Spring Premiere

p3
>The spring of my third year.
>Those girls all left, leaving just me behind.

>It was then that I met her.

>She was quite a peculiar girl...
>Just like her...

p4
>We met in the music room.

>Amazing...! That was really moving!
>Your singing was lovely and your piano playing was very skilled...

>Um...

>Do you mind if I sit here and listen to you play?

p7
>Good afternoon!
>>Music room

>Riko.
>You came here today as well?
>Honestly... Someone's got a lot of free time.

>Hey, you're here playing every day too, aren't you, Nishikino-senpai?
>That makes us even.

>I've got a reccomendation for my university.
>I have a lot of free time because I don't have to study.

>Besides, it's not like I'm playing for you or anything, Riko.

>Yeah, yeah.

p8
>Do you play piano at all, Riko?

>I'm...
>Since you came all this way, you should play the piano too.

>Nah... I do play piano, but I'm nowhere near as good as you, Nishikino-senpai.
>So I'll pass for now.

>Oh, I see...

>Besides...

p9
>I just love watching you play the piano, senpai.

>...Flattery will get you nowhere, y'know?
>EEh? You could at least play a request once in a while.

>No way... In fact, if you're gonna keep coming every day, you should be paying a listener's fee!
>Then I'll treat you to a cake from the place in front of the station next time!

>Naturally, it'll be one cake per tune, right?

p10
>Then maybe I'll just make a request every day.

>Riko always came here just to listen to me play.
>It was simply that, but...
>the time spent with her was very calming.

p11
>Just from having someone listen to my songs
>I once again remembered
>just how fun playing was.

>So...

p12
>Riko didn't come today...

p13
>She didn't come today, either...

>No... I don't want things...

>to end like this...
>It feels like
>I'm losing something precious.

p14
>Good afternoon.

>Long time no see, senpai.

>Riko.
>Good timing.

>I'm gonna stop coming here.
>From tomorrow onwards, you can use the piano however you like.

p15
>...Eh?

>Senpai...? What's gotten into you all of a sudden..?
>Did... something happen?

>I'm sorry...
>Any more than this and I'll just be spoiling you, Riko.

>At first, I thought it'd be nice to have something distract me from my loneliness.

>That's why I saw her as a "substitute" for those girls.

p16
>But... now she's become more than that...

>Becoming close only to part ways after a single year
>would just be hard on you.

>Senpai...
>I'm sorry for being so selfish.

>Later...

p17
>Senpai!

>...
>This is fine... This is for the best...

>Before she can become another "precious thing"...

>I'll give up on her.

p18
>...Piano?

>That's... Riko playing, isn't it?

>She's playing it again today...

p19
>Senpai...!

>I thought you weren't coming here anymore?
>N-No, I just forgot something, that's all.

>Is that so...?

>Oh yeah, since you're here...

p20
>Would you like to play piano together with me?

>I told you I'm...
>Nishikino-senpai...

>I've known about you for a while now.

>At one of the piano contests I appeared in, your playing was always top class.
>As if you were some kind of goddess.

>It made me want to go to the same school as that senpai.
>I wanted to play together with you at least once.

p21
>Besides, you did say that you weren't gonna come here anymore...
>but you never said anything about not playing anymore, did you, senpai?

>...Fine.

>Riko snuggled up against me so perfectly.
>She responded to my feelings.

p22
>...Senpai.
>I think what you mentioned earlier is important to think about, too.

>I'm sure there probably won't be happiness one year later.

>I think the "now" is what's precious to me.

>Riko...

>But
>If you keep thinking about stuff that happened a year ago, you can't treasure the now.

p23
>That's exactly why we should treasure this moment, right?

>I want to be with you, senpai.

>Even if it's just one year...
>No... precisely because it's one year, I want to talk with you and play with you more, even if it's just for a little longer.

>I want us to smile together.

>I want to make now the greatest moment.

p24
>I felt jealous.
>She was able to express her feelings so honestly.

>I hadn't moved a single step since back then.
>I couldn't be honest with myself. I always put on airs because I was afraid of being hurt.
>In the end, I was never able to obtain anything precious to me.

>But right now, I feel like I can make that step.

>No...!

>It has to be now!

p25
>Very well.

>...Eh?

>Did you really think you could match my piano playing?
>S-Senpai?

>Your technical skills have still got a long way to go! More importantly, you haven't got nearly enough imagination!
>If all you ever do is listen, your feelings will never reach the people listening to you, got it?

>There's no helping it.

p26
>From now on, I'll be giving you piano lessons.

>Senpai!

>So...

>Starting tomorrow...
>make sure you come here every day...

p27
>Alright!
>Nishikino-senpai!

>These aren't lessons just for Riko.
>These are lessons for me, too.

>So that I can become stronger by the time a year has passed and we have to part ways.
>So that I can face those girls with my chest filled with pride and tell them "I've changed".

p28
>But for the time being
>I'll just think about what cake to pick out on the way home.

>Okay, let's head home for today.

>After all, today, I'm eating together with my underclassman, my pupil...

>and my friend.