An: I'm really having a hard time writing this in present tense. HAHA. I'm reverting this back to past tense and will rewrite the previous chapters. Sorry for the inconvenience but I will not change the story. Read on my friends~

Resound 4

4: Trumpets or Trombones

Behind closed doors no one would ever see the pain in her eyes nor feel the aching in her chest. What she had just witnessed was just a bad dream, and she would like to keep it that way.

She picked up her trumpet once more and tried to play a tune, but her lips would not permit her. They were shaking, trembling and she didn't know why. She took an inhale of breath, very deeply and long but still it didn't help. Her chest constantly contracts like it was running out of oxygen. And then, a soft sob escaped her lips as she fell onto her knees, in her arms- clutched strongly was her trumpet... her only comrade.

Reina wanted to stop whatever she was feeling that moment. Though it was not a foreign feeling, being alone, but she felt more empty than before. Was this all because of that stupid yet lovable brunette Kumiko? She bit her lip as it trembled more. "Kumiko, what have you done?"

Now, that the audition was finished, the practice have started.

As the last notes were strung and vibrated to an end, the students quickly packed up and gathered their stuffs as they head home from another tiring yet rejuvenating practice. But, before anything, each were given notes and pieces of instructions on how they would improve and that had set everyone to their paths home. So when Hazuki and Midori bid Kumiko goodbye, she knew that it would be another full day before she see her two best friends since the weekend was coming by.

Kumiko Oumae took her time in packing her euphonium, running a cloth on either sides before putting it back to its case. She hummed a tune from the orchestra piece as she did so, her fingers somewhat drumming like she was still playing her instrument. It took a while for her to finish as she stops every now and then when she had mistaken a note in her hand. She sighed. Kumiko was worried that she wouldn't have the piece done perfectly before the recital, as her teacher said, if she's not up to it, Asuka would be solely playing the euphonium part and that broke Kumiko's heart. She sighed for the nth time.

She was just about done when someone came up to her. She looked up, shock apparent in her eyes as the one person she whom she knew was avoiding her for the past two days was standing calmly in front of her. The same dark colored hair pushed back on her shoulders caught her attention. Without any thought, the name soon escaped the brunette's lips. "R-Reina"

The trumpet player folded her arms, a bit shyly, it was something off from her usual personality but Kumiko shrugged it off. Reina then bites her lip before smiling back at her. Cute. The euphonium player felt a rush of blood on her face and quickly averted her eyes back to her instrument.

"Hey, Kumiko. I've noticed Hazuki and Midori already left. Do you... want to head home together?" she said. Albeit confused, Kumiko slowly nods in agreement.

"Don't you have your bike with you?" Kumiko asked, she slowly closed the lid of her case and packs up her bag. Reina only smiled.

"I was hoping you would want to ride with me" Reina Kousaka simply stated and earned a shocked expression from Kumiko's face. "Though you might want to leave your euphonium for the weekend" The trumpet player chuckled at the reaction Kumiko gave. Without more words, she grab hold of Kumiko's hands and led the euphonium player outside the club room doors. Kumiko yelping "W-wait!"

She knew it was dangerous to double ride on the streets and they would definitely be reprimanded if they were caught but Kumiko was beginning to love where she was. The soft breeze was cold on her hair and cheeks that it sent momentary chills along her body. Yet, oddly, she was still warm because of how she held onto Reina's waist. She wondered why it felt perfectly normal to do this and to feel this warm just holding the trumpet player closely. It was so nice that she unconsciously snuggled the ebony haired girl, smelling her in the process as the wind caught the scent and brought it to her nose. It gave off a tingling sensation in her chest like she was excited at the same time scared like air was somehow constricted or scarce but she couldn't deny that she loved the jolting feeling it gave every time. Finding this extremely enjoyable, Kumiko smiled and settles quietly into her embrace.

At some point, she had unconciously listened to the trumpet player's breathing and found that it continuously calms her throughout the ride. But the sound of breathing had reminded Kumiko somethin, she thought back to the shared kiss she and Shuichi had. A hand leaves Reina's waist as she pressed a finger to her lips. Remembering the feeling of the shared moment. Right... how could she have forgotten that incident quickly, it was still unresolved up to now and it has been two days since it happened. Will everything be alright if she brought it up with Shuichi again?

Her thoughts were cut off when Reina spoke. "Does it bother you that much?" she softly said.

Kumiko, though hesitantly, looked up to meet Reina's gaze only briefly as the trumpet player turned her head back to the road. "What… do you mean?" the brunette asked quietly.

"I thought I have come to terms with it, but after two days it seems I can't" she felt Reina sigh.

"I don't understand..." the euphonium player encouraged.

"I won't lie to you Kumiko..." she turned the bike and stopped. Kumiko wondered why they had stopped only to realize that they were in the park. Abandoned by the people who have already gone home because the night sky had hovered before them. The surrounding was silent, hushed from the sounds of the cars that passed by. Only the trees and their leaves that rustled made such noise to disrupt the peace. Kumiko steped down the bike and Reina led her towards the swings placing her bike on the side.

The ebony haired girl motioned Kumiko to sit on the swing beside her, patting the dirt off of it before she let Kumiko sit down.

"Why here" Kumiko wonders to herself. She watched Reina closely, noticing how her hair fell and curtained her face, mesmerized by how the light touched her. Reina was utterly beautiful, everything about her seemed perfect to the brunette's eyes. She didn't understand, this pull she was feeling. Her hand itched to touch what's in front of her but she knew it was rude. So, she clutched the swing ropes in hopes to reprimanded herself not to. Not so soon, a thought even came to mind as she watches Reina purse her lips, What does it feel like? What would it taste like, Reina's kiss?

She was abruptly pulled from her fantasy when the trumpet player took in a deep breath and exhaled. It had seemed, to Kumiko, that something was weighing Reina. Her brows furrowed, curiosity and concern evident in her eyes. Their eyes met briefly before they both looked elsewhere, like they were both afraid to even look at each other or say something.

"You could tell me you know..." Kumiko stated. But as soon as it left her mouth she got nervous, more so when her companion did not respond. "If- If it's alright with you, I mean!" she quickly added. Reina chuckled lightly and turned to watch Kumiko momentarily. The trumpet player looks away, her purple eyes have somewhat found the dirt before her interesting. She was contemplating, Kumiko in the least knew that, so she waited and did not press further.

The silence was a bit deafening but it was only momentary. Kumiko gladly noted.

With a sigh, the ebony haired player gave in. "I saw you and Shuichi, that day on the stairwell to the rooftop"

"W-what … do you mean?" a million thought started to run on the brunette's head. The kiss, the reactions and the effect of what happened or what happens after jumbled in her head. She tightened the grip on the rope while she waits for the next words that will escape her companion's lips.

"It's not my business but it just continues to bug me to no end. I don't know why I'm feeling this and it scares me… Kumiko..." the brunette watched the trumpet player grip the ropes tighter as well, her knuckles whitened by the force exerted. "It keeps replaying in my mind like a nightmare and I want to wake up from it!"

Reina suddenly stood up and kneel down before Kumiko. She reached for the euphonium with trembling hands. At the contact, Kumiko felt the coldness of the trumpet player's hand on her cheeks. Cold hands that jolted her insides, Kumiko though, the irony of it being so cold out side and then warm in the inside. The swelling feeling in her chest began to produce more heat causing her cheeks to blush as Reina's hands continued to rest on her cheek. The hand then slowly,caressed her cheek with utmost gentleness.

"Reina" she gazed longingly back to lilac eyes. Reina averted her gaze and spoke.

"Sometimes. It made me wonder how would it feel like. How would they taste like?" her thumbs, agonizingly slow, moves to Kumiko's slightly opened lips, her words trailing off with the wind. Her fingers, slowly drawing along the lines of the chapped lips. Kumiko's breath hitches and her heart beat hammered against her fragile chest. What is happening? Why is Reina like this? These thoughts ran rampant in her mind.

"Isn't my confession enough truth?" Reina whispered as a tear slid down her porcelain skin. Kumiko felt a pang of guilt. Now she understood what was happening. Reina was confessing to her all over again. The trumpet player was putting her vulnerable heart before her once again. And she doesn't know why and how to handle it. The first time Reina confessed, on their way to the mountain, she compelled herself to pay no mind to it and just shrugs it off. Embedding in her mind that Reina was surely just joking but now she wasn't so sure anymore. She felt confused and scared. She realized that she wasn't ready to open her heart like this ebony haired girl did, or is doing right now. It was too much to take in, too much to comprehend. It was of like a repeat of Shuichi that night. Kumiko shook her head in hopes to clear it, even for just a moment. But she felt her heart tells otherwise…

She looks at Reina, lilac eyes glittered in the moonlight instantly mesmerizing her, then her eyes slowly looks down to the trumpet player's lips. She had been thinking about this all along and the opportunity presents itself to her so why was she thinking about something else entirely?

"Do you want to?" she spoke barely a whisper. Reina paused in her own thoughts and looked up to brown eyes. Looking at those big bright lilac eyes, Kumiko was drawn unknowingly closer to Reina. She felt Reina's soft breath touch her lip, their lips barely brushing. Kumiko closes her eyes to relish the events happening before her. She wanted to feel more, to understand what Reina wanted, needed. But she waited in silence, waiting in close proximity, with only her heartbeat rumbling in her ears. She waits for Reina's answer.

"I'm not sure" was Reina's reply. Kumiko gave an exhale of breath. The trumpet player lets her hand fall from Kumiko's face. She stood up and dusted her skirt.

"Reina. I don't want to hurt you" Kumiko grasped Reina's hand tightly in her own. The trumpet player only smiled sadly but made no move to detach herself.

"I apologize that I put you in this position. These things… along with the repeat auditions. I know it's unreasonable-" Reina rambled causing Kumiko to chuckle. The euphonium player stood up and faced Reina, faced the trumpet player that had only confessed to her a moment ago and held her in an embrace.

"I doesn't matter… you don't have to worry about me…" she comforted. "I… we just need time to figure things out I guess. I don't want to choose between you and Shuichi right now because you're both special to me. Hurting either of you isn't on my to do list today" she chuckled and the trumpet player laughed along with her.

"You are too kind… Kumiko…" Reina murmured to herself.

Kumiko flopped down on her bed with a sigh. The day was just too emotional for her. Her mind rack the answers to why Shuichi and Reina decided to confess their feelings for her. Sure, she understood Shuichi, he is a boy for christ sake and it was normal. They had been friends for so long already and they have rekindled those experience now. They have become more closer than normal. She felt something for him surely but she just wasn't so sure. As these thoughts ran in her mind she kept brushing her lips with her finger. Her mind bouncing back and forth to her kiss with Shuichi and her almost kiss with Reina. Reina. She did not expect the trumpet player's confession at all. Reina is a girl and she is a girl. It was not normal. It was so entirely different that it made her nervous because in herself she knew she felt something like what she was feeling for Shuichi. It's not normal. It was so foreign.

"It's not...normal to like a girl…" she said to herself, no, more like trying to convince her self.

-Beep- Her phone illuminated the dark room. She grabbed her phone from the night stand. She takes a glance to the screen and then to the clock; 9 pm.

"A text from Hazuki at this hour?"

From: Hazuki

Subject: Tomorrow

Let's go to the mall! Midori wanted to buy something :) Hope you're free

"Typical Hazuki and Midori" she smiled. She quickly typed up a reply and then settled in her bed.

Next: Sunday should be rest day, shouldn't it? But Kumiko finds herself in a mall.