Tanaka Asuka didn't know when she fell in love with the other euphonium player in the band. All she knew was that Oumae Kumiko had caught her attention from the first moment she caught sight of her.

Kumiko's a cute girl. That was clear the first instant Asuka noticed her and her friends peering in through the window of the door to the club practice room. However, when Asuka found out that she was a euphonium player - and a rather talented one at that - that was what truly caught her eye. Not many people played the euphonium, and certainly few were as passionate for it as she was.

But how did her small interest in the first year student grow into love?

Asuka was naturally playful, and the day she convinced Kumiko to dress up as Tuba-kun she remembered fondly. She still has the pictures she took on her phone, and she'd burst out laughing every time she looked back on them. But before she knew it, her usual antics had took on a new color.

It was more physical. It was more sincere, and directed. Surprising the girl with a hug at the pool, touching her hair tufts, patting her head, hugging her at the end of the national competition - it was no longer playing, it was flirting.

Asuka loved her kouhai, and she couldn't figure out why, and since when.

It was the day when Kumiko was trying to find some motivation for Hazuki to keep playing the tuba. Asuka, Kumiko, Midori, Gotou, and Riko stood in the their bass sectional's practice room, strategizing.

"But when you play in an ensemble, and hear all the other parts, it becomes music," Gotou said. "It becomes harmony."

They realized together. "That's it!"

"Hazuki-chan's been doing nothing but practicing basics."

"The joy of playing in ensemble…"

"There's a piece she can play!" Kumiko said.

Asuka leaned against the door frame outside, listening as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star rang out from the practice room. She couldn't help but give a small smile. It was adorable, the first-years playing the little nursery hymn.

"It was, like, real music!" She heard Hazuki shout out. "So that's what it's about! It's so fun!"

That's what it's about, huh? Asuka thought to herself. Real music…

The band as a whole wasn't her primary concern then, especially any personal drama involving its members. She was mostly focused on her own personal development. Still… Asuka had to admit, performing with the group was when she could show best just how much her instrument shined.

"Asuka-senpai, do you have some time later?"

"What is it? Do you want to talk about relationships?"

"Could you not? This is serious."

It had been a few days into the training camp. Kumiko had seemed like an ordinary, well-behaved girl at first - one that would step back from the foreground - but she had already found herself inexplicably caught in several of the drama issues of the band.

Asuka loitered around the cafeteria, waiting as Kumiko requested for the other members to finish eating and leave. She passed the time by watching her kouhai eat, how she interacted with her friends, her tics and mannerisms.

After some time, they were alone. Kumiko sat across from her at the end of one table, and her face had 'nervous' plastered all over it.

"Why won't you allow Nozomi-senpai to return?" Kumiko asked.

That wasn't exactly what Asuka was expecting. She was joking earlier, but she was actually hoping it would be about relationships. What kind of person would someone like Kumiko fall in love with?

"Why do you want to know, Oumae-chan?" Asuka asked. "Oh, are you actually a gossip?"

"That isn't it! I promised Nozomi-senpai that I'd ask you for the truth."

"If I tell you, you'll be miserable. I'll tell you if you're okay with that."

"Please tell me."

Who knew Kumiko had such a nosy side? But Asuka kind of liked that. It meant she was invested in the band. It reminded her of herself.

"You know the oboe, Yoroizuka Mizore-chan? She can't stand Nozomi-chan.

"If Mizore-chan went down now, Kansai would be the least of our worries."

It wasn't that she and Kumiko were similar because they both cared about the band, but that while her own euphonium was important to her, Asuka did care about the band as well. How else would she be as wary of the other band members' situations? The club was important to her too - that's what Kumiko reminded her.

The only difference is that, while Kumiko might have cared about each individual person, Asuka is only concerned with how the club performs as a whole.

And why did she care about the club as a whole? It was with that reason that she played that special piece on her euphonium that morning - the morning when Kumiko heard it for the first time.

"The club is doing nothing but dragging her down." Her mother shouted.

"Unless it's what she wants, I will not accept the form." Taki-sensei replied. "Couldn't you try to support her?"

Asuka couldn't look at her mother or at her teacher.

"Asuka, tell him you're leaving the club."

"Mom, I don't want to quit-"

SLAP!

Her mom's hand struck hard against her face, knocking her glasses half off. Her cheek stung, but she had felt worse before.

"You're playing that instrument to get back at me, aren't you?!"

No, that had never been the reason why she played the euphonium. But no matter, she knew as she led her mother out the teacher's office that day, that unless she did something, she might not be able to play any longer.

Her mom wanted her to focus on her studies, but her stellar grades were no longer enough. What else could she do?

Then she saw Kumiko standing at the door, a stack of notebooks in her hands.

Do you see it now? Asuka thought. I'm not the perfect senpai like everyone thinks. I have my own issues.

But she had pride too. This was her own problem, and she didn't want to cause problems for anyone else. That's what she told Haruka and Kaori. Did it matter whether or not she played with them, as long as the group performed well in the end? She'd admit that it isn't the ideal situation, one without her. But Kumiko is talented enough and that's why she asked Natsuki to play in her stead. Meanwhile, she was preparing herself.

"Asuka-senpai, you aren't quitting, are you?" Kumiko asked her one day.

It was one of the few days she managed to make it to school. What did they all think she was doing at home the entire time? She was making sure at the very least, she would be able to keep playing the euphonium herself.

"You aren't quitting, are you?" Kumiko asked again, and then again. "You aren't quitting-"

"Quit pestering me, or I'll sew your mouth shut," Asuka said, pinching Kumiko's lips together with her fingers.

But then, Asuka realized - no one really understood. Perhaps it was her own fault for always putting up a charade, but no one understood why she played in the band.

She decided then that she need to tell someone. Just one person - and who better than one who liked to meddle the most.

"Oumae-chan, are you ready for your midterms?" She said, giving Kumiko a wink. "Come over!"

"To your place?"

"Don't worry, I'll be alone that day until the evening."

Of course, she knew that Kaori would take the opportunity to try to bring her back, and the steamed buns confirmed it. Unfortunately for Kaori, it would never work.

"You're in bad shape kiddo."

Helping her kouhai with studying was rather fun. Kumiko wasn't the fastest learner, just around average. But as with any student, patience and persistence always got through. Also, it was cute how shy and demure Kumiko was around her.

"Why did you suddenly decide to help me study?"

Kumiko was also perceptive. It was time to reveal the true reason for the study session.

"I just wanted to talk to you."

Asuka showed Kumiko a practice book.

"Ah, I have this too. Almost everyone starts out with it."

"The author is a euphonist named Shindo Masakazu."

"He's so famous! I have his CD's-"

"He used to be my dad."

Kumiko's reaction would have been funny were it not for the subject at hand. Asuka told her the whole story - of how her parents divorced, her getting a euphonium in the mail, how her dad was to be a judge at the national competitions.

That's why she played in the band. She wanted to show him the work she has put in, and how much she had come to love the same instrument.

But she had been selfish, and now she is being punished for it. She might no longer play with the band. She would focus on her studies, do well, and repay her mom. If she had worked all this time for a father she had never really met, shouldn't she also work hard for a mother that has raised her all her life?

"You say you don't hate your mom… but you do, don't you?"

Kumiko also said the most daring things at just the right time. Asuka was a liar, but Kumiko could see through it all.

"I like your playing! That morning at the band camp, when I heard you play that piece, I thought to myself that I loved your sound."

"Shindo wrote that piece. It was in the notebook that he gave me with the euphonium."

"It's so warm, and so strangely kind… I want to listen to it forever. So much that I want to hear you play it now!"

Kumiko was something else. Here she was prepared to give up her dream of playing with the band at nationals, but Kumiko was insisting on it.

Was she just being nice? No, Asuka knew it was because Kumiko cared. Kumiko cared about each individual in the band.

Asuka supposed she could concede just a little bit then. She felt like playing, and she took Kumiko to the river.

"You seriously want to listen?"

"Yes!"

It was so adamant, so sincere, Asuka couldn't help but smile.

"You sure are a euphonium, Oumae-chan. To think there was such a euphonium-ish kid around… Maybe that's why, I wanted you to hear me out."

That's why she wanted Kumiko to be the one she opened up to.

Did Kumiko understand what she meant? It was as honest as Asuka could be then, so she let her instrument carry her feelings.

Kumiko really is a euphonium. Outwardly she appears to be a well-mannered, reserved, and simple girl - traits that make her easily overlooked. But beneath that Kumiko is nosy and has a special ability to somehow get involved with everyone. Likewise, the euphonium is often neglected, but also very important for the band as a group. It is the main carrier of tenor melodies, the most important, private, intimate, messages of a piece.

That was when Asuka first realized how much she loved her.

A couple days later, Haruka and Kaori were bugging her about returning to the band.

"You're alright with this?" Haruka asked her.

"That's what I've been saying the whole time!"

That was another lie though. Of course she wouldn't be, but she had already been doing everything she could and nothing was changing. She was ready to give up, and then...

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Kumiko said, as they stopped at the little breezeway outside the school building.

"Are you finally going to confess your love for me? All that time we spent at my place-"

"That isn't it."

Well, a girl could hope.

"Please join the competition group! Everyone says so. We want you, Asuka-senpai."

"I'd never thought I'd hear that coming from you, Oumae-chan, but I wonder if you really know them so well that you can say for sure."

Sometimes Asuka hated her quick-thinking mind. She just wanted her to stop talking.

"All you do is watch. You set up boundaries, and you never pried. You're curious, so you get close, but you're afraid of hurting people and being hurt. So you leave things wishy-washy, and watch from a safe distance."

She was being mean now, and she knew it. It was hurting her. Asuka could see it in her eyes. But she couldn't take back what she said. Asuka was about to walk away, but then-

"What's your point?!" Kumiko yelled out. "You're right - the club, the competition, everything. But I don't care about any of that. I want to play at the competition with you!"

Asuka turned around. There was a new edge to Kumiko's voice. She was speaking from her heart.

"How is this for the best? You want your dad to hear you play, don't you? You want to go to Nationals more than anyone, right? How can you act like none of that was real?"

Kumiko started crying, and Asuka stared in surprise. Pain clutched at her heart.

"We said we're all waiting for you. Please don't give up… Please don't make choices you know you're going to regret… not until you've done everything you can!

"I want you to play at the nationals! I want to hear you play the euphonium!"

Asuka then finally understood. The competition or anything else - it didn't matter at all to Kumiko. Kumiko liked Asuka's music, and all she wanted was to hear Asuka play the euphonium. She wanted Asuka to be selfish.

"What a face. You're a mess." Asuka patted the girl's head. "Thanks though. I'm glad."

She was glad that someone liked her music. She was glad that through all her years of yet fruitless work, there was one person who appreciated it. It didn't change the circumstances, but just hearing her say that, Asuka wanted to continue playing immediately.

Then she heard a voice call her name. A teacher wanted to see her. She left Kumiko, no doubt thinking that her words were in vain.

But then, with the news she would receive, Asuka knew that she could play again.

The band then played at nationals, and they didn't win gold.

Asuka couldn't say she wasn't disappointed. She wanted her father to hear her play, but they weren't good enough. Could she present their performance to him with pride?

She sought out the only person she could think of that she could talk to. As she walked up to Kumiko, the girl looked like she was about to take off after someone.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

Then Taki-sensei approached them, carrying a message from Shindo Masakazu.

" 'I'm glad you kept at it all this time. You sounded beautiful.' "

If Asuka had had to to reply to the message, she'd have no words.

So… he did hear me. And my music made him proud.

Relief and joy burst out from her, and Asuka couldn't help but wrap Kumiko up in a big hug. She stayed that way for a long time, perhaps a bit too long for Kumiko not to feel awkward. But it didn't matter to her then. She was happy.

A/N: I think this may very well be the first Asuka/Kumiko fic. I shipped them for a while, so you can imagine how much I loved S2's ending! It was literally the most perfect thing I ever seen and I cried a lot.

Thank you very much for reading. Please leave a comment if you liked it. There's more coming.