Chiaki Shinichi gave a loud sigh as his eyes surveyed the living room. Really, could things get any worse? They were only gone three days and for all they know, the house had already become a breeding ground for E-coli.
This was worse than last month.
The now world-renowned conductor faced the little boy beside him who was fingering a used shirt. Was that a shirt? It looked like a rag. Who owns that thing anyway?
Probably her.
It's hers.
No question about it.
"Shin. Don't touch anything." He worded, silently contemplating on ways to clean the house.
"Ooto-san, Will Nana-chan be alright?" The 4-year-old dark-haired, dark-eyed child asked, referring to his twin sister. "Okaa-san's things might poison her."
Chiaki lifted his son and placed him on top of the sofa. "Don't move. I'll try to find Nana and Kaa-san." He said as he tried unsuccessfully to jump 6 meters away from the sofa. He landed on the floor covered with an unidentifiable dark brown fluid which he was sure, can probably kill within minutes.
"Why am I in this situation?" He mentally asked himself, in the years that he knew her, he never contemplated on falling in love and much less, marrying her.
Noda Megumi was much too much for Chiaki Shinichi.
But for some reason, the more she progressed with her piano, the more he can't get enough of the hentai pianist.
He mentally slapped himself. "I was fine until she came along! Pervert! Baka!"
Yet he smiled. Nodame wouldn't be Nodame if she were always clean. Shinichi would never have noticed her.
He walked through the corridors leading to the master's bedroom and stopped when he passed by a table piece with a picture of them on their wedding day. Chiaki raised it and stared. He can remember it so well, who could forget it? His beloved wife tripped on the way to the altar and tore her wedding dress, therefore postponing the ceremony until they were able to fix the silk and lace material.
He cannot recall the exact moment he fell in love with her, his heart never bothered to inform him of the exact time. But he remembered the feeling of need when she's not around, the feeling of concern when she doesn't eat properly, the feeling of betrayal when she notices men other than him. He didn't like it, in fact, he hated it.
It did not take him long to realize that the very thing he loved about her was the way she played the piano, no matter how messy the notes might be, or how she changed and composed the piece, to him, it sounded amazing. In those rare moments that she played a piece correctly, Chiaki falls deeper in love.
Graduation was the defining moment of his life, they were together but what happens now? He was already known in the music world, schools were already sending him invitations to conduct their orchestras. But he knew that not all orchestras need pianists. He cannot choose to conduct an orchestra only if she was the pianist. He didn't want to leave her. But on the other hand, he shouldn't be there forever to guide her. She would continue to rely on him thereby down playing her own talents. Chiaki knew she needed to fly on her own wings.
The solution came in the form of Nodame herself. Shinichi would always rub his head in complete defeat when he is reminded of that day. After their graduation ceremony, in front of both their families. Noda Megumi, in that "aheh" way of hers, asked him when they are going to get married.
Needless to say, he had to prevent his urge to tie the poor girl.
"Mataku. A man can only take so much."
It was then when it hit him. He faced the happy looking girl and said:
"I'll marry you. But only if you become a world-class pianist." He leaned and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you when you reach the top Noda Megumi. Until then, we part ways." He added before walking away from her.
"Gyabo!" She replied looking determined, she shouted: "Senpai! Nodame will become a famous pianist!"
And she did.
He still wasn't sure how she managed to rise at the top of her profession in a span of three years. He knew she worked hard for it, despite not seeing her for many years, Stressmann kept him updated on her success. It seemed that when she debut, she captured the hearts of critics. They claim that they have never heard the piano being played that way; it gave them a feeling of reaching for the highest star. The moment her hands settled on the keys and struck the first note. Even the most ignorant person in the world can tell that this was a pianist who was aiming for the best, the highest, and the brightest. This was someone, whose love for the instrument was so great that it seeps through her soul.
Noda Megumi was a pianist with a heart. It didn't matter what she played, all her pieces, tells a story. All of them beautiful, all of them played as if time were of no significance. As if listening to her play was the most important thing in the world.
Her music was indefinable. But it was real.
On her very first concert as a world-renowned pianist, she sent him a ticket.
He sent her a wedding ring.
Their wedding was a complete disaster.
But it didn't matter; they both knew they belong to each other.
Chiaki replaced the picture in the table and continued to the master's bedroom. He opened the door and visibly flinched.
"Nani sore?!" The entire bedroom was full of unidentifiable things! Clothes were everywhere; he almost tripped on a shoe and spied underwear hanging from the lampshade. His eyes looked for his wife.
He found her on the side of the bed, hugging her pink pillow and sleeping.
Chiaki closed his eyes. When will his wife learn proper manners? He eyed the panty-clad girl. Already 28 and still acts like 12.
He sat on the side of the bed and nudged her awake.
"Oi Nodame." He rubbed her hair. "Megumi wake up!" he ordered.
She gave a soft whine. "Senpai. I want to sleep more."
The conductor smiled, "Yapari. Still the same Nodame."
"Where is Nana-chan?" He whispered as he touched her back and planted a kiss on her bare shoulders.
"With Okaasan." She purred. "That's nice."
He slapped her tush loudly. "Wake up!"
She immediately sat awake and threw the pillow at him. "Hentai!"
"Who's a hentai?" He raised his eyebrow at her. Eyeing her naked torso.
She smiled. "Okairi."
"Cover yourself before Shin sees you." He said.
She laughed. "You're home a day early. Was Mine's debut concert fun?"
Shinichi threw her a shirt as Shin entered their room.
"Okaa-san?"
Nodame scrambled out of the bed and threw her hands around her son who looks so much like her husband.
"You're here!" She smothered him with slurpy kisses. The child struggled to break free.
"Hai. Too-san says he misses the house."
"The house?" Nodame looked at her husband strangely.
"It's dirty." Was all he said.
"Datte, The maid said she'll return today and help me clean. But you arrived early!" she whined.
Chiaki closed his eyes. Really. "Why did I marry such a woman?"
Nodame approached him and kissed his cheek. "I didn't get a kiss from you."
He smiled. "Because she makes me feel free", he thought as he grabbed his wife's waistline and proceeded to kiss her passionately.
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A/N: We know. It's out of character. (so sue us!) My friend corin wrote this.