Chapter 185
Hearing Mineo's words, Nishikino Maki shifted her gaze elsewhere.
"Did Mineo-kun even consider my feelings when saying something like that?"
"It's precisely because I'm considering your feelings that I'm giving you this advice."
Mineo gazed at the beautiful curve of Maki's profile, speaking with a slight smile:
"How should I put it? The two of us have known each other for quite a while now; there are many things we don't need to be so embarrassed about."
"As for your experiences, I understand them very well, you know..."
"Living in this world isn't easy for anyone. If you don't find ways to seek out joy for yourself, life becomes such a tiring ordeal."
In the original work of Love Live!, Nishikino was often nicknamed the "ATM Princess."
It couldn't be helped; the daughter of a wealthy family lives in a world entirely different from that of ordinary people.
However, a very real problem was reflected here: being wealthy didn't necessarily mean that a person would be happy.
Since she was a child, Maki had always been obedient to her family's arrangements. Whatever her parents ordered her to learn or do, she never put up any resistance.
Therefore, under her parents' arrangements, she had always studied all kinds of knowledge.
Calling her an Academic Master was no exaggeration at all.
Yet, for a very long time, she had already felt bored with her busy life of constant study.
Just like when she chatted with Mineo before, there was one sentence Maki said that Mineo remembered very clearly.
"If I could do just a few things that I actually like, what kind of feeling would that bring?"
One very simple sentence almost totally expressed the contents of Maki's own heart.
If that weren't the case, in the original story, she wouldn't have been so determined to become a school idol just to burn through her youth to her heart's content during her high school life.
Gazing at Maki, Mineo said with a smile:
"Actually, saying too many words to persuade you might make you feel a bit uncomfortable, Maki."
"So for today's date, I want to take you to experience some interesting things."
"Would you like to come with me somewhere?"
Hearing Mineo's words, Maki looked up and stared at him.
"An interesting place?"
"Where are you planning to take me?"
"I'll tell you once we arrive. If I say it now, there won't be a surprise anymore."
Seeing Mineo walking ahead, Maki hesitated for a moment, then took small steps to follow closely behind him.
Passing through the shopping district and arriving at a mall atrium, Mineo came to a halt, turned around, and said to Maki:
"This is the place."
"What did you bring me to the mall for? Are you planning to accompany me shopping?"
Hearing Maki's question, Mineo smiled and said:
"I remember you really like shopping, Maki. But coming to the mall today isn't for shopping. Take a look over there and see what's there."
Mineo reached out his hand, pointing in a certain direction.
Maki looked toward that direction.
What appeared before her eyes was the Piano Hall on the first floor of the mall.
In many cities both at home and abroad, stations or malls often place pianos. Sometimes, people waiting for trains or passing travelers can go up and show off their skills.
This is also considered a form of Street Performance.
And Mineo planned to invite Maki to play this.
While looking at the piano, Mineo said to Maki:
"In the past, you always looked for a place without people all by yourself, and with your head bowed, played your piano alone."
"To be honest, I think that way of doing things isn't very good."
"Music is an art—an art meant to be shown to everyone."
"If music loses its listeners, then the very essence of that music ceases to exist entirely."
"Good music belongs to oneself, and even more so, it belongs to everyone. Relaying the sound of your piano to everyone—that is the true charm of art's existence!"
"I don't want to play the piano here."
Looking at the crowd of people passing back and forth around her, Maki's eyes didn't show even a ripple of emotion.
Seeing that, Mineo only gave a faint smile.
He walked straight toward the piano and sat down.
"Maki, let's do a 1v1 Solo!"
"If you lose, promise me you'll join the group Muse, how about it?"
Seeing Mineo sitting in front of the piano and saying these two sentences to her, a flash of astonishment flickered within Maki's eyes.
"You can play the piano too?"
"I can, you know. Not just playing the piano, but many other things too. After all, to be able to become Maki's good friend, if I didn't have real ability, how could that be possible, right?"
Mineo extended his fingers, pressing several piano keys at random.
After a simple tone test, Mineo continued speaking to Maki:
"I know your piano technique is very formidable, Maki. But, I am more confident in my own level of ability."
Hearing Mineo's words, Maki let out a cold smile:
"What Mineo-kun means is that your piano playing level is a bit stronger than mine, is that it?"
"Something like that. I should be a bit stronger than you. If you don't believe it, let's just do a Solo and we'll find out?"
Precisely because Mineo understood Maki, he knew that Maki was a girl who very much hated to lose.
Towards her, using a bit of simple reverse psychology was the most appropriate tactic.
And so, after hearing Mineo's words, Maki truly let out a soft huff.
"I've never heard you say that you could play the piano."
"If you're using this method to make me join the Muse group, it's a bit too foolish."
"Whether I can or not, we have to try it first to know, right?"
"I say, Maki, you couldn't possibly lack even the courage to accept a challenge from an amateur, could you?"
Mineo stared at Maki with a faint smile.
Meanwhile, Maki, with a cold face, walked to Mineo's side.
"A Solo, huh?"
"Fine, I agree."
"So, who starts first?"
"Who starts first? Let's just use a coin to decide."
Mineo fished a coin out of his pocket, then said to Maki:
"If it's numbers, you start first. If it's the image, I start first. Is that okay?"
"Fine! But before the match, I want to say one thing to you, Mineo-kun. In music, I will not intentionally hold back."
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