The Charm of the Popular Beautiful Succubus in Class Doesn't Work on Me ~ For Some Reason, This Beauty Keeps Trying to Hold My Hand ~ - 41

Chapter 41: （　　　　　）

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“Now then, we will be holding a send-off party for Akari Akanashi-san,who has successfully advanced to the national competition in the All-Japan Classical Music Competition of the Violin Division.”

I watched as Akanashi bowed to the entire student body from the stage in the gymnasium. Today, the school had hastily decided to hold a send-off event in her honor since Akanashi had passed the finals of the All-Japan Classical Music Competition and was set to compete in the national tournament. Because of that, all students from first-year to third-year had been gathered in the gymnasium, and it seemed that Akanashi was about to play her violin in front of us. I knew nothing about music, so I couldn’t really grasp how impressive it was to compete at the national level, but it must be quite an achievement. Even the vice principal, who was introducing Akanashi to the student body, was speaking with great enthusiasm.

“I sincerely appreciate the school for organizing this occasion for someone like me today. Thank you very much.”

Dressed in her school uniform, Akanashi lowered her head deeply. She held her violin in one hand and began speaking about her aspirations for the national tournament. I had known that Akanashi had been playing the violin since she was young, but I never imagined she was skilled enough to compete at the national level. Yet, seeing her stand on stage with such confidence, I strangely found myself convinced at her skill. She was shining like a celebrity as she stood there. She looked completely different from the small, adorable girl who usually greeted me with a bright smile. Though she still wore a gentle expression on her face, I could sense an intense determination—the kind that could only come from someone who had dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the violin.

Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen Akanashi perform before…

I could simply chalk it up to never having had the opportunity, but the fact that I was hearing the performance of someone so special to me for the first time at the same time as the rest of the students left me feeling a little conflicted.

As these thoughts ran through my mind, I glanced over at Kisara, who was sitting beside me. She, too, was staring intently at Akanashi. She had a serious expression on her face. 

Kisara… Why does she look so serious…? Maybe there’s some kind of history between the two of them after all…?

Lately, Kisara had been showing expressions that she never used to show. How should I put it… Sometimes, she looked a little spaced out and other times, she looked like she was deeply troubled about something. It was clear to see that she was worrying about something, but for now, it seemed she didn’t have any intention to share her concern with me yet. Even on the way home after that incident with Makabe… She didn’t tell me the full picture. I mean, sure, I was just her fake boyfriend, but seeing Kisara wearing that kind of expression was a little painful to me. 

“And now, as a token of my gratitude, if I may be so bold, I would like to perform a piece for everyone here.”

Holding a microphone in one hand, Akanashi looked out over the venue.

“The piece I will be performing today is one that I believe everyone has heard at least once before. I will put my heart into this performance, so please enjoy it to the very end. This is… ‘Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.’”

The audience responded to Akanashi’s words with applause. She watched the scene for a brief moment, then, once the applause began to settle, she raised her violin. She moved the bow up and down two or three times, checking the sound. All eyes in the venue were fixed on Akanashi, and the gymnasium fell into complete silence. From there, the performance was nothing short of breathtaking. In terms of time, it probably lasted ten minutes—no, maybe only about five. Even so, it was more than enough for Akanashi to captivate the entire audience. The solemn harmony produced by her small frame and the note that resonated comfortably through the whole body, filled the heart of the audience with an indescribable sense of longing. Everyone was completely absorbed in the music, so enraptured that they forgot to even breathe.

On stage, Akanashi was playing the violin as if she were dancing. Akanashi was… How should I put it… Absolutely enthralling. When the venue erupted into cheers, I snapped back to reality. At the same time, my gaze landed on Akanashi, who had just finished her performance and now wore a relieved expression. She was met with thunderous applause from the audience. I, too, found myself clapping for her without even thinking about it first. I suddenly noticed goosebumps on my arms, perhaps from excitement. No. It was due to how impressive Akanashi’s performance was. I didn’t know anything about music, but even someone like me could tell that her music truly reached your heart. It was frustrating how inadequate my vocabulary was to describe just how amazing her performance had been.

To think Akanashi was able to perform like this… There was no way this skill had come without extraneous effort behind it. Without any doubt, we had just seen the result of Akanashi dedicating herself completely to the violin. 

“Man, that was an incredible performance.”

I said while clapping and turning my face to Kisara, who was sitting beside me. However, Kisara wasn’t clapping. Instead, she was staring intently at Akanashi on stage with a complicated expression.

“…Kisara? Is something wrong?”

Finding her behavior odd, I leaned in to look at her face. When Kisara noticed me in her peripheral vision, she suddenly snapped out of it and quickly shook her head.

“…No. It’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a bit.”

“Lost in thought? You don’t look too great either. Are you feeling okay?”

“Ah, yeah. Actually, I had trouble falling asleep last night, so I didn’t get much rest…”

“Hey, do you want me to take you to the infirmary?”

“It’s okay, I’m not sick or anything. But… I think I’ll leave early today. I’m feeling kind of exhausted.”

Saying that, she gave me a weak smile and got to her feet unsteadily. 

“Wait… Hold on. I’ll go with you.”

“No, really, don’t worry about me. The send-off assembly is still going, right? Michihito-kun, you should stay here. I’m not that weak, you know.”

After saying that, Kisara walked straight over to inform our homeroom teacher that she was leaving early. Meanwhile, the venue was still filled with cheers and calls for an encore that refused to die down. On stage, Akanashi wore a slightly troubled expression as she took in the scene. Then, suddenly, her gaze turned toward me, and our eyes met perfectly. She raised a hand and waved in my direction, moving her lips as if she was trying to tell me something. But of course, there was no way I could hear her. Her voice was swallowed by the sea of cheers.

Akanashi did her best to respond to encore after encore, and with that, the send-off assembly—or rather, the concert—finally came to an end.

“Akanashi-san’s performance was unreal. I could listen to it forever.”

“She’s cute and she can play the violin? She’s basically an angel.”

“I wonder if Akanashi-san has a boyfriend already or not?”

“Hey, don’t try to get a head start. But you know, I think I’m going to ask for her LINE ID next…”

Akanashi… With this concert, she had become the school’s rising star. As I headed back to the classroom, I felt a strange sense of exhilaration at seeing someone I used to have feelings for being treated like a celebrity.

Still… What was the thing that Akanashi had been trying to tell me on stage?

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