KousukeAsuzuki: Heh, sorry about that, but they aren't quite ready for that, and given a lack of honesty between them… it's for the best. And yes, everyone will find out! Thanks for reviewing!

Ran: Thanks! More to come, I promise!

Yuumei: Heh, I couldn't resist the insert of a slight homage to the genre. We do enjoy that sort of thing, don't we? D And yes, people will definitely find out!

Red Kitsune Flames: (Resists urge to say "wow") Thanks a lot for the review!

Ifuriita: Thanks, I'm really enjoying playing with these two, which I guess is why it comes together so well for me.

F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy

III. Unity

Part Six

From Ayumu's Point of View:

I always wonder if Kiyotaka found any point in going to school. Mainly, I get in trouble for daydreaming. Not that my work has ever slipped or I've failed anything, but just for not paying as much attention as I should. Today was no exception; in fact, it was worse than usual.

I was a bit grumpy by the time I lay down on the roof, covering my face with a magazine, trying to relive yesterday in my mind before the others hit the roof. "Wake up, sleepyhead!" I threw my magazine in the general direction of Hiyono's voice. "Well, that's nice!"

"That's either for taking my lunch or disturbing my nap, take your pick," I informed her without opening my eyes.

"It just so happens that your lunch was already missing when I went to take it!" Hiyono informed me haughtily. "I imagine Rio is enjoying a very nice cuisine that should be mine."

"I am not!" I sighed, recognizing the petulant tone that indicated Rio was about to become very difficult.

"I don't care who has it, I just would like to eat it once myself," I said grumpily. "By the way, Eyes wants us all at his place after school."

"Oh, really?" Rio's tone had changed abruptly from the spoiled child to intrigued. "How come you get to pass along the message?"

"Just lucky, I guess," I replied, avoiding the subject she was poking lightly at. A grin tugged at my lips though.

"Hey, guys," Ryoko's voice floated across the roof, and Rio and Hiyono chirped, "Hello!" I managed to raise my hand in a wave in her general direction. "You guys should see the great lunch Kousuke brought me today!"

I sat up suddenly at the same moment Rio exclaimed, "See, I told you I didn't take it!"

"Heh," Kousuke grinned sheepishly in my direction with a shrug. "At least it wasn't those two for once, aye, Little Narumi?"

"Kousuke, you idiot, you could have just gotten me lunch like usual!" Ryoko said darkly, ruffling his hair, though the fact that the lunch was stolen didn't stop her from digging in quickly. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. They were acting a bit odd. Rio and Hiyono both looked curious, so apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Whatever," I said, laying back down. I was aware of four pairs of eyes turning to look at me.

"Whatever?" Kousuke echoed blankly. "I don't get a lecture or something thrown at me?"

"Guess not," I replied absently, thinking of Eyes again. Maybe I could skip the last bit of classes and make it over to see him before everyone else.

"Ayumu said Eyes wants to see us all after school," Rio said a moment later, and I felt it again. Every time someone mentioned him or I thought about him, I felt like grinning like an idiot. "You did!" I had only a moment's warning before Rio slammed into me, punching my arm in what I assumed was supposed to be a hard punch for her. "Kousuke said the two of you were together yesterday!"

"Ow," I replied jokingly, sitting up again with a sigh. "I have no idea what you're babbling about, Rio."

"I think you're right, Rio," Kousuke observed maddeningly calm. "Little Narumi looks like the proverbial cat who ate the canary."

"What are you two blathering about?" Ryoko asked, looking up from eating my lunch. I noticed Hiyono was staring intently at her shoes, trying to get rid of an invisible scuffmark on her toe.

"Rutherford and Little Narumi, of course," Kousuke said gleefully.

"What?" Ryoko said, looking closely at me. "Can I kick him for being stupid?"

"For once, he's not being stupid," I admitted, feeling my cheeks heat under her close scrutiny. "Eyes and I… I mean, Eyes… last night…"

"Whoa, no details, Little Narumi," Kousuke joked, holding up his hands.

"I wouldn't mind!" Rio piped up, getting glares from Ryoko and Hiyono. "Or not, geez! I just think it's sweet, Eyes finding somebody. After Kanone…" she bit her lip, and looked up, frowning at her sudden pause.

"I know he dated Kanone," I reassured her, and she shook her head.

"I don't think you understand. Kanone used to keep Rutherford close to him. We hardly ever got to see him. Then Kiyotaka started coming around, and Rutherford got very different. He got stronger, had faith in himself and in Kiyotaka. He and Kanone grew apart, and Kanone gave him an ultimatum: come with him, or it was over. Rutherford stayed with Kiyotaka and with us," Ryoko explained quietly. Her arms were folded over her chest and her eyes were a bit cold.

"We didn't like seeing Eyes get even more cold, shut down," Rio added.

"Hell, we didn't know it was possible," Kousuke put in, cracking his knuckles threatening. "If you're messing with him at all…"

"Ayumu? Messing with him?" Hiyono burst out, looking outraged. "Shouldn't he be worried about Eyes using him? It doesn't sound like Eyes would just get over Kanone, and you're all dangerous!"

"Hiyono," I said gently, trying to calm her down.

"Why would you choose him anyway?" Hiyono turned on me, her voice rising. "He's one of the Blade Children!"

"Hey!" Kousuke said, obviously trying to lighten the tension. "I think I'm offended. We don't smell or anything!"

"Kousuke, stop," Rio said, surprisingly serious and sad looking. "Hiyono's just is saying what we have all thought. We're trouble."

"It's my choice," I said firmly, glaring around the roof at everyone. "I'm with Eyes because I want to be and because he wants me."

Hiyono turned and walked off the roof, and I stared after her. "I feel like I missed something," I muttered.

"Other than her being crazy about you?" Ryoko slapped the back of my head lightly. "Idiot."

"I know that part," I replied ruefully, rubbing my head where she slapped me. "I meant I just didn't expect her to take it that hard. She's known for awhile that I had feelings for Eyes…"

"Doesn't stop a girl from getting her hopes up," Rio reminded me sagely, using Ryoko's distraction to steal a bite of her lunch. "Not to mention some of us thought Eyes would never pick you. You're so different from Kanone!"

"Well, she can look on the bright side," Kousuke added darkly. His face was unusually serious. "Rutherford turns eighteen in about a month."

I looked blankly at Kousuke, aware that Rio and Ryoko suddenly both gasped audibly at my look of confusion. "What?" I asked quickly, on my feet before I was aware of it. "What aren't you telling me?"

From Eyes' Point of View

I was on my way out of the building to go check out the concert space for later that week when I had a sudden thought. I crossed to the desk, nodding politely at the somewhat overly enthusiastic and overly friendly woman. "Good morning, Mr. Rutherford!"

"There's a young man who has stopped by several times in the past month, Ayumu Narumi," I began, and she nodded eagerly. "He's rehearsing a duet with me, please let him up whenever without buzzing me."

"Of course, Mr. Rutherford! A duet! How exciting! I can't wait to hear it!" As usual, she was trying too hard, but for once I couldn't muster up enough negativity to be annoyed. I even thanked her before I left.

The sun was too bright outside as I slipped on my sunglasses. My phone buzzed in my pocket, signaling the arrival of a text message. I flipped open the phone, frowning in dismay. The number across the top was all too familiar. Kanone. I was tempted to delete the message without reading it, but my training on how to protect myself kicked in. Any and all information was necessary.

"One month till we know the truth, old friend. Expect a visitor soon."

My frown deepened, my happiness from waking up with Ayumu dissipating all too quickly. Kanone coming here? No, I corrected, perhaps he meant hunters. Trouble for certain, I decided, putting my phone away.

I reached the concert hall, carefully checked the tuning on both pianos, and then settled in to play a few pieces to familiarize myself with the acoustics of the hall. As I played, I let my mind drift back to the alley, wondering what I had done the night before, rethinking my decision to be with Ayumu for the first time. I should have told him about my birthday coming up, I reprimanded myself. I hated being dishonest with him, even if it was only by omission. But how attached could he get to someone like me anyway?

I was aware of the person entering the stage behind me but didn't stop playing. "Yes?" I asked coldly.

"Hello, Rutherford, old friend."