Disc: Standard applied

Seven Years

Chapter 1—Nodame—

"Are you okay?"

I tilted my head only to look at a tall blonde man in black suit stood in front of me. He was scowling and his hands were deep inside the pockets on his dark pants. I took a deep breath. It was hard for me to open my mouth without letting out a sob. I should not cry but I could not just pretend that I am okay. I was never a good liar.

"Nodame's…" I tried to find a better word to express my feeling, finally after few seconds I found one, "…upset."

He sighed and sat down on the chair next to me, he gave me a nervous smile, "Err… do you need a hug?"

I looked at him for a few seconds, pretending to think about it when I actually already decided that I wanted it. After few seconds passed I nodded and I let him to pull me into a warm tight hug—one of thousand hugs that he had given to me to comfort me for these last seven year. He would usually rub my back soothingly or pat my head friendly, but this time he did not do any of it. He just hugged me tightly. He did not even whisper any comforting words to my ear.

It had been seven years.

It was more than enough time for him to understand that I did not want any soothing words at this moment. A hug is enough, and he knew that.

He pressed his nose to my neck, I could feel his hot breathe tickled my neck.

This was not good, gyaaabooo… I could fall for him!

I slapped my head mentally at that thought. I had been stupid. No, it was wrong to fall for our very own best friend. No matter even if the best friend had been divorced with his wife two years ago. No, this was not love…

I knew it, because I had experienced love once.

This was not love.

"Mine…" I whispered nervously, I was not really comfortable with this position—his face was practically stuck on my neck—if somebody saw this, we could be damned. After all of these years trying to proof to those people that there was nothing between us, I did not want to make them get it wrong.

"Hmm?" He still did not let me go.

"Nodame's fine now."

He whined, "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ewww…"

"Now let Nodame go."

"Just few more second…. It had been a very long time since I could touch a woman's body…"

"Mukyaaa!" I shoved him away from me, "Hentai!"

Mine smiled sheepishly, "I'm just joking." He rubbed the back of his head.

A very bad joke. I knew very well that as much as I did not love him that way, he never looked at me that way. He looked at me like friend, like a sister but never like a woman. I understood and I would not want it any other way because it was just the same for me. I, after all of these year still loved the same man.

Mine suddenly stood up and put his hands back into his pockets. He smiled, "I am glad you did not look that upset anymore… You feel better now?"

I nodded.

I knew it. He did that to make me feeling better. He was always like this. He was a really kind person—a little stupid maybe but Mine is a really kind man—it such a waste that his wife could not see it and had asked for a divorce.

I stood up too.

The funeral would be in any minute from now. It would be a cremation with traditional funeral ceremony, so for the last time I wanted to see him. He had always wanted to have a Japanese traditional ceremony for his funeral, with the Shinto priest read the prayer for him as his body got cremated. He was not even a Shinto, but who could deny the infamous maestro?

He wanted to be cremated and later the ashes to be buried in the same spot with his love.

I swallowed. His love was so strong. He wanted to be with her, even after he died. No, he wanted to be with her after he died because he could never have the chance to be with her when he was alive. Once, just once he ever told me that if only he were not born as a Germany…

"If I was a Japanese like her maybe she would love me…"

I pouted, "She loved you."

"But still we could not be together."

"It was not because you were different!"

He looked at me smiled tenderly, "No… Of course no…"

Still smiling, the old man tilted his tired face and looked at the cloudy sky, "If we could not be together here, I hope we'll be together in hereafter…"

It was two years go, right after her funeral. Right there and then he decided that he wanted to be cremated just like what they did to her body. He just loved her so much until he lost his mind sometime. He was very much like me.

Mine put his large hand on my shoulder as we walked to the room where they put his body in the traditional coffin. While walking, I could see many familiar faces. Most of them are musician or people who worked in music industry. I bit my lip. Instinctively I moved closer to Mine. He understood and he tightened his grip on my shoulder.

Some people recognized me—I knew from the way the nodded at me—but I am lucky they did not say anything. They looked at me and Mine. I knew what they thought. They must think that we were dating. Let them think what they believe. I had been used with all the wrong impression people had about me since seven years ago.

I could see Elise stood next to the coffin. She was talking with some people, shook their hand and when those people finally left her alone she finally recognized me. I could how red her eyes were. It must be really though for her. However he had been like a father for her.

"Here you are." She said when I was right in front of her, "Where's the boy?"

"We left him in Uraken…" I answered, "He refused to come, but Masumi is trying to drag him here now…" I snickered, "That boy could be really troublesome sometime."

Elise frowned, I knew she knew I did not mean what I said about the boy "You don't have to force him, you know. He had been really close with Maestro… It must be hard for him."

"It is hard for us." My voice was getting stern, I loved the boy but I did not want to let him running away from the reality, "He has to come and see him, for the last time. If he doesn't, I know he would regret it later…"

Elise just nodded, she understood what I meant by that. She looked at her watch and sighed, "It's about time…"

"What are we waiting actually?" Mine asked, "Why not the priest just started the prayer? The prayers were usually could be really long… Besides…" he looked around, "I thought everyone has been here."

The blonde Germany shook her head, "No, we're waiting for him."

"Him?"

As if all had been set, right after Mine asked the question, the said person came.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

I was getting tensed when I heard the familiar voice of a man who I hadn't seen for seven years right from behind me.

I turned around automatically—a little bit too quickly that I hurt my neck a bit. My eyes widened when I saw him standing there—the man who had been breaking my world into pieces seven years ago. He was frozen when he looked at me.

It was like the time had frozen around us.

It was like everything around us was just an old black and white movie which moved slowly. All we could do was just looking at each other. Now I hoped that I could actually say something but I could not tear my eyes away from him.

There he was standing, a dark haired handsome Japanese man. He wore black suits, almost similar with the one Mine wore. He had not changed since the last time I met him seven years ago. No, he looked tired. There were faint black circles around his eyes and he looked thin.

I wondered whether he still smelled same.

I was about to let my legs moved to get closer to him and sniffed him when suddenly something hit my legs. Hard.

The thing hugged my thigh tightly, forced me to look away from the man in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes.

A boy was hugging my leg.

The man followed my gaze to the boy who hugged me tightly. His narrow eyes widened in shock when the boy loosened his hug a bit to tilt his head and look at me with teary eyes. No, what shocked him was the word that the boy used to call me.

"Mommy…"

-

Author's Note:

Hey, It seemed that they cancel the schedule for this week end and I have off days until Monday~ I decided to update this story faster because I want to use my precious week ends to relax. Still, next week I would have another works to do but I wish I could update this faster (Before the mood left me.)

My brother helps me alot for this chapter. Some things are still unclear in this chapter. Yes, it would be slowly revealed. I hope you are patient enough to follow my plotline because actually it would be rather complicated. :) I give many hints in my story, If you could analyze about what happened or why Nodame and Chiaki break up, I would write a special story for you! Let's say this is a little quiz from me... If I think your analysis seemed close to my plot, I would dedicated some special story for you...

Thanks for readers and reviewers. I could not reply now, but hey, I would reply it later I hope.

As always, if you wanna talk go to my profile, I have some links there where you could find me.

love.

Recchinon