The presence of piano had always been there ever since Seijuro could remember. It had a strong memory linked to his mother. In fact, Shiori was the one that taught him how to play.
He used to enjoy every second he spent with that instrument because of her. Watching her play never failed to put him at ease.
It was such a long time ago.
Somehow, good memories were starting to blur, shaded by the night she left the world. It also marked the last time he truly enjoyed the presence of the instrument. Everything seemed to be so normal before that night. It never occurred to him that it would be the last.
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Akashi Shiori was watching the figure of her son earnestly, as he created a peaceful melody.
The redhead boy just finished some hours of studying so she thought playing the piano would be a good break from the dreaded lessons.
Music wasn't just about the sounds, it was about the feeling of the person creating it, hoping to connect to another person. It was what she wanted him to understand about it.
Her eyes were almost begging to close, the night had gotten late after all. She had this unusual tiredness despite not doing anything the whole day. It must be her sickness. It wasn't getting any better. Everyday felt like a ticking bomb, an hourglass where the end was nearing and somehow, she had a feeling it would be tonight.
Yet, the woman fought the urge of her eyes from closing. It might be just a matter of minutes but at least, let her see it.
"How was it, Mother?" the young Akashi asked, the redness of his cheek was lightly visible even from her dull eyesight. If ever…. if tonight would really be the last, that face would be the scenery she would want to carry with her.
Shiori smiled as she placed her hands under the blanket on her lap to keep it warm. "…It..." Ahh... "..It is so pleasant in the ears. I like it very much my dear."
The boy approached her and leaned forward a little. One fist clenched, and with amusement, he asked if she would like to hear another piece.
Shiori nodded. "Hm. That would be nice."
He was smiling from ear to ear. He must be enjoying the piano. She could tell by the sound of his voice. It felt like only yesterday when she first taught him the easiest piece she knew and now that she remembered, she wanted to hear that melody again. "Ah, Seijuro, could you play the first song you learned from me?"
Seijuro looked at the piano from behind, through his shoulder. "Yes?"
"Let's hear it then?"
A small frown crossed the boy's face, wondering the reason for the unusual request. They played it a lot of times during his early learning days to the point where it was almost irritating to hear. He was even planning to play something trickier than that.
Anyhow, since it was her request, he might as well grant it. Seijuro went back to the piano and began.
Her smile weakened as she gave up and closed her eyes completely. Though, she was aware that Seijuro was still playing and far from being over. Despite that, the sound was slowly decreasing.
Shiori tried to open her mouth but she struggled to produce a sound.
To breath felt like a drag even more. Part of her body was aching. The reality was getting closer. She knew it was almost time.
Realization hit her as the sorrow began creeping in. She didn't want him to see her in this state, with the image of her entire body deteriorating, not when he seemed to be enjoying the moment.
Please… just a little more… just till the end of this melody.
The boy glanced to his back, sensing a long silence from his sole audience. It was unusual. Normally, she'd be praising him, clapping a little, even humming, or something else and never quiet.
Little did he know, Shiori wasn't hearing clearly anymore.
Everything started to sound like a static noise.
"Is something wrong Mother?"
He seemed to have gotten up and went closer to her because if not, what would be the reason of the sudden warm sensation on her face? As if her cheeks had been cupped by small hands.
She huffed.
He must be calling for her. She knew he would. But she didn't have the strength to raise her hand anymore nor open her eyes but she refused to just leave it as that. With all her might and every remaining energy she had, Shiori forced her mouth to open once again. She beg her body one last time, at least allow her to speak. A little would do. Something to say before she go. Anything.
"I'll…be resting….for a while, Sei… my dear..." Haaa...
There was a drop of something cold and distinct on her cheeks. It could be only one thing.
You are crying, aren't you?
Please don't.
I'll be just here...
...may not be physically but know that I'll always…always…
"…always…"
…be here.
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It seemed everyone wanted the highest spot so much. They wished to excel in everything, be the best to anything and be the absolute one.
Why was that?
"As expected of you Seijuro..."
"That was only natural as my son."
"You're really amazing, Akashi!"
Amazing… The best… …Always the best…
For as far as he knew when he was young, it wasn't in his intention nor desire to be the best or no.1 of anything. All he remembered was he liked the feeling whenever his mother praised him. He liked the joy he saw on her face every time. It automatically sent happiness to his soul.
Now, it became the norm but he was no longer delighted. The constant winning became ordinary that he came to believe it was what meant for him. It was what his being was made for. His remaining parent was just a tool to make it happen. He didn't know since when he started thinking this way.
When did these words of praises start to mean nothing?
"Your academics are superb but you're still no match when it comes to house chores!"
Right, when he was young, there was that sole voice, always adding contradiction on to her praises. It was a good change, someone was reminding that despite all acclamation he received, he was still a mere human, not entirely perfect.
"Hotaru-chan, that is our job." Aoyama countered, darting an eye at the younger girl.
"Seijuro-sama, since you ace up your mathematics, could you teach me on my homework?"
"Hotaru-chan, I told you not to use Seijuro-sama's free time for your own good."
Had it always been this noisy? The boy wondered.
"I think it's fine, Aoyama-san." Seijuro interrupted the bickering of the two attendants.
"See." The girl smirked at the older attendant.
"But Seijuro-sama-"
"It's not like I have something I need to do. Furthermore, this won't take much time." He smiled a little.
Indeed, there were still moments that could make him smile even when he thought nothing would matter anymore.
Was it because of that new kid?
The young Akashi started scribbling the equation together with the detailed solution of a certain math problem that Hotaru had been staring for eternity.
The way he did it was like jotting down something that he already knew. No stop done. He didn't even pause to think. His hands just moved smoothly against the notebook and before she knew, there was his voice saying "—and that is how you solve it."
Hotaru was left nodding in awe. It was true that seeing the answer of a problem she didn't know being cracked down was amazing. However, more than anything, she thought Akashi Seijuro was more amazing. "You're….really amazing…Seijuro-sama." the girl said, completely astonished. "How do you do that?"
Akashi smiled, resting his chin above the surface of his knuckle. "I just study."
Hotaru blinked. The way she twisted her facial expression was as if saying 'How boring', it made Akashi smile a little.
Regardless, the girl copied the solution, trying to understand how the formula could magically show the answer.
After a few while, Hotaru suddenly snapped and looked at the boy. "Seijuro-sama, you joined the basketball club right?"
"I did."
A short silence from the girl. She knew how passionate her superior on that sport. Though she was happy for him, she wondered how he would be able to do all that. She might have his schedule everyday, but on her memo, all that was written during his school time was school duties and nothing more. Who knew how many duties were in that?
It was time like this she wished they were on the same school. Unfortunately she didn't pass the entrance exam in Teikou. This served as a lesson to study harder so that in highschool, she'd be able to be with him all the time, providing support in these school duties.
"…so, did Seiiuro-sama meet new friends?"
The boy paused for a second, as if she somehow managed to hit a spot in him. His eyes looked outside, through the window on their front. "I'd say ...I have few."
Hotaru smiled to herself as she continued with her writing. "Why only few? Did they freak out when they found out that Seijuro-sama is Seijuro-sama?"
Akashi pulled his brows up. Was that the case? "They probably did." He remembered one scenario from his classroom during their introduction. The moment he mentioned his surname, some of his classmates, also teachers, were surprised to have the heir of that famous company to be in their front. Somehow, that affected how he was treated. It felt the same, as when he was at the mansion where everyone was obviously careful in interacting or talking to him.
However, in his new club, things were different. Maybe the members were too focused in the training and practice to be bothered with someone's family background.
Inside the club, he was viewed as a mere freshman and he wanted it to remain that way.
The knowledge about his family might not be the talk of students inside the clubroom, rather than that, the center of the discussion was the intense talent that he had. A freshman who only joined the club was already included in the first string .He had showcased superb skills in terms of physique and strategy after all. He was like a living proof of perfection.
Was that a good thing? It undeniably was.
However, people started putting so much expectations at the boy. So much… so much…. even though, technically it should be too much for a freshman. ' Since it's Akashi, that should be fine.' they would say.
Somehow, a short sigh escaped his mouth.
Hotaru wouldn't be considered as doing a great job as his personal attendant if she didn't recognize the weight of that sigh.
She stopped her hand, did a quick twirl on her pen and looked at him. "I really like you a lot, just the way you are, Seijuro–kun." She grinned widely at him, mimicking how fellow classmates normally addressed one another.
The boy was somewhat surprised upon hearing the unusual honorific from her. No one in the mansion addressed him that way. "Seijuro-kun?" he repeated, in a mumble.
The girl nodded. "Well, I might be here because of your family but know that I'm staying because of you. I really like to call you by that but Aoyama-san would turn into a dragon if I do." Her forefinger was kept in front of her mouth. "Keep that as a secret. Okay? It's a one-time try only after all." she grinned again.
Akashi blinked before smiling a bit, "Uh, hm."
"This few friends of yours, how are they? Are they treating you properly? More like, who is the closest to you? Do you hangout with all of them?"
"—You wrote the wrong answer Hotaru." Akashi noticed.
"Ah! Right!" The girl frowned, his attention to detail was amazing as well, even though they were talking about something, he was still paying attention to her notebook. Hotaru erased the wrong part and re-wrote it again.
"Let's see…" Akashi began. Hotaru thought it would be about her math homework until he continued, "Midorima… I guess he is the one I get along with the most." His forefinger curled under his chin.
Midorima…
"We often play Shogi."
To think there would be a middle-schooler like him who would be interested in that board game was nice. That was a convincing reason as to why they got along.
"Uh, Murasakibara is quite the handful type but if he would be given his favorite snacks, he can be motivated." Akashi went on, the sides of his lips tracing into a quite cheerful face by mentioning and describing these friends of him. "And then there's Aomine… though, I rarely speak to him but he is a good person. I always find him close to Kuroko."
Murasakibara, Aomine, Kuroko….
"Kuroko is not the typical sportsman. I would say... he is a very special player with unique skill and style."
Unknowingly, Hotaru stopped once again. Her attention was glued at the redhead, imagining the faces of the people who had been playing closely with him.
"Then, Kise. He just joined the first string and is also a beginner. Though there's no denying that his skills are comparable to those who have been playing for years."
"The club manager, Momoi. She is Aomine's childhood friend."
Akashi blinked and looked at the girl.
Hotaru pulled her head back. That's it? Done? "Senpai, what about Senpais? No senpais?"
Akashi slanted his head and gave it another thought.
Maybe that person? He was the captain after all. As a vice captain, he had a good relationship with him. So maybe it could fall on the friends category as well. "Then... Nijimura-senpai."
There, a senpai. Hotaru smiled and waited for more information.
"He's the captain."
She pressed her lips into a thin line. Maybe he was closer to those first six people he mentioned than this Nijimura-senpai.
Hotaru leaned her elbows on the table. "Ah uh..."
"I often hear them talking about their plans after club activities. Last time they had ice pops in a nearby convenience store."
Ohh. "So you hang out with them?"
"No, although they invite me sometimes."
Hotaru frowned. "But why are you not going with them?"
Akashi looked at the girl, as if wondering why she was asking that question. She should know the reason for that already. "You know that I cannot. I would love to but I don't have the free time." he stated.
Ah what an idiot she was. She bit her lips and ducked her head, paying a sudden attention back to her math problems. By then, as if the time slowed down, even the crooked ways on how she wrote the kanji of her name in the notebook became easily noticeable by her eyes. Suddenly she wanted to erase and redo it.
"I've been thinking... after club activities, say I have 1 hour free time before my private tutoring at home, going home would require an approximate 45 minutes and then I would need 10 minutes of reviewing, that would leave me a free time of 5 minutes. How would I fit that short amount of time in to joining them? What do you think, Hotaru?"
She knew that. She was aware of that. Right now, she just wanted to speak to him as a fellow middle schooler but seemed like there would always be instances where Akashi Seijuro wouldn't be just the usual middle schooler.
"T-that's right..." She mumbled and to lift up the atmosphere, the girl forced out a smile doing her best not to show any hint of mellowness at the redhead. He knew his duties very well, being the only heir of the family.
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The next day came and Hotaru unusually arrived home late. Of course, she earned quite a word from the head attendant. Either way, she just took it all and placed it at the corner of her mind, assuring Aoyama that it wont happen again.
After changing to her working clothes, she immediately went to the room of her superior. One knock was enough to inform about her arrival.
Upon entering, she greeted him with a plastic bag containing different flavors of ice pops. While grinning from ear to ear, one arm stretched towards the redhead, the plastic bag almost touched his chest.
"What is this Hotaru?"
"Oh, I just happened to pass by at this one store and found these discounted ice pops. Would you like some? I think I purchased more than I could eat."
Akashi blinked. He was not that clueless. He could tell that she intentionally bought a lot.
She came rather late than usual. Also, this brand of ice pops would never be on sale since it was quite on demand. Moreover, the name of the convenience store written in the plastic bag was the one located opposite of her way home. To say that she happened to pass by that store would be an obvious lie. Her middle school wasn't on that way either. And her face, she seemed to be exhausted as if she just had a marathon somewhere.
Was it because of yesterday?
He noticed it all but chose not to say anything. That was some effort she put in there and he wouldn't really consider it as a bad thing. In fact, somehow, he appreciated it.
Akashi sighed. "I would prefer the vanilla one, if you don't mind."
Her grin turned into a wide smile. "P-Please do so."