Chapter 168
Page 168
There are two pieces in total, a couple's style.
She tilted her head. "Consider this repayment, okay? Give me your hand."
"Alright, alright, I'll deduct it from the five million that Xiao Xiang owes me." Ai Aragaki said with a smile.
"Hmm." She nodded. "I thought about it for a moment. The teacher didn't give you a suit, and Chang Shan's clothes were also discarded. So I'll give you a watch instead."
"Thank you, I like it very much."
The boy reached out his hand, watched her help him put it on, shook it a couple of times, and had a hint of smugness in his expression.
"No matter what I give you, you'll say you like it, right?" Xiao Xiang looked into his eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards into a beautiful smile.
He laughed and said, "Yes, even if Xiao Xiang gave me a hair tie, I would be very happy."
"Alright then, you can have my hair tie." Xiangzi took off his hair tie from the left side and tied it up for Ai Aragaki.
His hair was now long enough to be tied into a small braid, which looked somewhat comical and made Xiao Xiang laugh.
The two of them played around on the sofa for a while. Ai Aragaki held down Shoko and started tickling her waist and stomach. The two then switched bodies.
He knows Xiao Xiang very well.
Before long, Xiangzi couldn't go on. He kept laughing, but he was having trouble breathing and was pushing against Ai Aragaki's chest.
"Okay, I surrender."
"Impressed?"
"I give up." Xiao Xiang lay on the sofa, looking up, laughing until tears streamed down his face, looking at the love on the screen.
She patted the boy's chest, urging him to get down quickly.
Ai Aragaki got down with a smile, put the watch on Shoko's wrist, and the two sat down again.
"Don't leave tonight." She turned her head away.
"Hmm." Ai Aragaki got up, found a bottle, trimmed the flowers that everyone had given her today, put them in the bottle, and placed it in the center of the coffee table.
The next day, the two went to the airport together.
He has very little luggage; a small suitcase is enough to hold it all. He doesn't need his old clothes anymore.
He only brought two suits that Teacher Yaozi gave him and a few clothes that Mu bought for him.
He wore an earring that Chu Hua had given him in his left ear, a necklace with a photo of He Mu on his chest, and a matching watch with Xiang Zi.
Miaomeng and Hailing didn't come. Last night's gathering was already a send-off for him, so there was no need to go to the airport.
Of those present, Xiao Xiang came with him, and Teacher Yaozi was going to leave with him.
Mutsu arrived quickly and held him tightly, refusing to let go. She didn't say she wouldn't let Aragaki Ai go; she just kept holding him.
Chu Hua arrived last, and smiled as she looked at Aragaki Ai.
It would be a great thing if Ai could go to Vienna.
She cannot be as willful as He Mu.
However, when she saw him into the airport, her eyes still welled up with tears, and she and Xiangzi comforted Mu.
"I will definitely come back in a year."
Before going in, Aragaki Ai and the other two said to each other, and resolutely walked into the airport.
A few days later, he received a photo on his phone. When he opened it, it showed the coffee table in Xiaoxiang's apartment.
"Love, the flower has not yet faded."
------------
Mu, it must have been only a short time since I left you, but it took me a long time to write this letter.
My life in Vienna is pretty good. In fact, apart from visiting you all, my life is as bland as water.
For the first time in my life, I dedicated myself to something so much that I practiced the piano for more than ten hours every day.
No, it should be just eating, sleeping, and practicing the piano.
At first, the intensity actually made me feel pain, and the teacher and the teacher's teacher kept putting pressure on me.
With the competitors becoming stronger, I was indeed unable to adapt at first.
But things are much better now.
My relationship with my senior classmate, who is also the teacher's daughter, is pretty good. She gave me a lot of advice and helped me through several difficult times.
It shouldn't be long before I'm good enough to go to the Golden Hall, and maybe even get a chance to work in an orchestra.
In truth, this is all thanks to Mu.
Without Mu, I think I would never have touched a single finger on the piano in my entire life.
So thank you, Mu.
There are still six months left, Mu, please be patient and wait for me to return.
Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person; opening it brings a smile to my face.
The letter was finished. The girl with light green hair folded the letter along the original fold line and put it back in the envelope.
She opened her phone, and the push notification was—
[The pianist for the latest recital at the Golden Hall is actually from our country.]
--------------
December, close to Christmas.
Vienna, classroom.
Ms. Yoko leaned against the side of the piano, looked at the boy in front of her, and asked.
"What are you going to do for Christmas? Do you want to come to my house? Kazusa will welcome you."
"No way, I didn't see any sign that my senior was welcoming me. She's always disliked me," Ai Aragaki said with a smile.
"No way?" Yoko raised an eyebrow, her tone incredulous and puzzled.
“Yes, haven’t I always used ‘scumbag’ to replace my name?” he replied.
This statement made Yoko laugh. It's probably because they have a good relationship that he could say that.
The boy's fingers danced across the piano, producing smooth melodies.
It is Liszt's Don Juan Memoirs.
In just one year, Ai Aragaki used the experience card that allowed her to advance from level eight to level nine in piano, and then used the item that allowed her to advance one level.
Now, at only sixteen years old, his skill level is already comparable to that of Teacher Youzi.
Although it's not level 10, it's perfectly adequate.
As Yoko listened to his playing, she remarked on how terrifying young people could be.
Ai Aragaki didn't reply, and asked again, "Teacher, can we go back to Tokyo for the concert in March?"
"Well, that's fine. I'll help you contact Minami. You won't object, will you?" Yoko asked.
"Of course I have no objection, this was agreed upon at the time."
Ai Aragaki changed the song, looking relaxed and unconcerned, revealing no particular emotion.
He then added, "I might need twenty tickets. Teacher, you don't mind, do you?"
"Hmm? Twenty seats? That's no problem, but they might be split up, and they might not be the best seats, but I can guarantee they'll all be pretty good seats."
“That’s enough.” Ai Aragaki continued playing the piano.
Yoko, however, was more agitated and asked.
"And then what? You're not going back to Vienna? You plan to stay in Tokyo?"
“Yes.” Ai Aragaki nodded.
“You’re only sixteen. Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay in Vienna? You can still improve.” Yoko had never seen such talent before and felt it was a waste for him to return to Tokyo.
She continued, "If you can't bear to part with Mu, just let her come over. That band only makes a little money compared to you..."
"It's alright, let's take a look."
Ai Aragaki paused for a moment, "Maybe she won't perform anymore? Just release albums? That would be such a waste, and it would be hard to maintain her popularity."
Besides, I can't just stay in Vienna all the time; I'll be performing all over the place.
“That’s true.” Yoko didn’t try to persuade her further.
"Thank you for thinking of me, teacher. You and your senior should have a get-together this Christmas. I don't want to get scolded by her."
Ai Aragaki stopped playing her instrument. "I'm thinking, should I take this opportunity to go back to Tokyo?"
"Don't."
As soon as he voiced this idea, Yoko instinctively stopped him, immediately realizing she had said the wrong thing.
"What's wrong?" Ai Aragaki narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with me going back?"
"It's alright, you can go back if you want." Yoko coughed lightly, holding the music score. "I'm going home first, Kazusa is waiting for me to come home for dinner."
"Teacher, your excuse is so lame."
Ai Aragaki didn't say much. Since the teacher wouldn't let him go back, there must be something wrong.
Christmas is here in the blink of an eye.
He doesn't celebrate holidays like this. He goes for a morning run, eats breakfast, and finishes his Coke before going into the music room, just like any other day.
I played the piano for a while in the afternoon.
The performance was interrupted, and Ai Aragaki, bored, played "Farewell Letter" as a form of entertainment.
A figure in light green peeked its head through the crack in the door, staring at the boy playing the piano from behind.
She slightly opened her mouth, noticing that the piano music had stopped, making it virtually impossible to sneak in.
"Come in, I heard the door open." Aragaki Ai's tone was soft, tinged with a smile. Even without seeing his face, one could tell he was smiling.
He turned around and met the girl's gaze.
"No wonder the teacher wouldn't let me go back; she knew you were coming all along. When did you arrive?"
"...This afternoon."
Mu is still the same as before; she thinks a little before speaking, and seems to have changed no at all.
The boy released his grip and stood up.
He came to Mu's side and took her soft little hand in his. Time had not made the two of them feel distant.
Even though they hadn't seen each other for a long time, they were still very familiar with each other. After all, several hours passed between them every day. The absurdity of soul swapping made them feel like they weren't in a long-distance relationship at all.
He led Mu by the hand and left the music room.
"May I ask, are you the only one who came?"
"Um... Yoko-sensei went to pick me up." Mutsumi nodded. "Where are we going?"
"Since we're already here, of course we should go for a stroll and soak up the Christmas atmosphere."
Ai Aragaki pulled her along, glancing at her clothes: a beige wool coat with a white scarf; she shouldn't feel cold.
He wore only a thick overcoat and went out with Mu in his hand.
The weather isn't too cold, but there's been less sunshine lately, and the temperature has already dropped below zero.
Once outside, the streets were decorated with Christmas-themed ornaments everywhere, with bells hanging and large areas of lights used as the most basic decorations. Combined with the palatial European-style buildings on both sides of the street, it gave one the illusion of having stumbled into a fairy tale world.
Mu had already seen it on the way here.
But things are different now.
Watching everything with love.
Ai Aragaki took her to the market in the city hall square, where the crowds quickly became dense.
The two of them went to a restaurant on the street and ate something casually. They had beef soup with fried pork chops, which tasted pretty good.
Wandering among the crowds, the two unknowingly strayed from the main road. It seemed that seeing the same scenery as everyone else did not satisfy Ai Aragaki.