The early morning rays of sunlight splashed into Kazusa's room. She mumbled incoherently, bringing the blanket above her hear trying her best tot block the sun from her face. She tossed and turned in her bed trying to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. Finally, she gave up and threw her blanket aside. She swung her long legs over the side of her bed and stretched her arms over her head while letting out a thunderous yawn. She was completely exhausted from last night. Kazusa had stayed at the coffee shop into the late hours of the night, talking with Natalia about music and just about everything under the sun.
Natalia was actually a very interesting person. She learned that the coffee shop was owned by Natalia's parents, mostly as a side business. Their main business was the delivery and export of high-class vehicles. Natalia ran the coffee shop alone to keep herself busy. Kazusa had also learned that Natalia was a college student and was majoring in electrical engineering and spends whatever free time she had playing drums.
Kazusa pushed herself from the bed slowly, though she didn't really care to leave her bed today, or for a few days. All the music talks from last night made her miss Haruki more than ever. Those first night that Haruki spent at her house practicing for the fair into the late hours of the night. The way he'd fall asleep on the futon still holding his guitar. The way he'd always inform her that he was leaving for school in the mornings. Everything about him was perfect, except that he was so damn oblivious to nearly everything when it came to females.
Haruki struggled with the guitar solo for "Sound of Destiny" for hours and hours. It had gotten to the point that he was becoming easily frustrated with everything and anything. Kazusa admired his determination, but his frustration was hindering his progress.
"Take a break, Kitahara. Go get some fresh air." Kazusa told him softly. He merely shook his head and continued to play, quickly messing up six notes into the solo. He growled loudly at himself and gripped the neck of his guitar until his knuckles turned white. "You idiot. I told you to take a break. Now go." Kazusa's voice had become stern and demanding.
Haruki turned to face her, but the look in his eyes wasn't the usual look of submission, but more of a silent anger and resentment. "Why do you always have to call me an idiot!?"
"Because, you're an idiot. That's why." Her voice remained stern despite Haruki's raised voice and angry tone.
"Because, I keep messing up the solo? Because, I'm struggling to play my own instrument? Well, here. Please, show me how it's done. Better yet, why don't you just play my part at the fair as well since you know everything! Newsflash princess, not everyone has the advantage you do when it comes to music! Not everyone can spend ten plus hours a day playing a goddamn instrument!" By this time, Haruki had pulled the guitar strap over his head and tossed his guitar aside. "You're awesome and beautiful as hell, but you're a real pain in the ass, nor does it give you the right to act like I don't matter. I have feeling too, you know? And, you've done nothing but step all over them since all of this started, and I'm starting to get real fucking tired of it. So, you and Setsuna-chan have fun. I'm done with this."
It was the first time Haruki had lost his temper with her, and it had impressed her. After their fight, she quickly followed him outside and apologized for constantly giving him a hard time. The rest of their practices went smooth after that.
Kazusa stumbled over to her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her long, dark hair was adamantly tangled, and dark circles were beginning to show underneath her eyes. She quickly splashed cold water on her face in an attempt to freshen up a bit. When she shut off the water, she could hear her mother speaking with someone in the den.
"We believe the tour could bring great exposure to you both. We're talking about concerts across Europe, Youko." It was Youko's manager, Emilia. Kazusa had only met her on a handful of occasions, but she didn't have a need to communicate with her, so she never bothered to get to know Emilia on a personal level. "Who knows this tour could lead to concerts worldwide! Just think about it, Youko. Please?"
Kazusa waited for Emilia to leave the house before she made her presence known to her mother. Youko had made her way into the kitchen after Emilia left. She was pouring herself coffee when Kazusa entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, Kazusa. What would you like for breakfast?"
"I'm not really hungry, Mother." Kazusa took a seat at the dining table. Her mother brought over a cup of coffee for her. It had been their routine since first getting to Vienna. "What did Emilia want?"
"She was talking business. Something about doing a tour." Youko sipped her coffee once she took her seat across from Kazusa.
"When do you leave?" Kazusa asker her mother without lifting her eyes from her cup.
"I'm not." Kazusa's eyes shot up from her cup. Youko never turned down anything that could help her career. "We are leaving in two weeks."
"We?"
"Yes, you are going with me, and we are going to perform in Paris then we'll begin our tour from there."
"Our tour? What exactly did you and Emilia discuss?"
"Emilia thinks it would be a great opportunity for you and your career if we toured Europe together. It would definitely help jump start your career." Youko downed her cup of coffee.
"What's in it for you, Mother? I don't see you tagging along just to support me." Kazusa even smirked at her comment.
"Well, I'd be playing the concerts as well, except I'd be the main attraction." Youko grinned over at her daughter, who had let out a slight snicker. "I'd really like you to come with me, Kazusa. I think it would be a great bonding experience for both of us and I can show you a few things that I've learned from being on the road so much."
"I'll go, Mother. Simply because you demanded so nicely to begin with." Kazusa replied with a smile. She stood from her seat and left to return to her room to change before leaving the house. She hadn't had much time to explore Vienna with all her practicing and preparing for the concerts. So, she decided to explore today with only one concert to go until she left for Paris.
She didn't know much about Vienna, except that it was the capital city of Austria, and it was obvious that she was a foreigner. The sun was high in the Vienna sky, rays of sunlight bathed her in warmth against the slight winter breeze. Snow covered everything in sight, and Kazusa loved ever bit of it. She began walking aimlessly, looking at everything she could. She was enjoying herself, but she felt guilty for doing so. Here she was having the time of her life, and she had left her best friend and her lover broken hearted back in Japan.
Is it really fair to them? To me? Why do I feel bad for enjoying myself? They would be happy for me, right? Was I being selfish for coming to Vienna? Do they hate me for it? Do I hate myself for doing this? Kazusa doubted herself, her friends, and her very life since the second she stepped foot onto the that would taker her away from Japan. She kept walking lost in her thoughts, until she came up to an intersection where posters and flyers were lined all against the wall. There was one flyer that caught her eye though, it was for an amusement park only a few miles away.
She had never been to an amusement park before, and today seemed like the perfect opportunity to go to one. She had no idea how to pronounce the name of the park, but that wasn't important unless she took a cab. Kazusa tucked her hands into her coat and continued to stroll down the street.
She had become completely distracted by all the old stone buildings that lined the streets. The architecture was absolutely stunning. She had never seen stone so intricately crafted to be displayed elegantly five stories above the ground. It was quite remarkable. She remained completely awestruck as she continued her walk towards the amusement park. Finally, the amusement park came into view and the first thing she noticed was the enormous Ferris wheel behind the gates of the park.
Her eyes sparkled with a childish joy as she broke into a sprint towards the park. As she drew closer, her heart began to pound with excitement. The lines to enter were fairly short, but she still felt like they were taking forever. She noticed some of the other guests glancing at her periodically. Kazusa didn't let it bother her too much. She figured a Japanese girl wasn't very common in this area.
"Kazusa!" A familiar voice rang out from the crowd. Kazusa quickly began to scan the crowd for anyone she might recognize. Before she realized it, Natalia was nearly standing in front of her. "Hi, Kazusa!"
"Oh, hi Natalia." Kazusa replied, somewhat shocked that Natalia was here instead of the coffee shop. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm-" Natalia blushed slightly and kept glancing over her shoulder, "On a date."
The response made Kazusa giggle a bit, especially the way Natalia blushed as she said it. "That's so cute! Who's the lucky stud?"
Natalia blushed even harder but waved for her date to join them. Kazusa waited for a handsome gentleman to join them but instead a petite girl stepped forward. She looked about Kazusa's age. She had short black hair, held out of her face by a red headband. Her emerald green eyes sparkled against the sunlight, mesmerizing even Kazusa. "Kazusa, this is my date, the stud as you put it. I'd like you to meet Aleksandra."
Kazusa quickly bowed to the girl, and her face became flushed as she rose, "It's a pleasure to meet you." She turned her attention back to Natalia, "I'm so sorry about the stud comment. I shouldn't have assumed." This time, it was Kazusa that turned a bright shade of red.
Kazusa's reaction forced a chuckle from both Natalia and Aleksandra. "I'm not gay." Natalia replied between laughs, "I am, however, bi-sexual. I hope that doesn't bother you."
"Oh no! Not at all! She's a really gorgeous girl! She made me question whether or not I actually love a boy from back home." Kazusa replied quickly. Aleksandra smiled widely then mouthed a silent 'thank you'. Kazusa blushed once again, "Oh my, I'm flirting, aren't I?" Kazusa buried her face in her hands, "I'm sorry. I'm terrible at this."
Natalia laughed once again at how flustered Kazusa had become. "It's okay. We get this reaction a lot. Would you like to join us? I know you're still fairly new to Vienna."
Kazusa turned her attention towards Aleksandra, "You don't mind?"
"Of course not. The more, the merrier. Besides, it's quite obvious you're not the slightest bit gay." Aleksandra teased Kazusa.
"Okay, yeah. That would be wonderful. Thank you." Kazusa replied with a bow. I didn't intend on being a third wheel today but at least I won't be alone. Kazusa followed the couple inside the park to begin their day of fun.
Setsuna sat in her room, studying and reviewing her school materials. She and Haruki began college next month, so they were both in study mode. They usually spent several nights a week studying at Setsuna's once she returned home from work. Tonight, was one of their study nights together. Haruki had just called her to let her know he was done tutoring and would be on the way shortly.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She always became anxious when he came over. She didn't understand why though. She knew any feelings he had for her were long gone. "It's because of the sad look he always carries in his eyes." Setsuna sighed to herself, "Oh Haruki-kun, I'm so sorry. I just wanted the three of us to remain together forever." She half smiled to the memories of their Christmas trip. She loved every second of that trip, especially seeing Kazusa smile so much. However, she felt things were tense, and she had been correct after all. A slight buzzing sound caught her attention.
Her cell phone was lit up and vibrating intensely. She picked it up and stared at the phone for a brief second before answering it. "Hello?"
"Setsuna-chan, can you please come open the door for me? I, kind of, have my hands full." Haruki's voice sounded cheerful, which made Setsuna's heart pound even more. She loved when he was happy and well-spirited. It wasn't often, but when it did happen, she loved seeing it.
"I'll be right down, Haruki-kun." Setsuna replied cheerfully. She shut her phone and jumped from her bed to meet Haruki at the door. Setsuna all but flew down the stairs. Shortly after hanging up with Haruki, she swung open the front door. Haruki was holding his usual book bag, but he was also holding drinks and several other bags.
"I hope you don't mind, but I got dinner for us." Haruki stepped into the house. "I got hungry on the way here and thought we could eat while we study."
Setsuna's eyes sparkled with delight. "That's sweet of you, Haruki-kun," She bowed slightly to him as she shut the door, "But, I could have made something for us."
"I know Setsuna-chan, but you make something every night I'm here. So, tonight is my treat!" Haruki plastered a wide smile on his face. "Shall we go upstairs?"
Setsuna led the way up to her room. Haruki knew the way by heart since he had been here so many times. They entered the room, and Haruki immediately set down everything he was carrying. They took their seats across the small table from each other. The food Haruki had gotten them was absolutely delicious. They sat in silence as they ate, stealing glances at each other. A loud buzzing sound broke their silence. Setsuna looked down at her phone. She couldn't recognize the number, and Haruki noticed the confused look on her face.
"What's wrong Setsuna-chan?" Haruki asked, covering his mouth since it was still full of food.
"Hello?" She held a finger up to Haruki as she answered her phone. Her eyes widened, her vision became clouded, and her heart began to pound.
Hi there, Setsuna-chan. Kazusa's voice rang in through the phone. Setsuna's voice caught in her throat as she struggled to fight back her tears.
"Ka-Kazusa?" Setsuna's voice was soft, as if she didn't believe she was actually speaking to her friend. Haruki's eyes filled with disbelief at the mention of Kazusa's name.
It's me, Setsuna-chan. How are you? Have things been okay since I left?
"I'm fine. Things have been okay. We miss you. We've been studying for college a lot recently. How's Vienna?"
I miss you guys as well. Vienna is awesome. It's so beautiful over here. I wish you could see it, Setsuna-chan. How's Haruki been doing? Is he okay? Kazusa's voice softened once Haruki became the main subject of the conversation. Setsuna glanced over at Haruki, who was exiting the room at the moment.
"Honestly, he's been hurting. He acts like he's fine, but I know he isn't. It's written all over his face. He misses you terribly, Kazusa."
I miss him too. Sometimes, I wish I had stayed in Japan with you two. I have great news though. Kazusa took a slight pause before she blurted out, I'm going to Paris with my mother! We're going on tour together! Kazusa squealed into the phone. Setsuna squealed along with her friend. It had been ages since they had spoken to each other, and they discussed everything under the moon.
I wish you guys could come over here. Kazusa's voice grew soft. She wanted them to be in Vienna with her.
"So do we, Kazusa." Setsuna replied just as Haruki entered the room again.
I have to go now, Setsuna-chan. I miss you. Tell Haruki I miss him as well and hopefully, I'll see you guys soon. Bye, Setsuna-chan. Kazusa quickly hung up the phone before Setsuna could say anything else. Setsuna stared at her phone blankly for several seconds until Haruki broke the silence.
"H-How is she?" His voice was barely above a whisper. He was hurt that Kazusa called Setsuna, and not him.
"She's doing fine. She misses you, Haruki-kun. She wanted you to know that." Haruki didn't respond with anything but a nod. "Kazusa is going on tour with her mother in a week. They're going to Paris. She seems really excited about it."
"That's great, Ogiso-san. I'm happy for her." His response was saturated in irritation. Setsuna winced at his use of her last name. Haruki set down the book he was currently reading with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Setsuna-chan. I should go."
"No!" Setsuna stared at him with misty eyes, "Please, don't go. Stay here with me, Haruki-kun." She reached out and took his hand. "Please. I'm begging you." Tears began to fall down her cheeks and all Haruki could do was comply with her request.
Haruki took a seat beside his friend and put an arm over her shoulder, "Of course. I'll stay with you whenever you want." Setsuna smiled and snuggled up against Haruki's chest. She missed being this close to him. Feeling the warmth of his body against hers, to know in this brief moment of time, Haruki was only thinking of her. "I guess we won't be doing much studying tonight." Haruki commented with a soft chuckle. "Shall we do something else?"
"Wherever you go, I will follow." Setsuna glanced up at Haruki with a loving gaze. It was moments like this, that Setsuna just wanted to reach up and kiss Haruki with every ounce of passion she had, but she knew she couldn't.
"How about we go for a walk? It feels lovely outside, and it's been awhile since we've wandered around aimlessly."
"That sounds great to me, Haruki-kun." Setsuna pushed herself up from the floor with a grunt. It felt as if she had been sitting on the floor for hours. Her knees, thighs and back all ached.
"Are you sure you're up for a walk? You sounded like an old woman just now." Haruki snickered loudly, earning a glare from Setsuna.
"You're so mean, Haruki-kun!" Setsuna whined, playfully kicking Haruki's shins. Haruki continued to laugh even as Setsuna's kicks gained power.
"Ow! Okay, okay! I get it, Setsuna-chan!" He stopped laughing, but small giggles still fought to escape his lips. Once she stopped kicking him, he quickly jumped up. "Shall we go?" With a nod from Setsuna, they dashed from the room. It had definitely been a long time since they were this happy, but Haruki wasn't sure if it was because of Kazusa or not. As the night went on, the answer to that question became more difficult to find.