【Xun Si】How Could You Possibly?

A few days later, Shinji made up his mind, ran to the music room where his cello was placed after school, and started practicing.practise.practise.He wanted to make sure that standing in front of Kaoru and playing for him would be perfect, and the fear of "may disappoint him" pushed him to quicken his steps.Some participated in club activities, and some went home directly. The students had already left, and the corridors were empty again as in the morning.Shinji went against the flow of people and came to a row of music classrooms.

The boy wanted to get better, and for the first time in a long time, he felt encouraged... What should he practice?What he does most often is go over complex fingerings, either out of thin air or with his hands, which seem more like playing an imaginary guitar than a cello.He's always subconsciously looking to improve, but in reality, he hasn't touched his instrument for days, which is a long time by musician standards.It's not that he stopped working hard, but he was too shy to practice in a classroom where he might disturb others.So just pretend to practice.But now, he has reason to put on a perfect show.He didn't want to let him down.

The cellist walked into the room, and the schoolbag was casually thrown into a corner. He thought that he was about to usher in a long-lost time alone.A series of continuous accents jumped into his ears following a complex pattern of changes, and he looked up, only then did he realize who he was pushing himself towards.

Do not……

"We meet again, Shinji." Kaoru smiled affectionately, and turned to look at the boy near the door who had just discovered him.

"Uh, what a coincidence. Sorry to bother—"

"No need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." He sat in front of the piano while the other boy stood a few meters away, maintaining an awkward distance between them.Even if someone broke in suddenly, his fingers still perched securely on the pearly white keys.

Shinji half-heartedly prayed that he would at least just stay still, but—but he didn't.In fact, he didn't stop his finger movements while he was talking, such a genius, the keys didn't get the slightest attention, his eyes were full of a boy, and the notes he played were still so precise and beautiful.

"Can you play the piano, Shinji?" he asked, though the person who was supposed to answer was staring fascinated at his slender fingers, which danced perfectly across the black and white keys in awe.

"I—I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you just now, do you know how to play the piano?" Even though the other party didn't pay attention to his words at all, he was not displeased at all.

"Not so good, no... not at all, actually. I have never... mastered the technique..." Shinji listened attentively, feeling an unbreakable attraction.He suddenly came to his senses, shook his head slightly, and took a step back. "I'm bothering you, really, I'm sorry, I can go—"

"Don't go."

Shocked by such a quick and firm reply, Shinji was nailed so hard that he couldn't move.

"You definitely didn't bother me. Besides, this is the second time I've said that, no need to apologize."

"I—" Shinji suddenly stopped talking, "Okay." He whispered, and quietly sat down on an empty chair that was forgotten by someone.Just watching him play the piano, it should be nothing.

Just sitting there, quietly watching Kaoru play the piano, intoxicated by the perfect harmony between the music and his every keystroke, Shinji felt utterly relaxed and happy.

So relaxed, so peaceful... He would sit here forever, watching him play the piano.

Then Kaoru's music drops, each note becoming softer and weaker as the end draws near.The whole piece ends with a high note, and the delicate fingers slide slowly from the keys, as if to drag a little longer and a little longer before the final note is inevitably silent.

"All right."

"Wow..." Shinji murmured, feeling dizzy from the incredible impact—and Kaoru obviously understood this, and a proud smile rose from the corner of his mouth, not so much to Shinji, but to say to myself.

There was a brief silence.Shinji took a few deep breaths, stood up, and tried to find a topic, anything.

"So, what are you doing here? School is over."

"Okay, what about you?"

The question was simple, but still caught him off guard, and he forgot that he should make up a plausible excuse and simply said:

"I want to practice the cello."

"And I want to practice the piano." Kaoru replied, standing up from the piano bench, "and..."

He took Shinji's hand, and someone in the confusion forgot to push him away.The taller boy exerted gentle force on the other boy's wrist, pulling him forward, more like a coaxing than purely physical pulling.He put his other arm next to Shinji's, with an inexplicable smile on his face.

There was a stark contrast in their skin tones, the other boy's skin was unnaturally pale, and it was shockingly beautiful.Shinji never felt like he had anything to say about it, just marveled at how unique this other boy was.Shinji's appearance is so ordinary that he cannot be compared with him at all.

"Got it? I—"

"Well, you have albinism, don't you?"

"Yes." Kaoru sighed, relieved that he didn't have to explain to Shinji any more. "So it's easier to wait here for dark. I don't want to have an umbrella, it's too conspicuous."

"But you are already very conspicuous, judging from the appearance." As if obsessed, Shinji couldn't help retorting, simply wanting to talk to him more. "You didn't have to stay here..."

"But I like it here." He threw another very gentle smile. "It's easy, isn't it? Making music."

"You mean, you wrote that song just now?" Shinji bit his lower lip regretfully as soon as the words came out, secretly blaming himself for the high volume.This was really rude, but strong curiosity, and Kaoru's previous emphasis on not needing to apologize stopped him from saying sorry.

Kaoru nodded, shifting his eyes to the ground with some embarrassment. "How do you like it?"

"Of course I like it, it's - it's so beautiful." Realizing what he said, Shinji turned pink shyly, and he was also staring at the ground like the other boy, as if there was a piece of gold there.

"Thank you."

"Ah, you're welcome..."

"If you want, I can teach you—"

"I'm going back." Shinji panicked - why am I so nervous all of a sudden?

Following his words, the smile on Kaoru's face disappeared, and he looked at him in bewilderment, with a pitiful look on his face.

"what why?"

"I—I'm sorry but I have to go back, it's too late—"

"No need to apologize," Kaoru sighed, her smile faded a bit, but she still smiled, "I understand."

I am sorry.

"So, see you tomorrow?"

"Okay, I-um..." Another flush came to his cheeks, Shinji turned his head away again to avoid the other party's gaze, biting his lower lip tightly to avoid saying unnecessary words.

He turned around stiffly, and didn't even say "goodbye" before going out-of course he knew how rude it was, and kept complaining to himself in his heart.But he dared not correct his behavior, dare not look back, dare not say a word more.What an easy thing, and he couldn't do it.

He was too shy to do anything but stiffen away.Shinji knew he was blushing, biting his lip and—he wondered if Kaoru had noticed too.He wasn't sure which answer he wanted to hear, but no matter what, he wouldn't let Kaoru see himself like this again.