Muses of Harmony
Disclaimer as usual: I don't have any right to Sailor moon whatsoever. So leave me alone. Also, I got tired that there was only one boy in the series. Yes I know that the generals come in later, but it's not fair that they have to wait so long. This is my twist I created while at the Tennessee Gov. School of the Arts for violin. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
The first time I saw her she stood playing her violin in the train station. I once again I was late for a piano recital. She stood by her open case and played the sweetest tune I had ever heard. Waiting passengers tossed money into her case as she played, fingers dancing across the strings. As my train pulled in, she turned, her midnight blue hair blowing with the wind of rushing cars. Purple eyes met mine and she smiled. Then the train doors slid shut and took me away.
The second, she came walking into the school orchestra rehearsal, violin case in hand. Our conductor, Mr. Tada, introduced her as Sayam Melody, transferred from a school unknown to me. She looked around the orchestra calmly, searchingly, then sat down in the forth violin chair.
She studied in several of my classes. Quiet and focused, she never said much but I had the sense that she knew exactly what went on around her. Once, a sudden clatter in the library made her jump up, her hand going to a pin on her blouse. Her eyes sought out the boy who had dropped a book. For the rest of the afternoon, she jumped at loud, abrupt sounds. Then that fateful day came.
Haruk Azusa grabbed my hand, her green eyes dancing.
Kiona, you have to come see this. She dragged me though the hallways to the bulletin board. Look! The Magicians are playing next weekend! It took them this long to find a new singer and I hear he plays the trumpet!
I smiled. Azu, you hopeless romantic. I bet you got the first set of tickets too.
First two sets.
Two? Who else is going with us?
She pulled me to the lockers. A girl stood half hidden by an open locker door. Azusa tapped her on the shoulder. Hey Mel, guess who I finally found?
Melody turned. Azusa introduced me with her usual burst of energy.
This is Mikung Kiona. She plays piano, runs track, and messes with one boy's heart.
I groaned. Before I could get back at her, a voice spoke up from behind me.
What's that about boys hearts?
I felt my face grow hot. I glared at Azusa before turning. We were talking about the Magician s concert and how Azu is a hopeless romantic.
Haroki Chiro stood leaning against the lockers in staged careless ease, chewing on his clarinet reed. Feathery black hair hung teasingly in front of blue eyes. I avoided them as he smiled.
Oh yes, the Magicians concert. I can do a few magic tricks myself.
He made a few bogus passes in front of me, before whipping out a five- dollar bill. With an elaborate bow he presented it to Azusa. She grinned and handed him a ticket with a wink at me. Chiro tucked the slip of paper into his wallet and bowed again.
Now ladies, I must disappear into Mr. Shinzo's logic class. He whirled and dashed down the hall with what he though was a dramatic flare. I groaned and turned to Azusa who stood by, grinning mischievously.
Azu, you set this up. Why him for the concert?
Azusa played with the harp charm on her necklace and airily answered. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic.
Melody was laughing to the side. I sighed in exasperation. For as long as I could remember, my friend had been trying to set me up with Chiro. Somehow I always managed to get around the commitment. He had pestered me with his unquenchable humor for as long as I could remember. His talent at the clarinet could be surprising, considering I hardly ever saw him practice. I glanced again at Melody. I take it that you're the fourth ticket.
She smiled. Hai! Azusa has told me a lot about you.
*****************************************
We hung out a lot after that. After classes and orchestra we would go to the nearby arcade and ice cream parlor. I learned a lot about Melody. She had no family, had started playing the violin when she turned six, taught by a lady she couldn't remember, and had played on the street to survive until a mysterious man found her. Ever since then her financial support came from his weekly dues. It didn't matter what she did, as long as she got her education and progressed in her performance. Her passion for the violin was amazing, and her dream was to someday become a principle violinist in a world-renowned orchestra. Her situation sounded strange to me, but I said nothing, she seemed a nice girl, not a streetwalker.
A new student arrived the next week. Azusa immediately fell in love with him. She would rave about his blonde hair and hazel eyes, how he played the flute like the wind, and how cute and shy he was. Word that Yokama Yuki was the best friend of the lead singer of the Magicians quickly circulated. With Azusa's manipulation, Yuki became a part of our group. Melody was strangely silent in his presence. When they first met, I caught a slight nod from Yuki, almost like a salute. Melody only gave him a small smile in return. He did play the flute extremely well, and became the orchestra's principal flutist.
*****************************************
The date for the concert grew steadily closer day by day. Of course Azusa quickly found another ticket and I rolled my eyes when she asked Yuki to go with us. Waving them off and smiling at the boy's red face, I turned around and came face to chin with Chiro. It was my turn to blush as his impossibly blue eyes met mine.
Um, sorry. I pushed him away and quickly walked down the hall. Cutting around the corner, I promptly ran into Melody. Hopelessly flustered, I nodded, Gomen, Mel, I'm being a klutz today.
She smiled and I had a sneaky suspicion that she knew what had just happened. Apologizing again, I continued on.
I turned to look at her. The smile had faded.
It won't just go away. I've found that you can t run away from love.
I had no answer, so I kept walking.
*****************************************
On top of all the music we all did at school, students still had regular classes to keep up. A history paper was due two days after the concert. Mine was nearly complete, so I had no worries, unlike Azusa, who still had over half to write and needed more research material. To help her, I promised to find some fresh information in the over-taxed library.
Tapping away at a computer and playing absently with a strand of my blonde hair, I was lost in thought when someone tossed a jacket over my head. The cloth smelled like cologne, soap, and a unique sent of masculinity. A muffled voice behind me bantered,
Guess who?
Groaning, I pulled the jacket off. Chiro, I'm busy.
He leaned against the cubical of the computer station, for once not chewing on his ever-present clarinet reed. Figured you were, but when I came in here they told me the library was closing in ten minutes.
In conformation of his claim, the librarian turned on the intercom. The library will close in ten minutes. Please bring all books to the check out.
With a sigh I scribbled down the list of web sites I had collected and grabbed my backpack. Surprisingly without another tease, Chiro followed me out of the building. Nervously I rattled the bracelet on my wrist, the solitary silver piano bouncing heavily. We walked in silence until I tripped and fell. A stupid accident really, just a bit of concrete that had cracked and become uneven managed to snag the toe of my sandal and send me
pitching forwards. Before I knew it, Chiro's arms held me strong and secure and unnervingly close. Trying to laugh it off, I smiled weakly,
I swear I m not blond. I'm just having one of those days.
Willingly he smiled back but his eyes, fixed on mine, held no humor, only something that I could not look away from.
For some reason I had never been able to look him in the face before, always avoiding it. Now I know why, he was too good looking. His finely cut features twitched slightly when he realized that I was evaluating him. A gentle hand brushed the hairout of my face and lingered on my cheek. The shock of his touch brought me back to reality and I realized we were still standing pressed against each other. My face flamed and I pushed him away once more.
Why do you do that?
Startled, my eyes locked with his.
You always leave me like that. His hand was still on my arm. You never give me a chance to say anything.
My heart pounded. Frantically I glanced around, but no one was in sight. Trying to pull out of his grasp, I answered, Maybe I don t want you to say anything.
Chiro did the last thing I expected.
He calmly asked.
For the second time that day I had no words to speak. Only this time there was no way of simply walking from the answer. As I searched for a non- existing excuse, he surprised me a second time by pressing his quirking, teasing mouth against mine. I was paralyzed.
At first it was quick, as if he expected me to rapidly pull away. Then slowly it lengthened as he kissed me with a quiet intensity that blocked out every thought of rejection. When he finally let me go, I looked up at him in dazed wonder. He smiled,
The look on your face is worth three times the nerves I've been going through. Earnestness crept into his voice. Kiona, I've been in love with you for three years. Ever since I heard you play in the school recital, I've loved you. I knew how much you want romance in your life, and I've been hoping that it could be from me.
Still stunned, I said the first thing I could think of, But you never said anything.
I couldn't. He flushed. Every time you looked at me the words would fly out of my head. Then there were the times when I knew you thought I was nothing but a fool. And I was. But do you know why?
I stared at him. Stared at the person I had been classmates with for years, but had only seen as a procrastinator and clown. Now the emotions in his eyes showed me more than just a boy, but a sincere and passionate man.
Chiro cupped my face in his hands and said softly, I was a fool because I wanted to make you laugh. I wanted you to smile just for me. Just because I was the one who made you happy.
