Me and Ai

Chapter 29: Almost Fell

Chapter 29: Almost Fell

The moment I heard someone's footsteps, I stopped playing and singing all of a sudden.

"Why did you stop all of a sudden? That sounded beautiful. You can really sing very well."

"I was just startled. Sorry..."

It was Masato-san. He came closer to the piano and looked over it.

"Did you compose that on the spot again? You don't have any music sheets with you."

I nodded. I then noticed that Masato-san was holding some music sheets.
"Are those music sheets? Are you here to practice? I'm quite done with the piano so you could use it."

"Actually, I came here because I thought you'd be here."
I was surprised. He was looking for me?
Masato-san went to the piano and placed the music sheets.
"I was hoping you'd be here because there's a song I wanted you to listen to."

"A song? Really?"
I happily sat down on the other end of the piano chair and listened to Masato-san's song. The song was really good in my opinion. It was beautiful...and...somehow the song makes my heart beat fast. As I listened longer to the song, I feel as though my face had gotten hotter and my chest has been feeling a certain pain. I don't know what this feeling is but...

Masato-san's song ended.
"So how was the song?" he looked at me and it seems that he's anticipating my reply.

For some reason, I couldn't bring my head up or dare to look at him straight in the face. I just kept my head down.

"Was the song not good?" he asked.

"No! I-It was beautiful...really beautiful. I loved it very much."

"I'm happy you liked it. This song...it was meant for you."

I couldn't say anything in return and kept my head down. I wanted to say something but nothing would come out of my mouth and I felt too uneasy. I just want to run away right now.

"Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, there is nothing w-wrong!" I stood up.

"I need to go now. It was a really wonderful song. Thank you very much, Masato-san."
I immediately left the room without looking at him. I just couldn't.

I need to calm down. I think I'll go and buy a cake in the canteen then I'll eat at a bench in the gardens. I looked out of one of the windows in the hall and the weather was good today so it's okay to eat outside. I reached the canteen and I immediately bought some tea and my favorite cake, strawberry shortcake, and went over to the gardens.

I enjoyed my cake and tea in the peaceful silence of the garden. The weather was really nice. It wasn't too hot or cold. I looked up and there were many white clouds in the sky; they were cute. They looked beautiful while they were all floating up in the sky.
I stretched out one of my hands towards the sky and ended up staring up for a while. The cool wind came by and brushed on me from behind.
Sigh. That was close. That was very close.
I clenched my hand, pretending to catch one of the clouds in the sky though I knew that I can't actually catch any of them.
Very close.

I almost fell in love.

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I heard from one of my classmates that today, we were going to have a group activity with class A. I decided not to go to class because I didn't feel like I was up to it. I told Hyuga-sensei that I was not feeling well and he took note of it. I'll just ask Syo and Ren-san about what I missed and copy notes from them.

I didn't want to stay in the dorm room the whole day so I decided to take an extra shift in Saotomate but I went as Kaoru since Kaori is supposed to be sick today.
I just told manager-san that I was free for the day and decided to work.