a/n: I hope you guys get all the visual cues here, the last thing I want is for someone to not understand what's going on and be like 'wtf that's WEIRD' lmao

Over and over again, the scales resounded against the walls of the school buildings, billowing out into the air. Practice, practice, and practice again, Kumiko stayed true to her desire to become better—though it was nearly running her ragged. The part she had to get down wasn't difficult, she knew that, she just couldn't get her fingers to move quickly enough, or her breath to shoot out with the right amount of force.

It frustrated her. It frustrated her a lot.

On top of that, when she practiced with Reina, she was under added pressure from the girl's presence to be better, which only faltered her more. She was decent by herself, but she was nearly abysmal in front of the object of her affections. Reina had been insistent about practicing together lately, but sometimes Kumiko felt like she couldn't dig through her feelings without being alone.

Another missed note, another flat tune, ending in a crumple of jammed tones that forced Kumiko to stop and set her euphonium on her knee, letting an angry breath out. She hadn't really meant to be so obvious, but this time, Reina couldn't just ignore the onset of resentment.

"Kumiko, stand up."

She puffed out her cheek in response. Frustration would let her be stubborn today.

Reina considered the answer, but quickly ran her fingers up Kumiko's leg, flipping her skirt up slightly.

"H-Hey! Don't do that here… Sheesh, I'll stand, I'll stand." Setting her euphonium against her chair, she stood up as she was told.

Reina set her trumpet down next to the euphonium and stood tall in front of Kumiko—as tall as she could, at least, for being shorter. She reached out and touched Kumiko's stomach with her fingers gingerly before patting the material, "I want to help you bring out the best sound you can. You've got to do it from your core."

"I know, it's just—hmff!"

All voices ceased when Reina swiftly took Kumiko's cheeks into her hands and kissed her hard.

'I-I don't really see how this is going to help me, but I am perfectly okay with this. Yep.'

Though the kiss was sweet, Kumiko was met with a sensation she's never felt before—"Mmmmfh!" Air was rapidly filling Kumiko's cheeks, puffing them out slightly. More muffled noises came, and Reina finally released the strange hold she had on the girl, Kumiko staggering backwards as she covered her mouth. "W-What was that?!"

Reina tilted her head as if she didn't just give Kumiko the weirdest freaking kiss ever. "I blew air into your mouth using my core. Like I was playing the trumpet. Did it not make any sense?"

"Well yeah it didn't make any sense!"

"Was it bad?"

"No, it's just—! C-Come here, you!" Startling Reina with her aggression, Kumiko all but pounced forward and took Reina's face into her hands this time.

"Kumiko, hey, not so—Not so rough, you're scaring me!" She struggled against the dazed girl but failed, succumbing to the kiss and a mouth full of air, just the same as she gave to Kumiko.

"Hhhmmmmmmuah!" Squeaking with exaggeration, Kumiko broke the kiss triumphantly and stared at Reina with serious eyes, demanding that the girl take her seriously. "See, I can use my core when I need to!"

A stunned Reina stood, red streaks lining her cheeks. She coughed, attempting to shake off the embarrassment before standing before her again. "Y-You're right, that doesn't seem to be the problem… The second suggestion I had was for your fingers," Reina looked down pointedly at Kumiko's hands.

Her brow knitting, Kumiko brought her hands up to her face to inspect them, turning them over, running a finger over the contour of her bones, "What's.. Wrong with my fingers?"

"They might be a little too slow for the fingering.." Reina looked around, her eyes settling on a nearby bench. Her shoes crunching lightly on the gravel, she bent over the wooden paneling and stretched her body out, lying on her stomach as she looked back over her shoulder at Kumiko, "Would you like to practice on me?"

The brunette's jaw dropped, about a million different responses coursing through her mind, "Wh-What, right here, right now?!" Kumiko cast her gaze up, "I didn't think you were into that…"

"… What are you talking about? I want you to give me a back massage using only the fingering techniques."

".. O-OH, HA ha, yeah, 'course I knew that! Ohh.." She swayed over to the bench slowly, dragging her feet along with her, honestly wanting nothing more than to take a nap. She crawled on top of Reina, settling on the small of her back. Fingers almost made contact with the white uniform, but she balled her fists a few times, stretching them out repeatedly. Finally pushing down on Reina's back, she began mimicking the measure she'd been so desperately trying to master.

Reina's dissatisfaction with Kumiko's technique was apparent, "Harder."

"What? But I'm—"

"Harder."

Ignoring the pang of attraction that jolted through her, Kumiko obeyed without question. She applied more pressure, still using the same movements as the sheet music read. By now, she committed the measure to memory.

"Kumiko, you can push harder than that. Knowing your finger strength is the way to controlling your speed when you play. Harder, please."

Growing more annoyed at her displeasure, Kumiko applied all the strength she could through her fingertips, pushing into her girlfriend's muscles with haste.

A hitch of the breath and a restrained whimper left Reina's throat, barely audible from the wooden bench. Retracting her hands and holding them up, she thought she'd hurt Reina. "S-Sorry, are you okay?!"

She was met with a pout and a blushed face. "… Yes, I'm fine."

Kumiko seemed to recall something in that moment, and she leaned down to give Reina a quick peck on the cheek. "Ah, that's right. You like pain."

Reina turned away from Kumiko with a huff, and Kumiko chased after her with more kisses, suddenly forgetting about her mountain of worries.