Ok… I had this crazy idea and went on a writing spree, haha… this is mostly light bantering and a series of silliness… and I dunno if I'll continue or not… but please review ;-) ya.. I haven't abandoned Pathetique either, no worries…
Disclaimer: Nodame Cantabile and the characters within belongs to Ninomiya sensei, not me.
Chapter 1
The bright morning light shone through the curtain and Chiaki Shinichi couldn't sleep anymore. Ah, is it already morning? he thought. Yesterday, when he retired to the room for the night, he found himself otherwise occupied and did not sleep until the small hours of the dawn. Groaning a little, he turned to lie on his side and opened his eyes to slits. There beside him laid the very reason he did not get enough sleep. And she was sleeping so soundly, undisturbed by neither his movements nor noise! Little monster! Maybe he wore her off last night… Shinichi grinned broadly and reached out his hand to brush off the strands of hair from her sleeping face.
"Oi, wake up. It's already–," he checked the alarm clock on the bedside table. "ten to eight."
"Ah, Shinichi-kun… Is breakfast ready yet?" she murmured in her sleep.
"Haa…?"
His eyebrow twitched. He probably knew and understood her best in this world, but she never failed to irritate him with new things everyday.
"I'll get up if you give me a kiss, darling!"
"It's the opposite, right?!" shouting, Shinichi threw himself on top of her. "Can't you just get up before me and wake me up for once, like any normal wife would do?!"
"Gyabo, senpai, senpai, I can't breathe. Nodame'll die, senpai!"
"Then die, you stupid wife!"
"Geh, senpai, I beg you!" Nodame waved her arms about.
"Are you a bit sorry?"
"Hai, hai," she said. "I'm sorry so let me breathe, senpai!"
Shinichi propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at his wife.
"Why am I still senpai?" he asked. "We've been married for six years already."
"Ah, ma… I've called you that for even longer than six years! It doesn't matter whichever way, does it? Why now, after all those years…" said Nodame sleepily.
Doesn't matter... Shinichi's eyebrow twitched again and he fell upon her hard, again.
"What's up with that careless attitude? Don't you care what your husband thinks?"
"Mukya, senpai!" Nodame shouted as her nose was crushed on the pillow. "Alright, alright! Then what should I call you, hubby? Or honey? Or sweetie?"
Shinichi immediately blushed and whispered in her ears shyly.
"Say a.na.ta. …"
"Ok, anata…" Nodame smiled.
"Good girl… now for that morning kiss then… as reward…"
Their eyes locked and he lowered his head slowly. After all those years of marriage and the relationship even before that, he never tired of playing along with her. Once he let go of his sanity (i.e. pride?) and declared that he was madly in love with her, everything seemed to be so right. If some unknown outsiders looked at them with strange eyes, it mattered not in the world because he was happy in his marriage and life. Ever since he'd met Nodame, only good things have happened to him. His lips were a mere inch away from hers, when there was a loud WHAM on their door.
"Papa, stop fooling around and wake Mama up! She has a lesson this morning!"
It was the voice of their five year-old son. With a shock, both of them fell right back down to the earth.
"Damn, he kicked the door! Can't you teach your son some manners?!" Shinichi cried.
"Oho, you try teaching him something, anata! He's your son too!" she retorted while fumbling to put her clothes on.
"Man, I wonder where he gets his weirdness from…" he said darkly under his breath.
"He is not weird!" exclaimed the doting mother.
Murmuring things that he considered best not be heard by her, he put on his dressing gown and followed Nodame out of the room.
"Ohayo, Sou-chan!" she cried. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Dressed impeccably in a white button-down shirt and khaki trousers, the little Chiaki Souichiro was already sitting down at the kitchen table, leisurely drinking his milk while reading the newspaper.
"You are late, Mama. The lesson starts in half an hour," he replied curtly.
"Oi, you!" his father called out. "When you see your parents in the morning, you say 'ohayo gozaimasu' first!"
"Ah, ohayo gozaimasu," Souichiro replied without taking his eyes off the newspaper.
Shinichi's eyebrow twitched violently and a vein popped out on his forehead. Dear God, did you really think Nodame was not enough in my life? What he had done to be blessed with these two abnormal people, he had no idea.
"I definitely didn't sire him…" he muttered darkly.
"Ow, you cute little thing!" Nodame hugged that little head of his and rubbed on Souichiro's cheek.
"How is he cute?" complained Shinichi.
"Your rehearsal starts soon too, Papa. Get ready," his son added formally.
"What about you, young man? Don't you have school today? It's already half past eight!"
His son finally took his eyes off the newspaper and looked up at him in exasperation.
"You should know it's summer holiday, Papa. If you want to be respected as a parent, then please act like one!"
Shinichi's brows puckered dangerously in scowl.
"Nodame," he said in a shaky voice. "Open the window."
"…senpai? Why?" she asked cautiously.
"Because I'm going to throw this changeling out of the house and look for my real son!" he shouted.
"Ah, ma, ma, calm down, senpai!" Nodame tried to pacify her husband by petting on his back. "And Sou-chan, too. Don't tease your father like that."
Sou-chan only snorted and went back to reading the newspaper.
"Anyways, what are you doing with the newspaper?" Shinichi asked sarcastically. "There are not many pictures in there, you know."
"I'm reading it. What else should I do with it?"
"Haa? You? Read? But you are only five years old!"
"Just because you couldn't read when you were five doesn't mean nobody can, Papa. Didn't you know?" Souichiro added proudly. "I am a genius."
Shinichi was bereft of words. When Nodame became pregnant, to be honest, he was a bit worried that their child might turn out to be a weird hentai like her but this was surely beyond any apprehension! Their son seemed to resemble neither of them and still managed to be so weird! And Nodame cosseted him to death, more to his annoyance.
"Awu, our Sou-chan is so clever! Just like his dad!"
"He is not!"
"I am not!"
The father and son shouted in chorus and glared at each other. Then the bell rang and broke the ice. Nodame became flustered all at once.
"Oh, no, not good. Corinne-chan is here already! Need to get downstairs, now."
She turned to her son and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Mama has to go for the lesson now, Sou-chan, but mama will be back soon, ok? I love you, sweetie."
"I love you too, Mama."
Souichiro smirked at his father. He wasn't to be outdone by his own son! Still glaring at him sideways, Shinichi caught Nodame's waist as she scurried past him and kissed her fully on the lips.
"I'm going out soon too, so I'll see you in the afternoon."
"Hai, anata," she giggled and added. "Of course, I love you too, senpai."
"Go and teach that student of yours well, silly wife," he said, pushing her back. Then he went back to glaring down at his son.
"Papa, I want breakfast," he said innocently.
"Oh, so the great genius Shouichiro-sama cannot cook yet?" asked Shinichi.
"It's dangerous for a kid of my age to cook. Imagine the hazards with knives and fire."
"I know that, you little rascal," he growled.
"I already filtered some coffee for you though, please drink it."
Shinichi was instantly suspicious at this act of charity but Souichiro only blinked his eyes innocently.
"So, what's in the news today?"
"Oh, Father! You didn't really think I could read all that?"
"Haa?! But you just said–!"
"Well, it's true that I can read most of it but I can't read everything yet. I was just practicing with the newspaper."
"Souichiro, I think I will really throw you out of the window after all," said Shinichi menacingly.
"Papa, will you take me to the rehearsal?" his son who had the instinct of a cat, safely jumped from one subject to another.
"No," he replied curtly.
"Please? I promise I'll sit quietly in one corner."
"No," he repeated himself but Shinichi could feel his annoyance melting away.
"Pretty please? Daddy?"
"You shameless scrub," he found himself ruffling his son's well-brushed head. "Fine, but you mustn't disturb the rehearsal, alright?"
"Of course not, Papa. Please, don't do that. I already brushed my hair."
"You are not cute at all," his father decided but he was totally ignored.
"I'm hungry."
He resembles Nodame much more when he's like that, thought Shinichi and was immediately comforted. He's not like me at all!
Chapter 2
"Can I sit in the passenger seat?" Souichiro asked.
"No," Shinichi wondered why his son was so persistent in things he knew the answer to. Like someone… his mother, to be precise!
"Please, Daddy?"
"Not working this time, my boy. It really is a 'No'!"
"Ché, meanie."
"Shall I just leave you behind altogether?" he threatened.
"I only wanted to sit next to you, Papa…" grumbling to himself, Souichiro climbed to the back seat of their car. Once he made sure that Souichiro was strapped safely with the belt, Shinichi slammed the door close and got in the driver's seat himself.
When they got off the car at the destination, Souichiro unconsciously grabbed his father's fingers with his small hands. He might be a five year-old genius, who could read most of the newspaper, but he is, after all, only five years old and to be in an unfamiliar place where his father, one of the greatest conductors of the era, rehearsed with his orchestra, simply overawed him. Shinichi smiled fondly, this morning's squabble completely forgotten, and took a firm hold of his hand. He heard the female members of the orchestra squealing as they entered the auditorium.
"Kya! That's little Souichiro! He's so cute! Have you come to watch onee-chan tachi practice?"
Soon they cluttered around them and Souichiro half hid behind his father's leg.
"Souichiro, what do you say to them?" his father gently prompted.
"Good morning," he said obediently. This little rascal only made fun of him in front of his mother, thought Shinichi as he ground his teeth. He now acted all sweet and innocent!
"Alright, then," he said aloud. "You go and sit on that chair and don't make any noise, ok?"
"Hai!"
"Aw, he's so sweet, he looks just like his dad," one of the flutists declared and Shinichi and Souichiro both ripped up at her.
"He does not!"
"I do not!!"
More than ten years well into his career as a conductor, Chiaki Shinichi now lived in New York with his family and was the resident conductor of New York Philharmonic Orchestra. There were the usual ups and downs in his life, but generally, he was very satisfied with how everything turned out. But he couldn't deny that New York was very different from Paris and he missed the European atmosphere so much. He thought he might return to Paris or Vienna when his contract with the New York Phil was over. In any case, he was enjoying himself tremendously for his orchestra was excellent and they'd already produced many beautiful music of high standard together. At the moment, they were rehearsing for the upcoming scheduled concert.
"Hold! Second vio–," Shinichi started but was immediately interrupted.
"Second violins, slurring at the wrong place! One of you are out of tune also," said his son.
"I know that," Shinichi replied darkly. "Didn't I say to not disturb?"
"I wasn't disturbing, Papa," was the innocent answer. "I was only helping."
"Fine, but don't help again, ok?"
"Hai," Souichiro answered obediently. Eyeing his son suspiciously Shinichi turned back to his orchestra. Only then did he realise that everyone was quite surprised and was whispering among themselves.
"Settle down," their conductor ordered. "Ignoring what that young man said, second violins, you guys are slurring at the wrong place. And tune your violin properly, Rob."
"But that's what I said…" Souichiro's complaint was soon buried by the whole orchestra striking up the cords. But before long, Shinichi stopped them again.
"Wrong! French horns coming in half a beat too early!" this time Souichiro was even quicker.
His father sighed and said loudly: "Can someone find masking tape and gag him?"
"But he is right, isn't he?"
"And he's only five!"
"He really must be a genius!"
"After all, he's a child of that Chiaki and the great pianist, Chiaki Megumi."
"People, please," Shinichi tried to calm everyone then walked to where his son was sitting, with innocent sparkling eyes.
"Stop looking at me like that, Sou. Either you keep quiet or you go home, understood?"
He snatched away the score from his son's hands.
"Hai," Souichiro answered easily.
"No, I mean it. Are we clear?" he said sternly.
"Yes, father…"
"Good boy," he said and ruffled Souichiro's hair. Partly because he knew he didn't like it, but also because he was secretly very proud of him. When he'd learned to read an orchestra score, only Souichiro himself knew, but he was frighteningly accurate. Shinichi wondered if he was equally irritating to Viera sensei a long time ago. He often stole glances in his son's direction during the rest of the rehearsal, worried he might get bored and fidget, but Souichiro showed an amazing concentration for a five year-old kid and did not move from his seat.
Finally they stopped for a lunch break, but people turned to the young genius rather than food.
"Souichiro-kun, do you like music?"
"Yes, I'm always listening to music at home," whether I like it or not actually, he thought to himself.
"Do you play any instruments?"
"Mama has taught me piano a little…"
"Oh! Then why don't you play something for us?!"
"Er, people. Lunch. Go!"
Shinichi interrupted and the crowd dispersed with disappointed look. He turned to Souichiro.
"Are you tired yet? Do you want to go home?"
"Don't treat me like a kid, Papa. I'm still good," he replied.
"You are a kid!"
"My intellect says differently."
Shinichi rolled his eyes and grabbed his hand.
"Ok, don't get yourself too high, Sou, it'll hurt even more when you fall down."
"No! I'm not going home!" said Souichiro vehemently, pulling his hand out of reach.
"Ya, that's fine! I just want to get us some lunch, that's all," his father said, mildly surprised.
"Oh… ok. Can I have MacDonald then?"
"No!" Shinichi refused in disgust.
"Ché, you are very boring today, Papa."
"I am sorry for being worried about my son's health!"
Souichiro only pouted at his father's indignant cry. There! That's Nodame herself in him! Conveniently pushing the responsibility of his son's abnormally to his wife, Shinichi took him to a nearby diner.
"You look different at work, Papa," Souichiro said while he stuffed his mouth with pasta. He had an appetite to match his mother.
"Hmm? How so?" Chiaki took a napkin and wiped Sou's mouth.
"You don't look so silly like you do at home. You almost look serious."
"Silly? Who's silly?!"
"You always look silly when you are around Mama. Always cuddling her and teasing her. You are not very manly."
Chiaki could only gape at Sou as his face turned red from embarrassment, annoyance and amusement.
"Not. Very. Manly…" he choked on each word.
"But I changed my opinion of you today, Papa. You are great."
"I guess I should be grateful for the compliment…"
"Iya, iya, don't mention it," Souichiro said aloofly and was immediately attacked by the napkin his father threw.
"Wipe your mouth, you little scrub!"
"King of domestic violence," he muttered darkly, in a way Chiaki always did.
"Oh, keep quiet and eat!"
He had half a mind to shove Sou into the car and drive him back home; his son was pushing too many buttons today. But Chiaki remembered how he protested when he thought he was being taken home. He must really enjoy watching the rehearsal. As a great lover of music himself, Chiaki was not about to take away his son's pleasure. Regarding the little form who was eagerly finishing off his lunch, he wondered if Souichiro would one day become a great musician like his parents.
