Author Notes
Second chapter of Honoka and Maki's love story. :'3
May you enjoy~ :'D
Will you spot the pattern? ;'D
Chapter 2 – Listening
Maki likes mornings that she gets to hear a certain sound.
"Honoka! Your ribbon isn't tied properly!"
"Ah..haha~ Well, I was in a rush earlier..."
Maki could hear the pout in the gingerhead's voice even if she can't see it from where she stood, which happened to be some ways ahead of the three second years.
Maki smiles; she won't admit it, but she thinks that Honoka is cute when she whines, the upset pout always makes her want to poke those cheeks, not that she will.
If I turn around in an inconspicuous way, I could see Honoka's puckered lips...
The redhead fought the urge to turn and slapped herself mentally while she was at it.
W-Why would I want to see Honoka pout? Or any of her expressions anyways?! I-It's not like I think she's cute and w-want to see all sorts of expressions she can make!
Maki was about ready to run from her uncalled for thoughts when her seniors' conversation caught her attention again.
"Here, Honoka-chan. I'll help you fix it~"
"Ooh~ Thank you, Kotori-chan~! My ribbon will definitely pass Umi-chan's conduct test if it's the amazing designer – Minami Kotori that straightens my ribbon!"
Maki rubbed the strap of her school bag subconsciously as the gingerhead's playful giggle reach her ears.
I wish I recorded that. I feel like I could listen to Honoka's voice and laughter continuously without getting sick of it. It has...a certain decibel that... ! What am I even thinking of, Nishikino Maki!?
The pianist shook her head rapidly at her ridiculous thoughts that seem to verdict that she has an obsession with a certain Kousaka Honoka's voice, and she stomped off to her classroom.
Honoka was humming START:DASH! as she kicked her legs back and forth in a carefree manner while she chowed down on her daily dose of bread, her two best friends beside her on the round bench they like to have their lunch at.
"Honoka-chan?" The designer of Muse and one of Honoka's bestfriend spoke up after swallowing a meatball in her packed lunch.
"Mm?" Honoka didn't bother with swallowing before she faced the ash-brunette and cocked her head to the side while sounding her respond, in fact she took another bite of the sweet bread right after.
The lyricist and second bestfriend of the gingerhead frowned and shook her head in disapproval at the uncouth behaviour Honoka was displaying, and would've started a lecture if the ash-brunette did not ask a question to the gingerhead.
"What songs do you hear these days?"
"Vhat-" Honoka swallowed the bread she finished breaking down. "songs I hear?"
Kotori nodded and further explained her reason for asking. "Yup, perhaps for finding inspiration for Muse's music, or just what type of songs you like these days..?"
"Mm..~ Maki-chan!" Honoka gave the question barely two seconds of thought before she answered.
"Maki-chan?" The designer blinked twice, not understanding right away what Honoka's answer meant, if there was any deeper meaning.
Honoka smiled broadly, turning to face the front again. "Yup. Maki-chan's singing is soo~ good! I can hear it forever and ever~!" Honoka giggled cheerfully to herself as the singing voice of her redhead junior played in her mind – it wasn't hard for Honoka to be able to hear it clearly as though the redhead was beside her; to Honoka, Maki's voice is unforgettable since that fateful encounter outside the music room.
Kotori hummed her agreement and smiled at the gingerhead's gleeful mood. "I think Maki-chan sings really well too."
"Right~?" Honoka cheered, feeling pride in Maki's stead from her bestfriend's praise to the composer's singing.
Umi on the other side of Honoka wore a wry smile, thinking that the way her bestfriend was so obviously and shamelessly in love with their junior is endearing to see, but also slightly infuriating that the girl was so oblivious to those feelings too.
Maki was waiting. She was waiting for a certain gingerhead senior of hers to be done with the toilet trip so that she can ask something.
Don't get Maki wrong though, she's not stalking Honoka to the toilets, no. She just happened upon the Leader of Muse going to the toilet, and just happened to have a strong desire to ask Honoka a question. And against her better judgement and opposing mind, her heart led her to stand outside the toilet door, much like a bodyguard, waiting for Honoka to step out.
May nobody pass by. May nobody pass by. May nobody pass by. Hurry it up, Honoka! Why do I have to wait for you here anyways?
The first year had her arms crossed in front of her as she prayed for no one to pass the corridor she was in.
The door opened soon enough and the voice Maki couldn't be happier to hear rang out.
"Woah! Maki-chan?" Honoka chuckled as she stepped outside fully.
Finally, Honoka.
"What are you doing standing outside the toilet door? You can just go in, you know? There are plenty of empty stalls inside!"
"I-I know that!" Maki huffed; how could the gingerhead even think that she was waiting to use the toilet? "I was waiting for you!"
"Eh? Waiting for me?" Honoka tilted her head to the side and pointed a finger to herself.
"Y-Yes..." Maki began twirling some of her hair nervously.
Just do it. Just ask her. It's not weird. Honoka won't say no. You're Nishikino Maki!
Maki was busy encouraging herself and forming reasons to pop the question on her mind when Honoka pulled her out of her furious twirling of her hair and thinking.
Honoka had waited for Maki to say anything else for a good minute. "Um, Maki-chan?"
"M-Meet me at the music room after school!" Maki blurted.
"O.. kay..?" Honoka cocked her head to the side, confused by Maki's slightly red face, furrowed eyebrows and sudden request.
"I-I came up with a...new melody...and I want you to tell me what you think about it..." Maki lied to cover up her awkwardness, though she believes she can come up for with something for Honoka in the remaining hours if she really wanted to.
"Eh? Really? I can't wait to hear it! Maki-chan's piano is always so... memory making!" Honoka beamed and exclaimed with all the excitement of a child offered candy.
Maki visibly relaxed that the gingerhead agreed to meet her afterschool, but was slightly perplexed with not fully understanding what her favourite voice just said. "Memory making?"
"Eh..? Um...Memo-shing? Mesmerzing?" Honoka tried to remember the word she wanted to use.
"Mesmerizing?" Maki smiled wryly; reminding herself to maybe help Honoka with her vocabulary, or get Umi to drill some into the gingerhead.
"That!" Honoka did a happy bounce. "Maki-chan is mesmerizing~ hehe~"
"Vuehh?!" Maki took a critical hit and a step back at Honoka's out of the blue compliment.
I-I'm m-mesmerizing to Honoka...
"I can't wait to hear your new song, Maki-chan~ See you!" Honoka skipped back to her class with a wave.
"Yeah..." Maki raised a hand to wave back but Honoka already had her back to her.
Honoka thinks my music is mesmerizing. Not me, there's a difference.
Maki sighs before shaking her head furiously.
Not like I want her to think that I'm mesmerizing! ... Though she should...
Honoka skipped down the corridors and would have broke into a run for the music room with all the excitement bubbling inside of her if Eli didn't stop her when she shouted "Hey, START:DASH!" in a sprinting posture.
Now nearing the music room, the gingerhead grinned widely as Maki's singing could be heard.
Poking her head into the door's window space to peer inside, Honoka was taken by surprise when Maki's beautiful violets were staring right at her.
Ah, Maki-chan saw me already~ Her eyes sure are beautiful~
"Were you waiting for me, Maki-chan?" Honoka asked as she closed the door behind her.
"Who else would I be waiting for?"
Ah, Maki-chan is harsh as ever, hehe~
"I-I guess since you said you wanted to meet me, it would be me. But I thought maybe-"
"Just sit down, Honoka." Maki pointedly turned away and took a strain of hair to twirl in her finger.
Uh oh. I didn't make Maki-chan angry, did I?
Honoka nodded and dropped to the floor to sit.
The pianist faced her senior with a frown. "Why are you on the ground?"
"Eh? Should I have taken a chair? Hang on." Honoka jumped to her feet to grab a spare chair in the other side of the music room.
"Honoka."
"Mm?" The Leader of Muse looked over her shoulder and stopped walking when she saw her junior patting the space beside her. "I can sit beside you?"
"Yes." Maki turned her face further away from her senior's seeking eyes, her face burning just from asking the gingerhead to sit beside her.
I get to listen to Maki-chan play the piano right beside her!
Honoka broke into a broad smile and hopped onto the bench beside the pianist.
"Maki-chan is so kind today~ hehe~"
"Wh-What does that even mean?" Maki gave Honoka a weak glare.
"Ehehe~ The last time I sat myself beside you, you pushed me off the bench..." Honoka pouted at the memory and rubbed her butt as though she could feel the pain from before.
"T-That's because you came too close to me so suddenly!" Maki retorted, while Honoka just grinned.
Maki-chan is cute when she blushes like that, hehe~
"So what are you going to play for me?"
"I'm not playing for you." Maki crossed her arms across her chest.
"Eh~? Why not?" Honoka's expression morphed into worry.
D-Did I anger Maki-chan?
Maki didn't answer right away so Honoka placed a hand on the redhead's arm gently.
"Did...I do something wrong?"
Maki glanced over and felt her heart skip a beat – Honoka's soft, afraid voice and then her large, watery eyes hit her conscience hard.
"N-No..."
"So you'll play for me?" Honoka poked her head closer to the redhead.
"Y-Yes...That's what I intended to do in the first place." Maki looked directly into Honoka's blue eyes to convey how much she meant her words.
Thank goodness Maki-chan is not angry!
A smile grew on Honoka's lips, Maki reflecting the same.
"I can't wait." Honoka spoke though her voice was still quite soft.
Maki chuckled softly, so Honoka looked over.
Maki-chan is even cuter when she smiles and laughs.
The first year placed her hands on the piano and began playing the first song Honoka heard from her – Aishiteru Banzai.
Once done, Honoka clapped excitedly and loudly.
"Maki-chan is amazing~! I can never get sick of your piano~ of your music!" Honoka scooped Maki's hands in hers in her excitement.
Maki blushed at the contact.
"W-Well...Honoka...I like Honoka's singing a lot too..." Maki got caught in the gingerhead's flow of honest praises thus admitted how she felt for Honoka's voice.
"Really? Hehe. But I like Maki-chan's singing more!" Honoka continued showering her praises for her junior.
"Y-Yours is...really nice too. Don't sell yourself short."
Maki wanted to say that Honoka's singing is the best to her, but couldn't help but hold back or she might explode from embarrassment.
"Aww~ Thank you, Maki-chan~ It makes me really happy that Maki-chan thinks I sing well!"
Maki smiled widely; happy to be able to make Honoka happy.
"I'll sing for you then! While Maki-chan plays the piano!" Honoka suggested with a hand pumped into a fist.
Maki stared at the gingerhead's enthusiasm. "Then allow me to test you. I'll switch between songs, and you have to sing them. Okay?"
Honoka beamed as her ocean blue eyes lit up with even more excitement than before.
"Let's go~!"
And Maki began playing a medley of songs with Honoka singing to them; somewhere in between happy laughter from the two could be heard too. And if they recorded this little impromptu piano-singing session they would know about it.
I'm glad I asked Honoka over today... Getting to hear her giggles, voice and singing in this two hours... I love that.
Author Notes
OvO Hehe~ Did you enjoy this chapter~? X'D
Honoka and Maki are just so cute~~ And I love seeing them so in love~ (heart) *o* Though they aren't fully conscious of it! (At least Honoka isn't and Maki is in denial (from time to time)) hehe~ X'3
Well! Leave a comment if you like~ *O* Tell me how you felt about Honoka and Maki listening to each other~ XD
And see you next chappie~ ;'3
(Why does my line breakers keep disappearing?! Roar! OAO)