YAY. Finally an update. So sorry if it was late.

I've been a bit depressed lately so it has been really encouraging to get reviews and emails telling me that this story has been 'favourited.' Thank you so much for the support up till now. I really appreciate it :D

DISCLAIMER: iRAYUMi does not own PoT, she owns the OCs

{ enjoy }


Kimiko paused at the current situation. They were in a sushi shop; Kawamura Sushi to be exact. The shop owned by Kawamura-senpai's family. She noted that everyone was enjoying themselves. They were all smiling and lauging. Kimiko, on the other hand, felt bad. She somehow felt guilty and couldn't bring herself to eat the sushi that was laid before her.

"Oi, chibi, aren't you eating?" asked Ron.

It was the first time she had heard her senpai's voice so clearly and it surprised her as to how gentle it was. She always pictured Ron to be a tomboyish person who spoke roughly and had no care for her external shell. She looked up and saw the dark brown eyes of her senpai. Smiling, she took a piece and placed it in her mouth with the chopsticks.

A satisfying smirk found its place on Kimiko's face as she chewed. It was really nice and chewy.

"Sushi is nice. What is this?" she pointed to the platter of pieces that she had just eaten with her chopsticks.

"That's unagi (A/N: unagi is Japanese for eel. I know it sounds weird but unagi sushi is really nice.) , chibi, don't tell me you've never eaten sushi before?" retorted an unimpressed Ami.

"Erm, no," and she shook her head ever so slightly.

This caused an immediate uproar. Everyone is the shop tried to force pieces of sushi into Kimiko's mouth and she just sat there, unmoving. Ryoko just laughed at her team's reaction. It was, after all, rare to see them enjoying themselves so much.

"Eh, this is annoying, even I, who is half-American has eaten sushi before!" exclaimed Ami, with a sense of annoyance in her voice.

"What about Echizen? He lived in America before this has also eaten sushi before!" exclaimed Horio, in that ever-annoying voice of his.

Kimiko just laughed but accepted all the sushi pieces laid before her. She ate piece after piece and piece and smiled in satisfaction. She tasted every single piece in fear of offending her senpai-tachi. However, when a certain piece reached her mouth and landed on her tongue, she grabbed the nearest cup. After gulping down its contents in a very un-ladylike manner, she exhaled and looked at the people who were in the shop with her.

"What was that?"

"I think I gave you one of my wasabi rolls, Kimi-chan," offered Fuji.

Kimiko could only glare at him, "Only Fuji-senpai is weird enough to like something like that."

Everyone else laughed but agreed that Fuji was indeed weird and, to quote Ami, 'mean' because he snuck the piece of sushi on Kimiko's platter.

"Ne, Kunimitsu, what do you think of our respective teams?" queried Ryoko, who cast a glance at Tezuka, smiling.

"Personally, I think that they will go far." Tezuka Kunimitsu was, after all, a man of very few words.

This was enough to assure Ryoko that Tezuka shared the same opinion with her. She smiled once more and had a sip of the green tea that was placed before her.

"Excuse me, sensei; thank you for taking care of my son all this while. Would you like a cup of sake?" offered Kawamura-san, the sushi shop owner and the father to Kawamura Takashi.

"I'm the buchou, Tezuka," said Tezuka, flatly refusing the offer.

This caused the second uproar that night and almost everyone burst into peals of laughter. Even people like Yuki, couldn't suppress her laughter so she resorted to chuckling. The usually lady-like Fumiko only hid her smile with the back of her hand.

Yuki checked her watch and gasped. Fuji saw this and asked, "Is there somewhere you need to be, Tanaka-san?"

Yuki nodded and got up, "Gomen ne, Minna-san. I have a major violin exam tomorrow and I need to practice." She could only look at the group with apologetic eyes.

"Aww, but it won't be as fun here without Yu-chan around!" Kikumaru pouted.

"Kikumaru-san has a point there, Yuki. Why don't you just practice here? I know you have your violin with you right now," Ryoko offered.

"Yes, yes, let's listen to Yu-chan's wonderful violin playing!" exclaimed Ai, excitedly.

"Eh, Tanaka-senpai has her violin with her? Since when did she get it?" queried Momoshiro.

"Didn't you know, Momo-baka? Fukubuchou always has her violin with her," retorted Ami.

"You are one dedicated girl ne, Tanaka-san. Why don't you play for us then?" Fuji smiled his usual sadistic one. It wasn't a question. She sighed and took out her violin and bow. Readying herself, she paused and looked at everyone. She noted that everyone was looking at her. Swallowing her nervousness, she placed her bow on her violin strings. Taking a deep breath, she started to play.

Everyone just basked in the moment. The playing was beautiful and tugged at heartstrings. Fumiko held back tears because she knew that Yuki's playing was soulful and melodious. Each and every person just froze, not a single sound was made because they wanted to listen to Yuki's brilliant playing. Even noisy ones like Momoshiro and Ai were both rendered speechless. Kimiko smiled but realized that her cheeks were partially wet.

'This is just like okaa-san's playing.'

Ryoma noticed this and wiped them with the handkerchief provided on the table. Kimiko acknowledged this with a small nod. Fuji saw this small exchange but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to take the picture that would forever archive the moment. He was too absorbed in Yuki's playing. For the first time in three years, he could feel the beautiful contrasts of Yuki's playing. Each and every feeling that Yuki conveyed could be felt by him. For the first time in three years, he realized that she even had feelings.

She looked up ever so slightly while she played and the first thing that she saw was Fuji. For the first time in three years, she saw Fuji interested in something. For the first time in three years, she saw Fuji's cold, plain demeanor melt. For the first time in three years she felt that Fuji too, had feelings. A spark in her heart told her to keep playing, even though she felt like she couldn't. Everyone's expectant faces screamed a thousand words in her head. How her head told her stop. She didn't want to. Because, for the first time, she knew she wouldn't be compared to Fuji, for the first time, she felt really good about something. She loved the feeling, she cherished the feeling. She stole another glance at Fuji's amazed face and smiled. It was one memory she was keeping forever.

Everyone clapped when Yuki was done playing and some even gave her a standing ovation. She bowed ever so slightly and readied her bow once more. She felt good. Calm, even. Seeing that she was going to wave her wand once more, hushed whispers fell throughout the restaurant. She played another tune, solely because she felt like it. A soft, joyous melody filled the restaurant and everyone felt uplifted by the beautiful playing.

Compliments then just showered in and she basked in the moment. It felt good, she knew, to be admired. Smiling, she accepted all the praises.

"Isn't that Pachelbel's Canon in D major?" asked Honoka, smiling.

"How did you know, Kugimiya-san?" enquired Yuki, her eyes widening, slightest bit surprised.

"I learn violin too," she smiled once more but added, almost blushing, "but I'm not as good as Tanaka-fukubuchou."

Kugimiya Honoka then smiled, pleasantly. She lifted the cup of green tea to her lips and sipped it. She then proceeded to eat the remaining food on her plate. To everyone present, she was radiating a lady-like aura. It made them speechless to see how graceful and elegant she could be with something as simple as drinking tea and eating sushi. It was a cold reminder to them that Honoka was, after all nobility. Being born into a rich and honorable family that had deep roots in Japanese nobility and connections everywhere meant that Honoka had to maintain her behavior at all times. Oblivious to the aura surrounding her (and the people who were staring at her eat, she continued with her food.

"Yuki-san, isn't Canon a simple piece? I mean, I would have expected someone like you to play a more difficult song, ne?" asked Fuji.

Everyone held their breath, anticipating an angry outburst from Yuki. None came. Not even a sarcastic retort was heard. Everyone was then puzzled. Yuki then smiled a very, very sweet smile. Ami held her breath. She, after all, was the one who often suffered the wrath of her fukubuchou and knew the triggers. She knew 'the smile'. What happened next really, really, shocked Ami.

"Oh, it's just because I like the song, Fuji-san."

"I see…"

Everyone was too shocked to say anything. Only Ryoko smirked and took a sip of her green tea. She sighed and looked at the direction of Fuji and Yuki. She after all, being Yuki's good friend, knew the effects music had on Yuki. Music always put Yuki in a calm, happy mood. Music was a way for Yuki to express her feelings and music was Yuki's pride and joy. Music was Yuki's only solace.

"That was, really good Yuki-san. It was almost as if I could feel your expressions," Fuji lamented.

Yuki felt a light pink dust itself on her cheeks and smiled, "thank you, Fuji-san."

Yuki, however, felt that her body had somehow betrayed her. After all, how could she, Tanaka Yuki, blush when complimented; especially when the one who complimented her was none other than Fuji Syuusuke, her rival. She slapped herself and sighed.

'Damn you, Fuji. I swear, you're the only one who can do this to me.'

Ron twiddled with the chopsticks in her hands and sighed. She did not feel like staying there but she knew how much fun Ai was having and couldn't bear to disappoint her by telling her that she wanted to leave. She did endure all Ai had to endure. She laughed with Ai, smiled with Ai, cried with Ai, wallow in depression with Ai. It was a twin thing after all. She had to bear the same pain as Ai. She had to always be with Ai because, according to Ai, that's what twins are supposed to do.

She sighed and smiled in the direction of Ai.

This time, I won't spoil your fun.

They left the restaurant reluctantly (in fact, Ai and Kikumaru had to be dragged out. So were Momoshiro and Ryoma because they wouldn't stop eating) and in anticipation of the next day.


{ review? }