White Album: A Love Not Forgotten
With Kazusa gone to Vienna, Haruki and Setsuna do their best to carry on with their friendship and hold onto the promise they had made each other to never leave one another. It's all going well, but they miss their friend. They make a bold decision to find Kazusa and reunite the Light Music Club, even if it's only for one more performance.
x.x.x
The plane flew higher into the winter sky above Japan. Haruki and Setsuna watched the plane disappear from sight. "We should head home." Setsuna stated softly from her position behind Haruki.
"I'm going to stay right here." He replied, not moving his eyes from the spot he could last see the plane.
"Then, I'll stay here with you so you don't freeze." Her eyes lost all joy and happiness, and were replaced with sadness once the full weight of the situation finally hit her. "No, I'll stay here so my heart doesn't freeze." Slowly, tears began to stream from her face. She tightened her grip around Haruki's waist, openly sobbing into his back.
Haruki didn't know whether to scream or cry, so it all came out at once. Tears flowed heavily from his eyes. He began screaming into the wind and slamming his hands into the fence directly in front of him. Setsuna flinched as he started screaming. She clenched his coat as if both their lives depended on it.
Haruki sat in his apartment, plucking at the strings of his guitar. He had struggled to play ever since Kazusa had left to Vienna. He tried everyday because he felt it was the only connection he had left with her. The long hours the three of them had spent practicing for the high school fair, always fresh in his mind. He began to play White Album, but stopped after a few chords. Frustration began to rise within him. He clenched his fists and growled loudly at himself.
"Come on! You know this song! Quit fucking it up!" Haruki yelled at himself. He began plucking strings, getting only a few chords in before messing up again. "Damnit!" Haruki was about to toss his guitar against the wall when his phone began to ring, "Yes?"
"Haruki-kun." Setsuna's soft voice came through the ear piece.
"Hi, Setsuna-chan. What's up?" After Kazusa left, Haruki and Setsuna did their best to keep their friendship afloat. It had been rough a few times, but they were dedicated to keeping their promises to each other.
"Haruki-kun, I was wondering if you'd like to get dinner with me later?" Her voice was cheerful as always. Haruki admired the fact that she always tried to remain happy.
"Sure. Where would you like to go?" Haruki finally relaxed enough to set his guitar down rationally.
"Well, I hadn't quite decided that yet. I was hoping we could decide together." Her voice remained soft. She was very careful about what she said to him. He would never get mad or frustrated with her, but she had noticed that at times, he would lose his temper rather quickly.
"Okay, how about I meet you at the train station in two hours?" Haruki's feelings towards their friendship were a bit more strained. He didn't hate Setsuna, but he couldn't help feeling like she was responsible for Kazusa leaving. He knew that wasn't fair, and he knew he played the biggest role in what happened.
"Sounds wonderful, Haruki-kun. See you then. Bye!"
"Bye." Haruki closed his phone, and picked his guitar back up. "Okay, focus. You got this." He took a deep breath, and began plucking the strings. He managed to make it passed the chords he continuously messed up on, until it came time to start the first verse.
Even though the passing days pile up,
Our mutual feelings are always by my side
Even if we can't meet, I say 'I'm okay.'
Although I say this, it's riddled with sighs
Haruki continued to play the song flawlessly, even as visions of Kazusa filled his mind. A wide grin crept across his face, as he began to sing again.
The treasure which the passing seasons left,
Is a puzzle missing an important piece
Just like the white snow gently piles up in the streets
We'll fill up all the blank spaces in this album
Haruki's smile grew wider as the thought of feeling Kazusa's lips against his, crept into his mind. They hadn't kissed much when they were together, but it wasn't something Haruki was going to easily forget. Her kisses set aflame something deep within his soul, and he loved of that feeling.
It seems like I'll be undefeated by the loneliness
Which piles up even as a single, uneasy day passes
"It'll be all right." You said as you patted my shoulder
By your smile, you gave me energy
Even if we're apart, because those words exist
I'm able to say that I'm happy from my heart
It's a miracle
He poured his heart into the song. It was as if Kazusa was there watching, smiling at him, falling deeper in love with him. Oh, how he loved her so.
Light snow covers my secret thoughts,
And dyes the pages of this pure white album
The treasure which the passing seasons left
Is a puzzle missing an important piece
Just like the white snow gently piles up in the streets
We'll fill up all the blank spaces in this album
Haruki let his guitar ring out for several seconds before finally silencing it. Finally, I got it. He was rather proud of himself at the moment. He hadn't played White Album since the fair, but he hadn't really been playing his guitar at all lately. He still had a while before he had to meet Setsuna at the station. I should freshen up a bit. I know we're just friends but that's no excuse to be lazy. She's still a woman after all. He set down his guitar on his bed and gathered his clothes for a shower.
Setsuna set down her phone after she finished speaking with Haruki. It was obvious that he was frustrated but she didn't know from what. "Could he be frustrated with me?" She asked herself softly. It crossed her mind quite often. He had every right to be mad at her all the time, but he almost never was. They had been in a couple of heated arguments in the last few weeks and it scared her to no-end.
Yes, she still loved him, but she wasn't willing to risk their friendship. She had already lost Kazusa; she couldn't imagine losing Haruki as well. The thought alone put her on the verge of a breakdown. "Get it together. You need to focus on Haruki and his feelings. It's the least you can do after costing him a relationship with Kazusa."
She stood from her bed and began scanning her closet for a suitable outfit to wear. While rummaging through her clothes; she came across the outfit she had worn during their performance at the fair.
The pounding in her chest increased as they reached the halfway mark of White Album. She could only faintly see the audience because of the blinding spotlights focused on them. She turned back to look at the two best friends she had made during this experience, and she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather be on stage with.
Setsuna jolted herself from her memory when her clock began chiming, alerting her that a new hour had arrived. She glanced at the clock quickly, and her mind entered panic mode. "Oh no! I only have a hour left! I still need to shower and get to the station!" A soft whine escaped her lips as she stumbled into her bathroom to get ready for her evening with Haruki.
.xx.
Vienna was even more beautiful than Kazusa originally anticipated. Of course, the language barrier was difficult for her to deal with upon her arrival, but she quickly adapted with the help of her mother. Now, she had been Vienna for nearly two months and her vocabulary had improved greatly. She had played nearly seven concerts since her arrival, and her mother was enjoying every second of it. Kazusa, on the other hand, missed playing music with Haruki and Setsuna. It was one of the few times she can remember actually having fun playing music.
Kazusa's fingers glided elegantly across the piano's keys. Her practice regimen hadn't lightened up the slightest bit. If anything, it had gotten stricter. She had gone from practicing ten hours a day to nearly sixteen hours a day. Being in the presence of her mother, she didn't want to be anything less than perfect. She often found herself thinking about Haruki and Setsuna, but mostly Haruki.
"Why didn't he try to stop me from leaving?" She asked herself sadly, letting her hands fall from the piano. Would you have listened to him if he had? It was a question she asked herself often. Would she have stayed if he had asked her to at the airport? Frustration swelled within her, and she slammed her hands down on the keys. "You idiot." She muttered at the mental image of Haruki. "Screw this."
Kazusa stood from the piano, grabbed her coat, and made her way to the front door. As she made her way upstairs; she spotted her mother in the kitchen talking on her cell while opening a bottle of wine. "Typical Mother." Kazusa grinned at herself as she stepped out into the cold Vienna evening. A thick layer of snow covered everything in sight. The street lights reflected off the snow, almost making it seem like the snow produced it's own light.
Kazusa loved the snow. It reminded her of Haruki. She hated and loved him all at once. Her face became flushed when memories of their night together surfaced in her mind. She was a virgin up until that night, and she didn't regret a single second of it. She was happy that she gave herself to him. She loved him more than she cared to admit openly.
Kazusa sat crying softly in her room. She had been in Vienna for two weeks and had just completed her second concert. She thought she would be happy about finally getting a jump on her music career, but she missed Haruki terribly. She just wanted to be back in Japan, held tightly in his arms.
She buried her face in her hands and wept even more. "Why did things have to get so messed up!?" A knock sounded at her door, she quickly wiped away her tears and did her best to calm her voice. "It's open."
Youko slowly opened the door and stepped inside, "Kazusa, is everything okay?" She looked at her daughter with soft eyes.
"Everything is fine, Mother. I'm okay." Kazusa did her best to lie but her voice had cracked mid-sentence.
"I know I haven't been the best mother to you, but I still care about you." She walked over and took a seat next to Kazusa. "Is it about guitar boy?" Kazusa kept her eyes averted. She refused to let her mother see her cry openly. "You miss him, don't you?" This time she received a nod from her daughter. "Did you know I used to be in love once?" That earned her a shocked expression from Kazusa. "Yeah, with your father. He was the greatest man I had ever met, but I was so wrapped up in my career; I refused to let that love blossom into the most amazing thing of my life."
Youko let out a long sigh, "So, when your father asked me to marry him, I declined. I wasn't ready to give up my career. We went our separate ways, and a couple of months later, I found out I was pregnant with you." She turned to Kazusa and gave her a quick smile. "Basically, if you ever want to go back, you can. I admire the dedication you put into our beloved craft, but don't make the same mistake I did. It's not often the love of your life comes around."
Kazusa thought about leaving Vienna that night, but she decided to stay with her mother. "I made the right choice. I know I did." But even as she spoke those words, something in the back of her mind fought against her. She had been lost in her thoughts for so long, she hadn't even realized she had already stopped outside her favorite coffee house.
A bell rang as Kazusa opened the door and stepped inside. The place was usually empty, which was why she enjoyed it so much. She took a seat in a booth in the center of the room, smiling at the waitress as she took her seat. It was the same waitress that was always here when she came in. She was a beautiful red-haired woman, maybe a year younger than Kazusa. She was always cheerful, and always greeted Kazusa with a smile.
"Back again, Miss?" She walked over to Kazusa, and bowed, "Usual tea with milk?"
Kazusa smiled and nodded, "Yes, please. I'm Kazusa." She held out her hand to the younger girl.
The waitress giggled uncontrollably as she took her hand, "Kazusa Touma, I know. I'm a huge fan of your piano playing. I've been to three of your concerts. I'm Natalia." She stepped away quickly to retrieve Kazusa's tea. Once she returned, she set down the cup and bowed once more.
"I didn't realize you were a fan of classical music. Most younger people won't even consider listening to it." She took a sip of the warm tea, and a smile crept across her face.
"I love all music. Music just has a way of expressing what words can't. Music can just capture the very essence of one's soul with only a few notes." Natalia had a sparkle in her eyes as she spoke. It was something Kazusa hadn't noticed before.
"Would you care to join me?" Kazusa asked, pointing to the seat opposite her.
"Are you sure?" Natalia asked softly.
Kazusa giggled at the girl's surprised expression, "Of course. Please, I insist." Natalia only nodded and took a seat. "You seem to really enjoy music. Do you play any instruments?" Kazusa questioned between sips of tea.
"I play percussion. Sort of." Natalia blushed as she said the last part of her sentence.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I play a drumset. I tried to join an orchestra as a snare drum, but I can't read music." Natalia's face became a light shade of pink. "I always learn songs by listening and watching. I just don't understand musical notes."
That gained a solid chuckle from Kazusa, "Don't be embarrassed. Reading music takes practice. It took me years to learn it. I started when I was just a little girl." Kazusa finished her tea and continued to speak to Natalia about music. This was the first time since arriving in Vienna that she had a chance to have a normal conversation with someone of her own age, and she was going to take full advantage of it.
.xx.
Haruki leaned against the wall at the train station. People passed by him, giving him pleasant expressions as he hummed the tune for 'Powder Snow'. He had been waiting nearly 30 minutes for Setsuna to arrive. I should have known she'd be late again. She's never on time when she's supposed to meet up with me. He continued to hum songs to himself, until he heard a woman's voice call out to him. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Setsuna running towards him, waving wildly at him.
"You're late, Setsuna-chan." Haruki pushed himself from the wall, using his leg. "I'm going to start being late as well, so we'll both be on time." A smile crept across his face.
"I'm really sorry, Haruki-kun. I completely lost track of time!" Setsuna bowed three times repeatedly, continuing to apologize.
"Setsuna-chan, it's okay. We need to go. My stomach is about to eat itself." Haruki gripped his stomach just as it made a loud growling sound. Setsuna giggled and nodded in agreement. They marched themselves out of the station and right into the falling snow. Setsuna shot Haruki a loving glance that went totally unnoticed by him, or he really didn't care to acknowledge it.
Haruki looked down at Setsuna, who had gained a sad look in her eyes, "Cheer up." He said nudging her softly with his arm. She looked at him with sad eyes. "I know you miss her. I miss her too but, she's out there in Vienna working on her career and making a name for herself as an elite pianist." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "We'll see her again one day soon, but until then we still have each other."
"I know Haruki-kun, and I love you for keeping your promise to me." Setsuna wrapped jer arms around Haruki's waist and squeezed him tightly. It was times like this that Haruki wondered how different things would be if he and Kazusa never had feelings for one another. Setsuna was a beautiful girl, and she was a great friend, but Haruki still felt a slight twitch in his heart when he looked at her.
I suppose not all of my feelings for her have disappeared yet. I need to cut those out soon. I'm in love with Kazusa, right? This time is was Setsuna that nudged Haruki.
"Haruki-kun?"
"Yes, Setsuna-chan?"
"I've been asking you what would you like to eat for the past few minutes." She eyed him curiously, "Are you okay, Haruki-kun?"
Haruki nodded gently, "I'm fine." He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I don't know what I want to eat, what about you?"
"I'm up for some tea and soup. It's pretty cold tonight." She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. Haruki noticed her shivering and quickly took off his coat then slipped it over her shoulders. The cold winter air pierced through Haruki's thin sweater, but he did his best to ignore it for Setsuna's sake. "Thank you, Haruki-kun." She smiled widely and pulled the coat tighter around her slender body.
"You're welcome." Haruki glanced up at the darkened sky as he spoke. A heavy snowfall was heading their way. "We should hurry." He took Setsuna's hand and began walking briskly towards the local noodle house. The snow fell heavily just as they entered the noodle house.
"We made it just in time." Setsuna let out a sigh of relief as she shook the snow from her clothes. Haruki nodded in agreement. He tucked his hands underneath his arms to warm them up. His hands were ice cold, just like the rest of his frozen body. The hostess led them to a small table in the center of the room. She bowed to them and left them with menus.
Haruki looked over the menu in silence. He glanced between the menu and Setsuna, who was so focused on the menu, she didn't realize she had begun to drool. "Uh, Setsuna-chan?"
She shot up from the menu and looked directly in Haruki's eyes, "Hm?"
"I- You- Well, uh…" He picked up his napkin, and leaned over to wipe Setsuna's face.
Setsuna's eyes went wide. What is he doing? She gasped as Haruki's hand shot up to cup her cheek. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and leaned forward. He wants to kiss me! He still likes me! She waited for the kiss with overwhelming anticipation, and attacked the first thing that touched her lips. She noticed right away that Haruki's lips didn't feel the same as before. They weren't warm and welcoming, but were more cold and distant. Her eyes shot open once she realized it wasn't Haruki she was kissing, but his hand holding a cloth napkin. She turned a deep shade of crimson, and ducked behind her menu to hide her embarrassment.
"Th-Thank you, Haruki-kun." She muttered softly.
"I'm sorry, Setsuna-chan." He averted his gaze away from Setsuna.
"It's okay. I understand that we're just friends." She felt her heart break slightly as she said it. Just friends. But is that all I really want to be? Setsuna sighed softly to herself, then did her best to force a smile onto her face. "Have you decided what you want, Haruki-kun?"
"I'm going to have ramen and tea with milk." He shut the menu and gave Setsuna a slight smile.
"I'll have the same then." Moments later, the waitress walked over and took their orders. The two friends sat there enjoying each other's company. The talked, they bickered, they argued, and they reminisced about their days with Kazusa. They missed her terribly, and Haruki was beginning to question whether or not he'd ever see her again.
.xx.
So, I'm fully aware that White Album 2 has an actual ending based on the video games. Unfortunately, I have only seen the anime, which ended horribly for me. With that being said, this story begins where the anime ends.
