Two weeks had passed since the final exam, and I had spent my entire time training for the piano. When I told Emi about playing the piano and representing Hanayami Academy, she had only one positive response.
"Then I'll be your teacher, Inzo! I'll make sure that in the next two weeks you'll be in good condition to play for the competition."
"Thanks, Emi."
With that, Emi let me use her piano at her mansion, where she sat beside me, watching me play. I made plenty of mistakes, from not catching up to pressing the wrong keys. Emi noticed these mistakes and gently pointed them out.
If it had been a professional piano teacher, I might have struggled with the strict teaching methods. But Emi was surprisingly kind and patient, even when I made errors.
Through her teaching, I learned a lot about playing the piano and became ready for the competition.
Today is the day before the competition.
That's right—today is December 22, and tomorrow is December 23, the day of the competition between the two academies.
Snow was falling outside, covering everything in a blanket of white. Inside Emi's mansion, the warmth contrasted with the cold winter weather. I wore a cozy, navy blue sweater and jeans, while Emi was dressed in a soft, oversized cream-colored sweater and leggings, looking both stylish and comfortable.
While I was rehearsing on the piano at Emi's mansion, my phone suddenly buzzed with a call notification. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw it was from an unknown number. My fingers hesitated over the accept button.
What if it was just a scammer? It would make sense why the number wasn't saved on my phone.
"Who's calling you, Inzo?" Emi asked, her curiosity evident.
"I don't know; it's an unknown number."
"You should try to answer it."
"But what if it is a scammer?"
"Then end the call."
Despite Emi's suggestion, my fingers still hesitated over the green button.
"Don't be hesitant, Inzo."
I gulped and summoned my courage, pressing the green button to accept the call. A familiar voice greeted me.
"Finally, you answered my call, Inzo."
"Ishizawa-san?"
"Yes, it's me, Inzo."
"Haa..." I sighed in relief. "I thought it was a scammer."
"Huh?" Ishizawa-san's tone turned cold and piercing. "Do I sound like a scammer to you?"
"N-no, of course not, Ishizawa-san. What do you want to talk about?"
"I called you because the representative of Ouran Academy for the music festival competition has been announced."
"Who will it be, Ishizawa-san?"
"It's their student council president."
"What?!" I shouted, my eyes widening in shock.
"What did Ishizawa-san say?" Emi asked worriedly, noticing my shocked and scared expression.
"Umm, Emi."
"Inzo, put this call on speaker mode so Emi can hear and join the conversation."
"Y-yeah, I should do that."
With that said, I pulled my phone away from my ear and turned on the speaker. Emi leaned closer beside me.
"It's okay now, Ishizawa-san."
"Now, going back to the matter at hand, are you shocked to hear that your opponent will be the student council president of Ouran Academy?"
"Yeah, I admit that I'm shocked and feel a bit scared, but..." I paused, clenching my fist as I looked at Emi, then continued. "I'm not going to let the two weeks that Emi spent teaching me to improve my piano skills go to waste. I can't lose, and that's why I will defeat Luna Hoshizaki!" I shouted, determination burning in my eyes.
"I see... It seems like you're prepared for the challenge. Well then, I wish you good luck for tomorrow's competition, Inzo-kun."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Ishizawa-san."
With that, the call ended, and Emi immediately hugged me tightly, not letting go.
"E-Emi...?" I asked, my eyes widening in shock at her sudden action.
"Inzo, I'm afraid."
"Why?"
"I'm afraid that if you become famous again, you might... you might ignore me."
As she said that, I could hear a faint sound of her crying. I gently touched her shoulders and pushed her back slightly to look at her beautiful but sad face. Her blue-grey eyes were now filled with tears, streaming down her cheeks.
In that moment, I knew what I had to do. I leaned closer and kissed her forehead. Her skin was soft and smooth, and she let out a satisfied sound.
"Mmm..."
I pulled away and cupped her face in my hands. "That will never happen, Emi."
"But what if it does? What if you forget me because of your popularity?"
"Please trust me, Emi," I said, looking deeply into her eyes. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met, and you were the only one who stayed by my side when I was down, feeling lonely and regretful. You saved me. You're like an angel to me. That's why I won't forget you or leave you. You're my savior!"
Emi's eyes widened in shock, her lips trembling as she absorbed my words. Relief and disbelief mixed on her face, and then she smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Inzo. I'll believe in you. Promise me that."
"I promise, Emi. I will always be by your side."
"Me too, Inzo. You're mine."
Her confidence made me smile, and I felt a playful need to "punish" her. I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss quickly turned passionate, with Emi responding aggressively.
————
On the rooftop of Ouran Academy, two girls and one boy stood looking out over the snow-covered city below.
Luna, Kaori, and Hinori were dressed warmly for the winter weather. Luna wore a stylish black wool coat with a fur-lined collar, Kaori had on a chic red trench coat with a matching red scarf, and Hinori wore a navy blue parka coat.
"Hinori, I have a gift for you," Kaori said, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously.
"A gift?" Hinori asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Kaori reached into her left pocket and pulled out a small, elegantly wrapped box. She handed it to Hinori.
"What's this, Kaori?"
"Just open it."
"Okay."
Hinori carefully unwrapped it to reveal a stunning diamond watch. His eyes widened in shock.
"Kaori, this is... too much," Hinori stammered, overwhelmed by the gift.
Kaori smiled in reply and grabbed his right wrist, gently but firmly securing the watch around it.
"It looks good on you, Hinori," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Hinori looked down at the watch, still feeling a bit dazed.
"It's really too much, Kaori."
Luna, who had been watching the exchange, also spoke up. "I also have a gift for you, Hinori."
Hinori turned to Luna, curiosity on his face. "What is it, Luna?"
"You'll receive it tomorrow," she said with a confident smile.
"Hahaha!" Kaori laughed as she continued. "Is this because your father can't afford it? Oh, such a shocking news that the Hoshizaki family can't afford a gift?" Kaori asked with a teasing smirk.
Luna looked at Kaori, her violet eyes full of cold anger. "Don't get me wrong, Kaori."
"Wha-what did you say?!"
"My love and ideas for gifting Hinori are different from yours, Kaori."
"What do you mean by that?" Kaori asked, her eyes and mouth wide in shock. She might have been asking herself if Luna had taken a step ahead of her again.
"I'm going to give Hinori a gift that isn't an expensive material item. I'll give him the most beautiful gift I could ever think of."
"Then what is it?" Kaori asked.
Luna grinned before she replied. "Secret~ fufufu, it will be the best gift I could ever give you, Hinori."
"O-okay, I'll be waiting then, Luna," Hinori said with a smile.
"Hmph, there's no better gift than the diamond watch I gave to Hinori," Kaori said, her voice filled with jealousy.
————
On the morning of December 23rd, Hanayami Academy's Student Council members gathered in the student council president's room. It was 8:30 AM, just two and a half hours before the start of the music festival competition.
Beside Serena Ishizawa, the Student Council President, stood her vice president, Miki Tachibana, a beautiful, tall third-year student with violet hair and glasses. She held a small blue notebook and pen, her expression serious. Both were dressed warmly for the winter season in their Hanayami Academy uniforms: navy blue blazers, blue blouses, blue skirts, and black stockings. The girls' blazers had navy blue buttons to differentiate them from the boys' uniforms, which have yellow buttons.
Serena, with her usual calm and cold attitude, glanced at the clock. "Two hours and thirty minutes until the competition."
The vice president, Miki Tachibana, looked at Serena with a worried frown. "Serena, are you sure about choosing Inzo Hayashi as our representative? His previous performance was a failure. If he fails again, it could ruin our academy's reputation."
"So, you're suggesting that my decision is wrong?" Serena asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as her cold gaze met Miki's.
"It's not that, Serena," Miki said, adjusting her glasses. "I just think we should have chosen someone more... reliable."
"Reliable, you say, Miki? Let me ask you this then: is there a reliable musician or singer in the music club besides Inzo?"
"No, Serena, there's no one reliable there besides Inzo."
"Then that makes Inzo the only one who is reliable. That's why he deserves to be the representative of our academy."
Miki's eyes looked down, her worry for the sake of their academy clear and evident.
"I will face the consequences for the student council club no matter what happens later. That's why you don't have to worry, Miki. You won't get involved in this."
"Pres..." the girl and boy student council members said, their expressions filled with concern.
"You don't have to do that, Serena. I'm also your vice—" Miki was about to say it, but she was interrupted by Serena.
"I chose Inzo for a reason, Miki. Despite his tragic accident in the past, he has the potential to succeed. I trust my judgment, and I believe he can regain his popularity and defeat Luna Hoshizaki."
"Ha..." Miki sighed heavily, her concern evident. "I just don't want to see our academy's reputation suffer because of one wrong choice. We need to win this competition."
"Trust in my decision, Miki. Sometimes, taking a risk is necessary for true success. Inzo has been training hard for the past two weeks, and he is confident. That's why I have faith in him."
Miki nodded slowly, though her worry didn't completely disappear. "I hope you're right, Serena. For the sake of our academy, I hope Inzo proves us wrong and delivers a stunning performance."
————
It was 9:30 a.m. when Emi and I arrived at Hanayami Academy, as instructed by the text message that Ishizawa-san had sent earlier at 7 a.m.
"Good morning, Inzo-kun. You need to come to my room later at 9:30 a.m."
Before I could reply, Emi quickly snatched my phone from my hand. I immediately tried to take it back.
"Give it back, Emi!" I shouted.
She didn't listen, stepping back as she replied, "No, I won't." After saying that, she turned and ran toward the stairs, heading back to her room.
I tried to follow her but stopped in front of her room as the door was locked. I couldn't enter.
All I could hear from inside the room were the sounds of Emi's mad voice and the rapid clicking of her fingers on my phone. I wondered if my phone would survive when she finally returned it.
"GRRR... GRRR...!"
She was so defensive and possessive whenever a girl tried to get close to me, even if it was the student council president.
Three minutes later, the door opened, and Emi emerged, her expression now satisfied.
"Here's your phone, my beloved Inzo," she said, handing it back to me.
I looked at my phone and noticed a hint of a crack and a scratch. Luckily, when I turned it on, it still responded. I thought it would have died.
On the screen, there was only one response from Ishizawa-san:
"You may also invite Shinohara-san to come to my room later."
I scrolled through the conversation, and there was only the previous text invitation from Ishizawa-san asking me to come to her room. I wondered if Emi had deleted some of her messages.
Now, Emi and I were in the student council president's room, where Serena sat in a black office chair.
"Good morning, Inzo-kun," Serena greeted.
"Good morning to you too, Ishizawa-san," I replied with a smile.
Suddenly, I felt a tight grip on my right hand. It was Emi, jealous again.
"Umm, what did you call me here for?" I asked.
"I called you today because I have a sudden announcement that I failed to tell you over the past two weeks."
"What is it?"
"The competition is going to be broadcast live."
"Eh?!" I shouted, my eyes and mouth widening in disbelief. "W-wait, really?!"
"Yes, it is."
"Why would they, and what station?" I asked, confused and concerned.
"They want to broadcast it live to humiliate you, Inzo," Serena replied calmly.
"They want to humiliate me?"
"Don't you understand the situation you're in, Inzo?" she continued. "You are facing the Student Council President of Ouran Academy, Luna Hoshizaki. She is determined to crush you and humiliate you to the point where you won't consider returning to music or singing again."
I stood frozen as the truth washed over me. Why was Luna so angry with me in the first place?
"If you're wondering how Luna managed to contact a media station, it's because she is the heiress of the Hoshizaki Group."
The Hoshizaki Group, known as the number one conglomerate family in Japan, was a household name. It made sense that Luna could easily contact a media station and have them follow her orders.
"Also, The media station that will be broadcasting this is KDM Station." She added.
KDM Station was the third most popular TV broadcasting station in Japan, known for airing anime shows, reality shows, and dramas. I think they would allocate a time slot at 10:30 a.m. for this competition.
Instead of being terrified and feeling nervous about this, I felt a surge of determination.
"My determination won't change, Ishizawa-san. Just like I said yesterday..." I paused, clenching my left fist as my eyes burned with determination. "I will defeat Luna Hoshizaki, and I will make my comeback performance successful!"
"I see... So you haven't changed, Inzo-kun. Good luck then. The fate and reputation of Hanayami Academy are in your hands."
"Yes, I know!"
With that, Emi and I left the student council president's room and headed to the auditorium to go backstage and wait until the competition started at 10:30 AM.
As we entered the designated room for me to stay in backstage, we were greeted by a long-haired girl with brown eyes—Karina Nakashima.
"Yo! It looks like you two came early," Karina said with a grin.
"What are you doing here, Nakashima-san? Shouldn't a friend be sitting in the audience, not in the backstage?" Emi asked, clearly annoyed.
"Oh, Shinohara-san, haven't you read manga or watched anime? Friends encourage the main character backstage before a duel."
"That's the job of a girlfriend, not a friend. So please leave this room before I do something Inzo wouldn't want to see."
"Is that a threat?" Karina asked with a smirk.
"Of course it is. Now, would you leave, Nakashima-san?"
"I won't," Karina replied seriously, her smirk unwavering. "Now, what will you do, Shinohara-san?" she teased.
Emi's fists clenched, and before things could escalate further, I stepped between them.
"Wait, wait, you two, stop arguing!"
"Inzo..." Emi and Karina said in unison, their expressions softening.
"Thanks for coming here to support me, Karina."
"You're welcome. That's what friends do, right, Inzo?"
"Yeah, supporting each other."
"Haha, that's right," Karina said as she stood up and walked towards me, giving me a hug.
"Wha-what are you doing to my Inzo, Karina?!" Emi shouted.
Karina ignored Emi's anger and tightened the hug around me. Her body was warm and comforting, giving me the confidence I needed for the competition.
"Thanks, Karina."
"No problem, Inzo. Do your best later."
"Get away from my Inzo! Mmm... Hmph..." Emi said, trying her best to pull Karina away.
Karina held the hug for three minutes before Emi finally managed to pull her off, throwing her to the floor. Emi then hugged me tightly.
"If you want a hug, I can hug you a thousand times, Inzo! Not just a thousand times, but a million times. Just ask me!"
"Emi, it's not like I'm cheating on you. It's just a friend's hug, nothing more," I reassured her.
"I can give you more comfort than that snake, so please tell me next time." Emi said as she tightened her hug around me. Wait, am I going to die right now because she'll crush me?!
"Will you tell me next time, my dear beloved Inzo?" Emi asked, her tone cold and scary.
"S-sure I will!" I said nervously, beads of sweat falling from my forehead.
After I said that, Emi let go of the hug.
"Ha..." I sighed in relief and continued, "I thought I was going to die back there."
"You're not going to die, my beloved Inzo. I will protect you as always."
"I know," I said, patting her head. "Don't get jealous so easily, Emi. You know you're my girlfriend, right?"
"Yeah, I know, but I can't help but be jealous when you're with other girls."
"Emi..." I realized she was just possessive and protective over me. She was worried that one day I might disappear from her life, just like she worried yesterday that if I became popular again, I might forget her.
I hugged Emi tightly. She seemed to be in shock as I heard her voice.
"Inzo...?"
"I would never hug another girl tightly when I'm with the girl I love."
"..."
"Now you understand, right, Emi? You're special to me, and that's why I only do this with you."
"..."
She didn't reply. I wondered what she was doing against my chest as I hugged her tightly. I gently pulled away, revealing her face, now full of a deep red blush.
"Baka... Inzo... Baka..."
"Did I say something wrong, Emi?"
"You didn't say something wrong. I just never expected you to be so honest, Inzo."
"As if you're saying I'm not honest all the time!"
"Hahaha!" Emi laughed, clearly happy, so I didn't need to argue with her.
"But thank you, Inzo."
"Hm?"
"Thank you for hugging me tightly, but..." She paused for a moment, and then her blue-grey eyes became intense and impulsive. It was so scary as she stared at me. "Don't you dare hug other girls tightly. Keep your promise of only doing this with me, or else you'll face a punishment." Her tone was filled with coldness.
"Y-yeah, I will keep my word as always, Emi."
"I know you will since you're a man of your word, Inzo," Emi said with a kind smile.
Before I could reply, I noticed something was missing behind Emi.
"Where's Karina?" I asked.
Karina was supposed to be behind Emi after getting pushed away, but now she has disappeared.
"Yeah, she's gone," Emi said as she turned back.
"Maybe she left the room to not interrupt our moment. What a good friend she is."
"She's not a good friend," Emi said as she turned to face me and continued. "And never will be," Emi said, her eyes narrowing at me.
"There you go again, you're jealous," I said with a smile as I patted her head.
"Keep doing that. It's a punishment for mentioning other girls while I'm with you alone, Inzo."
"Eh?! Wait, do I need to pat your head all the time?"
"Yes, you need to pat my head for one hour."
"But I have my competition later."
"No excuses. Do it," Emi said with a cold tone.
"Yes, ma'am."
With that said, I spent the time patting Emi's head.
At 10:30 a.m., the clock in the room struck when someone knocked on the door, followed by a man's voice.
"Please open the door; you're about to go on stage, Inzo-kun."
"Yes, I will."
Emi and I stood up from the sofa, and she held my right hand for support as we walked towards the door. I opened the doorknob with my left hand.
Standing in front of us was a man in his twenties with black hair and black eyes.
"You," the man pointed to Emi, "return to the seating area."
"Inzo..." Emi hesitated, holding my right hand tightly as she looked at me with worry in her blue-grey eyes.
"Follow what he instructed, Emi. Don't worry about me, I'll do my best."
"If that's what my Inzo says, then good luck. I'll cheer for you!" She said as she let go of my right hand.
"Yeah. Thanks, Emi."
Emi turned back and hurriedly exited the backstage, running towards the seating area. I hoped she could find a seat where I could see her for inspiration later, as I'd be going head-to-head with the Student Council President of Ouran Academy.
Suddenly, I heard a loud voice outside calling my name over the mic.
"Here comes the representative of Hanayami Academy!"
I stepped outside and onto the stage, making my way to the front as the audience looked at me.
"His name is Inzo Hayashi. He's seventeen years old. He was a popular singer back in his first year of high school, but in his second year, he was involved in an accident during an academy music contest. Now, today, December 23rd, he will make his comeback performance and prove himself to everyone! So give a round of applause to Inzo Hayashi!"
The audience fell silent at first, but soon enough, cheers and encouragements began to echo throughout the auditorium.
"Go Inzo! Go Inzo!"
"You can do it, Inzo!"
The voices of Emi, Karina, and the members of the student council club rang out from the middle row seats.
"And now, we will introduce the next participant from Ouran Academy, weighing 135 pounds and standing at 175 cm."
The lights behind me illuminated a long-haired girl with silver hair and violet eyes, dressed in a blue blazer, blouse, and skirt, as she made her way to the stage. Her beauty was undeniable that she could captivate all the boys here in the auditorium.
"She has excelled in academics from elementary school to her second year of high school, achieving perfect scores in exams and ranking number one in her class. She is also ranked number three on the national academic leaderboards and serves as the Student Council President of Ouran Academy. Please welcome the Star Radiant of Japan, Luna Hoshizaki!"
Luna stood beside me, waving gracefully as cameras flashed and the audience erupted in cheers.
"Luna! Luna! Luna!"
"Beat him, Luna!"
"Go Luna! You can do it!"
"It's a piece of cake for you, Luna!"
"Show him who's boss, Luna!"
The overwhelming support echoed around the auditorium. Despite the majority of the audience cheering for her, I tried to stay calm and reminded myself not to be overwhelmed by the crowd's cheers for her.
Luna turned to face me, and our eyes locked in a tense stare-down. Suddenly, a host in his mid-twenties, dressed in a suit with brown hair and black eyes, appeared on stage.
"Both contestants will now face off!" he announced.
As Luna and I stared at each other, I felt my hands trembling. Her violet eyes looked into mine with a piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate my soul. Her presence was overwhelming.
But was I going to let this intimidate me? Was this who I had become—someone scared of a stronger person like Luna?
No! The Inzo I knew before was strong and confident. I needed to reclaim that confidence. I couldn't afford to lose, not after promising Ishizawa-san and Emi that I would win.
I clenched my fists and stared back at Luna with determination.
"I won't lose here," I muttered to myself.
"I see, so you're like him," Luna said, her voice cold and calculating.
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled. "Who's 'him'?"
"It's nothing important," Luna replied dismissively. "Just know that I plan to crush your little dreams here."
"I won't let you do that," I retorted defiantly.
At that moment, the host intervened, "Let's now show the probability odds of who will win this competition on the screen."
Luna and I, along with the entire audience, turned our attention to the screen where the probability percentages were displayed.
98% - Luna Hoshizaki (Ouran Academy)
2% - Inzo Hayashi (Hanayami Academy)
"The percentage doesn't lie; the probability shows that Inzo is indeed the underdog in this matchup!" the host shouted.
The host then approached us and said, "Now we will hear a few words from both participants. Let's start with you first, Inzo Hayashi. What do you think about this competition?"
The host handed me the mic, and I replied, "I want to thank KDM Station for broadcasting this competition. It's an honor to face Luna Hoshizaki, and I will do my best."
I then handed the mic to Luna, who accepted it with a confident smile.
"If I were you guys, I wouldn't trust what he's saying," Luna declared.
After she said that, the camera flashes began to go on and off, lighting up the room. Luna handed the mic back to the host.
"Now, let's have both contestants shake hands," the host announced.
I extended my right hand towards her for a handshake, and Luna followed suit, though her hands felt cold.
"You should surrender now, Inzo. The percentage speaks the truth about the outcome of this competition," Luna said, her voice filled with cold.
"If I only have a 2% chance to win..." I paused, meeting her gaze with determination. "Then I'll make sure to win with that 2%!"