Chapter 9 - The Piano Recital Concert
(Numazu Recital Center...)
(Leon POV)
I just entered the buliding looking around with a stunned expression "This place looks incredible doesn't it Leonidas?" I asked smiled "Sure does but I'm still a little uneasy for Ruby and Hanamaru," Leonidas said growled for a bit...
"Hey once we get done from here we will check on them as for now let's relax," I said smiled "Alright," Leonidas said sweatdrop trying to relax...
I went inside looking for my seat while I realized I'm a little late "Come on come on dang it" I said stumbled struggling to get by while getting rude insults (...As expected ugh) I thought annoyed "Can I sit down here please?" I asked "Oh sure" ??? said confused "Thank-HUHH?!" I yelled, "Wait what!?" Riko yelled both flinched stared down at each other (Awkward...) Leonidas thought on my shoulder for a bit... "It is you Riko? I didn't expect to see you here today" I said stunned "I should say the same thing! I didn't expect you to like concerts like this" Riko said shocked "Well I kinda wanna go back into playing the piano again at one point" I said nervously "Ah I see is their reason why you stop?" Riko asked confused "Not enough time or I had to do other things which are more important than playing through my fingers hurt badly from guitar," I said sweatdrop "I'm alright now but back then was busy in a whole another level even if I had the healing regen over time I can well feel the strain from the pain," I said nervously "...Well, that's expected for someone who's was naturally born with those abilities plus got Leonidas now and Ruin" Riko said "Yeah" I said smiled both chuckled...
"Hmmm," Leonidas said bored on my lap "What's wrong?" I asked confused "I got a bad feeling something is here and it ain't human," Leonidas said with a serious expression "Whaat here in piano recital??" I asked confused "There's sure a lot of people today," I said confused expression "How you know there's recital here in Numazu anyway?" Riko asked confused expression "I saw a poster flyer about it in the library when getting something for Yoshiko," I said confused "Is that so? A conscience that your seat is next to mine" Riko said smiled (Now I think about it today has been full of unusual encounters) I thought "Riko do you come to concerts like this before?" I asked smiled "Yeah back when I was living in Toyko but rarely in Numazu," Riko said sweatdrop "Wait you lived at Toyko??" I asked shocked "For most of my life I was a city girl I guess to make us the same right?" Riko asked giggled "Yeah...I was mostly was back in America and still, I am since well I moved back to Toyko" I said sweatdrop "I uh research events that happened over there..." Riko said, "I'm really sorry you had to go through that..." Riko said concerned "It's alright I know they would be watching over me," I said nervously chuckled "I guess you didn't hear much about Nijigasaki when you were there," I said "There's was little talks about Nijigasaki," Riko said confused (Yeah...Ayu told me not many people go there since it's too easy for academy or not interesting classes to take compared to Uranohoshi and Otonokizaka) I thought...
"How about you Leon?" Riko asked "Me? Oh, I was kinda at America still helping out with rebuilding the damages at New York," I said confused "Right I researched it should have known" Riko said sweatdrop "It was only for a year but I used to be a student at Otonokizaka," Riko said smiled "WHAAAA?" I asked shocked "T-The birthplace of U's?! Wow, I never thought you would be in two famous popular schools in the idol fandom" I said stunned "W-Well I didn't get into much of idols not till I met Chika" Riko said smiled "I also remember you saying playing the piano did you do some recitals like this one in front of people??" I asked confused "I have even my teacher recommended me too," Riko said "I play the guitar well used to before having this and goal to watch over Leonidas," I said confused expression "Do you ever get nervous?" Riko asked "Ehh not as often I was well really an active type of person in my early days," I said nervously "Lucky you, I was well nervous when doing the piano performances..." Riko said awkwardly chuckled "Nervous while playing the piano?" I asked confused expression "Yeah I get nervous while waiting in the backroom listening to everyone's amazing skill. So I'd imagine terrible things of everyone not applauding because of one mistake...I was pretty shaken up during my first piano recital" Riko explained "Yeah I know the feeling it was the same from me in my first tournament of martial arts but in the end, 20th out of 100 wasn't so bad" I said sweatdrop nervously chuckled "I thought you were the 5th?" Riko asked confused expression "That's was back over in America but in general, I was 20th out of the rare 100 people with enhancing abilities till later one I'm well-currently 10th," I said sweatdrop "Hey that's pretty good effort though," Riko said smiled "Yeah but the butterflies in the stomach while waiting for your turn including the anticipation of not being eliminated in beginning," I said sighed ruffled my hair nervously "I know what you mean but sometimes for me it's strange. Once I get in the spotlight my nerves melt away and I started to relax and feel like I could already do it since I'm here, you know?" Riko asked "Yeah same for me while playing the guitar and go all out during whatever song I'm singing or humming too," I said smiled...
"It's like you already know what's coming next something like that," I said sweatdrop "Yep I agree on the fun of playing help relief from stress from being on stage," Riko said "Or while preparing for their first tournament event," I said smiled "Yep though would you be more excited than nervous?" Riko asked sweatdrop "Well when your fighting tough intimidate type of people you would be hesitant or a little less confident in yourself could cause distraction or worse terrible injuries" I explained "...Yeah," Riko said sweatdrop "But-I'm alright been through alot just finally able to well freely express myself," I said awkwardly chuckled "Are you ready to tell Nijigasaki girls about being Starlight Sentinel?" Riko asked concerned "Uhhh yeah but it would be better to do it in person though..." I said sweatdrop "However as we were saying earlier you do look confident on the stage," I said confused "What do you mean?!?! Even on stage with Aqours, I'm really not that confident!" Riko yelled "You don't think so?? You dance and express yourself real well though..." I said sweatdrop "You starting to make me think like I'm some sort of strange spectate!" Riko yelled "N-No not at all Riko...I remember when I was younger and did my first awkward piano recital since my old sensei Frederick Willington taught me how" I explained sweatdrop "I heard about him pretty famous around here too" Riko said smiled "He didn't tell me that!" I yelled "That there's was a younger girl with pigtails who look nervous at first but when she plays, she was in her element...then I know she became a really good friend of mine but I had to go over America and never seen her since then," I said nervously chuckled "W-Wha...??" Riko asked eyes widened wide...
"I want to know how to learn like that to have that willpower to stop me having those nerves like when I first started my tournament. Pretty pathetic of me for a guy like me though that girl who naturally tries to be able to stay strong" I said smiling "...Don't say that" Riko muttered "Hmm..??" I asked confused "Even if that girl has naturally able to be strong you were able to move past those inner nightmares and look where you are now..." Riko said took my trembled hand "Eh?" I asked stunned (...H-Hey...don't give up okay...I'll be here forever with you! ??? yelled "...W-Wha?! I yelled shocked)...
"Leon?" Riko asked "Uhh it's nothing...and your right I did move on from what I struggle," I said slowly smiled ruffled my hair nervously chuckled...
"Is the pianist playing today from Numazu?" I asked "More like famous worldwide. They play across Japan" Riko explained, "Wow that's amazing!" I yelled "She's actually a teacher of mine from Toyko," Riko said sheepishly smiled "HUH?!" I quietly yelled "For real?? The one who encourage you to do those piano recitals?" I asked "The one and same. She was at Okonokizaka while I was there even mentor Maki Nishikino" Riko said smiled "THE Maki Nishikino from U's???" I asked stunned "Yes my teacher is quite the master of mentoring and we are gonna talk a little after the concert," Riko said smiled "That's so cool so what's your teacher like??" I asked smiled "The lessons were always strict. She know'd right away if I was being lazy with my practice" Riko said "Ahaha...My teacher Frederick was the same...aha" I said nervously ruffled my hair awkwardly "Well I can see for someone who's strict with kendo and martial arts training" Riko said sweatdrop "...Too many push-ups and 2000 kendo head strikes..." I said flinched "WAH?!" Riko yelled flinched "Though was she ever like scary??" I asked confused expression "She'd compliment me for playing well and was really nice outside of lessons. She was so sad when I decided to leave Toyko, but we still message each other and stuff" Riko said, "Woahhh is she aware of your school idol career?" I asked confused "Y-Yeah...I told her about it. She watches every little music video we put out. She tells her pianist and other pianists that she knows me" Riko said, "That's pretty cool she's proud of her student, huh?" I asked chuckled "...Still embarrassing when she tells her thoughts about it..." Riko said "Embarrassing?" I asked "Leon it's more embarrassing when you got a former teacher than normal people," Riko said dead expression "O-Okay! I was kidding!" I panic yelled flinched "Hm?" Riko asked confused looked at her phone eyes widened "Something matter Riko??" I asked confused "...B-Boyfriend!?" Riko quietly yelled "WHAAA?!!" I flinched both saw Riko's phone apparently her teacher has decent eight sights...
"S-So...your gonna talk to your teacher after this?" I asked sweatdrop "Y-Yeah...I have a lot I wanted to tell her about all my life here in Uchiura, school, and piano. And even maybe talk with Aqours stuff so I can get advice on what should I do from here" Riko said nervously (...Is she having trouble with the festival song still) I thought (Leon we gotta go now! I got a bad feeling it's outside of the concert!) Leonidas thought (...WHAT?!) I thought shocked expression "...I never see it that way Riko I gotta go for now talk to you soon" I said "Huh?" Riko asked "...I really gotta take care of something I'll call you!" I quietly yelled jog out while the play just started...
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To be Continued...