“WOW! I’m impressed, Miss Satsuki!” exclaimed a smirking man behind a pair of glasses. The man slowly clapped from his seat in the drawing room. “That was wonderful! I’m impressed you’re so talented with both the violin and the piano.” Although the tone of his voice was mild and calm, Satsuki could sense thorns hidden in his compliments.
This was Takaaki Kujo, the owner of the Kujo Trading Company’s second son. He was currently thirty-three. He was the oldest of Satsuki’s suitors. Frequently making deals with foreign companies for his business turned him into a highly skilled conversationalist. He was the sort of man who could effortlessly come up with an empty compliment or two on the spot.
That didn’t mean he was being insincere when he praised Satsuki’s skill with the piano. Her proficiency with the piano and violin were masterful.
Proficiency with the piano is a key skill for proper young ladies... Anyone stuck playing from the time they’re a kid should only improve in skill. In contrast to his kind eyes, he viewed the world with a rather hardened heart.
Roughly a week had passed since Satsuki’s birthday party. Perhaps because Tsukasa told them to save discussions for another day, the four suitors began rolling in to Tsujikawa mansion one after the next the following day. A different suitor called on her practically every day all week. It was honestly a hassle dealing with them all the time. However, experience allowed Satsuki to keep her impressions to herself, no matter what leaked from her suitor’s unshielded thoughts.
This was Takaaki Kujo’s second visit. The last time he came, he mentioned how he enjoyed listening to classical music. That conversation ultimately ended with him asking Satsuki to play the piano for him the next time he came by. So the grand piano was relocated to the drawing room before he arrived at 7:00 in the evening.
It was only natural for the suitors to have the courtesy to give advance notice when they were going to pay a visit. They were the ones trying to curry her favor. If they suddenly showed up when Satsuki was tired, it could make her view them in a bad light. That was the normal way of viewing things.
There was one inconsiderate jerk who would suddenly show up unannounced. If that weren’t bad enough, he came every day at the exact same time as the other suitors. It was almost as if he knew what time they were scheduled to arrive. Actually, it was quite possible he did.
“Any proper young lady is made to play the piano from the time she’s little. You’d think it’s a key item for them! It’s only natural she’s good at it.”
These words made Kujo’s stomach lurch. He was thinking the exact same thing only a moment ago.
The man who casually threw that rather insulting comment at Satsuki walked up to her with a grin. “Isn’t that right, Miss Satsuki?” Takemi asked with a smile and lightly slapped her on the back. His demeanor felt so contrived, she wanted to flash him a dirty look, but couldn’t with Kujo present.
Who the heck does this annoying brat think he is? I don’t care if he’s fresh back from the States! Does he seriously think he’s on the same level as the rest of us? He’s still wet behind the ears without any real world experience.
Kujo’s disgruntled thoughts invariably flowed into Takemi’s mind as well. Unlike Takemi, the other suitors were already invaluable assets to their family’s business or trade. All three were a good decade older than Satsuki too.
On the other hand, Takemi was still only eighteen. Though there was talk in the business world that “Kaido’s fourth son has a good head on his shoulders,” being placed on the same pedestal as a “boy” this young didn’t sit well with Kujo. The same was most likely true of the other suitors as well.
“Satsuki, let’s play piano four hands,” Takemi suddenly proposed, surprising Satsuki. He mentioned the form of duet casually enough, but did he actually know how to play the piano?
Ignoring Satsuki’s concern and Kujo’s incredulous stare over the sudden proposition, Takemi scooted the piano bench slightly to the right before moving to stand to the left. If Satsuki was on the right, that meant she would be the Primo. With Takemi on the left, he would be the Secondo.
Takemi indicated himself with a flourish of his left hand to his face as he said, “I’ll handle the sustaining pedal.”
The sustaining pedal was located at the center-right of the piano. However, it was common practice for the Secondo on the left to manage the pedaling. At least he possessed a certain degree of knowledge to know that.
Playing the piano four hands referred to a type of piano duet performed on one piano with two players. Satsuki had only done it a handful of times herself. When she was a little girl, she did it with the pianist giving her piano lessons.
He’s bitten off more than he can chew! There is no way he’ll pull off playing four hands with Miss Satsuki. He’s only going to humiliate himself, Kujo thought.
Ignoring Kujo’s twisted expectations, Takemi raised his head with a somewhat contemplative expression. “What should we play...? The score needs to be written for this... How about Mozart...? No...”
A lightbulb seemed to turn on as he flashed a quick look at Shindo standing by the drawing room windowsill. “Let’s go with Brahms,” he declared.
Satsuki’s hand flinched involuntarily at the mention of Brahms. He was Shindo’s favorite composer. Knowing Shindo was clearly a fan of the Romantic period, Takemi intentionally picked Brahms. There was nothing but malice behind his choice.