That night Taki dreamed about a great many things. The fleeting glimpse of those red-gold eyes in the courtyard after school yesterday, for one.
Those pupils shone the same as ever. If anything, maybe because something in her was broken, those eyes looked even more alive with spirit.
One glance was all it took. Shiina Taki swore to herself that scene would replay in her dreams over and over from now on.
"Haaah."
"Taki, why so listless? Didn't you sleep well?"
Just like that it was the next day. First period had ended, and Taki, listless and unmotivated, was slumped over her arms during the break, half-asleep.
She had not, in fact, slept well.
"It's nothing. I… just had a little trouble falling asleep."
"Huh? Well, okay. Make sure you rest."
The girl passing by her desk was so friendly, but Taki barely registered it.
Her head was full of the girl who had saved her, the girl who played with crows in the rain.
"Ugh, this is driving me crazy. No. That's it, I'm going to find her!"
Taki stood and headed for the door. The girl who had just asked after her called out in surprise, "Taki, class is about to start—"
I'm not going!
That was what Taki had meant to say, but the words stopped at her lips and turned back.
"I… don't feel well. I'm going to the nurse's office. Sorry, could you explain it to the teacher for me?"
Skipping one period wouldn't matter. Her big sister had an excellent reputation, so no teacher would suspect the little sister of such an exemplary student.
That was one of the perks of having a good big sister.
But where was Chiose right now?
Taki felt reckless. She had no idea how to approach her, no idea whether walking up to her uninvited would drag up memories Noshiro Chiose would rather leave buried.
Going deaf while saving someone's life was obviously not a fond memory.
"Caw— caw—"
The strange cries came again from somewhere off in the distance. Taki jolted upright. There was no way she could forget that sound.
Crows.
Shiina Taki didn't hesitate. She gritted her teeth and chased after it.
Up the stairs, around a corner, up another flight, out onto the second floor of the club building. Shiina Taki poked her head out from behind the corner.
She saw her again, the girl in the Haneoka Girls' School uniform.
Two or three crows circled around her. The girl pushed the window open and let them all out.
[It really is her…]
Thank goodness! It was as if heaven itself had arranged this meeting!
Taki watched Chiose walk toward the Brass Band Club at the end of the hallway.
Noshiro Chiose lingered a moment, then pushed the door open and went in. Taki followed close behind, but she didn't rush in after her.
Questions crowded her head. She couldn't understand why someone with a hearing impairment would go to the Brass Band Club.
Had she arranged to meet someone in there?
The thrill of following someone had left a faint sheen of sweat on her palm. She kept running her fingers over the door handle, unsure whether to pull it down.
Then music spilled out from inside the room. A piano.
"Tch."
The playing was light and quick, laying the performer's mood bare, and yet Taki didn't believe Noshiro Chiose's heart was a cheerful one.
The tempo climbed. Whoever was playing was clearly skilled. Just listening, Taki could picture those slender fingers dancing up and down the keys.
She eased the door open a crack and pressed her eye to the gap. Everything inside the room lay open before her.
She saw the smile on Chiose's face. So radiant…
As though she'd stumbled onto something beautiful enough to look back on for the rest of her life.
Because of the piano?
But she wasn't a—
The melody turned without warning, softening, going calm. Taki felt like she'd become some small animal that knew nothing at all, that could only listen, that needed only to listen.
[It's beautiful.]
If it were me playing the instrument I'm good at, could I ever perform at that level?
"I…"
The piano had stopped without her noticing. Only then did Taki realize she'd walked into the room at some point.
She turned to flee in a panic, only to find the girl had already swiveled around and was looking straight at her.
There seemed to be curiosity and surprise in Noshiro Chiose's red eyes, though Taki couldn't tell whether she imagined it: those pupils trembled, just for a moment.
"H-hello. I'm just a student passing by. I heard someone playing and came over without thinking."
What a clumsy thing to say. She'd definitely be written off as a weirdo.
But against all expectation, Chiose gave no reaction at all. She only kept studying Shiina Taki with those curious, wary eyes.
"Mm?"
That was the only sound Chiose made. Nothing but a simple noise.
Shiina Taki smacked her own forehead. She'd been in such a rush that she'd nearly forgotten what the other girl had lost.
But… right now she was a stranger, and a stranger wouldn't know the girl in front of her couldn't hear.
So Taki forced herself to keep talking, saying whatever came to mind, until she saw Chiose lower her head.
Fingers tapped at a phone screen. Chiose typed into her memo app:
[Hello. My name is Noshiro Chiose. My ears can't hear sound clearly. Was there something you needed?]
Then she held the phone out to Taki.
[Hello. I'm a student who was passing by. My name is Shiina Taki. Your music is really moving.]
Shiina Taki startled first, took the phone with great care, sat in silence for a moment, and then started typing too.
In truth, her head was full of Chiose's hands, because their fingers had brushed for an instant when the phone changed hands.
Chiose's small hand had been so warm, and those fingers were so long and nimble.
She handed the phone back. But Chiose didn't pass it over again the way Taki had imagined she would.
She just sat on the piano bench, head tilted, staring at Taki.
"Huh? Is there something wrong with me?"
Taki pointed at herself. In the end it was Chiose who typed again.
She aimed the screen at Taki. There were only a few large words glowing on it:
[So! Was there something you needed?! If not, I'm leaving.]
"Wait, don't go yet. Let's add each other, we can chat."
Taki fumbled with her own phone, her chest burning like something had caught fire in it.
For the first time she realized how clumsy she was, how crudely she was handling all of this.
[Please. I want to add you and get to know you, is that okay? I really do love your music. I'm really interested in you!]
Taki typed on her phone at a total loss, mistyping several times along the way. She felt utterly humiliated right now.
She hadn't even dared to say that she was the reason Chiose had gone deaf.
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