#verse i — ❛ let's be friends ! ❜ | utdp

[ultmelodies]

Continued from here: ♡ @ultimatexdetectivexsaihara​ 

One moment you're in a concert, preforming to the best of your abilities, and then the next thing you know, thugs have taken you hostage. Kaede was slowly starting to curse being an ultimate. All she wanted was to play piano, not whatever she was ropped into. It didn't help her case that they threatened to hurt her if she didn't out with whatever they wanted to know.❛ I-I told you, I have no idea what you're talking about-! ❜  It was starting to get rather scary, with how impatient they were starting to get. Honestly, had Shuichi taken any longer to find them, maybe she would've been hurt. So, his tears were justified. Seeing him break down, she couldn't help but hug him. Even she was scared, but right now, her top priority was calming him down. A hand rubbed his back for comfort, as she contiuned to hush him with a gentle, soft tone. She was shaking, she was scared... But being here, in his arms, she knew she was safe. �� Shh... Shuichi, it's ok. Don't focus on what didn't come to be, okay? Focus on me instead. I'm okay. I'm here... ❜  She reassured to the best of her abilities. It hurt to hear him cry this way, but... This all proved how much she meant to him. He wasn't scared to face those guys on his own, he was so brave... What scared him more was losing her. To her, those weren't signs of weakness, it were signs of strength. He's come a long way, facing his fears for her sake. He's gotten more confident, and she couldn't be more proud than she already was.  ❛ Sweetheart, I love you... Shh...❜  She reminded him, feeling like it was necessary- He deserved to hear it, it'll hopefully calm his heart down.

[ultmelodies]

❰❰ CARESS ❱❱

from this meme!

❛ O-Oh-! ❜

It took her off-guard, suddenly feeling his palm on her cheek. Perhaps she looked really peaceful in his arms while reading a novel together that he couldn't help himself. Not like she could blame him, she would've done the same. Though, the action itself made her heart flutter, especially when he caressed her cheek. She couldn't help but giggle, leaning to his hand while placing hers on it, a blush spread across her cheeks. She looked up at him with a smile, content to be in his embrace and soft touch. How lucky... ❛ Aw, what's up ? Did my face hold you captive or something ? ❜

[ultmelodies]

continued from this: ♡

@ahogedetective

She couldn't help but pout. She told him to be careful... He ended up injured regardless. And it was a rather nasty injury, too! Worriedly, and sloolppily, she found herself tending to the bite wound the dog has inflected on her friend. ❛ Jeez , even though I asked you to take care. . . ❜ She couldn't help but scold slightly— Out of worry, of course. She kept cleaning the wound with cotton as he talked, her head shook to his words and she greeted him with a smile.

❛ Seriously , Saihara-kun , don't mention it. I'm doing what I can do , after all. You're no trouble to me at all ! ❜

She reassured the other, having finished cleaning his wound. She felt hurt staring at it. Sure, it wasn't hospital worthy, but it was still ugly. That sounded like one aggressive dog. She wondered if the owner is the same? After all, they say pets take after their owners... Probably not, but that's no excuse to go biting poor Saihara!

Hearing him wince in pain wasn't pleasant, but it's not like she had a choice. And she really didn't want him to feel hurt. ❛ Sorry , sorry. . . Please , try to endure it. I'm almost done. ❜ She occasionally apologized everytime he hissed, reassuring him she was almost done taking care of his wound. Now that all that was left for her is to warp it around in bandages, she turned around once he spoke to her again. She somehow managed to keep up a conversation while working, or maybe she's gotten good at multitasking, being able to play piano while reading the sheets flawlessly. Her eyes would occasionally glance at him and then back at his arm, as she shook her head once more. Repaying her? That felt like too much. She's doing what she has to do as a friend, she really didn't deserve much. Once she finished, she let a out a little ❛ Aaand , done !  ❜. His arm was patched up, so now she can respond to him with her usual chipper and friendly smile.

❛ Again , don't apologize. You don't have to repay me at all , Saihara-kun. I appreciate the though, but I'm just making sure you heal faster. You being okay is enough of a payment for me ! ❜

[ultmelodies]

"don't panic. it's not my blood."

♪ from protective prompts ! ♪

Japan , despite being advanced- Was never the most safe place. Especially not when you're a teen with potential. Being an Ultimate came with risks , for sure. When you're in a government-funded school , you'd be an easy government-pressuring target.

She didn't know she'd be perused , that's for sure.

On her way home , a suspicious black van stopped a few feet behind her. It did cause her to freeze in place at first - Trying to process what that was. ❛ H-Huh. . . ? ❜ Part of her knew the answer already , but her legs just refused to move due to the amount of disbelief she felt - To be in a predicament such as this. Time does slow down when you're in danger. But the moment the door swung open , the pianist's adrenaline kicked in enough to cause her to start running as fast as she could.

Being a musician meant having hearing - By the number of footsteps, she could tell how many people were chasing her . Too many for her to handle, that was for sure. ❛ H-HELP ! SOMEONE , PLEASE HELP ! ❜ She yelled out , hoping that maybe. . . Just maybe , by some miracle , someone would hear her calls of desperation. The closer the footsteps got- The scared she was. She could only force herself to run this fast for so much- It's a miracle her legs didn't give up under her from shock.

Just then- Past her- A figure ran in between the two parties , causing her chasers to stop. That caused her to stop and turn as well. She didn't exactly recognize the figure . . . ❛ W-Who-- ❜ Before she could even finish her question , the other had yelled at her to keep running. Was that person. . . Protecting her ? A little hesitant to leave him behind , but grateful for his help , she quickly bowed. ❛ T-Thank you- Please , be careful ! ❜

With that , Kaede turned around and kept on running. As far away as she could. Eventually , she was too tired of running, that she decided to rest in a small alleyway to catch her breath. It had been a few minutes since she left the other. Was he okay?

As if he heard her thoughts, her savior quickly showed himself- Surprising her to the point she jumped back, a little scream escaped her. ❛ O-Oh , it's just you. . . Ah...! ❜ She didn't even get the opportunity to scold him for scaring her , the moment she noticed all the blood on him- Her mind stopped working. Again, as if reading her thoughts, he confirmed the blood wasn't his. That had her sigh in relief , knowing he wasn't hurt because of her. But then if it's not his. . . Did he beat them up or something ?

❛ U-uhm. . . ❜ She began, bowing down, ❛ T-Thank you so much for saving me. I-I thought I was done for back there. . . Sorry for troubling you. ❜ Getting up , she asked, ❛ Uh. . . W-What happened to them. . . ? ❜

[ultmelodies]

Nodding, the pianist did as told. She took the cuffs and keys from the smaller mage, and cuffed her hands as asked. She made sure the cuffs were on, too. Excitedly, she stepped away with the keys in hand as she watched the red haired girl do her trick... Uh, magic. Could someone as small as Himiko really break those cuffs?

❛  Alright, I made sure they're on. Good luck ! ❜

ultmelodies​:

Oh, so an escape trick? She’s never seen one like this before, so she wondered what Himiko had in store. With a gentle clap , she nodded.

❛  Oooh, that sounds amazing ! I’d like to see it ! ❜

“Alright. I’ll give you these to put on me, so that you can see for yourself that their on. You’ll also be holding the key,” Himiko explained, holding out the handcuffs for her to take along with a small silver key in her hand. Once Kaede had taken both of them, she’d turn around and put her hands together behind her back for her.

[ultmelodies]

" we're getting out of here. together. now

From this meme!

What's with people and targeting Ultimates ?! She's just a high-school pianist, how in the world is holding her hostage supposed to get Hopes Peak to "give out important governmental information" that the school possessed? Yes, the school cares deeply about the safety of its students, but is kidnapping really all that criminals relay to nowadays? There were cases of Ultimates disappearing lately, but she didn't expect to be one of them. Lord knows if any of said ultimates made it out unharmed, or if they're even alive... But now that she's in their position, she realized yes- those who had been captured alongside her are okay... For now. They're just used as means to pressure the higher-ups.

Still, dealing with being captured was the last thing she had in mind today. All she could do in her helpless situation was sit in the dark, empty room where she was held up, hugging her knees close to her body and close her eyes. She wasn't properly tended to, so she was in a rather weak state and unable to move much, and the adrenaline rush was taking its toll on her. As afraid as she was, she stayed strong and refused to show any tears. Though, she clearly didn't expect what happened next. Suddenly, her ears caught the sound of clicking on the door of said room. Was someone going to come in, she assumed it was her capture, so she couldn't help but back herself up into a corner, arms in front of her in a protective X position. She expected to be harmed any second, the moment she heard the door creak... Except she heard shouting outside. Something along the lines of "FREEZE, PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR". It sounded like it came from an old man. And she could hear sounds of younger people- Who she assumed were the other ultimates. Were they being rescued? How did they even find this place? She knew the kidnappers threatened to hurt them if anyone were to call help... So how did said help manage to get here & take them off-guard...?

All questions were answered once the figure that was apparently lock-picking her door stepped in. Even if it was dark, hearing his voice sent her into a wave of relief. He must've managed to track them down without being noticed, thus helping the police to find them. No wonder he's the ultimate detective. Still, as happy as she was to being rescued, what made her happier was seeing him, and before she knew it- She had already rushed to hug her savior, finally letting the tears she bottled up fall as her body violently shook from fear. In an attempt to calm her down, he reassured her that they were going to leave together. He seemed and looked worried and relieved as well, yet he stayed strong. It was... Impressive how determined he was to get her out safely. He looked so strong & protective. At first, that earned a blush from her cheeks, but now wasn't the time to be lovestruck, so she shook her head slightly before holding on tightly to him. She couldn't exactly walk on her own. Not in her current state. ❛ S-Shuichi... T-Thank you. T-Thank you so much... I-I'm so glad you're here... ❜ Her voice came as a weak, almost inaudible mumble with how exhausted she was, and it's not like crying helped. Thank god they were close in their current embrace, so he should be able to hear her.

[ultmelodies]

[  wake  ] ! (maybe Kaede fell asleep in an odd place/anywhere that isn't her bed... also HELLO... )

Of course this was bond to happen eventually. Forces beyond human comprehension did their damndest to prevent this from happening, but it would never work with someone as stubborn and as passionate about playing her favorite wooden instrument as Akamatsu. Once again, the melody manages to always snatch her away into a new reality. A world of comfort to call her own. However, there was a wide, crystal-clear difference between "being stubborn" and "overworking yourself to death". Seriously, just because Gaspard de la Nuit by Ravel was one of the most well-know yet hardest classical piano pieces, it was still nowhere near a valid excuse for a certain pianist to spend almost all night trying to perfect it— Play so wonderfully as though it was a performance for god. She really is the "hobby above all" type of person, but even this type of stubbornness was concerning, consider the little amount of rest she's given herself. It was an perfect, soothing melody or nothing! So, with newfound determination, Kaede challenged her weak, tired body beyond its limit to give the complex piece another shot! But as expected of a sleepy person, her focus was barely— if anything not— present at all, and that was surely enough to frausturate her into trying again and again. She had to get this right! Even if it sounded beyond perfect to the human ear, to her this was nowhere near what she hoped would be her A-game, so she will try her hardest! She won't lose, no matter just how sleepy she is!!

..... And before she knew it, the tiny ounce of energy was squeezed out of her thanks to her inability to give up when giving up is the most suitable option. She ended up— uncomfortably no less— falling asleep slumped on the music room's piano. Surprisingly, the liveliness of Hope's Peak did nothing to wake her up. No shouting, noises or music was enough to snap the tired blonde from her coma-like slumber. One could assume she was drugged at this point. Yet, she looked at peace...

. . . ?

Gentle, delicate taps on her shoulder seemed to do the trick, however. Her eyes barely opened, revealing her violet pupils. Drained out of life the way she's drained out of energy. The lack of sleep was finally getting to her, she could feel her head throbbing like crazy, as though someone had hit her in the back of the head with a blunt, metallic object. Luckily, that wasn't the case. She could only rub her tired eyes with her sleeve, before stretching a bit. Her back hurt like hell, and a red mark was left on her forehead. As her vision cleared, it made sense why she felt so much pain. Ah, she must've fell asleep during practice.

She could've sworn her ears heard a faint voice call out to her in the back of her mind. Soft, caring. However, it came as muffled. She was too exhausted to even guess who it was. Perhaps the person waking her up from her peaceful slumber ? She had to scold them once she was fully awake. So, she turned around to face them, and... Well, that was pretty embarrassing. The moment her blurry vision cleared...

❛ S-Saihara-kun ?! ❜

His sudden, surprising presence was more than enough to cause her to sit up, body stiff and eyes— colorful once again— wide open. The sudden adrenaline rush that she felt was more than enough to snap her awake. That was embarrassing. Falling asleep in school? And having your best friend wake you up? She must've looked so stupid. Way to go, Akamatsu, way to go...

❛ S-Sorry ! Ahaha, I-I happened to pass out back there, and ah... ❜

She rubbed the back of her head bashfully. She probably looked so dumb right now, so her cheeks couldn't help but end up tainted in red from the humiliation she felt. To her luckz though, Saihara was one with pure intentions. He must've worried about her poster and tried to wake her up! How sweet! Too bad she was too embarrassed to realize...

[ultmelodies]

“Can I use your lap as a pillow?”

♪ from physical contact starters ! (soft) ♪

❛ Hm ? ❜ Kaede looked up from her position. The two of them decided to rest under a tree for today , taking in the nice weather and the refreshing breeze of air. She was content to just bask in his presence , head rested on his shoulder. That is- Until the other spoke up. He wanted to use her lap as a pillow , huh ? With a gentle smile , she nodded. ❛ Of course you can ! You don't even need to ask- Here. ❜ Sitting up right , the pianist tapped on her pillow , inviting the other to rest his head on it. Her smile was filled with reassurance - Always adoring any opportunity to be so close to her beloved. ❛ Just lay down and relax, sweetheart ! Okay ? ❜

[ultmelodies]

Thank goodness, he agreed to help her! She let a sigh of relief escape her lips, bottled up stress going out along with it. She held his hand on both of hers, her infectious bright smile took little to no time to appear on her face.

❛ Really ?! Thank you !  ❜

She was glad he didn't mind. Her heart felt at ease knowing she wasn't troubling him much. His enthusiasm to help filled her with energy to give it her all studying! As he sat down, the other would organize thier study-place before turning back to him to answer his question. A sigh of irritation escaped her.

❛ Haah... it's just that... I've been trying to study for the upcoming test but I don't understand a single thing. I've tried reading several books, but I got even more confused than before! ❜

from here

@ultmelodies

Just like he is usually the first one to arrive at school, Ishimaru is also the one most likely to remain last. Between his responsibilities on the student council, as hall monitor, and the general duties he assigns himself around the school the chance of running into him past class hours is rather high. Similarly, there aren’t many students who willingly spend their free time at school like he does, so he’s become quite proficient in being able to tell when somebody is forcing themselves to stick around.

Then again, one look at her body language had already told him the same thing. Though he really shouldn’t be one to speak about being wound tightly, it’s a much more abnormal sight to see the pianist with such obvious stress in her demeanor.

He didn’t want to scare her, so he waited for her to notice him instead of greeting her at his usual volume and risk giving her a fright. “ To you as well , Akamatsu - kun . “ He returns enthusiastically with a wide smile and a polite bow.

The question comes as absolutely no surprise. As such it there’s little hesitation before he answers. “ Of course ! It’s important for students like ourselves to support each other . “ He proclaims, she would hardly be the first he’s helped in this way. They’re not academic prodigies here, hard work and dedication is what gets them through it all, and they’re better of for it. Learning to know when to ask for help is yet another valuable lesson a genius misses out on.

He grabs a chair and sits down across from her. “ There is really no shame in needing help . Everyone has a right to the best chance at lifting their grades ! “ He raises a clenched fist in pure passion at his own words, but quickly settles down again in favor of peering over her books. “ Tell me , what is it exactly that you’re struggling with ? “

[ultmelodies]

“ Kaede ! I got you a gift ! ” The boy hands the pianist a pink and golden colored pen. What made the pen so special though was the clicker was in the shape of a music note , a whole note to be exact. “ I was at my favorite book shop and it made me think of you. S - Sorry if that’s lame .. ”

Approached by a dear friend of hers , Kaede clasped her hands together upon hearing the word "gift". It's so easy to get this girl excited, huh? ❛ Really ? Aw , Shuichi -- You really didn't have to- ! Thank you so much !! ❜ She shot the other a warm smile , soon turned into a curious expression ❛ Sooo , what is it ? ❜ She asked , before being handed a gold 'n' pink colored pen. Of course , the fact that the clicker was a musical note had already stolen her attention. One could assume there were stars in her eyes alerady as she took the pen in her hands. ❛ O-Oh my god. . . This is so cute ! It's not lame at all , Shuichi , geez - ! Have some faith in yourself , any gift you'd get me is great ! I love it so much , thank you ! ❜ Her smile was gentle as she held the pen in her hands carefully.

[ultmelodies]

" you're shivering. here, take my jacket. "

From this meme !

You'd except summer days to be very warm and sunny, but it isn't rare for it to suddenly get rainy, is it ? Before she knew it, what was once a search for a lost kitten with the rookie detective turned into the two of them attempting to find a place to wait in until the rain calmed down. While yes, they found the kitten, Kaede got the short end of the stick. Perhaps it was the detective's sharp eyes and quick reflexes that helped him find a bus stop to wait under, whereas it took Kaede a while to catch up to him. Once she did, she took a seat down. She was completely soaked, having been caught in the strong rain. At least the small kitten was safe, to which she sighed in relief, seeing it in Shuichi's arms. Though, being soaked like that caused her to hug herself, shivering. That was too cold. She really was going to get sick, huh? The thought bummed her out a lot. Now she won't be able to play piano, that was just unfair!

❛  ... Eh ? ❜

She felt sudden warmth on her shoulders. It felt rather nice. A piece of cloth covered her soaked body, slowly but surely taking away the shivers. To which, she instinctively grabbed on, covering herself more as though it was an object. A little smile appeared on her face... That was much better. Though, where did this come from? Now that she got a better look at it— A black coat, one she recognized really well. Turning around to the one who gave it to her, her face couldn't help but redden to sight in front of her: Shuichi... Gave her his coat. He looked rather handsome without it, to say the least. But, she quickly shook the thought away. Now wasn't the time to be lovestruck. She did feel bad that he went out of his way to give her his coat so that she felt warmer. What about him? She wouldn't forgive herself if he got sick because of her. Still, it's not like she was ungrateful for his kindness, going out of his way to look after her. She was really lucky to meet someone as sweet as him. A kind smile was plastered on her lips as she hugged herself a little more to calm shivers. It was hard to talk without stuttering, due to how cold it was...

❛  T-Thank you, Shuichi... Y-You didn't have to, though... W-What about you ... ? ❜

[ultmelodies]

[  cook  ] ( something to eat because she's too busy practicing piano ? )

Grumble. . .

But no matter how much her stomach begged, she continued to ignore it. It's Liszt's La Campanella or nothing! The song was one of the hardest piano pieces written to mankind, and she will not leave the music room until she's perfected it. Even though she already played it flawlessly, to her it felt flawed. Even when her melody was soft & gentle, it did not feel the same to her. She wanted a wave of emotions superior to what she felt first listening to this song to overtake her, but nothing lived up to that satisfaction, and that was enough to slowly frausturate her.

Pulled into her own world where nothing but her and the piano existed, she almost ignored her guest had it not been for a great smell taking over the room, perceiving through her hungry stomach. It caused her to stop playing mid-song— Cringing in response to the awful pause. Who would visit her with food in hand? She suspected it was the maid, but when she turned around, her guess proved to be wrong. Instead, she was greeted with welcoming green orbs.

❛  Naegi - Kun ... ? ❜

That was a rather intresting turn of events. But before she could comment further, another grumble escaped her stomach. She gasped in embarrassment and hugged herself, eyes looking away from him and into the floor.

❛ S-Sorry about that... How can I help you ? ❜

Clearing her throat, she turned her attention back to him— But it was quickly snagged away once her gaze landed on delicious meal in his hand. What WAS the purpose of his visit... ? Could it be... ?

[ultmelodies]

Her undying love and obsession for instrument is one thing, but going to the extreme and concerning extent of not going outside to perfect Moonlight Sonata's third movement was a bit too much... Even for someone like the ultimate pianist. She really was a piano freak, huh? Once stubborn about her talent, there was no stopping her.

But today was the day she said a temporary— (Mentally a tearful)— Goodbye to her beloved piano. Thank goodness she was looking after herself, if she was this heartbroken about not practicing for a few hours. Regardless, even she grew frustrated of the lack of (or what she assumes to be— Which isn't the case) progress. So, going outside seemed like a good stress reliever !

Ah, right. She's supposed to meet someone today! Honestly, with how much she shut herself to play piano, she almost forgot that people are real and not some text behind a screen. It was so easy to be pulled into another releam of existence once pulled by the mesmerizing, soothing and calm melody of a piano, keys gently pressed, creating a beautiful, angelic-like sound... Ah, she's doing it again, huh? She really hoped she'd stop letting her thoughts wonder to her wooden partner when he arrived.

Right on cue, she could hear his voice from the back of her head. Pianist ears never fail to detect such a melodic, friendly tone calling out to her. Turning around with a smile on her face, she grabbed onto her straps of her backpack as she swayed side to side happily.

❛ Shuichi, hey ! Long time no see ! ❜

She greeted with what could possibly be her friendliest smile yet. He looked healthy as ever, so she assumed— HOPED— He was well rested.

❛ S-Sorry for not being around. You know how miss piano freak over here gets when it comes to her hobby... Ehehe... I-I'm here now, though ! ❜

Her undying love and obsession for instrument is one thing, but going to the extreme and concerning extent of not going outside to perfect Moonlight Sonata's third movement was a bit too much... Even for someone like the ultimate pianist. She really was a piano freak, huh? Once stubborn about her talent, there was no stopping her.

[ultmelodies]

“You need some help?”

Oh, absolutely. She needed help for so many things, but the thing she mainly needed help for was her own stubbornness. Times and times again, she was told over & over that it's okay to ask for help when needed... But as always, Kaede was too selfless to even dare and ask for help. Especially when it came to after school cleanups. She was all alone in the classroom she was supposed to clean, and if anything she made sure not to ask anyone for help. It seemed like a hassle to do all on her own, but she was more than happy to indulge in newer hobbies outside of playing her beloved piano, and surprisingly— Clean up seemed to be like her first, convient pick. Apparently, Shirogane's words about how much she's absorbed into piano that it's only thing her life is centered around made her sound like a one-dimensional anime character in a teen manga. The fact she was deemed an overused trope made her feel dejected. Regardless, she wasn't going to give up anytime soon. She'll clean up this classroom and prove that there's more to her than piano— She's a reliable person ! With this sudden rush of determination, and on steady foot, she opened up the first destination for her to clean up— The classroom closet.

.... Only for the newfound determination to shatter away the moment poorly stuffed items within the closet all came crashing down at her. The sound was pretty loud, and she was certain people heard the ❛ O-Ow ! Geez... You gotta be kidding me ! ❜ That she let out upon this sudden contact with pain. That's one way to end an eventful school day: Making things worse. Ironically, instead of cleaning up, she made things even messier! An irritated sigh escaped her lips as her hands pressed on one of the nearby desks for support while she leaned backwards. The other hand on her forehead, where a red mark was, probably from earlier's fall. . .

You need some help?

Huh ? The sudden call from the other side of the classroom was surely more than enough to pull her from her temporary state of annoyance. Violet eyes traveled to the door, fixated on his green ones. She recognized this guy, and instantly got up, waving her arms in front of her in an apologetic, embarrassed manner. An awkward smile formed on her lips.

❛ N-Naegi - kun ! I-I'm okay, don't worry about it ! ❜

That was definitely humiliating. To be walked in on during cleaning time only to find a bigger mess... She felt like some sort of child painting house walls when their parents suddenly get back home out of nowhere. She appreciated the sentiment, she wouldn't decline, but even so... This mess was her responsibility alone, and she refused to rope him in !

❛ Sorry about that... I was cleaning, and accidentally dropped all of this stuff. Don't worry, I'll clean up this mess, though ! ❜

[ultmelodies]

“My lips are sealed.”

Phew... What a comforting turn of events. It was rather embarrassing for someone with her ultimate title to admit this to not just anybody— But the ultimate gamer herself. An after school arcade visit sounded like a fun way for the two girls to hang out & get to know Nanami better, so of course the pianist didn't mind coming with her upperclassmen to a little visit to the wonderful, joyful and magical world known as the world of video games! Except... There was one thing that the pianist overlooked, due to her sense of common sense and facts being overshadowed by her excitement to spend time with a friend. But the moment they suggested trying a rythem game... That's when Kaede remembered.

She quickly slapped her forehead. Great, not only was she going to humiliate herself in front of other, but in front of a whole crowd. Perks of being an ultimate? You're well-known. Cons? You're well-known. Popularity really was a double-edged sword. Nervously fiddling with the strap of her backpack, she turned around and faced Nanami.

❛ U-Uhm...Nanami-San? C-Can I tell something a bit embarrassing... ? ❜

An awkward chuckle escaped her, as she scratched her cheek. This was certainly going to be disappointing news to Chiaki, and she was prepared for what she thought was the worst to come...

Luckily, her friend promised to keep shut about her little embarrassing secret, in which Kaede responded with a sigh of relief— As if she was holding her breathe the entire time... Which, she probably was. Now she felt less stupid, but still not too comfortable about her current predicament..

❛  W-Well, you see. . . ❜

She began, the corners of her lips formed into an awkward smiled. Her voice carried a great amount of uncertainty, sounding somewhat shaky. But with this amount of people watching, is she to blame?

❛  A-Actually. . . I'm very bad at rythem games... And video games in general. P-Pretty embarrassing for the ultimate pianist, huh ? Sorry... Ahaha. ❜

While her hand scratched the back of her head, it didn't scratch away the guilt she felt... Raising the other's expectations of a potential strong gaming opponent only for said opponent to turn out to be a big loser. She looked away after that, part of her waiting in anticipation. She made this hang out session awkward, didn't she ?

[ultmelodies]

❛ I’m not going to tell you to calm down, I know it’s hard… but you need to focus on your breathing. ❜

From this meme!

Was she seriously getting worked up over something so stupid ? She had already made peace with the fact that her hobby— Playing piano— was something that not everyone was going to like. She had always found courage playing her favorite instrument to make everyone smile, but she knew for a fact not everyone adored the melodies she produced. Though... Lately, it became an everyday thing for her to recieve a hateful letter. She usually tossed them away or ignored them. The words written in theme didn't affect her, because she knew there were people out there who appreciated what she played. Or maybe she... Was just convincing herself they didn't bother her. Though, the letter she recieved today was enough for her to start crying. The last drop that filled the cup- You could say. She felt her hands tremble badly, the grip on the letter in hand tightened. It wasn't just usual insults. It went beyond that. It took a rather ugly turn. She was never told such awful things before. Did they hate her playing this much? Did they hate her this much? She should probably alert a teacher or something... No, that's stupid. She shouldn't be worrying others like this. This was childish. She was getting worked up over nothing. Yet despite her attempts to calm herself down, it was hard to calm down. She couldn't even bring herself to breathe properly through her tears, let alone exist the classroom. All she could do was cry, and cry... How vanulerable.

She gasped, suddenly feeling a tap on her shoulder. Looking up, it was hard to make out who it was through her blurry vision but... Her strong hearing allowed her to recognized the person by voice. That was Nanami, wasn't it? What's an upperclassman doing here? Did... Did she see her cry? Before she could even ask anything, the other had already asked her to breathe. She probably felt her tremble, and noticed her shaky breathe. Kaede panicked even more seeing someone worry about her like this, but tried to breathe as asked regardless. Slowly, but surely, her breathe had become steady. She was trembling less intensely than before, but she was calmer now... Calm enough to talk. Weakly, she smiled at the other, tears continued to roll however as her clench on the cursed letter tightened, almost tearing it— She would've been happier if it did tear.

❛ S... Sorry you had t-to... See me like this, N-Nanami-san... ❜