“…n. Kon!”
“Mnh?”
Someone was shaking my shoulders. Dazed, I shifted my gaze to my older brother beside me, peering at my face with worry. The clapping that sounded like roaring waves showed no signs of stopping. The entire audience continued to clap as though they longed for an encore from her.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Without another word, Kou pressed his large handkerchief into my hand. Wondering why in the world he did that, I tilted my head, and felt the tears stream down my cheeks. My brother averted his eyes, pretending he didn’t see my tears.
The sound of her piano had the uncanny ability to directly capture the soul.
That girl always laid herself bare and tried to convey what she was felt to us. The deep ocean of my memories seemed to have sucked me in while I was listening with rapt attention to the Schumann she played with her heart and soul. The various things I had tried my hardest not to remember came crashing back into my mind at once.
Indeed, that world was not my “former life.” It was my “past” connected to and continuing into my current present.
Every time I saw that girl smiling away as she had fun, frowning, pouting, vivaciously playing the piano, and just living and breathing and moving, I couldn’t not see my other little sister in her.
I don’t care if we never meet again now. I don’t mind if you forget all about me. Please, please live happily ever after.
If someone has to pay a cost for that to happen, I will pay every last drop.