RP Chapter 86

 Chapter 86 - Teaching Piano

Volume 4, Epilogue, Part 1

Novel Title: 共鳴熱情 オメガバース (Resonance Passion: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator：蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: MC- 遠峰一紗 (Toomine Kazusa), Lemur & ML- ゼロ (Zero), 首藤零騎/レイキ (Shutou Reiki)

*Moved from knoxt.space, the original site of translation.*

֍֍֍

On a warm afternoon, the sound of a piano drifted up from the community floor on the first floor. Though calling it a melody might be a bit of an exaggeration. To be precise, it was more of a random plunking—pon, bon, pon—as the keys were struck haphazardly.

Along with that sound, the playful giggles of a child echoed, bright and lively.

Kazusa, who had just prepared some fresh herbal tea in the communal kitchen, balanced a tray with a heatproof glass teapot, a cup and saucer, and a selection of tea sweets. He peered into the adjoining community floor.

Zero was seated with Misa on his lap, teaching her to play the piano. They were using an antique, claw-foot piano that had once been in Zero's room. It had been tuned and moved down from the seventh floor to the first just ten days ago.

One evening, on a day the lounge was closed, there had been a concert held here, gathering all the residents of ‘RARE’. Everyone had been captivated by the jazz tunes played by Zero.

Misa, who had attended as part of the audience, had been utterly enchanted by Zero’s performance and had exclaimed, “I want to play the piano too!”

“Misa, don’t press the keys too hard. Try pressing them gently. That way, you’ll get a nice sound.”

“Like this?”

Misa carefully pressed a key with her index finger, producing a clear, resonant pon.

“Wow, it really does!”

Misa looked back at Zero, her large eyes shining brightly.

“It’s important to befriend the piano. That’s the secret to getting better.”

“Got it! I’ll be its friend.”

As Kazusa watched this sweet exchange between the master and his young pupil, he heard someone call, “Sensei.” Gazelle, who had been sitting on the couch nearby, watching her daughter’s lesson, stood up and approached him.

“Isn’t that tray heavy? Let me hold the pot for you.”

“Thank you. Shall we put it on the table?”

After placing the tray on the large wooden table, Gazelle set down the teapot as well. Kazusa poured the well-brewed herbal tea evenly into three cups and then said to Gazelle, “By the way, I heard you’ve asked Zero about working as part of the cast.”

“Yes. Misa doesn’t require as much attention as before, so I thought it’d be manageable to work a shift or two per week. Other staff members who aren’t on shift have agreed to look after Misa during my hours.”

“That’s a big help.”

While they wouldn't lack food, clothing, or shelter here, Misa's education expenses would eventually come into play, and considering the future, it was wise to start saving. Deciding to work, with the possibility of someday leaving ‘RARE’ and becoming independent, was likely a step in that direction.

"I’ll support you however I can," Kazusa said.

"Thank you, Manager."

Kazusa still felt a bit embarrassed being called that, as he wasn’t entirely used to the title.

A month ago, Kazusa had quit working as a lounge cast member and taken on the role of manager. In an assistant position to Zero, his main duties involved overseeing the cast and staff and handling any issues on-site. While he would greet guests and escort them from reception, he no longer handled direct guest services.

In the end, Kazusa had only worked as a cast member for about a month. The incident with Inukai made him realise it wasn’t a good fit, which, combined with Zero’s strong opposition, pushed him to switch.

Zero’s stance had been clear: he refused to let Kazusa charm anyone other than himself. That was the one thing on which he absolutely wouldn’t compromise.

As someone who already had a bonded partner and had undergone the ritual of ‘neck biting’, Kazusa wouldn’t emit Omega pheromones for anyone but Zero, so there was really no need to worry. Yet, faced with his Alpha partner’s unrelenting pressure, there was no resistance needed. And thus, the cast member ‘Lemur’ phase was quickly over.

Now in the lounge, he was known as "Manager," while elsewhere, people called him "Sensei."

Although no longer officially a doctor, Zero had introduced him to a shady downtown doctor a month ago (this was where Zero regularly obtained his suppressants), and Kazusa had started supporting him twice a week. The elderly doctor suffered from severe hand tremors due to his age and alcoholism, so Kazusa performed simple surgeries in his stead.

That clinic—little more than a single room in a dilapidated building—was frequented by stray Omegas without national ID numbers who came for birth control pills. For them, this was the last refuge. If, for some reason, the shady doctor became unable to work and the clinic had to close, these Omegas would have no way to obtain their pills. Like Serval in the past, it wasn’t impossible for them to seek private medical care at regular hospitals, but not everyone could afford the steep fees.

Whether he would eventually take over the clinic remained uncertain. 

Meanwhile, as Kazusa treated residents’ injuries at ‘Rare’, the nickname "Sensei" had become the norm.

"Owner, Sensei made tea for us."

"Let’s take a break, Misa."

Responding to Gazelle’s call, Zero stood up from his seat, lifting Misa with one hand, and carried her over to the large table, where he passed her to Gazelle.

"Thank you."

Gazelle accepted her and seated Misa on the chair beside her.

"Misa wants juice too!"

"Alright, alright."

Gazelle poured apple juice into a lidded cup, inserted a straw, and handed it to Misa. Holding the cup with both hands, Misa sipped through the straw and declared, "Yummy!"

"Did you have fun with the piano?"

"Yeah, it was fun. I’m going to be a pianist and play the piano with Zero."

As Kazusa listened to the sweet conversation between parent and child across from him, he took a seat next to Zero.

"Good job," Kazusa said.

"It was quite enjoyable. I could even consider teaching piano," Zero replied playfully. Holding up a heatproof glass cup, he took a sip of the herbal tea. Kazusa watched his profile intently.

"I made it just as you showed me…"

"Mm… It’s delicious. The honey is just the right amount."

"I’m glad."

Relieved by Zero’s reaction, Kazusa brought the cup to his lips. He enjoyed the aroma of fresh herbs, followed by the subtle sweetness of the honey.

When Kazusa had just started working as a cast member and was feeling down about various things, Zero had invited him to his room and served him herbal tea with honey.

(The fresh herbs had really been soothing back then…)

֍֍֍

Next update: 2025.09.14

֍֍֍