Keeichi's Strawberry Handkerchief
Keiichi truly hated himself for all the grief he caused her. He hated how the media portrayed his beloved Kahoko as an adulteress. How could one person who love someone so much cause them so much pain. Shimizu Keiichi carried the burden of guilt for the past year which was now slowly and softly killing him.
Everywhere he seemed to look there where tabloids about the scandalous "Scarlet Violinist" which was what the media dubbed her. Everywhere he looked she was the target of their resentment. The media tried to depict her as the cause of the failure of Japan's most beloved couple. As he turned the t.v. on the news was having a field day with Kahoko as she left her husband. They even had the audacity to tape her with a hidden camera as she walked out the door. But that wasn't even the tip of the ice burg. To everyone's surprise she didn't leave him for the man she was having an "alleged" affair with, no she left him for her husband's best friend.
He always thought of her senpai as such a strong woman. She persevered against all obstacles. She held her head high no matter how hard it was. Kahoko's strength was always unwavering even when she was under the rumors from the foul mouths from putrid minds. This strength plus beauty, talent and heart where the reasons why he loved her. It was unfair how the media created a scandal just to sell a few measly magazines. They took something so beautiful and turned it into something so ugly. They made their friendship into an "affair of the cords." But in reality all lies did originate from a truth. It was understandable how people could misinterpret their occasional get together into dates. It was also understandable how people could misinterpret their conversations into something much more than idle chitchat. It was also understandable how people could construe holding hands as a sign of the damning evidence of their torrid affair.
But what wasn't understandable were the misinterpretations, for the misinterpretations led the misunderstandings which ultimately led to the break up of his engagement and Kaho-senpai's on going divorce from her husband. Clearly if there was anyone to blame it would be the media and not Kaho-senpai. But not all responsibility though should fall upon the media for after all; all lies really did originate from the truth. Maybe it was one sided. Maybe Kaho-senpai wouldn't admit to it. Maybe he was now the only one doing the misinterpretations but could what they have shared together really mean something more. They've never actually did anything wrong but than again didn't the bible say "thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife." Covet means to even think about it. You shall not even think about yearning for somebody else's wife. It was a good thing he wasn't Catholic…
He couldn't really couldn't comprehend the predicament he was in. A predicament that was a cliché since the dawn of man, one heart that loved two. There were two things that were important for Shimizu Keiichi: Her and his music. His heart sincerely loved one woman yet his music called for another.
(Flashback)
"Stop it! Just stop it!" Kahoko adamantly said."But Kaho-senpai." Keiichi objected.
"It doesn't matter. No matter how we try to defend ourselves they'd only twist our words and add more fuel to the fire." Kahoko calmly explained. "We could hold a press conference and….." Keiichi suggested but was cut off when Kahoko spoke again.
"Do you love your fiancée? Fuyumi-chan seems to really love you. Kahoko said sadly. Keeichi couldn't understand what she meant by that. As he looked into Kahoko's eyes he was surprise at how her eyes seemed to be so soulful. He wondered when her eyes had changed from its once gentle form "If she loves you than she has to trust you…… she continued. Keeichi could see the damage the gossip where doing to his precious senpai and all he could do was hold her hand and try to comfort her.
(end)
Although classical musicians are not the main target of the media there was something special about the "Scarlet Violinist". For one she married a disowned son of a Yunoki. In the Japanese market today the Yunoki name still held power and the fact that she eloped and married him is when the media's curiosity immerged. At first they viewed her as a helpless romantic with an immense potential for greatness in the music world. But later on the tool that made her popular ironically was the same thing that was trying to destroy her.
The truth was no matter how talented Kahoko was something wasn't right. She immediately gained popularity after her marriage with Yunoki and after her moments in the pedestal she came crashing down. It was almost… planned…
By marrying Yunoki, Azuma she made a lot of enemies with the Yunoki family and a lot more with Yunoki's prospective wives. It wouldn't really surprise Keiichi if they had a hand with the said scandal. After all her enemies were rich and rich enough to do anything they pleased.
A year after the whole scandal for some reason Kaho-senpai still managed to hold her head high. As a talented musician the rumors really did little effect in her career for after all Kaho-senpai's music seems to transcend beyond reason. Her music was pure, untainted and no matter how others try hard to corrupt her, her music overcomes all hindrances. In the end the same tool that tried to destroy her was the same tool that made her stronger. All publicity is good publicity even the negative ones…
Even after combating the scandal to everyone's surprise including his, she remained in contact with him. He remembered watching her first interview before her first concert her reasoning was simple… "Keiichi-kouhai and I have never done anything that should be considered depraved. The rumors where simply rumors if I end my friendship all because of a simple gossip caused by some bored mind than a lot of relationships by that standard should end as well. As to your question why we publicly go out? We don't publicly go out it just so happens paparazzis publicize our meetings. So why don't we meet secretly because if we would meet in secrecy than that'll only prove we have something to hide. Perhaps it is better that paparazzis film us, that way the public knows we've never bordered on impropriety." At the young age of twenty-one she already had the perception of a thousand year old, her insight about life may be a little obscure but accurate nevertheless.
As Keiichi took the handkerchief from his pocket he reminisced the time he coincidentally met Hihara-senpai, Yunoki-senpai, Kaho-senpai along with "their" son at the park. As he was merely passing by they asked him to take a picture of them. Thinking back whenever he came to their house and saw that picture he always felt a bit perplexed of his Hihara-senpai for he shared something with them that he couldn't possibly have. Hihara-senpai had the love of Kahoko, her son and the respect of Yunoki-senpai. They thought the world of him which was a wonder to him how Yunoki could allow her wife's son's father into their lives. Sure they were best friends but isn't that all the more reason to get Kaho-senpai away from Hihara-senpai.
It was no surprise to Keiichi that it was Hihara-senpai who answered the phone when he called. Not more than a day and he was already invading her privacy Keiichi thought. All Keiichi really wanted to ask was how she was doing… All Keiichi wanted to know was if she was alright and yet he was replied with a harsh tone and was reprimanded for calling late. The reason for such negative relations with Hihara-senpai was simple: Hihara-senpai blames him for his best friends failed marriage. But…
Couldn't Hihara-senpai see what he was doing to that family? Than again he was a man who always had a problem with boundaries. He was a man that was always friendly sometimes too friendly…
Every time that Hihara-senpai would call Kaho-senpai Kaho-chan he could see it made Yunoki-senpai flinch. Of course he reacts the same when he would call Kahoko Kaho-senpai but still… It was different with Hihara-senpai. Hihara-senpai was always there. He worked for Yunoki-senpai. He was their kid's Godfather so he got mixed in both their professional as well as personal lives. He even acts to a point that he was the child's father…. Could it have been possible? Could he be…? Since Kaho-senpai gave birth six months after their wedding than it could be plausible that Hihara-senpai is Kazu's father for after all they did name the child after him. If so than Yunoki is a better man than he thought.
(Flashback One Year ago)
"Kazuki-senpai could you not move around a bit. Kazuki don't forget to smile. Azuma let's change places…" While Kaho-senpai's voice gave instructions on how to choreograph the perfect picture Keiichi wondered how long it'll take him to take their picture. He wondered if they'd ask to take his picture with them afterwards. Keeichi was never an egoistical man nor a narcissistic man but somewhere deep inside he wondered if his Kaho-senpai thought of him as significant in life the way he thinks of Hihara-senpai. "Kaho-senpai!" Keiichi said which interrupted the woman's fussiness. "Let me just move backward." Keiichi slowly said. He had too much tact to say "it was taking them too long to change their positions so that they'd fit in the frame. Unfortunately being inept as he was in the surroundings while he took the shot "click" he was caught off balance and ended up falling on a rose bush.
Thankfully he wasn't hurt much. It was a good thing he wore a suit that protected him from the thorns. He was however surprised at how his Kaho-senpai immediately rushed in his aid. "daijoubou? / are you ok?" Yunoki-senpai asked. Keiichi didn't even have the chance to reply when Kaho-senpai promptly took his left hand that's when he noticed the blood coming from the slight cut. He watched his Kaho-senpai bandaged the wound using her strawberry handkerchief. While their hands touch he couldn't help but think how her hands were so soft and caring. It's no wonder how these same hands could produce such breathtaking music for after all these same hands came from a wonderful heart. "I'm… alright…" Keiichi tried to protest he was replied by Kaho-senpai's concerned eyes.
"You play with these hands, right?" Kaho-senpai said. Keiichi only nodded. "Than you should take care of them, someone once told me the same thing." Kaho-senpai said with such concern in her voice yet at the same time had a hint of uneasiness. It was than that he knew those words had deeper meaning than what they could possibly understand. "I'll just wash the handkerchief before I return it to you." Keiichi said. "No, Keep it." Kaho-senpai said. "This was given to me by someone special, now I'm giving it to you." Kaho-senpai whispered.
(end flashback)
He didn't understand why he brought a rose after all there was a rose bush just behind him. There was a slight chance that she'd think he simply picked it. There he stood in exactly the same place where he once stood a little over a year ago. His eyes affixed even though a little drowsy from the lack of sleep. For the past few days he somehow ended up having insomnia but this time his music couldn't be blame as the cause. No, it was her. It was her answer that kept him awake all those nights….
"I don't need an answer right now… I don't even need you to say anything just meet me at the park. Meet me where the roses flourish three days from now at four in the afternoon. Whether you come or not I'll take it as your answer." That's all there was to it… and now he remained standing as he waited for her…
Author's Note:
Why did I do this? Why did I break the engagement of Shimizu and Fuyumi because I'm pure evil that's why besides I really don't like that pairing "please don't kill me" but don't worry nothing is written in stone YET who knows maybe they still have a chance. "maybe"
Oh this is actually the reason why I changed the title to Concours and Strawberries because I'm going to do a chapter of Fuyumi's side…… It used to be (Kaho's lovers)
Another thing before you truly kill me. Read it again. If you haven't notice anything after reading it for the second time than let me tell you this especially the last chapter. The way I made Keeichi talk about Kaho is by adoration it's mostly ambiguous. I want you guys to read between the lines.
Readers you probably already know that Kazuki's not the daddy. For those who don't, go back to Kazuki's chapter and oh don't forget to review
Oh by the way who gave Kahoko the handkerchief she gave to Keeichi?
Hehehehe NO! It's not Len. Len used his tie remember? Hehehehe
Sorry for the long update I found Keiichi the hardest to write about not much is known about this alien hehehe…..
Also I'm having technical problems with my computer all though I've finished two chapters I still have to type them. I'll probably rent a computer or something the problem is I type so slowly hahaha….
Thank you to Anime Addict787, Aviane13 for your reviews especially to midorihimesama and The Last Vampire 1982. If it wasn't for midorihimesama and Thelastvampire1982's private messages and reviews I would've probably abandon this fic hahahaha….
Aviane 13 thanks for the spell check of daijoubu
And to Anime addict with Keiichi hehehe Japanese names are so hard to spell hehehe and Tsuchiura…
Stay tune next chapter TSUCHIURA!!
Read and Review….