HEYO, so if you don't read my other fanfic The Dark Tyrant's Eye you don't know this, that fic is going on hiatus so I can focus on The Maiden of Music. I know I put a notice last post but I wasn't 100% sure so I didn't say it in the other story for sure. Now, until I get a massive surge of ideas or I catch up to it I will be posting here only. Thank you for reading so far and as always, enjoy!
Rikka stood outside of her apartment, it was New Years Eve day. She was getting ready to go pick up her new, no FIRST uhm... boyfriend Yamato from his apartment a floor below her.
Eventually she built up enough courage and walked over to the elevator, moving down to his floor she walked up to his door. "Oh wait… I don't know what door he is…" She muttered to herself, slowly freaking out.
Door by door she read the names on the numbers, at last on the 4th door from the end read the name Tosada (とさだ). She raised a hand to knock and withdrew it, 'Wait… what if he isn't ready yet. I mean it's still early.'
Waiting for a minute she raised her hand again, finally she managed to lay a knock on the door. Only a few seconds later Yamato opened the door. "Oh… yeah hold on let me grab my keys and I'm ready to go. Come in, please." He waved her in.
Upon walking in and taking her shoes off she noticed that is was relatively clean. It was actually cleaner than her apartment… Her had a corner that could use some organizing but other than that it was pretty good looking.
Their apartments were identical. The living room, the bedroom, kitchen, short hallway and coat closet and spare room. He was in his room picking stuff up and putting some small objects in his pockets.
"Yamato, not to be uhm… intrusive but what did you do with your spare room? I just use it as a storage room since I live alone." She was standing in one place the whole time not moving mostly of embarrassment of being in his apartment.
"Oh the spare room, why don't you see for yourself?" He nodded and slipped on his jacket. Coming out of his room he motioned towards the door.
She eventually walked towards the door with hesitation. Slowly opening the door it was dark, searching the wall for a switch she found one.
With the flick of the switch she saw the room, it's black walls were padded with sound proofing, there was enough room for a whole band. In one corner was a full drum set and in the other corner sat a baby grand piano.
Rikka's eyes just kind of popped. There was a wall between them and the recording space, this room they were in wasn't that big actually and just fit the recording equipment and a chair.
In the actual recording room itself besides the two static objects there were a few mics on swing arms in there but not much room otherwise. Everything seemed a bit packed but at the same time she could tell it was just enough to be comfortable but not separated.
"My uh parents build recording studios for a living and they insisted that they build me one on the promise I won't stop playing music." He laughed a bit and looked at her.
She pointed at the door as a way of asking if she could go in and he nodded. She ran in the room and looked at all the equipment. It was actually smaller than most studios because it was in an apartment but it was also only for audio so no stage lights of backdrops were needed.
"Now I'm sorry to interrupt but aren't your parents expecting us? When we come back I'll let you explore some more, maybe I'll make a spare key or something if I'm not around when you want to come and practice." He adjusted a mic stand.
"Oh right… I have parents waiting for me… So sorry for intruding yes let's go." She scratched the back of her neck a bit. Moving out of the room in front of Yamato she waiting by the door as he closed up his house.
They eventually caught a train towards the outskirts of the city. Yamato looked at Rikka, they both blushed a bit and shook it, "So what are your parents like?" He eventually asked after about 10 minutes of silence.
"Huh? Oh uhm… well my Dad is really nice, he might seem a bit imposing but he is really soft actually. My mother is very, well loud I guess and loves to talk with my father. I guess you really have to meet them to find out." She smiled a bit thinking about her parents, she hadn't seen them in a bit.
Eventually they reached the station and hopped off. Her mother loved shopping in different towns every so often, so they had to live near the train station. Only a few minutes of walking and they were on front of their house, ever since she was born they moved into a condo a town over.
Apartment 906 was on the call sheet, Rikka pressed the button and heard a buzz. A small sounding voice came over the intercom, "Rikkan is that you!? Ah come on in!" The small voice cut out and the door lock clicked open.
Yamato moved a bit quicker and held the door open for Rikka, she blushed a bit and walked through. The elevator ride up to the 9th floor was quiet but peaceful.
All Yamato could think about was what her parents would be like, 'I mean she's not that tall and that must mean her parents aren't that tall but then what if only her mom is small I mean she sounded small and and and ah this is actually quite stressful… I mean we've only been dating a week or so and I'm cracking under pressure!' He was frantic in his mind but fine on the looked… really frantic.
Rikka looked at him and saw the slight nervousness on his face. "Hey, don't worry about it. My parents are manga artists and really easy going. I bet you my Dad will love you." She smiled, it was such a beautiful smile, almost as if the sun itself was in her smile.
His nervousness started to melt away, he looked at her and nodded. The elevator doors opened and as they walked out Rikka grabbed his hand. Walking up to door 906 she stood there for a second, "Ready?" She looked into his eyes.
He nodded and didn't respond vocally. To that she knocked on the door, from inside a man with a deep voice said, "Coming, just one second." and within a few seconds the door swung open to reveal a man much larger than Rikka.
"Rikka! Welcome home, please come in come in." He ushered them in and gave Rikka a hug. "So this is the boy you were telling me about? Hmm interesting, I'll talk with him later." He smiled a bit jokingly.
Around the corner came a red haired woman who was a bit shorter than Rikka, "Ah Rikka there you are! Oh you look wonderful, that grey hair of yours looks beautiful as always," She laughed a bit and gave her a hug. Her mom's head was a bit over her chin.
She let go of Rikka and turned to Yamato, "Ah and you must be Yamato. I've listened to some of the stuff Rikka has recorded during performance, you quite the musician." She smiled, a very motherly smile.
He blush a bit, "Ah hahaha no no no I'm just doing what I love, no need for the praise." Well he was telling the truth…
Yamato looked up at her father, he was really tall… like really tall. He put his hand out, "Nice to meet you sir, I am Yamato Tosada (とさだ やまと) very nice to meet you."
Her dad grabbed his hand, it was very rough yet not a strong grip. "Hmm Yamato… well nice to meet you as well. Please come and sit down, was the trip here nice?" He seemed very nice and a bit lofty at points.
They all moved from the front entrance to the main living room. It was relatively spacious with a nice TV in one corner and a table in the other corner. The main kotatsu was already set up with some small snacks and drinks, even before he got underneath the kotatsu he could feel the warmth.
Rikka slowly slid under the blanket. As she got closed to the center her legs touched Yamato's and she backed up quickly almost hitting her legs on the table top. She blushed a bit and moved back into the kotatsu.
Once she had settles in Yamato lightly touched Rikka's leg with his own and she jumped a bit, but then settles allowing him to touch her.
A minute or so later Rikka's mom came in, "I see you kids have settled, mind if I join you two? Nozaki will be here in a bit but he might not sit under the kotatsu. There'll be no leg room then!" She smiled almost as if saying her husband is just too tall.
Yamato tried laughing but failed and just started to drink the tea they had set out. On the TV there was Tokyo's New Year's parade going on, large floats, bands, and everything in between came through the parade.
At one point there was a pop singer that the TV reporter was really excited about, saying how her new album has sold over three million in Asia alone. Once they showed her though everyone at the table just had a slightly puzzled look on their face.
Eventually Rikka's dad spoke up, "Wait, who is that? I've never seen her face before…" He looked back expecting an answer. Everyone there just sat there puzzled, the crowd on TV knew who she was but they didn't.
"Well this is what we get for living in the world of Jazz and just about anything but. Not knowing who… well whoever that is." He pointed at the TV.
Everyone began to laugh, it wasn't just a chuckle it was a real laugh, they couldn't stop laughing. No one in the Sakura household knew who that was even though she is so popular. That just goes to show how much they love their own music.
Time passes quickly for them, Rikka and Yamato traded glances here and there but most of them weren't caught by her mom. Her dad was always writing in a notebook on things that passed by on the parade and minute by minute the parade eventually ended.
"Another New Year's parade comes to a close huh? Hmm I only got a few pages of notes." Her dad put the notebook next to him and scooted up to the table in his own blanket.
He looked at Yamato, "Ah yes, I guess she didn't tell you what I do for a living huh?" He laughed a bit. "Come on, follow me." he waved Yamato up as he left the room.
Following him down a hallway he opened the door at the very end of the house. It was dark when he opened it but after flicking a light switch his eyes popped.
The whole room was filled wall to wall with manga. It wasn't just manga in general actually, it was all shojo and romance manga, he couldn't believe someone would have this much manga in one place though.
"I started in high school, the manga was called 'Let's Fall In Love' at the time i was writing it solo and Sakura, Rikka's mom was my assistant. Near the end of my second year Rikka actually asked me out, I was really really dense back then and she pretty much had to spell it out by kissing me. Haha ah, well after that we renamed the manga and continued it, now we are the authors of 'Finding New Love' which is all about the main characters kids falling in love." He ran his fingers on the spines of the books.
"So you're a full mangaka? That's actually pretty cool, I know some friends who want to become mangaka's but wow I've never met a real one." He looked around at the books, and his desk.
"Now, I also asked you to see this to show you how much work I put into the stuff I create. I have hundreds of thousands of fans, I might even have millions outside of Japan, but I need to ask you something. I won't give you the 'don't break my daughter's heart' speech because if you two really feel the need to break up then I won't stand in your way…" He took a deep breath almost as if he had said the rest in one breath.
"But I will say this, I want you two to try as hard as you can. Sometimes you will hit a rough patch, maybe it's money, social issues, or just being in a mood. Yet even during those times I know you can be there for her, you already have been and you just didn't know it. This is pure love, not because you both are musicians, or you both live in the same apartment complex, but because you both loved each other before you knew the other loved you back." He laughed a bit, slowly he moved back to the door and clicked the light again.
"I want you two to take this relationship at your own speed, don't fall collapse under pressure, and most of all… make her happy, and make me proud. I'd love to call you my son-in-law one day." He smiled and stuck his hand out for a handshake.
Yamato blushed a bit at that last part but shook it off, "I will try as hard as possible sir, thank you so much for supporting us on this." He bowed almost as low as humanly possible without falling over.
Rikka's dad laughed, "Alright then, now let's get back to the ladies." He patted him on the back as they moved to living room again.
"Dad did you beat him up already?" Rikka had a bit of a frowny face.
Her dad put his hands in the air, "No no, I just showed him what I do for a living. I can't damage these hands you know, it's my living." He smiled like an American news anchor.
A slight shiver went down her spine, 'that was just a bit cringe worthy…'.
The night was almost over, "Are you going to stay up to see the sun rise?" Yamato looked out to the inky black night.
Her dad stroked his chin, "Hmmmm… I think Chiyo and I are going to go to bed, but if we end up staying up then I guess so be it. Well if you need me I'll be in my office." He stood up and grabbed his notebook walking away reading his notes over.
"Well you heard him, I've got something to do so I'll be there doing that." Her mother stood up and smiled as she walked out of the room, Yamato could have sworn she winked but he wasn't sure.
They were left alone again, this time in Rikka's parent's and childhood home. The air was a bit tense but eventually Yamato broke the tension. "I think I want to try and stay up till sunrise, will you join me?" He looked at Rikka, who he had been sitting right next to and when he turned his head her face was so close to his.
They blushed a bit and Rikka hid under the warm Kotatsu to stop him from seeing her this way. She poked her head out though to answer him, "Yes… I'd love to join you." As she hid back under the Kotatsu.
Yamato laughed a bit, laying on the tatami mat he lifted the blanket so he could see her. "Thank you, and come on out you look adorable when you blush." He smiled at her.
"Hmph, come under here, you're letting cold air in!" She grabbed the blanket and clamped it back down.
He slowly shuffled under the blanket of the Kotatsu to wait for the sunrise with his girlfriend…
Eyyy sorry I'm late, but to be fair I write longer now so it is to be expected! This story is about 5 ½ almost 6 pages long and that takes more than you think, so thank you if you are reading this right now and hold on till next time! (Might be a bit, not sure but when I update, you will see it! (I mean, because you followed me as your favorite author right? Well yeah of course, why wouldn't you! XD ) )
