Anime Crossover: There are a lot of beautiful girls who like me.

Although the sound quality might be a little worse, wouldn't that mean that Himegami Karen could listen to it repeatedly anytime, anywhere?

However, looking at Himegami Karen's pitiful eyes, he felt as if he were seeing a puppy abandoned by its owner on the side of the road on a rainy day, and he simply couldn't bring himself to say those words.

The problem is, he really can't teach a complete beginner to play "My Goal is to Be a Pokémon Master"!

It's like expecting an elementary school student to dunk on an NBA court—it's simply impossible!

However, nothing in this world is absolutely impossible; what one considers impossible may not actually be impossible.

Just as he was racking his brains trying to figure out how to persuade Himegami Karen, something suddenly popped into Himegami Karen's head, and her eyes lit up.

"Ah! I've got it! As long as Yu plays the piano with me, it should be fine, right?"

Chapter 45 Overlapping Figures

"What? Play together?"

Kitagawa Yu and Banami Anna were both taken aback, their faces showing confusion.

Even Shikiya Yumeko, who was leaning against the windowsill and had been lying there like a corpse due to the previous noise, turned her head to look when she heard this.

"That's right! It's like when I play with one hand and yo with the other, I always make mistakes and can't keep up with both hands. If I only play with one hand, I shouldn't make mistakes anymore!"

"..."

How are you so smart!

Kitagawa Yu opened his mouth subconsciously, but was speechless for a moment as he looked at Himegami Karen, who was getting more and more excited as she talked.

That's right, it's indeed easier to play with only one hand than with both hands.

This is similar to how many people who are new to computers like to type with one finger.

But the problem is... wouldn't this be a bit too intimate?

So the two of them each have one hand on their wrists, and at the very least, they have to sit close together. If they want to be even more comfortable, they might even have to turn to the side and half-embrace Himegami Karen!

"Could this guy be doing this on purpose? Is her seemingly naive and thick-skinned demeanor all an act?"

Anzu, standing to the side, had a complex look in her eyes. She muttered to herself, as if she were getting to know Karen Himegami all over again, and suddenly felt like she had learned something.

At the same time, Kitagawa Yu was slightly distracted and unconsciously recalled when she first started learning the piano.

At that time, he was also unable to memorize the playing order of both hands at the same time. Even if he managed to memorize it, he would always be flustered when playing, and his ten fingers on both hands could not coordinate at all.

Then Sakai Kazusa's mother, who is also his piano teacher Sakai Mahiru, will pull him to play together, just as Himemiya Karen suggested.

When he played that beautiful melody himself, all the depression and frustration in his heart vanished.

The excitement, joy, and sense of accomplishment you feel are completely different from just listening from the sidelines.

Of course, because he was quite young at the time, he was the one being held in someone's arms.

Later, Sakai Kazuna, finding it amusing, insisted on playing with him. Later still, after his skill improved, the two even practiced four-hand duets for a period of time.

Unfortunately, he learned piano not to participate in competitions or to perform at parties to gain attention, but simply to prepare for making music and forming a band in the future.

Kazuya Sakai is also a cool and aloof person who has no interest in performing. Therefore, they have never performed this difficult four-hand piano duet before, even after they had mastered their skills.

"I wonder how Hezou is doing lately..."

Perhaps it was because Tsukimi Eiko's sudden intrusion disrupted his original rhythm of life. If you think about it carefully, he hasn't sent any messages to Sakai and Kanade for two or three days.

Unconsciously, the figure of Himegami Karen in front of him seemed to overlap with two other figures in his memory, which made Kitagawa Yu's eyes soften unconsciously.

"Is it okay?" Himegami Karen asked again, somewhat nervously.

However, to Anna Yanami standing nearby, her appearance seemed... "This girl is totally acting cute, isn't she!?"

Coming to his senses, Kitagawa Yu looked at the expectant light in her eyes and finally agreed.

"sure."

"Great! This time I definitely won't make any mistakes!"

Whether out of excessive excitement or fear that Kitagawa Yu might change her mind, Himegami Karen pulled Kitagawa Yu to sit down next to her before she could finish speaking.

Then......

"Huh? Has the person changed again?"

On the wooden bench outside the window, Narumi and her two companions listened to the piano music that resumed after a brief silence, and couldn't help but show curious expressions.

"Although the piano playing this time wasn't as smooth as Kitagawa-kun's, it wasn't as chaotic as before either, so the person playing must have some piano skills, right?"

Thinking of this, Narumi Seina couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.

When she heard that Himegami Karen, who played so poorly, could join the piano club, she couldn't help but want to apply to join as well.

It seems that those who played so poorly were just isolated cases.

"Well, I'm already lucky to have heard Kitagawa-kun play the piano up close like this, but... I'll have to come even earlier tomorrow!"

Thinking of this, Narumi Sena couldn't help but steal a glance at Shiina Mahiru out of the corner of her eye.

As it happened, Shiina Mahiru also looked over at that moment.

"..."

"..."

Their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away. Although their expressions were obscured by the masks they wore, a hint of embarrassment flickered in both of their eyes.

It's like a child who's about to play a prank, only to turn around and realize that the target of their prank has been standing right behind them all along.

It felt as if crows were flying overhead, and even the air seemed to be filled with an awkward atmosphere.

"Shiina (Narami), you'll probably be coming here again tomorrow at noon, right?"

Thinking about this, the two of them couldn't help but feel complicated.

Meanwhile, in the piano club activity room upstairs, Anna Hachimi crossed her arms and watched the two people sitting in front of the piano playing more and more fluently and in perfect harmony. A complex light flashed unconsciously in her deep blue eyes.

Especially when she saw Himegami Karen's happy and sweet face, and the look of longing, admiration and love shining in Himegami Karen's eyes when their eyes occasionally met, she couldn't help but feel a deep envy.

"How wonderful it would be if I could be like them, playing the piano with Kusuke in a quiet piano room filled with the scent of cherry blossoms on a peaceful afternoon..."

Unfortunately, the girl's fantasy was ultimately shattered by reality, because... neither she nor Hakamada Sosuke could play the piano.

so......

"Hey! It's almost time, we should head back to the classroom!"

Seeing that there were only about ten minutes left before the end of lunch break, Anna 'had to' cough twice and take the initiative to remind Karen Himegami and Yu Kitagawa.

Then, seeing Himegami Karen's regretful expression, Yanami Anna couldn't help but hum inwardly, feeling a sense of pleasure as if she had successfully pulled off a prank.

And then......

"What? You want me to sign the application form for you at the Ministry of Construction?!"

As soon as she returned to the classroom, Hakamada Sosuke called her to the corridor to meet Yanami Anna. She looked down at the light music club application form in her hand and never expected that her retribution would come so quickly and so suddenly!

Chapter 46 Is your brain broken?

"Yeah! Didn't you remind me yesterday afternoon to form the Light Music Club myself, so I wouldn't have to worry about being rejected from the club anymore?" Hakamada Sosuke said smugly.

With an expression that said, "As expected of my good brother," and "That's a great suggestion," Anzu was so angry that she almost tore the application form in her hand to shreds, and even the swastika on her forehead couldn't help but pop out!

"I was mocking you yesterday, okay! Mocking you! Do you understand?"

"And your efficiency is just too high!?"

"I've never seen you so proactive before!"

Hana was internally ranting and raving about Anzu.

Most importantly, not only did Hakamada Sosuke take her 'advice' and go and form a light music club, but now he's actually coming to ask her for an autograph?

What the hell is the difference between this and flashing in face-to-face to taunt?

Her fists were practically hard!

"Even if you form a light music club and bring Himegami into the club, don't expect Himegami to change her mind! Himegami likes Kitagawa, she would never like you!" Anna said in a low voice, barely suppressing her anger.

Originally, she didn't want Hakamada Sosuke, her childhood friend whom she had secretly loved for twelve years, to be 'hurt'.

But now that things have come to this, she suddenly feels that it might be better for Hakamada Sosuke to be upfront sooner rather than later. Dragging it out will only make Hakamada Sosuke sink deeper and deeper, and in the end, he will only get hurt more.

However, the expected rebuttal, anger, and exasperation did not occur.

Hakamada Sosuke paused for a moment after hearing this, then gave her a strange look before casually replying, "Okay, I know. Can you sign the application form first so I can get the light music club set up, okay?"

"???"

This reaction is completely different from what she expected!

The most crucial question is, did Hakamada Sosuke listen to the advice, or did he not?

When Banami saw Anna blinking her eyes with a blank expression, she hesitated for a moment before straightening up and saying seriously, "Kitagawa is taller and more handsome than you, has a better personality, and is more talented. He can not only play the piano but also write his own songs. With such an outstanding Kitagawa around, Himegami could never possibly like you!"

To be honest, while what Anna Hanami said was true, if it were in the past, Sosuke Hakamada would have definitely gotten angry, much more so than when they had lunch together in the cafeteria last time.

However, this time, Hakamada Sosuke's reaction after hearing this was once again beyond her expectations.

"If it were you, would you fall for Kitagawa and actively pursue him?" Hakamada Sosuke asked calmly.

"Of course!" Although Anna was full of doubts, she still honestly retorted, "With such an outstanding guy like Kitagawa around, who would want someone like you who looks like a delinquent!"

Then... after hearing this, Hakamada Sosuke... laughed!

This made Anna unconsciously open her mouth wide, her eyes widening in surprise, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.

"What on earth is going on?! Kusuke is actually laughing? Could it be... could it be that he ate some poisonous mushrooms at noon today and damaged his brain?"

Once she came to her senses, Anna couldn't help but ask Hakamada Sosuke if he was having some kind of headache and if he should go to the infirmary or even the hospital to have his head checked.

However, at this moment, Hakamada Sosuke spoke up again, urging, "Alright, alright, please help me out, sign the application form first~"

"..."

When Banami saw Anzu, she immediately 'understood' that Hakamada Sosuke had completely ignored her words from beginning to end and hadn't taken them to heart at all!

"Stubborn fool!"