Disclaimer: Not mine

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"Something wrong?" Shingo turned down the radio as he spoke. Hikaru was quiet, yes, but she hadn't said one word since they got in the car, and it was starting to worry him.

She gave him a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "I'm fine. I just..."

He wasn't going to let her leave it at that. "Just what?"

"I just wish we could find a station that played real music, that's all!" She threw her tiny hands in the air as she finally vented her frustration. Shingo decided now wasn't the best time to mention that he kind of liked the music currently playing and starting fiddling with the knobs for something more to her tastes.

"Sorry, Hikaru... we're only getting the popular stuff. Guess it's either that or silence."

She gave him a real smile. "Thanks anyway. I just wish I could show you..." Without warning, she placed her hand on his, gently so as not to disrupt his driving. "Could you stop the car, please?" The suddenness and strangeness of her request confused Shingo, but he obliged her anyways.

"Now come with me," she said as she dashed to his side and took him to the field they had been driving past.

He stood there helplessly. "Now what?"

Hikaru gave him her real smile, the one that could make anyone with a heart melt. "Listen."

She took her flute (one of these days, he was going to have to ask her how she always managed to keep it on her person), and began playing a song... a song he had never heard before, but for some reason it felt familiar. The melody was light, almost playful, but brought up memories-- hate, anger, satisfaction, love-- he had thought he had forgotten, but there were clear now in this world that consisted solely of himself, Hikaru, and the music she played for him.

When it was over, she smiled and blushed. "Well... it sounds better when a real flutist plays it, but--"

"I think it was beautiful."

The blush deepened. "Thank you for that."

"We... we should probably get going."

They left the radio off as they drove back to the Bio Base, but neither of them said anything, either. Shingo couldn't shake the feeling that they had shared something in that song, but didn't know what exactly.

But whatever it was, he was glad to have shared it with her.