7:56
Although the dinner rush had already passed, the restaurant was still lively with diners.Compared to an hour earlier, however, the main hall was noticeably quieter now.
The clamor of voices had faded, replaced by the subtle clinking of knives and forks.It was the kind of atmosphere that seemed perfect for music.
There couldn't be a better moment.
Rin Amane took a deep breath and sat down at the piano.
"You've lost your mind, Rin!"
Beside him, his coworker Itsuki Nagano nearly panicked when he realized Rin was serious.He rushed over, lowering his voice in agitation:
"Do you even know what kind of people are eating here tonight? You've watched too many of those short videos! Those tutorials that say you can play a whole song by pressing a few keys are made to trick outsiders! Try pulling that stunt here, and you'll embarrass yourself so badly you'll want to crawl into a hole and never come out! Trust me—I fell for it once already!"
Itsuki was practically cursing in his head by now.
After two and a half years of friendship with Rin since high school, he knew exactly what kind of guy he was.Aside from being handsome, good at his studies, and taller than most, Rin didn't have many other "talents."
Play the piano?What a joke.He'd sooner believe he himself was the Emperor of Japan!
The restaurant was crowded, hushed, and full of expectant eyes. If Rin touched that piano now, the sheer second-hand embarrassment would be unbearable. Itsuki's toes already curled at the thought of it.Why did he always get cursed with second-hand shame on behalf of others?!
"Actually, I… know a little," Rin said quietly.
"A little?! You'd get more attention if you stood in the middle of the room and breakdanced in circles spraying soda in every direction! At least some girls would pay to see that!" Itsuki hissed.
"And what about Manager Watanabe, huh? You're seriously going to risk your paycheck? That piano is his baby! You think he won't dock your salary for touching it during work hours?!"
Itsuki tried his hardest to persuade Rin, baffled at how his usually quiet, invisible friend suddenly wanted to make such a bold spectacle of himself.
Meanwhile, other diners had begun to notice.
They saw a waiter sit down at the piano in the center of the room and exchanged curious glances.
Was he really going to play?
He didn't look like a hired performer—otherwise, they would have seen him before.A waiter playing the piano? Now that was rare.
Especially since he looked so young—barely out of high school.
Whispers and nudges spread through the hall as people craned their necks to watch.
The stares grew hotter and heavier, and Itsuki finally couldn't take it anymore.
"You're on your own, man!"
Seeing Rin wouldn't budge, he threw up his hands, muttered the words, and retreated quickly. If he didn't get away, people might think he was friends with the crazy waiter about to humiliate himself on piano.
No way. They weren't friends. Didn't know each other at all!
Left alone, Rin shifted his focus to the glowing system panel only he could see.
The reason he'd said he "knew a little" was because even he wasn't sure how much skill the system could give him.He opened the [Instrument Skill Selection Card].
[Please choose one of the following instruments: Violin, Jazz Drums, Guitar, Piano, Suona]
Rin slid his finger across the screen:
[Acquired: Piano Skill (Silver Rank)]
In an instant, countless fragments of piano knowledge—fingering, theory, rhythm—flooded his mind.
It was like taking a blow to the head, leaving him dazed but… enlightened.
He placed his hands on the keys.
The touch felt natural, as if greeting an old partner.
It was like a sniper gripping his rifle, a shogi master taking his seat at the board, an idol reaching for the microphone.
He knew exactly what to do with just the weight of his fingers.
Dong—
The first key pressed, sending a solemn note resonating across the restaurant.
The sound silenced every diner, every moving server. All heads turned.
Rin inhaled deeply, placed both hands on the keyboard—
And began to play.
Soft, gentle notes cascaded down like falling water.
The piece was Mariage d'Amour—Wedding in the Dream.
Eighteen years had passed in his new life, and most music from his previous world had faded from memory. But this song… this song he remembered vividly.
It had been his high school's dismissal bell in his past life.
He loved it so much that he often replayed it on his music apps, cherishing its romantic melody. Perhaps, he thought with a wry smile, if it had been the class-start bell instead, he wouldn't have liked it nearly as much.
With the aid of his [Piano Skill (Silver Rank)], every melody he remembered flowed effortlessly beneath his hands.
As his performance deepened, the restaurant shifted.
The entire hall grew serene, filled with a harmonious stillness.
"…It actually sounds… beautiful?"
"This piano… it's not bad at all."
"Wait—isn't he just a high schooler?!"
Knives and forks froze midair as diners paused their meals, caught in the music.
It was a rare delight—eating while wrapped in such tender piano notes. The young waiter wasn't just handsome—he really had talent.
Had high school students always been this good?
Even Itsuki, who had retreated to the side, found his jaw slack.
Bro…You actually can play?!
Wedding in the Dream.
What kind of music was this?
When French composer Paul de Senneville wrote it in 1978, he intended to capture an idealized love and the romance of a wedding.
It wasn't a classical "masterpiece," but a fusion of classical and pop, its graceful melody and heartfelt rhythm resonating with anyone who heard it.
Music was in everyone's blood—even if the people of this world had never heard this song before, they could still feel its elegance, its romance, its depth of feeling.
As Rin's playing climbed toward the climax, the melody quickened, rising higher.
The audience couldn't hold back their awe.
"God, this piano is incredible…"
"I've never enjoyed pure instrumental music this much—this is amazing!"
"Even my grandpa would call this refined!"
"Not only handsome, but he plays like this? What's his name?"
"Could he be a trainee from some entertainment agency?"
Soon, guests began standing.
This was too novel to ignore.
If they posted this performance online, it would easily go viral.
Phones appeared, cameras rose, and recordings began.
Several tables Rin had personally served earlier were already lovestruck, some women even abandoning their meals to gather around the piano.
A high schooler. A handsome boy. A piano. Music.
The combination wove a scene more beautiful than any painting in this little restaurant.
As the final note of Wedding in the Dream faded into silence, Rin slowly lifted his hands.
The performance had ended.
A perfect curtain fall.
"That was amazing!"
The woman filming was first to clap, and soon the entire restaurant erupted in applause.
Here in Japan, there was never any shortage of enthusiastic onlookers ready to cheer at the slightest excuse.
"You're so cool! Handsome, and talented too!"
"That was gorgeous! Play another one!"
From the crowd, one waiter's voice rang louder than all the rest.
"We've known each other for years!" he cried."He's my brother—my best brother!"