good one, then the teacher's reputation shoots up, but if it's terrible, you'll be the laughingstock of the town. The worst could be experienced by the student himself," Arima remarked and I shut my mouth. If Arima-sensei was really taking a large risk, why would he let me do it, knowing that I just began not longer than a month?
As the two of us reached the center of the small metal bridge, Arima suddenly stopped after being silent for a while. I averted my gaze towards her and asked.
"Arima? What's up with you?"
The emotion behind her eyes immediately changed without warning. She shot a confident face at me—complete with a heart-melting smile and eyes that were covered by thick-rimmed glasses were aflame; determined and passionate. I just stood there dumbfounded and waiting for her to say something.
"Seiichi-kun!" She called out my name across the spring breeze. "I don't want to be scared anymore! I don't want to run away anymore! Let's play our best and be the best because we are the students of the piano prodigy Arima Kousei!"
Arima Kizuna shouted at me but I think it was to release every feeling of fright from her mentality. However, at that time, I was thinking really hard what to say to her, but in the end, I thought that something simple would suffice.
"Damn right, Arima," I replied with a small sympathetic smile.
We exchange glances for a while and then nodded. Finally! My long awaited rest!
"Alright, Seiichi-kun! Let's start planning for the piece so we could study!"
"What?! Now?! I thought it was a day-off?!"
Oh fuck no. Not on my rest day!
A few minutes later, we were comfortably sitting by the grassy riverbed with me lying down on my side and Arima reading my copy of the music score. She was prattling something I could hardly understand.
"Okay, so on this measure, Seiichi-kun, you're going to—"
"Zzzz….Zzzzz…" Hmm…the grass is so soft…
"Seiichi-kun! Listen to me!"
"Whatever, lady. I'm gonna fucking sleep…"
I replied and snuggled myself. However, much to my surprise and annoyance, Arima slammed the music score on my face and I woke up panicking, of course.
"WHAT THE FUCK, ARIMA?! Can't you see I'm sleeping?!" I shouted at her angrily.
"You can sleep later! We have to finish this!"
"I can't even understand what batshit you're talking about!"
"That's why you have to listen to me!" She shot me a piercing glare which I countered with my own. However, ultimately, I lost.
"Fine, fine. Don't blame if I fall asleep again, got it?" I surrendered and reclined my back.
Sitting closer to her, I could smell the flowery scent of her long black hair which was making me woozy again. My eyes grew heavier and not even after a minute, I was fighting really hard to resist the temptation.
Suddenly, a black cat approached me, staring at me with its menacing blue eyes. I wasn't sure if I was already dreaming or not. My eyes kept on opening and closing until the surroundings turned dark and the only one left was the cat.
Arima disappeared from my side and this time, I was standing by a really long asphalt road with a few streetlights illuminating it while the cat was at the middle, still looking at me. It felt lonely; it was scary, it felt frighteningly familiar. The sudden déjà vu left me shivering as a cold sweat run up to my spine.
What the fuck is this?! It's damn creepy…
Then again, the scenery continued to morph into something else—the road and the cat was still there. But there was now someone on the road. Someone very important, someone that could easily turn me running frantic for her. She was bloody, and battered. Her face did not hold any light or glow or bliss I always find beautiful. It was like she wasn't the person I met during that spring day by the river.
"Arima!" I yelled and ran to her side, ignoring the fucking cat. I was panicking and shaking, I had no clue what to do. I carried her on my arms and with dead eyes, she spoke to me.
"I killed me, Seiichi-kun. It's your fault."
My eyes immediately dilated and I couldn't find the words to say. The fear was too real.
I looked around and saw the damn cat looking at me with a shuddering grin.
You killed her, Shiihata Seiichi.
"N-no…! What the hell?!"
You killed your mother.
"My mother died in a car accident, you fucking cat!"
"Did she really, Seiichi-kun?" The almost lifeless Arima interrupted and I began to doubt what I know and my memories.
"A-Arima..? What do you mean by that?! Tell me, Arima! ARIMA!"
"Stop shouting Seiichi-kun!"
Arima's normal voice brought me back to the real world and I instantly jumped from my seat. I looked from left to right—the river, the grass, the normal Arima beside me…no fucking cat, no zombie Arima…
I then approached the Arima beside me and checked her. Grabbing her arm, I poked her skin several times. Suddenly though, I received a welcoming slap from her.
"S-Seiichi-kun! You pervert! I'm gonna cut your hands off!" Arima glared at me intensely while hammering the music score on my head several times.
"Sorry! Sorry! I just had a nightmare!" I defended myself and protected my head with my arms. Immediately she stopped and went back to sitting normally.
"I'm glad you're still fine…" Adding that, she gave me a more quizzical look but I ignored it.
"You should've said so, Seiichi-kun!" Arima told me as she crossed both arms over her chest. What the hell?! Who was the one who suddenly slapped me, huh?
"So, what did you dreamt of?" I wasn't planning to tell her at all, but then again she asked. Should I really tell her?
"Now, now, Seiichi-kun! If you're just using that dream as an excuse to touch me, you're in big trouble!"
She added and I froze. Fuck. I don't want to get hit by a music score again!
"Fine, alright! In my dream, there was some damn cat on the road and was saying something weird like I killed my mom but she died in a fucking car crash anyway," I confessed and she stared straight at me for an awkward long time.
"What's wrong with you?!" I asked, genuinely worried for her and it got even worse when she suddenly looked downcast.
"I'm sorry, Seiichi-kun…I need to go home now," Saying that, Arima stood up and started running back. I was left there with a dumbstruck look and a mouth agape and couldn't say a word. I can't even stop her…
So I went home as well.
Opening the door to my own house, I didn't even mind Saika who was really angry that I came back late. I was so out of it that I didn't feel alarmed when my own sister punched me right on the gut.
"—?!"
I was so shocked of the pain that got me crouching on the ground; holding my aching stomach and in an instant an overwhelming anger got me back to my own feet.
"Saika! You fucking brat!" I shouted at her but she remained unnerved. If Saika and Arima met, I'm sure those two would get along with each other.
"Ah, seems like you're back to earth. Now explain why you just got home?" She said with her hands on her hips.
I could barely drag my feet up to sit on the chair but nevertheless, I still managed to reply.
"I have…practice…there's a gala concert..coming,"
Immediately, my sister's mood changed and she became rather curious of the gala concert I was talking about. She eventually sat on the other chair and interviewed me.
"When is it? I'd like to come and watch you!" Saika grinned at me teasingly much to my chagrin.
"You don't have to come. Brawny and inelegant sisters are too out of place…"
Immediately though, I could feel a menacing aura coming from her which made me take back what I just said.
"Brawny and inelegant, you say? Want me to punch you again?"
"Okay, okay! I get it! It's next week! Sunday! I'm performing with Arima!" By replying immediately, I saved myself from another ferocious punch from her.
"Got it! I'll come watch you! Ah, wait…you're with Arima…Arima? Oh, could it be Arima Kizuna?"
"Yeah. How do you even know her name?" I asked, somehow confused.
"I met her last night, I asked her to take care of my dumbass brother,"
"Right…"
Behind the Lines
As soon as I arrived home, I immediately ran to where Dad was and confront him. Seeing him inside the piano room playing some melancholic pavane, I strode towards him courageously.
"Dad! Did you already know that…" My voice trailed off as he looked at me with a knowing smile while playing.
"I do," he replied to me. "By the way, please let Shiihata-kun play piano 1."
I blinked several times by his weird request and hesitantly nodded.
"Sure. But don't you think it'll pressure him a lot?"
"Well, you were the one who dragged him into this world," he replied and I sighed as I sat beside him.
"I know but I trust him," with me cheerfully replying, Dad suddenly laughed.
"You're just like your mother,"
A/N: I just knew that the "miracle" they were talking about after garnering 11,000+ tweets was a fan meet. =_= The hell?!
Anyway, please enjoy this chapter~ :3 Please review! :D
Msmusicful: Haha~ *high fives* Thanks for reviewing! I'm now more motivated to write xD