Before The Curtain Rises

The next day during lunch break, just as I had promised, I went to have lunch with Nozomi and the others instead of practicing the violin in the Student Council room.

She had bombarded my phone with messages all night, but I hadn't replied to a single one.

As soon as I walked over to the table, I noticed there was one more person than usual.

Kaito had joined them.

The moment Nozomi saw me, she lightly smacked me on the head.

"Why didn't you reply to my messages?"

Before I had even sat down, I grinned and started teasing her.

"You've been texting the wrong person late at night, Nozomi."

"You should've been messaging someone else."

"But with that level of courage, all you'll ever do is admire him from afar."

"Your prince charming is waiting for you in the library."

"What are you even talking about?!" she shot back. "Do you really think you can annoy me with lines like that?"

"Well, judging by how red your face is, I'd say I hit the mark."

"Instead of talking nonsense, eat."

I looked at the food on the table.

"Whoa... Is all this for me?"

"Of course it is."

"You're going to eat first."

"Then you're telling us everything that happened yesterday."

Ayaka looked at me in surprise.

"What happened yesterday, Umut? Tell us too."

My eyes instinctively drifted toward Kaito.

He was already looking back at me.

The expression on his face practically said, "You're done for, buddy."

Whether I told them the truth or not, I knew they'd tease me about it until the end of the school year.

So, without hesitating, I told them everything that had happened while we ate.

When I finished, a brief silence fell over the table.

Everyone stared at me with surprised expressions.

"So... it wasn't what I thought," Nozomi finally said.

"What exactly did you think?"

"You know me."

"I came to this school to build a successful future."

"I'm really not in a position to be thinking about relationships right now."

Kaito nodded in agreement.

"He's telling the truth."

"When Umut used to play basketball, plenty of girls came to cheer for him."

"He turned every single one of them down as politely as he could."

"They still support him now..."

"But none of them try to make a move anymore."

"This guy has locked himself inside a castle."

"And he doesn't let anyone through the gate."

Ayaka smiled and joined in.

"I think he's just looking for someone who can cook really well."

"The moment he finds her..."

"The castle gates will open on their own."

For a brief moment, no one said anything.

Then all of us burst into laughter at the same time.

After the laughter died down, Kaito brought up the upcoming midterm exams. As the conversation grew more serious, everyone started talking about their dream careers and the universities they hoped to attend.

When I said that I wanted to study medicine, everyone except Nozomi looked surprised.

They all knew that, with my level of violin playing, I could easily get into a conservatory abroad.

But since no one besides Nozomi knew the real reason behind my decision, I chose not to explain any further.

Before we knew it, lunch break was over, and the afternoon classes had begun.

As usual, the afternoon math lessons felt painfully slow.

After eating, it was hard to fight off the urge to fall asleep.

Even so, I did my best to stay focused and participate in class.

When school ended, the four of us headed to the library together.

After studying for about ninety minutes, I got up to grab a coffee.

Just then, I ran into Souta.

A small plan immediately came to mind.

With a mischievous grin, I called out to him.

He looked genuinely happy to see me.

"Want to join our table?"

He accepted without hesitation.

When we returned, I looked at Nozomi.

"Nozomi, I brought a guest. Mind if he joins us?"

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"...Don't tell me it's the person I'm thinking of."

"The very one."

A moment later, Souta walked over to the table.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all. Have a seat."

Nozomi shot me an irritated look.

Ignoring it completely, I stood up and let Souta take the seat next to her.

Then I turned toward him.

"Nozomi's been having a hard time with physics. You're good at it, so why don't you help her out?"

"Sure. I'd be happy to."

The two of them quickly immersed themselves in studying.

About thirty minutes later, Ayaka and Kaito decided to move to another table.

I took the opportunity to leave Nozomi and Souta alone and moved to an empty table by the window.

I continued studying on my own.

Chemistry, however, was giving me a hard time.

No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't fully understand the material.

I spent minutes staring at the same questions, repeating the same calculations over and over.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from Nozomi.

Thank you.

Smiling, I sent a short reply.

You can thank me later.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and returned to my chemistry problems.

After struggling for quite a while, I managed to solve a few questions, but my efficiency was far below what I wanted.

Just as I was beginning to lose patience, I heard a familiar voice.

"Looks like you could use some help."

I looked up.

Standing in front of me was the Student Council secretary.

"You're right," I admitted. "I'm struggling. But that doesn't mean I can't figure it out."

She smiled faintly.

"In that case, good luck."

She turned to leave.

"Wait!"

She stopped and looked back at me.

"If you have time... could you explain this chapter to me? I'm really struggling with chemistry."

"Sure."

She sat down across from me.

For the next twenty minutes, she patiently explained the topic.

Her explanations were so clear that the questions which had seemed impossible only moments earlier suddenly began to make sense.

Just as I was about to thank her, she looked at me.

"By the way..."

"You really don't know my name?"

I shook my head.

"No."

"I've only ever known you as the Student Council secretary."

She let out a quiet sigh.

"That's a little rude, don't you think?"

"If you didn't know my name, you could've at least asked."

She had a point.

"I'm sorry."

"My name is Aoi Shinozaki."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Aoi."

"You're an excellent teacher."

"Thanks to you, I finally understand this chapter."

She smiled as she stood up.

"You're welcome."

"I should get going now."

"I came here with my friends."

"Try solving the questions from the section I explained."

"If you get stuck again, feel free to ask me."

"Thank you very much."

"Good luck with your studying."

"You too."

After Aoi left, I finished solving all the questions from the chapter she had explained to me. I still got a few of them wrong, but I decided to review those again when I got home that evening.

By the time I left the library, it was already getting late.

As I walked outside, I noticed Souta and Nozomi leaving together.

Without a second thought, I deliberately kept my distance.

It was a good opportunity for Nozomi.

As I made my way toward the train station, I spotted Aoi and her friends.

Sanjo was with them as well.

For a brief moment, I considered walking over to say hello.

Then I changed my mind.

I simply picked up my pace and headed straight to the station.

That night, after returning home, I reviewed the chemistry questions I had answered incorrectly.

The next day, during chemistry class, I found myself understanding the teacher's explanations much more easily.

It almost felt as if he had finally started speaking my language.

During lunch break, I went to the Student Council room once again to practice my violin.

After finishing my daily exercises, the Student Council President called me over and handed me an envelope.

"What's this?" I asked.

The President smiled before answering.

"Umut, there's going to be an interschool music competition in two weeks."

"We've sent invitations to several students, and you're one of them."

"The school administration is hoping you'll participate and achieve a good result."

"What do you think?"

After carefully looking at the envelope, I placed it on the table.

"The midterm exams begin in a week."

"Because of that, all club activities have been temporarily suspended, including the Music Club."

"For now, I want to keep my full attention on my exams."

"Today's Friday."

"Would it be alright if I took the weekend to think it over and gave you my final answer on Monday?"

The President nodded.

"Of course."

"Registration doesn't begin until next Wednesday."

"You still have plenty of time to decide."

After a brief pause, he added,

"By the way, two other students from your class received invitations as well."

"Maybe you'll end up participating together."

I had a pretty good idea who they were.

Smiling, I stood up.

"Thank you for letting me know, Mr. President."

"I enjoy competitions like these."

"They're a great opportunity to improve myself and see where I truly stand."

"I'll think it over during the weekend and give you my final answer on Monday."

The President smiled.

"Sounds good."

"Have a good afternoon, Umut."

"You too, Mr. President."

I picked up the envelope and headed back toward my classroom.

When I returned to the classroom, I noticed that Nozomi and Ayaka also had the same envelope on their desks.

Unfortunately, class started immediately, so we didn't have a chance to talk about it. During the breaks, we were all busy preparing for the upcoming exams, either solving practice questions or asking each other about topics we didn't understand.

When I got home, I placed the envelope on the kitchen table and lay down to take a short nap.

I had no idea how long I slept.

The delicious smell of food coming from the kitchen was what woke me up.

My father had prepared dinner.

As we sat down to eat, he glanced at the envelope.

"I opened it and read it," he said. "I hope you don't mind."

I shook my head.

"No."

"Whether you participate or not is entirely your decision."

He had gone to the hospital again that day.

He visited my mother every Friday.

He looked exhausted.

But the faint smile on his face was enough for me to know that the visit had gone well.

The weekend passed almost entirely with me solving practice questions.

Whenever my friends or I got stuck on something, we discussed it online until we figured it out.

There was only one week left until the midterm exams.

I had never studied this hard at my previous school.

But the competition here was on a completely different level.

If I performed poorly, I could even lose my scholarship.

To be honest, whenever I studied, the dark thoughts in my head slowly faded away.

Maybe that was why I kept burying myself in my textbooks.

Monday was unusually quiet.

Everyone still looked exhausted from the weekend.

During lunch break, I went to the Student Council room as usual to practice my violin.

After finishing my practice session, I told the Student Council President that I had decided to participate in the music competition.

He smiled when he heard my answer.

"I think you've made the right decision."

"I hope I won't disappoint you."

"We have confidence in you."

Our conversation didn't last long.

When I returned to my classroom, I asked Nozomi and Ayaka about their decisions as well.

Both of them had decided to participate in the competition.

However, they also said that they would spend the entire week focusing on the upcoming midterm exams.

And they did exactly that.

For the next week, all of us devoted ourselves entirely to studying.

After classes, we went straight to the library, studied for hours, and then headed home.

We didn't spend time chatting.

We didn't do anything else.

Our lives revolved around one thing and one thing only—

the approaching midterm exams.

Monday had finally arrived.

It was going to be the hardest day of the week.

We had Mathematics, Japanese, and Physics exams.

Ironically, it was also the day I felt the most confident.

Those three subjects had always been my strongest.

Just as I had expected, the exams went smoothly.

Tuesday and Wednesday passed in the blink of an eye.

Every morning brought another exam, and every afternoon I went home to review the material for the next day.

Throughout the week, almost no one spoke in class.

Even during breaks, we either reviewed our notes one last time or asked each other about questions we couldn't solve.

Before I knew it, exam week was almost over.

Then Thursday arrived.

The final day.

We had our elective exams, followed by our last exam—Chemistry.

The elective exams were easier than I had expected.

But the moment the Chemistry test booklet was placed on my desk, my palms began to sweat.

No matter how much I had studied, my confidence in Chemistry was still shaky.

I took a deep breath and started from the first question.

The first few pages went smoothly.

Every question related to the topics Aoi had taught me was surprisingly easy.

I silently thanked her in my mind.

Then I turned to the last page.

Everything changed.

The final few questions were far more difficult than I had expected.

My pencil stopped moving more than once.

I solved a problem, erased my answer, and started over.

The silence filling the classroom only made the pressure worse.

Even the ticking of the clock on the wall sounded unbearably loud.

Time refused to move.

It felt as though it had frozen, leaving me trapped inside that silent classroom.

I looked over the final question one last time.

Just then, the bell rang.

The moment I put my pencil down, I felt the weight on my shoulders disappear.

It was over.

There was nothing more I could do.

After school, the four of us went to the café as usual.

Mei wasn't there that day.

For some reason, whenever she wasn't working, every order I placed actually arrived exactly as I requested.

After talking about the exams for a while, something crossed my mind.

I turned to Nozomi.

"Nozomi, how about entering the competition together? You can play the piano, and I'll play the violin. We've performed together before, so getting back in sync shouldn't be difficult."

Nozomi fell silent.

She lowered her eyes to the table.

"Umut..."

"I was actually going to tell you before the exams."

"But I never got the chance."

I gave a small nod.

"Go ahead."

"I'm going to enter the competition with Ayaka."

"We've been practicing together a lot lately."

"So we decided to compete as a duo."

"I'm sorry."

Silence filled the table for a moment.

It wasn't the answer I had been expecting.

A small sense of disappointment settled somewhere deep inside me.

But I knew there was no point in showing it.

I smiled faintly.

"If that's what the two of you decided, then I have nothing to say."

"I wish you both the best of luck."

Nozomi smiled, looking relieved.

"Thank you."

We didn't dwell on the subject any longer.

None of us wanted to ruin the mood, so we returned to our usual conversations.

When I got home that evening, I went straight to the bathroom.

I filled the bathtub with warm water and lay down inside.

The moment I closed my eyes, the exhaustion from the entire week washed over me.

For a while, I simply rested without thinking about anything.

After dinner, my father and I talked about the exams.

Then I mentioned the competition.

"I still haven't found someone to perform with."

My father smiled softly.

"Are you sure you haven't?"

"Not yet."

He took a sip of his tea before looking at me.

"Sometimes the right people find you before you find them."

I wasn't entirely sure what he meant.

But his voice was as calm as ever.

I didn't ask any further questions.

After talking with him for a little while longer, I went to my room.

The moment I lay down on my bed, my eyelids grew heavy.

For the first time in a long while, my mind wasn't occupied by exams...

or anything else.

That night, I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The moment I walked into the classroom the next morning, it felt like I had stepped into a completely different world. 

The classroom that had been buried under exam stress just a day ago was now filled with laughter and conversation.

It felt like walking into a field of daisies. 

Everyone looked relieved.

After greeting my friends, I took my seat. 

Our class representative had already started organizing teams for next week's basketball games during P.E. 

I signed my name up without hesitation. 

Playing basketball every week always helped me clear my mind.

The clubs would also reopen next week.

That made me just as happy.

Whenever I played the violin during club activities, all the thoughts weighing on my mind gradually disappeared.

The classes passed by peacefully.

The exams were finally over, and everyone—including me—seemed much more relaxed.

When lunch break arrived, I headed to the Student Council room as usual. 

The president was listening to a few students who had come to ask for advice.

Not wanting to interrupt them, I decided to practice a quieter, more soothing piece. 

Just as I finished playing, one of the students approached me.

"Um... are you going to participate in next week's music competition?"

"If I can find a partner, I'd love to."

"You don't have one yet?"

The student looked genuinely surprised.

"I think you're an amazing violinist. I really hope you'll represent our school and bring home a great result."

I smiled as I placed my violin back into its case.

"I'll do everything I can. You have my word."

The students thanked me before leaving the room.

Once the room had quieted down, the president turned toward me.

"You mentioned that you still don't have a partner."

"That's right."

"How come?"

I briefly explained what had happened.

I told him that Nozomi had decided to compete with Ayaka, and that I still hadn't found anyone to perform with.

He thought for a moment before speaking.

"There is actually someone who might be a good match for you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"They're looking for a partner as well."

My curiosity immediately grew.

"Who is it?"

The president leaned back in his chair.

"They participated in an international competition during their first year of high school."

"Everyone expected great things from them."

"But once they stepped onto the stage, they were overwhelmed by nerves."

"The performance didn't go the way they had hoped."

"The same thing happened at another competition."

"After people started making fun of them, they gradually lost their confidence."

"Technically speaking, they're still one of the best violinists in the school."

"They just don't have the confidence to stand on stage alone anymore."

"They wanted to participate in this competition too."

"They even picked up an application form."

"But after failing to find a partner, they never submitted the final registration."

"I told them to wait a few more days."

The president smiled faintly.

"Maybe they just haven't met the right partner yet."

I stayed silent for a moment.

"Who is this person?"

"I'd like to talk to them."

The president couldn't hide his smile.

"Sanjo Ayame."

I froze.

"...You're joking."

He chuckled.

"No."

"Sometimes life has a funny way of bringing the right people together."

I let out a deep sigh.

Life really did seem to enjoy playing games with me.

Without saying another word, I left the Student Council room.

I stopped in the hallway for a few seconds and looked up at the ceiling.

"I have a feeling..."

"...I'm about to get myself into trouble again."

Then I started walking toward Ayame's classroom.

When I went to her classroom, Ayame wasn't there.

One of the boys who had brought me to their classroom the other day was sitting at his desk.

I walked over to him and asked where Ayame was.

"She's probably on the rooftop."

After thanking him, I left the classroom.

I ran up the stairs and pushed open the rooftop door.

Ayame was eating lunch with a few of her friends.

The moment the door opened, everyone turned to look at me.

I looked at them, and they looked back at me.

I was completely out of breath from running.

Trying to break the awkward silence, I smiled.

"Does anyone have some water? Running all the way up here might not have been my brightest idea."

The girls looked at each other, but no one said anything.

Ayame frowned slightly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you."

The stern look on her face softened for just a moment.

One of the girls looked at me.

"Are you hungry? You can eat with us if you'd like."

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't want to interrupt your lunch. Please, enjoy your meal."

She smiled.

"We were just about finished anyway."

She glanced at Ayame.

"We'll leave you two alone."

The other girls stood up as well.

"Come on."

Within a few seconds, the rooftop was empty except for the two of us.

Ayame crossed her arms.

"So?"

"What do you want from me?"

I got straight to the point.

"Will you be my partner for the competition?"

Her expression changed instantly.

"Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter."

"What matters is whether it's true."

Ayame looked away.

"Why are you letting other people's opinions decide your future?"

"Everyone fails sometimes."

"You're far too good of a violinist to give up because of one competition."

Her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

I immediately realized my words had been too harsh.

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

She slowly shook her head.

"It's not because of you."

"After my first competition, everyone started looking at me differently."

"After the second one, nobody wanted to perform with me anymore."

"Everyone I asked to be my partner turned me down."

"Some walked away without saying a word."

"Others told me to my face that they didn't want to perform with me."

She took a deep breath.

"And now you're standing here asking me to be your partner."

"Why?"

I answered without hesitation.

"Because you're a great violinist."

She stared at me in surprise.

"I don't care what happened in your past."

"I'm looking at who you are now."

"You're still an incredible musician."

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"I do too."

"But one mistake shouldn't decide the rest of your life."

Silence filled the rooftop.

I continued.

"I compete because I want to win."

"But I also compete because I enjoy performing."

"If you become my partner..."

"If we lose, we'll lose together."

"If we win, we'll win together."

"You don't have to face everything alone anymore."

A small smile appeared on Ayame's face.

"You're a really strange person."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

The two of us couldn't help laughing.

After another moment of silence, she extended her hand toward me.

"Alright."

"I'll be your partner."

I smiled and shook her hand.

"Welcome aboard."

As we walked down from the rooftop together, something crossed my mind.

"Oh, right..."

"What is it?"

"Can you play the piano?"

She nodded.

"I can."

"I actually started learning piano before violin."

"That makes things even easier."

"We'll have more choices when deciding what piece to perform."

When I returned to my classroom, Nozomi noticed the smile on my face before I even sat down.

"What's with that face?"

"You look way too happy."

"I found my partner."

"We're entering the competition together."

Ayaka smiled.

"So..."

"Who's the lucky person?"

"Sanjo Ayame."

The three of them stared at me for a few seconds.

Then they burst into laughter at the same time.

"What?"

Nozomi laughed as she shook her head.

"Just a few days ago, she threw a water bottle at you."

"And now you're going to perform on the same stage together."

"Life really is unpredictable."

I couldn't help laughing too.

"I was thinking the exact same thing."

After school, we played basketball as usual.

During halftime, I glanced toward the sidelines.

Ayame was quietly watching our game.

It wasn't common for third-year students to come watch us.

I walked over to her.

"Did something happen?"

"I'll send you the location tomorrow morning at eight."

"Let's have our first practice there."

"Sounds good."

"But first, I need to pick up my violin case from the Student Council room."

Ayame smiled faintly.

"I already took care of that."

"I picked up your violin case from Aoi."

"I'll bring it tomorrow."

I looked at her in surprise.

"You really didn't have to."

"You could've just sent me a message."

"You're right."

"But I wanted to tell you before going home."

I nodded.

"Thanks."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you."

"Take care."

The moment I turned around, I saw Kaito and Souta staring at me with huge grins on their faces.

I frowned at both of them.

"Not. One. Word."

"Especially in front of Nozomi and Ayaka."

"Otherwise, they'll make fun of me all week."

Kaito burst out laughing.

"Don't worry."

"Your secret is safe with us."

Souta patted me on the shoulder.

"For now."

The three of us laughed together.

I woke up at six in the morning. After finishing my morning routine, I got dressed and left the house. I still hadn't had time to go shopping, so I was wearing whatever clothes I could find. My outfit looked ridiculous, but I didn't really have a choice.

When I arrived at the location Ayame had sent me, I found myself standing in front of a private estate surrounded by tall walls. Security guards were stationed at the entrance. After showing them the QR code on my phone, they let me inside.

As I walked through the garden, I noticed that the building looked like an ordinary villa from the outside. However, once I stepped inside, it was obvious the entire place had been designed for music.

A young woman dressed in a maid uniform greeted me as soon as I entered.

"Miss Sanjo is expecting you."

After confirming my name, she told me which room to go to.

I thanked her and walked down the hallway. After knocking on the door, I stepped inside.

Ayame was already there.

She was wearing a white blouse, a navy pleated skirt, and a beige cardigan. It was the first time I'd seen her outside of her school uniform.

She looked me up and down.

Then she started laughing.

"What on earth are you wearing?"

I shrugged.

"I haven't had time to go shopping yet."

"I'm just making do with whatever I have."

"I'll buy some proper clothes eventually."

"So you'll have to put up with this until then."

She couldn't stop smiling.

"I don't care what you wear."

"Just don't show up to the competition dressed like that."

I couldn't help laughing.

"Deal."

I looked around the room.

The walls were completely soundproof. A grand piano stood in one corner, while shelves filled with sheet music and various string instruments lined the opposite wall.

"This place belongs to my family."

"It's a private music house."

"Every practice room is soundproof."

"We can rehearse here for as long as we want."

"That's impressive."

Ayame picked up several sheets of music from the table.

"Have you thought about what we should perform?"

"Not really."

She placed a few scores in front of me.

"I was considering these."

I looked through them one by one.

"They're all great."

"But I think they're a little too focused on showing off."

Ayame raised an eyebrow.

"We're entering a competition."

"A little showmanship isn't a bad thing."

"You're right."

"But I'd rather have the judges listening to the music instead of watching us."

She fell silent for a few seconds.

"Do you have something in mind?"

"I do."

"Then tell me."

"No."

"You first."

We looked at each other for a moment.

Finally, Ayame broke the silence.

"César Franck."

I smiled without realizing it.

"I was thinking the exact same thing."

Now she was the one who looked surprised.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Violin Sonata in A Major."

She gave a small nod.

"That was my choice too."

She spread the score across the table.

"We can't prepare the entire sonata."

"We only have a week."

We began turning the pages together.

The first movement...

The second...

When we reached the third movement, Ayame shook her head.

"There's no way we can finish this in a week."

"We don't have to."

I turned to the last movement.

"The fourth."

Ayame stared at the score for a few seconds.

"Allegretto poco mosso..."

"That was the movement I had in mind too."

"Why did you choose it?"

As I rested my bow on the strings, I answered,

"Because in this movement, the violin and the piano aren't trying to outshine each other."

"They complete each other."

A faint smile appeared on Ayame's face.

"That's exactly why I chose it."

Silence filled the room for a moment.

Then she stood up.

"Then it's settled."

"César Franck."

"Violin Sonata in A Major."

"The fourth movement."

I stood up as well.

"Let's begin our first rehearsal."

Ayame sat down at the grand piano.

I placed my violin on my shoulder.

At the same time, we both took a deep breath.

Ayame gave a small nod to set the tempo.

The first notes quietly filled the soundproof studio.

For about thirty seconds, everything went perfectly.

Then came our first mistake.

As I eased into a rubato, Ayame kept the tempo steady.

We both stopped at the same time.

"..."

Ayame looked at me.

"The tempo fell apart."

"No."

"I slowed down on purpose."

"And I kept going on purpose."

Silence filled the room for a few seconds.

Then, at exactly the same time, we both said,

"Again."

We started over.

This time, the opening was nearly perfect.

But a few measures later, I pressed my bow a little too hard against the strings.

The harsh sound made both of us wince.

"That one's on me."

"Yeah."

We moved on to our third attempt.

This time, it wasn't my mistake.

Ayame hesitated for just a second while turning the page.

The piano fell half a measure behind.

I stopped playing and looked at her.

She covered her face with both hands.

"I can't believe I just did that."

It was the first time I'd ever seen her look so embarrassed.

I laughed without thinking.

"What are you laughing at?"

"So..."

"You make mistakes too."

"I just learned something new."

She lightly punched my shoulder.

"Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not."

"I'm just relieved."

We both took a deep breath.

On our fourth attempt, we made it a little farther.

This time, the rhythm stayed together.

But we still weren't listening to each other's phrasing.

Whenever I lifted my bow to breathe, Ayame kept playing.

Whenever she waited for me, I kept going.

After making it halfway through the movement, we stopped once again.

Silence filled the practice room.

Ayame opened her water bottle and took a sip.

"I get it now."

"What?"

"I've spent too many years playing by myself."

I nodded.

"Me too."

"We know how to perform."

"But we don't know how to perform together."

A small smile appeared on Ayame's face.

"For a first rehearsal..."

"I don't think we were that bad."

I burst into laughter.

"That might be the biggest lie I've ever heard."

She started laughing too.

"Alright."

"We were terrible."

"A little."

"'A little?'"

"Okay..."

"We were really terrible."

The two of us laughed until we couldn't anymore.

When the laughter finally died down, I raised my violin once again.

"One more time."

Ayame straightened the sheet music.

This time, she nodded with a smile.

"I think it'll be better."

"I think so too."

And we began rehearsing once again.

We began our fifth attempt.

This time, we listened to each other much more carefully.

Ayame no longer tried to lead the tempo too aggressively, and I stopped treating every rubato as if I were playing alone.

For the first time, the music started to flow naturally.

Just as we reached the final section, we both stopped at the same time.

Ayame looked down at the score.

"That was better."

"I think so too."

"You still rushed the ending a little."

"You're right."

"But you held the phrase a little too long."

She nodded.

"Yeah."

"I think the first thing we need to learn is how each other breathes."

"I was thinking the same thing."

She glanced at the clock.

"Let's take a ten-minute break."

I didn't argue.

We walked to the lounge at the end of the hallway.

After grabbing something to drink, we sat by the window.

The walls were decorated with photographs from old competitions.

Ayame appeared in most of them.

Pictures from her childhood, award ceremonies, concerts...

Then I spotted one from the competition in Italy.

I pointed at it.

"I remember this competition."

Ayame looked at me in surprise.

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"Not you."

"The competition."

She stared at me for a second before bursting into laughter.

"That was a little harsh."

"I was just telling the truth."

"I know."

We both laughed.

After the laughter faded, Ayame turned to me.

"What do you think my biggest weakness is?"

I thought about it for a moment.

"You think too much."

"You're afraid of making mistakes."

"Sometimes you're so focused on the next note that you stop making music and start playing notes instead."

She listened quietly.

Then she asked,

"What about you?"

"I'm the complete opposite."

"I play too freely."

"Sometimes I forget that I have a partner."

She nodded.

"That's exactly why we kept falling apart during the first rehearsal."

"Probably."

When our break was over, we returned to the practice room.

We spent the rest of the morning repeating the same passages over and over.

Every attempt fixed one mistake but revealed another.

Sometimes I lost the tempo.

Sometimes Ayame entered half a second too late.

But we had stopped blaming each other.

Whenever one of us made a mistake, we'd exchange a glance, smile, and simply start again.

By the time noon arrived, both of our shoulders were beginning to ache.

Ayame gently closed the piano lid.

"Lunch?"

"Sounds good."

We had a quick meal in the small café inside the music house.

Even during lunch, all we talked about was music.

We discussed where we should breathe together and which phrases needed one of us to take the lead.

Half an hour later, we were back in the practice room.

The afternoon rehearsal was far more productive than the morning.

We were beginning to understand each other without saying a word.

Whenever I slowed into a rubato, Ayame followed without hesitation.

Whenever she pushed the tempo forward slightly, I matched her instinctively.

By late afternoon, we finally managed to play the entire movement from beginning to end without stopping.

As the final note echoed through the room, neither of us spoke.

Ayame slowly lifted her hands from the piano keys.

I lowered my bow.

We wore the same expression.

We were exhausted.

But for the first time, it felt like we were moving in the right direction.

Ayame let out a deep breath.

"Compared to this morning..."

"We've made some real progress."

I smiled.

"We still have a long way to go."

"But we'll be ready."

She held out her hand.

"Same time tomorrow?"

I shook it.

"Same time tomorrow."

We packed our instruments.

When we stepped outside the music house, the sun was already hanging low in the sky.

We had spent almost the entire day doing nothing but thinking about music, talking about music, and making music.

There were still a few days left before the competition.

But for the first time, I truly believed we could win

At exactly eight o'clock on Sunday morning, I arrived at the music house once again.

This time, the security guard recognized me and opened the gate without asking any questions.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

I walked through the hallway toward the practice room. When I opened the door, Ayame was already there.

She was holding a pencil, making small notes on the sheet music.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

"Am I never going to beat you here?"

Without even looking up, she answered,

"Probably not."

"Confident, aren't you?"

"I'm just being realistic."

Smiling, I took my violin out of its case.

"Do you remember where we stopped yesterday?"

"The second line of the last page."

She answered without the slightest hesitation.

"I'm impressed."

"I don't have a photographic memory."

"I just spent all night looking at the score."

That explains it, I thought, but kept it to myself.

After warming up for a few minutes, we started playing again.

The difference from yesterday was obvious.

We were finally listening to each other.

Whenever I slowed into a rubato, Ayame followed without hesitation.

Whenever she stretched a phrase, I naturally breathed with her.

Our first run-through was almost flawless.

When the final note faded away, we looked at each other in surprise.

"That wasn't bad."

"No."

"It was actually pretty good."

Ayame looked back at the score.

"One more time."

We began again.

This time, I made a small mistake in the middle of the movement.

I frowned.

"Should we stop?"

Ayame shook her head.

"No."

"No one is going to stop the competition for us."

"Keep going."

So we did.

When the piece ended, I nodded.

"You were right."

"One mistake doesn't end the music."

A faint smile appeared on Ayame's face.

"Looks like we finally agree on something."

Without realizing it, noon had arrived.

A knock came from the door.

The same maid who had greeted me yesterday stepped inside.

She was carrying two sandwiches and a few drinks.

"Miss Sanjo."

"Your lunch."

"Thank you."

After the maid left, Ayame handed one of the sandwiches to me.

"We're not going out?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"My father prefers that I stay in the practice room during rehearsal days."

"Why?"

"He says leaving too often breaks your concentration."

I nodded.

"He sounds strict."

"He definitely is."

Even while eating, the only thing we talked about was music.

Where we should breathe together.

Which phrases the piano should lead.

Which passages the violin should carry.

As soon as we finished lunch, we returned to practicing.

The afternoon rehearsal was even more productive than the morning.

We were beginning to understand each other without exchanging a single word.

Several hours later, we managed to play the movement from beginning to end twice in a row without stopping.

When the second performance ended, silence filled the room.

Ayame slowly rested her hands on her lap.

"Thinking about how we played yesterday..."

"It's hard to believe."

As I placed my violin back into its case, I smiled.

"Yesterday, we barely knew each other."

"Today, we're speaking the same musical language."

Ayame looked at me.

For the first time, there was no tension in her eyes.

"I want to tell you something."

"I'm listening."

"Yesterday, I expected you to be nothing more than a good violinist."

She paused for a moment.

"Today, I realized you're also a good partner."

For a few seconds, I couldn't think of anything to say.

"Was..."

"Was that a compliment?"

She shrugged.

"If you want to take it that way."

Both of us laughed.

By the time we finished packing our instruments, the rehearsal was finally over.

As we walked toward the exit, Ayame suddenly stopped.

"We have school tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"Just because today's rehearsal is over doesn't mean we stop practicing."

"I know."

"We'll practice again after school."

I smiled.

"Yes, ma'am."

Ayame rolled her eyes.

"I knew you were going to say that."

We walked out of the music house together.

The sun was already beginning to sink toward the horizon.

For two entire days, our world had revolved around nothing but music.

The competition was only a few days away.

But for the first time, I knew I wouldn't be standing on that stage alone.

I arrived at school a little earlier than usual on Monday morning. The hallways were unusually lively. Everywhere I looked, everyone was talking about the same thing.

The midterm exam results.

As soon as I walked into the classroom, Nozomi raised her hand.

"There you are."

"Good morning to you too."

"So, how did rehearsal go over the weekend?"

I set my bag down beside my desk and smiled.

"It went better than I expected."

Ayaka looked at me curiously.

"So, did things work out between you and Ayame?"

"The first day was a little rough."

"But yesterday was much better."

Nozomi crossed her arms.

"I knew she'd accept your offer."

"When you went all the way to the third-years' classroom to ask her, I never thought she'd turn you down."

Kaito chuckled.

"You two are both stubborn."

"Maybe that's exactly why you'll make a good duo."

Before I could answer, our teacher entered the classroom.

Everyone returned to their seats.

After taking attendance, the teacher placed a few folders on the desk.

"The midterm exam results will be posted on the bulletin boards during lunch."

"Class rankings and overall academic rankings will be posted at the same time."

The classroom immediately became noisy.

Some students looked excited.

Others were already nervous.

The morning classes continued as usual.

But almost no one was paying attention.

Everyone was waiting for the lunch bell.

The moment it rang, students rushed out of the classroom.

Within seconds, the hallways were crowded.

I wasn't in a hurry.

I decided to wait until the crowd thinned out a little.

Just as I was about to leave the classroom, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from Nozomi.

Where are you? Hurry up!

I couldn't help speeding up after reading it.

By the time I reached the bulletin boards, a large crowd was still gathered there.

Then I heard Nozomi's voice.

"Umut! Over here!"

I walked over to them.

"Nozomi, you didn't have to shout."

"I thought something serious had happened."

"It is serious."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the board.

"Look."

I started searching for my name.

It didn't take long.

It was near the top of the list.

Mathematics...

Just as I expected.

Physics...

Another high score.

Japanese...

No surprises there.

Then my eyes stopped on Chemistry.

I had scored much higher than I expected.

A smile appeared on my face before I even realized it.

Aoi's explanations had really paid off.

"So?" Kaito asked.

"What do you think?"

"Better than I expected."

Nozomi lightly punched my shoulder.

"'Better than I expected,' he says."

"You almost got one of the highest scores in the class."

Ayaka smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

A little farther away, I noticed Ayame standing in front of the third-year bulletin board, checking her own results.

For a brief moment, our eyes met.

She gave me a small nod.

I nodded back.

After all, we'd see each other again at rehearsal after school.

The afternoon classes felt much more relaxed than usual.

The exams were over, and the results had finally been announced.

The tension that had filled the classroom for the past week had completely disappeared.

When the final bell rang, my phone vibrated once again.

A short message appeared on the screen.

Music House. 5:00 PM. Don't be late.

There wasn't even a name at the end of the message.

Smiling, I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

Nozomi looked at me with a grin.

"That was Ayame, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

"So you're practicing again today."

"We're going to practice every day until Thursday."

Kaito nodded.

"Thursday is the ensemble competition."

"And Friday is the solo competition."

"We're in the final stretch now."

"No turning back."

I slung my bag over my shoulder.

"After all this practice, I wasn't planning to turn back anyway."

After saying goodbye to everyone, I headed toward the train station.

Today's rehearsal would be different from the previous two days.

We had already moved past the stage of simply learning the notes.

Now we were practicing like two musicians preparing to step onto a real stage.

There were only a few days left until the competition.

When I arrived at the music house, Ayame was already there.

She was sitting quietly at the piano, looking over the sheet music one last time.

"I'm not late."

"I know."

"I just got here early."

I opened my violin case and took out my instrument.

"What are we working on today?"

Ayame closed the score.

"From beginning to end."

"Even if we make mistakes, we don't stop."

I nodded.

"Deal."

We took our positions.

After taking a deep breath, we began playing once again.

During our first run-through, we made a few small mistakes.

I used too much pressure on my bow during one transition.

Ayame finished one phrase a little faster than usual.

But neither of us stopped.

We played all the way to the end.

When the final note faded away, we both let out a deep breath.

"That wasn't bad."

"No."

"But we can do better."

We started again.

The second performance was much cleaner than the first.

By the third run-through, neither of us had to wait for the other anymore.

It felt as though we were breathing together...

Thinking together.

Just then, someone knocked on the practice room door.

The Student Council President and Aoi walked in.

"I hope we're not interrupting."

We both stood up.

"Welcome."

The President smiled and motioned for us to sit back down.

"Please, continue."

"We'd like to listen."

Ayame and I exchanged a glance.

Then we silently nodded.

We played the entire movement from beginning to end once more.

This time, we made almost no mistakes.

As the final note echoed through the room, we lowered our instruments.

Silence filled the room for a few seconds.

The President applauded.

"Technically, both of you are excellent."

We thanked him.

However, the expression on his face didn't change.

"But there's still something missing."

Ayame looked at him curiously.

"What is it?"

The President thought for a moment before answering.

"The audience doesn't see you as a duo..."

"...they see two separate musicians performing on the same stage."

The room fell silent.

I found myself thinking about his words.

He continued.

"You listen to each other."

"But you don't truly feel each other."

"The music is correct."

"The emotion is there."

"But you still need to show the audience that you complete one another."

Aoi nodded in agreement.

"Look at each other more often."

"Especially between musical phrases."

"Even a brief glance can completely change the performance."

The President smiled.

"I'm not saying you should stop practicing the music."

"But now it's time to practice the stage as well."

After talking with us for a few more minutes, the two of them left.

As soon as the door closed, Ayame turned toward me.

"One more time."

"What?"

"Not the music."

"Walking onto the stage."

I looked at her in surprise.

She stood up.

"Go outside the door."

"Then come back in."

"Act as if this were the real competition."

I did exactly as she asked.

I stepped outside and waited for a few seconds.

Then I walked back into the room.

Together, we walked toward the center of the imaginary stage.

We bowed to an audience that wasn't there.

Then we took our places.

We looked at each other.

At the exact same moment, we took a deep breath.

This time, neither of us said a word before starting.

We simply met each other's eyes.

Ayame gave me a small nod.

I nodded back.

The moment the first note rang out, we both disappeared into the music.

By the time rehearsal ended, the sky outside had begun to grow darker.

As we packed our instruments, Ayame spoke quietly.

"This is the first time I've actually felt nervous."

I looked at her in surprise.

"You?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

As she closed her bag, a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Because..."

"I think we can actually win."

It was the first time I had heard her speak with such confidence.

I smiled.

"Then let's win."

Ayame nodded.

"Yeah."

"Let's win."

We left the music house together.

This time, we barely spoke during the walk to the station.

There wasn't much left to say.

From now on, it wasn't about talking anymore.

It was about playing.

Tuesday turned out to be much calmer than I had expected.

Now that the midterm exams were over, everyone seemed more relaxed. The atmosphere in class was completely different. Even the teachers looked less tense. During lunch break, I went to the Student Council room as usual and practiced the violin for a short while. I wasn't trying to learn anything new anymore. I just wanted to keep my fingers and bow warmed up.

After school, I headed to the music house once again.

Ayame was already waiting for me at the entrance.

Today's rehearsal was much shorter than the previous ones.

We played the piece from beginning to end twice.

During the first run-through, we made a few small mistakes.

During the second, we finished the entire movement with almost no words exchanged.

When the final note faded away, Ayame slowly closed the piano lid.

"I think that's enough."

"We're not playing it one more time?"

She shook her head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if we keep practicing, we'll start making mistakes."

"I think it's time to rest."

I thought about it for a few seconds.

She was right.

We weren't fixing weaknesses anymore.

We were simply starting to tire ourselves out.

I placed my violin back into its case.

"Then tomorrow will be our final rehearsal."

A faint smile appeared on Ayame's face.

"Our final rehearsal."

The next day passed like any other school day.

No one was thinking about classes anymore.

The only thing people talked about in the classrooms and hallways was the competition that would begin the following day.

After school, all of the students who would be representing the school in the music competition gathered in the Student Council room.

Students from different grades filled the room.

Some carried violin cases.

Others held flute cases.

A few were quietly looking over their sheet music one last time.

Once everyone had settled down, the Student Council President stood up.

"Welcome, everyone."

"You were chosen because this school believes in your talent."

"Starting tomorrow, you will be representing our school."

The room fell completely silent.

The President continued.

"No matter what the result may be, I want every one of you to leave the stage without regrets."

"Don't be afraid of losing."

"Be afraid of leaving the stage knowing you didn't give it everything you had."

Everyone listened carefully.

"Tomorrow morning, we'll meet in the school courtyard at 7:30."

"The bus will leave at exactly 8:00."

"So please don't be late."

After a brief pause, the President smiled.

"I wish all of you the very best."

"I hope you come back with wonderful memories—and excellent results."

As soon as he finished speaking, applause filled the room.

The students began wishing each other good luck.

Nozomi and Ayaka walked over to me.

"We're going to give it everything we've got tomorrow."

I smiled.

"Yeah."

"All of us."

A few meters away, Ayame was talking with her friends.

For a brief moment, our eyes met.

We simply nodded to each other.

There was no need for words anymore.

Everything that needed to be said had already been said during our rehearsals.

From this point on, the music would speak for us.

After the meeting ended, everyone slowly began leaving the school.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and started walking home.

For the past two weeks, I had spent nearly every day studying, practicing the violin, and preparing for the competition.

Tomorrow would be the first real test of all that effort.

I was excited.

But I wasn't afraid.

As soon as I arrived home, my phone vibrated with a short message.

Don't be late tomorrow morning.

Just like before, there was no name at the end.

I smiled without realizing it.

As I slipped my phone back into my pocket, I quietly murmured to myself,

"Don't worry."

"We're going there to win."