A/N - Set right after the most recent manga chapter, Ch 96. Might contain spoilers, if you haven't read it.

Disclaimer: This is purely work of a fan for leisure. I do not own Nodame Cantabile.


He sighed with pleasure at the familiar sight of his apartment. The permanent conductor of Roux-Marlet, Chiaki Shinichi hadn't been home for nearly three weeks. Anxious to make his first performance a total success, Chiaki went away to stay with an old friend of his parents, Nina, claiming that he cannot concentrate at home. Before going away, though, he wrote a short note for Nodame, simply informing her that he'd be back after the last performance.

He still had mixed feelings about it. He was aware that the curt note was not the most affectionate thing he could have written, but he still took care to leave a lot of canned food for Nodame to survive his absence. He even bothered to prepare different types of canned food so that she could get balanced(?) nutrition. He knew that Nodame's taste has already been spoilt by his own wonderful gourmet cooking, but canned food was still thousand times better than that thing she usually makes! So why did it feel like she was somehow angry at him!? For those three weeks, he lost touch with her completely. She'd never even called or sent a text message, asking – worrying! – where he's disappeared to, except on the actual concert day, only to tell him that she's late for the concert! Is that how you treat your boyfriend? He cooked for her, cleaned after her, even did her laundry, gave her lessons in piano… and so on! She should have nothing to complain about, right? Chiaki was beginning to feel his role in Nodame's life was not that of a love interest but more like a guardian.

So he was frustrated. Because he wanted Nodame to treat him more like a boyfriend. He wanted… He didn't even know what he was saying anymore. Wondering how the heck his thoughts followed this complicated track in front of his house, he climbed up the stairs with a sigh.

Chiaki's whole face lightened up unconsciously when he heard someone playing the piano. Could it be that Nodame's already back? He had thought he'd go grocery shopping while she was still in school to cook something special to commemorate his first 'success' but if she was back already, maybe they could just go out to eat. Someone like Nodame, who didn't even look for her boyfriend when he disappeared, did not deserve to be treated so nicely, but he was in a good mood. Anyway, it wasn't for her but for him and his success. He smiled faintly and hurried to his room.

Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 8, Op 13, commonly known as Pathétique. The second movement, adagio cantabile. Nodame was playing this piece when he first met her. Yes, the beautiful piano sonata emanating from the midst of heaps of trash… playing it totally ála Nodame! No, but this was not Nodame's playing. Last time he heard her playing it, Nodame was still playing sloppily! Chiaki has of course tried to somehow correct her but Nodame's logic behind her playing sounded convincing so there was nothing he could do to change her stubborn mind.

But this! It definitely was not Nodame's playing. It was more refined, softened, toned down. Instead of sounding carefree it felt more stable, laced with certain sadness. Chiaki couldn't imagine who else it could be – it definitely was not in Tanya or Frank's style either! – but he had to admit that whoever was playing it, he or she was extremely talented. Did a new tenant move in or something? But as far as he knew, there was no vacancy in the apartment. No, but the sound was coming from his room! Definitely. Did Nodame invite someone to his room…? A stranger in his own room…? But who?! Bursting with curiosity he finally reached his door and impatiently opened it unceremoniously.

Had Nodame been waiting for him kneeling on the floor, cosplaying the good wife costume, Shinichi couldn't have been more shocked. Nodame was at the piano! She was playing the adagio cantabile like any normally talented pianist would! What has happened? Has world come to an end?! Then he saw someone standing next to Nodame. In fact, a tall dark-haired guy was leaning dangerously close to her. A strange guy in his own room with his own girlfriend! He felt something snap. Even though he heartily agreed Nodame was a hentai and a weirdo, there was always a limit!

This is unforgiveable, Nodame…!

Grinding his teeth Shinichi advanced towards the piano.

"You…!" he called out loudly. Nodame stopped playing and turned around. When she saw Chiaki, she broke into a wide smile.

"Gyabo, senpai! You are back already!"

You are back already? Was that all she could say? What's up with her not even running over to greet her long-time-no-see boyfriend!? She was still comfortably seated in front of the piano.

"Omae, I told you to not mess up the room!" he shouted.

"Huh, but I didn't mess up the room, senpai," replied Nodame in her characteristic drawl. "I'm just using the piano to practice. Your piano sounds much better than mine."

"I don't care about the piano!" Shinichi's tone elevated even higher. Can she ever understand the problem at hand?! "I'm talking about this guy! What's he doing here?! Who is he, anyways?!"

"Mukya, don't you recognise him at all?" asked a puzzled Nodame. "You are strange, senpai."

Shinichi finally lost it. He yelled at the top of his voice.

"The strange one is you!! Normally, people don't invite strange guys into someone else's house! Why, you little–," but before he could continue, Shinichi was interrupted by the stranger himself.

"It's been a while, Shinichi."

"Wha–?"

His eyes widened in surprise. This voice, he knew this voice. He turned his head slowly towards the third person.

"A… Anta…"

There was no mistaking it. The tall guy standing next to the piano was Chiaki Masayuki, his own famous pianist father.


hmm... I used Omae and Anta - which both means 'you' to distinguish the way Shinichi expresses it...

Omae is an agressive (or very familiar) way of saying 'you' in Japanese and Anta is not exactly a polite way of saying 'you' either. ;

Please R&R