Notes

Chapter 1.

THE RED ROSE OF THE RECITAL

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When I was a little girl, I loved the piano more than anything in the world. When my mother took me to my first class, and rang the grand piano when I touched it. The time in which the notes I heard... I still remember as shook my body to the beat of the piano. My other memories of that time are a little blurred, but that is my biggest memory of that summer, when had begun practicing the piano.

With the lid of the piano and in front of me appeared white keys. Delicate and bright, were heavier than I imagined. For some reason they felt incredibly... cosy. I felt that between my hands had one of the wonders of the world. It must have had to be made for the queen or something like that.

That was what I felt on that day. That is why I could hardly believe that the old piano that we had saved at home; or the keyboard that I didn’t know what it was, since it was in a corner with a pile of books and toys above; I didn’t know it could be the same instrument I play today. In fact, I took a little time to realize this. I guess that to me playing the piano was so impressive that thought it was something special.

That black, grand piano in the lounge, illuminated by the sun in Summer, produced sounds divine.
Until the simpler parts, Bayer and Burgmuller sounded like music from the very heaven. When the door opened to the waiting room, my ears were able to listen to the sound, I missed it. While hypnotized by its beauty, it did not take me long to realize how much he loved music. But nor did I take a long time to realize that the music I loved so much would be a dream that could never meet.
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I am Maki Nishikino, the only daughter of the General Hospital Nishikino, which is located next to the station in Ochanomizu. I am not boasting or anything. Only if not said now, sooner or later would be revealed. “ Woah! Is your dad is doctor?!”
"Oh heavens, you must be a millionaire!”
“Why haven’t we had said that a girl like you, who comes from a large hospital, is to an entirely different level to our standards.”

And so on and so forth. It has always been so since she was a little girl. Time, did not keep it a secret, Is that... I can't describe it, but... after that, until I realized that I tried to another shape. These girls, who used to come to my home with a smile on the face without any concern, suddenly worsened to doubt, and before I knew it began to ignore me and gathered with other people.

It was not like that our friendship will end, or wishing to move away from me, but something had changed. Although we had a kind of barrier between us. Because I was very different. It was an invisible wall. And at some point, I am not sure when, I turned into "Maki, the president of the class”. It was probably because I was organized, intelligent, beautiful, always well dressed, and super rich. That was what they all said. Well, that was the truth, so it does not bother me.
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One day, I had a piano recital. My parents had found a place where I could take classes, as the "Princess of the Hospital Nishikino” should.

Even at that time, the Auditorium Ochanomizu was a big place and modern, so the fact that they had to pay for the recital meant that it was something important. I took about three years playing the piano. Only certain students in my class were selected, many of them wanted to go to music schools or become pianists, so the pure fact that I was selected filled me with pride and joy.

After all, as I was still in first year, my hands were too small to touch complicated parts and the girls of 5° and 6° were so great that I had to raise my head to see them. The fact of being able to stand on the same stage that them was like a dream for me. And when I told my mom about them and I was so happy that the next day, she made time in her busy schedule to bring me to buy clothes for the recital.
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And suddenly, the same Mom who always told me that I did not make fuss, so as not to embarrass my dad and that I behaved kind and loving, since, miraculously, was happy. I would have been proud of having a mom so beautiful and polite but... now that I think about it, she was always helping dad in the hospital, and always was tense, and did not have much free time.

So my young self wondered why my mom never had a happy face, as moms from other children did. It made me happy to think that when he played the piano, my mother thought that was nice, and she would smile, just like the other moms did. Now that I think about it well… that was stupid on my part, right? It was not that my parents they liked me playing the piano, it was rather that they never expected that I was good playing it. To my parents were not remotely interested in the piano.

And so, the day of the recital, when our housekeeper, Srita Waki, told me that my parents had to go to a party for work, I thought: "Aw, what a pity. I am sure that mom would have been delighted to come, but, for them, I will have to try harder!”
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-Do I look pretty? Do I have anything unusual? Do you think that we should take photos for my parents? The Srita Waki and I reviewed several times. Even at that time, it was very competitive, and everyone, even I knew it. Inside me, I thought: ' what would you do if I, the smallest of all, win the primary category level? I am sure that my parents were surprised and I will be congratulated very much!' And then, perhaps since they have not been able to go to my concert, they say: ' Oh, if we had just gone to see Maki in the recital! That is much more important than any work!' My imagination started to achieve my heart will accelerate. And so, after the recital, on my way home with the Srita Waki, I was so excited that I felt that my heart was going to explode.

I was happy, very happy. I started jumping of joy without noticing. I was so happy, so proud that I felt that I was on top of the world. In my chest had an ornament in the form of a small bouquet of red roses.

Under that bouquet had a ribbon which read as follows: ' Piano - primary category: 2nd place ‘. to be able to read that at my age made me feel very proud. -What could be great! There were so many children from 6°, and yet I was in 2nd place! Am not amazing? My parents are not going to believe it ♪
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I jumped. All the compliments I got after the award ceremony, gave turns in my head. ' You're skillful tab, I can't believe you're in 1 °, you have so much musical talent that I can't believe that you're in elementary school, and your clothes make you look like a real pianist...' And, most of all, the feeling of playing on a huge stage in a huge auditorium and I alone, continued tearing up. I couldn't help but get emotional. The music is incredible. I love the piano! I went to jump, and with a smile, stroked my 2nd place ribbon, it was like my own treasure. Not even noticing her sadness, I see that Srita Waki had tears in her eyes as I played the piano. Excited, I thought that when my parents return home, they would say: ' Maki, you're amazing! How did you get second place even in first year? That is our daughter!’ and give me compliments… But..

-Oh, do not stay in first? When I went to meet him, my dads words that night were enough to let me freeze. I was speechless, and then mom told me: -"it is a pity, but you're still the smartest in school. That is much better than to be able to play the piano." Her words were like stabbing me.

-So it is. It doesn't matter if you can not play the piano, whenever you study much... And then dad started to speak of as my entrance examination managed to stay among the best nationally as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I had already heard that story millions of times. Without realizing how pale my face was, Papa, who seemed a little taken up, smiled and stroked my head with his large hand. -Your grades are amazing, Maki. Keep it and one day you will be the most famous doctor in the Hospital Nishikino. Yes, of course. I raised the ribbon in the air, I saw my dad, smiling as if he were on the verge of crying, and strongly held the red rose bouquet. I squeezed it so strong, the branch broke. And then I realized something.

Something that would help me to survive in this house. Something that saved me from hurting more and more. After all, I am so ready to tell my parents I recognize this. I could not say that I liked the music, or that I wanted to be a pianist when I grow up, as other piano classes did. Of course, in the album of kindergarten, I wrote: 'I want to be a doctor' as my aspiration. At the end, when I started high school I stopped going to piano lessons.
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Even today, I wonder from time to time, what would have happened if I had continued taking piano lessons? Would have it followed the path of classical music? If I did not come from a family of doctors, if I would not have to worry about taking the place, what would have happened? The piano would be everything in my life, would I be practicing to enter a music school? Or my ability to ‘play the piano' would not have been enough, causing me to be able to be anything. And being Maki, the President of class, whose only merit is their good grades, such as Papa said.

In any case, doesn’t it already exist? That day, when I met Honoka, and I met u's. When they forced me to go to my first practice, when I wrote my first song, while I had never heard songs from other idols, and when they asked me to it to imitate the steps that made the others, with the pain in my heart. And when I discovered a dazzling splendor that never imagined, my life in high school was only studying and studying, as Dad said. Blindly following their instructions. Everything had become ahead, and now shone before me, as the dazzling sea.
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I had never felt this. This throb in my chest. This happiness. And now I can not stop it. After meeting u's, I discovered how important it is. You yourself choose things that you like. For this reason, although a part of myself is still wondering what would have happened if it had continued practicing the piano, then, part of u's would not exist.

A spiral of many 'and if' and 'perhaps' still surround the bouquet of roses; I fixed it and got it within a vase that I have in my room. Even now, when I look the ribbon for second place, part of me is thinking that perhaps this reflects who I am.

I think that perhaps if I had obtained the first place, then I would have congratulated Papa, but there is definitely something that needs me. I was so weak that I could not tell him that I loved to play the piano, and he wanted to keep playing it, but remain in second place.

I was so ingrained with values of being an honorable student, and had been too afraid to take the difficult path and say what I really felt. I was afraid of embarrassing me, fear of putting me challenges. What a shame. Why is that I think that the girls in “u’s” are impressive?
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The fact of getting good grades and having a lot of problems does not affect it at all. Always focus on what you want to do, they are not set at odds when they act. They are of a completely different world than mine, I always worry for my grades even when I practice with u's. Hehe. Nothing more than Otonoki. Nothing more than being Idols.

It can be a little strange that someone like me would be friends with those kind of people, but they have taught me much. This is a special scenario my music has taken to me. I may be a bit immature, but please, give me more time, I will always to be able to keep my grades up.

I may be a bit immature, but please, give me more time, I will always to be able to keep my grades up. Today I'm getting a little sentimental. Why is it? Is it because I came back to play the piano after a long time? Is it to be able to play more songs for u’s? My love for the piano is the only thing that has not changed in recent years.
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Comments♡Honoka

Maki is the only daughter of the famous Nishikino General Hospital. She must be under pressure or so great, that someone like me, the daughter of a family selling candies, or even anyone could imagine! My respect has won because it strives ever much! I hope to someday have the opportunity to play the piano. But, when I think that u's have their songs thanks to the knowledge of Maki on piano, I feel that everything has been work of fate. For some time she was heading this way! We continue to work together ♡
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End of Chapter 1.