The two of them rose and left the café.
The sunlight was still bright, spilling across the streets of Keyaki Mall. Shiraishi Asuka walked to Shikime Natsu's right, keeping a distance of roughly half an arm's length—neither too far nor too close.
Her steps were light and brisk, those purple eyes carrying a glimmer of anticipation, a faint smile hanging at the corners of her lips.
The two of them soon arrived at the entrance of the karaoke.
The attendant at the front desk saw them come in and gave a polite bow.
"Welcome. Just the two of you?"
"Yes."
Shikime Natsu nodded.
"How long would you like?"
"Hmm…" Shikime Natsu turned his head and glanced at Shiraishi Asuka.
"Shiraishi-san, how long do you think would be good?"
"An hour and a half… how about that?"
Shiraishi Asuka tilted her head slightly and said softly.
"That works."
Shikime Natsu nodded, then said to the attendant:
"An hour and a half, then."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
The attendant quickly handled the paperwork, then passed over a room card.
"This way, please. The room is on the second floor."
The two of them followed the stairs up to the second floor, found the corresponding room, and pushed the door open to step inside.
The karaoke wasn't very busy at this hour. The hallway was quiet, and all that could be heard was the faint sound of music drifting out of some room.
Shikime Natsu picked a room at random, then went in with Shiraishi Asuka.
The room wasn't large, but it was cozily arranged.
Soft lighting, comfortable sofas, a large screen mounted on the wall, and two wireless microphones set out in front of it.
On the tea table sat two thick song catalogs.
After Shiraishi Asuka walked in, she gently sat down in the corner of the sofa. Those purple eyes swept around the room, seeming quite satisfied with the surroundings.
"Does Shiki-san come to karaoke often?"
She asked, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Once in a while."
Shikime Natsu sat down in the seat beside her. Though "once in a while" was something of an understatement—after all, back when the term had just started, Shikime Natsu could practically be called a karaoke regular. Nearly all of his affairs had been conducted through karaoke.
Of course, ever since then, Shikime Natsu had cut down on the frequency.
"But… most of the time I come with other people."
"Other people…"
Shiraishi Asuka repeated the word, then a meaningful smile curled at the corners of her lips.
"Would that be your girlfriend?"
"Sometimes."
Shikime Natsu admitted it openly and without hesitation.
"So that's how it is."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded and didn't press any further.
The atmosphere grew quiet for a moment.
Shikime Natsu looked at the blonde girl beside him, then suddenly smiled and asked:
"By the way, Shiraishi-san."
"Hmm?"
"How is it that today… you suddenly felt like coming to sing karaoke with me?"
His tone carried a trace of curiosity.
After all, from his previous interactions with Shiraishi Asuka, she was someone who enjoyed being alone.
On ordinary weekends, she spent most of her time holed up in her dorm. Even when she did go out, it was only to the general store or a café.
Actively inviting someone to something as socially demanding as karaoke… this was the first time.
Hearing Shikime Natsu's question, Shiraishi Asuka didn't choose to answer directly.
She tilted her head slightly, those purple eyes gazing at Shikime Natsu, the smile at her lips deepening a touch, and then she smiled and asked in return:
"Could it be… that Shiki-san doesn't want to come sing karaoke with me?"
"How could that be?"
Shikime Natsu smiled.
"Since I've already come all the way here with Shiraishi-san, how could I be unwilling?"
"That's good, then."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded gently, a flicker of slyness passing through those purple eyes.
"Since Shiki-san has already come, and… I was the one who invited Shiki-san—"
"Then… the reason and all that, we can leave unspoken for now, can't we?"
Her tone carried a note of evasion, as though she had no intention of dwelling on this question.
Shikime Natsu looked at her like that, thought it over, but didn't press any further.
Everyone has their own little secrets.
Since Shiraishi Asuka didn't want to say, he wouldn't force her.
"Alright."
Shikime Natsu spread his hands.
"I won't ask, then."
"Thank you for understanding, Shiki-san."
Shiraishi Asuka smiled, then gently picked up one of the microphones from the tea table and held it out in front of Shikime Natsu.
"So then… please, Shiki-san, you go first."
Her voice was very soft, very gentle, carrying a hint of anticipation.
A smile played at her lips, and those purple eyes gazed straight at Shikime Natsu.
"Me?"
Shikime Natsu was slightly taken aback.
"That's right."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded.
"Since I was the one who invited Shiki-san here, naturally I should let Shiki-san sing first."
"And besides…"
She paused, a flicker of slyness passing through those purple eyes.
"I also want to hear… Shiki-san's singing voice."
"I've heard for a while now that Shiki-san is quite good at singing. Would you let me hear it?"
"Is Shiraishi-san buttering me up?"
Shikime Natsu shook his head with a smile.
"How could I?"
Shiraishi Asuka blinked, looking utterly innocent.
"I'm just stating the facts."
"Alright, then."
Shikime Natsu took the microphone, stood up, and walked over in front of the screen.
"Since Shiraishi-san puts it that way, then I'll make a fool of myself."
He flipped through the song catalog and quickly settled on a song.
A familiar melody began to play.
Shikime Natsu stood before the screen, microphone in hand, his gaze falling on the display as he began to sing.
His voice was wonderful.
This was something Shiraishi Asuka had always known.
Ever since that chance encounter back in May, she had noticed the change in Shikime Natsu's voice.
It was the kind of voice… that, once heard, you couldn't help but become entranced by.
Every note, every beat, was pitched just right.
There was no deliberate showing off, no excessive embellishment.
It was simply that kind of… clean, crisp voice that struck straight to the heart.
And what's more… his singing technique was quite formidable too.
Whether it was the shifts into the high notes or the settling of the low ones, he handled it all with effortless ease.
Shiraishi Asuka sat on the sofa, her hands resting gently on her knees, those purple eyes narrowing slightly.
As she listened to Shikime Natsu's singing, her whole being seemed to sink into it.
The smile at her lips, without her even realizing it, grew all the more gentle.
Time seemed to slow in this very moment.
In the entire room, all that remained was Shikime Natsu's singing and that soft background music. The song came to an end.
As the final note fell, Shikime Natsu turned around, his gaze settling on Shiraishi Asuka.
"How was it?"
He asked with a smile, a teasing note in his tone.
"Not bad, right?"
"…" Shiraishi Asuka didn't answer right away.
She gently opened her eyes, a flicker of daze passing through those purple eyes, and then she slowly came back to herself.
"It was… really lovely."
Her voice was very soft, soft enough that it seemed like she was talking to herself.
"Shiki-san's singing voice… is truly lovely."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Shikime Natsu smiled, then walked over to Shiraishi Asuka and held out the microphone in his hand.
"Alright, next up… it's Shiraishi-san's turn."
Shiraishi Asuka looked at the microphone held out before her, and that delicate face couldn't help but take on a slightly pitiful expression.
She lifted her head, those purple eyes gazing at Shikime Natsu, a note of pleading in her look.
"Shiki-san…"
"Hmm?"
"Your voice is so lovely, and the songs you sing are lovely too…"
She paused, then asked tentatively:
"Could you… please sing one more song, Shiki-san?"
Shikime Natsu looked at her pitiful little expression and couldn't help but laugh.
"Shiraishi-san, you couldn't possibly be thinking… of making me sing here alone for the whole hour and a half of karaoke, could you?"
He paused, then shook his head a little helplessly.
"Even for me, that's something I couldn't manage."
"But…"
Shiraishi Asuka still wanted to say something more.
But Shikime Natsu had already pressed the microphone into her hands.
"Come on."
Shikime Natsu sat back down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and struck a pose that said "I'm all ready."
"I want to hear… Shiraishi-san's singing voice too."
Shiraishi Asuka looked at the microphone in her hand, then looked at those anticipant eyes of Shikime Natsu, and in the end she could only smile helplessly.
"I love you.
Reach him—these feelings ☆
May they reach you."
"Alright, then."
She stood up and walked over in front of the screen.
"Since Shiki-san puts it that way, then I'll… make a fool of myself too."
She flipped through the song catalog and quickly picked a song.
It was a fairly upbeat tune, its melody very familiar.
Shiraishi Asuka stood before the screen, microphone in hand, and drew a deep breath.
Then… she began to sing.
It had to be said, Shiraishi Asuka's voice wasn't bad either.
Her voice was naturally soft and gentle, warm and tender, like a spring breeze brushing past one's ears.
When she sang, that gentle quality became all the more pronounced.
And what's more… even while singing, she didn't seem overly restrained.
There was none of that nervousness and awkwardness one has when singing in front of others for the first time. Instead, there was a… rare sort of relaxation and ease.
Shikime Natsu sat on the sofa, listening to Shiraishi Asuka's singing, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly of their own accord.
When Shiraishi Asuka reached the chorus, she suddenly turned around, those purple eyes gazing at Shikime Natsu, a playful smile curling at her lips.
The song came to an end.
Shiraishi Asuka set down the microphone, turned around, and looked at Shikime Natsu.
"How was it?"
She asked, mimicking Shikime Natsu's earlier tone.
"Was it… not bad?"
"Really good."
Shikime Natsu nodded with a smile.
"Shiraishi-san's singing voice is lovely."
"Really?"
Shiraishi Asuka's eyes lit up slightly.
"Of course it's true."
Shikime Natsu spread his hands.
"I'm the sort of person who never tells lies."
"That's good, then."
Shiraishi Asuka smiled, then walked back to the sofa and sat down in the seat beside Shikime Natsu.
She placed the microphone on the tea table, then looked at Shikime Natsu and said softly:
"Shiki-san, next… it's your turn."
"?"
Shikime Natsu was slightly taken aback.
"Didn't we agree to take turns?"
"I just sang, so now it's your turn."
"But…"
Shiraishi Asuka tilted her head, a flicker of slyness passing through those purple eyes.
"Just now Shiki-san only sang one song, and I only sang one song too."
"So next… naturally we should keep taking turns."
"Alright, then."
Shikime Natsu shook his head with a smile, then picked up the microphone again and stood up.
"This time… I'll pick a slightly faster song."
"Sounds good."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded, then rested her hands gently on her knees, striking a pose of attentive listening.
Shikime Natsu chose a song with a fairly quick rhythm.
Shikime Natsu's enunciation was still crisp, every beat landing right on the mark.
Shiraishi Asuka sat on the sofa, those purple eyes gazing at Shikime Natsu without so much as a blink.
She watched his profile, watched the hand holding the microphone, watched his body swaying gently along with the rhythm.
The smile at her lips, without her even realizing it, grew all the more gentle.
Shiraishi Asuka said softly.
"Shiki-san's singing voice… is truly wonderful."
"Whether it's slow songs or fast ones, you can master them all so well."
"Shiraishi-san is being too generous."
Shikime Natsu shook his head with a smile, then walked back to the sofa and handed the microphone to Shiraishi Asuka.
And so the two of them went on, one song from her, one song from him, taking turns to sing.
Time quietly slipped by amid the singing.
Before they knew it, several opened bottles of drinks had accumulated on the tea table.
When Shikime Natsu tired of singing, he'd take a sip of water and rest for a bit.
When Shiraishi Asuka tired of singing, she'd sit on the sofa and listen to Shikime Natsu sing.
The atmosphere was very relaxed, very pleasant.
...
"Shiki-san."
Halfway through a song, Shiraishi Asuka suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm?"
Shikime Natsu set down the microphone and turned his head to look at her.
"What kind of songs… do you usually like to listen to?"
"Hmm…"
Shikime Natsu thought it over.
"I listen to all kinds, really. I don't have any particularly fixed preference."
"As long as it's a good song, I like it."
"So that's how it is."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded, then turned her gaze back onto Shikime Natsu, a hint of slyness flashing through those purple eyes.
"By the way, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear the songs that Shiki-san listens to as well. I wonder whether Shiki-san would be willing to share them with me?"
Shikime Natsu looked at the girl before him. She clearly had some little scheme in mind—though of course, Shikime Natsu didn't much care.
"Of course. In fact, I'd be more than happy to share the songs I like with Shiraishi-san."
"Then… it's settled. Shiki-san has already promised me you'll share good songs with me. But… I'd like to add one small, and not too excessive, request. Is that alright?"
Shiraishi Asuka's gaze rested on Shikime Natsu, her tone very gentle.
"What request?"
Shikime Natsu looked at Shiraishi Asuka. Was this girl before him finally about to reveal her true aim?
"For the songs, I want to hear the ones Shiki-san always listens to. But… as for the singer, I'd rather it be Shiki-san. After all, I think Shiki-san's singing skill is quite formidable—even better than the original artist."
Shiraishi Asuka said to Shikime Natsu with a smile, her expression unchanging.
For Shiraishi Asuka, this was indeed the truth. Whether it was singing skill or voice, Shikime Natsu was the most impressive she had ever known in her life, without exception.
"Of course."
Shikime Natsu agreed straight away, his gaze settling on Shiraishi Asuka, as though he had already seen through the girl's little scheme.
Time passed by quickly.
The hour and a half of karaoke drew to a quiet close amid the two of them singing.
"Time's up."
Shikime Natsu glanced at the time on his phone, then stood up.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
Shiraishi Asuka stood up as well and straightened her clothes.
The two of them walked out of the room, went downstairs, returned the room card at the front desk, and then stepped out through the karaoke's main entrance.
Shiraishi Asuka stood at the karaoke's entrance, drew a deep breath, then turned around to look at Shikime Natsu.
"Shiki-san."
"Hmm?"
"Today… was really fun."
"I had a lot of fun too."
Shikime Natsu smiled.
"So… if there's a chance next time, shall we come again?"
"Sounds good."
Shiraishi Asuka nodded, a flicker of anticipation passing through those purple eyes.
"Then it's settled."
"It's settled."
The two of them stood at the karaoke's entrance, chatted a few more words, and then prepared to part ways.
"Shiki-san, I'll be heading back first, then."
"Today… thank you."
"No need to thank me."
Shikime Natsu waved his hand.
Shiraishi Asuka nodded, then turned and walked off toward the dorm with light, brisk steps.
After a few steps, she suddenly turned back around and waved at Shikime Natsu.
"Shiki-san, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Shikime Natsu waved back, then watched Shiraishi Asuka's retreating figure gradually vanish at the far end of the street.
Shiraishi Asuka walked along the road back to the dorm.
Her steps were light and brisk, a faint smile hanging at the corners of her lips.
In those purple eyes, some kind of light was flickering.
She kept her head down, looking at the road beneath her feet, no telling what she was thinking about.
Her mind was filled entirely with the scenes from the karaoke just now.
Shikime Natsu's singing, Shikime Natsu's smile, that composed and unhurried tone Shikime Natsu had when he spoke…
Every single bit of it made her feel… very comfortable.
Very at ease.
This feeling… she hadn't had it in a very long time.
Shiraishi Asuka mused quietly to herself.
Before she knew it, she had already arrived at the entrance of the dormitory building.
She pushed open the main door, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for her floor.
The elevator rose slowly and soon arrived.
She stepped out of the elevator, walked to the door of her room, took out her key, opened the door, and went inside.
The room wasn't large, but it was kept very neat and tidy.
The bed was made up neatly, and the things on the desk were arranged in perfect order.
Shiraishi Asuka closed the door, changed out of her shoes, then walked over to the bed and gently sat down.
She drew a deep breath, then took her phone out of her pocket.
The phone's screen lit up.
She opened her phone and tapped into a recording app.
Then… she gently pressed the play button.
The next second, Shikime Natsu's voice came out of the phone.
It was… the recording of Shikime Natsu singing at the karaoke just now.
The moment she heard that voice, the corners of Shiraishi Asuka's lips curved up ever so slightly.
She gently closed her eyes, leaned back against the bed, and listened quietly.
Shikime Natsu's voice drifted out from the phone, echoing through this quiet room.
Every word, every note, was like a feather, brushing gently across the tip of Shiraishi Asuka's heart.
Her expression, without her even realizing it, grew all the more gentle.
The smile at her lips also grew all the deeper.
She simply sat there in silence, listening to Shikime Natsu's singing, immersed in that world that belonged to her, and her alone.
After a while, the recording finished playing.
Shiraishi Asuka opened her eyes and let out a soft sigh.
She picked up her phone and tapped the "replay" button once more.
Shikime Natsu's voice rang out yet again.
Shiraishi Asuka held the phone in her arms, leaning back against the bed, those purple eyes brimming with satisfied light.
She murmured softly to herself:
"Just as I thought… it's really lovely."
____
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