Tune for the Heart

Chapter 9

Sorry for not updating in bloody ages!!! I have been slightly occupide with one shots on Harry Potter! (Be sure to check that out if you have enough time that is...^^)

So like I said, hopefully this chapter will be more interesting...if you're not hoping (maybe because you think the last chapter isn't boring, in which case I thank you, or you're not bothering to read this chapter as it was boring) then I certainly will be.

I'm sorry if you're getting bored/annoyed with my negative comments, trust me I am as well, so I will try and shut up as much as possible...(though that would probably be unlikely at any rate...)^^

Absolutely HUGE thank you to....

all i's on you

Sera-Chan

PrayerSenshi

...For the advice and encouragement for this chapter. You have no idea how much you've helped me seriously...!!! ^^

Panda-Chan

One tinsy thing, if you also thought Tsukimori was out of character in the last chapter then I'm sorry again!!!...I'll make sure he stays in character from now on...^^

Make that two, all i's on you, thanks so much for the ideas, seriously I would have totally scrapped this chapter if it wasn't for you!!!!

Tsukimori was sitting in the living room staring into the space ahead of him.

He was reflecting on the previous conversation he had just had with Kahoko. He couldn't believe he was that open during it. What happened to his usual composure? Huh, Kahoko was probably right; all the laughter was getting to his head. He really needed to concentrate. He had to make sure his performance was perfect for the concert.

Suddenly he heard voices drift in the room from the dining area.

"I don't think I've heard Tsukimori speak so casually! Have you?" It was his Mother.

"No, neither have I! I don't think he's even that casual around us!" His Father replied.

Tsukimori gritted his teeth, but apart from that didn't react. He wanted to hear more and letting his parents know he was listening in wasn't going to help.

"Ah, how the truth hurts...but it's lovely to hear him laugh so freely like that!"

"Why yes my dear, of course! Like I said, that Hino Kahoko really is something!"

There was a pause.

"And what's with that smug expression?"

There was a giggle.

"Ah, if our son were to hear this I doubt he'll be very pleased..."

Tsukimori was then properly alert. What was it that his Mother was worried he'd hear about?

"I'm on the edge of my seat here. Do tell!"

"...Tsukimori...Kahoko..."

Tsukimori froze, his eyes bulging twice their normal size and his face blushing red.

"You have got to be kidding me! My Mother certainly does have a vivid imagination to come up with that..."

It seemed his Father agreed with him.

"Now now...I believe that imagination of yours is getting the better of you...Kahoko? A part of the family? Believe me I don't have anything against it...in fact if I had Kahoko as a daughter I would be quite honoured...but dear, he's only 15 for goodness sake! Those two aren't even together yet your already thinking about marriage. Rather forward of you isn't it?"

"Oh let an old woman dream..."

"You're not old...nor ever will be...to me anyway..."

Tsukimori heard his Mother giggle and he slunk further into the couch he was sitting on.

"I defiantly do not have a normal Mother...oh geez..."

Kahoko was sitting in the dining room also reflecting about the phone conversation.

"Tsukimori certainly seems to be acting a bit odd lately...laughing? Cracking up jokes? Not bothering to practise?? Maybe my sarcastic comment was actually right! Maybe all this laughter really has gone to his head! Hmm...well...I'll be seeing him tomorrow for my next lesson...maybe I should ask him then?"

"Urgh. Great. She's going to be coming over tomorrow...let's just hope my mother won't be in the house...oh please let her not..."

Tsukimori sighed.

"...Either way...I still need to ask about the plane tickets...Kahoko can't have taken them...but then again...I can't be certain for sure..."

He took a couple of controlled breaths and then made his way through the dining room to the practise room.

"Ah, Len! Going off to practise?" His Mother asked, no hint of the previous conversation on her face.

"Yes Mother." He replied casually. He didn't want either of his parents to know he had eavesdropped and that was the way he wanted it to stay. "Um, Mother? May I ask you something?"

"Why of course! What is it?"

"Yesterday, Yunoki's younger sister Miyabi reported to had discovered my ticket had been stolen...but how?"

"Oh, you see Miyabi asked me where the bathroom was and I showed her. Afterwards I went into my room to sort out a couple of things. On walking past your door I discovered it was slightly ajar...I found it odd so had a look inside...it was then I found your ticket missing from its usual spot. I had a look around your room in case you had put it somewhere else but I couldn't find them. Miyabi then walked past the door and asked what the matter was. I told her and then she went down to alert you all. And then...well I suppose you know what happened..."

"Hmm...okay...thank you for telling me."

"My pleasure. Now run along and get on with your practise hmm?"

"Yes Mother." With a small nod to both his parents he began walking to the practise room again.

Half an hour into his practise time he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

It was his Father and for some apparent reason he looked quite concerned.

"Is everything alright Father?" Tsukimori asked distractedly, not even bothering to look up from the score he was memorising.

"Me? Oh yes, quite alright...It's more you I'm worried about."

"M-Me?" Tsukimori took his violin off his shoulder and turned to face his Father properly. "But there's nothing wrong with me..."

"Well..." Tsukimori's Father leaned in the doorway and placed his hands into his trouser pockets, a puzzled look on his face. "You seem...awfully distraceted lately...your practise time is getting shorter...and you seem to be straying from the violin a little..." He trailed off after looking at his son's shocked and surprised expression.

"D-Distracted, Father? I...but...how...why...?" Tsukimori was so astonished he didn't know what to say.

After a couple of minutes he then composed himself and cleared his throat a little, as if making an important speech.

When he started again his voice a lot calmer than it was.

"I assure you Father it won't happen again. I...may have strayed a little from music but not enough to make me lose any interest or valuable practise time. I also assure that your many years of careful guidance will not be thrown away as easily as that. I am, after all your son."

"...And in being so I'll make sure I'll become one you can be proud of..." He added silently.

"I'm glad to hear it Len. I'm also glad that my guidance hasn't worn off..." He stood and Tsukimori was surprised to find that instead of walking towards the door he was in fact walking towards him.

He placed a hand on his son's shoulder and Tsukimori looked up in confusion.

"... But the thing I'm most glad of is having you as a son Len. You're a very talented young man without a shadow of a doubt and your Mother and I are very proud, more proud than you could imagine. But sometimes we can't help but worry about you. We sometimes ask whether introducing you and pushing you at the violin at such a young age may have had its disadvantages after all. We can't even remember the last time you had anyone round before the competition Len. And you should have seen your Mother's face when she saw you laughing. She looked nearly as happy as you did." He paused, looking down at his son's face for any reaction but he wasn't looking at him, instead at his feet, so he continued. "We can see how much you want to try hard, not quite sure of the reason, but its there, that passion. Embrace it but please, think about possibly the other things in life outside of music..." With a final pat on his son's shoulder he slowly walked out the room, the door shutting behind him with a soft 'Thud'.

"W-What...was that all about? A life outside of music? What's that supposed to mean? They were the ones that drilled the talent into in the first place...but then he said that maybe there were disadvantages after all..."

He grunted and shook his head.

"I am not in the mood to linger on such things..."

He placed his violin back on his shoulder and imersed himself fully into his pieces. He remained like that for many hours, neither thinking nor saying anything else besides music.

It was midday and Kahoko was still at home, not in the mood to go anywhere else. Looking around at the living room it reminded her of the time Tsukimori had come round to apologise. She certainly did have the shock of her life when she saw him sitting in her own living room having a conversation with her Mother. But she also was relieved and happy to see him too...and...deep down...she probably already knew it was him waiting for her.

She thought for the billionth time about the suspicions Mio, Nao, Amou and sister had come up with. She didn't want to prove them right but the thought of her Tsukimori together always brought a smile to her face.

"So what if he acts differently around me? So what if I enjoy being around him? That's just me. Nothing anyone does will change that. Not even Tsukimori."

"It's high time I pulled myself together. If I carry on like this my reputation as a Tsukimori will vanish as quickly as it had come. No. All these years hard work shall not go to waste just like that. Whatever the cost I can't let them down..."

Done!! Please remember to review!!