"You can't kiss me can you?" When I accepted my childhood friends challenge, she unexpectedly softened and is acting like a love-struck girl [Dropped] - Chapter 16 - Preparations!

“D-Don’t worry about it… but doesn’t it seem a bit strange that there are only pictures of me at the Kazami household? Like, my piano recitals…”

Airi said, trying to hide the slightly awkward atmosphere.

If it were a combination of Ibuki + Airi, it would still make sense.

However, the fact that there were only pictures of Airi in the Kazami family album is a peculiar story.

“Maybe for my parents, you’re like their own child… isn’t that right?”

Indeed, Ibuki’s mother likes taking pictures of him, but she also enjoys taking pictures of Airi.

Actually, she wanted a son, but she also wanted a daughter! Those were Ibuki’s mother’s earnest feelings.

“Well… I’m happy, of course. There are also pictures of Ibuki-kun’s karate competitions in my family album. But…”

“…Well, I understand what you mean.”

Both families think of Airi and Ibuki as their own child.

It’s a joyful thing, but…

However, both Ibuki and Airi secretly wished they would stop thinking of them as their own children because there might be a possibility that they might or might not marry each other.

“Speaking of which, Airi… why did you quit playing the piano? You were doing so well. It’s a shame…”

Ibuki asked Airi as he thought of the old days.

Ibuki may not have been particularly good, but Airi played at the recitals and received a decent evaluation.

“Well, even if you ask me… I got busy with the junior high school entrance exams, I guess? I never intended to make a living with the piano, and I never thought I could be a professional in it.”

Even now, she felt sad for quitting her piano recital practices on a short whim.

But as she couldn’t do anything of what happened past, Airi just shrugged her shoulders and said,

“But you quitted first, Ibuki-kun.”

“Well… yeah, I wasn’t that good to begin with…”

Ibuki answered while evading the question.

“…But, it does bring back some nostalgic feelings.”

Airi said, narrowing her eyes and then she smiled at Ibuki.

“Do you want to play the piano with me? It’s been a while.”

On the sudden and abrupt request, Ibuki couldn’t help but ask for clarification of her words.

“Huh? The piano?!… Right now?”

“Yes… Do you not want to?”

Leaning forward, Airi hugged Ibuki’s arm.

The soft touch of her b*****s, which he still hadn’t gotten used to, told the passage of time that had passed as both of them had grown mature.

“W-Well… but… I don’t know if I can do it well…”

To be honest, Ibuki didn’t have much confidence in his piano skills.

He understands his own talent well… to put it bluntly, he’s not very good.

Although he and Airi were at a similar level, Airi was much better when compared to him.

In the first place, since Ibuki quit playing the piano, he hasn’t touched the piano at all.

At most, he played a few times a year.

If he were to play with Airi, he would definitely be dragging her down.

“I’ll take the lead, okay?”

‘Don’t be scared.’ Airi lightly grasped Ibuki’s hand, as if saying that.

‘This comfortable feeling, it’s been a while.’

Ibuki felt nostalgic when he saw her gentle and caring gestures.

As of now, he might be different, but in the past, Ibuki was quite timid and shy.

Airi held Ibuki’s hand like that and said to him, “Don’t be scared. I’ll be with you.”

Ibuki couldn’t help but smile when he heard those words.

“…Alright. Let’s do it.”

And then the two of them headed towards the living room where the piano was placed.

“Surprisingly the piano is not dusty.”

“My mother uses it occasionally so it is still in good shape.”

Ibuki had first started playing piano at the recommendation of his mother.

Even though he no longer plays it regularly, he still uses the piano occasionally as it would be a waste of skill.

When Ibuki and Airi were preparing to play the piano together…

“Oho, both of you… Are you going to play the piano?!” Ibuki’s mother asked in surprise.

“Well, just a little bit…” Airi replied.

“Yes, please let us use it.”

The two of them answered, and Ibuki’s mother beamed with a smile.

“It’s absolutely fine! By the way, Ibuki, it’s been a really long time since you played… Oh, I know! Wait a moment!”

Saying that, she disappeared somewhere.

Ibuki and Airi exchanged glances, shrugged their shoulders, and then resumed their preparations.

Ibuki took out a suitable sheet of music and asked Airi, “So, which one should we choose? …I hope it’s something easy.”

“That’s right… How about this one?”

“If it’s that one… well, I guess…”

They sat side by side on the chairs.

As if to warm up, Airi played a few notes and smiled.

“It’s been a really long time.”

“Yeah…”

Just as they were about to start…

“Wait! You haven’t started yet, right?”

Ibuki’s mother appeared, out of breath, holding a video camera in her hand.

Ibuki couldn’t help but frown when he saw the excited smile on his mothers face.

“Are you planning to film this…?”

“Yes, of course. It’s been a while since Ibuki’s performance… and more importantly, you’re playing with Airi-chan, right? It’s definitely worth capturing!”

Ignoring their obvious displeasure, Ibuki’s mother readied the camera and started filming them.

Though both of them made it clear through their expressions that they didn’t like the idea…

When they realized that their resistance wouldn’t get through to her, they both let out a sigh.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

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TL : Zenon#4120