Fall Canzonet

By: CrescentLight

I'm back and with the edited version too! So please would you all read and review?

Disclaimer: Don't own RK or any of its relating characters...

Chapter 1. Hokkaido

"Why am I here again? Oh yes, it was because of the stupid game Misao lured us into playing." I grumble under my breath as I remember what happened that day.

It started out as usual: Misao and I were talking about the new dojo in town, Megumi was telling Tomoe something about this 'hottie' from her culinary class, and Tomoe had her nose in a book, not paying any attention to Megumi's chatters. Then the four of us went into this Greek restaurant. All was peaceful until this huge light bulb suddenly appeared on top of Misao's head and like magic, she pulled this tin can out and rattled it in front of our confused faces.

"Okay, see this can," Rattling it again, she said," There are some papers in it and all of us draw these papers to decide where we would go for adventure." Then throwing a wink, and with the craziest grin I've ever seen on Makamachi Misao's face, she stuck her hand into the 'fortune can' with her eyes closed. I was second, Megumi took the third piece, and Tomoe ended up last.

"I'm Kyoto!" Misao unrolled her scroll, her eyes shining like she just won the lottery.

"I got our hometown, Tokyo." Tomoe smiled gently, looking down at the piece of paper.

I unfolded the paper I had in my hand. "Hokkaido," I inwardly groaned,"Can I change?"

"No can do."Misao replied cheerfully.

"I got Nagasaki." Megumi told us with a glare in Misao's direction. Guess I wasn't the only one feeling bad today.

"Okay, so the future road is clear for us," Misao extended her arms like a fortune teller, her eyes all sparkling," But we'll meet again, four years later, at this very teahouse, okay?" Then she added," And we are still best friends, no matter what." Then we piled our hands together and laughed.

I wonder what they are doing now. Tomoe must be at home, reading Wuthering Heights. She's really obsessed with that book, but then again, she is the bookworm. Misao, well, she might be having fun at downtown Kyoto. As for Megumi, she could be on the train or she could have arrived at Nagasaki already...It feels like I'm drifting away from them, I mean, Kyoto, Tokyo, and Nagasaki are one island, and Hokkaido's on another. Maybe I am drifting farther and farther away from them...Damn! This is so wrong! I'm supposed to be optimistic, what is wrong with me these days? Maybe it's because I'm going to Hokkaido, where a lot of things happened, where my whole life course changed...

Hokkaido has changed a lot since I left it thirteen years ago. Miss Suki's fish shop is gone and that bass shop is gone too...It feels like they all disappeared along with my childhood. I made my way down the familiar path. Well, the flower shop and the bakery are still there. Then taking a left, I see a familiar street and at the end of the road, a house with blue shutters is still standing, unwavering in the strong wind. With heavy steps, I walk over and run my fingers along the door. Then sighing I take a step back and smile,"Hokkaido, I've returned."

"Kaoru-chan! Is that you?" A voice asks from behind. I feel myself tense up; I'm not ready to meet my friends' questioning eyes and pitiful look, at least, not yet. Before I take action, she speaks again," Look, I'm sorry about what happened to you and your-"

"Shut it." I tell her coldly, then without waiting for a second, I start to run, running from her, from my old home, and from my childhood.

After calming myself down, I start to prowl around the place for an inn to stay and I find it, it's this tiny little place called the Homestead Inn and trust me, it is not very attractive, so if my friends here decide to pay me a call, they would have a hard time finding me. It's all good; except for one thing...I still need to find some jobs so I can pay for my living expenses.

So I took a stroll down the avenues and find myself staring at a want ad. They are looking for a piano tutor. Guess it's time for me to pick up my old skills again.

But damn! Why do they have to live at this seclude place where street thugs roam? Oh my god, the people living here must be like these crimes on the run and are wanted by the police. They learn the piano just so they can pretend to be music teachers and get in these schools to teach the children. And then they'll take the kids as hostages so the police will remove their criminal records... Man, I really need to control my imagination. Shaking my head, I go up to thefragile-looking door and knock. Seconds later, it is opened by this scary-looking woman with blond hair and blue eyes.Despite her appearances and the annoying expression, I manage a small smile and bow to her politely.

"Hello, I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could try out for the piano teaching job." There, polite and professional.

"Ah yes, come in,"She says in a stiff tone and lets me in the house. Woah, eventhough their house is built at the middle of nowhere, itis so fabulous inside. I mean, they've got chandeliers hanging, for god's sake, and they have these expensive-looking glass cups with...is that diamonds I see? I could feel my eyes go round, but I snap out of my reverie as she leads me into a piano room in silence and says in a monotone, "Play something, please." Gee, would it kill her to speak a longer sentence than the one she just said to me? Whatever...sitting in front of the piano, I feel nervous all of the sudden. It's been so long since I have touched the smooth surface of the piano. I just hope I won't mess up are my last thoughts before I start to play. After I finish, the room was silent, then barely moving her lips, she told me," Barely sufficient, this piece of canzonet,"Pausing for a moment, she continued,"So how long have you been playing the piano?"

"Eighteen years." I replied, quicker than I intend it to be.

"Are there any other instruments you play?"

"I also play the drums, the cello, the clarinet, the bass, and the flute."

"Interesting," She looked at me for one full minute before continuing," So what's your name?"

"Kaoru, Kamiya Kaoru."

"Well, Miss Kamiya, how old are you?"

"Twenty-two." I chirp out.

"School?"

"Berklee College of Music, America."

Then she gave me a glare, what the? Did I even say anything insulting or improper?

"You will start next Saturday," She snapped on briskly...wait does this mean I made it? "In fact, you'll come every Saturday to teach that brat from three to five in the afternoon. And you'll be paid with1,000 yen an hour." Before I have time to reply, she flicks her hand and these two men appear out of nowhere, each with black suits and black sunglasses. Where did they come from and...are those her henchmen or something? And then quicker than I could say hey, they have thrown out me...

"Hey!" I yell as I fall flat on my bottom," Damn..." I curse under my breath as I pick myself up from the pavement. Along my way back home, I find three other jobs. Now I have to teach another boy piano, play the cello at a bar along with a pianist, and compose songs for this singer named Naomi Tazukino. Not bad, at least they all relates to my major in college.

"So this is my first return-to-Hokkaido day. I just hope I won't meet up with anymore old acquaintances." Sighing out aloud, I looked outside. It still looks the same, with the same beach, the same streets, the same ocean air, and the same...ocean.

"Good night, Hokkaido." I fall onto the bed, murmuring quietly. My dad once told me if you say your goodnights with sincere, you'll always be happy, but look what happened to him...Well, I still keep it out of habit because sometimes, old habits really do die hard.

So, this is the first chapter, tell me if I should continue it or not by just clicking that little button!