People are so easily affected by their feelings. That is true of Wakana Sakai. Frustrated she chewed on the end of her pencil as she blankly stared at the blank sheet music in front of her. She looked over at the garbage can to her left and saw the dozens of crumpled paper just strewn about as she missed the basket. She let out a sigh and drooped her head in between her arms. There she closed her eyes reminiscing about high school, particularly her third year. It was then that she had made her friends, it was then that she got over her grief of her mother's death, and it was then that she realized many things about herself.

Contrary to what she thought before then she was now majoring in music in college, specifically composition. It wasn't without help from her friends that she had re-realized her love of music, sadly many of them had parted ways after high school. Sawa had gone to a Jockey school that overlooked her height and allowed her in. Wein had returned to Austria and was now looking for Jan, sadly he had lost touch with everyone shortly after he returned. Taichi followed after Sawa, he was planning to propose after three years of dating. And Konatsu followed her dreams to become a singer and was the only one Wakana still saw on a regular basis. In fact, Konatsu often begged Wakana to write her songs she could sing and right now Wakana was trying to write her one of those songs but her inspiration was in the Bahamas and it wasn't coming back any time soon.

On her desk sat two pictures; Her mother and the Condor Queens and her and her small group of friends taken just before Sawa left. They were two of her most prized possessions. Reminders of her past that she cherished greatly. She still hadn't opened up as much as she had planned but she was slowly getting there. Konatsu made sure of that always pushing her to socialize more often. She had gotten closer to Konatsu in this time and to the dismay of a certain brown haired recluse began to develop feelings that were more than friendship for the eccentric dirty-blond girl. It had struck her hard as she began to realize her feelings and like any girl who thought they were straight she tried to hide, suppress, and deny her feelings. This was not easy and it caused a great turmoil inside of her leaving her thoughts scattered and her ability to write was a train wreck. She couldn't piece anything together and everything fell apart. She just sat there staring at the table wishing for things to go back to how they were before when the phone rang.

"Hello..." She answered half heartedly.

"Oh you sound pretty sad" came the familiar voice on the other side of the line.

"N- N- Naoko!" Wakana quickly responded. "Uh- Um- How are you?" She fumbled out.

A laugh came through the receiver. "I'm fine just wondering how school is going for you?" Ever since Wakana had resolved her grief with her Mother's death Naoko Takamura had become similar to a motherly figure to her.

"School is alright, i guess a little difficult at times." Came her response.

"and your writing?" answered by a sigh of defeat. "Not so good?"

"No..." Wakana replied shaking her head even though Naoko couldn't see it.

"Let me guess romance problems." Naoko answered with a small laugh.

"Eh?! No! Uh Un!" No way!" Wakana denied a little too quickly blushing at the thought.

"So I was right." Naoko chuckled to herself taking off her glasses and leaning back in her chair. "So spill."

"Well it's just some one sided feelings..." She began before being interrupted.

"So you already confessed."

"Well... No..." She responded.

"They are already going out with someone else?"

"No..." Wakana responded again.

"Do they like someone else?" Naoko was now pulling at strings hoping she pulled the right one.

"I don't think so..." Wakana replied.

"Then how do you know it is one sided?" Naoko asked frustrated.

"Well... Um... It's... It's Konatsu..." At the response Naoko lost her balance and her chair toppled backwards with a loud bang. "Are you alright?" Wakana asked but the phone had slipped away from Naoko.

"Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow. That hurt!" She called out rubbing her head which had slammed into the ground after the chair hit. Quickly she found the phone "Did you just say Konatsu?"

Wakana nodded but realized that she was on the phone and meekly said "Yes..." There came a long sigh from Naoko's end as she debated on what to say. After about twenty seconds she began but to Wakana it felt like ages.

"You know I was in love with your mom when we were in high school." This time it was Wakana's turn to be shocked.

"What!?" Wakana called out in disbelief.

"Well I shouldn't say was, I still am. Weird, huh? Five years since she passed... and I still feel so deeply for her." Naoko admitted. "I only have one regret."

"What?" Wakana's curiosity had overtaken her surprise.

"I never told her how I felt. Not even when she was on her death bed." Naoko said in a sad voice as if she were reliving the moments. "I wanted to but I just never did. Oh your father knew though. That was funny. Like I had a chance at stealing him from her." She let out a little laugh followed by a long sigh, like she was lost in the memories of a time of pain and happiness.

"..." Wakana tried to reply but she found no words to convey what she wanted to ask.

"In other words you should tell her. Think of romance like baseball. You are up to bat. If you never swing there is only a minuscule chance of being walked but if you swing you can hit the ball. Not every hit is a home run and just like how not every person you date is the one. Sure it could just be a fly out, but you never know until you swing that bat." Naoko explained. It was strange but it made sense to Wakana, a lot of sense actually. She sat there thinking about what Naoko had said when she got blindsided by an idea.

"Naoko I'll call you back soon! Thanks... for everything..." Wakana said as she hung up the phone and quickly returned to the phone to it's home in her pocket. Naoko set the phone back on it's stand and mumbled something like "good luck" to the darkness of her house.

Wakana returned to her song this time with new inspiration she had borrowed from Naoko and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

You are the light that awakens my heart

As you walk close it begins to pound

As you walk far it begins to hurt

It started with a smile

Slowly it grew into a grin

For whenever I'm with you

Times are never grim

It may be wrong

It may be right

but what I feel for you

is just so bright

But it is not quite as bright

As the light within your eyes

It was your light that melted the darkness

that encased my heart

and when I thought it was free

when I thought it belonged to me

It was nowhere to be seen

as before I knew it you had taken it

I am not mad nor am i sad

I only ask for one thing

take care of it

Cherish it

Know it

and if possible

love it too

I love you Konatsu

Wakana pulled open the cover over the piano keys and played the little song once, twice, and on and on until she fell asleep on the keys.

Konatsu knocked on the door. No response. "Jeez" she mumbled to herself and turned the doorknob to find it give way and slide open. She stepped inside and looked around after not seeing her in the bed but instead lying on the keys of her piano, the one she had brought from home. Konatsu shook her head and walked over to Wakana and carried her over to her bed. She wasn't heavy but she wasn't light either which made Konatsu struggle but managed to make it to the bed only five feet from her. She returned to the piano and as she was about to close it noticed the sheet music on the stand. Looking back over at Wakana, Konatsu picked up the sheet and began to read. It wasn't long so it didn't take her long to get to the bottom and when she did the page floated to the ground and Konatsu fell onto the bench. 'I love you Konatsu.' The words repeated themselves over and over again in her mind until they filled her every thought. 'Wakana... is in love... with me...' Was the first thought that floated into her mind amidst the chaos. Soon followed by other thoughts that were not so much of words but images. Them kissing, them hugging, them walking hand in hand, and them together forever. As they jumped in her mind she found herself smiling at the thought, she liked the thought. 'Am I in love with Wakana?' Came her next thoughts as she picked up the sheet from the floor and made her way to her room to ponder her thoughts.

As Wakana awoke she felt strange. 'When did I get into bed?' She thought as she pondered when she had stopped playing and got into bed. She could have sworn she fell asleep at her piano. She climbed out of bed, still in the clothes she wore the day before and made her way over to the piano. 'It's gone!' She quickly realized as she searched around to piano but to no avail. Then it clicked. She had fallen asleep at her piano it was just a certain someone came by and put her in bed and that same someone took the sheet music. There was only one person who would do that. "Konatsu..." She mumbled to herself. Quickly she dashed out of her room going down two flights of stairs to Konatsu's dorm room. She hesitated not knowing whether she should knock or not. For all she knew she just destroyed their friendship. Slowly she raised her knuckles and brought them up to the door creating a hollow sound that echoed into the room causing Konatsu to jump.

"He- Hello" She called out not knowing who it was.

"It's me..." Wakana stammered out. Instantly Konatsu lit up like a Christmas tree, quickly stuffing the sheet under her pillow. As she got up to open the door she froze. Just opening that door felt one hundred times worse than singing in front of everyone. She panicked and made her way over and put a familiar yellow whale over her head then went and opened the door.

"Come in." Came the muffled response from inside the whale, getting a stifled giggle from Wakana as she entered the room twiddling her thumbs about trying to think of what to say. "So nice weather today..." Konatsu stated still in the whale.

"Um... do you mind taking that off? Wakana asked wanting to talk to Konatsu and not the whale.

"Well I haven't put on makeup, my face is really red, and..." She began to ramble on when suddenly the whale was pulled off of her. Konatsu found herself staring right at Wakana and she turned a few shades darker before looking away her heart pounding.

"You read it didn't you... I'll leave... I'm sorry..." Wakana turned to leave when she felt a hand grab her wrist. Konatsu knew that the second she let Wakana leave her chance would be over. She knew that Wakana would only think it was out of pity if she let her leave. So without thinking she reached forward and grabbed Wakana's arm and also without thinking she said something.

"Please... stay..." Konatsu said embarrassed. For when Konatsu got embarrassed she was quiet and then she would get overly nervous and she would do something stupid. But hey not all stupid things were bad and in some cases the stupid thing is the right thing. Konatsu's voice was quivering along with her hands and knees, her face a deep shade of red, and she was looking at the floor. Wakana loved this side of Konatsu, how she could look so cute baffled her but she stopped her attempt to leave and she took a seat on Konatsu's bed. Where she was joined by Konatsu. It was Wakana that spoke first.

"Is it disgusting...?" Wakana asked just a little above a whisper.

"No, I think I feel the same way..." Responded similarly.

"Want to try going out...?" They both asked at the same time.

"Yeah..." They both answered at the same time.

"I'd like to give a toast to the happy couple; Taichi and Sawa Congratulations! May your love be blessed for all time." Konatsu rose her glass in toast to the newly wedded couple. It has been almost a year since Taichi proposed to Sawa. They had asked Konatsu to be the Maid of Honor, and Wakana was a brides maid. Somehow Taichi had gotten in contact with the best man, Wein. Wein had said a few words and proposed another toast. The party went on a couple hours until soon it was only their small group of friends that remained.

"I'd like to make an announcement, actually." Konatsu said suddenly standing.

"Oh sure go ahead." Came almost everyone at the table, everyone but Wakana.

"I wanted to let everyone know." She circled around to be standing right behind Wakana. "That Wakana and I have been dating for almost a year now." Konatsu finished. The table was quiet before Sawa broke the silence.

"Congratulations you two!" Soon followed by the blessings of the others. "So how did it happen?" Sawa asked next.

"Well... It started..." Konatsu began while holding Wakana's hand.