CH 18

Kid’s terribly low voice rang out in silence. “Keep playing until I tell you to stop.”

Keep playing until I tell you to stop. What new bullying was this? Fortunately, my head was not cut right away, but I still couldn’t understand his thoughts.

I put my hands on the piano again, hesitating. I actually feel good that he told me to keep playing. It would be sad to end it with just one song.

Following Debussy’s Moonlight, I tried to play Arabesque.

I pressed the keys and glanced at Kid. That guy was sitting on the couch at an angle. At first glance, he seemed to appreciate the performance, although I had no idea what he was thinking.

‘Is he sleeping?’

He didn’t spit out sarcastic remarks or argue. He only breathed faintly.

‘He told me to keep playing until he tells me to stop.’

Then when would I stop if he fell asleep because of the lullaby?

I thought about waking him up by playing Chopin’s Ballad No. 1, my song for the entrance exam. But ultimately, I decided against it because I had a small gut.

Ignoring the sleeping kid, I focused on the piano. The feel of my fingertips touching the keyboard was thrilling. The thrill of the beat chilled the back of my neck.

Before I knew it, I’d forgotten about Kid again. I only glanced and waited for his order after finishing two songs. But without a response, I continued again.

So I played seven songs without a break. Usually, a piano recital would end here after the encore song. This situation gave me a subtle feeling.

‘I never thought that the piano recital of my dreams would be held here.’

My shoulders and arms were sore.

Realizing that I’d, again, forgotten about Kid. I searched for his eyes again and rubbed my arms without making it obvious. The performance had stopped, but nothing could be heard.

‘What the hell is he doing?’

I carefully turned my upper body to see Kid’s face. His fierce eyes were not even visible because of the darkness.

Vision was useless in a dark room. I changed my tactics and listened alertly. But in the quiet room, only breathing could be heard.

‘So calmly, too?’

What? Is he really sleeping? I opened my eyes again and observed Kid.

I lifted my bottom off the chair and leaned my upper body forward. Then I vaguely saw where his face was supposed to be. Even though I was doing this, Kid didn’t respond, so I gathered my courage and took one step closer.

I saw Kid with his head bowed. Upon a closer look, his upper body went up and down in line with the sound of breathing. It looked like he was sound asleep.

‘Seriously?’

I was flustered because I didn’t expect to see Kid sleeping.

Why are you sleeping? You told me to keep playing until you tell me otherwise.

I felt strange to see Kid sleeping soundly.

I didn’t know if I should say it was a novel feeling or if this enlightened me that Kid was actually a human being, too. Captivated by an indescribable strange feeling, I stood still.

‘By the way, what do I do? Can I go back to my room?’

Watching him sleep soundly made me sleepy.

Probably because I’d played the piano to my heart’s content, I felt refreshed and wanted to return to my room.

‘What time is it now?’

It’d been around 3 AM when Kid arrived, so it must’ve been a little past 5 now. The sun would rise in a little while, so it should be okay if I sneak away.

Well, there were more than two hours left for the sun to rise, but I didn’t want to sit here. I advanced in very small strides, and Kid still didn’t budge.

I reached the door before I knew it. All I had to do was reach out and grab the doorknob.

When I was about to reach the doorknob—

A small rustling noise came from where Kid was. My neck stiffened like an ungreased tin can.

‘I’m going crazy! Seriously!’

I stared at Kid’s dim silhouette. Seeing that there was no movement, it seemed he was just moving in his sleep.

I ensured nothing was happening, but I was afraid to open the door. Eventually, I bit my lip and sat back on the piano chair.

‘Just give up. That’s the most comfortable thing.’

I placed my arms on the piano keys and buried my face.

Instead of playing the piano to wake Kid up, I’d rather sleep here too. I felt my drowsiness would keep me alive longer than if I returned to my room.

I shouldn’t have been able to sleep with Kid next to me, but I forced my eyes to close.

***

“… Vivi.”

When did I fall asleep? I felt someone shaking my body a little. Why are you waking me up when I’m sleeping so well? And I’m not Vivi.

As my body shook, I heard the piano’s small ding sound. What the— I can hear piano from under me. Oh, did I doze off during practice? Ah, the instrument is going to be ruined.

“Vivi, wake up.”

I’m not Vivi. But  I think I’ve heard it somewhere… Wait. Vivi?

‘That’s me.’

I calmed myself down and lifted my upper body. I hurriedly looked around to understand the situation, but I couldn’t see Seniel, who called me.

What’s the situation? I looked down casually.

“… Why are you like this?”

Seniel was next to me, kneeling on his knees, looking up at me. The fierce eyes that had looked at me last night were gone, leaving only good and kind eyes.

I couldn’t even rant that I’d almost fainted because of his other personality last night after seeing that face.

Seniel’s dry eyes suddenly began to fill with tears little by little. I don’t mean to say it in this situation, but I looked at it as if possessed for a moment because it was as beautiful as a masterpiece.

“Even after I used my power, you didn’t— I was so scared…”

When asked why he was doing this, Seniel gave an erratic answer. Seeing his eyes fluttering with confusion and fear, he must have been out of his mind.

The first thing that ran through my mind was getting him up.

‘Why both the male and female lead like the floor so much…’

Sitting in a cold place was not good for the body.

I grabbed Seniel’s arms.

“I just slept for a while, so let’s sit here and talk.”

Seniel was dragged into my weak grasp, and I sat him on the piano chair. It wasn’t wide enough for two people to sit, so sitting with Seniel made the space more cramped. I tried to keep my distance, but it was impossible. Our knees bumped when I turned my body slightly so we could talk face-to-face. I didn’t do it on purpose, so I ignored it and focused on solving this situation first.

I asked him, pointing to the couch, “Did you wake up on that couch this morning?”

“… Yes. I even heard the piano in my sleep.”

Huh? Since when? Seniel’s eyes widened as he answered, “No one plays the piano in this house, so I thought it would be a dream.”

Kid and Seniel did not share all their memories. If so, had he felt any great emotions because of the piano? Or had Kid left, and Seniel returned in the middle?

Seniel’s eyes began to blur again as if tears were about to fall.

He spoke in despair, “When I woke up in the morning, Vivi was lying on the piano.” I just slept, but from Seniel’s point of view, it must have looked like I had collapsed. “I checked that you were breathing, but you didn’t wake up, so I…” Seniel’s lips trembled. How could this delicate person be Kid?

Thinking of Kid, who treated me like a music box for lullabies, I should have been angry. But what was the point of being angry at someone who couldn’t even kill himself? It would only hurt my mouth.

Seeing Seniel trembling, I felt a little sorry rather than angry. “Come on. You’d better calm down.” I thought it would be good for mental health to sort things out quickly and separate from each other. “Would you like to take a deep breath with me? That’s right. Hold your breath for a moment and then exhale for a long time.”

Seniel didn’t say anything and just followed me. When I asked him to do it three more times, he took three deep breaths, just as I said.

Perhaps it worked. He became calmer than before.

I slowly opened my mouth as Seniel now seemed ready to listen to my explanation. “The piano sound last night wasn’t a dream. I played it.” I’d wanted to say that the piano he’d heard last night was a dream, that nothing had happened. But it’d be difficult if he asked why we both woke up here, so I decided to explain what happened at night. “I did it because Kid asked me to.”

Only a few facts were omitted. It wasn’t a lie, though.

“… What?” Seniel’s tears welled up.

“I played the piano as Kid asked, and we both just fell asleep.”

Seniel seemed to be at a loss for words at my clear explanation. He pondered my words for a long time, then raised his eyebrows and refuted my words in a rather firm tone. “There is no way Kid would make such a strange request.”

You know Kid very well. But it was true that Kid had given me the peculiar order to play the piano. I shrugged. “Well, you know what? He made that strange request.”

Seniel’s pupils trembled slightly. His chaotic thought was clearly visible. It was the exact opposite of Kid, whose thoughts could not be comprehended.

“Anyway, nothing else happened.” As soon as I said that, Seniel’s pupils fluctuated even more. “I’m still alive as proof of that, of course.”

The only reason I could survive just playing the piano was because of the ridiculous threat to seduce Seniel. But there was no way I could explain that.

Seniel’s brow furrowed slightly. He seemed to be trying to understand. Unknowingly, I lightly touched the area between his eyebrows. Seniel’s eyes were round like a rabbit’s. “Don’t think too hard. That was really all.” Then I lifted my hand. Seniel followed my finger with his eyes with a bewildered look, then lowered his eyes.

“… I don’t know what Kid is thinking.”

“Who knows what he’s thinking?”

Seniel’s face darkened at my words with a bitter smile. His lips thinned as if he was thinking about something more.

I looked away from him and flicked the piano with my index finger. Re, re, the sound rang out clearly.

‘It’s not something I should say in this situation, but it’s a shame.’

I want to keep playing the piano until I escape.

“By the way, I didn’t know there was a room like this in the mansion.” I’d never had a long conversation with Seniel, but this time was a little different because a piano was involved. I’d spoken without thinking and belatedly wondered if I’d made a mistake.

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However, Seniel answered calmly, “It’s usually locked, so even the attendants won’t know. I also cleaned it myself.”

I looked back at Seniel at the unexpected fact. He seemed proud that he managed it.

“Oh, no wonder it was well-managed. It’s well-tuned, too.” I pressed the ‘re’ key. A clear sound rang out. I asked him regretfully, “Then are you going to lock this place again?” Seniel didn’t answer. I turned my head towards him. “Can I play the piano one last time, then?”

The piano sounds good and is well-maintained, I added to flatter him. Still, there was no answer. I didn’t want to ask for more. There must have been a reason why this room was locked.

As I was about to get up from the chair, Seniel rummaged through his cardigan pocket.

“… Ah, this is the key that Kid brought…”

Kid and Seniel didn’t even share a key. Seniel took his hand out of his pocket because Kid would get angry if he touched his stuff. I didn’t know what he would do, so I stayed still, and Seniel suddenly got up from the chair.

“Please wait for a moment.”

He went outside in a flash. Because of his long legs, he disappeared after a few steps.

‘What?’

I sat slumped in the chair and looked at the entrance. I tapped the piano keys in the empty room for no reason.

Come to think of it, it must be time for work soon. Isn’t he going to work?

After waiting for a few minutes, Seniel arrived again. He looked out of breath.

Seniel strode along without even arranging his messy hair. Then he held out his fist at me. I didn’t know if I could use this analogy, but it was as if a large dog was bragging to its owner that it had picked up something.

Unknowingly, I reached out my hand, and something fell on the palm of my hand. It was the key.

“I’ll give you the key to this room.”

“What? But why…”

“You can play the piano as much as you want.”

So why are you giving this to me? It’s been locked all this time.

Seniel noticed my suspicious gaze and answered, “I think it’s better for someone who can play the piano to have it than someone who doesn’t know how to play it.”

I felt the hard feel of the key in the palm of my hand. I hadn’t meant to get the key.

‘I have three days left until my escape. Can I receive this?’

I looked at the key once, then Seniel once. I could feel the unspoken word in his eyes, begging me to accept it. I wanted to play songs I hadn’t been able to play at night, too. My fingertips tickled.

‘Uh, I don’t know.’

I think it should be fine if I play during the day. I clasped the key tightly. There was no reason to refuse.

“I will use well. Thank you!”

I remembered the piano teacher who lent me the key to the lesson room at a low price because she pitied my situation. I was as happy as I’d been then that I smiled.