October 2008

Two bodies were locked in a rapturous embrace under the many layers that secured their need for intimacy. Youthful passion was momentarily spent and its blissful players were basking in its afterglow in a state of complete contentment.

A mop of light brown hair emerged from under the bedclothes and spoke. "Are you happy... senpai..."

"I suppose..." Her partner was not comfortable, at the best of times, with introspection. However, at that moment all felt right with the world. "Shouldn't you stop calling me senpai now that..."

"Sorry... Nodam will try to remember that you are now 'husband'."

"What about you, Nodame... are you... happy?" Shinichi asked uncertainly.

"Nodame is Queen of the World."

"Really?" Her husband asked both puzzled and amused.

"Nodame is now the wife of Shinichi. Officially two weeks three days. Why wouldn't she be Queen of the World?"

Shinichi smiled and moved his wife of two weeks three days closer to him and fondled her hair. I gather that means 'yes'.

"Does this mean that I'm King of the World?" He inquired.

"Of course, the Queen cannot make music or babies alone."

"Babies?"

"Yeah... lots of them... little Shinichis and Megumis..." She applauded delightedly.

"We can think about that later when you've finished with your studies. To bring children into the world right now... would be..." Shinichi hesitated searching for the right words.

"Would be... what?"

"Would be impetuous..."

"You don't want children?" Nodame gave her husband a look of incredulity.

"I didn't say that... All I'm saying is that I don't want them now... while we're both still trying to establish ourselves professionally."

Nodame had fallen eerily silent and he felt a pang of guilt as he glanced at her disappointed pout.

"Nodame... I didn't know that having children meant that much to you."

"I just thought... you had accepted me... completely"

"I did... I do... but this has nothing to do with that. I just don't think its convenient... the timing isn't right."

"When will the timing be right?" Nodame asked with more than a note of irony.

"I don't know... in a few years... perhaps..."

"In a few years! I'll be an old woman then."

"You'll be about thirty... hardly an old woman... I thought you wanted a career... don't you want a career first..."

"Well, yes... maybe... but... to have your children, Shinichi... that would be better than any career. Imagine, the two of us creating a dynasty of musicians..."

"Dynasty of musicians?" Good lord, what is she on about? "How many children are you thinking about having?" The young husband was taken aback.

"As many as possible... eight, nine... ten maybe... We could have our own orchestra. The Chiaki Family Players." Nodame was warming to her subject.

"Don't be ridiculous... ten children!"

"Don't worry, husband... with our talent combined, it's pretty much guaranteed that they'll all be geniuses anyway."

"Stop daydreaming... it's easier said than done... Raising one child is hard enough... ten is going to be virtually impossible!" Chiaki protested envisaging a zoo of little Nodames littering the place while he picked up after them. "Anyway, what about us... are we going to have any time together if we have that many children?"

"Oh is that what you worried about?" Nodame appeared relieved and winked mischievously. "Nodame is always available to husband on demand. Anytime, anywhere." She added as she moved seductively towards his lips and lightly touched them. "Like right now..."

"I'm not worried..." He murmured breathlessly before succumbing to charms of the woman who was ready to begin building a dynasty with him.

I'm sure he'll change his mind... When it happens... He'll be a great father... I just know it...


November 2008

She was eavesdropping... she didn't mean to... but she had stumbled onto a heated discussion that would normally have been held elsewhere. Instinctively, she knew that she was not meant to be a part of this conversation and wisely stopped herself from turning the door knob.

"It's a great opportunity, Chiaki... it'll be crazy to throw it away."

"I know... but I can't leave her here for three months by herself..."

"Something like doesn't come all the time... you have to take it. I'm sure Nodame will understand."

"But she'll be graduating in a few months, I need to be here for her."

"Look, you need to think about your career Chiaki. Someone needs to. That girl is too dependent on you and she's going to hold you back."

"I'm married to her, for crying out loud, Karl... what do you want me to do... just leave her behind whenever there's a job offer in the wind? It's not just about me now... I have someone else to consider as well."

"It's only for three months and it could lead to other things. You never know. Three months with the LSO. Think about it okay."

"Alright, alright... let me think about it. I'll talk to Nodame about when she gets back from school."

"Don't wait too long... Chiaki... You know the proverb, 'Make hay while the sun shines'."


She waited for him to broach the subject all evening but they were both strangely quiet. The atmosphere was pregnant with apprehension but finally when she couldn't handle it anymore, she broke the silence.

"So why was Karl here today? Don't you usually go to his office?"

"Yeah... well, something important came up..."

"Oh yeah... something that Nodame needs to know about?"

"Well, I've been offered a three month contract with the London Symphony Orchestra."

"That's fantastic... so why so glum..." Nodame asked with more enthusiasm than she felt. She knew why. Frankly she hated the perception (apparent or real) that it was she who was holding him back.

"You'll be completing your final exams in the next few months... I don't feel right leaving you here all by yourself."

Nodame had a flair for the theatrical and on this occasion she pulled out all the stops. Instinctively she flew into a rage and waved her finger accusingly.

"Mukiyaaaaaa... What do you think I am? Don't you think Nodame can manage without you? Don't hide behind Nodame's skirt if you're too chicken to be a man and follow your dreams." She was a woman on a mission and her improvisational skills were at their peak.

Chiaki was astounded. "You want me to go?" He asked disbelievingly.

Nodame struck her best school marm pose. "I don't want you to have any regrets, that's all. And blame me in forty years that I held you back."

"Are you sure?" Chiaki was still bewildered

"Are you... that's more the point... What do you want to do?"

"Well, I would like to go if you're agreeable. Karl said that one of their board members heard me conduct the Roux-Marlet last month and was quite impressed. He thinks it could lead to other things in the future. But if you don't want me to go, it's fine with me."

"Of course I'll miss you, husband, but three months will fly by quickly enough and once I graduate, I can join you in England." Nodame had switched to her "good wife" mode.

"You seem very reasonable and rational about it all. You're not trying to get rid of me for some reason, are you?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"Not a chance... after finally becoming senpai's official wife. Anyway, Nodame is always reasonable and rational."

"Whatever..." Chiaki remarked skeptically. "Are you sure about this?" He looked at her uncertainly. "Just the other day you were talking about having children and well, I thought..."

"Children can wait." She brushed him off. "Just go... before Nodame becomes unreasonable and irrational." Her tone of voice suggested that for her, at least, the subject had come to an end. She turned to face the piano and strode briskly towards it. "Enough talking. Now Nodame wants to practice." It was the perfect dodge... the perfect way to hide the tears.

Am I going to lose him... Maybe not now, or in three months but one day... But I don't want to be the one who holds him back.

Nodame only wants to be the perfect wife. Yes... the perfect wife... to support Shinichi... to help him become the greatest conductor in the world.

Sipping a glass of red, her husband was watching her out of the corner of his eye. Apart from the initial outburst, she was unusually composed and seemed to be in command of her faculties. She was displaying a rare streak of level-headedness.

She's handling this rather well... too well... Maybe I was wrong about her... maybe she doesn't need me as much as I thought...

I should be relieved but that was too easy... too easy for my liking.