"Aiko-chan, your motive of coming here is to?" Riko asked, as she looked at Aiko, who was at the side. "Ah, I wanted to take part in the contest, win it, and go back to my country with the prize itself," Aiko mumbled, as she fantasized about taking the trophy home.
This contest comes in four sections. One would be the instrumentals, one would be the dance, one would be singing, and the last one would be drama. "So you've came here to take part in the Tokyo Audition Instrumentals?" Riko asked, and Aiko have gladly nodded her head.
"Yea, but I don't know if I can make it to the semi-finals, since they're many strong opponents. Not to forget, in the semi-finals, it's a duo playing, so I will need to find myself a partner first before I can really enter the competition," Aiko sighed, as she shake her head.
"How about Chinen-san? The other time both of you played in such harmony. It'll work, definitely!" Riko commented.
Aiko shrugged her shoulders. 'I ain't sure myself,'
***
"Chinen, you shouldn't be skipping lessons and stuffs like that, the finals are coming, and if you skipped any further.." before Ryousuke could even finished his sentence, Chinen have shut him up, by pushing him out of the rehearsal room. "Chinen!" Ryousuke tried to convince him but to no avail.
"Nakajima-kun, Yamada-kun," Riko called out, before both of them have turned around to look at the two girls behind them. "Actually...." Riko muttered.
"EH!? You're thinking of getting Chinen to duet with you in the semi-finals for Tokyo Audition?!" Ryousuke blurted out, which was hurriedly quietened down by Yuto who was at the side. "That's impossible," Ryousuke said, as he sighed.
"Chinen will never take part in the Tokyo Audition. Not when Takaki is around," Yuto continued. "Takaki?" Riko muttered. "You mean... Takaki Yuya?"
"Eh? Takasugi-chan, how do you...?"
"We met them the other time, remember? Outside of the school? Aiko-chan, any impression?"
Aiko pondered awhile, before something flashed inside her brain. "Oh! I remembered! Takaki Yuya, that tall and handsome guy outside!"
"What do you mean Chinen won't take part as long as Takaki-kun is around?" Riko hurriedly went back into the conversation fast.
Yuto and Ryousuke looked at each other, before they hesitated if they should continue. "You see, Chinen and Takaki have been together for quite sometimes, and their relationship can't be broken..." Ryousuke mumbled, before Yuto continued his sentence.
"One year ago, Takaki-kun took part in the Tokyo Audition with Chinen, under the instrumental parts. But then, Takaki screwed up his piece, and made both of them to become the last in the participants,"
Riko and Aiko gasped, as they looked at each other, before they looked back at both of them for them to continue.
"From then on, Chinen vowed that without Takaki-kun, he'll definitely not take part in the Tokyo Audition. But despite that, he keep practicing on the piano day and night, without fail,"
"If it's not for Takaki's mistake, Chinen and Takaki might have won that time," Yuto mumbled.
"But we can't put all the blame onto Takaki-kun, right?" Riko voiced out. Aiko nodded her head. "Chinen probably just needed some time to think about the mistake and error,"
"But.. i still don't understand one thing, why is Chinen not going to lessons and practicing all day long inside the piano room?" Aiko asked again. Yuto and Ryousuke lowered their head. "He's aiming to be a pianist. A pianist that cannot leave the piano even for a single second,"
"Shut up, Yamada. You don't know anything about me,"
That cold and icy voice yet lingered inside Aiko's heart. She wondered why did this Chinen Yuri guy aroused her interest so much?
***
"Riko-chan! Let's go!" Aiko called out, as she grabbed onto Riko's wrist, and dragged her into the rehearsal room. "Let's try! I'll play, and you'll dance!" Aiko said, as she opened the cover of the piano, and placed her tender fingers down onto the keys.
Pressing one by one, the notes came out nicely, and Riko have absorbed every one of them perfectly. Lifting her legs, she started to dance and twirled around the room.
Yuto and Ryousuke passed by, and saw the duet together. Standing outside the room, they slowly observed both of them. They are probably the ones that can changed Takaki and Chinen, or so they thought at that time.
***
"Chinen!" Takaki called out, as he turned around, and waved to the younger boy. "Yuyan!" Chinen replied, as he run into his embrace, and Takaki have gladly grabbed hold of him up into the air. "Let's go," Takaki replied, before Chinen nodded his head in agreement.
"So... did you practice today again?" Takaki asked, as he hold onto Chinen's hand tightly. "Yeap! I did! I practice Winter Sonato this morning, and then and then I wa---" Chinen continued blabbering non-stop about his practice. At the side, Takaki's saddened face was seen.
'If only I didn't screw up the other time...'