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The sweet sound of piano music filtering out into the hall would be enough to attract anyone to the Ultimate Pianist’s lab, even without considering the beauty and charm of the one playing said music. Tsumugi thought so anyway, wandering the overgrown corridors with an affected sense of aimlessness. It suited her to be seen as a plain, absentminded girl not worth taking an interest in—quite the opposite of her lovely protagonist. Luckily for her though, everyone else seemed occupied with their own activities. When she peeked in through the ajar door, not even Shuichi was inside.
“Akamatsu-san,” she ventured hesitantly, pushing the door open wider. “Sorry to bother you, but when I heard you playing, I just plain couldn’t stop myself from coming in. It sounds so beautiful. Would it be okay if I stayed and listened to you for a little while?”
“Oh, Shirogane-san,” Kaede replied, her smile as luminous as the sun. Her fingers slowed to a stop against the piano keys, but her posture remained flawless, ready to jump back into the song at any moment. “What a surprise. Sure, I don’t mind at all. Performances are meant to be enjoyed, right?”
“Thank you.” Tsumugi offered a genuine smile in return, closing the door most of the way behind her. She didn’t want anyone else to disturb them. After venturing farther into the room, she cast her gaze around, looking for somewhere to sit. Of course, she knew there were folding chairs in a supply closet, but it would be suspicious to display that knowledge.
“Oh, there’s nowhere for you to sit, is there?” Kaede asked, taking notice of the way she was lingering in the middle of the room. “Here, come join me.” As if she did so every day, she moved farther to one end of the piano bench, leaving room for Tsumugi to sit down beside her.
They brushed against each other, dozens of tiny points of contact from shoulder to knee. Each one sent sparks through Tsumugi’s body, igniting her as surely as one of the elaborate executions she’d helped plan. Oh, Kaede was dangerous. She didn’t seem to be suffering from the same hyper-awareness of their proximity, soon going back to the song she’d been playing. Tsumugi watched her fingers dance from key to key, the peaceful expression on her face, the confidence in her posture. Immersed in what she loved most, perhaps she could forget about the realities of the killing game temporarily. Tsumugi couldn’t though. Danganronpa was always on her mind.
Kaede finished one song and launched into another, never faltering. Tsumugi eventually lost track of how long she’d been sitting there, tantalizingly close to one of her most prized creations. Maybe she could get rid of Shuichi at some point, she mused. Then she could be poised to take over his role as Kaede’s closest ally and confidant.
“What are you thinking about?” Kaede asked eventually, when she was in between songs. “I hope you’ve been enjoying the music.”
“Oh, yes, I’ve been loving it. I can’t believe I basically got a private concert from the Ultimate Pianist. I suppose I was just lost in thought about everything that’s been going on lately, and what might happen in the future,” she began slowly, as if she was still sorting out her thoughts. “I’m sure someone will come to rescue all of us soon and we’ll be free to return to our lives, but I really like your idea of staying friends when we go home, Akamatsu-san. I’d like to stay in touch with everyone, but especially you.”
“Especially me? Really?” Kaede’s lips twitched into a shy, uncertain smile, so unlike her usual brash optimism. “Wow, I’m flattered. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think you’re flirting with me.”
“Would it be so bad if I was?”
That shy smile morphed into a small ‘o’ of surprise, drawing Tsumugi’s attention further to her lips and how much she’d like to kiss them. “No, it wouldn’t be bad at all!” Kaede exclaimed, lifting her hands from the piano. “I’m just a little surprised. I’ve tried flirting with you so many times, but you never seemed interested.”
“You what?” It was Tsumugi’s turn to be surprised then, not sure where to look. “But I didn’t...”
“You didn’t notice? Really?” Kaede laughed. She nodded, going along with that explanation and hoping she looked sheepish enough. I didn’t write you to have feelings for me was what she thought, running through her notes again and again in her mind.
“Well, I know now,” she said. “You’re welcome to flirt all you want. I may seem plain, but I can get pretty serious when I want to, so I won’t be letting you slip through my fingers.” Win or lose the game, she didn’t plan to say goodbye.