The notes echoed through the empty halls, while slender fingers danced across the ivory and ebony keys. As the music began to cast its gentle magic, a small boy dared to near the lone silver-haired woman that played.
"That's a pretty tune." He remarked rather shyly only to meet a bright smile that seems to make fill him with unusual warmth and comfort. As his stormy green eyes meet her warm ones, a light pink blush grew upon his chubby cheeks as uttered he a small request.
"C-Can you t-teach me?" he stuttered as he broke eye contact with the kind stranger.
"Of course." She beamed while taking his hands holding them gently as if made of fragile glass.
"You have such beautiful long slender hands. They're perfect for playing the piano." She remarked making the soon-to-be student blush even harder.
Grayish green eyes flicker open at the end of the dream. A scowl laced his features as he struggled to get up, glancing at a stack of old papers in a far corner. Releasing a sigh, he proceeded to do his morning routine.
He was already on his on the process of brushing his teeth when he paused to look at the reflection in the mirror. He had heard it all throughout his childhood, how he managed to obtain his father's chin and angle but now as he looks at the person reflected upon the surface, he sees her hair, he sees her eyes, her complexion, her nose. Almost all of his dominant features came from her and not his father.
Yet…
He broke away from such musings. He quickly returned his attention to his brushing, trying desperately to ignore the flash of pain that stroke through him. Despite the years that had gone, the wound remained to fester deep within him.
The rest of the preparations went methodically after that. Without much thought, he found himself dressed and ready for school while he walked upon the familiar streets to meet with the Tenth.
And he was just nearing the said residence when athought made him stop for a while as another memory came into play for no reason at all.
"Gokudera, answer this problem." Ordered the teacher, trying vainly in concealing the hidden desire and anticipation of stumping him as the man handed the teen a piece of chalk.
Releasing a bored sigh, he took the chalk and walked up to the board, and began to solve the said problem. He admitted it was harder than the usual ones they threw at him so it took a bit longer than usual to answer.
It was difficult.
Yes.
But not impossible for him to solve.
He was in the process of mentally computing a solution, when his sharp ears managed to pick up a smirk of satisfaction from the said educator. He could not help but allow a silent smug smile creep up to his lips at the man's confidence of finally discovering an equation he would fail to unravel.
Try harder old man. He thought as he began to write the answer on the board, conjuring gasps and expressions of awe as he finished writing the last number. He hid the smug look from earlier and replaced it with a bored mask that managed to irk the older man even more.
He paid no heed as the teacher gave him a look of shock and annoyance with hints of disappointment coloring the aged man's onyx eyes as he carelessly tossed the chalk over his shoulder and into the chalk box before he returned to his seat.
He was used to it.
Even though he can basically whiz through all of their questions, the teachers still hold a glimmer of hope that one day he may come out short of an answer.
Good luck with that idiots. He sighed as he let his eyes stray to the direction of his boss sitting a row away from him. He caught the Tenth staring at him with those big bright brown eyes full of admiration at his recent feat. A small smile graced his lips at the reality of his boss being impressed of him, but it quickly faded when the bell rang signaling the end of math class and the start of another.
~*~*~*~*~*~
He hated this class.
He hated listening to all those songs that their idiot teacher doesn't even understand. He hated listening, or catching even a strip of the lecture the man tries desperately to discuss without adding another student to the list of those who are already bored out of their minds.
But, he wasn't bored. On the contrary, he can actually add more info and interest on the subject than the tone-deaf fool talking in front of them can. That fact actually made him hate the class even more.
He hated how he was reminded of the composers and musicians that seemed to have made their mark on history. He hated how the sounds and tones the teacher introduced to them in a failed effort to make things interesting held an aura of familiarity that he cannot escape.
Yes.
He hated this class.
He hated this class, because it would always remind him of her.
It would always remind him of how her future was shattered and was never given a chance to make her mark on history. It would always remind him of those painfully happy days they had spent talking and playing as if the world outside never existed.
His scowl grew deeper and his eyes darken as he tried to push away the thoughts that made his heart yearn for her company once more.
"Gokudera! Are you listening?" scolded the teacher, giving him an all- too-recognizable glare while shaking him off his stupor.
"Yes, sensei." He sighed in response taking in the insulted look that was cast upon the mentor's stress-worn features.
"Really? Then you won't mind repeating what I said earlier when I introduced this new song I found." Countered the man as he raised the volume a bit more.
He listened.
He stiffened.
It can't be! The thought blared in his head in denial as the soft sounds of the piano keys haunted him.
He sat there almost frozen, but was quickly awaken when a sharp pain managed to strike through his chest like an arrow.
"I-It's Stormy Skies and Silver Moonlight." He answered as his teeth clench in an effort not to show any weakness, he ignored how the idiot before him gaped at the correct answer.
"T-That's c-correct! This is a piece composed by an unknown pianist in Italy. I found this in my travels." Said the shocked teacher thinking the delinquent actually listened as he rambled on how he managed to stumble upon the said piece when he stopped by a small bar down the road and asked the owner for a copy since he found the tune to be pleasing to the ears.
Maybe it was from sheer habit or curiosity, but Gokudera could not help by glance at his boss once more, but only this time, instead of the usual look of being impressed by his knowledge on the subject, the boy looked a worriedly at him with hints of sadness that he could not place.
____________________________________________________________________________________ He shook his head as he managed to dislodge the memory while continuing his once halted walk. He doesn't want the Tenth to worry about him. He doesn't want to see those big brown eyes darken and dull with sadness. He doesn't want to see the boy hurt.
Why?
It is because it is his job to worry. It's his duty to make sure that the young boss stays happy. It's his burning desire to protect the boy from anything that might pose a threat against him.
He had sworn to do so the very moment he decided to offer his life and loyalty to the soon-to-be mafia don. Yet he could do nothing when it comes to his boss worrying and being unhappy about his friends' problems. He wasn't that thick not to notice how the Tenth and the even the baseball freak for that matter, started throwing him those worried looks when they first found out that they were going to take music class for the second semester.
He wasn't stupid to not know that either his sister or Reborn had shed some light on his past when they were trapped in that dark future. He may not look like it but he can be quite observant to certain things. Like when he caught them stealing glances whenever a new piano piece was introduced or when the lectures topics managed to shift to anything that relates to pianists.
At first he paid no heed, he thought he was mistaking such things. But no, his observations were quite accurate. The Tenth was worried about him. Hell, everybody was worried about him. His sister. The Baseball freak. Even the stupid woman would sometimes ask if he's all right.
Not that he'd blame them. He couldn't deny how much pain he felt whenever such sensitive topics were breached. He was only trying to hide the pain, but he knows the nothing could escape the Tenth. The boss could notice how he sometimes pale at the sound of familiar tunes, how he clenches his teeth at mere mention of famous pianist of this time.
He released a shuddering sigh at the assessment as he stood in front of the Sawada residence. He rang the doorbell and waited for a familiar greeting at his arrival only to face an unfamiliar one instead.
"Ah, good morning Gokudera-kun!" greeted the boy as he rushed out fully dressed.
He's up early. He mentally noted since he usually has to wait for him to get dressed and scoff down his morning meal while his mother greeted him and asked him to wait.
"Good morning Tenth!" he said giving a traditional bow of respect at the now slightly flustered boy.
"Gokudera-kun, there's no need for such formalities." Said the blushing boy.
"As you wish, boss." He said, bowing once more in acknowledgement, completely missing the look of dismay and frustration written on Sawada's face.
While they were walking, the bomber noticed something was eerily out of place. It was strangely quiet. No annoying laughter from the baseball freak, no sudden kicks from the acrobaleno, no shouts of 'EXTREME' echoing in the air, even the usual shrieks of 'Hahi!' can't be heard. I was just him and the Tenth.
"Uh, Tenth? Where the baseball idiot?" he asked since despite how much he finds the idiot irritating, it was highly unusual to not come across him during their walks towards school.
"Oh! He went early to warm up, he says there's a big game coming so he needed extra practice." Reasoned the Decimo, only the right-hand man can't help but note the sudden heightened pitch as he spoke.
"And Reborn-san?" he probed, something's telling him that being alone with the Tenth isn't just from sheer coincidence.
"Now that you mentioned it. I haven't seen Reborn since dinner last night." Blinked the boss, briefly pondering on where his tutor had gone off.
Since dinner? I thought Reborn-san is the one who wakes him up every day. He observed as he recalled the familiar sounds of shrieks and explosions that emerge from the Tenth's house whenever he came by.
"Oh! Don't worry Tenth! Maybe he's just off planning a new training schedule for you." he suggested once he noted the look of worry come upon those eyes.
He didn't get a reply. He only saw the worry go away, only to be replaced by sheer horror at the possibility of training once more.
"Or maybe he just had something important to do. Like a day-off or something." He quickly amended, and relaxed once the relief entered the brown orbs.
"Y-Yeah, or something." Said the boy obviously calming down.
"Hm?" he wondered gaining the mafia heir's attention once more.
"What is it Gokudera-kun?" asked Tsuna truly curious.
"It's nothing. It's just that it strangely quiet. I usually hear Lawn-head screaming something extreme or that insane woman would come out of nowhere and blabber about something completely useless. Not that I don't appreciate a nice quiet walk for once." The bomber replied to the boss, keeping his senses attuned to any surprise attacks that may occur since the usual number of guardians has decreased, not that he was incapable of protecting the Tenth of course. He was just being cautious.
"Yes, a nice quiet walk." Mused the Tenth as he released a sigh.
" Gokudera-kun." Continued the Tenth only to be surprised by a sudden cut off.
"I' m fine, Tenth." Said the right-hand man as he anticipated the question to come.
"Are you sure? You're awfully quiet these days. And last week…" he paused looking at his friend truly worried when he noticed how the boy stiffened at mere mention of the event that took place in music class.
"I'm sure. I was… just caught by surprise that's all." He reasoned on daring to look into his boss' eyes.
"Surprise?! " questioned the now confused friend.
Gokudera paused at the word, he thought the boss would have at least guessed the reason.
"Stormy Skies and Silver Moonlight, was one of her original works." He answered as a dark shadow seemed to have hovered across his brow.
"Oh." Replied the boy, inwardly wishing he had guessed wrong.
The silence ensued on the atmosphere, only the sounds of their muffled footsteps can be heard as they neared the gate of the school, Tsuna reached out and placed a hand on his right-hand's shoulder, surprising the friend as he turned to him in response.
"Gokudera-kun, you know you could talk to me right?" said the boy almost shyly as he met the teen's grayish green eyes.
"I don't want to burden you with such trivialities, Tenth." He replied almost jokingly in an effort to shake off the rather heavy atmosphere.
"That's what friends are for. We help each other. Talk to me when you're ready, Gokudera-kun." Said the boss in a serious yet soft tone while he proceeded to go to their class leaving the silver-haired teen partially stunned before he too went in the same direction.
"Very good! You're a very faster learner Hayato!" congratulated the teacher as she placed her hands on the boy's head while gently ruffling the silver mane.
"Thank you Teacher!" beamed the boy giving her a bright smile.
"And since you're such a fast leaner, how about we learn a new song." She said as she took position by his side ready to guide his fingers to the right keys.
She played the notes in the original tempo, but as she instructed him, she repeated the feat in a slower one. The boy could not help but marvel the new piece he was to learn, the tune saw lively, yet held a certain softness at the same time.
"That's really pretty! You did that all by yourself!" he exclaimed clearly impressed and impatient to learn the new tune.
"Yes. And you'll soon too, once you master the notes well enough you could compose your own songs. Perhaps even better than this." she said giving smile her signature smile that always warms him no matter how cold the weather is at times.
"Really!" he said clearly happy at the thought of making his own songs.
"Yes. Really." She assured him as another warm smile graced her gentle features.
"So what's this one called?" he asked curiously, as his eyes shined in delight.
"Stormy Skies and Silver Moonlight." She answered as her eyes brightened with undisguised joy.
"Gokudera-kun! Gokudera-kun! Wake up Gokudera-kun!" said the Decimo as he shook his friend awake.
"Huh?" blinked the teen as his eyes adjusted to the orange afternoon light coming through the windows.
"What's wrong Gokudera? You usual wake up at the sound of the bell." Asked Yamamoto mirroring Tsuna's look of obvious concern.
"Nothing's wrong baseball freak! I just didn't wake up this time. It happens." He reasoned and failed miserable as both teenagers looked at him unbelievingly.
"Yeah right. This coming from the guy who flips like a jackknife whenever the bells rings." Said the player as he looked at him, his eyes growing serious.
"I do not flip like a jackknife." He retorted defensively, as he felt himself being cornered.
"Then what the hell is wrong! First, you went partially mute! Then you turned into a walking statue! The only time we see you exclaim emotion is when you talk to Tsuna or see Biachi's face! Did you even realize I never heard you called me baseball freak or idiot until now? Or did you notice you never referred or even acknowledge Ryohei and Haru as Lawn-head and stupid woman since the last week?!" exploded the swordsman while ignoring Tsuna's pleas for calming down as he focused on the silver-haired delinquent before him.
"Which part of NOTHING do you not understand?! And I thought you don't like being called that way. Well the Lawn-head and the Stupid Woman don't anyway, you just laugh it off as always." Answered the teen as he body tensed up at the growing tension around him.
"ALL OF IT! Why do you keep shouldering it all! We're you friends dammit! Tell us what the hell is wrong! And if you answer me 'NOTHING' one more time, I swear, I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life!" exclaimed the angered teen as he gripped Gokudera's collar emphasizing his point.
"Che! As if, you actually have the balls to do that! Baseball freak!" he said as he shoved the taller boy off.
"Yamamoto, that's enough! If Gokudera says, he's fine. He's fine." interjected Tsuna trying desperately to stop a fight from emerging.
"But Tsuna!" called out the taller one as he turned to the spiky-haired brunette.
"Listen to the Tenth, idiot!"ordered the Gokudera, his eyes swirling in tempests.
"No I will not! Listen, you stubborn bastard, I don't care if Tsuna told me let you go on your own pace. This has gone long enough! You hear me!"retorted the swordsman as he turned his attention back to the bomber.
"Yeah, I hear you loud and clear. But here's the thing, I only take orders from the Tenth, not you! So why don't you just run through a wall and shut the hell up!!!" he said hints of sarcasm coloring the tone, a tone that evolved into full-blown outrage.
"Why you!" snapped the teen as the familiar sore spot was touched.
"ENOUGH!!!"shouted the Tenth, stopping Yamamoto in mid-punch.
"BOTH OF YOU CALM THE HELL DOWN!!! That's an order Gokudera." He yelled, his voice lowering to an eerie calm as he looked at the bomber.
"Good. Now, let's all sit down and talk this over." He sighed as waited for the two boys to sit down before he did so himself.
"Okay. First of all, Yamamoto, I meant it when I said to let Gokudera take his time in telling us. So you can't force him on anything he doesn't want to talk about no matter how much the fact worries us . And Gokudera, as I said earlier, you can talk when you good and ready. We're you friends Gokudera-kun, like it or not, we worry about you." his said calmly his gentle eyes turning to the bomber.
"I don't want you to worry Tenth. I'm fine really, it's just that – " he stopped letting out a tired sigh, showing how tired he really was of the constant worry showered upon him like pouring rain.
"Let's talk about it in my place. Hibari would probably bite us to death if he finds us here anyway." he said as he stood while trying not to question the startled look on both of the boys.
Oh yeah, that's right! I never really invited them over. He suddenly realized as the two followed him wordlessly.
"Wow, Gokudera-kun! This is where you live?" said Tsuna as he stared at the flat as they enter.
"It's not much." He grumbled a slight blush tinting his cheeks.
Truly it wasn't. The flat has two bedrooms and one bathroom. It was an average apartment with a couple of air-conditioning unit for warm days and heaters for the cold ones, along with a small kitchen with the basic amenities that has a medium sized counter that serves as the dining table. A worn yet nicely kept sofa sat in the middle of the living room. While a couple of lazy-boys were positioned at the side of a small coffee table that was clearly meant for entertaining guests. But the fact that the teen was living in such a place makes the visitors wonder how exactly did Gokudera Hayato manage to afford it considering he's a student and doesn't have a job to do so.
The two were asked to make themselves comfortable while the host excused himself to get some snacks.
"Um… Gokudera-kun, how exactly can you afford to live here?" said the brunette almost afraid to know what methods his friend had done.
"I can't." he instantly said not noting the shocked faced teens as he went into the kitchen and took some sodas out. Tsuna was about to ask how when he continued his answer.
"The Ninth pays for it along with the other bills with the monthly allowance he sends me. Hey, Tenth, is Coke okay with you?" he said as he showed the teens a pack of unopened drinks while briefly wondering about the quick flash of relief that his boss showed.
"O-Oh! Coke's fine with me. Yamamoto?" he said as he turned to the other one.
"Fine by me." answered the boy offhandedly giving his signature grin once more as if his recent outburst didn't happen at all.
"Haha! You know Tenth with the way you looked so relieved earlier I would have thought you think that I threatened the owner to make me stay here." Joked the silver-haired as he turned his attention to the pantry where he kept some chips, completely missing how Tsuna blushed at how the right-hand managed to guess what he was thinking.
"Haha! Yeah, as if you'd do that." Tsuna said as he began to observe his surroundings. The living room was quite neat except for the stack of books that littered a along the corner beside the already filled bookshelves.
"Gee, Gokudera I never thought you're such a bookworm." Remarked the baseball played as he followed Tsuna's line of sight.
"I'm not! I just keep the useful ones!" answered the teen as he carried a bunch of junk food and sodas and set them on the coffee table.
"Then, those are A LOT of useful books, then." snickered the Yamamoto as he sat on the floor while grabbing a can of Coke.
"Che! Just because you don't read doesn't mean I don't!" remarked the boy as he himself plopped down the floor and grabbed a can for himself.
"Uh? So what are those books about then?" asked Tsuna as he joined them on the floor, briefly wondering what the couch was for if they weren't going to use them.
"Uh, I don't know, I kinda lost tract. But most are chemical formulas for my customized explosives, history texts about the unsolved mysteries of the earth, a few first aid books and some novels I guess." Summarized the bomber while the two exchanged a look that says bookworm.
"So… Gokudera-kun. About talking…" reminded the Tenth hoping not shatter the normalcy of the atmosphere only to fail miserably when both friends assumed a somber look.
"Of course. But before I start, how much did Reborn-san or my sister tell you?" he asked leaning his back against the unoccupied couch behind him.
"The kid told us about how she was a budding pianist that became your father's mistress. And –" trailed off the athlete only for Tsuna to continue.
"That your father ordered her to be assassinated." Added Tsuna careful to observe the friend's mood. He saw the mood turn dark, but the anger he expected didn't show, only pain and sadness seemed to have haunted those gray-green depths.
"My father didn't order her assassination." He said calmly releasing a tired sigh in the process.
"H-He didn't?!" both teens exclaimed, receiving a grim reply from Gokudera.
"No. Turns out, my mother had an illness. My father, proposed to her but she refused since she didn't want to be a burden. On the day she was to visit, the disease took her." He said with a shadow cast over his eyes, while he gulped out the rest of the fizzing liquid, secretly wishing it be any form of alcohol.
"She died on my birthday. I waited for her, playing on the piano thinking how happy she would be to learn that I finally mastered the new song she introduced. Hmph! I played and played till my fingers hurt, only to find out she was never coming." He whispered, as he settled for the comfort his cigarettes instead.
"Gokudera-kun." That was Tsuna could say, he was partially frozen at the moment due to the current truth presented before him.
"I would say I'm fine but I don't think the idiot would believe me." he said in dark humor as he took a drag from the smoking stick.
"If you're as fine as you say you are, then mind explaining why you're acting like a zombie since last week. When the second semester started, you were a bit quiet but fine since you still bicker with Haru and Ryohei even though you had a tendency to get lost in your head and complete ignore us all except Tsuna. But now…" paused the swordsman, looking to the boss to continue for him.
"You completely ignore them. Even I had a hard time snapping you out sometimes, you even had a last minute reaction to Bianchi when she called you out without her goggles on. How can you not expect us to worry, Gokudera-kun?" asked the boy as he faced his friend.
"I-I'm sorry. I guess, I was a lot more bothered by it than I thought." Said the bomber guilty, knowing how much his behavior had changed.
"There's more to the song isn't there." concluded the boss as his intuition flared up.
"Song? What song?" asked the confused Yamamoto.
"The song sensei introduced, it's called – " supplied Tsuna only for Gokudera to cut him off.
"Cieli Tempestosi e Luce della Luna D'argento." He said in fluent Italian, conjuring shocked reactions from the two since they rarely hear him speak his native language, and the times when he does speak them is when he mutters a curse.
"That's what its originally called, if you translate it to Japanese, you'd get Stormy Skies and Silver Moonlight. As I'd told the Tenth, the song's one of her works." He informed while he tried to hide constricting pain he just felt at the words.
"And…" urged the boss knowing that there's more the Gokudera wasn't telling them.
"And that it was the last song she ever composed." He said darkly as he began to narrate the events that played year ago.
"I remember when we first met. I was going to take piano lessons since my father basically forced me to do it." he stated, hints of nostalgia coloring his gruff voice.
"Wait, you didn't want to learn how to play?!" injected his boss wide-eyed with surprise.
"No, I didn't. I guess I was scared that I was going to get some old croon who shouts a lot and hits your fingers when you press the wrong keys." He admitted almost shyly when he mentioned the reason behind it.
"You?! Scared?!" questioned the idiot with a very visible grin on his face.
"Hey! I was what! Two?" defended the other, while a hints of pink colored his cheeks.
"Sure… But you came anyway even though you thought there was scary old teacher waiting for you." mused the boy no bothering to wipe the grin on his face as he jeered the bomber.
"Che! It was either piano lessons or I go to cooking class with my sister." inserted the man his face growing a noticeable flushed color.
"Ah, so you were blackmailed." Concluded Yamamoto his grin growing wider.
"Hmph! As if that would stop me! I just told them that I agreed to take the lessons but the truth was…" he started off quiet pissed only to slow at the end, wondering if he should tell them.
"The truth was what?" asked Tsuna wondering what the genius had decided to do in order to avoid meeting his teacher.
"The truth was… I was going to hide out until the teacher leaves." Confessed the now embarrassed tomato.
"Something tells me, you got caught and you were forced to sit and wait for your instructor to come." Probed the athlete cheerily as images of a hiding silver-haired boy filled his imagination.
"Caught. Hm… I was caught alright." He mused as memories invaded him, his tone almost wistful in a sense.
"Let me guess, Bianchi?" guessed Yamamoto, not noticing Gokudera's change of mood.
"It was the music wasn't it." supplied Tsuna, noting how a small sad smile graced his friend's lips.
"Yes. I was hiding in one of the supposed locked rooms when I heard it. The music was soft and gentle, it was a nice tune that I couldn't help but be drawn to it. While following it, I didn't notice I was already entering the music room." Affirmed the right-hand as his stormy green eyes churned in remembrance.
"Then you saw her." Continued the boss, his voice thoughtful and gentle as he received a confirming nod from the teen.
"The next thing I knew I was already asking her to teach me and when she agreed I…" he went as his eyes grew soft, almost vulnerable when one looks at it.
"You what?" probed the athlete, his once joking tone now lost as he grew serious once more.
"I never felt so happy in my life. I was so happy that I would always come running whenever it was time for lessons." He chuckled, pain mixing with the sound, as flashes of it were present in his eyes.
"And since I was such a fast learner, it didn't take long before we began doing more the just the basics. She showed me Beethoven, Brahms, and a lot more. She even showed me some of her works, which were my favorite pieces to play." The melancholy hues in his voice grew obvious as he began to delve back into those sweet childhood memoirs.
"Then one day, she introduced her last song." His voice lowering as a familiar shadow was cast against his ivory features.
"I never did know it was our last meeting. We were having so much fun, I never thought that she'd never return." He continued having been met by silence, releasing a heavy sigh as he felt his heart clench at the recall.
"I remember her promise to be there for my birthday, and how I told her that when she returns I would have already mastered the song. She just smiled and said her goodbyes. On the day, I was so excited that I couldn't waited to show her that I fulfilled my promise. Only she never came, next thing I knew, my father was telling me that I was to have new teacher, that the old one went to some place and is never coming back. I protested, I didn't want anyone else. I wanted her. I wanted those smiles. I wanted those hugs those kisses. I wanted to play just for her." His voice cracked ever so slightly while he stubs the cigar and lit another, his hands shaking slightly.
"I said I didn't believe him. I said he was lying and that she was just late. Hmph! She was never late. So I played the song she taught me over and over again. I didn't know how long I was playing but in the end, I knew she wasn't going to come." He released a shuddering breath filled with smoke while his eyes glaze with unshed tears.
"The next thing I knew I was already bawling my eyes out, the next day, piano lessons started." He grimaced now lost in his own memories while he paid no thought to the eyes that bore both shadows and lament.
"The new one was just like the ones I had imagined in my first day in taking lessons. Sure, he wasn't as old as I imagined, but he does hit your fingers when you make mistakes. Well, he threatened to anyway, he never got a chance since I already knew how to play the piano." He mused as he took a long drag of smoke and exhaled allowing it to calm him.
"I really don't know why I still played. I guess you could say, I learned to love playing and I didn't let one lying teacher stop me from doing something that I loved. Then one day, a few days after Shamal left, I overheard the maids talking." He continued feeling a strange lightness despite the pain.
"I ran away never wanting to touch another piano again. I didn't want to remember. I wanted to forget everything. I tried joining other Families and failed. Until I met the Ninth and then he sent me on a mission and that's where I met you Tenth. And the rest is history." He said cutting off the story, no longer willing to give more than what he was willing to share.
"So there, now you know." He sighed as he ended looking at the two anticipating their questions.
Hm. So talking does help. he mused but unwilling to voice out.
An awkward yet strangely comforting silence enveloped them, and as the silence passed, normalcy return, much to the Tenth's relief, and as the talks turned to light-hearted ones and the usual banters ensued, then the time came for goodbyes.
It has been a long time. He mused as he stubbed his now worn cigar as he allowed his burdens to lighten while concluding that despite his secrecy at times, it is good to have someone to talk to again.
And as the silver-haired boy's stormy green eyes began to droop with sleep, his dreams began, and when he wakes, the familiar pain disappears and slight nostalgia remains for his wounds are still healing. And it would take more than one talking session to fix it.
There would be pain.
Yes.
There would be sadness.
Definitely.
But he is strong he'll survive and he is not alone.
Not anymore.
"Hey, teacher! Why did you name the new song that way? I mean doesn't the stormy sky cover up the moon so the moonlight wouldn't show?" he asked wide-eyed and brimming with curiosity.
"What do you think, Hayato." She countered playfully as he received an adorable pout from the student.
The said student merely shrugs while a chime of amused laugher bounced off the wooden walls.
"Okay, I'll give you a clue. When the sky is stormy what do you hear?" she conceded laughter present in her voice.
"The wind?" he guessed wondering what else to answer.
"Yes and what else?" encouraged the woman as she looked at him adoringly.
"Thunder and sometimes rain too!" his eyes shined in reply.
"And how do you feel when you hear them?" he probed still unwilling to answer.
"Scared… but excited as well!" he started off shyly but his tone increased in volume at the end.
"Yes, thunder can be scary. And the winds can be so noisy at times." She agreed, gently cupped the boy's cheeks with her warm soft hands.
"The rain is annoying too." He pouted adorable but receiving a gently smile in turn.
"Really? How so?" she asked her voice always gentle and kind as she positioned him on her lap.
"When the rain gets too strong I can't sleep well 'cause of the pitter patter noise it makes." He supplied offhandedly as snuggled in her embrace.
"How about the song? As you listen to it how did you feel?" she asked as she rested her chin on his silver tresses.
"I feel…happy." He answered almost hesitant as he turned to her his eyes bright as a shy smile laced his features.
"That's good, I love it when you're happy. Now what happens when I take some of the soft notes off and just leave the lively ones on?" she whispered lovingly, returning his smile with hers.
"It would be loud and noisy." He concluded as he began imagining the song without some its notes.
"Yes, it would, wouldn't it? Hayato, imagine the storm to be the allegro and the moonlight to be adagio. In the song, both elements play a part and harmonized with each other. It like life, Hayato, there are time when dark clouds would form to darken your way but moonlight will always shine through after the storm." She explained, hints of sorrow could almost be detect in her tone.
"Or like when you're angry and only the happy thoughts keeps you from doing something stupid?" he guessed once more hoping for her approval.
"Exactly. It works when you're sad too. Just remember that even in the darkest nights, a light is always hiding behind the clouds ready to shine and guide." She said as she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead.
"Hayato."she whispered almost tired as she tightened her embrace.
"Yes?" asked the boy as he inhaled her sweet perfume, the scent of lavender and vanilla.
"Promise you will never forget this song." She murmured against his hair.
"I promise." He murmured in return, wanting this moment to never end.
-END-
A/N: *sneaks up from a corner and looks * This is my first KHR fic how was it? This is one of the plot bunnies that got stuck in my head and refused to remain unanswered…*sighs* I'm open to comments and suggestions… Thanks for reading and please review. : )
P.S. I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn…*goes and sulks in a dark corner*