Guardian Angels (Saimatsu)

Nothing is Owed (Chapter 23.)

Shuichi's POV:

After everything that's happened to me today, you would probably expect me to be angry.

Or maybe you think I would feel alone.

You may even think that I would be depressed.

But all of these thoughts are wrong.

Sure, I may be upset, but that feeling is completely drowned beneath the waves of far more powerful emotions.

I'm overwhelmed with love and gratefulness. Kaede has done so much for me today. She's stood her ground for me against everything that was thrown at me. I may feel betrayed, but it's nothing compared to how much I feel cared for.

After all of this, I kind of want to do something for her. But what would be good enough?

...

...

...

Suddenly, a genius thought flashes in my mind.

Me: "Hey, Kaede! After lunch, do you think that you can teach me how to play the piano? I remember you saying that you want to teach me someday."

Just like when I had asked her to play for me before Gonta died, her face lit up with so much joy that it was contagious.

Kaede: "I would LOVE to!"

Maki: "Prepare for the worst."

Kaito: "Huh?"

Maki: "The last time Shuichi asked Kaede to do something related to the piano, Gonta was killed. Prepare for another death." 

Kaito: "GAH! DON'T JOKE ABOUT THAT!"

Kaede is so focused on eating her food as fast as she can that she doesn't even seem to hear Kaito and Maki. I watch in shock as she eats her remaining ramen in under ten seconds. Even eating quickly, it takes me about a minute to finish what I had left. The funny thing is, I had less than half of my bowl left, and I was six times slower than Kaede who had a full three-fourths left. As soon as I set my bowl down, she grabs my hand and starts dashing through the halls with me. I reach out to hold onto my hat so that it doesn't fall off before I remember that it's been destroyed for a while now.

When we reach her lab, she runs us up to the bench and sits me down. She sits down next to me and she pulls out a simple scale.

Kaede: "Okay, so first, can you read music?"

(Headcanons time!)

Me: "Yeah, I actually know how to play a couple of instruments."

Kaede: "Oh, really? What do you know how to play?"

Me: "Well,  I can play the guitar pretty well. But that wasn't my first instrument."

Kaede: "What was your first?"

Me: "You're going to find this hilarious."

Kaede: "Let me hear it!"

I can feel a smile creep onto my lips. I prepare myself to hear Kaede's adorable laugh once again.

Me: "Sousaphone tuba."

Right on cue, Kaede bursts out laughing, her cries so loud that they fill the room within less than a second. She actually has to hold onto the piano in order to save herself from falling off of the bench. She tries to calm down, but when she turns to face me, she just breaks out laughing again. I don't blame her, I would laugh in her place as well. Eventually, she regains her cool.