There's a lot of heaviness here but next chapter they'll have a date (Chiaki: It's not a date!!!!!) and it's a funny one at that. But I'm trying to examine their relationship and to do that, I need to put them through hell—muahahahahaha!

Read on.

Ps- I keep forgetting to say 'Nodame Cantabile and all its characters do not belong to me not will they ever no matter how much I wish they would…especially Chiaki though I doubt he'd be interested in me. My piano sucks…' SO DON"T SUE...You'll get all my money, all two dollars and three cents.


The next day, Shinichi came into the hall with incredible confidence in his heart. The piece which he knew like the back of his hand now was ringing in his ears. His hand held the score as if it was his treasure and anyone who saw him was blown back by the utter confidence he exuded. Lebrecht instantly recognized that expression. It was one he had worn a long time ago, a feeling he had felt for so long that he didn't even realize the disaster it caused around him and at once, Lebrecht knew he had to watch out for his pupil.

"Well Shinichi," Lebrecht clapped him on the back, inviting him onto the podium, "For today, I have decided to let you have your way with the orchestra on this piece. Any changes you think are better will be totally up to you."

"Truly?" Shinichi said in surprise, his German coming out in a hurry and was met by his teacher's affirmative nod. He looked around the stage towards the musicians, their instruments and the empty organ by the side. He had rather liked Bach's piece with the organ but Nodame had planted a seed in his head that had grown at an amazing speed last night. But that didn't stop him from being hesitant about voicing his rather strange idea for the piece to a group of mature, well learned musicians.

"Well, there's one thing I would like all of you to consider," Shinichi started in English, "I believe that the organ is not well suited for the piece—"

A large noise of dissent bubbled up though the orchestra though most of them stood quiet, waiting for the young man to continue.

"Why do you say that?" an older cellist asked, his voice dubious at the words of the younger man.

"Well…something about puzzles and stags that I can't explain perfectly," Shinichi mumbled at first, his voice growing stronger afterwards, "but the truth is, it would sound less dramatic with the violins and still have the same intensity Bach wanted to give."

There were a few raised eyebrows along the way but his teacher's eyes lit up as if on fire.

"That's very difficult to do, Shinichi," he said seriously, looking at his young student carefully, inspecting the strong, set jaw of resilience, "What do you have in mind?"

"I have the changes already noted on my score," he said with poise toward the orchestra, "I can make copies and hand them out within a few minutes, if you would like to try."

There was a murmur of assent before the first oboist spoke out in a clear voice.

"I say we try it. We don't have an organ piano player yet, right?"

The one who spoke was a handsome young man, one of the few among the older, more experienced musicians. Like Shinichi, he too had the glint of being a headstrong young man. Shinichi nodded at him in thanks and stepped down the podium. He excused himself to make the copies and smiling, he exited the concert hall. He had a feeling he was about to make something incredible happen.

When he came back and handed out the sheets of paper, he stood on top of the podium with all the confidence in the world and started to go over the changes.

"The organ parts are on this level. Violins, I want to take you a fifth higher to A minor. This means that you may have to go a slow as the lowest notes on the violin but I have the greatest confidence that you'll be able to."

He continued to speak, entrancing the musicians with his detailed explanation of the change of keys while Lebrecht stood back and watched. This was history at work. A young man such as Shinichi had already thought of everything in order to make these changes happen and answered every question with ease and comfort. Not only was she prepared and confident but he knew what he was talking about. There was no pretense or second guessing and certainly no faltering. Even through the breaks, he took no time off except for the occasional texting to that person Lerbrecht was sure it was someone important to Shinichi. He tended to smile fondly throughout the silent conversation with his mystery woman and spent a couple of minutes conversing with her. Otherwise, he devoted his energy and time to the piece. As Lebrecht watched, he could feel the beginnings of something new for the face of music and hoped that the similarities between him and his pupil would not lead him down the wrong path as it had led Lebrecht.


Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 3 echoed through the halls of the school alongside the instructions of Nodame's teacher.

"Don't take liberties with those notes. Every one of those notes need to be precise. They all mean something."

Nodame nodded and continued. Her eyes swept across the keys as her fingers flowed like water to lightly touch the keys. A happier, chipper piece compared to Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 29, it was tedious nonetheless. Pedal happy and quite fast, she had to get these two difficult pieces down by the allotted time. She had passed the exam with good scores all around but to her great upset, a certain teacher by the name of Rosemarie Webster had decided to train her for a famous piano contest in Germany. Her official professor, Professor O'Clair had willingly given her to Rosemarie Webster. Not because he wasn't interested in her anymore but the exact opposite. He wished only the best for Nodame. Yet the haunting feeling that she was still in the early stages of maturity drew him to a close. There seemed that no one but Nodame herself could do about her immaturity.

Nodame hadn't accepted nor did she have the desire to attend but the teacher had insisted on teaching her. On top of a long day, Nodame sighed as she found herself receiving extra lessons from this apparently well motivated teacher of Irish descent.

"The tempo isn't that fast. You're making too many mistakes at that speed."

Like Shinichi, she was a perfectionist but unlike Shinichi, Nodame didn't have the desire to please her as much. She was tired; all she wanted was to go home.

"The competition you don't have to accept but there is a small concert for all my piano students in a couple of weeks and I want you to participate. A lot of important people will attend. It'll be good for someone as talented as you are."

Nodame nodded but she wasn't enthusiastic about it. Rosemarie Webster loved Beethoven's Sonatas and that's why she had chose Nodame to play most of them but Nodame wasn't honored by it. All she wanted was a little bit of rest for the day.

Finally at five past nine, she was released from the piano prison and allowed to leave. On the way home, she wondered about the competition. She wouldn't accept it just for the fact that Shinichi wouldn't be with her in Germany if she did. To be in a strange country all alone was not exactly something she was comfortable with. Besides, she was doing fine here. Every competition she entered in France (though it hadn't a lot), she had come in third place or better but never first place, mainly because she still changed the piece when she got too into it. Still, France was now recognizing her talents well. On top of that, with Shinichi by her side, she was trying to immerse herself in music and at the same time, enjoy it as well.

She wasn't sure if it was working. Whenever she had the chance to play, her fingers would be ready to but when she played for pure enjoyment, she noticed she didn't make any mistakes anymore. She still added and took away notes but now she noticed when she did so. Like an on and off switch, she could now command whether or not she wanted to add an extra note here and there. She couldn't do that before, it had been more of an impulse than a choice.

The night was cold and a light drizzle fell on the energetic city. She had no umbrella with her at the time but she lived close enough to the school to make it without getting too wet.

There was no note on his door so she went in nonchalantly. She heard his shower running and dropped her bag along the way to the couch. She dropped like a sack of potatoes on the comfortable couch and threw an arm over her eyes. The sound of the running water carried her to the edge of dream land where Beethoven's two Piano Sonatas intertwined with each other to make a strange, unlikely sound. Meddled harmonies and notes interfered with each other. It was a muddy color, not like she pictured Beethoven to sound. It didn't make her feel too well either and there was a sound of hissing, like a snake that frightened her. Suddenly, the snake wrapped around her throat and her eyes opened in surprise. Her throat found itself constricted by one large hand.

"You baka!" Shinichi yelled angrily, her eyes focusing on his angered face, choking her with a fury, "You messed up the entire carpet with your muddy paws."

"Hyan…"

She sounded tired, a sound Shinichi wasn't used to. She let her go instantly and placed his large hand on her forehead. Not warm but she really looked exhausted. Even her moan had been worn out.

"Long day?" he asked her and she leaned back against the couch arm in response. "What are you learning now?" he asked her, drying his hair with the navy blue towel while walking to the kitchen.

"Beethoven sonatas."

She looked at him closely as he placed the towel around his broad shoulder and started serving their dinner. His wet hair stood in awkward places, totally disheveled and so unlike the appearance he usually had in front of others.

"Ahh, my favorites," he hummed, serving a large amount of food for her in two plates, "real doozies, huh?"

Her agreed hum sounded like a car horn under water but a smile crawled on her face. His favorites…

"Here, eat something."

She struggled to sit up but the smell of delicious food gave her the deposition to do so. She pushed her hair back as to not get it dirty and for a brief moment, his eyes swept past that piece of flesh. Like lightning, it shook him in his very bones for a second or so before the curtain of auburn hair hid it back beyond Shinichi's reaches. He sighed deeply but was quick to smile as she gulfed down the food he prepared for them. He scolded her gently for eating so fast. Her cheeks puffed up until she looked like a chipmunk getting ready for winter.

"Your face will stay like that, you know," he commented off handedly, "and I don't like girls who look life stuffed chipmunks."

"But—so—hungry," she said through great amounts of food. Shinichi chuckled and stamped on her forehead.

"How are your rehearsals going?" she asked, massaging the offended spot. With his own mouth full of food, Shinichi hummed and nodded, swallowing quickly in order to tell her.

"I took your advice and we took out the organ," he nodded as she exclaimed in surprise, "It does sound nicer, just like you said."

"I'm such a genius—" Nodame commented, causing Shinichi to roll his eyes.

"I hope you'll like it," he added gently, looking down into his bowl of food for a moment before looking up at her with the greatest confidence in the world, "It'll be my debut in Europe after all."

Nodame nodded happily but internally she felt truly jealous. If only she could have that security in knowing what you were doing…

Unfortunately, the rest of the week passed like that day. Both became too tired to speak through mouths of food and then collapsed, for once, against each other in deep slumber. Though Nodame had noticed they spent less and less time talking to one another, she guessed that it was supposed to be like that to the way to success. She began to try her hardest on the Sonatas, hoping to please Shinichi with her playing of his favorite music. She wanted him to see her with those penetrating eyes and realize who she was. She just wanted to be seen by him at her best.

Still, as she felt her eyes closing with the heaviness of the day, she wished she could go back to the simple beginning with him, if only for a day.


The new sound of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor without the organ was rare but beautiful. The changes made to the piece were tricky for everyone but as the rehearsals kept on, the orchestra became more confident that the start of something new was coming. As for Shinichi, everyone agreed that he had music flowing through his veins. The way he knew what the composition wanted to say and express and the way which Shinichi made it his own was astounding for someone his age. This young man had a lot to offer, Lebrecht thought instantly, sipping from a small, golden flask. Shinichi spent his days working with the orchestra, going home late at night and arriving bright and early in the morning. No doubt he wanted this piece to be its best. But there was something underlying that desire. The will to succeed was one thing but Lebrecht often found Shinichi on his cell phone, as if desperate for a bit of advice from this mystery woman. Every time a new, incorporated part of the piece was finished, he seemed more than happy or proud. It was as if the reward for this particular piece was more than his great debut but something greater.

As teacher and student, they sat down one day in the midst of music sheets and scores and talked about the piece. Lebrecht listened carefully to all Shinichi said, the logicality of his new score and the changes to the notes and chords of the piece.

"What was that about puzzles?" Lebrecht suddenly asked in German, halfway through marking the newer notes for the violins.

"Puzzles?" Shinichi echoed in confusion but his face lit up with comprehension a moment after.

"Oh, the idea came from a friend of mine."

"Ahh," sighed his teacher, going back to his marks, "A female friend?"

Shinichi hummed in agreement but was glad his teacher left it at that. They went back to their work, speaking in between small pauses but while Shinichi's mind was on one thing only, his teacher had more serious thoughts in his head. Everything had to be perfect, thought Shinichi.

It was to be his big France debut after all. And she would be one of the first ones who saw it.


Shinichi was offered a break one though he tried to convince Lebrecht he didn't need one. His teacher persisted, insisting that Shinichi needs to spend time with loved ones instead of being stuck with the orchestra 24/7. That Monday morning, Shinichi woke up by the utter silence of the morning. He had never awoken at ten in the morning and though it was a nice change, he quickly found out that other than the orchestra, he really didn't have anything. He had slowly but surely left school as the farthest priority in his mind. So for that day, he had nothing to do. Not even Nodame was there to annoy him since she was practicing her piano at school and would probably be there until very late.

But this was thought too soon.

At around noon, Shinichi left for a stroll around France to enjoy her scenery and her people. Parisians are laid back folks and Shinichi felt at most peace here when the sun was high in the sky and the smell of coffee and tea were in the air. Unlike Japan, the sky was everywhere and birds, dogs, and other types of animals ran freely under the open clouds. After a very peaceful hour and a half, he made his way back home, far calmer than he'd been any of these days. By the end of the walk, he was very glad to have that day off.

That all changed the moment he stepped into his apartment.

"Shinichi, you're back! Hyan!"

"Mmm, I'm ba--" his sentence choked mid-way as he heard a soft moaning sound from his bedroom.

"What's that?" h e asked hesitantly, eyeing the bedroom with a great distaste.

"It's Potato!"

Shinichi's eye twitched violently.

"What?" he exclaimed incredulously, "What's a potato? Why's it moaning in my room?"

Nodame laughed, eyeing Shinichi with amusement/

"It's not a potato. That's it name, Potato."

Finally, Shinichi bolted into his bedroom to see two black eyes, brown wet fur, and a small snout staring happily at him from on top of his bed, revealing its identity as a brown macchiato dog.

"Isn't he cute?" Nodame sang, going to the animal and stroking it as Shinichi rubbed his face hard with his hand.

"Why is it on my bed?!" he yelled, glaring at both the young woman and the dog.

"Cause he likes it…" Nodame looked away instantly and Shinichi reacted almost automatically.

"Liar!" he shouted again, "Tell the truth!"

He took big strides toward her and stared down at her angrily.

"He—likes—your smell…"

Shinichi paused for a moment, his eye going berserk before he took a pillow and rammed it against her face.

"Gyabo!"

"Tell the truth," Shinichi insisted, climbing on her and holding the pillow above his head, threatening to smother her as she tried to get away. The dog started wagging its tail and barking happily to their side.

"Where did you get him?"

"Gift—" Nodame tussled.

"Why is the dog wet?" Shinichi asked her, making sure he pinned her down as to not let her escape.

"I just bathed him," she struggled against his weight, trying to wiggle out.

"Why is he on the bed?"

She stopped struggling and looked away, her face agonized.

"He was…drying himself," she whispered and shut her eyes, expecting his rage to cause major damage to the room. His face turned towards the dog as he climbed on top of Nodame's face and started wiggling his tail at Shinichi, sticking his tongue out at him in a cute sort of way. Shinichi sighed and got off her, running a hand through his hair. Nodame pushed the dog softly unto the bed and stared at him in surprise.

"Shinichi?"

"Why Potato?" Shinichi asked, eyeing the dog suspiciously, "He doesn't look anything like a potato."

"I thought you might dislike if I gave him your name," Nodame said embarrassedly, looking as Shinichi picked up the dog and checked its tag. He had been vaccinated and in perfect care, Shinichi could see. It was a baby still, big enough to hold him in one hand. He checked the tag again and the twitching returned.

"Potato Chiaki?" Shinichi deadpanned.

Nodame laughed nervously.

"He's our son…"

"Don't joke around!" Shinichi yelled, throwing the pillow at her head again.

"Gyabo!" Nodame cried.


The dog spend most of its time in his apartment, much like Nodame did. Shinichi had to admit that it was very cute and didn't cause any trouble. It was quick to potty train and always did its necessities inside its special pad or outside. Nodame fed it twice a day, a big healthy portion of her food when it was healthy or his dog food when she had something he couldn't eat. As far as the doggy went, he was very happy to be with them and especially got close to Shinichi. He often wondered why she had accepted such a responsibility but after that day, he rarely got a chance to see both Potato and Nodame.

Two weeks passed and Nodame got to see Shinichi less and less except for those times at dinner and the quick talks via texting. Even then, they ate mostly in silence and fell asleep right after. Even Shinichi was neglecting his hygiene with all the bustle of conducting his own, revised piece for the Orchestra. Most of his morning and afternoon was taken by the practices but she had hoped that during the night, they might get a chance to be together more. Sadly, Lebrecht had decided to steal her man away from her at night as well. Drinking parties served as the main points for most of the evenings the two men shared. Lebrecht wasn't at all interested in women it seemed and paid no attention to the crowd of interested women who tried to ambush him whenever he went. Though he was in his late forties, Lebrecht was still quite handsome with big blue eyes and deep blonde hair. Yet to Shinichi, there was something missing in this man. His passion for music was there, almost with an obsessive nature that Shinichi didn't think was healthy at all. When he drank, he muttered strange things to himself, to remember, his teacher muttered in a stupor. Drinking with him was quite different than with Stressemann.

. On the other hand, Nodame sunk herself deeper and deeper into her piano practice. With two Beethoven pieces under her belt, she could now move on to the final piece her teacher wanted her to learn. Yet, Nodame had a sinking feeling about it all. As if she was going under a great heavy piece of metal, drowning her with no way out. But now she was having the doubts that it wasn't the piano playing that caused her to be like this. Indeed, she felt better after playing and the exhaustion she felt afterwards was merely the emotions she had let out during her playing. She wanted to know what the root of the problem was but it seemed to be going farther and farther away.

Days became longer to Nodame. Potato was every bit of relief she needed. In reality, the puppy had served her to give her love to something and the dog both accepted it and gave it back. It was a way to have company since Shinichi was rarely home nowadays. Every day was packed with some lesson or another piece to learn. Piano became a burden to her but she continued because it called out to her. Like god, the sound of its keys called to her in a sweet symphony to which Nodame couldn't deny anymore. Yet the burden of having that single instrument under her like a thin wire she had to walk on to keep up with Shinichi became too much. The notes, which she couldn't properly read to begin with, blurred together, becoming nothing at all. Her fingers flew across the black and white keys, creating discordant melodies that echoed through the hall. Her confusion flew with the notes, clashing and colliding together.

After a heavy day of practice on her latest piece, her teacher sighed through the silence of the room and looked at Nodame wearily.

"That was a mess," she said, stern green eyes looking at her coldly, "Chopin's Ballade in G minor does not suit you, is that it? Or perhaps you're not putting your all into it?"

Nodame looked down upon her hands, large hands that overcame lots of difficult passages with ease. They were shaking slightly. Her eyes wanted to close already but her head kept pounding with the mantra she had, to keep him in her sight…to keep him there at her side…

"What do you plan to do Noda Megumi?" her teacher asked in one sigh, more to herself than to Nodame but it caught Nodame by total surprise.

What did she plan to do? Her face stunned, her hands stopped, shaking, and her heart skipped a beat. The words repeated around her, throwing her off balance. Why did she attend this school? Only for him, a nasty voice inside her head said nastily, only for a boy. But without him, with only just the piano, what did she plan to do? Her lips chapped and mouth dry, she realized she didn't know. She hadn't the slightest.

The professor's words kept echoing through her head. The lesson had long been over but the presence of uncertainty lingered on, like a bed smell she couldn't get rid of. The dark shadows overcame the small amount of light provided by the moonlight. She couldn't see the keys clearly anymore, not through the shadows, not through the tears.

She looked at the piano keys through the haze. She loved this instrument, even after the incident with the teacher. She passed her fingers over the keys, smooth to the touch. A single note rang through the air, loud and clear, without hesitation over what the note was. A tuned, lucid, perfect note. Nodame pressed her head against the cool keys and sighed, hoping to breath in its confidence.

"Guide me," she whispered, "please…"