When the cherry blossoms dance in the springtime

After his coughing fit subsided, Jiang Yu, who was just about to retort, was suddenly pulled aside by Aki Lunya, who whispered, “A-Yu, help me out this time. This might be the only way I can get a photo with Nana-chan!”

Jiang Yu replied helplessly, “Then why didn’t you go up there and perform yourself?”

Aki Lunya shot him a “are you stupid?” look and said, “If I had any talent to show off, would I have missed the chance? The problem is, I don’t! Unless you want me to go up there and give a lecture about otaku culture? I’d be pretty confident with that, but there’s no way I’d win.”

Then, Aki Lunya clasped his hands together and bowed, pleading, “Please help me, A-Yu…”

Jiang Yu gave a wry smile and finally relented, saying, “Alright, alright… But it’s not guaranteed I’ll win. And does this even count as me participating in the event?”

Aki Lunya grew serious. “You have to believe in your skills, A-Yu! My knowledge of music theory isn’t great, but from what I’ve seen, your level is definitely above everyone else here!”

At that, Jiang Yu’s expression turned subtly complicated, and he shook his head with a laugh. “Thanks for the faith, Lunya. I’ll do my best.”

Turning away, Jiang Yu walked toward the center of the café. As he passed Umu, he paused, flicked his little sister’s forehead lightly, and said quietly, “No snacks for you tomorrow.”

Instantly, Umu’s excitement turned into a mournful pout. Jiang Yu found it rather amusing, shook his head, and continued toward the middle of the room.

The crowd intuitively made way for him, allowing Jiang Yu to reach the performance area in the café without trouble.

Once he stood in the center, his eyes met Nana-chan’s, and upon sensing the resentment in her gaze, Jiang Yu couldn’t help but laugh silently.

He first walked over to the manager to ask if he could use the café’s piano. After receiving an affirmative answer, he turned to Nana-chan, who now wore a “I’m doomed” expression.

Jiang Yu asked, “The song you mentioned, ‘When the Cherry Blossoms Dance,’ is that by Mika Nakashima?”

Nana-chan recognized him as the boy who’d been watching her for quite some time. Her little mood began to rise again, but she was surprised and answered resignedly, “Yes… Can you play it?”

The girl, who had just been speaking to Jiang Yu with the gentleness of a spring breeze, now sounded a bit sharp.

Not understanding why her tone had suddenly changed, Jiang Yu could only respond with a smile, “I should be able to.”

Had it been another song, Jiang Yu might not have been able to play it. But as it happened, “When the Cherry Blossoms Dance” was a song he’d loved in his previous life. He hadn’t expected to find it here, but the melody and score were etched in his mind, so performing it was no problem.

“When the Cherry Blossoms Dance”—that is, “Sakura-iro Mau Koro”—was a peak hit by the Japanese diva Mika Nakashima, receiving widespread acclaim upon its release. Besides the song’s inherent qualities, it became famous for being the first time Mika Nakashima showcased her piano skills, sparking a sensation.

Jiang Yu’s knowledge of the song was actually thanks to another version—a cover with new lyrics called “Ephemeral Life Unrested”—which had amazed him at the time. Digging through the comments, he found the original, listened to it, and instantly saved it as one of his favorites.

Facing the girl’s questioning, Jiang Yu might have said “should be able to,” but his demeanor was full of confidence, momentarily leaving Nana-chan at a loss for words.

He smiled at her, then walked over to the piano. After adjusting the bench and opening the lid, he sighed inwardly: Did fate bind me to the piano today? I’ve been with it all day, and I’ll be working with it again tonight…

He played a few simple phrases to familiarize himself with the instrument, which quickly dispelled much of the audience’s skepticism. Both the manager and the maids looked at him in surprise.

Giving Nana-chan a signal that he was ready, Jiang Yu placed his fingers gently on the keys, watching with interest as the girl’s expression shifted from stormy to clear and back again.

Wow… She really is adorable—no wonder they call her the “Legendary Maid of Akihabara.”

Not long after, Nana-chan stomped her foot, took a few deep breaths, and gave Jiang Yu the signal to begin.

Sitting up straight, Jiang Yu started to play.

The gentle prelude began, followed by Nana-chan’s graceful singing voice.

“When the cherry blossoms dance,
I stand alone,
With emotions I can barely contain,
Ever waiting…”

Although he’d already guessed she had a good voice, hearing it for real still surprised Jiang Yu. Her tone was distinctive, her breath control decent—a promising singer indeed.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu’s playing was flawless. Though it was their first time performing together, there was a strange sense of harmony between them.

Perhaps it wasn’t quite harmony, but rather, Jiang Yu was intentionally adjusting his tempo to suit her singing, making the accompaniment feel just right to Nana-chan.

The audience watched in stunned enjoyment, captivated both by Nana-chan’s voice and Jiang Yu’s playing.

Most of the café’s clientele were young, so the song didn’t carry deep nostalgia for them—they simply marveled that they’d never noticed such a beautiful piece before.

But for the manager, who’d lived through Mika Nakashima’s golden years—years that coincided with her own youth—she gazed at the performing duo with gentle eyes, as if time itself might melt.

Back then, she would sing this song too, wouldn’t she? Only, there had never been a boy in her life to play the piano for her.

Thinking that way, she found herself feeling a bit envious of this child, Nana-chan.

Her gaze seemed to cut through time, returning her to days when she could freely say, “Let us seize the years with poetry and wine,” doing all sorts of things, joyful or regretful.

A soft smile curved her lips as the manager quietly listened to their music.

As the performance reached its climax, the piano remained soothing, and the singing grew more heartfelt.

“…May the trees that surround us
Guard this wish of mine:
That once again, for us,
They’ll gently scatter their leaves…”

Jiang Yu’s accompaniment matched the girl’s voice perfectly, making the performance appear flawless. The audience sat in silent awe; the only sounds in the café were the piano and the singing.

Now and then, passersby were drawn by the scene inside, stopping at the entrance to watch.

Nana-chan, a little nervous, let her voice tremble, but Jiang Yu instinctively struck a heavier note, covering for her.

Surprised, Nana-chan glanced at Jiang Yu. Unsure if it was coincidence, she focused all her energy on the rest of the song, determined not to make the same mistake again.

“…Only the trees that encircle us
Gaze upon us both,
Reminding us
That life does not linger in any one moment.
When the cherry blossoms dance,
I stand alone,
Embracing thoughts of you,
Whispering them again and again…”

As the song ended, Nana-chan caught her breath, and Jiang Yu let his hands fall from the keys after a few gentle closing notes.

A hush fell over the café, then erupted into thunderous applause. Every eye was fixed with admiration on the two who had just finished their duet.

Aki Lunya looked at his friend with genuine respect, while Umu was every bit the fangirl, her eyes shining with stars as she gazed adoringly at her brother.

Nana-chan walked over to Jiang Yu, extended her hand, and with an elegant smile said, “Thank you.”

Jiang Yu was momentarily stunned, then hesitated before taking her hand and standing up. Instantly, the room broke out in cheers and whistles, as if it were a fan meeting with celebrities.

While Jiang Yu was still processing it, the manager, quick on the draw, snapped a photo of the moment, planning to gift it to the young pianist—certain Nana-chan wouldn’t object.

After thanking the audience, the two stepped away from the center.

The manager took the microphone at just the right moment and said, “Didn’t Nana-chan and that young man give us an amazing performance?”

The crowd responded with enthusiastic approval. The manager continued, “Then it’s settled—the winner of this impromptu event is the young man who played the piano!”

Though a few performers were dissatisfied, most accepted the result with genuine admiration.

Jiang Yu returned to his table, where Aki Lunya sidled up, teasing, “So, how did it feel to hold Nana-chan’s hand?”

Jiang Yu shot his friend a glare, retorting, “Not bad! Too bad you’ll never know how it feels.”

“Hey—Umu, why did you pinch me?” Suddenly, Jiang Yu felt a sharp pain in his side and grabbed the culprit, demanding an explanation.

Umu snorted softly, turned her head away, and muttered, “Big brother, you’re such a perv.”

“What did you say? Speak up, will you?” Jiang Yu genuinely had no idea what she meant.

Aki Lunya, watching this scene that felt oddly familiar from a game, suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief, looking from Umu to Jiang Yu and back.

Unable to contain his shock, Aki Lunya gave Jiang Yu a hard slap on the shoulder, making Jiang Yu wince in pain, which only earned him an exasperated “Lunya, what is it now?” from his friend.

Umu watched all this and burst into laughter, her inexplicable moodiness dissipating as she stopped giving Jiang Yu the cold shoulder.

Now more confused than ever, Jiang Yu could only warn himself: Never try to guess what a girl is thinking!

He then grabbed the still-warm tea on the table and gulped it down to soothe his inexplicably wounded heart.