A/N: The idea that Hiroki is blinded as a teenager came to me after I thought of new AU's that I haven't thought of yet and a combination of movies/books. This surfaced around August but I never got the time to fully flesh it out since I had to work and go to school and that took out my time.

I have a few OC's just to warn you guys, I hear many people hating OCs because they are just terrible. I'll try not to do that with Tachibana (Hiroki's eye doctor) and Kana (Hiroki's new friend) since they appear more often in this story but they make appearances in other fics I have...and people don't seem annoyed by them. It might be because they're not love interests whatsoever...I might be wrong.

To those that have read most of my fics and have loved them so much, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope you join me in this fic until the very end. -Lucicelo :) (Any piano music suggestions are greatly appreciated!)

The Piano Player chapter 1: Blurry visions...

Hiroki pushed up his thick glasses as he tried focusing his attention to the book in his hands while his parents talked with Tachibana-sensei. Having long since tuned them out, he broke out of his focus from his book when he heard the conversation transforming into a serious one. Due to the tone his doctor used and his father asking her multiple questions as well as his mother, this got his attention.

He sat in the middle of his parents, noticing his mother's fingers interlacing and the constant pressure she placed on them. Whatever the doctor told them made his mother anxious on why he needed his glasses. Sure he couldn't see well at times but many children outgrew needing glasses when they grew older, he had nothing to get worked up about and thinking too much about it wouldn't help.

Closing his book, he laid it on his lap while he moved his legs back and forth. He picked up a few things Tachibana explained to his mother, though Hiroki obviously noticed her obscuring big details out of the conversation. As if the doctor was going to fully explain everything at a later date or when she got to her point.

His father let out a deep breath as he patted Hiroki's brown mane, a deep frown on his face while he contemplated the next step. No shame came to his mind when he thought about his son's oncoming blindness, he worried more about Hiroki's state of mind afterwards and his future endeavors. Not that he would've wished anything different in his son, he loved him just the same as before.

He could only imagine the reaction of his family when they found out. They were overly judgmental toward anything that wasn't approved in their eyes, even anything that was out of their power to stop from occurring He wasn't about to let them push his son around as if he couldn't defend himself but he taught his son how to not let their disapproving gazes affect him.

Hiroki really never thought of them as much as his mother's side of the family. They didn't tip their noses up at anyone in arrogance, they treated them with respect and kindness. One could only go so far in treating others with disrespect until it blew up in their faces.

Fuyumi nodded throughout everything Tachibana told her, determination brewed inside of her as she listed all the things she needed to do to make Hiroki comfortable. A vision of the manor entered her mind, Hiroki could memorize the layout and if they introduced new aspects of their home he wouldn't trip or slam into them. She separated her hands and reached out for Hiroki's hand which she held in a firm grip.

Tachibana took out a few pamphlets from her desk and handed them to Fuyumi. "I would advise you to take into consideration what his next few years will entail. I can't ensure his vision will last long until he's at least a teenager but the body is an unpredictable thing, he might last even then."

Hiroki asked Tachibana with a frown on his face. "What do you mean my vision won't last doctor? I thought I would get better."

She turned to him as she answered, surprised that her attentive patient lacked attention on this particular appointment. "Hiroki-kun you haven't listened to a thing I've said have you?"

"No I haven't honestly," Using the sleeve from his sweater, Hiroki wiped a slight smudge from his glasses. "Besides when am I going to stop using these glasses, they're so annoying and I think I might crash into something while pushing them up."

Soshi and Fuyumi exchanged a glance while Tachibana asked Hiroki. "Do you know what's wrong with your eyes Hiroki-kun?"

"All I know is that I get blurry eyes most of the time and I can't see too far away." Hiroki stared at her. "Sometimes I have little pains in my eyes but that's when I stare too much at the TV so I'm staying away so my eyes don't hurt anymore."

Tachibana nodded her head. "Staying a good distance away from the TV is good Hiroki-kun but that isn't what's causing your hurting and blurry eyes. You see Hiroki-kun you have a condition called glaucoma, more specifically an open-angled glaucoma, you are slowly losing your sight at a gradual rate."

He remained silent throughout her explanation and kept his eyes on her. His parents didn't deny his doctor's explanation or confront her that she might have mistaken her diagnosis. He tried to find something misinterpreted in her words as he replayed it inside of his head, her solemn posture and facial expressions gave him his answer.

Hiroki's face broke of the neutral mask as tears gathered in his eyes. "You mean...I'm going to be blind?!"

Tachibana nodded her head as she answered him. "Yes."

Fuyumi bit her red lips and held his hand even tighter. "Sweetheart I'm so sorry..."

Soshi placed his hand on the small of his son's back in an attempt to calm him and he readied his arms as he saw Hiroki turn to his direction. He picked him up from the joining seat and placed him on his lap as Hiroki let go of his mother's hand. Hiroki clung to his torso and buried his face into his suit. His glasses lopsided on his nose while they dug into his skin as well. The child curled up into a ball in his arms.

Fuyumi rubbed his back with small circles and kissed the top of his head. She laid her cheek on his head while she held his hand again and interlaced their fingers. Her loose brown hair shielded Hiroki from the outside world. She whispered comforting words to him as the boy took refuge in his father's arms, transforming into a child who needed his parents to cure everything for him.

Hiroki felt so helpless and all of the information he read out of his books were useless. His doctor specialized in eyes and knew what she talked about which she did in great detail. He abandoned his pride and let his parents comfort him the best they managed in that moment.

Tachibana felt horrible seeing Hiroki cry, every single patient she told bad news made her heart ache for them. Most of her colleagues called her weak for having feelings in this profession. She hated the clinical matter some doctors treated their patients as if they didn't matter in the end but knowing her patients made her determined to help them.

"Hiroki-kun we will do everything we can to make sure you can adjust to this when the time comes. The hospital has many programs you can join that exposes you to other kids with your same situation and they can talk to you about it." Tachibana told him as Hiroki peeked over his father's arm to stare at her when she spoke to him.

Fuyumi asked as she held up the papers in her hands. "Those pamphlets you gave me talk about this program in detail correct?"

Soshi ran his fingers through Hiroki's hair and felt the dampness of his son's tears through his suit. The last time he remembered to have comforted Hiroki in this matter was when the boy barely turned 5 and bumped his head on a bench. Hiroki didn't scream out his pain as he hid himself in Soshi's arms so no one knew he cried. His son always tried to put out a strong face but his emotions broke when he was held or hid from everyone in the security of his arms.

Hiroki calmed down in Soshi's arms though he hiccuped every few minutes and rubbed his teary face into the fabric. He couldn't stop his tears from forming in his eyes and thought his behavior bothered his strict father but to his surprise he only held him tighter in his arms. Long ago he tossed away the cold image his father presented to the public, knowing the man loved him and his mother more than anything else.

The doctor nodded her head when she answered. "Yes I have recommended many children and they meet a few times a month in this same hospital in the pediatrics floor. Those kids can tell you everything much better than I can, you can come with me next week if you want."

"That sounds like a perfect idea for Hiro-chan!" Fuyumi smiled as she turned to Hiroki when she asked him. "What do you think?"

The child answered with apprehension in his voice. "Maybe..who else will be there?"

Tachibana smiled when she answered him, knowing he would like her answer. "My daughter will be there."

"Kana's going? Her surgery went well then? I have been meaning to ask you ever since Hiroki told me about it a few weeks back." Soshi inquired as Hiroki sat up straighter on his lap and kept a grip on his mother's hand.

"The surgery was a success. My colleague told me her recovery will be pretty easy if she follows his rules for the time being." Tachibana explained in relief. "Little bugger worried me for a bit but when she woke up she wrote about wanting to eat some chocolate ice cream."

Fuyumi nodded her head. "When they ask for their dessert, that's when you know they are okay."

"Exactly she's running around as if nothing has changed so I know she's well."

"That's just wonderful, I'm glad she's running around without a care in the world." Fuyumi smiled and Tachibana chuckled.

Hiroki didn't need much convincing when he told his doctor. "I'd like to go to that place doctor." He kept silent that he felt nervous about meeting new people but he remembered they could give him first hand information on how they lived their lives.

"Alright then, I would suggest eating a good breakfast before going."

Hiroki walked into the room and saw countless kids with canes in their small hands playing like normal children. He was surprised that this program had such a huge turn out, Hiroki thought maybe five kids would appear not a whole group. A few teenagers walked in and played along with the rest of the children without thinking twice of their age differences. Hiroki noticed how a little girl fell down onto the ground and the older boy picked her up without question then made her laugh.

Tachibana talked to him about how these group sessions helped the children speak about their worries in an environment filled with other children dealing with the same issues. It helped their self esteem as well as gaining new friends through the program who they wouldn't have met otherwise.

He stayed near Tachibana and her daughter Kana, who tagged along after her follow up appointment with her throat doctor and surgeon. She had just recovered from throat surgery which removed all of the cancerous cells and a round of chemotherapy to kill the rest. All of her hair fell off as a result but she didn't mind at all, she just eagerly awaited to find out if her singing voice came back.

Kana didn't talk much since her doctor advised to let her throat heal before she attempted having long conversations. Hiroki got comfortable enough with Kana to answer her written questions and even hung out with her when he went to his appointments at the hospital.

He liked having someone other than Akihiko to talk to and she understood his feelings on his condition.

She wrote in her notepad and handed it to Hiroki. 'What do you think?'

Hiroki answered her as he pushed up his glasses. "It seems nice..there's just so many people here though."

'Mama warned you didn't she?' Kana wrote again, she smiled as Tachibana walked to the attendant in charge of the program.

"Yeah she did." Hiroki said as he handed her notebook back, he then fixed up Kana's bandanna which loosened at the end so he tightened it back up.

She smiled gratefully at him as she grabbed his hand and led him to the group. Hiroki felt weird when he heard many kids welcoming him inside of the group and got a hug from each one of them. He stopped himself from instinctively pushing these children away, he never liked physical contact from people other than his parents. These kids went out of their way to make him feel welcome, retracting from a simple hug was rude.

Hiroki followed the children to the circle of chairs which resided in the middle of the room. There were more than enough chairs for each person in that room, Hiroki counted off each one as he got closer. All of the people carefully navigated through the gaps in between the seats and placed their hands on the chairs before sitting down.

Kana sat right beside Hiroki and they all waited for the adults in charge to sit in their seats before talking. Tachibana sat on the seat to the unoccupied seat next to Hiroki as she patted his shoulder.

The attendant with a tightly pulled bun said in a cheery voice. "Welcome everyone."

Everyone exclaimed in unison. "Hello Makoto-san!"

"We have a new guest joining our group today, Kamijou-san is going through the same experience you are all having and I'm sure if he has questions you can all answer them." She said as she turned to Hiroki. "Now Kamijou-san, do you have any questions or would you like the other children to talk first?"

Hiroki shook his head when he responded. "I'd prefer that they talked first if you don't mind."

"Of course," Makoto said as he called on another child, a young man with short black hair cleared his throat.

"For those that don't know me, I'm Misao Himura. I'm still adjusting to my loss of sight ever since I got into that accident a few months ago but I'm not as sad as I was before." He said as smiled lightly. "My adjustment is easier since my parents redecorated the house so anything I could possibly bump into are out of the way. But...my friends don't seem to be taking everything very well."

Makoto asked him. "They are not coping Himura-san? From your last session you spoke of how they spent time with you and they didn't treat you any different."

Hiroki noticed the teenager's posture stiffen as he rubbed his arms. "Well...any chance we are together they leave me at school or at home. My best friend doesn't confide in me like he used to he leaves out so many things and I can tell just by his voice..."

A child got out of his seat and walked to Misao's direction. His voice lead her to him and she smelled his scent as she got closer. She gave him a pat on the knee and then gave him a tight hug.

"It's going to be okay Misao-kun."

The teen smiled lightly as he told her. "I know it will be."

Hiroki hastily stood up and fast walked out of there leaving Makoto and Tachibana staring at each other in shock. Tachibana stood up from her seat and went after Hiroki, leaving Kana to stare at them from her seat.

The rest of the children talked to each other on the reason Hiroki left them so quickly. Makoto reassured them that Hiroki wasn't feeling too well and he needed to leave for a while, she didn't know if he would return. Everything went back to order throughout the group, some of the children whispered between themselves anyway.

Misao knew it was his words which drove Hiroki away and he felt horrible. He understood that finding out the news sucked but he realized Hiroki couldn't form an illusion of lies to make himself better. It was better to prevent it then to break this illusion later on in his life.

He sighed, he hoped Hiroki would come back to these meetings after this one. The boy could learn so much and these group meetings benefited him when he needed an outside voice to voice out his worries.

Misao heard Makoto saying goodbye to Kana and her fast footsteps as she left the room. She gave him a pat on the shoulder in assurance, he knew her surgery prevented her from speaking. Despite that he felt her high energy as she walked away and he turned his head around.

He asked Makoto, "Do you think Kamijou-san will come back?"

Makoto had seen this reaction countless times, the extreme denial which presented itself in some of the children disappeared and she knew he would return in no time. "Yes he will," She smiled at Misao. "Besides you had this same reaction when you first arrived here Misao."

Misao chuckled. "I sure did...so I know he'll come back."

Hiroki hurried to the entrance of the building as Tachibana told him. "Come back Hiroki-kun, you can't run away like this. You haven't even stayed long enough to get a feel as to what these meetings do to help you."

He snapped his head to her direction. "That guy must have lied in the last meeting he had here with you guys just to make you think he was coping. Now I can see what I knew all along, that being blind is the worst thing that can happen to me and nothing is going to be the way it was before."

Tachibana halted as she told him. "These meetings are help you on that issue Hiroki-kun, so many kids stick with these and go through their initial beginning. There are children in there who have never seen images and they are just fine."

"That's because they don't miss what they haven't experienced doctor." Hiroki told her as he frowned.

"True..but Hiroki-kun." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Having an obstacle in your life will not ruin it, think about it, you might find something you have never thought of that could become your strength. There are many blind people that have made successful lives out of themselves and they went through the first stages of coping."

Hiroki looked to his right. "But those are people who have actual talent...all I have are my love of books..and I can't even enjoy them the same way I used to when I don't have my sight anymore."

"Everyone has a talent Hiroki-kun, all it takes is the right moment and a good amount of determination to find it."

Kana saw them as she padded over to their direction in a fast pace, she thought that Hiroki had already left the hospital. She was glad he didn't actually make it too far. At least she could find out why Hiroki left the room so quickly.

Tachibana scolded Kana. "Kana you shouldn't be overexerting yourself, remember what your doctor told you?"

Kana nodded her head and wrote her answer, showing it to her mother. 'I know, but I was worried about Hiroki-kun.'

"Walking here would've been sufficient enough, just be careful next time. You can't irritate your throat so harshly." Tachibana said in a soft tone. "You want to recover quickly don't you?"

Kana wrote in her notebook. 'I do mama, I'm sorry.'

Tachibana sighed as she held her daughter in her arms. She wasn't that mad at her daughter she just got a little anxious for her at times. She reached out to Hiroki and patted him on the shoulder with a small smile on her face.

Hiroki saw Kana turn to him as she wrote in her notebook and handed it to him. 'Hiroki-kun are you mad?'

He read the note and then told her with a dark expression on his face. "No.." She looked relieved that he wasn't mad at them for what happened in the room until he continued. "I'm sad."

Both Fuyumi and Soshi tried alleviating Hiroki's sadness in the following months after the group meeting which unnerved him. Hiroki didn't expect to have gotten affected from the teenager at the meeting who seemed miserable due to his ordeal. How different the young man's life turned out and how his friends simply abandoned him after they saw that he wasn't ever going to get better. Their friendship was abolished after the teen's accident which wasn't his fault and they didn't understand this aspect of the situation.

His parents took him out of the house on many family trips with his uncles and cousins who never let him have any alone time. Their intentions worked for the most part but Fuyumi knew Hiroki thoughts revolved around the news whenever he managed to stay in his room by himself. He dug himself into a deeper hole of emotional turmoil as a result.

Hiroki told Akihiko nothing about what happened at the doctor, despite having many chances to tell him. He felt so awkward most of the time they hung out with each other behind his house though Akihiko didn't seem to notice. Countless scenarios of Akihiko's reaction appeared in his head, each one worse than the last.

He didn't want to risk losing his best friend, he feared his reaction more than when he told Kana the day after his appointment. She simply patted his shoulder and wrote down in her notebook that he remained the same kid she met. Hiroki witnessed Akihiko's unsavory behavior more than once which confirmed his own fears.

In his despair, Hiroki abandoned all of his activities and went straight home after school. He lacked the desire to associate with other children who constantly asked him questions he was unwilling to answer. Especially his teachers who thought their words helped their students when they knew nothing of the details.

His privacy mattered to him but it wouldn't take long until everyone found out. It was only a matter of time until it happened.

Though his doctor explained there were treatments he could go through to prevent the glaucoma from progressing but they had high risks involved. The research on how to cure glaucoma had not advanced well enough to truly help Hiroki's eyesight. His parents asked him if he needed those treatments and he adamantly denied them. He feared that the failure of those treatments would snub away the few years he had left to his sight. The eye drops she told him to apply on a daily basis were the best option for him at the moment, which he applied every single day without fail.

Ever since the appointment, Hiroki's parents had him walk around the manor completely blindfolded. They had done this a few days out of the week and didn't fail in making sure Hiroki did them. The first time they tried doing this, Hiroki thought that they were the most unnecessary exercises he had to do.

After his parents told him that in the end he'd be more comfortable wandering the house without needing his sight, Hiroki didn't complain as much as when he first started. In fact, he improved each time he did those exercises, which made him feel so relieved. Though he knew he had to eventually buy a white cane when he was older and practice with it.

Fuyumi placed a blindfold over Hiroki's eyes as Soshi stood a few feet away. "Now little butterfly you need to follow the sound of your father's voice all the way to the living room. Then we'll have you try to walk to your bedroom next."

Hiroki touched his blindfolded eyes with his fingertips, he stretched out his arms to feel the walls and the empty spaces in his way. "How long do I have to keep doing this? Isn't this a waste of time? I'm ten years old and my sight isn't completely gone yet like Doctor Tachibana told me."

Soshi walked backwards when he answered. "Until you can do this without relying on your sight. Remember we don't know when it will happen and you are going to adjust to this on your own terms." Hiroki began walking forward, Fuyumi followed right behind him as Soshi turned a corner. "It won't be a waste of time once you learn to use your other senses instead of your sight in the future."

"That makes sense..." He gulped when he asked. "I won't be able to read anymore...will I?" His shoulders slumped as the reality of not having his current pastime struck him hard.

Fuyumi assured him. "There are books written in braile so you'll still be able to read whatever you like. Though we have to special order them for you but you'll have to learn braille first."

Hiroki went upright when he said in excitement. "Really?!"

"Of course, it's fairly simple and you just need to tell us which books you want." Fuyumi chuckled as Soshi smiled, she felt successful in bringing up their son's spirit.

He stared at his son struggling as he walked to him, hesitating on each step with his hand touching the wall. Hiroki progressed from the first few times they attempted these exercises but Hiroki almost fell onto the yard at one point when he passed through one of the many doors leading outside. He landed on a bush which cushioned his fall but his ego bruised at the fall in general.

Hiroki successfully turned the corner as Fuyumi smiled. "There you go sweetheart!" The little boy grinned at not bumping into the wall again, though he focused on his father's footsteps in front of him and the song he hummed to help him along.

"Do I have to tell people I won't be able to see when I'm older?" Hiroki asked as he took more tentative steps in front of him and pushed the door to the bathroom to the side. "It will be obvious when I walk around with sunglasses and the cane all the time."

Fuyumi informed him as she followed right behind him. "It's up to you sweetheart, you know from your uncles' last visit they didn't treat you any different."

Hiroki shook his head as he waved his left hand around in a circle. "They don't count, they treat everyone the same."

"That's true." Fuyumi bemused as the image of her three older brothers appeared in her mind. "Your cousins only mean to tease as well."

"Mom...your whole family jokes around without a care in the world."

"Only because they love you so much sweetheart, everything they say is all in good fun and never to hurt anyone." Fuyumi told him as Hiroki glided his fingers on the wall as he walked forward. "It doesn't help that you fall into their traps hon."

Hiroki mumbled as he stepped on a ball and managed to kick it to his left so he didn't trip onto the floor. "It's not my fault... they spring them on me without giving me a chance to think. They are manipulative that way.."

Fuyumi pondered that as she sighed. "Yeah I have to agree with you on that."

Soshi shook his head. "Surely you never thought that Rikei, Nagare and Hajime were going to teach their children to not play jokes on people." Soshi halted at the entrance to the living room as he said. "Okay you made it safe and sound Hiroki."

He smiled along with his son who grinned at having made it, the young boy gripped his fists as he declared. "Now toward my room! Let's go!" Hiroki walked past his father and didn't hear him walking. "Are you not going to walk before me father?"

"Of course I am, I'm just glad you are trying to do this on your own." Soshi walked before Hiroki and walked on forward. "Though you still have a long way to go."

Fuyumi reached forward and kissed Hiroki on the cheek, she encouraged him. "You can do it sweetheart!"

Hiroki nodded his head in excitement. "Thank you mama," He loved how his parents encouraged him so much, the horror stories he read of parents abandoning their children or ignoring them didn't apply to his parents.

He continued on forward and heard the squeaky floorboard which he prevented in the middle of the night to grab a snack. He was a couple of rooms away from his bedroom and in moments he was about to break his time record on walking through the house.

Soshi stopped walking and stood right beside Hiroki's room. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms, he saw Hiroki hesitating in which door was his room as he touched the door before the correct one.

"Keep on going son..."

"You're almost there Hiro-chan..."

Hiroki nodded his head as he walked on forward and touched his door. The wooden sign which had his name on it gave identified this door as his and he pushed it open. He took off his blindfold and his eyes adjusted to the light as well as waiting on the blurriness to dissipate.

A triumphant grin formed on his face as he turned to his equally smiling parents.

Soshi ruffled his hair and Hiroki's face warmed at the contact and the proud expression on his father's face made him happy. "This is better then last time right?"

"Way better."

Fuyumi checked the time on Hiroki's nightstand as she commented. "Isn't Akihiko coming here in a little bit?"

Hiroki looked at his alarm clock and said. "He's coming in a few minutes but he might be a little late, he did say he had to do something today."

Moments later, Akihiko exclaimed from the front door. "Hiroki are you home?!" His voice managed to reach them as Hiroki smiled in happiness that Akihiko made it on time.

He turned to his mother as he handed her his blindfold, he placed his finger in front of his lips, signaling her not to tell Akihiko anything. Fuyumi knew what he meant as she nodded her head and hid the piece of cloth inside of the sleeves of her kimono.

She stared at his retreating back as he ran to the front door in excitement to see Akihiko. His running footsteps echoed through the manor as he got closer and closer to the front door. Their chatter grew louder as they walked further into the house.

"Should we leave them alone for a while Fuyumi?"

"Yes, those boys always have more fun when we're not around." Fuyumi told him with a grin on her face. "Besides we have that mid-day stroll you promised we would take Soshi."

Soshi coughed into his hand as his face warmed up, Fuyumi placed her hands on his right arm as she smiled up at him. "Yes...of course."

They walked out of the room and made it half-way in the manor before they bumped into Akihiko and Hiroki. Both of them were looking inside of a book Akihiko brought from home and Akihiko noticed them coming from his peripheral vision as they walked on forward.

Akihiko looked up and told them with a small smile on his face. "Good afternoon."

"Hello Aki-chan." Fuyumi said with a smile as well, she loved how polite Akihiko was when he talked to them. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, I might stay for a while longer today if you don't mind."

"Not at all! Stay as long as you want." Fuyumi told him.

Soshi suggested out of the blue. "He might as well stay the night if he's staying longer than usual."

Akihiko and Hiroki had big smiles on their faces at the idea, Hiroki asked his father. "Really papa?"

"He lives right across from us, it's not a big deal." Soshi answered.

Hiroki's smile grew bigger as he turned to Akihiko. "I have a new game I got from my uncle the other day and we can play that until dinner time."

"Good I can beat you at that one too."

"Hey!"

Akihiko made a joke at Hiroki's expense which caused the boy to pout and look the other way. Both of them ran down the hall when Hiroki declared a race and Akihiko quickly sped up in front as they ran faster.

Fuyumi and Soshi watched them go down the hall, they loved seeing Hiroki smiling without reservations. They hoped he would smile like that forever, that he would be happy for as long as he managed to be.

TBC