Track 10

The tour is finally starting tomorrow, and it's been going off without a hitch! Looks like it's been causing a lot of buzz, too. Reservations are completely sold out!

After reviewing feedback posted online, I surmise that allowing complete novices to play the piano like professionals is garnering that attention.

I get it. It kinda makes me wanna try the piano, too. It's probably way different from the rhythm games I play.

......

Nayuki, is something wrong? Why the long face.....?

Ah, are you having a hard time handling those companies I acquired? If that's what's bothering you, I'm very sorry.....

I'm still angry that you bought those so carelessly, but I've already come to terms with that. It's something else.

.....Domeki-san hasn't returned to the dorm for several days now, and the tour starts tomorrow. I've tried contacting him on multiple occasions and received no response....

....! I was just thinking that I hadn't seen him for a while.....

.....It's not that unusual for him to leave for a few days, though.

Azekawa-kun, have you noticed anything different about Domeki-san as of late?

.....Now that you mention it.

There are a few suspicious factors to his absence this time.

Is that so?

The particular earring case that he takes with him on extended leaves approximately 80.8% of the time currently remains on his bedside table.

.....Actually, you're right. He does take off his earrings when he goes to sleep.

......

T-Tao.....

What's wrong? Why are you whispering?

Kugurinu might not be doing so well..... You see... um... a letter from his mom that came a few days ago, and I... I gave it to him.....

.....!

(Kuguri-san's mom is the author of that book we saw at the library, right? .....The one titled, "How to Raise a Genius".)

M-Maybe I shouldn't have done that..... What should I do, I.....

.....Even if you didn't give it to him, that letter would've made its way to Kuguri-san anyway. Don't be too hard on yourself.

.....

Uhm, 'scuse me. Can I say something? Apparently, a letter from Kuguri-san's mother came in a few days ago.....

(.....! So the mail that Chihiro-kun gave Kuguri-san was a letter from his mother?)

.....Kinari, does Kuguri normally keep in touch with his family?

I don't believe so. I have no recorded data of Kuguri being in contact with his relatives.

So why send a letter now...?

.....He participated in the piano competition, albeit indirectly. It's possible that she found out. Domeki-san is still well-known within the industry.

.....Now that you mention it, Kuguri-san was looking for someone on the day of the competition.....

(He said there was someone he wanted to ignore, didn't he.....)

.....

Alright. Got it. I'll take this on myself.

Hey.

Chihiro and Tao, please check on the venue. Make sure there won't be any problems with the flow of movement. Kinari, please handle the manufacturing exhibit and the gloves. Perform a final check on the reservation data as well.

R-Roger that.....!

Order accepted.

Nayuki, please support them and double-check everything afterwards. Kindly handle any problems with the equipment, and do a final test-run of the assistance app as well.

Uuugh, fine! I'll do it, alright?!

What can I do to help....?!

Chief, your job is to help me look for Kuguri and bring him back. We don't have much time. Let's go.

Understood.....!

(If Kuguri-san is in pain right now..... Then I want to help him... even a little bit.....!)

Final data update complete. All scans executed. The assistance app is also functioning properly.

Yes, I've just sent the debug file to your team. Could you look over it? It's a patch to fix a bug in the program.

Let me know when you have finished installing the patch. Thank you.

.......

Uhm, looks like foot traffic's gonna be just fine. The venue looked great, too..... All that's left is to scan the area with the remote camera......

.......

.......

Chihiro. He's gonna be just fine. I'm sure Raito-san and the chief will bring him back.

I... said some stuff I shouldn't have brought up. Kugurinu... probably hates me now, and.....

Statistically, the probability of Kuguri hating Chihiro is only 0.3%. It is practically 0.

But... I think I really hurt him.

....I think Kuguri-san's more sensitive than he lets on, but...

I'm sure it'll be okay. If the way he treated me is any indication, I don't think he's the type to brush off someone's feelings.

Even though he might've just done that on a whim.

So let's believe in him.

.....Yes. I do not believe he is one to break a promise that easily.

.....Yeah, you're right. Kugurinu is really kind, after all.

Okie! Let's run that scan and check on the venue!

.......

(Even someone like him can be admired like that. .....Well, I suppose I have to admit that I... am also indebted to him, in a way.)

(So, Raito, you better bring him back this time as well.)

(If there's one thing your arrogance is good for..... It's your knack for convincing people.)

I've already checked all the shops and restaurants he frequents. But none of them said they've seen him today.....

No luck here either. He wasn't at any of the places Kugutama said he would be.

The sun's already setting..... What if he went somewhere far away?

.......

(There has to be some kind of clue..... Somewhere Kuguri likes to go, somewhere Kuguri... likes to go......)

.....Concrete.

.....*Gasp*.

Chief. There's one more spot I'd like to check.

Eh?

At times like this, my intuition is usually right. Please trust me.

.......

(Concrete. The scent of the sea.....)

(.....The sound of the waves. Enough to make me want to cover my ears..... Today, as always, the world plays its music.....)

Which one would you like?

(So I can choose any of these three pianos...?)

(This first one has a low, heavy sound. The second has a soft one. The third... sounds deep, like it's been submerged.)¹

—

*Sigh*.....

Ah..... What a relief.

(The pain hasn't faded at all. I still haven't forgotten about Frederick. —The anger, the agony of that day… It's all still here.)

Haha..... haa......

(.....God is not the one ruining me.)

(The fact that I even believed in God, and had hope... That is what's ruining me—....)

.....Ugh!

(It's because of—)

Though I may have a prosthetic finger now, it's precisely because of it that I can still touch the piano. With the fingers I have now, while I can no longer create the same sound as I did before—

(These fake—)

(Arms that I—.....)

(I... started to have hope, like a fool.....!)

KUGURI!!

.....Raito!

STOP IT! What are you doing?! Are you trying to break your arms?!

LET GO! Don't touch me!

Kugu.....

You were right! I went through more despair than you could ever comprehend! I have so much of it, you cannot even see where it ends. How could anyone find that "beautiful"?!

....—!

If someone can't heal from their wounds, does that make them weak.....? Do those who suffer from devastating tragedies without a "happy ending" truly have nothing left for them.....?!

As long as there are people like you who look down on despair, there will always be souls who will never be saved.....!

.....Kuguri.

If hope is bound to crumble anyway, then it'd be better to never have it in the first place.....!

STOP IT! KUGURI!

LET GO!!

As if I'd do that!

——UGH! LET GO!!

?!

.....Gh! Agh!

RAITO-SAN!!

Chief..... I'm alright. Don't worry.

.....! Your back, it's bleeding.....! I'm calling an ambulance!

—.....