Just for fun :)
Tsuchiura's confession and Tsukimori's departure inspired my first fanfics as well as a few other oneshots which were published on my LiveJournal account (where my somewhat cheeky username was Tsukimori-san since Jiyu22 was already taken).
I can't believe we've had to wait more than a year to see these two events take place in the manga, but waiting was made much more bearable thanks to fanfictions… (hence the subliminal message to authors out there: update!)
Let's hope we don't have to wait another year for Hino's answer, hee hee :)
Each short ficlet collected here was a response to a monthly theme selected by the La_Corda_fics community on Livejournal. The genre is mostly humorous…
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Theme: Thanks
Month: November 2009
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Sympathetic Listener
Monday's sky was bright blue, but right now Hino Kahoko felt a darker shade of blue...
What a contrast to her mood when the cultural festival started. She sighed and positioned herself to play. Something cheerful… Gavotte maybe?
She played several bars successfully, but the moment she thought she was beginning to relax, the images she was trying so hard to keep away came back to haunt her.
Tsuchiura's confession… every time his words replayed themselves, she flushed a deep red, and could feel her face getting as hot as it did on Friday night.
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"Hino, I can't hide my feelings for you anymore…"
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She heard a screech from her violin as she put too much pressure on the strings.
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"When I saw you dancing with Tsukimori, I felt as if I was losing you…"
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This time her pitch sounded all wrong. She stopped, and slowly made her way to one of the benches.
Undecided… She still felt undecided after thinking things through all week-end. She recalled how she had stood aghast in front of him, unable to respond, incapable of accepting or rejecting him.
Her shoulders slumped as she let out her breath.
"For whose sake are you sighing so noisily, Hino-san?"
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At the sound of the teasing voice behind her, Kahoko turned sharply.
"Yunoki Senpai! Konnichiwa… Did you… did you come on the rooftop to practice? I just finished… so go ahead please."
"Hmph! Idiot, can't you see I haven't got my flute?"
He rested against the railings facing her and smirked.
"I came for some fresh air actually but, judging from your performance and your expression just now, it looks like I'll have to listen to your silly little worries… again!"
"Ano, I don't wish to trouble you Senpai…"
"Well, you already did, so you may as well explain yourself!"
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Kahoko looked at the floor as she spoke
"…I… I received a confession after the concert…"
Thought so…
"And…?"
"The situation was so intense that… I just stood totally frozen as he spoke. And when he waited for me to answer, I suddenly turned and fled from the scene… You can't imagine how embarrassed I feel now."
I do… I do…
"So you dislike him?"
"Eh? No, I don't! It's just that…"
"…you already hold a place for someone special in your heart..." he completed with a smile.
"Someone special…" she repeated. "I don't know… it's confusing…"
She really is dense!
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He looked at her and wondered if he would have the patience to finish this conversation, but her troubled face made him stay.
Pulling a strand of hair away from his face he turned his gaze towards the horizon.
"Apparently when someone brightens up your day by his mere presence, he's special…"
She looked up at him, surprised.
"…if that person can inspire you to new heights, he's special…"
He turned and took a few steps towards her.
"…if he allows you to break free from your own limitations, he's special…"
He was standing in front of her now.
"…if you can expose your deepest secrets and show your true self to him, he's definitely someone special."
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As he bent towards her, Kahoko instinctively leant back and tried unsuccessfully to hide the blush on her cheeks.
"A…Arigato Gozaimasu, Senpai! I think I understand now…"
He flashed a trademark smile but his voice had a chilling edge.
"If you really want to thank me… please do not delay in answering Tsuchiura's confession… Or go and confess to your special someone… Otherwise, who knows how many more confessions you may receive! And…"
He straightened himself.
"… I do not want a repeat of this little scene…"
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As he walked away, Kahoko blinked. How on earth did Yunoki senpai find out that it was Tsuchiura-kun who confessed? And did he really mean what he said?
When he reached the door, Azuma looked back briefly and chuckled.
"You really are someone special… Kahoko!"
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(Inspired by chapter 58 of the manga...)