A/N: Thank you all for your supports! Happy New Bunny Year!
Yes, this is the last entry … (;ω; ) ok, I'm running off now so I can go cry. ・・・・( ┯_┯)
OCs warning, I guess.
Disclaimer: I don't own K-on
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Sforzando 10 – Zutto ne
?x?
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A girl with amber eyes got off a silver van, waving at her parents gracefully before entering the school grounds. She ran her fingers through her side ponytail, half-exasperated at how curly those dark brown strands were.
She quickened her steps towards the music room, even though she knew she got here on time. Her band had decided to meet in school early, possibly to discuss how their performance at the freshmen orientation went yesterday. She nodded to herself determinedly – today, their fifth member will show up for sure!
"Yuuuuukkkkiiiiiiii-chan!"
Tainaka Yuki smiled to herself as familiar arms wrapped around her shoulders, giving her a huge hug. "Good morning, Kana-chan."
Hirasawa Kana rubbed her head against the taller girl's before pulling away, blinking sleepily. "I wonder why Buchou wants us to meet so early today… what are we gonna talk about?"
Yuki patted the girl's head maternally, "About our performance yesterday, of course. Also, Sacchan said she found something that she wants us to see."
Kana pouted, but she followed Yuki obediently. "Sacchan should just be the buchou, since she's the one who comes up with all the plans anyways."
"But Sacchan doesn't want to, remember? That's why Youko-chan became the buchou instead."
Kana didn't reply. Yuki glanced at her friend, only to find the black-haired girl staring into space with a dazed smile, possibly thinking about cakes and other desserts. Kana really acted like her adopted mother, didn't she? Not to mention, Kana tended to behave like their wise family cat Ai, always looking for a place to snuggle or nap…like now.
"Yea…we need Youko-chan to keep our club going…" Kana mumbled, clinging to Yuki's arm and resting her head against the taller girl's shoulder.
Really, it was hard to imagine this daydreamer was their band's guitarist. Well, both of Kana's mothers were guitarists after all. Yuki thought about her father's suggestion of her becoming a drummer…well, that was her aunt and her cousin's position. Yuki was quite content at being the band's keyboardist; it was her dream to become just as skilled and refined as her distant relative Tsumugi.
"Kana, Yuki! There you are!"
Tainaka Satomi burst out of the music room, grabbed their hands and dragged them in.
"Guess what Youko and I found!"
Their bassist slash vocalist cheerfully directed them to their seats, her bright green eyes twinkling. Kana immediately slumped down on the desk, dozing. Yuki smiled at her cousin, who took off her trademark yellow headband and brushed her short hair messily before putting it back on.
"Youko! They're here!"
Their band's infamous drummer slash club president walked out of the storage room, holding a cardboard box. Tainaka Youko was the idol of Sakuragaoka, popular enough to warrant a huge fanclub. Youko, though, became famous due to her impressive drumming techniques – the normally shy girl always became a completely different person whenever she was on the drum set, earning admiration from countless girls.
Of course, her protective twin usually fended off all those confession letters.
And Satomi herself had her own fanbase too – charismatic and always eager to help, the friendly black-haired girl often had to be dragged away from her fans by her highly irritated twin.
Like mothers, like daughters?
Putting down the box, Youko wiped her brow, her long jagged ponytail swishing behind her. "Satomi and I were clearing out the storage room yesterday when we found this."
"This belonged to our predecessors! Or rather, this belonged to our parents and relatives!" Satomi pulled out the items from the box, grinning.
Yuki watched on, curious, and even Kana forced herself from her light nap to look at her friends.
"See, 'Houkago Teatime'… this was made by them!" Satomi held up a pink cassette, waving it excitedly, "Youko and I have already listened to it and, man, it's awesome! I knew our mothers were good but still!"
Youko also had a proud smile. "Here, listen."
The club president had found an antique-looking machine buried under a pile of…strange costumes. She put the cassette in carefully.
Kana and Yuki sat there, mesmerized by how powerful the songs sounded even after so many years. The players' joy at playing music, and the fact that music was playing with them too…
"See what I mean? We need to try harder to be just like them, people!" Satomi held up her fist, her sharp green eyes burning with flames. "But geez, Mom sure likes to joke…"
"Hurry, hurry!"
"Yessir!"
"One, two...decopin~"
Muffled, shaky giggles.
"Decopin-pin~"
Laughter everywhere.
"YES! Be proud of your forehead!" Satomi held up her thumb.
"You're too loud, baka," Youko rolled her eyes and took out the cassette before her twin launched into a long rant.
"Oh there's another tape," Yuki pointed to an even older cassette. Blinking, Satomi put it in the player, muttering she had not listened to that one yet.
None of them were prepared for the hoarse roar.
"I've been waiting for you…DIIIIIIIIIIEEE!"
Silence.
Well, except for Youko's hitched whispers.
"I didn't hear anything I didn't hear anything I didn't hear anything-"
Kana just blinked. "Nya?"
"Holy- what the hell was that!" Satomi gasped, trying to loosen her twin's death choke around her neck.
"Um, I think that's… Sawako-sensei? Our principle?" Yuki ventured a guess, trying to relate that metal scream to the affable bespectacled woman.
"Ok ok ok it's nothing, so just let go of me, you're going to kill your precious sister!" Satomi groaned, finally pulling her twin off her. "Scaredy-cat."
With an indignant huff, their highly-esteemed buchou folded her arms and ignored her twin. Youko then held up a slightly faded photograph in attempts to change the topic, "Look, they were still teenagers in this picture, like us."
Yuki recognized the twins' mothers right away…or rather, her aunt's forehead at the corner of the picture. She also spotted her relative Tsumugi, her aunt Mio and –
"Hey, why's Mother's picture taped on the top?" Kana blinked quizzically, pointing at the headshot of a pigtailed girl on the top corner of the photo, "Wow, she really didn't change much over the years… hehe, Mum had her signature smile even back then."
True, Hirasawa Yui was smiling cheerfully at the camera – a smile that was much like Kana's own as she gazed at the picture happily.
"Well, duh, Kana, Azu nee-chan didn't join the band until a year later," Satomi sighed wistfully, "Our band's awesome and all, but I want it to be like them! Just where is our fifth member! We need another guitarist!"
"Maa maa, our performance went really well yesterday so someone is bound to show up after school today," Yuki patted her cousin's shoulder.
"Ne, Sacchan Sacchan, here's something else…Yuki-chan, your relative's name is written on it," Kana pulled out yet another cassette from the box. Indeed, small letters of "Mugi's Record of Club Activity" was written on it.
Though wary that they might hear something weird again, curiosity still won out. Needless to say, they almost fell out of their seats when a loud voice came out.
"MIO!"
"W-what is it, baka!"
"Mio, go out with me."
"…huh?"
"Er…I-I've liked you for a long time, Mio, and I don't just mean as a friend! I-I've been wondering about this for a long time now and…heheh…I really really like you-"
"…Ritsu…"
"…i-it's ok, you don't have to answer me… I just thought you should know. I-I really hope nothing changes between us and-"
"Baka!"
"Mi-?"
Then a different, dazed voice spoke up as if in narration. "Then Mio-chan kisses Ricchan and they live happily ever after."
"Yeeeesss! Finally! I've been waiting for this for ages! Go, Captain!"
"Yui-senpai! You're too loud!" An irritated voice hissed.
"Ah, I think they saw us. Shall we run for it, Yui-chan? Azusa-chan?"
"Let's run, Azunyan!"
The recording stopped there.
Satomi, Youko, Yuki and Kana blinked at the tape, and then they blinked at each other.
"…I have a newfound respect for your mothers now, Sacchan, Youko-chan," Kana finally broke the silence, her brown eyes starry.
The twins exchanged looks. They really did not know what to say.
"Alright, let's go off to class now," Youko stood up, walking out of the room hurriedly. Satomi quickly followed her sister, laughing.
"So Mom really was the one who asked Mother out! You owe me 10 bucks now, Youko-chuan~"
"Hnnff!"
Yuki glanced at the still dazed-looking Kana. "Shall we go then, Kana-chan?"
That snapped the girl out of her trance. "Yuki-chan!"
"H-hai?" Yuki was taken aback by her friend's suddenly serious tone.
"Go out with me!"
"…pardon?"
Tainaka Satomi sighed deeply, gulping down the tea before slumping onto the desk.
Why, just why couldn't they get their fifth member? She wanted their band to just be like the legendary Houkago Teatime – drummer, bassist, keyboardist, rhythm guitarist and lead guitarist. That was why she named their band HTT(II) after all!
Yet it had been a year already since they entered Sakuragaoka high school. Yesterday's performance at the freshmen's orientation should have attracted enough of people's attention… all of their parents came to watch and said it was great!
But nooo, everyone would just stare at them faraway. Sure, she enjoyed all those adoring looks (because she's awesome like that, yea!) but come on! With her and Youko's fanclub combined, there SHOULD be someone who would want to join the club, right? Ugh!
She ran her hand through her short, flat bangs, ditching the yellow headband entirely. She was so frustrated!
"Calm down, Satomi, someone's bound to come here," Youko folded her arms, her feet tapping to some silent rhythms. The black-haired girl scooted away from her twin, slightly scared.
Youko may appear calm, but once aggravated, she could be scarier than Mother. Satomi had watched Mom get clobbered one too many times to know when to stop. Hopefully.
Sighing at her twin's behavior, Youko twirled one of those jagged strands, "it hadn't even been after school for a few minutes, we still have chance."
Strangely reassured, Satomi relaxed and took a bite out of the cookies generously prepared by Yuki. Really, Youko was perfect to be the club president – she was mature, responsible and cool. And whenever Youko had her shy moments, it was Satomi's job to back her sister up. Otherwise, Satomi was quite content at staying on the sidelines.
Being the club prez sounded like a lot of work, after hearing numerous stories from Mom… people would get mad at you if you didn't hand in the forms or something… Bah! That sounded like on heck of a headache already, those forms…pffff.
Satomi then turned to observe her cousin, who was sitting on the couch and stroking Kana's shoulder-length black hair like one would do to a cat. Really, Yuki spoiled that nap-aholic cat-like girl waayy too much!
Yuki had grown up with Satomi and Youko, so they were practically sisters. The girl with the Kotobuki eyebrows was dubbed the mother of their group – even Youko had her childish moments. Yuki was calmest of the calm, never panicking and always patient.
As shown by her tolerance level for Hirasawa Kana.
Kana was like a prank buddy to Satomi, but sometimes, that girl was really exasperating. Kana will nap anywhere, and her favorite spot was Yuki's lap. According to Mom, Kana was adopted by Yui-chan and Azu nee-chan when her guardian had passed away. Her guardian had been someone called 'Tonari no Baachan'… someone who was Yui-chan's neighbor?
It had taken awhile for Kana to adjust to her new home, but thanks to the efforts of the friendly Hirasawa family cat Ai-chan, Kana gradually grew to love her adopted mothers… and her guitar. God, Kana was totally obsessed about her guitar – it was the only time the laidback girl would be hard-working. Put the guitar in her hands and she will practice all day and do all those rhythm and finger-stretching exercises… kind of like Azu nee-chan, in a way. Well, one had to actually put the guitar in that girl's hands though… otherwise she'd just roll around on the floor…like Ai-chan.
Satomi rolled her eyes. What was she doing, analyzing her friend? The reason why Kana annoyed her to no end was because the girl always either went off in her own little world or was always glued to Yuki. Satomi knew about Kana's crush on Yuki for ages but sadly, her cousin was completely oblivious to all that.
It was quite frustrating to watch Kana's attempts to win Yuki's affections. Ugh. Seriously, confess to her already!
"I did, Sacchan~" Kana mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Satomi blinked. Did she speak her thoughts aloud again?
Wait, what did Kana just say?
"YOU WHAT?"
Smiling dazedly, Kana snuggled against Yuki, who patted her head. "Yup~ Thanks to that tape from earlier, I finally did it! Yuki-chan and I are together now~"
Satomi glanced at her twin and, as expected, she was also gaping at their cousin.
"Er, so, Yuki…you said yes?"
"Uh-huh. Kana-chan is a wonderful girl, Sacchan. I don't see why not."
Faced with two fuwa fuwa smiles, Satomi could slap a hand to her face.
"Ok ok, whatever-" Youko nudged her sharply, "I mean, congrats, you two. Er, Yuki, just don't spoil Kana any more than you already do, ok? She can't just lie around all day." Satomi's own diligent practice schedule was engraved into her mind by Mother long ago.
"Aw, come on, it's three against one here, you Tainakas! I'm like, the only odd one here, Yuki-chaaaaan~" Kana rubbed her head against her…girlfriend's arm with a comedic pout on her face.
Ugh. Kana was right. She was the only one whose last name was not Tainaka. Damn, Kana may be like a cat but she will probably be the S in her relationship with her cousin so the Tainaka-dominating regime will end! Noooo-
A flick to her forehead snapped her out of her thoughts. "You're thinking something funny again, aren't you?" Youko raised an eyebrow at her twin.
Satomi scratched the back of her head. "Ehehe, nope, not at all." Dang, her twin was so much cuter before when they were young. She still remembered how Youko used to call her 'Onee-chan' when they were just kids… sigh, time was cruel.
Or not. Satomi poked her twin's sides, earning a cute little squeak. Nope, Youko-chuan was still cute~
THUD.
Yup, even with her violent tendency, her ticklish twin was still just as adorable as ever~
"Ano," an unfamiliar head poked into the clubroom, "I smell something good in here…"
The girl was a freshman, judging by the color of her ribbon. She had brown hair done in a French braid, and one of her side bangs was tied in a braid too. There was a camera that hung from the strap around her neck… a Photography club member?
"You're welcome to join us," Yuki smiled at the newcomer gently, earning a cheer from the girl.
"Yay! I was really hungry! I was looking for the photography club but I got lost, hehe."
Just like that, the girl sat down at the table and started munching on the cookies. Youko and Satomi exchanged looks. This person hadn't joined any clubs! So maybe…easy prey?
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Ah gomen gomen. My name is Toyosaki Sakura, nice to meet you!"
The girl had a nice smile, Satomi supposed. She also seemed friendly enough.
"I'm Tainaka Satomi, and this is my twin Youko. The girl on the couch is our cousin Yuki and the one who's …asleep is Hirasawa Kana."
"Oh, I know! I saw you guys yesterday on stage! You were really awesome!"
"Ya think so? Well, why don't you join our club then!" Satomi quickly cut to the chase, gazing at her expectantly.
"Are you guys going to have food here every day?"
"Yes, that is why our band is named Houkago Teatime," Yuki smiled again.
"Ok! I'll join! Ah, but I don't know how to play any instruments though…"
"It's ok, we can teach you," Satomi quickly reassured her, hardly believing their luck, "even though she might not look it, Kana is a really good guitarist. You can learn from her."
Sakura nodded happily."Ok!" It was as if she could fit in anywhere.
Satomi cheered and hugged the junior. Looked like they finally found their fifth member!
"Hey, let's take a picture, to celebrate this! The day I've finally joined a club!"
She pulled Satomi to the couch, asking her to sit down. Kana looked up from Yuki's lap, still half-asleep. Youko sat down between her cousin and her twin. She had a shy but pleased smile on her face.
Satomi grinned and slung an arm around her sister while putting up a peace sign.
"We're ready, Sakura!"
"One, two, three!"
Patting her camera, Sakura smiled at her senpais, "Hehe, I think I got cut out of the picture…wait, I think I got my head in… oh well!"
"Geez, you're pretty easy going, aren't you?" The four of them sat on the couch, observing their newest member taking random pictures of the club room. Satomi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. So she and Youko would be the only non-airheads in this band huh.
"I mean, you joined us pretty easily even though you obviously love photography, just because we said we have food or desserts."
"Of course I want to join you guys," Sakura smiled at them and spoke as if it were the most logical thing in the world, "I mean, why not? There will always be teatime after school!"
"...and that's what happened today," Satomi munched on the burgers."Tha ki' is zust 'o-"
Youko rolled her eyes and flicked her twin's forehead, "Don't speak with your mouth full, baka."
"Ow! Mom~ Youko-chuan's abusing me again."
"Am not!"
The amber-eyed woman laughed, "Sounds like a fun band, Houkago Teatime (II). As expected of my daughters! Although, I can't believe you found Mugi's 'records'."
The black-haired woman took off her reading glasses and went to help her wife put away the dishes."I thought Yui has the rest of them...then again, I don't think Azusa would let her keep those tapes."
Seeing what her mothers were doing, Youko quickly got up from the chair, volunteering to wash the dishes. Satomi gulped down her dinner at once and followed her sister. Mio and Ritsu both stood back and simply watched their daughters banter back and forth. The couple was filled with indescribable warmth just from being with their family.
"Everyday will continue to be like this, won't it?" Tainaka Mio smiled and weaved her fingers through her wife's. "Zutto, ne?"
"Of course!" Tainaka Ritsu grinned, leaning on her wife's shoulder. "Always!"
A/N: …we started with Mitsu and ended with Mitsu? *gets very emotional* So, the first ever finished story/drabble series… *hyperventilate*
Zutto ne ずっとね– 'always' … omg the series' title XD
Sforzando – a forced, rather abrupt and strong accent on a single chord. Isn't it? XD
So this is sort of an epilogue…or a new beginning XD (hence 'da capo')
Oh, if anyone's interested: Houkago Teatime (II):
Tainaka Satomi 田井中聡美– vocalist and bassist. She often acts like the leader but when her sister suggests something, she will listen, especially under the threat of her iron fist.
Tainaka Youko 田井中陽子–drummer and the president. She is quiet, but she also has a stubborn streak similar to her sister's – it often manifests when she wrote the lyrics for their songs.
Tainaka Yuki 田井中雪–keyboardist. Her hair style is the same as Serah from FFXIII (same VA as Mugi after all XD). Yuki's name means 'Snow'. She is the main provider of the club's snacks, which were homemade.
Hirasawa Kana 平沢香奈–lead guitarist, having played the instrument since meeting her adopted mothers. Spelling of Kana's name is derived from 'Nakano'. She is able to talk to Ai-chan, somehow.
Toyosaki Sakura 豊崎桜–Named after Yui's VA, and 'Sakura' came from 'Sakuragaoka' :3 She appears to be responsible and takes her job seriously, but she often goes on picture-taking sprees like a little kid. She also tends to smile for no reason. Thanks to the four, she will learn how to play the guitar.
It has been really fun writing this series, and once again thank you for reading!
~ AdrenaVeris, Jan 1, 2011.