As he was just leaving the classroom, Suzuki Yuu noticed a notice about him posted on the bulletin board in a particularly conspicuous spot.
On the report were two photos related to him—one showing the scene of him teaching Chisa pottery, the other capturing the moment he carried Senior Hase on his back while hiking.
He hadn’t expected them to capture everything, and the headline was even “The Love Master’s ‘Universal Love’.” No wonder it would lead to misunderstandings…
So, he almost immediately went to find the Journalism Club.
However, as soon as he stepped inside, the other side shut him down:
“Sorry, Auditor Suzuki, we already have approval from President Jinguu, so we’re within our rights not to take down the report.”
Thus, Suzuki Yuu could only slink away, dejected, and made his way straight to the Student Council.
And as soon as he entered, he saw Jinguu Amane practicing the piano.
Didn’t she say she wouldn’t prepare too seriously…?
He grumbled inwardly, then sat down in his usual seat and waited quietly for her to finish playing.
When the music faded, Jinguu Amane looked over at him and, pretending to be surprised, said:
“Oh my, Suzuki-kun, shouldn’t you be spending some intimate time with little Aoi at this hour?”
“I was only practicing piano in the clubroom…”
Suzuki Yuu said, and immediately followed up:
“That’s not the point, President, I demand that the Journalism Club take down that article right now!”
“Article?”
“The one calling me a love master! It’s seriously damaging my reputation!”
“Your reputation? Suzuki-kun, do you really care about things like that?”
“I am, at the very least, a human being, so of course I care!”
Suzuki Yuu spoke with a serious expression, as if he truly were some kind of upright gentleman.
Jinguu Amane pressed her index finger to her chin, thinking for a while before saying:
“So what you mean, Suzuki-kun, is that being with Chisa or with little Aoi is something that damages your reputation?”
Her words caught Suzuki Yuu off guard for a second, but immediately, the young man shot back:
“I almost got tripped up by you again, President! Is this really about who I’m with? Isn’t the article’s main point that I’m some kind of playboy?”
“Eh, but is that wrong?”
“How am I a playboy?!”
“For the moment, at least in name, Suzuki-kun is the boyfriend of both me and Chisa, isn’t he? After all, you signed two contracts.”
That left Suzuki Yuu speechless for a moment. He stared at the girl before him, countless words swirling in his mind, but not a single one made it out.
Because in a sense, what she said wasn’t wrong.
Seeing him fall into an awkward silence, Jinguu Amane’s face broke into a smile. She comforted Suzuki Yuu:
“Alright, alright, public opinion like this—if the people involved don’t respond, it’ll fade away on its own soon enough. So there’s really no need for you to worry, Suzuki-kun.”
Then, she pointed to her piano, her tone full of anticipation:
“Would you like to give it a try too, Suzuki-kun?”
Maybe because he realized he wouldn’t be able to convince her, he simply went along and picked up the new topic.
Among the skills he could learn, piano was one, but he’d been too busy with cello practice to pay much attention to it.
Still, his earlier studies in music theory had also raised the progress bar on his [Piano] skill.
Thinking of this, Suzuki Yuu figured he might as well give it a try.
So he sat down at the piano, studying the instrument with some curiosity.
Suzuki Yuu’s fingers lightly brushed over the cool black and white keys. He wasn’t an expert on piano brands, but just the feel was extraordinary. Of course, what really caught his eye was the gold-embossed “Steinway & Sons” on the inside of the lid.
“They actually have something this expensive in the Student Council room?”
“Expensive? Well, you could buy a pretty nice yacht for it.”
Only…
Suzuki Yuu’s fingers froze midair, a little hesitant.
If he accidentally broke something, he’d owe a fortune, wouldn’t he?
“Maybe I shouldn’t, President.” Thinking this, Suzuki Yuu felt he shouldn’t touch it.
Noticing his concern, Jinguu Amane came closer, smiling as she said:
“It’s alright. Even if something happens, you won’t be the one paying for repairs, so relax.”
“Uh… alright then.”
Suzuki Yuu relaxed a little and placed his hands on the keys.
He’d never really played piano before, just picked up a little from his studies, so though he tried to mimic the hand position, his posture was stiff and awkward, completely unsure how to begin.
He couldn’t just randomly bang on the keys, could he?
While he hesitated, Jinguu Amane had somehow already come to stand beside him, leaning in slightly.
“Even your basic hand shape is wrong, Suzuki-kun.”
Her voice was laced with a soft chuckle, her warm breath brushing against his ear.
Before Suzuki Yuu could react, a pair of soft yet cool hands gently covered his.
“Relax,” she said quietly. “Lift your wrists, and let your fingers curve naturally.”
Suzuki Yuu’s whole body tensed instantly.
Jinguu Amane’s slender but strong fingers guided him gently, and her face was close enough that her breath tickled his ear.
At that moment, a notification chimed in his mind’s system panel.
[Piano Performance (Beginner): 10% → 20%.]
“Let’s start with the simplest C major scale,” Jinguu Amane’s voice pulled his attention back.
She guided his right hand, pressing his index finger onto middle C. “This is Do.”
Her fingers guided his, pressing each key in turn. “Re, Mi, Fa…”
His fingers, under her control, struck the keys rigidly.
“Mm.” She let go and straightened up, her smile returning as she began explaining various functions of the piano.
Suzuki Yuu listened and quickly pieced things together in his mind.
With his foundation from cello practice and the system’s boost, he picked things up fast.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself. His hands fell onto the keys again, no longer stiff this time.
In no time, he played through the C major scale Jinguu Amane had just taught him, smooth and complete.
[Piano Performance (Beginner): 20% → 25%]
Just scales weren’t enough. He recalled something Hasegawa Aoi had taught him, and with a turn of his fingers, he played a simple C major arpeggio, finishing with a steady chord.
“You really do have talent, Suzuki-kun.”
Jinguu Amane’s voice sounded at that moment, but Suzuki Yuu only shook his head.
“So-so. I still feel like there’s a lot I don’t understand. I’ll need a lot more practice.”
He said this, and Jinguu Amane fixed her gaze on him, as if planning some kind of experiment.
She laughed softly, saying nothing more, simply moving an elegant chair to sit right beside him.
“Need my guidance?” she tilted her head, asking gently.
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“No problem,” Jinguu Amane replied cheerfully, as if it were only natural. “I’m happy to help.”
As she spoke, she placed her slender fingers on the cool keys:
“I’ll give you a little demonstration.” Jinguu Amane’s fingers landed lightly on the black and white keys.
She was just about to play a simple melody, when suddenly—
“Knock, knock.”
A sudden knock sounded at the door.
Both of them paused.
Then the doorknob turned slightly, making a soft “click,” and the door opened a crack. A petite, familiar figure peeked in—Suzuki Yuu recognized her immediately.
He turned his head to look. It was Hasegawa Aoi, frozen in place.
She was holding a stack of documents, probably here to take care of some business.
But as she saw the scene in the room, all her words seemed to get stuck in her throat. Her mouth hung slightly open, but no sound came out.