𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗬 | itaru chigasaki

iv. 「 Endure 」

❝ The things I feel just couldn't make it into words... ❞

•

•

•

•

It was evident to everyone in the MANKAI dormitory just how passionate Minori was about music. When they were lucky, she would sometimes forget to close the door of her room, allowing them to hear either her singing voice or the sound of her piano.

It was fitting for her to be the one in charge of making the BGMs and theme songs for their productions, she was so enthusiastic about her tasks that she left no one dissatisfied with her music. She often spent her time working on it when she wasn't occupied with other things like schoolwork or video games.

When they were fortunate enough to hear her playing the piano or her guitar, it made it easier for them to interpret how she was feeling.

"It's quite hard to imagine how Minori-Chan is feeling right now," Tsumugi remarked as he listened to the piano music that flowed from Minori's room. "I wonder if she's alright..?"

"The song is quite fast, maybe she's anxious?" Tsuzuru said almost questioningly.

It was almost a game for those in the MANKAI. Whenever Minori left her door open while playing the piano, it was almost routine for them to guess how she was feeling.

As the music streamed through the living room, everyone who was present at that moment listened carefully as the girl continued to play. The tempo grew faster, imitating the sound of an accelerating heartbeat converted into music, the song then took a turn, sounding almost melancholic all of a sudden.

To Itaru, it sounded as if she had been willing to give up every time, only to be encouraged by the sound of her accelerating heart. It sounded like she had to wait, impatiently, that is. Like...

Like she had to endure something. 

Itaru listened to it carefully. Even though he was just sitting on the couch with the others with his phone opened to a gacha game. Itaru was still listening.

How could he not? The music resonated through his heart like it wanted him to listen. He couldn't ignore it.

"Is she in love, maybe?" Azuma inquired. "Though the tune sounds melancholic, somehow."

"In love is a good guess." Chikage, who was sitting next to Azuma, replied. "Perhaps she feels impatient about something."

"The song suddenly sounds sad..." Tzusuru remarked.

The song soon reached its climax. The 20-year-old scratched the back of his neck in slight confusion, "It's hard to tell suddenly..."

Itaru suddenly felt a set of eyes piercing through him, he looked up from his phone and saw Chikage watching him, his eyes urging him to pay attention to the song as Minori played it once more.

But he was listening. Itaru had been listening to her all this time.

"Minori-Chan's such an interesting person, to convey her feelings through something like piano music." Tsumugi spoke up with a grin, "It's fun to try to figure out what she's feeling sometimes. It's like a game."

A game.

If it was a game, Itaru thought, then he would have already been failing miserably at getting to the next level.