Loveless (Book 1) [Completed]

Chapter 42.

FAIRY PRINCE.

Itsumi refused to leave the set and let Ren control her actions like a puppet. She tried to come up with some excuse to stay and let the scene drag out, and one immediately popped into her mind. If she could somehow prove that Mizuki's hand was fine, she could stay and resume the scene. Her eyes went up to the grand piano in the corner of the living room. There she had it, her excuse, because Mizuki loved the piano.

Without saying anything, she sat on the bench and started playing. It was a very soft and tranquil song which she had learned recently. She played it because it somehow resembled Mizuki's mood in that moment, it showed her love for Katsuki and how she was hurt by his rebuke. The music beautifully demonstrated the sadness of her heart to everyone.

When she was done, she looked up to face Katsuki and her heart fluttered when she saw an angelic smile suffusing his lips and his eyes dripping with love. Her face turned bright red and heart almost jumped out of her chest.

She immediately ducked beneath her seat to hide her blushing face. It was a genuine reaction from Itsumi but it only ended up making Mizuki look more cute. The more she was trying not to respond to his improv, the more the scene went exactly like Ren wanted. She hated it.

Katsuki joined her at the piano. Shrugging off his coat, he neatly folded up the cuffs of his shirt and sat beside her. "Let's play something together."

Itsumi hesitated. The only other song she could play was I stepped on a cat, and it was a playful, cheerful beat, the opposite of the current mood of the scene. Ren knew very well that she had just started learning the piano, but he deliberately asked her to play. Was he doing it on purpose? Did he somehow sense her intent on sabotaging the improv and was now trying to get back at her by humiliating her again?

"You don't need to hesitate," Katsuki urged. "I know you're not allowed to play the piano here, so if anyone asks I'll tell them that I asked you to play with me."

Itsumi had almost forgotten about this little fact that Mizuki wasn't allowed to touch the piano. Even her hesitation helped her play out her character. No matter how much she wanted to screw up the scene, somehow she kept failing.

Katsuki cracked his knuckles before he lightly touched the rectangular keys to play.

To Itsumi's surprise, the song he played was none other than I stepped on a cat. If he wanted to humiliate her, then why would he pick that particular song, knowing very well she could play it with her eyes closed. The only explanation was he wasn't doing it to get back at her. Then why did he say those things about drawing out the lines from her? Nothing made sense to Itsumi.

"Aren't you gonna join me?" Katsuki's fingers paused after the first verse and he slightly turned his head to give her an excited smile.

Mizuki blushed again. Itsumi gave up on her plan to sabotage the scene, since it was obvious now that Ren wasn't purposely trying to provoke her. She stretched out her long, delicate fingers and began to lightly strike the keys to play the second verse of the song together. After a few minutes, their parts were in perfect sync. They couldn't help but smile widely as the jolly, cheerful melody of the song filled the air with glee.

"I think we should borrow the music room in school for you to practice your piano, what do you say?" Katsuki suggested.

"We can?" Mizuki's face lit up like a christmas tree.

"Only if you could catch me," he smirked in a childish way that made her chuckle, and then raised the tempo of the song leaving her behind.

Mizuki played fasted as well. But as soon as she caught up with him, he played even faster and went out of reach again. Their jubilant smiles first turned into chuckles and then into full cackles. Soon, the crew joined in as well and the set was filled with the merry sound of reverberating laughter.