Chapter 9: The secret to my Heart?

Ryoma held Kaori in his arm while she slept on him. He brought his hand up placing it on her head rubbing it gently as he stared at her. She looked so innocent and beautiful in her sleep, not that she wasn't when she was awake but there was something extra gentle about her when she slept. He couldn't help but wonder what would he have had been doing that very moment if his parent's were alive and he was still back at Kyoto. The more he tried to think about the events that took place the more those thoughts drifted off to the back of his mind. It's probably because as bad as it was some where in his mind he knew that if it wasn't for those events he wouldn't have seen Ayane again, he wouldn't have even known he had a little cousin. He wouldn't have met Tsubaki, Kosei, and Watari. But even more than that he wouldn't have met Kaori that Monday morning. He wouldn't have had heard or even seen her play the violin the way she did. And the more he thought about all of that the more conflicted he felt. One minute he's completely torn about the loss of his parents but the next minute he was kinda glad... glad because he got to meet Kaori. Glad because he got to kiss her soft lips. He was starting to think that she was worth all the losses that he suffered, that maybe she was worth all the pain. Maybe the secret to beating that lingering pain of his heart was Kaori? He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm tightly around her holding her close. The sudden squeeze caused her to open her eyes but was instantly over come by the relaxing sensation of being held, she gave his hand a squeeze before closing her eyes and drifting off again. The two slept soundly together in the grass of that park. But as an hour or so passed the park began to fill with people and children who had been brought by they're parents to play. The two awoke. Ryoma opened his eyes and looked up to the sky. Kaori opened her eyes and looked at her hand which was still holding his.

(Ryoma) "So much for being alone huh... ?"

(Kaori) "It was long enough, i'm... i'm happy. besides this is a park for everyone you know"

(Ryoma) "Yeah, yeah i know. So, ready to go home?"

Before Kaori could respond two little boys and a little girl that were playing ran by the two when the little girl falls and begins to cry. Kaori gets up off of Ryoma letting go of his hand and tends to the girl lovingly as Ryoma just watched. The mother and father of the children approached as Kaori explained the situation. The parents attempted to cheer up the girl but she continued to cry. Ryoma sat up and just scratched the back of his head uncertain of what to do about the whole situation when Kaori pulled her violin from it's case. The other children and the crying girl all looked at her and so did the parents. She climbed a top of a nearby white playground dome that had an entrance and holes on it for children to play in. Ryoma looked at her as the two locked eyes, she smiled deeply at him, slowly she closed her eyes and began to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". The little girl instantly stopped crying as her face shifted to a big happy expression and she started to sway to the music. The two little boys looked at each other and started to sway too. The husband wrapped his right arm around his wife as the two listened to the beautiful sounds coming from Kaori's violin. Ryoma just watched her play, the way she moved as she played each note the way she held the violin firmly. For some reason as she continued to play his heart began to race, he placed his right hand against his chest but not for a moment did he stop looking at her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, she saw him watching her so intently it just made her blush lightly as she closed her eyes again continuing to play. The parents noticed this and whispered among'st each other as the wife giggled. The only thing he could see or hear was Kaori, nothing else existed in that moment. Eventually she finished playing and opened her eyes. Ryoma moved his hand from his chest and dropped it onto his lap. The children ran up to the dome excitedly laughing, clapping, and happily jumping up and down. The parents clapped at her performance. Kaori bowed at the parents and kids before hopping down from the dome. The children hugged her and she hugged them back. They told her about how great her music was and how'd they would love to hear her play again some day. The little girl even told Kaori that when she grew up she wanted to play the violin just like her. The parents thanked Kaori for the help and her great performance before then leaving the park. Kaori stuffed her violin back in it's case and sat back down beside Ryoma.

(Ryoma) "I... could sit here and watch you play your violin all day. Every time you've played it so far the only thing that i could see or even hear is you. It's like all of time stops around me and you and i are the only people in the world and, i just... i love that Kaori, i love it so much"

(Kaori) -She laughed sweetly as she leaned closer placing her head on his right shoulder- "You know it's funny because i... i really enjoy playing for you" -While her head rested on his shoulder she tilted it up a bit to look up at him-

(Ryoma) -he looked down and into her eyes a moment bringing his left hand over placing it on her right cheek caressing it using his left thumb to rub her cheek-

(Kaori) -She closed her eyes a moment as he placed his hand on her cheek before opening them again bringing her right hand up to his left cheek caressing it the same way a big smile slowly forming along her tiny pink lips-

Moments later her phone began to vibrate. Kaori pulled out her phone flipping it open. Ryoma placed his head on her left shoulder and closed his eyes. Kaori took his right hand in her left hand and answered her phone.

(Kaori) "Yeah i'm okay i didn't mean to worry you mom, I finally decided to go to the park today. No, no i'm not alone I'm with a friend i met today. He's never tried canele's i was actually going to bring him by the shop but we stopped by the park a while. Yeah i guess it is getting dark, we'll head there now. -she laughed- Mom i'm fine really. Okay bye, i love you too" -she slid her phone back into her right skirt pocket before leaning her head onto Ryoma's head-

(Ryoma) "Your mom... she seems to really care about you. It's nice" -he squeezed her hand a bit tighter-

(Kaori) -she laughed a bit- "Yeah my parents worry a little too much you know? but... yeah it really is nice" -she squeezed back at his hand- "I wish... When i played my violin for you time really did stop. That way we wouldn't have to go"

(Ryoma) "Hmm, yeah. But hey we could always come back whenever, even everyday if you'd like i have no objections to that"

(Kaori) -she sat in silence a moment- "Every...day... ? I wish, but i can't i actually work at my parents bakery so i never really have a lot of free time. Thing's usually get really busy business is actually very good and all.

(Ryoma) "I'm sure it is. It's a bakery after all, i mean who doesn't love sweets right? But i'm sure your parents would give you any day off if you asked for it right?"

(Kaori) -She nodded- "They would, i know they would. but i don't want to ask for one. they are the reason i was able to become so good at the violin. they paid lots for lessons so that's why i work. that and i get to spend time with my mom and dad"

(Ryoma) "... you're an amazing violinist and a perfect daughter. But hey you really are good at the violin ever thought of going pro? like entering competitions and all that? and you know sort of making a name for yourself?"

(Kaori) -she gasped lightly- "Competitions? no i never really thought about it. i never think about my future... "

(Ryoma) "hmm i guess that's fair i never think about mine either. but i think... i think you should enter the next competition you can. i know you'll do amazing, if you don't win the whole thing that is. I know you didn't have your parents pay for lessons just so you could play at home or in some empty classroom, or even for me. I'm sure you have your reasons but i won't ask what they are. But Kaori, i will tell you to do whatever it is that you want to do. You're really good and watching you play just... it just makes me so happy. The way you smile, the way you move your body to every note, i just know people would love to watch you.. They might have just been kids but they really loved your performance, and so did their parents. I know i did. Heck you even inspired that little girl to play too.

(Kaori) -she looked down at their hands and squeezed his hand a bit tighter as tears began to stream down her face a mix of emotions swelling up inside her all ranging from happy to proud even to this deep sadness-

(Ryoma) -he removed his head from her shoulder and brought his left hand over to wipe the tears from her face but more came down to quickly replace the ones he had wiped-

(Kaori) -She closed her eyes and smiled, her stomach becoming flustered with fleeting butterflies as she gripped his hand tightly. moments later she just started to laugh- "You.. you're really something you know that?"

(Ryoma) -Happy to see her laughing again he smiled- "Yeah a violin case kissing jerk or something like that right?"

(Kaori) -She smiled wide- "Yeah... a violin case kissing jerk" -She stood up as she continued to hold his hand- "lets get going before we stay here forever"

(Ryoma) -he tilted his head to the left- "Maybe... maybe i want to stay here forever with you Kaori" -he tugged on her hand as he laid back onto the grass causing her to fall to him where he caught her wrapping both his arms around her-

(Kaori) -Her eyes widened as she was tugged falling on top of him her hands landing on his chest her glasses falling landing in the grass just beside him as she blinked in shock-

(Ryoma) -As her glasses fell his emerald eyes began to gaze into her big blue eyes slowly looking deeply into them sliding his hands up her back and onto each of her cheeks- "I was almost starting to forget what your eyes looked like... Kaori. They are so beautiful you really shouldn't hide them.

(Kaori) -She slid her hands up his chest and onto each of his cheeks her face a hot pink color as she returned his gaze- "I don't mean to, i wasn't joking when i said contacts scare the hell out of me you jerk"

(Ryoma) -He smiled and laughed a bit- "They really aren't that bad, trust me"

(Kaori) -She looked deeply into his emerald colored eyes before looking to her right where her glasses were. She then removed her right hand from his cheek and reached for the glasses that lay just beside him, his eyes followed her hand the entire time as she put them back on- "It's getting dark we have to go, i don't want you walking back home too late"

(Ryoma) "yeah yeah... i know" -he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs for a few more seconds before taking his hands off of her cheeks-

(Kaori) -Her eyes followed his as they both slowly gazed at each other before she finally got up offering her right hand to him-

(Ryoma) -He took her hand with his right hand and her violin case in his left as she helped him up, he handed the violin case over to her-

(Kaori) -She strapped the violin onto her back before wrapping both her arms around his right arm and placing her head on his shoulder- "Well, lets go"

The two finally headed off to Kaori's home.