Kou’s clearly not acting like himself today. What in the world happened?
I pounded the mold against the counter to get the air bubbles out of it, shoved it into the preheated oven, and set the timer for forty minutes.
Job finished, I finally made my complaints known. “And you even had the nerve to watch me do all the work! Did it not even cross your mind to lend me a hand?”
“You did everything so perfectly, I thought I’d just get in your way.” Kou partially inclined his head, his red hair smoothly falling on his face with the movement.
Cunning! Pushy! Cool! And so not fair! I stamped my feet on the ground and groaned.
Kou laughed before finally getting to the point of why he called me over. “Sou’s coming back from Germany.”
“…Come again?”
What a relief he waited to tell me until I finished cooking. If he told me a few minutes sooner, I would have dropped the glass bowl and the batter would’ve splattered on the kitchen floor.
I just heard him say Sou is coming back.
“I thought you’d have a heart attack if you suddenly ran into Sou at Seio. I called you over here to prepare you mentally.”
“I see. Thanks…for that.”
My knees buckled. Kou jumped to his feet and supported me by the elbow to a different seat. I wanted to thank him, but only a hoarse wisp of air left my throat.
Sou will never come back to Japan. I had convinced myself of that. It was because of that understanding that I had forced him away from me with the cruelest method at my disposal.
Had I known he would be back in just three years, I would have persuaded him in a better way. I could’ve smiled and comforted him by saying, “I’ll be waiting for you to come back! So do your best over there!” Our parting wouldn’t have become one of the hardest moments in my life.
“Don’t you even think about saying, ‘Welcome back, Shiroyama.’ I get that was your way of drawing a line between you, but it’ll only hurt Sou.”
I couldn’t see Kou’s face. All that was before my eyes was his torso clad in a white shirt.
“…What choice do I have? Don’t you know what I said to him? I told him that I hate him. That I hate his guts! I even told him not to place the burden of his future on me. I can’t say his name like I did in the past. I don’t have that right!” I became emotional as I spoke. I curled my hands into tight fists and punched them into my thighs. “What was the point of getting all emotional if he was coming back in just three years anyway?!”
Kou clapped his hands around my cheeks as I fell into a state of panic over the sudden news. He dropped down to a crouch and looked up at me from a lower position on the floor.
“You are the only person who can’t say that. Sou adored you. Just three years? That time was like an eternity for him.”
Kou was angry. His low voice censuring my selfish complaints sliced into my ears. I was so wrapped up in my own feelings, I didn’t stop to think about how Sou felt.
“…Sorry… I’m so sorry,” I faltered, biting my tongue to stop from crying.
Kou’s expression fell and he frowned apologetically. “No… It’s my fault. I wasn’t trying to be that hard with you. Did it hurt when I brought my hands to your cheeks?” He shot to his feet and walked over to the sink. He soaked his handkerchief with cold water and returned to a crouch in front of me where he gently pressed it to my cheeks.
“Your cheeks aren’t red at least. Sorry.”
What an overreaction. It’s not like he hit me. Both Kou and Sou are too kind for their own good. I’m the cruel one. Guilt toward Sou tore my heart to pieces.
“No, I’m sorry too. For losing it. Also, thanks for telling me. Do you know what day he flies in?”
“Yeah, I already asked… I figured you’d want to know.” Kou pulled a folded piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and pressed it into my hand. “What else needs to be done to this cake after it bakes?”
His sudden question took me by surprise. “Um,” I mumbled, shoving the paper into my pocket as I thought through the recipe. “Once it cools, whip up some ganache, ice it, and it’s done.”
“I see.” Kou pulled me to my feet with a radiant smile. “I’ll have the help take care of pulling it out and setting it to cool. Is about two hours long enough?”
“Yup, that’s good.”
“Then why don’t we play together on the second-floor?”
My mouth fell open at his suggestion. Too many surprising things had happened for my brain to keep up. By play together…he means in an ensemble, right?
If that’s what he meant then…is he asking to accompany me on the violin?
“Sure—if you become skilled enough to win a music competition somewhere.”
The promise we made as little kids hit me full force. Nostalgia and joy over him remembering slammed together inside me.
I swiped at my eyes with my sleeve, holding back the tears threatening to burst forth. “That reminds me of the time you agreed to accompany me once I won a music competition.”
“Yeah. You remembered.”
Kou smiled so blissfully it made the stupid tears I had under control blur my vision.
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
I went right for the music sheet shelves inside the music room on the second-floor, but Kou grabbed my arm and shook his head.
“Love’s Sorrow. How about it?”
“Oh wow! Now that’s nostalgic! Ah, but the sheet music you gave me is at my house.”
“It’s okay. I downloaded it online… Need practice time?” he asked teasingly.
I arched an eyebrow and protested, “Oh, please. I mastered that song ages ago. I’m able to play the difficult notes I couldn’t back then.”
“Good to hear. Then why don’t you prove it?” Kou chuckled, pulling his violin out of its case. He swiftly finished tuning with practiced ease.
While he was getting ready, I placed the printed sheet music on the Bösendorfer’s music rack and glanced over at him to cue I was ready whenever he was. The music score that had given me so much trouble back then was a piece of cake now.
Kou slowly tucked his violin under his chin and brought up the bow. I was temporarily captivated by his dignified pose. The sweet tones of the elegant violin filled the room as he drew his bow. Seemingly having memorized the music, Kou looked at me and me alone as he played. Not once did he glance at the sheet music or at his hands.
Emotion blazed in his earnest gaze. The more I attempted to concentrate on the music the harder it became to pry my eyes from him. Realization suddenly dawned on me just as the song reached its climax.
Kou loves me.
The way his violin entreated with a plaintive melody and the reluctance to part glimmering in his eyes spoke eloquently of those feelings.
I probably would have never believed him if he told me with words. But the tone of his violin laid his heart bare for me to see.
Today was February fifteenth. Did he forcefully invite me over and insist I had to make a chocolate cake for him because he wanted Valentine’s Day chocolate from me? What was the point a day late?
Did he tell me about Sou returning and give me the note with the day he’d arrive to make me choose? Choose him or Sou.
What an awkward and hard to understand man you are, Kou.
“I love you. You are everything to me, Mashiro.”
Sou’s direct love confession rung in my ears. I kept every letter and postcard from him as precious treasures.
I must come to an answer.
Using the pretense that I couldn’t choose either one because both Kou and Sou were dear to me wasn’t a conceivable option. I think I knew that a long time ago. I simply used the justification that I wanted nothing to do with Hear My Heart as a way to turn a blind eye on my feelings.
The one I love is—
✦ ✦ ✦
*Heroine’s Results*
Target Character: Sou Shiroyama & Kou Narita
Event: Crossroad
*CLEAR*
✦ ✦ ✦
THE common route is now over. The next two volumes are contained stories where Mashiro ends up with the boy she picks! Both stories contain a unique standalone route just like an otome game. Kou and Sou both hope you will pick their route first!
◇Choose Kou’s Volume ⇒ Kou Route
◇Choose Sou’s Volume ⇒ Sou Route