Chisato looked at his girlfriend, whose excitement had suddenly skyrocketed. He was silent for a moment before reaching out to touch her forehead.
The fever hadn't gone down; she was still a little warm. So how did she suddenly get so energetic?
He took her hand and led her toward the vacant piano, steering the conversation back on track.
"We can reminisce about our story anytime. But for some reason, right now, I really want to hear you play the piano."
Seeing Kazusa lost in thought just now made him realize something.
For some time now, he had been too focused on her academic performance, unintentionally neglecting what she truly loved.
Kazusa adored him so much that she simply followed his lead without complaint. But that wasn't right.
"I don't want to play. I haven't touched the piano in a while, my hands are rusty."
Standing in front of the piano, Kazusa shook her head and refused.
When she had started dating Chisato, she had made up her mind—to leave behind the things she no longer needed and live the life she truly wanted with him.
After finding a new goal, the piano no longer held the same importance for her.
Chisato didn't push further. He let go of her hand.
"Then just wait a bit. Would you mind listening to me play instead?"
Kazusa nodded. This time, she didn't refuse.
Chisato sat down, placed his feet on the pedals, flexed his fingers, took a deep breath, and gently rested his hands on the black-and-white keys.
Among the passing crowd, quite a few women were drawn to him, captivated by his striking appearance, frequently casting glances in his direction.
Kazusa also watched with curiosity, wondering what her former student—whom she had once taught—was about to play.
Chisato didn't hesitate any longer. He pressed the keys.
The moment the first few notes sounded, Kazusa instantly recognized the piece. The corners of her lips curved into a faint smile.
It was "Minuet in G Major."
Originally composed as an orchestral piece, it had been rearranged for piano, making it suitable for both dancing and casual listening.
It has remained popular for over two centuries as a timeless classic.
More importantly, Kazusa was very familiar with it.
She remembered clearly—it was the second exercise in the third chapter of the beginner's piano textbook she had once given to Chisato.
The piece wasn't particularly difficult; otherwise, it wouldn't have been included in a teaching book.
As Chisato played with steady ease, the light and lively rhythm filled the air. Kazusa found herself recalling even more moments from her childhood piano lessons.
She remembered how she used to feel pure joy whenever she mastered a new piece.
She remembered how her mother would smile, pat her head, and praise her progress.
Back then, she had been entirely immersed in the happiness that the piano brought her—completely pure, with no ulterior motives.
The piece itself wasn't very long, and with Chisato slightly quickening the tempo, he finished within a minute and a half.
But he didn't stop there. Instead, he turned his head to look at Kazusa, whose expression had subtly changed.
He gently took her hand and made space on the piano bench.
This time, Kazusa didn't resist. She followed his lead and sat down beside him.
"Does Kazusa-sensei still remember how she used to teach me piano?"
He deliberately used an old nickname—one he hadn't spoken in a long time.
It was a playful title from the days when their relationship was still ambiguous.
"What are you trying to do?"
"I might struggle to play the next piece alone, but if I have Kasuza-sensei's help, I'm confident I won't embarrass myself."
"How pathetic. Is your goal just to avoid embarrassment?"
"The most important thing is to have fun, and I already achieved that the moment Kasuza-sensei agreed to sit beside me."
"So to me, it doesn't really matter how well the next performance goes. What I truly want is to enjoy this moment of playing together with you."
Chisato placed his left hand on the keys, his face still carrying a smile as he turned to the girl beside him. He spoke softly,
"Get ready—Exercise 3 from Chapter 5."
Kasuza understood what he meant. After a slight nod from him, her right hand gently rested on the keys, pressing down at the same time as his.
…
After watching the dolphin show, Yukino's exhausted state seemed to have eased a little.
Strictly speaking, her favorite animals were pandas and cats, but that didn't stop her from developing a fondness for other adorable creatures.
Maybe she'd search for some dolphin documentaries to watch after returning home.
She also considered adding some dolphin pictures to her phone's lock screen wallpaper collection.
As usual, sandwiched between Yui and Iroha, she silently contemplated these things.
After leaving the dolphin exhibit, the next stop for the three of them was Area B.
The main attraction there was the variety of underwater plant life—dense kelp forests, vibrant coral reefs, and colorful sea anemones.
But their real goal was the penguins.
Those chubby little creatures, with their adorable appearances and waddling gait, had completely captured all three of their hearts.
"It's getting late. After watching the penguins, let's head straight for dinner. There's a restaurant near the B exhibit area," Yui said while checking the guide map.
She wasn't too tired yet, but she had to consider Yukino's condition.
Even though Yukino had taken a short rest while watching the dolphin show, she still looked weak and drained.
Continuing on without a break didn't seem like a good idea, so a meal and some rest were necessary.
Iroha nodded in agreement.
Yukino let out a small sigh,
"Thanks. That helps a lot."
As the three approached Area B, a beautiful piano melody drifted through the air.
"Is this… Canon?"
Iroha turned toward the source of the gathering crowd.
Coming from an affluent family and being quite familiar with piano music, Yukino nodded, confirming Iroha's guess before adding a more detailed explanation,
"Yes, Canon in D major."
The piece hardly needed an introduction—it was the most famous work of composer Johann Pachelbel.
A young Pachelbel, grieving the loss of his wife and child to the plague, composed a series of immortal pieces in their memory.
One of those variations became the now-famous Canon in D major.
It symbolizes two lovers staying together until death, an ode to everlasting love.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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