Love, Eroge, Music & Other Craziness

by Geek Girl Naruru

Namikaze Naruto is a normal fifteen-year-old high school student. He has a distant relationship with his sister Naruko, who always treats him rudely. One Day in Spring, he encounters a foreign girl playing a piano on one of his travels to a junkyard and helps her in many ways as he discover that her name is Weiss Schnee.

36. Jealousy

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When we were all done with our showers, Senpai instructed us to "take a little rest" before locking herself up in her room. I saw her taking her guitar along with her, so she's probably trying to come up with a new song? As the food stocks were about to be finished, I decided to go out to do some shopping.

Just as I was walking back to the villa while carrying the plastic bags in my hand, I could hear the sound of the piano coming from the inside. Piano? After walking past the forest, I could see the hall through the balcony. Sitting on the piano seat was a person with snow colored long hair, who was swaying herself slowly to the gentle tempo of the accompaniment.

Perhaps it was because she heard the sounds of my footsteps — Weiss closed the lids of the keyboard and stood up. Her ears are as sharp as ever. What song was she playing…? When I opened the door and entered the main hall, Weiss was shaking her head hard despite me not asking her anything.

"Y-You heard wrong. There's nothing at all."

I took a glance around the hall. Chiaki's sleeping on the sofa with her body curled up. I guess she must be dead tired after the morning jog, the practice and the swim. After seeing how bad her sleeping posture was (she was about to fall head first onto the floor), I positioned her back onto the sofa, and covered her tummy with a piece of blanket. Regardless of how hot summer is, you shouldn't be sleeping with your navel revealed.

"Senpai… is she still upstairs?" I asked Weiss while placing the stuff I had bought into the fridge.

"I didn't hear the sounds of the guitar, so she might be asleep."

I see, sounds like a good idea to go for a quick nap. Ah, no wait — this may be the only chance for me to speak with Weiss alone.

After walking back into the hall from the kitchen, Weiss was already out at the balcony. She was replaying the tune she had played on the piano earlier by using her Stratocaster guitar, though it was not connected to the amplifiers. I took my bass and walked out of the glass door as well.

"This is Senpai's composition, right?" Weiss nodded.

"This is the first time that the band's writing a song about love, so we probably don't have much concepts about it. How should we go about composing the song?"

"I don't know why, but somehow, it feels like all the songs that Kyouko has written aren't compatible with her own voice at all."

I looked at Weiss's face in surprise.

"You were talking about them being incompatible… what does that mean?"

"I think…" Weiss looked into the direction of the second floor as she speaks.

"Whenever she's composing the songs, Kyouko must have been composing them with a male singer in her mind."

"That's…"

Upon hearing Weiss say that, I think it may actually be true. Senpai will deliberately lower her vocal range whenever she sings — but I didn't pay any particular attention to it, as I thought that is how she had been singing this whole time.

"And so… she could no longer conceal that with her voice if the song is slow."

I gave a "Oh", and couldn't help but stare at Weiss's face for a long time. Thinking about it deeper, this girl has been growing up in the world of music ever since she was born — perhaps that's the reason for her to notice these minute details that quickly? However, Weiss didn't go on any further with that. It's my turn to take over. In order to prevent the quiet song from being destroyed, I'll have to support Senpai's voice. But how should I go about doing it? I could not come up with any idea despite me hugging onto my bass for a while. I was suddenly thrown into an illusion where the dust were piling on my shoulders, and thus making me unable to move.

"But I think the piano will make things even worse."

I raised my head in hesitation when I heard Weiss say that.

"You heard… the song in the morning?"

"Were you the one who was playing the song this morning?"

"Nope, that was Senpai."

"I see."

Despite being someone who easily shows her emotions through her face whenever she is angry or close to tears, I could not read the expressions that was on Weiss's face at the moment.

"Weiss, don't you… hate it?"

I tried asking her. Weiss turned her head to face me.

"Hate what?"

"The piano. You were playing on it just now, right?"

"I've already decided not to think about those things anymore."

Which means she had been thinking about such things till not too long ago. I mean, she didn't even choose music as her elective.

"Moreover, there's proofs of me playing the piano all over the world. There is no point of me shutting my ears and ignoring it myself."

"That's quite a unique way of looking at things…"

"Because Papa will definitely play my CD when he's at home. I won't be able to hold on if I don't think that way."

Jacques… that's just too much! That's why your daughter hates you!

"If so, then…" I choose my words carefully.

"If your finger can recovered…" I paused halfway into my question to take a quick peek at Weiss's expressions. She's not angry. Probably.

"… Will you play it again?"

"Did Papa request you to ask me that?"

"Ugh!" I made a weird sound by accident. Shit, I've been found out!

"Papa said he went to your house, and he says that you're much more decent that he had originally thought."

So Jacques's the one who told her that! But then… there's nothing wrong about that either. I mean, he must have told her the reason for the sudden approval of her joining the training camp. Umm, what to do? There's no point in hiding it with the way things have developed, right?

"Mmm, something like that. But that's not all there is to it…"

I too wish to listen to Weiss play the piano once more. I had already said that before, but she didn't give me any response to that. What should I say for now?

"Do you want to listen to me playing the piano again?"

Weiss actually took the initiative and asked that question, which surprised me a lot. I was stunned speechless for a moment, before finally answering with a silent nod.

"But… you've already listened to all of my CDs, right?"

"That's not the point, is it? They didn't record the pieces that I like."

"For example?"

"Things like Beethoven's Les Adieux sonata. You've said in an interview that you like that piece, right? I too want to listen to the complete recording in full clarity! The sound quality of the tape which you sent me earlier is no good at all. Then there's Waldstein — even though I don't like it that much, it just feels like something's missing if you don't record that in a CD. As for Appassionata, you'll have to play it properly too! Felix Mendelssohn… you'll have to at least record the whole of his Lieder ohne Worte series. And aside from all that, I hope that you can do recordings on the fugue techniques for the piano — umm, wait… that's not the point!"

Without me knowing, I had rattled on and on about my own feelings, and was even laughed at by Weiss. Geez, I can't go on any further if you do that. I shut my mouth unhappily, and allowed my gaze to fall onto my bass.

"… But, I'm not in the band to play the piano, right? Because I am the guitarist here." Weiss murmured.

"…"

"So let's not talk about that for now. Because I don't really know about it myself."

Somehow, it felt like Weiss had misunderstood something. Should we compose a song in the future that needs the accompaniment of the piano, and should Weiss right hand be completely healed by then, wouldn't it be natural for me to want Weiss to play the piano for that? No wait, you can't really put it like that… the problem does not lie in the fact if she's a guitarist or a pianist.

I tried asking her once again, "Well… have you solved your problems in regards to the band?"

"Eh?"

"You should have understood… your reason for joining the band, right?"

That was the promise between Weiss and me. However, she shook her head instead.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? We were that…"

"It's you…!" Weiss suddenly interrupted my words loudly.

"It's because you don't understand!"

I was stunned.

"You said… that I don't understand?"

"You don't understand me."

Weiss stared at me with some tears in her eyes. Of course, I had never understood her that well, even till now.

"But… that has nothing to do with what we are discussing, right?"

Weiss suddenly turned her head away to face the forests. Therefore, I could only ask her that question by half-swallowing it back into my mouth.

"Then what's your reason for joining the band?"

"… Why huh? It's because Chiaki and Senpai invited me to join."

"I don't mean it that way!"

If you don't mean it that way, then what other reason is there for me to join the band? To play the bass? So as to pump the blood into the hands and the legs? Is that really all there is to it? Why does it have to be Weiss? Why does it have to be me? There should be a deeper reason to that.

"… Ah!" Just then, a song suddenly appeared in my mind. I could almost hear the final product produced by weaving our music with Senpai's singing voice.

I picked up my bass once again. And because of that, I left my words hanging halfway. At then, I had planned to say something important — something really important to Weiss. I should have said it back then. If I did, then perhaps we would not have passed by each other.

However, the me back then was already engulfed by music. I tried replaying the sounds in my head, and strummed the strings with my fingers. Can I materialize it? I won't know without recording it and listening to it. We have a recorder around, but Senpai and Chiaki were sleeping. Moreover, it will be really embarrassing if I fail, so I'd prefer to try it out alone.

"What's going on?" Weiss asked me suddenly. She probably found it strange for me to be in a sudden fluster.

"Mmm… I want to try something. If possible, I hope I can do some recording by myself, but I'll be disturbing the two of them."

Weiss looked at me with her pair of moist eyes. Back then, I really should have noticed the slight feelings of blame and dependence towards me from the expressions of her eyes. Instead, Weiss stood up from her chair and pushed open the glass door. I could hear her walking up and down the stairs. Before I knew it, she had returned to the balcony.

"Use this." Weiss took out a recorder which was placed in a torn and tattered synthetic black leather box. That's the precious item of Weiss which her mother had left for her — and which I had helped her to repair.

"… Can I really borrow this from you?"

"The recordings may not be crystal clear, but it has a big recording range."

Since it's just a trial recording, it should be more than enough. The recorder's still not spoilt yet. Seems like Weiss has been using it really carefully, and that made me a little happy. I placed the bass back into its case. I then stuff the mini-amplifiers and the recorder into the pockets of the case, and made my way over the fence of the balcony.

"Where are you going?" Weiss sounded like she was close to tears.

"… To a place where I won't disturb anyone even if I sing."

"T-Then I too shall —"

"— Since both of them are still asleep, you should just stay here instead."

Weiss became visibly depressed, but I really had no idea why. I walked away from the villa, went past the cries of the cicadas, and made my way towards the beach.

(◕ω◕✿)

I returned to the villa when the sun was about to set. The door opened just as I was about to reach out for the doorknob. Chiaki stuck her head out of the door, and said with an expression as though she was about to pounce onto me.

"Naruto, you're back? Geez, where did you go? I'm hungry!"

Chiaki pulled me into the villa energetically. I could see Weiss sitting down on the sofa wearily while hugging her guitar.

"Is Senpai still holed up in her room?"

"Mmm, so the two of us could only practice by ourselves. Hey, Weiss, let's start!"

Chiaki sat down between the drum set again, and gently twirled her drum sticks. Weiss seems dead tired from all the playing — she tried to stand up wobbly, and instead she could only took a seat on the sofa weakly. Go take a rest if you're that tired. However, just as I was entering the kitchen to prepare to stew some vegetables, Chiaki began to play the drums by herself. It's the hi-hat playing a set of semi-quavers, which sounded just like the buzz of a mosquito.

I already knew what the song was just from that short section alone. Weiss should have realized it in an instant, right? Coming shortly after the beats was the guitar solo, which sounded as though someone was running barefooted downhills on a mountain of spikes. It's 'He Man Woman Hater'. A chill ran through my spine, causing goosebumps to appear on my skin.

What a miracle that was — all Chiaki needed was four bars of her drumming to convey her thoughts to Weiss. That power forms the basis of the jam sessions of this band. Weiss and Chiaki's performance went on endlessly like a kaleidoscope. It suddenly felt like they had added in the overture of The Marriage of Figaro. And as the melody spiraled its way up to the peak, Chiaki brought in Paradise City by Guns N' Roses.

I gently touched Weiss's recorder that was placed on top of the fridge. I've recorded it multiple times, and listened through it many times as well. I don't really know if it will be successful though. I was really not too confident of myself. After our dinner, Chiaki said she wanted to play with the fireworks. She had even prepared those fireworks that you fire off from the ground — that girl is really meticulous only when it comes to stuff like this.

"Don't place those fireworks on your hands."

Chiaki immediately gave a retort right after I had said that, "But it's more interesting this way!"

"You've caused a small fire by playing them this way back when we were in elementary school!"

This is a villa that we've loaned from someone, so what should we do if something happens? Weiss was almost in tears from her shock because of the spinning firecrackers. Chiaki stuck the sparklers together into an unbelievably thick bunch. It's already late into the night when we were done with all the fireworks.

Yet again, I was supposed to be the last to shower. And after I was done washing my clothes, I still have to make my way back to the place to clear the rubbish created during the fireworks session. A thick smell of gunpowder lingered in the air in front of the balcony. It's a smell that will appear only on the nights of summer, but I do quite like that smell sometimes.

In the end, I had no chance to show Senpai the recording that I had done, and the recorder was in my pocket this whole time. Dammit, it's all Chiaki's fault! Just as I was scanning through the bushes to see if there were any remains of the fireworks, I suddenly heard the sounds of the glass door opening.

"I'm really sorry for making you do everything, young man."

Seems like Senpai was just done with her shower. She was wearing a tank top along with a pair of shorts. While drying her hair with the towel, she sat herself down on the fence of the balcony.

"Is the bathroom empty?"

"Not yet. Comrade Schnee's still in there. She'll probably head over to inform you when she's done with her bath."

After I was done splashing water at the surroundings, I made my way back to the balcony with the pails in my hand, and sat on a chair that was of some distance away from Senpai. What's with her wet hair sticking at the areas of her exposed chest!? I dare not look at her at all. However, Senpai took the initiative to get close to me. I was suddenly nervous when she sat down right next to me.

"Somehow, it feels like young man's the one who is looking after us during the training camp."

Senpai hanged the towel on her shoulders and showed a lazy smile. That didn't sound like somthing she usually says, and that made me uncertain of how I should respond.

"… Don't put it to heart. I'm used to doing all these things already."

Ah, right. I can't just head to sleep like this. I lifted my body slightly and took out the recorder from my pocket.

"Well… I've tried to record something while I was out."

"Hmm?"

"The song that is composed by Senpai. Though it's only me singing along to the accompaniment of the bass."

Senpai stared at me as though I was some sort of brightly shining object, before pressing onto the play button of the recorder. I could hear the sounds of the tape rolling as well as the rhythmic background noise. And then The sounds of the waves. And above them, was the soft and elegant chords of the bass. A simple harmonic progression played using the shuffle rhythm. Next, is the stuttering sounds of my hoarse voice.

"… This is the opening played in Mr. Big's Green-Tinted Sixties Mind. The song will be ruined if the acoustics are too heavy, so I've decided to use only the bass to play the chords…"

Senpai pressed her finger lightly onto my lips, and that caused me to swallow back the words that I was about to say next. She held onto the recorder with her other hand, as though she was trying to listen to my singing via her sense of touch as well.

When the main chorus had ended, Senpai stood up all of the sudden and pulled me into the glass door. I couldn't help but cover my face with my hands. As expected, I was meddling too much… even for someone as incredible as Senpai, she had wrecked her brains to try to come up with an arrangement for the song, but without success. How can someone like me be able to come up with —

" — Young man, mind helping me rewind the tape?"

I responded by making a noise. When I lifted my head, Senpai was already standing before me with her Les Paul electric guitar in her hands.

"Eh?"

"I want to listen to it all over again from the beginning."

I was stunned for a while, and just stared into Senpai's eyes, which were burning with passion. I then quickly pressed the rewind button, and rewound the tape all the way to the beginning, before playing it again. Senpai added in a few simple phrases between my singing voice and the bass. Rather than calling them arpeggios, it's more like the whispers that are produced when the sands are washed about by the waves. Senpai's guitar had connected the blank stutters of the bass naturally, thus etching out a smooth line of melody.

When the song had ended, we remained silent for a long while. I could only hear the tape rolling on — and that too, was disrupted by the sound of the button springing up as the tape reaches the end. Once the recorder had quietened down, all that's left were the sounds of the waves and the insects, as well as the occasional roars of the passing cars from afar.

"You should be the one to sing this song." Senpai said softly.

"Eh? But…"

"So that's the nature of the song huh… but why didn't I realize it? Even though it's a song that's written by me."

Senpai leaned the guitar against the table. After rubbing her eyes with her fingers, she looked at me. Perhaps it was due to the backlights, but it seemed like her eyes were slightly wet.

"Umm… Senpai? Are you angry because of how I had rearranged the song and lowered its pitch?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not angry! Ah, geez, can you stop talking to me with the voice that you use when you sing? Just stay quiet for a while, or I won't be able to control my urge to hug you tightly!"

I immediately quieten down. I could feel my throat burning up in an instant.

"In any case, this song belongs to you. You will be the one singing this on our next performance. Alright?"

Senpai's gaze remained fixed on my body. I could only nod my head slightly. I heaved a slight sigh. Senpai finally broke her sight off me, thus returning me my freedom.

"Why didn't I notice it sooner? It will not do if we are to use my voice. No wait, perhaps I have already noticed it a long time ago…?"

I suddenly recalled what Weiss said. That… which means… is it really that?

"… Weiss, she…"

"Hmm?" Senpai turned her head to face me. Her eyes were slightly red.

Should I ask it or not? The thought streaked past my head suddenly. However, for some reason, I couldn't stop myself from saying it.

"Weiss said something like this before. That each and every single song that is composed by Senpai is to be sung by a guy. Is that really true?"

With that, I lifted my head upwards to look at Senpai. This time round, there was an obvious gloominess appearing on her face, just like the dark skies prior to the ncoming downpour. Senpai then used a slight smile to force away that gloomy expression on her face, and said in a murmuring voice, "She's a really sharp girl."

Senpai smiled lightly, and raised her head to look into the seas of stars scattered across the night sky.

"There used to be this person in the third band that I was in. I thought he was my Paul McCartney, but… I was wrong."

I forgot when it was exactly, but Senpai said something like this before — John Lennon had Paul McCartney, someone whom he could call his 'other half'. Similarly, Senpai is looking for her own Paul. There used to be someone who stood next to Senpai — a guy. Which means that even till now, all the songs written by Senpai are still bound by his voice?

"In any case, that person is no longer around. Everyone will gradually leave me, away from my side." Senpai grabbed onto her exposed shoulders as she whispered that out.

I trembled from the strange chill that I felt. From the side, Senpai's face seemed like it was shrouded by a patch of dark clouds. Everyone will leave. The bands which Senpai used to be in had all disappeared as well. Senpai used to say these things half-jokingly with a carefree expression on her face, as though she didn't care a single bit about them. But, if she really didn't care… she would not be showing such expressions on her face right now, right?

"… It will be fine." Upon hearing me say that, Senpai turned her face slowly towards me. Her eyes were like melting glass.

"It will be alright this time round. We won't disappear. I mean, this is the band that Senpai started by herself!"

"That's true, but… things are going on too smoothly, and that causes me to be afraid. The thought of the fellow members leaving me one by one — the thought of me being left alone yet again. I'll be uneasy whenever I think of those things. It should be fine if I don't think about those things, but I know very well — I know that people will easily, very easily, just disappear someday suddenly and never return. Those things have been happening again and again, and so…"

"Sen… pai…?"

Kagurazaka Senpai quietly placed her hands onto the silent recorder that was on the table. Her hands were trembling slightly.

"So I've decided to keep moving forward. Be it the training camp or the live performance, I'll decide everything by myself. I'll have to act one step faster in everything… so as not to suddenly wake up from this beautiful dream."

I could no longer say anything.

People will easily disappear one day all of the sudden — that's something that even I know. But even so, I could no longer come up with anything to say to Senpai. If the overwhelming confidence from her that's pulling all of us forward is nothing more than an act and a farce, then the actual source of power that is accomplishing everything is just something that is incredibly depressing.

"How strange…"

The smile that appeared on Senpai's face was like the pale white skies that are signalling the arrival of dawn.

"I actually said everything out loud. Perhaps it's because I feel at ease. Perhaps this time, it will really be okay."

"… It will be fine." I could only repeat that line. "We won't leave you. I won't leave you."

"Mmm, that's right. I think I have already found the Paul McCartney that belongs only to me."

"… You mean… Weiss?"

Senpai stared hard at my mouth. A strange expression of her half in laughter and half in tears appeared on her face briefly. And it changed into a dumbfounded expression shortly after.

"Comrade Aihara is always saying that you are an idiot and a dense person…"

Dammit, she's actually talking behind my back… umm, no wait, did I… just say something incredibly stupid?

"You're really an inconceivable guy! Should I say that you're sharp or dense? It's not you pretending that you don't know, right?"

"Umm, sorry, you mean —"

"— Paul McCartney's a bassist, right?"

"Ah…"

Senpai's words continued to echo in my head. For a moment, I couldn't understand the meaning behind those words. It was till I felt the warmth of Senpai's hands covering mine, that I finally understood.

"Umm, well… but…"

"But — what?"

Senpai moved her face closer. Her smile was returning back to the normal, confident one. As for me, I looked incredibly embarrassing — it was as though my strength was totally sapped away from me.

"B-But I'm not that good with my bass…"

"Mmm, I know that. You'll have to practice harder in order to become my pillar."

"I can't compose as well as Senpai does…"

"For someone who snatched my melody from me and thoroughly converted it into something of your own, you sure know how to talk."

"Ugh… but…" Why was I forced into such a predicament? I was getting more and more confused.

"But I should be the treasure or something right? I can boast about things if I want to, but all I've really contributed is getting Weiss into the band. After that…"

"Didn't I say it before? I had my attention on you right from the beginning."

You did say that…

Senpai increased her grip on my tightly clenched fists.

"I had found you from among the hundreds of articles that your mother had written, you know? If that isn't something special, then the rest of the encounters in this world are nothing more than just a small accident."

Senpai continued talking while staring at me from the side. My heart was beating faster and faster.

"It may be just an excuse when I asked you to invite Weiss Schnee into the band. In actual fact, I'd have ways of accomplishing it even if I were to do it personally. However, I wanted to let you do it. You do understand what I am saying to you, right?"

Of course I do. What if she's not using me to get Weiss into the Folk Music Club, but the other way around…? No wait, but… is this person being serious? Her face was close enough to be nearly touching the tip of my nose, and her expression had returned to that of a schemer who plays around with me in her hands. Perhaps the tears that she had shown me earlier was all just an act! With my mind in chaos, I could no longer pry my eyes away from Senpai's lips.

"Are you… serious?" I finally squeezed those words out of my mouth.

"I'm serious all the time." Senpai moaned sweetly.

Just then, I could hear a pa sound coming from behind Senpai. I quickly moved myself away from Senpai, and had nearly fallen off the chair in the process. I then stood up with the aid of the table. It's all because I saw the white silhouette of someone behind the glass door. That person had given up trying to shut the door that was left ajar. With her hair swaying close to her body, she was about to make her way back to the hall. It's Weiss.

I brushed aside the chair and made my way through the balcony swiftly, and squeezed in through the slit of the glass door. What's the reason for me to be that anxious? I had no idea at all.

"Weiss?" As I shouted that, the person in her pajamas with her back facing me stopped making her way up the spiraling staircase.

"… The bathroom's empty. Go and have your shower."

Her voice sounded really stiff. She didn't even spare a look at me. Why? Did she happen to hear the conversation between Senpai and me? How much did she hear?

"… Weiss"

"So I'm just an excuse."

"Eh?"

"Nothing."

Weiss then ran up the stairs, rushed straight into her room, and slammed the door shut. The echoes rang through the ceiling of the hall. I could only stand by the side of the drum set and stare blankly at the silent door that had swallowed Weiss. The door of the room next to Weiss's opened up into a small slit, which revealed the sleepy face of Chiaki's.

"What's happening? Anything wrong?"

I shook my head. Since I couldn't bring myself to look straight at Chiaki, I could only fix my gaze at the door of Weiss's room. The sounds of footsteps as well as the scrapping of the closing door came from behind me. However, I remain rooted to where I was, and could not turn my head backwards at all.

(◕ω◕✿)

It was almost ten the following day, but Weiss was still in her bedroom.

"It seems like she's already awake. I just heard the sounds of her changing."

Senpai said that in a depressed manner. Hey, there's another room between yours and hers! There has to be a limit to how sharp your ears can be!

"Even if it's at the other end of the school building, I can still hear the sounds of the girls changing!"

"Geez! Is that what you've always been doing when you were skipping your lessons?"

Upon hearing Chiaki say that in an angry tone, Senpai looked downwards miserably.

"But… it's always at the most crucial times that I miss hearing things. Just like then. If only I noticed that Comrade Schnee was done with her shower…"

Back then? But I don't think Senpai was in the state to be worrying about anything else back then. Moreover, I was the one who was facing the hall, and I didn't notice Weiss was there till there was sound coming from the glass door. It felt like I had done something shameful — but I didn't do anything wrong that would make Weiss angry! I didn't, right?

"Why is Weiss that angry?" Chiaki stared at Senpai and I as she tuned the tightness of the snare drum.

"It would have been much easier to deal with it if she was just angry. That was probably… her not being angry."

Senpai tilted her head slightly, before giving a sigh. Somehow, she didn't seem to be that worried. It was like I'm the only one who's worried sick, and that made me feel really uneasy.

After we were done with our breakfast, I decided to head to the second floor to check things out. I knocked on the door of her room. No response.

"…Weiss? I brought breakfast over."

I could feel that she was on the other side of the door. She just wasn't giving me any response. Back then, Weiss said… "So I'm just an excuse." Which means she had at least heard the last few sentences that Senpai said. She then thought that she was just an excuse for Senpai to get me into the band — no wait, that's not it.

"Weiss, please open the door. Let's have a proper talk."

Should things continue this way, Weiss may start thinking in the wrong direction. I gave up when the door to her room remained tightly shut. I then carried the tray of onigiri back downstairs.

"Is Weiss okay?" Chiaki asked. I shook my head.

"There's nothing we can do. Let's practice." As she said that, Senpai had already plugged her Les Paul guitar into the amplifiers, and was ready to go. Somehow… it feels like this person isn't concerned about Weiss at all. Am I thinking too much into it?

"Is Senpai not worried about Weiss?" Chiaki knitted her eyebrows.

"Of course I am, to the point where it feels like my body is about to be ripped apart. However… I know there's nothing much that I can do."

"Geez!"

This time, it's Chiaki who ran up the stairs.

"Weiss, did something happen? Did that stupid Naruto say something terrible again?"

Chiaki's voice traveled down to the first floor. She said in the same ridiculing tone that she uses when she teases me. But this time round, it felt really uncomfortable — as though there's something stuck in between my ribs. In the end, Chiaki made her way back down dejectedly.

"She didn't even say anything."

Chiaki sat down on the chair of the drum set, and sighed in the direction of the hi-hat's pedal.

"The training camp ends today…"

"We still have some time left before Kakashi-san comes over to fetch us."

With that, Senpai gently plucked one of the strings of her Les Paul guitar. It may have been just me thinking too much, but that sentence of hers felt really cold.

"Which song shall we practice? Songs from The Eagles again? Since Weiss's not around."

"Nope. We'll be practicing on the new song." Senpai took a quick look at me.

The song… of yesterday? Chiaki and Senpai discussed how they should go about with the way the drums come in, but I was in no mood to play my bass at all. This is the first day that we'll be practicing this song as a band, and should we carry on with this and work on the song when Weiss's not around. Weiss's reason for being here may really just disappear. I covered my mouth when something came to my mind all of the sudden. Is that the reason… that is causing Weiss's uneasy feeling? She kept saying how she doesn't know her reason for being here. If that's really the case…

"Young man?"

"… Yes?" I raised my head in response to Senpai's call.

"We'll go with the full ensemble for the intro of the song, and play the first for bars grandly with a bam. We'll be using the same chords for section B as well. Well, something like that."

Senpai strummed her guitar gently to demonstrate it to me.

"The sounds of the cymbals will then die down, then it will be linked to the intro that you recorded on the tape yesterday. During the first repeat, the guitar won't be coming in as well. Okay?"

I nodded my head stiffly. How will Weiss feel when she listens to this song? For a long time, we couldn't agree on the composition of the song. It was then when Chiaki suddenly suggested.

"Why don't we remove the drums?"

I couldn't understand the reason behind Chiaki's suggestion — it would be too bland with just Senpai's guitar playing in the background. But since we can't make it work with the three of us playing at the same time.

Senpai suddenly lifted both of her hands up to stop us from playing. That was already one of the countless times that we had played the opening intro. Chiaki's drum sticks slid their way down the surface of the cymbals, which produced an uncomfortable scratching sound that filled the entire hall.

"… What's wrong?"

"Comrade Schnee has gone out."

"Eh?" I lifted my head to look at the corridors of the second floor that was located in the area high above us. She went out? If that's the case, we should have noticed the door of the room opening.

"She went out through the windows. That reckless girl." Senpai quickly turned down the volume of the amplifiers and switched it off. She then threw her guitar onto the sofa and dashed out of the door.

Out through the windows? There are trees close to the windows on the other side of the room, so it's not impossible for her to go down via the trunk of the trees. But… really? Chiaki was one step faster than me in making her way towards the stairs. Both of us ran up to the second floor quickly, which caused the spiral staircase to creak from our steps.

Chiaki opened Weiss's bedroom door, but there was no one to be seen. An opened briefcase was placed on the bed. We could see the layers of greenery swaying to the winds through the opened window. Chiaki leaned her back against the side of the door dejectedly, and slumped down onto the floor.

"Why is she doing such dangerous things despite her weak body…"

I could feel my strength leaving me. I sat on the handrails of the corridor weakly, and stretched out my legs. Just where is Weiss planning to go to? She even ran out barefooted. Dammit… is she going to disappear again without saying anything?

"Thank god Senpai realized it." Chiaki mumbled as she looked towards the opened windows.

That person must have been worrying about Weiss in her own way as well, that's probably the reason that we were only practicing the new song, right? Because the tone of that song is the quietest, which makes it the easiest for her to detect the movements on the second floor. Thank god she noticed it. But I didn't notice anything.

"What exactly happened? Are you not telling me something?"

It was only when I heard Chiaki's words that I lifted my head which was buried in between my knees. Chiaki bit onto her lower lips and stared at me earnestly.

"… Actually… I don't really know either."

"Why is you always like this!?"

"Sorry."

But where exactly should I start from? Somehow, it feels like I shouldn't tell her about the gloomiest part of Senpai's heart, even if that person is Chiaki.

"Weiss seems to be thinking that it's okay for the band even if she is not around."

"Mmm, I know that."

"And then… I think she overheard the conversation between Senpai and I… probably."

I explained to Chiaki what happened yesterday night. In order for her not to find out about Senpai's painful past, I was paying special attention to my words.

"Which means to say, Senpai used Weiss in order to get close to Naruto?"

"No, like I've already said, that's not it." Weiss was probably thinking the same thing as Chiaki.

"Senpai was already planning to invite Weiss. She just did so through me, even though she could've done it by herself."

Well, if you want to say it in a manner that is as blunt as Chiaki's, it would be — Senpai used me to get Weiss into the band, and in order to get me into the band, she manipulated me as well. There is no need for Weiss to be thinking too much into things. If only I had the chance to talk to her properly about it.

"I think Weiss probably knows that as well."

"… Huh?"

"So it's pointless to explain everything to her, because that's not what's important."

I took a glance at Chiaki's side profile. Behind her face, were the leaves and the branches of the trees that were rustling gently in the wake of the breeze. The gaps between the leaves had sliced the rays into multiple strands.

"The reason that Weiss's in the band is because of Naruto! Do you understand?"

I nodded my head hesitantly. Well, I've heard Weiss saying something like that before as well. She said she is following me because Senpai invited me into the band. However, Chiaki shook her head with a slightly sad expression on her face.

"… Naruto probably won't get it."

"Won't get what?"

"Think through it carefully, and find out yourself! I'll be very troubled if you don't realize it yourself."

Just as I was about to continue asking her about it, I could hear the sounds of the main door being knocked on. There's someone knocking on the door. I sprang up and ran down the stairs. Upon opening the door, I could see Senpai's exhausted face. Weiss was on her shoulders with her face pale and her eyes shut tight.

"What happened?"

Senpai dragged herself through the door while carrying Weiss on her back.

"She collapsed on the floor, probably from anemia. Comrade Aihara, clear out the space on the sofa."

Chiaki hastily removed the guitar. Senpai then laid Weiss's small body horizontally on the sofa. She then propped Weiss's legs up using the cushions, so that her head is at a level beneath her feet. Finally, she began loosening Weiss's collar.

"Young man, there should be some red tea in the fridge, right? Add some sugar into it, then warm it up with the microwave. Bring it here when it's done."

"Ah, right."

Just as I was taking the cup of red tea and walking my way out of the kitchen, Weiss's eyes opened slightly — though she still looked to be in a pretty bad shape. Senpai knelt down next to Weiss's face. As for Chiaki, she was peeking at Weiss's face from behind the sofa.

"You were running about recklessly without eating your breakfast, right?" Senpai said gently as she touched Weiss's cheeks lightly.

"Do you want to drink this? You'll feel better if you do."

Senpai took the cup from me. Weiss bit on her lips and shook her head when the cup was held close to her face. Senpai slowly placed the cup on her mouth and took a sip of the red tea. She then got close to Weiss's lips —

"— Hey! Hold it right there!"

"… Mmm, mmmmmm!"

With her hands being grabbed onto and her shoulders pressed down, Weiss had no choice but to accept Senpai's way of feeding her through the lips, and she was even making some noise through her nose… Uwa! I knew in my heart that it shouldn't be something that I should be looking at, but I still stared at Weiss till she was done swallowing the red tea.

"… Fuu." Senpai moved her moist lips away from Weiss. She then licked them with an intoxicated expression on her face.

"Thank you for that!"

"What's with the 'thank you for that'!? What exactly is going through your head at a time like this!?"

I snapped at her without even thinking. As for Chiaki, she was covering her blushing face with her hands.

"I'm sorry. I finally had the chance presented to me!"

"Geez! Stupid Senpai!" Chiaki yelled.

Weiss's face was flushed red. She turned her body away and buried her face into the back of the sofa.

"It's an emergency… so I had no choice but to do it."

T-This woman here… I really couldn't come up with anything else to yell at her.

"Don't mind, Comrade Schnee. Just treat it like you were bitten by a stray dog, and forget about it."

"You aren't allowed to talk since you're the culprit behind all this!"

"Hey, there may be a next time if she forgets about it!"

"Behave yourself!"

Senpai patted me on my head when she saw me in my agitated state. Is she joking about it so as to alleviate the tense atmosphere? Or is she serious about everything that she just said? My head hurts just thinking about it. Just then, Senpai's cell phone on the piano rang.

"… Yes? … Hmm? Ah, mmm. Thanks, I get it… mmm, see you later."

Pa. After closing her phone, Senpai turned her head around to look at the hall.

"Kakashi-san's about to arrive. He just went past the intersection."

Chiaki and I exchanged looks for a moment, before looking at Weiss.

"Let's pack up and clean the hall! Comrade Schnee, you rest for a while. Young man, go prepare our bento. Kakashi probably didn't have his lunch as well. Seems like we don't have much time to spare, so we'll eat on the car instead."

Senpai placed her guitar into its case, and proceeded to pack the stands. Chiaki's sight landed on Weiss's yellow colored hair. After a while, she stood up, made her way to the drum set, and began packing the cymbals. It's finally about to end? Under such circumstances? I took another look at Weiss's back. Her frail, slender body remained motionless. In the end, I was unable to talk to her about anything. Weiss and I are still unable to communicate with each other properly.

But then… will everything be fine if we can communicate with each other through words? Chiaki said this: Weiss should know that, but it's not important. Which means, it's all because I didn't notice it?

(◕ω◕✿)

It's a little past noon when I heard the sounds of the engine from outside the door.

"Hmm? Why is everyone not tanned?" Kakash-sani stuck his head out from the driving seat of the SUV.

"We're not here just to swim, but to practice."Senpai answered while carrying the drums away from the terrace.

Weiss's still laying on the sofa, and Chiaki went to Weiss's room to bring her luggage down. I took their luggage along with mine and placed it in the SUV. Just as I was about to head back to get the rest of the luggage, Kakashi-san pulled me by my collar.

"Is there something?"

"Did you do something that you weren't supposed to do?"

He didn't seem like he was joking, and that caused me to fluster.

"Why are you asking that?"

"The mood feels really strange. Even Kyouko has become really meek."

He's really sharp… as expected from someone who has (probably) known Senpai for a long time already.

"We had a small quarrel."

"Well, that's to be expected, since you're the only guy around! I was thinking that this may not have been the greatest idea."

"It's probably not what your thinking."

"Nothing like that happened? But it's three-days and two-nights?" Kakashi placed his arms on my shoulders and asked softly.

"… Nothing." The things that he's referring to is probably… those things, right?

"That's even worse, right? That's not normal at all."

I was getting more and more confused about what he was trying to say. Just as I was about to walk through the door of the villa, I nearly bumped into Weiss, who was carrying the floor tom. Did she just wake up? She still looks like she's in really bad shape.

"It's better for you to continue resting." I was about to offer to help her with that, but she shook her head silently instead.

After ensuring that all the doors and windows were locked, plus checking that all power sources were switched off, I then locked the main door and passed the keys to Kakashi-san. It was already one o'clock. The weather felt cool though, as the skies were filled with clouds. Weiss was sitting between Senpai and Chiaki in the back seats. As such, I took the bento and sat down in the co-driver's seat.

"Kakashi-san, that was quite an impressive villa."

Senpai said that to Kakashi when the car hit the road after passing through the forest.

"I want to come here next year as well. The four of us together."

The four of us coming here together next year. Those words struck a chord somewhere deep in my heart.

"It's okay to lend you guys the villa, but don't ask me to be your driver again. I'm not that free — I'll have to rush down to the studio after this."

"You can just ask someone else to take over for you."

"How can I possibly do that!"

Kakashi rammed hard on the pedals, and a refreshing gush of wind blew in from the opened windows. I could catch glimpses of the glittering horizon through the trees.

"I'm ferrying three high-school girls, yeah? How can I ask someone else to do this? What will I do if something happened? Also, for nothing to happen despite being together with three girls — that's just embarrassing."

Somehow, it feels like he was directing that at me in a roundabout way. Did he notice? Kakashi-san shot a glance at me, and laughed with his shoulders shaking. And since he turned on the stereo immediately after, the conversation ended just like that. A cheap-sounding but warm timbre of the keyboard as well as the crisp sound of the guitar came from the speakers. It's Mötley Crüe's Home Sweet Home. Kakashi-san gave a huge spin on the steering wheel. The trees on our left disappeared along the bend, and what appeared before our eyes was the sea, as though it was bidding its last goodbye.

It was about four p.m when we reached home. Kakashi kindly drove each of us back to our homes. Chiaki and I were the last ones left in the car after Senpai and Weiss had been dropped off earlier.

"Ah, you can just drop both of us off here. We live close to each other," said Chiaki as she took the luggage out of the boot.

"Sorry for making you drive us home."

"It's on the way, so that's nothing! I'm heading down to Tokyo anyway." Kakashi removed his sunglasses and showed a wry smile. It's been hard on him. I mean, he only lost a bet.

"Kakashi-san, you'll be going to the live performance, right?" Chiaki stuck her head through the window of the driver's seat from outside, and asked.

"Live performance? We aren't performing together… Ah, you mean the live performance of Melancholy Wolf?"

"Yes! I've already got the tickets. I was really surprised when I saw you the day before yesterday."

"I'll make sure that you can recognize me from the stage. Oh, I'll throw a towel up the stage, so make sure you catch that!"

"Mmm!"

"Well, I'll be in your care during the secret gig too! Ah, we'll still meet each other again during our rehearsals, yeah?" Kakashi then moved his sight away from Chiaki and onto me.

"I'm really thankful towards you. Somehow, it feels like I can't lift my head in front of you."

"Forget about it!" Kakashi hammered me on my shoulders a few times.

"To be able to see Kyouko singing right before my eyes — that's more than enough for me."

I looked at the SUV as it left, and suddenly thought of something — just what is the relationship between Kagurazaka Senpai and him? He seemed to know more about Senpai than all of us, so he probably should have known her from her earlier bands or something?

"Naruto, I'll be heading back!" Chiaki's voice came from my back. I turned around.

"Well, next Monday? See you in school then."

"Yeahh."

Even though it's the summer holidays, the schools are opened during working days, so we can still use the club room. The live performance will be here soon huh.

"You must reflect on lots of things, alright?" After saying that, Chiaki ran past a turn at the intersection and disappeared.

Reflect… seems like I'll have to do some reflecting huh? But I had no idea what I should be reflecting on, so that's probably the first on my list.

"I'm back…" When I opened the door I noticed that Naruko's shoes were nowhere to be found.

"… Did she go outside this late?"

Dad was taking a nap on the sofa in the living room. He's quite enjoying himself.

After a bath at night, I was in my room sitting on my bed and staring at my cell phone. For a long time, I was fretting about what I should do. I already know Weiss's number, which means I can call her anytime I want to. If so, should I give her a call right now? There are a lot of things that I want to talk to her about — things like if she recovered from her anemia already, and some other stuff. I haven't told her about the new song, and Before I knew it, I had already pressed on the call button.

I placed the speaker next to my ears, and listened to the connection tone ringing repeatedly for a while. Just as I was about to give up and disconnect the call, I could suddenly hear a beep. A faint breathing sound then caressed my ears.

"… Yes?"

Weiss's voice sounded really fuzzy, as though it had come from the bottom of the swimming pool. Even the sound of the dogs barking sounded much clearer than her voice, despite them coming from a place much further away from the speakers. The scene of Weiss throwing the phone to the ground and burying her face in the pillow appeared in my mind.

"Umm… is your body alright?"

"… I'm fine." What a cold reply.

"Really… but you didn't even take a bite from the bento."

"I ate a little during dinner."

"Is your father… at Paris?"

"Yes. He won't be back anytime soon."

I had no idea what I should say next. The silence together with the background noise continued on for a while. I could even hear the exhausts of the car that was outside of her house. What's with the incredible performance of her phone? Somehow, the silence became even heavier.

"— Ruto…"

" — Weiss…"

Our voices overlapped with each other. It then became the situation where we couldn't speak again. What the hell am I doing here? Focus! Ain't I consciously aware of it already? We severely lack communication between the two of us.

"… It's about yesterday." I finally said it.

"It's about what happened yesterday night. I want to properly talk with you about it. The things that Senpai said."

There was a slight change to Weiss's breathing on the other side of the phone.

"You heard everything right? From where onward did you listen to?"

Should Weiss not answer, then there's no point in me going on and on by myself. I stared at the backpack on the floor and waited.

"Kyouko always had her sights set on you, right? Then she pulled me into the band in order to get you in as well."

"That's not it!" The pitch of my voice raise a bit.

"Senpai had always been paying attention to you as well. She had planned to get you into the band right from the start. I'm not lying. I heard this from Senpai: while on the roof of the school's building during a certain rainy day in June last year, she heard the sounds of a guitar coming from the courtyard. Remember? Book II of The Well-Tempered Clavier, where you skipped the fugue and played only the preludes. That was the first time Senpai noticed you, and from then on —"

"— I know that." Weiss suddenly interrupted my heated explanation.

"I know that Kyouko… really likes me. Because she's the sort of person who doesn't lie."

"Mmm. That's why…"

"But I don't care about those things at all."

"Why?"

"Sorry. It's not Kyouko's fault, and neither is it yours. It's just that I… don't know what I should do."

I had no idea what I should be doing either.

"I… had never once thought of joining a band, and I don't know anything about Rock. Even though Chiaki said it's fine to be like this, but… but I still…"

… The sounds of sobbing?

"As expected, I know that it won't do. I know that after last night. It's because… the band would be nothing to me if you're not around. It's just like how my existence is nothing to the band…"

"I won't leave the band. What are you talking about?" The things that Senpai said before suddenly appeared in my mind once again — people will easily, very easily, just disappear suddenly someday and never return.

"It's not that…" Weiss's voice was trembling.

"Because… you still have Kyouko, right? Even… Even if I'm not around…"

It's as if the later parts of her sentence were swallowed by darkness. And the last part of that sentence finally pierced its way into my heart.

"… Sorry."

After she hung up the phone, I could still hear the remains of her voice in my ears. It's as though I could feel her silky smooth silver-white long hair just by moving my shoulders a little. I still have Senpai… what does that mean? What exactly is she saying? 'Even if I'm not around —'. That's what she said. So that's where the problem lies. I had no idea how she had gotten herself in that place.

As I was musing Weiss words — Beep beep beep. My phone suddenly rang. I was about to check, but I realized I didn't receive a call but a message.

"Sasuke…" I left my room and went down the stairs.

"Strange. For him to send a message… normally if he wanted something he would just give me a call."

Very strange indeed. The message's header was Naruto, where do you think I am now?

… Like hell I would know, you idiot. I opened the message.

I'm hiding in my little sister's closet.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I immediately wanted to scold him. I couldn't imagine how he could get into that kind of situation. And to think he still sent me a message. He told me 'I'm hiding in my little sister's closet'. What was his intention? A confession of his shameful action? Or was he boasting? Anyway, I didn't want any connection with him right now.

I sat down in the middle of the stairs and replied. What the hell are you doing?

A few seconds later, Sasuke's reply came. I thought I was about to die when the phone rang (^-^;)

"So your little sister is in her room!?" What was going on on the other side? Anyway, at least turn off your ring tone!

Another message.

Wow… I almost was found out. But I turned off the ring tone.

Is there something wrong with your head? I ask again, how could that happen?

My little sister might have a boyfriend.

"…"

Somehow, I couldn't take my eyes off Sasuke's message.

What did you say?

Since Satsuki found out about the love doll that looks like her, she refused to talk with me.

You deserved it.

And yesterday, she told me that she got a boyfriend.

"…"

Then like something possessed me, I sneaked into her room to find some trace of her boyfriend. Suddenly she returned, so I had to hide in her closet. She is playing game right now.

"You said 'right now'!?"

It was serious trouble. If I were him, I would probably panic too. I could easily imagine myself in that state. Of course the little sister role was Naruko. Sneaking into Naruko's room, then hiding in her closet when she suddenly returned…She started playing eroge…oh my god! This is the end!

I don't know what to do now. Help me!

"Even if you ask me…"

If I'm found out, she will kill me!

Well, you could always walk out of her closet instead of waiting to be found out. Of course, I doubted that she will speak with you ever again for the rest of your life. Or maybe…

Beep beep beep beep…

Not good Naruto!

… What happened?

Did Satsuki find out?

There is a leather suit in Satsuki's closet. How could she get that…

Aren't you the one who bought it for her?

Right! I forgot!

How about you just let her discover you!?

I felt I was getting more and more stupid for chatting with him.

Now that you mention it, when can I watch the DVD box with the actress that looks like Karin?

What? Doesn't that thing belong to me only?

Don't be ridiculous! —! \(`д '#) ノ, I'm the one who paid for most of it!

Do you want me to call your little sister and tell her to check her closet?

You… you! Bastard!

Think about it. You could escape from that situation with just 980 yen. Isn't it a small price to pay?

What do you have in mind?

I will call your sister and lead her outside.

Damn right! You are so smart!

You are an idiot. I thought that's the reason you messaged me in the first place.

Fine! Do it!

OK

Now, Satsuki's number was… but when I just about to search her number, Sasuke sent another message.

Wait a second! Satsuki has started moving!

Wait? Wasn't Satsuki playing game?

Sorry, but I don't think I can help you to peek at your sister.

No, no. Satsuki just took out a picture.

Her boyfriend's picture?

She really did have a boyfriend? I couldn't believe it….

Damn I don't have a clear view! Say, Naruto, do you have any leads on Satsuki's boyfriend

I couldn't say that I had none. Like Shimura-kun. He seems like he had special attention toward Satsuki. I once heard him say 'What a cute girl'. He even told me 'Do you want to be her supervisor', like he wanted to warn me to stay away from Satsuki… just…after Satsuki's reveal, he got scared shitless. I don't know what he thinks about Satsuki now.

I can't say that I have none, but it isn't enough to draw a conclusion.

… Now that I think about Sasuke's situation. Naruko told me too she have a boyfriend not long ago. I sat down on the stairs and took another look at the front door.

"Naruko… still hasn't come home yet."

But even if my sister got a boyfriend, I didn't have any special feeling about it. From the depths of my heart, I thought that Sasuke was an idiot pervert, but…

Say, what will you do if your sister got a boyfriend?

I WILL KILL HIM! He said that.

Kill him!? Ha ha, good choice! Even if Shimura liked Satsuki, all that awaited him was death. He had to accept that his girlfriend is a fujoshi, her brother is a siscon. What a poor guy.

I felt a little better, and continued, Yeah, but Sasuke, what about your sister?

Right after I sent it away, I immediately regretted that I said something so vague. But if Sasuke is an older brother like me, he probably should be able to understand. No matter what, little sister is little sister. Someday she will have a boyfriend, then get married and leave her brother's side. She will no longer need her brother to protect her. Although it wasn't because of her boyfriend, my sister almost reached that status once — but I didn't like that, so I ran to America and brought her back home. But… for Naruko, it was too soon for her to become independent. It's just a matter of time. Someday, I will turn around and find out she's disappeared. Do you understand Sasuke?

I understand. But I will still beat her boyfriend up. I will definitely do it if she got a boyfriend!

What kind of brother are you? I was surprised.

You damn siscon! You'll beat her boyfriend up because of your jealously?

Mind your own business.

Naruto, I never said I 'only want Satsuki to be happy' – I couldn't say something cool like that. To see my little sister be taken away by someone else, I couldn't bear watching it. I do understand what you meant, but I couldn't accept it.』

"… Really" You couldn't accept it, huh? I gave up. Really — I couldn't believe someone like you existed. To be able to say your honest feelings so easily.

I looked up. In front of me was my home which I had lived in for 16 years. Above this stair case was my room and my sister's room. Nothing could remain unchanged forever, but I've accepted that. I once thought that my life could 'remain unchanged forever', and that was the best. But in just one year, that dream completely changed.

My sister changed me, Weiss change me. I had never thought that I would join a band and I never thought too would be willing to go to otaku event. But, like the previous year, I still hoped that my life could continue like that forever. Like… I had started to love this current life style.

Okay, back to the topic. What would Sasuke do? Even he could be a world-class siscon, but he surely couldn't think about 'love my little sister'. Because he should feel 'now is fine'. What about Satsuki? What did she think about her brother? What did she think about their relationship? And what about — Naruko?

"Ah, stop stop" I felt so uncomfortable.

Beep beep beep beep…

"Right right"

Must be Sasuke. Sorry, I forgot about you. You wanted me to call Satsuki and lured her away from her room, right? Good — leave it to me. I opened the message.

My little sister has found me (^0^)\

Looks like I was too late.

"Sasuke… I won't forget you"

(◕ω◕✿)

It was half past nine when Naruko got home. I still sat on the stairs deep in thought. So I was the first one to know.

"I'm home."

"Welcome home." I replied

Naruko came home in new clothes, which even I had never seen before. Her feet and shoulders were left bare. Where did she go in clothes like that? She was carrying her bag — she went shopping with someone?

"Tch, you already back? I thought you would stay longer there with that white haired bitch."

"Hey, don't called her bitch!"

"Hmph! Why don't you just stay there with her and never come back? You're an eyesore in this house!"

What a words to say… that showed how bad my relationship with my sister was. We just met and we already started arguing.

"… Anyway where have you been this late?" With a tired voice, I asked.

"It's none of your concern! And what are you doing sitting there? Get out of my way. You are blocking the stairs."

I wanted to ask her a lot of questions. But since I didn't know why Naruko was angry, I couldn't help it. A careless move will lead to another storm.

A few seconds passed in silence.

"… Gross." Naruko moved past me.

I don't know why… in an instant, an unknown chill crawled up my spine. Unconsciously, I turned around and caught my sister's wrist. Surprised, Naruko turned around.

"… It hurts. What are you doing?"

Why…am I holding my sister's wrist? I didn't know what to say. Because I didn't even know why I caught her hand in the first place.

"Let me go!" Naruko started to struggle.

I had no reason to hold your hand — yes, I knew that. But in contrast to my mind, my arm held firm, even applied more strength. Because Naruko pulled her elbow back, our distance shortened. Her face was right in front of me.

"Wait… it really hurts… you… what are you… what are you doing?" Naruko's voice was trembling.

"You…"

Maybe her anger suppressed her fear, Naruko's cheek reddened, she told me in a fierce voice, "What…what…"

"You… really got a boyfriend?" I said, my voice weak and broken.

"… Oh?"

Her struggling getting weaker and weaker. Maybe my question caught her off guard. After I said it — somehow, my arm loosened.

"It hurts …" Holding her reddened wrist, Naruko looked at me with teary eyes.

"… It hurts so much…"

"I-I'm sorry."

There wasn't anything I could do except apologize. Why was I acting this way, why did I say that — even now, I didn't know.

"… I wanted to make up with you… no, you should get angry. This is all my fault."

To think that I used violence against my sister… I really suck.

Naruko didn't say anything. I looked away. I was too embarrassed to face my sister's eyes. Will she verbally abuse me again? Will she hit me? I expected all that. But…

"… Haha."

I couldn't believe my ears. She laughed.

"… So that's it? You are jealous because your sister got a boyfriend? Ahahahaha! Gross! To think you could ask me with such a serious face 'You really got a boyfriend'!" Naruko's eyes brightened, she happily mocked me.

Why are you so happy? Weren't you just angry a few seconds ago? And I treated you… that way. I couldn't understand you.

I asked in desperation, "… So…do you have one? Or not?"

"Who knows~"

"Tch… I totally can't understand you."

"I also can't understand you." Naruko turned her back to me, "… Do you want me to introduce you? To my boyfriend."

Leaving behind such provoking words, she went into her room.

(◕ω◕✿)

On the following Monday, Chiaki and I had agreed to meet at my house before heading to school together. Some of the teachers-on-duty won't be at the school that early during the holidays, which means that we may not be able to draw the keys for our morning practice. That morning, we couldn't manage to find the key to our club's practice room in the key box.

"… Senpai took it?"

"It's probably her."

We confirmed that with each other.

Over the weekends, we tried to make several calls to Weiss, but she never picked up any of them. The two of us made our way to the back of the school building. When we opened the door, a series of intensive piano passages overwhelmed us, and that caused me to shield my face with my hands without thinking.

In the middle of the cramped classroom, I could almost see the grand piano as well as the silver-white long hair behind it that was swaying along with the rhythm of the melody — however, that was just a brief mirage. There's only a set of drums huddling in one of the gloomy corners of the room. In front of the mini amplifier to the left, was the back of someone together with her braided black hair. Kagurazaka Senpai was sitting on the round stool and listening to the piano piece, and she was almost sprawling over the speakers. The room was engulfed in heat since she didn't switch the air-conditioning on.

This… This song is…

"… Hmm? Morning, my fellow comrades."

Senpai turned around to greet us with a smile, despite her looking all worn out.

Chiaki pushed the dazed me aside, walked into the room, and sat down on the chair behind the drum set.

"Senpai, are you okay? You don't look too good…"

"Mmm. I've been listening to this song without sleep since last night. There's absolutely no time for me to relax and rest!"

Then just stop listening to it continuously? I closed the door and walked into the classroom, before switching on the air-con.

"What song is this? It's really incredible… is it really played by a human being?"

It really is played by a human being. I could tell just by listening to it — the person playing it is none other than Weiss. Senpai pressed her face against the speakers and continued listening to it in silence. Therefore, I answered in her place.

"The song's name is Islamey. It's the world's hardest piano piece."

"I see…"

But is that really being played by Weiss? I don't remember her releasing that piece before.

"This is played by Weiss, right? Where did you get your hands on that?"

"Young man, you can really recognize immediately if it's a piece that is played by Weiss!"

Because there's no one else who'd play it in that manner. This is not the fastest version of Islamey that I had listened to before, but… in any case, she had managed to allow the listeners to clearly discern the part where her left hand was playing out the notes that were moving up and down the scales, while maintaining a flawless tempo at the same time — and since Islamey is a dance-tune, her way of playing may actually be the correct way of doing it.

"This is an unreleased recording. I managed to get my hands on it after sneaking into Comrade Schnee's house last night."

"What the hell have you done!?" That is definitely a crime, isn't it!?

"I didn't steal this, yeah? It's already my second time sneaking into Comrade Schnee's house, and this time I managed to locate her room successfully. Though I didn't expect her to throw this tape at me in the moment of her fury. Seems like she's really unhappy about being seen by others while she is listening to piano pieces, so I said nothing else and got myself out of there as quickly as I could."

"Senpai, you really should be sent to jail, I'll bring along some tonics when I visit you." Chiaki's eyes were actually wet.

"Thank you. You are not to fall in love with anyone else while I'm serving my sentence, okay?"

"Mmm!"

"That's not funny at all! Stop fooling about, or I'll really call the cops!"

"Haah, young man is not the least bit poetic…"

That has nothing to do with being poetic or not!

Senpai ignored my protests, and picked up her guitar that was already connected to the amplifiers. After muting her guitar by applying the palm mute, she began playing notes with almost no intonation in them, and used them to gently accompany the chords that were repeatedly struck out by Weiss and played via the speakers. It's a sound that will make one feel like responding after listening to it.

Zun a heavy sound rang, followed by a delicate and brief triplet — Chiaki's drums began to join in as well, and she started off with the subtle beats of the ride cymbals together with the snare drums. As the melody of the piano moved into the climax, Senpai's guitar was roaring in response as well; as for the drums, it had transformed into a fervent tempo that is focused on the bass drums. I see, that does sound like the traditional dances of Caucasus — very passionate but unrefined.

I removed my bass case from my shoulders and leaned it against the wall, before sitting down on the cushion on the floor. Should there be no interruptions, the members of this band can just jam on non-stop for several hours, well, aside from me, that is. But looking at the current situation… can I include Weiss as well?

We're talking about something that is way outside of my territory — won't they get tired at all? Whatever. The recorded Islamey by Weiss will have to come to an end. I listened to it in a daze — the piece had lightly skipped through the slow part in the middle (but that's the part that I loved the most), and went straight to the back, before starting all over again from the beginning. W-Wait a second? That's not how the piece is supposed to be, right?

"What's this? Why is it going on and on forever?"

I couldn't help but stand up and interrupt their performance. Chiaki stopped her movements and stared at me with her face red. Senpai laughed and switched off the mini amplifiers.

"I didn't sleep a wink last night after returning home. After cutting and sampling the piece, I made it so that it will repeat on and on non-stop. With that, we can use it as a disco piece! The tempo of Comrade Schnee's performances are all very distinct, which makes them suitable to be used for things like this."

"Just sleep properly and stop doing these things! You look really horrible, okay!?"

"How can I possibly go to sleep when I didn't manage to have a proper talk with Comrade Schnee?"

I sank weakly into the cushion on the floor. That means that I was the only one who managed to speak with Weiss after the training camp?

"So, what's going on here? We have less than a week before our live performance…"

The performance is this Saturday. If this carries on…

"Comrade Schnee hasn't even practiced our new piece before. In any case, let's record it for now! Hey young man, begin with the preparations!"

"… Ah, right."

We burned the whole day to record that song. Since Weiss wasn't around, we couldn't decide on the actual arrangement of the song. We managed to fill up the thirty-minute tape by trying out various different arrangements.

"I'll deliver this to her," Chiaki said. "This is for Weiss, right?"

"Are you taking it there? Aside from the guards, there are two Dobermans in her courtyard as well. I suggest that you take the much safer route by infiltrating from the underground pipes or something."

"Can't we just visit her normally and openly!?"

"This is the map to the livehouse. We have a rehearsal on Friday, so remember to ask her to come!"

Senpai ignored me totally and passed the tape, scores and the livehouse's handout to Chiaki. As for Chiaki, she was staring at the map that was printed on the handout.

"So… she may not be coming here even once till Friday?"

"Mmm… that's quite possible."

"How can she do that!"

Forget about the rehearsal, she may not even appear on the actual day of the performance — all three of us knew of that possibility, but we just refrained from mentioning it. Should I follow along as well? Perhaps it will be better for Chiaki to go alone instead… since it seems like I was the one who made Weiss angry. Just as I was thinking of that, Chiaki grabbed me by my collar and said.

"Naruto, you're coming along as well!"

"Uh… mmm…"

"Don't you want to go?"

"It just feels like… she'll refuse to see me even if I go?"

"Why?"

"It somehow feels like I've pissed her off or something… she probably hates me right now."

"Senpai, can I punch him?" Chiaki turned towards Senpai to seek her opinion in the matter.

"If a punch is all it takes to solve his denseness, then all the psychologists in the world would be left jobless. Quit with your excuses and just go along honestly. You have an excuse for meeting Comrade Schnee as well, do you not?"

Senpai shot a glance at the corner of the room. I followed her gaze and looked in the direction as well. My backpack was stuffed on the very bottom of the shelf, and hanging on it was the recorder that I borrowed from Weiss. It had been there ever since the training camp was over.

"Yeah… I guess."

It won't do for us to remain in our current situation. I walked over to pick up the backpack.

(◕ω◕✿)

Even though the train station closest to Weiss's house is located at the fringes of the city, there were quite a lot of passengers getting on and off the trains here, as it is an interchange that links the JR and the private railways together. In front of the station is a leisure walkway paved out of red bricks, as well as a shopping arcade. I came here a few times to shop for my books as well. However, there weren't many people to be seen on the streets once we were about a hundred meters away from the station. The houses on our sides were gradually merging into the scenery of dusk.

We had braced ourselves to get lost, but it turned out that we worried for nothing. Weiss's house was incredibly large, to the point that we could easily see it even without confirming with the map. I originally thought it was a park with coniferous trees planted in it — but after confirming the utility poles that were around with the map on her cell phone, Chiaki said, "Mmm, this is it." We finally found a large black arching gate with inverted spikes on them amid the trees, and past the arching gate was a building that looked like a castle or something. So Jacques's that rich huh…

"Ah, there really are dogs in the courtyard! Ain't those Dobermans cute? There, they're looking in our direction!"

Chiaki stuck her hand in between the rails of the arching gate and waved hard at the black shadows that were sitting next to the flowerbed. What the hell are you here for? We then found an intercom and its button that's located at the doorpost at the side of the gate.

"Will the dogs come pouncing on us with their teeth bared if I press this button?" Chiaki asked.

"How's that possible!?" But even so, we dared not press on the intercom for a long time. What should we do if Weiss is the one who answers us? I'm not mentally prepared for that yet, and I don't know what I should say when I see her.

"Heh!" In the end, it was Chiaki who pressed the button. It felt like the black silhouettes of the dogs had moved a little, which caused me to hide myself behind the doorpost instinctively. A short while later, came the voice of a man from the intercom.

"… Yes? May I know who is this?"

"Well…" Chiaki pushed my face aside and spoke into the intercom, "Good evening, I'm Aihara. I am… Weiss's fellow club-mate, from the high school that she is studying at. She didn't attend today's practice. Thinking that she may be feeling unwell, we have came to visit her. We have some things that we want to pass on to her as well."

I was impressed with how Chiaki said all that fluently without the slightest hint of stuttering. She's lying about us visiting Weiss in fear that she is sick, but we do have things that we wanted to pass on to her, so they may actually allow us to enter. Chiaki's probably playing it by the ear — and as for me, what have I done here? I'll have to buck up as well!

"Please hold on for a moment."

The intercom fell silent with that coming from the man.

"Will Weiss come out?" Chiaki mumbled.

"I don't know." Then again, since Chiaki didn't mention my name just now, perhaps…

I sat down at the base of the doorpost. Even though the sun was on its way down the horizon, the asphalt still feels incredibly hot. I could suddenly hear the sounds of someone walking on the turf. I stood up immediately. There was someone walking through the spacious courtyard and towards the door. It's a middle-age man and he patted the Dobermans that had walked close to him, and made them sit down before he came to the door.

"Sorry for making you two wait."

He was an overweight man with balding brown hair, a large mustache, brown eyes, and wore a black-white butler outfit. The man walked out through a small door which was located at the side of the gate, and bowed to Chiaki and I.

"I am the person in charge of tending to the daily lives of the young lady. Despite having both of you traveling all the way here, my mistress is unable to meet you."

"Is she feeling unwell?" Chiaki took a step forward and asked worriedly with her brows furrowed.

"No. Mistress has instructed me to convey the message that she is feeling unwell, but I'm afraid that is probably a lie."

Despite his courteous mannerisms, his words were rather direct and straightforward.

"Master Jacques has overly doted on our young lady, which results in her being unable to listen to anything when her tantrum kicks in. I shall apologize to you two on behalf of my mistress. If there is anything that you wish to pass on to her, you can do so through me."

How should we respond with his speaking to us in such a solemn and serious manner? But as I was thinking up of something, Chiaki had already handed her the handout of the livehouse, the scores of our new song as well as the tape.

"Is that all? Did she not say anything else?"

From the tone of Chiaki's voice, it's as though she was about to cling herself on the butler man.

"No. Nothing at all."

"You should have told her my name, right?"

"Yes. I had told mistress that Miss Aihara and a boy had come over to visit her."

He didn't tell her my name, will Weiss know who that person is? Then again, I don't think there would be any other guy who would come looking for her, right? And that means… that she really is unwilling to see me?

"At the very least, Weiss can tell us that herself via the intercom, right?" Chiaki refuse to give in.

"Mistress has no intention of leaving her room at all."

"Then we shall communicate with pen and paper! Mister, please help us to pass it to her!"

"That's enough, Chiaki." I grabbed Chiaki on her shoulders and pulled her away as she was about to trouble the man further. I then lowered my head and apologized, "I'm really sorry. We have no choice but to trouble you to pass her those items. And also, please tell her that there's a rehearsal on Friday. Tell her to make her way down to to the place that's marked on the map at three o'clock."

"Yes. I will definitely convey that to mistress."

He didn't show the slightest smile while answering — what a strange person. As for Chiaki, she was grabbing me tightly by my arm and giving a soft whimper, just like that of a dog's… just give up already!

Just as I was about to make my way towards the station while dragging Chiaki along with me.

"Please hold on a second."

I turned my head in response to his call, and saw the man walking towards us in quick steps.

"Could it be, that you are actually Mister Naruto Namikaze?"

"… Eh? Yeah. That's me."

Chiaki looked at me in surprise, and then at the man.

"I see. I am sorry for calling you out all of the sudden. Mistress has always mentioned Mr. Namikaze."

Weiss… she always talks about me? Mmm, I think Jacques said something similar as well, but is that really true?

"… She always talks about me?"

"Yes. She says that you are someone who is dense, unreliable and mouthy. She will always gets angry whenever she is with you."

She sure doesn't mince her words!

"Yes, that's exactly how it is!" Chiaki chipped in.

"However, she frequently uses the term 'unreliable' on her father as well. Therefore, I think that may be her way of showing how dear the two of you are to her."

"Huh…?"

No, wait, you don't have to put it like that just to console me, yeah? In any case, I'm just a… just as I was acting all depressed, the man suddenly handed out his name-card.

"I am sorry to be introducing myself only now. My name is Klein Sieben. Please do not hesitate to contact me if it is anything related to our young lady. Honestly speaking, I am not too sure of how I should interact with mistress as well. I will be more confident in doing so if I have the chance to interact with Mr. Namikaze and her fellow schoolmates."

Mr. Klein continued to speak with us with the same emotionless expression and unfaltering voice. He passed a name-card to Chiaki as well. There was nothing about his position or the name of any company printed on the name-card — just his name "Klein Sieben" and his phone number printed on it. That accomplished just about nothing for your self-introduction, right?

"It is great to meet the two of you." Mr. Klein bowed again before making her way back to the mansion.

"… What a strange old man." Chiaki murmured as she stuffed the name-card into her pocket.

"But he should be trained in martial arts or something."

"Huh?"

"You see, his center of gravity is kept very stable when he moves. He's probably Weiss's personal body guard?"

What an Idiot. In any case, it's good to have someone who I can contact, and I may actually get to ask about Weiss's situation. However, it's only six days till our live performance. Is there really no other way left?

"So aside from the two Dobermans, we'll also have to take down that old man as well before we can see Weiss?" Chiaki said something really dangerous in a soft voice.

"Ahh I've had enough! I'll break in through the front!" Chiaki turned around. I quickly grabbed her by her shoulders to prevent her from walking towards the mansion.

"Let me go! I'm an elite dan in Judo, so there won't be any problem!"

"No way! A well trained Doberman dog is the strongest living creature on the planet!"

"But Weiss is really going overboard with this!"

Chiaki suddenly grabbed me by my collar, sank her leg in between mine and swept me off the ground. My butt landed hard on the ground. It hurts… when I raised my head, I could see Chiaki putting on a serious expression with tears in her eyes.

"We're actually bandmates! Hearing the palm mutes twice and the sounds of the hi-hat four times is all Weiss and I need for us to understand what the other party is about to do next, and that's the understanding that we have just from playing together! If we want to, we can even jam on for five to six hours consecutively, and yet Weiss…"

Chiaki knelt down to punch my shoulders — and it was a really weak punch.

"All Weiss thinks of is Naruto! Isn't… isn't that just unfair for the rest of us!"

She only thinks about me?

Chiaki's body relaxed all of the sudden. I caught her by her shoulders in order to prevent her from collapsing onto me.

All Weiss thinks about is me — is that really true? Perhaps it is. It's actually just a problem between Weiss and me, but it somehow escalated into something that causes feketerigó to lose her right wing, and is thus on the brink of collapse — there's still no changing Kagurazaka Senpai's cruel fate. It's really… sad.

"… Sorry." Chiaki said that with her head bowed low, and at the same time she stood up by pressing against my shoulders… is she crying?

"It's nothing. I'm not crying." Chiaki shook her head fervently. She left me by myself and began making her way back to the station. I hurriedly caught up to her, but I was hesitating if I should walk by her side.

"Chiaki, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm a elite dan in Judo, so I'm very strong."

That's not related at all, okay? Chiaki's voice was unnaturally cheerful. She hastened her steps to walk at a distance of about half a step in front of me, but she didn't turn her head back, which resulted in me being unable to continue our conversation.

(◕ω◕✿)

Weiss didn't appear in the club room the following day as well. Chiaki and Kagurazaka Senpai were actively discussing the tracks that we would be singing on the performance day, as well as what we should wear on stage. However, they didn't mention anything about Weiss

"I want to make the T-shirts of feketerigó. About ten of them."

"It will look really stupid if all of us wear the same shirt up on stage, right?"

"I'll be the only one who's wearing it. The rest of the band members will all get one each. As for the remaining ones, I'll sell them at four thousand yen each."

"That sounds pretty good. Let's start by designing the logo."

I sat in a corner of the room while hugging my bass, and looked at Chiaki and Senpai from a distance as they tried to come up with the logo in the shirt in a strangely enthusiastic way. That name is something that Weiss had came up with, so how did they manage to talk about it without feeling anything?

In the next moment, the two of them suddenly quietened down. They looked at the amplifiers next to the right of the entrance gloomily — the place where Weiss always stood — and that caused my chest to hurt.

I see. The reason for both of them to not touch their instruments and only chat is because… it's because there will be music whenever we're all together.

All Senpai needs to do is to signal with her eyes, and Chiaki will then twirl her drum sticks. Weiss will draw her eyelids back slightly and stare at the strings next to her hands. Next, the jam session will begin, and it will flow on and on, as though the concept of time didn't exist. And I'll be exhausted from trying my hardest not to be left behind in their wake. Should Weiss not appear during the rehearsal and the actual performance, then what should we do? A band with a member missing is not something as simple as four minus one is equals to three — it's almost equal to zero. Does Weiss understand that?

I couldn't help but lay my eyes on Senpai. Will she come up with something like she always does? Since she always scatters some weird seeds in places that I would never have thought of. And when Senpai noticed me looking at her, she showed a slight smile and waved at me. I shifted my chair next to the drum set, and sat down.

"Yes?"

"I'll just state this clearly — I won't be doing anything this time."

"Eh…?" Chiaki looked at me and then at Senpai with an uneasy expression on her face.

"Umm…" She's referring to the things about Weiss, right? But somehow, it's hard for me to say her name at a time like this.

"There's two reasons. One, should Comrade Schnee not show up here ever again, then it will be my win. Though this victory will be something that's helplessly sad and empty."

"What's the thing that you'd win?"

"Actually, that's not a result that I wanted. My victory should not be built on the loss of others. But it's not like I have a choice in that. While I am a revolutionist and a musician, I am also a woman in love at the same time."

What the hell is this person talking about? While I was dumbfounded from that, Chiaki took a drum stick and pointed it at Senpai's chest.

"Senpai, you've involved yourself in too many romances!"

"Can't help it, I was born like that! Romance takes up about eighty percent of me!"

"And the remaining twenty?"

"Thirty percent is lust, and ten percent is crushes."

"That's all the same, isn't it!"

"… There's an excess of twenty percent, right?"

"And the second reason - this is not my fight."

Don't ignore my question and just move back to the original topic as you wish!

"If it's for my victory, I'll resort to all means to plant the seeds of possibility everywhere possible, and wait for spring to come. However, it's your fight this time around. Just like back then, I won't mind lending you my helping hand should you need assistance. However, I won't be proactively doing anything."

I shifted my gaze away from Senpai's knees and onto the floor.

"… Since I am not a poetic person, can you please put it in simpler terms that I can understand?"

Actually, I had some idea about what Senpai was trying to say. It's probably something that is to be expected, and something that's important.

Senpai planted her hands firmly on my shoulders and said, "Come up with something by yourself."

Senpai's words penetrated through my whole body, all the way to my feet. I nodded my head slowly.

After a bath, I returned to my bedroom, and sat down next to my bed. On the desk was my cell phone, and next to the phone laid the tape recorder that I borrowed from Weiss. I didn't pass the recorder to Mr. Klein back then. I couldn't. It feels like if I am to ask someone to pass this back to Weiss, then there wouldn't be any more bonds between Weiss and I.

But when should I return this to her? Since I'm grabbing onto this without letting it go, doesn't that just prove that I'm a really useless person? There are a lot of things that cannot be conveyed by words alone — there really are a lot of things that we can't convey with just words. But why does it have to happen at a time like this? We are less than a week away from the live performance!

I grabbed my phone and made a call to Weiss. The connecting tone was cut of after ringing thrice, and I was directed to her voice mail. I suddenly felt a surge of anger in me when I heard the mechanical tone that asks you to leave a message.

"… Weiss? It's me. You shouldn't forget that I still have your mother's memento in my possession. If you don't come for practice, then I don't know what'll happen to it! And also, you better come for the rehearsal as well, so stop creating trouble for the rest of us already! That's all!"

I hung up the phone after saying what I wanted to say. Perhaps she won't hear what I said, but I can't stay head felt like it was burning. It's already night, but the temperature's still hot. I decided to just head to sleep. It was a few minutes later that I realized I had said 'your mother's memento' during the voice message. I rolled about on the wooden floor and felt like dying. Her mother's not even dead yet! Why did I say something like that!?

.

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