The announcer's voice echoed through the hall.
"Next up: Class 2-B with an original musical performance!"
The audience stirred with anticipation. Whispers of excitement.
On stage, the band took their positions.
Kenji at the piano, fingers resting on keys.
Hikari with her violin, bow poised, eyes closed.
Riko at the microphone, breath steady.
Behind them, classmates managing lights and sound, invisible but essential.
Kaito stood in the wings, watching. Not performing. Just... present.
The lights dimmed. A single spotlight illuminated Riko.
She began to sing.
---
The song flowed through her—every note carrying months of unspoken feelings. The lyrics Kaito had written, the melody Kenji composed, the violin Hikari poured her heart into.
"In the silence of a crowded room,
Two lonely hearts found space to bloom..."
Hikari's bow moved across strings. Her eyes remained closed, but behind them, images flickered. Kaito in the library. Kaito on the rooftop. Kaito smiling—actually smiling.
"Unseen glances, unspoken words,
Quiet moments, like singing birds..."
Riko's voice soared. Her gaze found Kaito in the wings. Held there.
"When two lives connect in unseen ways,
The universe stands still and stays..."
The final note hung in the air.
Silence.
Then—thunderous applause.
The audience rose. Parents cried. Students cheered. Teachers clapped until their hands hurt.
But Hikari and Riko weren't seeing any of it.
Their eyes found Yuki in the front row.
She was crying. Tears streaming freely down her face. But beneath the tears, something else—relief? Fear? Hope?
---
The rest of the performances happened. Other classes took the stage. The audience continued to applaud.
Class 2-B didn't care.
As soon as they could escape, Hikari and Riko slipped away. Through the wings. Past the dressing rooms. Up a stairwell.
An empty classroom. Third floor. Forgotten.
They stood in the darkness, catching their breath, hearts pounding.
Then footsteps echoed in the hallway.
The door creaked open.
Yuki stood in the doorway.
Her eyes were red. Her cheeks were wet. But she was here.
Then another figure appeared behind her.
Kaito.
He stepped into the room, his expression calm but his eyes... different. Softer. Waiting.
Four people. An empty classroom. Years of secrets pressing against the walls.
The truth was coming.
(End of Chapter 88)