I'M SO SORRY! I know I haven't been updating as often as I would like to, but I have another fanfics to take care of. Well, thanks to all the readers and I hope you like the chapter! Kisses.
-Hoshino Rui's POV (Aika's older brother)-
I was arranging some new scores in the shop when Aika arrived home.
"I'm home!" she said as she took her shoes off and threw her bag in the entrance.
"Welcome home. How was your first day at Seiso?" I was eager to know how everything turned out. Did my plan worked?
I poured the tea I had prepared a few minutes before and handed her a cup.
"It was...interesting." she smiled.
"How so?"
"I met some really nice people today. It was good."
"I'm glad."
That's all we talked about her new school. Not a single thing was said about the music department. I sat down for a moment and watched her while she worked diligently. I felt so guilty for not being able to provide for her. She even gave up what she loves the most in order to get a decent job. Even if I encouraged her to compose again like she used to, she would just look at me with her big eyes ands say: "I think I've lost interest in music. It's better if I just work in the store."
She has always been a terrible liar.
When Aika thought no one was watching, she would listen to some of the store's CD's for hours. When she was daydreaming, she would unconsciously dribble melodies in any piece of paper that laid around. When she noticed what she had done, she would rip the paper and throw it away.
But today she was acting different, somehow.
She was filled with energy I hadn't seen in a long time. She would occasionally stop by the scores section and would read a few pages. She even took out the laptop I gave her for her birthday last year, which has a program in which she can compose and listen to what she had written for any type of instrument.
Something definitely happened. I smiled at this thought.
"What's so funny?" Asked Aika.
"You look happier than usual. You are almost shinning." I said as I stood up and patted her head.
"Really?" she blushed and touched her cheeks.
"Really."
-Hoshino's Aika POV-
When I woke up, I felt amazing. It was like I had been born again, and in someway, I had. I washed up and got dress as fast as I could. Then ran downstairs, where my brother was fixing breakfast.
"Good morning, Rui-nichan." I said happily.
"You are up early, Aika. Do you have a morning activity or something?"
"Something like that. Well, I'm leaving now!" And I ran to the front door. This time I even made sure I was taking my laptop.
"Aika, wait! I have the feeling you may be needing this." The oni-chan handed my a folder filled with blank scores.
"Oni-chan, I'm not sure I'll-"
"Just take it. It's in case you need it." he winked at me.
"Fine." I said. Hesitantly, I took the papers from his hand. "Now I really need to go. Bye!"
"Have a safe trip!" he shouted as I bolted out the front door.
On my way to school, I stared at the scores furiously.
What is brother expecting me to do? I mean, I'm not even sure I'll compose something; I still have my doubts. I sighted. It's been so long since I last wrote something. Maybe I'll begin by modifying some existing songs, just as a warm-up. As long as that doesn't interfere with work and my studies, it should be fine, right?
Then I bumped into someone. That tends to happen a lot.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking were I was going." When I looked up, I recognized the boy as one of Hino-chan's friends. What was his name? Oh, right! "Tsukimori-kun?"
"It's obvious you weren't paying attention. Be careful or else you will represent an inconvenience for others. " He was definitely not happy, but did he had to be so mean? Well, it's not like he is wrong.
"I-I'm sorry." But he wasn't looking at me anymore; instead, he was staring down at the scores I was holding. I quickly hid them behind my back.
"Well, I'm off to class! See you later!" I said nervously. Had he seen the papers? Of course he had. He was cold, not stupid. I hope he doesn't think anything of it. Hopefully, he'll think I was delivering them or something.
Not likely.
-Tsukimori Len's POV-
I wasn't having what I would call a great morning. Last night, as usual, I lost track of time and ended up practicing my violin until 4:00 a.m. As a result, I can feel my brain pounding against my skull. Even after drinking some of that expensive coffee my mother brought from her last tour, I still felt heavy as a rock.
The fact that a midget came out of nowhere and bumped me while heading to the music building was not helping to relief my sour mood. When she looked up to apologize, she looked kind of familiar.
"I-I'm sorry." she stuttered. What's with those huge eyes? Oh, now I remember. She is Hino-san's friend from yesterday.
Annoyance was clouding my mind, and I said something that honestly I can't remember, but judging by her expression, it was something hurtful. For a second, I felt a tinge of guilt.
The source of her distraction was the pile of papers she was clutching. Are those scores? When she noticed I was staring she hid them behind her back, as if that ever worked. Then she apologized again and ran off to her department.
What is a gen-ed student doing with scores? Maybe they are Hino-san's and she is just delivering to them. But they were blank. Hino couldn't have any use for them. Maybe...Ugh, whatever. My head is killing me.
-Hino's POV-
Aika same into the classroom seconds before the bell rang. She seemed kind of agitated and her cheeks were slightly pink. She dropped her bag next to her chair and slumped her head in her desk.
"Aika-chan, are you okay?" I tapped her shoulder. She bolted up, startled, and turned to see me. She had obviously not noticed I'd been there the whole time.
"Oh, H-Hino-chan! Good morning, I didn't see you there." she smiled awkwardly.
"Are you feeling ill or something? We should go to the infirmary if you do." I placed a hand on her arm to try to calm her down a little. She gave a sight of relief and returned to her composed self.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Besides, look at this!" Then she placed some blank scores on top of my desk.
"Oh my gosh! You decided to compose again!" I was truly happy for her. Now that I looked closer, it was as if a huge weight had been removed from her back.
"Well, I'm not quite sure, but I'll try to write something after school. It's also been so long since I last composed something. " Her face was glowing with anticipation.
"Good for you, Aika-chan. If it's not too much trouble, I would like to see when you are done." I said as I returned her the papers.
"Of course! You are the reason I'm going to start composing again, after all."
She is just too cute.
-Aika's POV-
Finally the day went by. Everyone was packing their stuff to go home, but instead I headed to the music department. As I walked by, I noticed the music building was still packed with students. They must be here to use the practice rooms. I also felt lots of people staring at me. What was I expecting? A gen-ed student has no business in here.
"Is that you, Hoshino-san?" I heard a voice from behind me. A beautiful boy with long, purple hair was standing behind me, and a crowd of fan girls behind him.
"Good afternoon, Yunoki-senpai." I greeted. It's hard to forget a face like that.
"What brings you to the music department?" He asked pleasantly. Wow, his Adonis-like looks were almost hypnotic.
"I'm just, uh, looking around! Since I'm new and everything." I hate to lie, but telling him my real business here would just create an up-roar.
"Would you like a tour guide? I have a couple of minutes before practice." The fan girls where giving me hateful glares. If looks could kill, I'd be a bloody corps by now.
"Oh, I couldn't let you waste your practice time, Yunoki -senpai. I'll be fine by myself." I tried to smile convincible.
"Is that so? Well, thank you for your consideration. I'll see you later, then." he said.
"Okay, bye!" And I moved out of the way so Yunoki-senpai and his sect could go. When he was gone, I let out a sight of relief. That was close.
I waited around fifteen minutes until the hallway was cleared. When it was safe enough, I tiptoed all the way until the last room in the hallway, the one I'd visited yesterday. The afternoon sun made the small room look comfortable and serene. Yes, this is the moment I've been waiting for all day.
I didn't have time to waste, since I had to get home to study for a big test tomorrow. I quickly unpacked my laptop and blank scores and sat down in one of the armchairs. So how should I begin? I'll write a song for the violin, since I want Hino-chan to be able to play it.
It took a while for ideas to come to me, but everything became easier when I decided a theme for the composition.
I'll make a song based on my first day here. I remembered being so overwhelmed with feelings. Anxious when I first entered the classroom; happy when I got to meet Hino-chan and everyone else; nostalgic when I first discovered this room. But above everything I felt relief when Hino-chan helped me make my mind about music. I am just so thankful for everything.
I began with a few notes, and then the wave of ideas came to me. As I wrote on the scores, I inserted the data into the laptop, and moments later I could listen to what I was writing. It's just like magic. Music, I mean.
-Yunoki's POV-
I glanced down at my watch.
5:00 p.m., huh. I had been practicing for about an hour. I decided to step out for a moment to take some air, but something distracted me. The door at the far end of the hallway was slightly opened. I was curious, since no one ever used that room. I walked over slowly, expecting to find someone from the cleaning department fixing up the room. But what I saw was quite the opposite.
So little Aika-chan was not just looking around... I could feel a smirk escaping my lips. What is she doing in there?
I looked closely and saw her scribbling something. Then she would turn to her laptop, type in something, and listen something through her headphones. She was so concentrated that a small frown appeared in between her brows. It took me a second to discover what she was doing, but then realization came. A light chuckle escaped my lips as I walked back to resume my practice.
This is indeed most interesting. I wonder how should I use this...information I just obtained.
-Aika's POV-
5:00 p.m.? I'm so late! Ugh, but I'm at a crucial part of the composition. I can't just leave it like this. Okay, half an hour more and that's it.
I took my headphones of and began reading what I had written so far. It's not bad, but it could definitely be better. But even if I wanted to change it, I have a rule since I first began to write against changing what I had originally written. You see, I think that what we compose at first reflects our raw feelings, even if they are not the most beautiful.
Then the door slammed open.
"Tsukimori-kun?" that had scared the soul out of me, but he looked as cold as ever.
"I do not know if you are aware of this, but this room is not the general education department's study hall. This department is for the exclusive use those involved in music. In the future, please restrain for coming here for such a trivial matter."
My mouth fell open. Does he think I'm having a picnic in here or something? This jerk...But he was right in the part where I'm not from the musical department.
"O-of course." I piled up the papers in the table and shut my laptop closed. "I was careless," I tried to explain as I stood up and began heading for the exit, "please excuse m-" SLAM. Of course, I had to find something to trip with. Just in front of Tsukimori-kun, who had a really annoyed expression. All the papers scattered around the floor and I knew I was blushing furiously.
"Damn it." I murmured as I picked up everything. Tsukimori only picked up the papers that were a few inches from him, but still, I wasn't expecting that much.
"I'm sorry!" I bowed when everything was done. Then, without taking a second glance, I ran back home.
When I got to the shop, I was completely exhausted. Great, now he'll think I'm retarded or something. All the papers I was holding were crumbled, so I began organizing them.
Wait. WHERE IS MY NEW SONG? I looked over and over, but the score was nowhere to be found. I probably left it behind in that room. I really hope no one finds it...
-Tsukimori Len's POV-
What does that girl think she is? I thought after she had bolted out from the musical study room. When I surprised her doing whatever she was doing, she panicked, and on her way out she tripped over a perfectly flat surface and fell on her face. She hit her forehead pretty bad, if you ask me. It was almost amusing.
When all her papers scattered around, I just picked a few and she quickly took them from me.
Huh, what is this?
Apparently, somewhere in the middle of her rush, she left two papers in the coffee table. How careless. I walked over and took them. They were scores. And not only that. The notes were written in pencil, as if someone had just written them. Could this be Hoshino's? Suddenly, I felt the urge to play them. The song was made for the violin, after all.
I went back to my practice room and slowly, began to play the composition.
At first, it was somewhat accelerated, as if someone was rushing. Then, it began to turn lighter, more enjoyable, and more delicate. It kept softening down until it turned sad and melancholic. Suddenly, the song became warm and carefree. What an unusual piece. I turned the page to keep playing, but it was blank; unfinished.
There is no way this could be written by her. The piece was not genius in a Vivaldi kind of way, but the feelings in it where almost visible. It was beautiful in it's own way. Of course, this is not the type of thing I would play. My initial plan was to put the piece back where I found it, but something wouldn't let me.
Fine, I'll just return it tomorrow and stop thinking about it.
But on my way home, while studying, and while practicing violin, that song played over and over in my head. It was stuck in my memory. Why can't I stop thinking about it?
-Aika's POV-
The next morning I left half an hour earlier than usual with the hope of finding my piece just where I left it, but when I got to school, the door of the room I used yesterday was locked. It was probably too early. Still, I peeked through the door's small window, but couldn't see anything.
I'll just have to return after class.
I walked back to my department and into my hall. I was a few feet from my classroom when I saw something out of the picture. Tsukimori-kun...
His white suit definitely stood out, and not only that. He had this air of superiority that was almost touchable. To my dismay, he had a couple of papers clenched in his hands. Not regular papers, but scores. My scores.
I hesitantly walked to him and greeted:
"Good morning, Tsukimori-kun. Are you waiting for someone?"
"As a matter of fact, I am. I'm waiting for you." he answered. "You left this in the music depart yesterday." Then he extended the piece. I was expecting him to give them back and just go to his building, but instead, when I grabbed a hold of them, he didn't let go.
"I'm not done yet." He said. I clenched my fists and waited for the final blow to come.
"Are these yours?" He asked simply. "I mean, did you wrote these?"
"Uh, well," I hesitated, but when I saw he wouldn't give up I let out a sight.
"Yes." I admitted. I guess he wasn't expecting me to admit it because for a second he looked confused.
"How?" He asked again. Now I felt insulted.
"Excuse me, Tsukimori-kun, but do you think that because I'm in the general department I am not allowed to know a thing about music?" I pulled on the scores harder and finally got him to let go of them. "Maybe I chose this department over the music department on purpose." Once again, he was perplexed.
"I have to go now." Was all he said. He began to walk away, but then stopped and took a last glance at me; more like a glare. Before turning back he mouthed:
I'm not done yet.
Damn, I talked too much. Maybe I should have just lied and said that I've never seen those in my life. But part of me felt proud, so I just walked into the classroom with a smile on my face.
Thanks for reading! I hoped you liked it and please review:)