Written 18.o3.o8

Thanks for reading last chapter: SpiffyCookie, Phoenixe825, little0maggie, Waltz Turner, Mrs. Radcliffe 13, AnimePinkCess, nickygirl, Karush, blue wolf luv red phoenix, passer-by & Kuroi Black Nightingale.

Passer-by: You didn't leave your email, so you'll be getting an early reply here. Thank-you for reading this story. I hope you've checked out other sorato stories as well (check out theladyknight if you haven't). I planned a lot of this story from the beginning, so everything's pretty much been intertwined from the start. Thanks for your review, dear. Next time leave your email. Haha ;)

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My Funny Valentine

Chapter Eighteen

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For once a huge grin plastered over his manager's face as he beamed over him. He offered to strap the guitar off his shoulder and carefully place it on a stand. Yamato stared at his manager, appalled. He hadn't bothered to find a new manager seeming Kanji wanted to stick with him…but still

Of all the time Kanji had taken him under his wing, he had never shown such approval for what he did. Heck, he didn't even personally like the genre of music he was playing nowadays. But this time it was different. He was clapping like a mad man in adoration and admiration.

"Finally," he said in appraisal.

"Finally what?" Yamato questioned back.

"Yamato, you should be proud of yourself. You've finally put the pieces together on your own. This album actually makes sense," Kanji said, still grinning. "I don't know where you got your inspiration from…but somehow it's clearly showing in your lyrics and composition. I feel like a man watching his son graduate from high-school."

"I don't know whether to feel scared or proud of that comment," Yamato laughed, scratching the back of his head in his typical mannerism.

"Well, if I were you I would take it as a compliment. I thought you couldn't do it without your band. I rarely say stuff like this…but this is really good," he complimented.

Yamato couldn't help but match up his manager's expression, a vicious grin forming onto his face. It was true. Having approval from his manager was like having approval from the almighty God above. He wouldn't have completed the album without Kanji's constant nagging to strive his hardest. His constant pushing made him produce the best work he had ever done. The hard work had definitely paid off. But, he had to admit, that all his motivation hadn't come from Kanji or himself…it had been the thought of her. Of meeting her…of falling for her?

He had made so much effort to gain contact with her, but every road he took practically turned into a dead end. Even though Yamato wasn't the type of person to give up easily, he also wasn't the type to dwell too much. Therefore when he knew that there was no progression in meeting Sora again, he decided to focus properly onto his music again. But every song he played, every note he composed and every word that merged into the lyric…were all related subtly to her. It was inevitable. How could he forget?

"Anyway, son, I gotta check with the higher-ups with what they think of your new tracks before putting out your album. I've still got a bunch of tickets for the release party," he handed him a taught envelope. "I'm really glad. Go get yourself a drink. I know, for fact, that this will do well."

So as Yamato departed from the recording studio his fingers delved into the envelope. There were approximately fifteen tickets he had been given. In his mind he ticked off who would invite. They consisted of his father, brother, mother, Taichi, Mimi, Cat (if she was still in Japan), Jun, Jyou, Yutaka, Akira, Takaishi and the two latter's girlfriends. As he ticked off each of the tickets available he figured out that there were only two tickets remaining. He groaned. Perhaps he'd invite…

"Alejandro!" he exclaimed in disbelief as he found himself running to meet the man he hadn't seen for quite some time now. The older man in the foyer jogged up to meet him as well, exuberance lighting his face as he caught sight of the other musician.

"Why hello Yamato! How are you?"

"What brings you here?" Yamato said, still stunned giving him a manly embrace. "I didn't know you were under the same label as me!"

"Was," the pianist corrected. "I've just resigned from them today."

"What?" Yamato spat out, eyes widening.

"J-One Records isn't for me," he laughed bitterly.

"But it's one of the best music dealing companies!" Yamato spluttered, not coming to terms that Alejandro was no longer a part of his label.

"Don't you see, Yamato? It was never like that. I never wanted to sign-up for a record company purely based on fame, glamour and money. That's not me. Fame isn't everything," he said wistfully. "Music is."

It was then that Yamato discovered that he'd never be as music-dedicated as how the pianist was.

"But-"

"I know you're going to try and reason with me and say that I might regret it," he interrupted. "I've already thought it through. It would kill me to play something I hated than live up to other people's expectations."

"So you'd rather be a starving artist?"

"I would," he replied with utter confidence and with no sign of doubtfulness whatsoever.

"There's no way convincing you, is there?"

"No," he confirmed with a chuckle. "No way in hell."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Other than that, starve in the street," he said, "I'll probably drop in and see if the jazz bar misses my presence."

"I'm sure they do. Even Suzanne," Yamato winked and nudged the man.

A light blush appeared on the man's cheeks. "Now why would do you say that?"

Yamato may have not been observant but he knew there always had been something going on between the lady-bartender and the pianist. Ever since he had stumbled across the jazzy scene, he had caught them exchanging glances when the other was sure that he or she wasn't looking. While Suzanne was pretty sure she had solved him out with Sora's matter, the same could be said about Yamato. The blond haired man knew that she wasn't radiating the same happiness she had when Alejandro worked at the same place as her.

"You know," Yamato paused, light bulb flickering in his head. "Why don't you ask her on a date? I've got two tickets here…the theme is a masquerade related to my new album release because it's titled Her Masquerade."

"Oh, I see where this is going," the pianist gave him an all-knowing-look. "It's all about her, isn't it?"

"Who?"

"All those songs you composed…don't tell me they were about Sora."

"The weren't," he denied in aghast only to be met by his fierce gaze. "Okay...perhaps they were?"

"Will she be attending the night?" Alejandro asked only to shake his head when he knew the reply. "You've got to be kidding me! I can't accept these tickets then! That's like accepting a bouquet of roses for the wrong person! You might as well invite her since the album is focused on her."

"What do you propose I do then?"

"You're a lost soul, aren't you?" Alejandro laughed. "Just give them to her. She'll go. Any bets."

"How would you know?"

"I was there practically every night you came to the bar. She'd always forward your conversations about music to me and how wonderful you were at actually hold conversations solely on music…and not hit on her."

"What?"

"You've got to be a fool to not know that the girl is attractive. So many times she's been used to sleazy guys hitting on her…and your first approach was music! Off course you've had her eye and respect ever since!"

"I'd be lying if I said she was ugly," Yamato admitted. "But…any bets she won't come. We're in a bit of a dispute at the moment. She hates my guts."

"She's unpredictable. She'll turn up."

"Unpredictable is a word I'm really hating right now," Yamato grumbled.

"Just take my word. I've known her for a while…she does whatever needs to be done. She doesn't like beating around the bush too long. Keep the tickets."

"How about the spare?"

"I'm sure you can find someone else. Plus, I don't think J-One Records would want to see my face at your debut after I left them."

He chuckled.

"You'd better not let those tickets go to waste, Yamato," Alejandro said sternly. "I'm counting on you. She likes you…what else do you need to know?"

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He didn't know where he got his courage from, but when he was facing the main office to Soar to the Sky Designs he instantly wanted to turn and run off in the opposite direction. Alejandro's words sure got to him. The same could be said of his grandfather, Takeru, Taichi, Akira and Mimi…but still he couldn't hide the fact that he was scared of getting rejected. Rejection wasn't something he particularly didn't want to deal with. Hell, no one enjoyed any form of rejection.

Yamato straightened his back as he took deep steady breaths. Heck, it was now or never.

He'd march in there, hand the invitation to her and then leave. If she was going to come, fine. If she wasn't going to attend, fine – he'd move on after that and start from fresh. It sounded simple…but it obviously wasn't.

"Yamato?"

He saw Yolie advance towards him curiously. In comparison to the art smock she had been wearing the first time he had met her, she was now clad in a stylish suit that clung to her curves in a fashionable manner; something expected when she was the secretary to one of the most famous brands in Japan. "You probably don't want to talk to me right now."

"It's not that," Yamato lied. He still hadn't quite forgiven Sora's secretary for slipping the invitations to her launch without her permission. Now that he thought about it, if he gave his invitations to his debut…would she think of it as some practical joke and not take it seriously?

"I'm really sorry," she apologised. "I was just trying to get the two of you together, ya know? She used to talk about you a lot. And all of a sudden she just stopped. She's been so sad and lonely lately, and I thought inviting you would have done her good. She keeps saying how it's her fault…and guilty over something…I have no idea. But I know you would!"

Just like the moment he had met her, Yolie was already in her comfort zone with chatting so quickly that it took a while for him to pick up and absorb what she actually was saying.

"Yeah, I do know why. It was partly my fault. I think it's the secrets we hide…but I don't know. She confuses me."

"It won't be confusing when both of you face your feelings straight in the face," she commented. "Ken used to be like that with me. Took a while for him to see that I was flaunting and flirting…sometimes men can be oblivious, you know?"

"Not really."

"Ah, don't mind that. Sora's worse than you. It appears that you've already come to terms with it now that you're standing here," Yolie said. "Which brings me to the question I wanted to ask earlier. Why are you here?"

"I've been trying to contact her for so long…and the only place I knew that she couldn't avoid me was work," he explained. "So…is she here?"

"Right she's going to be in a meeting soon."

"Oh," he said in mild disappointment.

"Darling, don't take it too harshly. It's only a meeting with her mother…I can squeeze you in, no worries," Yolie smiled smugly. "Let's just say Sora may not take it well…"

Before he had the chance to object she was already pushing him down the corridor into Sora's private office suite. The door succumbed to his strength and left him flying onto the marble floor. Just as he got up to wipe the dirt off his shoulders, the door shut and he stared at his surrounding. Damn Yolie and her strange tactics, he cursed to himself.

Like Sora's apartment, it was fixed with multi fresh colours, splashing with intensity and fending off a modern vibe. He then saw her. Her back was facing him, head searching through a large wardrobe of clothes in evident concentration. As if she had felt her presence, she spun around. He noticed that when she saw him, there was a loss of colour on her cheeks as if she had seen a ghost.

"Sora," he called after her as she turned the opposite direction he was and stormed away. "Please, don't do this. Don't be so difficult."

He retraced her steps, chasing after her as they took a sharp bend around the corner of one of the plenty desks she had present in her gigantic work space.

It was then he looked ahead and realised she was aiming for a room within her office. He jogged after her in a faster speed. She got into the room, shutting the door and locking him out. Just as he was about to tap on the windows, she drew the blinds up. He let out an exasperated sigh. He thought that he should leave there…but he couldn't. He didn't want to.

"I know about your brother," he revealed. Even if the door was shut, he was certain that he could hear her. Suddenly, the door opened slightly. He took his opportunity and entered it.

She was sitting, elbows resting on her desk, holding her head up. She wasn't looking at him. "I'm tired of this," she said. "Whom'd you hear it off?"

"Mimi," he said honestly.

"Why couldn't you leave me alone, Yamato? You're such a bastard," she said softly, but he didn't get offended for her tone had no purpose and was at a complete loss. As he went closer, he saw her flinch…so he stood frozen on the spot. "Why are you here?"

"I'm sorry," he responded quietly. "I didn't really acknowledge it. I threw you into a strange equation without considering the effects. And I also didn't take it literal about how you didn't date…but now I know the reason. I'm new to this scene too, Sora. You gotta understand that."

"Stupid Mimi," she muttered under her breath.

"She's worried about you."

"She's always been like this. It's like she enjoys making things even more complicated."

"It's us. We're making everything complicated," he said. "I'm sorry, Sora. Let's start from the beginning. I'm willing to try us out. "

"Why are you telling me this? We don't even know each other!"

"Perhaps because you're not giving me a chance," he counter-attacked. "And we never took our time together seriously. Give me a chance."

"I-"

"Sora, I really want to get to know you more."

She closed her eyes, massaging her head as if she had a migraine.

"I like you," he confessed so quietly that it was hard to perceive.

Her eyes snapped open, this time her attention was focused on his standing figure in astonishment. "What?"

"Do I really have to repeat it?" he said.

"But you can't. You weren't meant to say that," she replied.

"Well, I have," he stated. He continued to fill the silence so that his awkward words would hopefully disappear. He was facing rejection in the face if she reacted like that. "Well…I actually came here to give you a ticket to my debut launch. I guess, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gotten around to writing my own stuff. Just think of it a thank-you."

"I'm not sure."

"Please come," Yamato said persistently. "I know you're still confused with this all, but I still would like to be friends…and talk about music…like we always have – before all of this happened. I'll make it up for you. If you want your money-"

"I don't want your darn money, Yamato. I never did," she sighed. "How many times do I have to say that? You're confusing me. You really are."

On schedule, a woman entered the room. She was roughly Sora's height, had high cheekbones and had the same matching auburn hair. She was definitely Sora's mother. She stared at the both of them and a smile formed on her lips. "Am I interrupting something?" she questioned in a husky voice.

"Who is this handsome looking young man?" Her gaze than lingered on him, studying his features and nodding to herself. "Is it him, Sora; your rumoured husband?"

"Stop joking around, I already told you about our fake marriage," from her hands burying her head, she was now sitting in an upright position, back straight against the wooden chair she was seated on.

"You told your mother?" he said.

"Did you expect me to let my mother out of the loop with all those rumours circulating around?" she said. "I can't really hide everything."

"It's a pity. I think you would have been fine together," Sora's mother said. "You look like a perfect couple."

"Really now?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"Why would a mother lie?"

If Sora's mother was fine if they became a real couple…an idea sprung into his head. It wouldn't hurt to try, he thought. He pulled out two tickets from his blazer pocket.

"I've actually got two spare tickets to the launch of my new album. Would you be interested in attending, Mrs. Takenouchi," he said with a charming smile. "I've got another ticket for Mr. Takenouchi…but I heard off Sora that he's in Kyoto?"

"Yes, that's right," she said, nodding her head, latching onto his train of thoughts. He swore he saw her wink at his direction. "Then, Sora, you might as well accompany me there. I wouldn't want to go on my own."

"But-" she protested.

This was where he took his queue to leave. He teased, "Sora, I hope by then you figure things out. I don't care if it's a yes or no…just don't let your mother go to the launch party by herself. That would be selfish. Right, Mrs. Takenouchi?"

"Very so," she replied instantaneously in amusement. Sora glared daggers at him.

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(a/n) Replies will be done tomorrow. I don't know if this chapter is good or not…I know it wasn't done to the best of my abilities because I kept getting interrupted in between. Nevertheless, there is ONE more chapter PLUS the EPILOGUE and then MFV will be complete. During my Easter break I will be going interstate. Hopefully during that time away, I'll finish the whole story. Wish me luck in getting both done before I come back! Thanks for reading so far!

Next Chp: Masquerade, baby! LOL