In Which Kariya Plays a Violin (III)

one more part! let's enjoy the ride while it lasts!


Kariya expects to wake up by the sound of his alarm, and does not expect Nagumo to storm into his room and wail about hangover at four in the morning. Then again, Kariya remembers that he has set his alarm at exactly then, and feels so smug that his sides hurt.

He takes a long, hot bath, and dresses into his uniform. He finishes by seven and picks up his shoes. No one stops him because that's how he likes it: a practice in school before anyone else comes.

If it truly is a day of surprises, Kariya accepts it wholeheartedly. He has had the fun watching Nagumo writhe with headache and Suzuno drop on the ground and ask the sky for help because Nagumo is waking up the whole neighbourhood while Hiroto laughs it off.

He is more than surprised when he enters the empty school to see Kirino sit by the slope of the soccer field, reading his glued-on-his-hands book.

He struggles to greet the older boy. "Senpai," he says with a heavy voice, too manly for his age.

Kirino looks up in warning. "Kariya!" he gapes, the previous worry in his eyes disperses. "Why are you in school this early?"

"I'm used to hogging the music room in the morning." Kariya says, fighting with himself if he should sit by Kirino.

It doesn't seem to matter when Kirino stands up and walks up to his side. "How diligent! Can I come with you?"

"Whatever you want." Kariya says. "How about you, senpai? Why are you here?"

"The librarian used to let me in early to read books." Kirino lifts his book into view. "She hasn't arrived yet, so I'm just waiting. By the way, do you have the key for the room?"

"No, but I have my connection."

"Connection?"


"With the guard." Kirino repeats, still not believing his eyes even though Kariya is unlocking the door to the music room in front of him.

"I just appeared lost one morning and he told me I can ask him for anything."

"Does he have the key for the library too?"

"I bet you he does." Kariya pushes the sliding door. "Are you going to the library, then?"

Kirino seems to ponder this. After a while, he shakes his head. "I prefer watching you play." He adds, "And I don't want the librarian to think that I'm a burglar for sneaking in without her knowledge."

Kariya laughs, opening his violin case and setting up the score in front of him. Kirino opens up his book and sits on one chair, elbows on a table. Kirino tells him once that he keeps reading it over and over again because there are parts one simply should not leaf through. (There is also the thing about it being in English.)

Stopping before he lifts his bow, Kariya watches Kirino from the corner of his eyes, and Hikaru's voice echoes inside his head.

Invite him to watch your performance!

Kariya has an internal battle with a winged Hikaru in his mind, swatting the air around his ears.

When he does gulp and confront Kirino, the words get stuck in his throat fast.

"Kariya? What's wrong?"

"About the music competition this December..."

Kirino looks up. "What about it?"

"Are you coming?" Kariya shoots.

"Of course." Kirino declares.

Blinking his eyes, Kariya points at him, and then at himself. "You are?"

"Why would I want to miss it?" Kirino's eyebrows furrow. "This year is kinda easy. The timing doesn't clash with my plans. I had to run from the station last year to watch Shindou play for a Christmas event."

"You are really coming?" Kariya ensures.

"I am, I am! I usually went for Shindou, but now you are there too, Kariya." Kirino affirms, and then adds without a beat. "And Kageyama."

Kariya doesn't tell Kirino how grateful he is, and he never does, anyway. He decides to play his violin and hopes that Kirino will understand. (Kariya won't put that past him.)


No one says anything, but the two of them end up spending the following mornings in the music room, for weeks, and eventually a month or two. Hikaru is too busy with his own practice that he may not even notice. Kirino laments about Shindou being cold towards him due to the gradually shortening time.

Before he knows it, November ends and December begins. The competition will be held after two days and everyone is getting giddy, with the occasional ones passing out in either excitement or stress. Shindou barks at them to calm down and get a rest.

"Are you staying back again?" Kariya asks, zipping his violin case into close.

"Yeah. Sorry." Hikaru squeaks. "I'm still not ready for the day after tomorrow."

"I will wait for you." Kariya says, case slung over one arm.

Hikaru grins. "Go with Kirino-senpai." He tilts his head towards the direction where Shindou and Kirino are conversing. "It will calm my mind just a little."

Kariya never obeys, but seeing the bags under Hikaru's eyes just erases that one thing that defines him. "Don't stay too long."

"Sure thing!" Hikaru lies. Because he always does. He will be home so late that he will trip over a pebble in the dark. And Hikaru knows that Kariya will look at him and tell him what a liar he is.

Kariya turns around and heads towards Kirino, who quickly notices him and waves.

"Well, then. I will just be leaving, Shindou." Clapping his friend on the shoulder, Kirino steps back.

"See you tomorrow, Kirino." Shindou says in return, nodding at Kariya.

They exit the music room and look back at each of their friends. Hikaru has already gotten into position and forgotten all that is his surrounding; Shindou sits in front of his piano, breathes, and presses the keys. They shudder at the intensity and turn their attention to each other.

"I would think you are the type to stay, Kariya."

"I have a curfew."

"Really? Until when?" Kirino suddenly leans down, peering at him through his bangs.

"Uh, six...?" Kariya equips carefully. "Or seven. It depends on the mood."

"That's about two hours away." Kirino fondles his chin, looking deep in thought.

"Actually, if you want to be exact, it's one hour and forty-five minutes." Kariya corrects.

"Does anyone ever try to be exact?" Kirino puts out a hand. "What do you think of going Christmas shopping now?"

Kariya checks out the thickness of his wallet through his uniform. "I may owe Hitomiko-san a card."

"Should we buy matching sweaters?"

"That's for girls and couples." Kariya sticks out his tongue in disgust.

Kirino stops walking for a moment. "And we are none of those, aren't we?" He ruffles Kariya's hair. "We should still buy them, though."

"And your reason is?" Kariya swats the hand away.

"Matching sweaters usually cost less than when buying two different ones." Kirino replies, leaping in his steps.

Kariya can't help but give a grin at Kirino's wide, brotherly smile.


Kariya spends the whole walk back home cursing Kirino and his horrible taste of fashion. Sure, matching sweaters they buy, but with the worst patterns and most hideous colours that are blindingly ugly and outstanding in a bad way. It's in a sale as well, so the low price must have forced Kirino into thinking how wonderful they look.

Kariya slaps his cheeks and lets himself think of the good part. At least he has bought the whole Sun Garden gang each a Christmas card! He gets some aspirins for Nagumo, too, because the man has a habit of drowning in alcohol during the annual party. (Or maybe for Suzuno, for Kariya knows how tiring it actually is to deal with the flame-haired man.)

He veers a bit from the curfew, and Hitomiko asks him not to do it again.


"I didn't know you have Kirino-senpai's number."

Kariya looks at Hikaru, clamping a straw between his teeth. "I don't."

"But you have his number, look." Hikaru shows him the screen of his phone, where Kirino Ranmaru is listed with all the other few contacts.

"I let you borrow my phone because you forgot yours." Kariya snatches it back, scrolling through the list. "I thought we agreed not to invade each other's privacy?"

"I have my Mum's number saved there for emergency!" Hikaru huffs, climbing Kariya's lap to grab the phone. "How did you get his number, though?"

"I don't know." Kariya stares at the name. Kirino Ranmaru. Kirino Ranmaru. Kirino Ranmaru. Kirino. Ranmaru. "How did I get his number?"

"I was asking you that." Hikaru points out, sighing. "Let me call my Mum, Kariya. We will mull over this again later."

That's what they do. When Hikaru returns his phone onto Kariya's hand, they begin pulling conclusions.

"You went Christmas shopping with him." Hikaru repeats, word by word.

"Kind of. He got us a really bad pair of sweaters."

Hikaru's eyes are drilling into him. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I can't possibly tell you that I bought a gift for you, too, can I?"

"You just did."

"Forget the last ten seconds of your life. Now."

"It's okay. I bought you something, too."

"Now forget the last thirteen years of your life."

"The thing is," Hikaru is an expert at ignoring Kariya's hostile advances. Hiroto claims that he has a Doctorate in it, "he must have entered his contact information into your phone when you didn't notice."

"Why does everyone feel the need to invade into my life?" Kariya buries his head in his arms.


"I told you I was putting in my number yesterday." Kirino answers once they see him in front of the music room after school.

"When?" Kariya stares openmouthed at him.

"When you went through the cards."

Kariya throws a hand over Kirino's mouth, glaring at both the older boy and Hikaru. "Erase your memory of this conversation."

"Kariya," Hikaru sighs, "I got you a phone strap."

"That's for girls!" Kariya blanches. "I got you a really manly t-shirt!"

"It just has a car print on it. And the car I mean is the one from Cars." Kirino pipes in, arm wrestling with Kariya's against his face.

"Kariya! Kageyama! Practice is starting!" Shindou barks.

The two boys scurry inside.

"You can call me whenever." Kirino whispers. "And good luck for tomorrow, people!" he says this one aloud, to the cheers of the students in the room.


Aphrodi stops by his room before he leaves Sun Garden. Kariya doesn't know him that well, except that he constantly goes to Korea, only to go back to Japan for a few weeks, or even several days. When asked, he will give a long-winded explanation of his job, but Kariya never bothers to unravel the real job title. He visits a lot when he is in Japan, so Kariya is used to seeing him around.

"Kariya-kun, can I talk to you?"

Kariya gestures to the carpet, taking his seat in front of the older man.

"I hope to see the best of you tomorrow." Aphrodi smiles.

Kariya smirks back at him, and then blinks. "You're coming to see the competition?"

"They say they are. I'm just tagging along." Aphrodi points at the direction of the dining room. Kariya doesn't need to see who he means. Aphrodi pats his shoulder and says sagely, "I believe you can do it."

If there isn't any pressure before, Kariya is totally pressured now. The moment Aphrodi leaves his room with a wink, he jumps onto a swivel chair and mourns his confidence.

"I'm so going to mess up." He hugs his legs on his chest. "I will mess it all up."

"You can call me whenever."

"I'm not calling you." Kariya throws his phone onto his pillow. What can Kirino say, anyway? He will just say the same old thing as everyone else does. You can do it! He can't. You are the best! He isn't. Hikaru is. Hikaru is always better than him. You are better than Hikaru! No.

Sleep comes no easier than doubt.