Chapter 22

At long last, chapter 22. Part of this was really hard to write because it felt boring lol. BUT! Big things happen this chapter and we are getting nearer to the end. Enjoy!

Later that night, after their guests had left, Alana sat at the table sketching Momiji who was standing across the table practicing on his violin. "Hey Momiji?" Alana looked up at him, putting her pencil to the side for a moment.

Momiji looked over with a questioning expression on his face and for a moment, Alana simply enjoyed looking at his handsome face. When his eyes began to laugh at her, she finally remembered what she wanted to ask him.

"What was Hiro's problem when he first arrived?"

Momiji gave a grin and set down his violin before dropping into the seat across from her. "Tohru."

"Tohru?" Alana asked surprised. "His attitude was because of her? Why?!"

"He's a little jealous of her." Momiji's laughing smile turned softer as he thought back to when they were all younger. "Kisa was being bully rather badly for a while and Hiro had been keeping his distance from her because of a kind of identity crisis. Tohru really helped Kisa when he was unable to."

"And since he has always loved her and wanted to protect her, he is jealous Tohru was able to help her and that they are so close." Alana finished with a smile on her face as well.

"Exactly. He is a pretty snarky kid regardless, but Tohru brings out the worst in him." Momiji winked at her and picked up his violin. "About ready for bed? I'm going to head up."

"Yeah, I'm going to bed soon myself. Good night, Momiji." Alana leaned up to accept the kiss good night from him and for a few minutes, they simply sank into the kiss, enjoying the closeness.

"Night." Momiji whispered, finally pulling himself away, his voice husky. Alana watched him head off to bed, a goofy smile on her face. I wonder if I'm wearing a 'ridiculous besotted' expression. She thought idly and picked up her pencil again.

~Art of Love~

The next day passed in a comfortable routine and before they knew it, it was time for their celebration party. When Momiji and Alana arrived at the party, they were the last ones to arrive. A loud cheer filled the room when they finally entered and both blushed at the attention. They had heard from their families in smaller groups about how proud they were, but being faced with such a large group showing such blatant support, they felt their hearts fill with love and joy.

Alana's parents and sister were right in front with Akito, wearing large grins on their faces. Alana fell into her mother's arms and squeezed her tightly, accepting her congratulations before being passed is the rest of her family who then enfolded Momiji into their arms a well.

After the first round of hugs, Akito waved her hands for quiet. "We all should know why we are her, but just in case." She paused for a few chuckles to die down before continuing. "Our newest addition to the Sohma fold, Alana, who is a fantastic artist, was being given an audition to hear her piano playing and see her art pieces by the Matoko Art Gallery and Amphitheatre." Akito waited for applause to settle and grinned at the blushing red-head. "Because she has such a generous heart, she asked Momiji to join her and give him a chance to play the violin for the representative as well. They both amazed the representative and we have heard that the two of them were accepted!" There was a lot of cheering and yelled out congratulations. "Now, before everyone is released to mingle and get food; along the back wall are the paintings I bought, painted by Alana!"

Everyone turned to see the trio of Cherry Trees and moved for a closer look. Alana was headed over toward the tables and grinned seeing her grandfather seated out of the rush of people. "Hello grandfather!" She leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"We are all very proud of you." Her grandfather told her with a soft smile and patted her arm gently.

"Definitely!" Emiko cheered. "I'll go grab us some food grandfather!" She darted off toward the buffet tables and nudged Kisa who was standing nearby with Hiro. She started chatting up a storm as she filled up a plate.

"She's going to give you good and then vanish with those two." Chizue observed with a grin.

"Go mingle, Alana." Mizu said with a soft smile. "We will see you again later."

Alana gave everyone another hug then went to find Momiji. Momiji stood over with Yuki, Haru, and Rin, the four of them stood with their heads together and were looking towards Kyo and Tohru who were talking to Akito.

"…the cat certainly looks uncomfortable." Haru was murmuring to his companions, his arm slung around Rin.

"Can't blame him." Rin admitted. "I still get anxious talking with her and I see her monthly at least."

Alana tucked herself against Momiji's side at this point, drawing everyone's attention to her. There is that cat reference again…she thought idly.

"Congratulations Alana." Rin told her. Haru and Yuki repeated her words and Alana beamed at them all.

"Thank you!"

"Akito was very excited to be able to pick up your paintings." Yuki told Alana. "Shigure was complaining about her dragging him out too early in the morning to grab them."

Alana blushed and deflected attention off her. "Where is Machi tonight?"

"Machi isn't a fan of large gatherings of people." Yuki explained with a small smile. "She sent along her congratulations to you two however."

The next few minutes were filled with idle chitchat and made comments on others in the room and how everyone was doing.

"Aya is in a tizzy all the time imagining Mine is going to give birth any day now. She's got almost a month left." Yuki chuckled looking over at his brother who was hovering beside Mine who was talking with a man Alana had not met. He was tall and had dark longish hair that fell in front of one of his eyes. He had a button-down shirt but his sleeves were rolled up and he had a loosened tie around his neck. "She's just waiting for things to happen as they happen."

"It's for the best." Rin remarked. "She could put herself into early labor if she stresses too much." She snarled when everyone turned in surprise at her knowledge. "I've been assisting Hatori, okay?!"

Haru squeezed her to his side supportively. "Rin was thinking of being his nursing assistant."

Everyone gave words of encouragement and support to her. "I'll need to introduce Alana to Hatori before we leave." Momiji smoothly inserted when Rin began to look extremely uncomfortable. "He was one of the adults who looked after me most. He's more of an uncle to me than a cousin. He would check on me frequently and take me out places, keep me involved with everyone else."

Before anyone could comment, a loud burst of laughter that was quickly muffled attracted their attention. The group peered over to see an embarrassed Kisa with a hand over Emiko's mouth while Hiro had a smirk on his face that told everyone he had just made a wonderfully snarky comment. "Anyone else feel a little afraid?" Haru asked.

Everyone nodded then pointedly looked away. "Anyway…" Yuki drawled.

Akito popped up behind Momiji before he could continue. "Momiji, Alana, would you be willing to play some for us? We only have a keyboard but your parents told me it would do fine for this gathering." She fussed as she urged the two of them over to the back of the room where Momiji's violin case sat beside a keyboard hooked to a small speaker.

Alana gave Akito a smile. "It'll work fine. Let Momiji and I set the volume for the keyboard and I think we can do a few songs." She glanced at Momiji who looked a bit uncertain but nodded.

As Akito went to let everyone know the two of them would play, Alana leaned into Momiji. "You alright?"

"Yeah. A little nervous. I've never played for so many family members at once before. And some of them, not at all." He gave her a soft smile and hugged her to his side. "But they are supporting me regardless of if they have heard me. I can't let this chance to show I appreciate them go by."

"Momiji, after we play a duet, why don't you play a solo piece for them?" Alana suggested giving him a kiss. "Now, what should we play?"

"How about Lux Aeterna. It was the duet we played for the representative and one of the first songs we played together." Momiji smiled at her, "It seems pretty lucky for us."

"Very." Alana returned his smile with a soft one of her own and the two of them began to adjust the volume on the speaker to something like the volume a normal piano would play at. While they set up, Akito announced Alana and Momiji were willing to play for them and people began to find a play to watch: either by the duo or at one of the chairs scattered around the room.

When Alana decided it was as good as it was going to get, she took a seat in front of the keyboard and nodded to Momiji.

The music filled the room and everyone sat in silence, enjoying the sound as it flowed around them and filled them. When the song ended, everyone began to cheer loudly. The loudest beside Emiko, not surprisingly, was Ayame. "Absolutely beautiful! Such talent!" He cried flinging his arms out in his enthusiasm.

Before he could start really going, Shigure interrupted him. "Now, now, Aya…" Shigure waved his fan gently as Kaiya cuddled into his chest. "You'll embarrass our poor Momiji." He turned to look at the blushing blond with a slight mischievous look on his face. "Why have you not introduced your lovely lady to everyone."

"Maybe because we don't want to acknowledge that we know you…" Kyo muttered, looking exasperated. Hiro and Yuki looked like they wanted to laugh but didn't want to agree with Kyo.

Momiji did chuckle and led Alana to the stranger at Shigure's side who had been pointed out to her as Hatori. "Hatori, this is my girlfriend Alana. Alana, Hatori, the family doctor."

"Nice to meet you." Alana greeted.

"A pleasure to meet you as well." Hatori said with a small smile. "The others speak highly of you."

Alana blushed lightly and smiled back. "I'm extremely fond of everyone myself."

Shigure's smirk softened at her comment. "That will mean a lot to Akito." He told her quietly.

Momiji kissed Alana on the cheek and looked around. "I don't think there are any other new faces here." He squeezed her hand gently. "I think I am going to do as you suggested and play a solo for everyone." He went back to pick his violin back up and set it to his chin. When the first person noticed Momiji standing with his violin, they quickly began to hush their neighbors until the room was once again silent. Alana moved back in the crowd until she stood by her parents and grandfather and let the Sohmas surround Momiji. She saw him take a deep breath and then began to play. Chaconne by Vitali flowed like water through the room and wrapped around everyone listening.

Aya's arm stole around Mine's waist as she laid her head on his shoulder. Tohru's hands were clasped at her breast and Kyo's face was more relaxed than Alana had seen in the brief time since they had met. Yuki looked slightly irritated as Haru rested his elbow on Yuki's shoulder but they all were watching Momiji avidly. His passion for the music was captivating everyone. Alana felt her chest warm with pride for him. He was so completely talented and his music was his soul and so beautiful. Once the song finished, there was a moment of silence then everyone began cheering wildly for their Momiji. With a few prods, Momiji agreed to play the piece he played for the scout and Alana heard Kisa tell Emiko that this was the first time many family members before and for most of the older family members.

Hearing that, Alana looked down at her grandfather seated beside her. "Thank you, grandpa. If it wasn't for you letting him play at your studio…"

"Nonsense Alana." Her grandfather interrupted her. "That boy has tremendous talent and skill. He just needed a little encouragement and support and you gave him that. Not me."

"He is right, Alana." Her mother said quietly. "Any confidence he has gained would come from your encouragement to play for people. Your grandfather provided a location but you told him he could do it."

Alana blushed at the praise. All she had done was encourage a music lover to share that love and follow his dream, the skill and passion were all his.

"It's alright." Her mother patted her arm gently with a smile. "You were just being you."

After the second song, Momiji looked around for Alana and she made her way to his side again. "How do you feel?" She asked him quietly as his cousins cheered.

"Fantastic. Will you play one more duet with me before we go mingle?" Momiji asked kissing her cheek and grinning in excitement.

"Of course! What would you like to play?" Alana returned his wide smile with one of her own, it was so wonderful to see him so happy!

"Your turn to pick." Momiji told her leading her to the keyboard. He was floating with joy and pleasure. While he had always known his family would support him, he had not realized how fulfilling it would be to play for everyone. It had always kind of been tied up in his mom listening to him play that he hadn't thought of the love he could feel coming from them.

While he imagined Momo and their father would bring his mother to see him play once he preformed at the gallery, he was not sure now that that would compare to how he felt playing for people who did know and love him.

"Want to play 'Good Enough'?" Alana asked. "If we are going back to the first songs we played together." She smiled at him shyly.

Momiji remembered how beautiful Alana had looked playing this song; how lost in the music she had gotten. He set his bow to his violin and they began to play. The song flowed smoothly through their fingers.

"I can see why the representative thought they'd been playing together for years." Chizue remarked to her father-in-law.

"It's amazing how in sync they are." Akito sighed romantically. "It's like Fate."

"Yes." Chizue agreed. "They definitely seem meant to be."

Once the song ended, Momiji convinced Alana to play a solo piece herself. After a few moments debate, she settled on playing 'Claire de Lune'.

Momiji stood close by watching her sway the slightest bit with the song. She looked so beautiful and Momiji felt so lucky that he had found someone with the same passion for music.

"You two play beautifully, Momiji!" Tohru piped up by his side as Alana finished.

He gave her a smile and agreed. "Thank you, Tohru." He said seriously.

She cocked her head to the side inquisitively, it was obvious the thanks wasn't for the compliment. "For what?"

"For breaking the curse. None of us would be where we are today without you." Momiji told her, his heart filled with joy and love as he looked around the room at the smiling face. He saw Kyo standing uncomfortably by Yuki, Haru, and Rin a little ways away. "And thanks for loving him."

Tohru blushed bright red and fled to Kyo's side. When Momiji turned back around, Alana stood just behind him with a curious look on her face.

"Everything okay?" She asked looking after Tohru who was now fluttering at Kyo's side. Kyo was beginning to look annoyed and Yuki had a ghost of mischievousness in his eyes.

"Yeah. Just teasing her a bit." He replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. They headed towards the other group.

"You can't talk to me like that you stupid rat!" Kyo suddenly burst out as they got close. Tohru was tugging his arm to calm him down and he froze as Haru slipped Yuki a few yen.

Momiji took a few yen fron his own pocket and handed them to Yuki as well with a grin.

"What was that?" Alana asked as Kyo dragged Tohru away fuming.

"Kyo has always had temper problems. He's made great strides improving it, but we wanted to see who could make him lose it first." Momiji grinned sheepishly. "I thought it would be Hiro after the other night."

"You underestimate how easily I get under his skin where Tohru is involved." Yuki said with a little bit of malicious glee.

Alana shook her head amused at the playfulness of their actions. While some might think of it was bullying, she could tell it was not done maliciously but as friendly, poking at each other with love. It is interesting there is another animal mentioned when talking to each other. And I think I heard the word 'curse' when Momiji was talking to Tohru. Alana thought to herself. The Sohma mystery deepens.

"You are all so close in age, right? Did you all get along when you were young?" Alana asked. She was startled at the somber air that came over the group. It was unthinkable that these close relatives hadn't always been close.

"We've been close the last few years or so. I was sickly when I was young and pretty isolated. Kyo's mom kept him very isolated as well but everyone else was pretty close. Haru and I didn't really start talking until we were around eight or so but it was pretty sporadic until we were in High School.

"Haru and Rin became close just before she moved in with our cousin Kagura. Hiro and Kisa were always together, their mothers are close. Aya, Shigure, and Hatori are all the same age and were quite the trio according to my brother." Yuki explained.

"Still, I am amazed at how well you all get along, even more as if its only a recent change." Alana told them. "Emiko and I often wished we had family we were closer to. "They all glanced over at Emiko, where she was huddled with Kisa and Hiro. "Though as muchas you all have welcomed me, Hiro and Kisa seem to be welcoming Emiko as well."

"I'd like to think this will calm Hiro down but I doubt it." Yuki smiled. "Judging by the way she and Kisa plotted against the two of you…"

Momiji nodded with a laugh. "I think they will be another 'terrible trio'."

Rin gave a small smile as she looked over. "I don't think that is such a bad thing.

As the group lasted into contemplative silence, Alana saw her grandfather stand up. "Oh! Rin come with me!" She hooked her arm through the other girl's and tugged her in the direction of her grandfather. "Grandpa! This is Rin Sohma. Rin this is my grandfather, owner of Takashi's Gallery."

"Good evening." Grandpa greeted with a kind smile, seeing the shell shocked look on Rin's face. "Forgive my granddaughter, she can be impetuous." He teased Alana gently. "I was about to head off. Did you need something?"

"I was hoping to invite Rin to the Gallery. She likes to draw and I thought she could bring a few pieces of her own but also see what we have to offer and see if that interests her."

"Of course. Miss Rin is welcome anytime. Just bring her along one day when you are working and it will be fine." Grandpa said. "I look forward to seeing you again." He gave a bow to them both and headed off.

Rin was still blushing madly but Haru gave Alana an appreciative smile. "When do you work? I will definitely get Rin to come by."

"Good." Alana said firmly giving Rin a smile. "If you love art, I want you to have every chance to show it off. But when it comes down to it, if you want that to stay private, that is fine too." Her smile went softer. "Art can be very private so if that's what you prefer don't let me bully you into something you don't want."

Rin finally stopped blushing and returned the smile. "I won't."

Alana watched Rin and Haru make their way back to Yuki and Momiji and decided to stop and say hello to Akito again.

"…broke the curse. None of this would be possible without you." Akito was saying to Tohru as Alana came up to them.

Curse? Alana thought as the two turned to greet her. That's the second time and both times mentioned to Tohru. Just what are they talking about…She shookher head and gave the two women smiles. Later…I'll ask later.