Chapter 9: Hobby of mine
"Sahya? It's a bit cool today. What are you doing out here?" Tezuka asked, coming up to her. "If you're going to watch us practice, you should bring a sweater..."
Sahya brought her gaze away from the object of her sight and looked back at Tezuka as he draped his Regulars jacket around her. "Oh...thank you." She said, smiling. "I was just gazing at the cherryblossoms..."
"Do they remind you of something?" Tezuka asked.
"...Nothing much," Sahya said, "But they're quite beautiful."
"They remind me of the first tournament I went in." Tezuka shared with her. "They were in bloom, just like this, when we won."
"You're going to be in another tournament soon, right? I wonder if this is a good sign then." Sahya said, laughing lightly.
Tezuka smiled, pleased that he could encourage a laugh from her. It was then he noticed she was holding something in the hand furthest from him. "What do you have there? It's not your embroidery kit."
Sahya smiled and held up the small black case. "No, this is my flute." Opening the case, she assembled it quickly and looked up at Tezuka from the bench. "Would you like to hear it?"
Nodding, Tezuka draped his towel over his shoulders and sat down next to her. She didn't seem to mind that he hadn't even changed from his practice uniform yet. Bringing the flute to her lips, she pursed her lips and blew.
He was surprised at the sound that came out. Normally, he disliked flutes. He was just going to humour her. But instead of being airy and cold on the ears, the notes were warm and soothing. His head drooped down a little as he relaxed and enjoyed it.
The Regulars came out of the changerooms, glanced into the courts, and slowly moved away towards the gates. Once safely out of hearing distance but still able to hear the flute, they sighed.
"Wow, it's so pretty!" Eiji said, his normal tone of excitement mellowed down.
"Mm…" Fuji agreed. He looked at the gates and said in slight surprise "Oh? It's…Regan, I believe."
"Tsuriko's butler?" Eiji and Ryoma asked.
"Yes, that's me." Regan bowed a bit. "Do you know who's playing that wonderful flute? I've been with the family to many concerts, but never have I heard such fine playing."
"That's Tsuriko of course!" Momoshiro said, surprised that her butler didn't know.
"The Young Miss has never taken music lessons in her life!" Regan exclaimed. "She was in piano for a short time, but quit almost immediately. She hardly learned her scales, let alone-"
"Oh, Regan? What is it, am I needed for something again tonight?" Sahya asked coming up, flute case in hand.
Regan immediately stopped the previous topic of conversation and said pleasantly "Oh, well you see Young Miss, it seems that your parents feel you would love to learn the piano…"
Learn…piano? Sahya thought. …Again? "I see. Then I presume you're to drive me to my instructor's house?"
"Yes, Young Miss." Regan said nervously. Please, please tell me that coma made her more accepting of these things…!
"Very well."
Regan sighed in relief.
"However…"
He caught his breath.
"I've already made plans for the first half hour…even up to an hour after school." Sahya said, tilting her head slightly.
"W-Well, we have an hour and fifteen minutes…" Regan said uncertainly. "What is it you were planning…?"
"Ice cream with the team." Sahya explained. "It was going to be my treat, since it's because of me and that car accident that we couldn't go before."
"Yeah, we haven't all gone out for ice cream for a loooong time!!" Eiji said, pumping his fists into the air.
Smiling, Sahya turned back to Regan. "We'll make it to lessons on time." She assured him.
"It's not so much arriving on time, it's that your parents wished you to become more acquainted with your tutor." Regan explained. "You never were before, so…" He trailed off.
"Never…?" So my reincarnation wasn't friendly towards this person? Sahya closed her eyes and shook her head. "No matter. I'm not cancelling my plans for something my parents neglected to tell me."
"But Young Miss…"
"Trust me on this, Regan." Sahya said. "So, shall we go?" She asked, smiling brightly.
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"Uh, there aren't enough seats at the tables for all of us…" Kawamura realized.
"Well, one of us can share a seat with someone else." Oishi suggested. "Who are the smallest?"
As if he had to ask, Ryoma and Sahya were obviously the smallest out of the group. Tezuka started to get up from his seat, but Sahya hurriedly said "That's alright, I'll just stand." She put a hand on Tezuka's shoulder when he still tried to offer his chair to her. "Really, you've done so much for me I'm feeling very bad about not returning the favours..."
"I never did anything expecting favours." He answered. The problem was settled when another smaller group finished their ice cream and left, giving them some chairs.
"Wow, this is great! I mean, I didn't think you'd put taking us out for ice cream over lessons!" Momoshiro exclaimed, licking his dripping rolo ice cream.
"I've always put my friends as top priorities." Sahya said with a smile, as she ate her strawberry ice cream from a small cup with a spoon.
"So are you coming to watch the tournament this weekend?" Oishi asked.
"I'm going to try. There's an orchestra concert my parents are taking me to." Sahya said sadly.
"Hm..." Inui opened his notebook as he threw away his napkin and pulled out a pen to start scribbling.
"Did you forget to add something to your calculations?" Fuji asked.
"Maybe. I'm trying to prove something." Inui answered with a smirk, his glasses glinting.
"By the way, Regan, what's my instructor's name?" Sahya asked, once everyone was done their ice cream and just hanging out for a few more minutes.
"I believe you've met him at the gala already, Young Miss. Atobe Keigo."
"Atobe?!" The others exclaimed.
"...That's odd." Sahya commented quietly. Only Tezuka caught it. A little louder, Sahya said "If I recall correctly, Kunimitsu, your house is along the way to Atobe's. Would you like a drive home?"
"Only if you're certain it's not a bother." He answered politely. Although the answer he would have given would be yes.
Sahya smiled. "I thought you'd say that. No, it's never a bother to me." She stood and Regan hurried to get the car door for her and Tezuka before climbing into the driver's seat and driving away.
The Regulars stared after the car.
"Hey..." It was Eiji who spoke. "Buchou did just get called K...K..."
"By his first name?" Fuji supplied for the stuttering Eiji. It was like he couldn't even say Tezuka's first name because it was never used by anyone but Tezuka's grandparents. "Yes, but he's called Tsuriko by her first name too." He pointed out.
"Does that mean...they're...y'know..." Momoshiro made a small gesture as he tried to explain what he was asking without words.
"Probably." The others answered.
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"Well, good luck with Atobe. He can be a little hard to handle sometimes." Tezuka said to Sahya. "But I'm sure he's quite an adequate teacher, although perhaps a little strict."
"Thanks for worrying." Sahya said, laughing lightly. "I'll try and see you tomorrow at the tournament."
"Yeah. See you then." He gave her hand a light squeeze and exited the car.
"Drive." Sahya directed Regan, who started the car again. Soon they were outside Atobe's mansion, at exactly fifteen minutes past the hour. The door was opened by a butler and Sahya was admitted immediately. She hadn't bothered changing out of her school uniform, but figured it'd be ok.
"Ah, Tsuriko. Right on time." Atobe said, coming in.
"Good. Thank you for taking the time to teach me." Sahya said politely, bowing a bit. She then followed him to a large room with a grand piano and comfortable plush furnishings. She sat on the piano bench when he gestured to it.
"We'll start with basic scales. I have to see how much you actually know." Atobe said briskly. He then started naming various scales. His eyebrow rose when she played them all perfectly. "...Good. Enough on the piano for now, let's see how far you are in music theory."
When she had demonstrated the knowledge of Grade 1 piano, he gave her a long look. "...Your parents said that you quit piano lessons earlier than this."
Sahya folded her hands in front of her neatly and smiled sweetly. "I have little recognition of what happened in this life before my coma."
"Hm..." Atobe seemed to accept that as his answer when he shrugged. "Well everyone's much happier about that. Let's just skip some piano grades until we find the one you're at, and test playing ability later."
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Some chimes rang overhead. Atobe and Sahya gazed up to see the clock read six thirty. "Time passed quickly." Atobe remarked. He looked down at the books laid out on the table. "And we've only got two more piano grades left. I suppose we'll be able to finish tomorrow, after we return from the concert."
"...We?" Sahya asked cautiously.
"Yes, we." He answered, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you know that you're coming with my family?"
Sahya frowned slightly. "My parents neglected to inform me of that. I was under the impression that I was going with them." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter though."
"Well then, I shall see you tomorrow morning. I'll come pick you up at 8 and then we'll have lunch and return here at 1 to finish piano lessons. I don't feel we need anything more than an hour and a half." Atobe said in finality.
As she was leaving and entering her waiting car, Sahya wasn't thinking about the concert or her lessons. She was worried about something else.
Will I still be able to make it to the tournament tomorrow if I leave at 2:30...?