Anyway, this chap is truly TsuchiuraXHino. He needs some love as well! : But if you like Tsukimori better, let me direct you to my other fic, Promenade or just go read the first chap if you haven't read it. I'm sure you guys will love it. Well, I hope you guys like it. Please R&R.


It was the next day, early in the morning, about six. Tsuchiura Ryoutarou woke up from his slumber, as a stroke of inspiration hit him.

Melody flooded his mind. He had the urge to compose this song.

He immediately rose from his bed and ran to his piano. He got a pencil, some blank sheet music and began to write the clefs, the key signature and the time signature of the piece.

His hand and mind lead him the way to notate. He could clearly hear the melody he wanted to make and dedicatedly wrote and wrote and wrote.

He busied himself with the composition until lunch time.

Growl

He then felt some hunger in his stomach, from not eating breakfast. He sighed, stretched a bit and left his pencil and paper. He stood up from the chair and decided to fix himself to eat brunch in his favorite restaurant.


Tsuchiura went to the same mall he went to yesterday. He went to the Japanese buffet restaurant famous for their wide variety of food of different countries.

He sat there by himself, just like yesterday, all alone. How he felt like a loser again. No friends. No company. Just… alone.

Until of course…

Hino came.

Just like yesterday.

However, this time, she wasn't alone. She entered the restaurant with a familiar blue haired person. Perhaps, an even too familiar person.

Tsuchiura would never forget that person, even if a hundred years had passed.

Hoping the two would not to see him, he crouched down from his seat. But to his dismay, Hino saw him and waved with a smile. "Tsuchiura! You're still here at Japan! So nice to see you again!" she said then later on turned her attention to the guy just behind her. "Why don't we sit with him, Tsukimori? If that's okay with you, Tsuchiura," she then asked Tsuchiura who wished he was just invisible at that moment.

Yet, he couldn't say no. It was Hino asking him a favor. A girl that he practically longed for years. "…sure," he answered unsurely.

Hino walked to the table, and Tsukimori followed. They sat on the same side of the table, leaving Tsuchiura with no one beside him.

"So… Tsuchiura, what are you doing here? You seem to be alone," Hino asked, innocently. Her innocence however rubbed in the fact that he really was alone.

He hesitated to answer. It was just so awkward to see Tsukimori Len again after all those years.

They had never gotten along. And it was clear that past wasn't at all buried even until that moment.

She noticed her two friends staring at each other. However, she couldn't really read their feelings. It somehow had a mixture of sadness, anger, hesitation and confusion. "Tsuchiura? Tsukimori? Are you two okay? What's wrong?"

The two snapped out of it. "Oh, yeah. It's nothing," they strangely said in unison.

After an eerie silence, Tsuchiura finally dared to initiate a conversation. Not a very good one though.

"So… uh… Tsukimori, what brings you back to Japan?"

He stuttered. "What… uh… I visit Japan at times…"

"So you just happened to bump into Hino?" he continued asking with a raised brow.

"…yes. Is that weird for you?" Tsukimori asked, his tone getting a bit irritated.

"A bit. I mean, Japan's a big place. How come you just happened to bump into Hino again?"

Tsukimori couldn't take it anymore. He stood up. "Are you spying on me!?"

Tsuchiura in the other hand remained calm and crossed his arms. "No. Hino just told me yesterday that you just happen to bump into her whenever you're here. I just wondered if that's really the case or that you wanted to see her."

Hino didn't like where the conversation was leading. She stood up and pulled Tsukimori to sit down. "Tsukimori-kun, calm down! Why don't we talk about something else? When's your next concert? Maybe you could invite us to it?" she asked to avoid the obvious tension forming in the air.

Tsukimori sat down, trying to calm himself as she suggested. Yet, frustration was still obviously written in his face. "A week from now, I'll be playing in Seisou Academy, for a master class for the students there."

Tsuchiura was shocked. "What?! They invited you too?!"

"Yes, they did. They told me it would be an honor for them to meet the famous Tsukimori Len. After all, nobody could play Paganini like me," Tsukimori said in utter confidence.

Hino agreed in enthusiasm. "Yes, Tsukimori-kun's interpretation of Paganini is really what people can't stop talking about. It's just so virtuosic, as if it was Paganini himself was playing!"

Tsuchiura had enough of his rival's ego. He just decided to fend him off with his own ego and tell him how good he was as well. "Well, they asked me to play for them too since I am known as the modern Franz Liszt. I can handle his virtuosic and technical pieces with no sweat. People even say I might even be better than Liszt himself because I add ostentatious cadenzas to every piece Liszt has made!"

Hino was astonished and amazed. "Oh! That's so cool, Tsuchiura! You should really show me those cadenzas!"

Tsukimori looked even more irritated. It was obvious that he was losing the conversation. "Well then… we'll just see who's the better musician, shall we?"

Tsuchiura smirked. "I think that's already decided."

Hino shed another sweat. Why are these two always like this? "Anyway, Tsuchiura, what do you plan to do after lunch?" she asked to change the topic.

Tsukimori looked at her weirdly. What is she implementing?

"Nothing really… Why?" Tsuchiura answered.

"Well, you could join Tsukimori and me for a day-out. We need some bonding, right? I just missed hanging out with you guys. We barely see each other. Especially you, Tsuchiura, it has really been a while since we've seen each other," she answered with a genuine smile.

Tsukimori obviously looked enraged and jealous. Though, only Tsuchiura could see that. Hino was still her naïve and blind self who couldn't see the feelings of those around her.

Finally, when he was about to speak his mind, his cellphone rang. He got it from his pocket and saw it was his manager. "Uh, wait a second okay?" He stood from his chair and went outside to talk to the manager. The music in the restaurant just suddenly became louder, and he didn't want to hear unclearly what his manager had to say.

He continued talking to his manager once he got out. He was informed that there was a problem in their next world tour. Seems like he had to cut short his visit to Hino.

When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful
Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart

He entered the restaurant after a He He hurried back to his seat, but on the way he saw how happy Hino was talking to Tsuchiura. He realized that she has never looked at him the same way. Even when they were together he had to work really hard for her to forget about Tsuchiura.


And when she was sad, I was there to dry her tears
And when she was happy, so was I, when she loved me.

Before, Tsukimori thought he just had to show her more of his love for her. He did his best to please her and make him love him even more in every possible way. He brought her to different countries and treated her to every expensive place.


Through the summer and the fall, we had each other, that was all
Just she and I together, like it was meant to be

Every obstacle that happened between them, he did his best to overcome it. He worked hard for their relationship.

And when she was lonely, I was there to comfort her
And I knew that she loved me.

However, there love was as if a fling. It didn't last long, and she started to realize that this wasn't what she wanted. Tsukimori continued to hang-on to their relationship, but Hino had enough.


So the years went by, I stayed the same
And she began to drift away, I was left alone
Still I waited for the day, when she'd say "I will always love you."

Tsukimori finally realized what she meant when she said, 'I guess it's true that people say you don't fall in love. You should rise in love. That's how you love rationally.'

He thought Hino had loved him and he thought he could win her back eventually by visiting her a lot. But she never became a better person with him. She fell in love. It was a fling. But she never rose from their love and improved as a person, which true love entails.

Lonely and forgotten, never thought she'd look my way,
She smiled at me and held me, just like she used to do,
Like she loved me, when she loved me.

He approached Hino and Tsuchiura, telling them that there was a problem in his job. He originally didn't want to leave. But he couldn't stand seeing that Hino's heart was never his to begin with. Although, as he said this, Hino smiled at her genuinely, as she was holding his hand as well.

"Take care, Tsukimori. It was nice seeing you again," Hino said then let go of him.

Tsukimori could just shyly nod and smile a bit.

When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful,
Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart
When she loved me.

Before walking away, he whispered something in Tsuchiura's ear. "You take care of her."

Tsuchiura wondered how he could give up right away. They just met again and he let go of an opportunity of competing with him to get Hino. It wasn't like him at all.

Tsukimori slowly left the restaurant, not looking back so he wouldn't go back. He only looked back once he got outside. He looked at the window, seeing Hino with Tsuchiura. Hino was still busy talking to Tsuchiura, though this time, Tsuchiura wasn't facing her. He was facing Tsukimori and for the very first time smiled at him.

It wasn't a smirk. It was a smile.

A smile… as if saying thank you.


Tsuchiura and Hino finished eating at the buffet in a matter of time. They walked around the mall for a while and found themselves inside the music store from yesterday.

Hino immediately went to the piano. "You're gonna buy it today, right?" she asked him with a smile.

Tsuchiura smiled a bit too. "I don't know. You think I should?"

"Of course! You do have the money!"

He took out his wallet. "Okay. I'll go buy it. Though, you should look around too, you may find something you like."


Tsuchiura finished paying for the piano and the delivery truck afterwards took it. He approached Hino, ready to ask her if she was ready to go.

But as she saw her stare at a golden violin by the corner, he just couldn't ruin that moment. She still loved the violin, it was perfectly clear. He just wondered how he could have stopped to play.

Hino turned around and saw Tsuchiura. Her eyes were a bit teary, as if she was almost going to cry. "Oh, are you done now?" she asked, wiping her tears.

He took her hand and looked at it closely. It seemed like they weren't the same precious hands she used in playing the violin. It was almost numb, yet not injured. However, when you hold the hands, you would know that something was wrong with it.

"Hino… tell me… why did you stop playing the violin?" he looked at her seriously.

She turned around. "I'd rather not."

"Hino… please tell me. I know you still love the violin. Something happened that made you incapable to play. What happened?"

Her voice started to falter. "I… I… unfortunately have… Carpal Tunnel Syndrome."

Tsuchiura's eyes widened. He knew that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is like the greatest nightmare to any musician. Well, asides from singers who definitely fears nodules, folics and cysts on their larynx. But going on topic, CTS really was a big deal for musicians. It makes people incapable to use their arms and hands that much. "What? How… how did that happen?"

"The cause is unidentifiable. At first, I thought it was just nothing. But when I really felt something was wrong, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with it. Days passed and I couldn't play the violin anymore. That's why I just decided to be a music teacher, though I couldn't play any instrument. I just teach to little kids orally. Sometimes, I sing to them."

Her knees began to tremble and tears flooded her face. "I can't believe you can see me like this. You've believed in me like nobody else." She then left him, running away, without saying goodbye.

Tsuchiura could just sadly go home with the new piano he brought. The deliverymen put it inside his mansion and left him afterwards.

He went to his room, sat by the seat of the piano and opened his new grand piano. He sighed and just decided to continue the piece he composed before.

He started it off by his usual hand stretching and neck-bending. Then, he played the part he had made a few hours ago. Afterwards, his mind was a blank and he couldn't add anything else.

Great. What's next? I can't think clearly. Maybe it's because of her…

Hino's face appeared in his head.

I can't believe she could just have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. She doesn't deserve it. She loves music so much that she deserves to play more. How could this happen? She has helped a lot of people with her music. She inspired all of us in the concours to go on with our talent. But… why would God take hers?

Suddenly, a new kind of inspiration stroke him. He continued writing his work by adding another part to his piece. He finished it until the very next day, after editing and rewriting. He even slept beside the piano and realized only on the next day that he pulled an all-nighter.


The next day, Tsuchiura woke up extra early and took his sheet music with him to look for the school Hino teaches in. He ran all over the city, yelling 'Hino!' as if he was a madman.

However, he didn't care. He had to find her. He had to find her as soon as possible.

Then in a little school at the end of the town, he saw a red-headed teacher, sitting on a swing, looking all gloomy in tears. He was sure of it. It was her.

He walked slowly to her, and then hugged her tight. "Hino."

She was surprised in his action but let him do so. She continued to cry out even more. "Tsuchiura, I'm sorry for running away yesterday."

He kissed her forehead. "No. You had all the right. You've faced so much pain that I wasn't even there for you."

"I'm sorry I never told you."

"I'm sorry I never knew."

He then let go of his grip and went in front of her and stretched out his hand to her. "Do you trust me?"

She smiled a bit and took his hand. "I do."

Tsuchiura then pulled her to the school.

"Does the school have a piano?" he excitedly asked her.

Hino was still perplexed on what Tsuchiura was planning. "Yes, just by the music room. Turn right over there, and the first door is the music room."

He did so and opened the room. He then pulled a chair and made Hino sit on it as he went to the piano and got ready to play for her.

Hino was just too overwhelmed and confused on what to do that she decided to just sit down and listen to what Tsuchiura has to say.

"I've started composing this piece after I met you again just two days ago. This made me remember the feelings I had of you. The feelings that never went away," he started.

Hino was flattered and smiled even more.

"I continued the piece after I found out about your condition. So this piece is a message to you that you'll be able to make it through any obstacle. And I'll be there with you in every step. You may never accept to love me, but even as a friend, I'll be there."

She began to cry and he began to play. Just his speech touched her, but that was only the beginning.

The first part was like a nocturne, solemn, beautiful and cantabile. It was as if piercing Hino's heart, letting her realize how much Tsuchiura loved her. Then the next part, at first, filled with tension and a dramatic melody, turned into something speaking of change and salvation.

Tsuchiura's composition told of Hino's story. Of how she was loved, how she had struggled, and even the unwritten part where she will overcome trials and that Tsuchiura will be willing to finish it with her.

As he finished playing, Hino immediately stood from her seat and hugged her dear friend. "Arigato, Tsuchiura. You made me feel much better, not only because I know you'll be there for me, but because I know you love me." She then pulled him into a passionate kiss.


They left the school, holding hand and were off to eat out somewhere to celebrate their newly found relationship.

"Hey, Ryoutarou," Hino curiously began as he was holding his hand. "What made you think that I'll never accept your love?"

Tsuchiura blushed a bit and turned around. "Uh… you see… I saw you kiss Tsukimori on the day he confessed his feelings for you. Uh… at that moment… I knew I had no chance."

Hino chuckled. "I only made that kiss because I told him that I loved him as a friend. However, I told him I was sorry because I loved somebody else."

Tsuchiura's eyes widened. "That's what happened?"

Hino shyly answered, "Yes. And when I was about to confess to you, you seemed to push me away so I never got the chance. Tsukimori in the other hand was so persistent so we eventually got together."

"But you two broke up?" Tsuchiura asked.

She nodded. "I broke up with him after watching your concert in France. We were both there, and our relationship wasn't really flourishing at that time. Seeing you, just made me realize it would never work out if I was just fooling myself. Sadly, I was fooling Tsukimori as well and I couldn't help it anymore. I knew he deserves someone better."

Tsuchiura pulled Hino near to him. "I'm sure he'll find someone for him. He will make his own destiny." He gave her a fast peck on the cheek and smiled at her authentically. "And you know what? I felt the same thing about my music for some time. That I was fooling it. I was fooling myself that I had everything I ever wanted. But all I ever wanted, was you."

He then pulled her to a deep and passionate kiss.

Right then and there. After feeling like a loser for so long, settling only for consolation prizes. Tsuchiura Ryoutarou finally felt like a winner.


A/N: Sorry for the loooooong delay. But I've finished it! It might not be what you readers expected, but this is what I thought of what would happen. Hoorah for TsuchiuraXHino! Thanks for reading everyone, I really appreciate it. Don't forget to R&R. ^^