Chapter 12: Music For The Soul

She had eaten breakfast after calling up the Mikagami residence. Now, Fuuko stared at the pile of Physics and Algebra she had to do over semester break. It was bad enough that she put it off to begin with, but the finding of Tokiya after a long, long while and learning he had a little sister… well, that was enough to get her off her academic track.

As if she wanted to be on the academic track in the first place...

Needless to say, it took a week's worth of studying for the Hokage team when they got back from the UBS. Actually, it took Mr. Nerdy Genius, Tokiya Mikagami a week, and Recca, Domon, Yanagi, and herself two weeks to get back on their feet at school.

They weren't surprised to hear Tokiya had graduated Valedictorian of the Senior Class during that year. Then he disappeared without even a good-bye and-

'Why am I even thinking about that now?' Fuuko groaned to herself. She sat down and pulled her College Algebra book towards her. She was better in Math than in Science. That was what her teachers told her back in high school. She was a natural in solving mathematical problems when she wasn't beating up bullies with Recca and Domon. The professors highly advised her to be a Math major.

'That stupid Ice Prince won't even believe I'm any good at schoolwork, and boy, will he be surprised to find out I'm studying to be an Algebra Teacher!'

It was strange really, the way her thoughts would revert to him during her unguarded moments. Oh well. Best start on the homework.

She began on her first sheet, working through it with an ease that surprised even herself. It took her less than two hours to finish her Math homework, but by the time she was halfway through her Physics assignment, she was beginning to get a headache.

The many variables for Torque problems swam before her eyes when she was done. It had been a gruesome battle, involving many crumpled up pieces of scratch paper in the trashcan under her desk. Fuuko brushed her now long hair out of her face and held her bangs back with one hand. Maybe Physics would kill her more painfully than anyone in the UBS ever could.

She reached for her Ipod, put on her earphones and pressed play. The soothing sound of Toploader soon got her to ease up.

The printer beeped as Tokiya finally pressed the Print shortcut keys on his computer. He had finally finished his last piece of semester break homework: a paper on the novel Hamlet. The Literature professor was a terror beyond words. He had given back his students' last drafts before semester break, pronouncing them immaturely written for an advanced sophomore class. Even Tokiya's draft had been frowned on. A thing he was not used to.

Feeling dizzy, he rubbed his eyes and gently touched a small bump on his head: a product of his Sibling Rivalry match with Tanya that morning. At least it wasn't a permanent injury. That pint-sized spitfire didn't know the power of her own strength when she clobbered him on the head with a book she found on the coffee table (Quantum Science Theories) to get him back for hitting her with the phone book.

He minimized a window on his computer screen and let another pop up. It was his Facebook page. Tanya had been absolutely adamant that he start an account after learning he didn't have one. She had shown him her own Facebook page and pointed out that it wasn't a crime to stay connected with his friends through the World Wide Web.

He already had Tanya on his Family list of FB relations. He clicked an icon to check his list of friend invitations. The display made him smile. The whole Hokage team added him up. Even Shigeo and Kagerou.

He clicked 'Accept' on each of his teammates' invitations and started scrolling through their pages, laughing to himself at their kooky photos until his computer clock caught his eye.

Oh no no no no! It was past two p.m. and he had completely forgotten to make lunch for himself and Tanya.

'Darn it! Darn it! Darn it!' he stood up and hurried out of his room, knowing he could leave the printer to carry on by itself.

He found Tanya on the couch, reading one of her new schoolbooks, the others next to her in a pile. They had been delivered three days after Megumi Kyoza had visited Tokiya, along with Tanya's complete registration paperwork.

"Hey," Tanya said, looking up. "You hungry? I figured you were too absorbed in that paper of yours to come out and eat lunch with me so I made some sandwiches around noon and ate ahead." She got up and preceded him into the kitchen.

"I made extra ones and I would've brought them to you, but I remembered you telling me I can't eat in my room, so I assumed you don't eat in yours either. I didn't want to disturb you while you were doing homework."

Tokiya watched her take a microwavable plate out of the dish cupboard and remove the extra sandwiches from the refrigerator.

"One's chicken, and the other one's ham and cheese." He looked up at him questioningly, her expression obviously asking him which one he wanted.

Tokiya felt his insides fill with warmth. This darker-haired, Mifuyu-miniature was younger than him by twelve years and she was the one taking care of him, not the other way around. He reached over and hugged her, holding breakables as she was.

"Was that paper of yours about something sappy?" Tanya sounded concerned, balancing the plates on one hand and returning her brother's embrace with her free arm.

He laughed and took the dishes from her. "Some parts were. And Tanya?"

"Yeah?"

"You can disturb me anytime you want, whether I'm doing homework or not. I am your brother after all. I'll be sure to tell you when I need to be alone."

"Alright." She gave him a grin. "So which sandwich do you want me to heat up for you?"

"I'll eat them both. And I'll be the one to cook dinner tonight. That paper was the last of my homework."

His sister nodded and excused herself to go back to the living room.

Tokiya smiled as he heated his sandwiches, amazed at how much she knew how to do. She had seen the keyboard that Tokiya kept in the living room for decorational purposes, having given up playing the piano when he started college. To his surprise, she told him their father had taught her how to play. He had requested her to play him a couple of songs she knew and she agreed.

One of them was the Moonlight Sonata, for ketchup's sake! And he had only been able to master that piece when he was eleven!

"Neesan?" she called from the living room.

"Yes?"

"You mind if I practice on the keyboard? I didn't want to risk playing while you were doing your homework. I might have driven you insane."

"Go ahead. Let me finish eating and maybe we can play a few duets."

"Okay."

He removed the plate of sandwiches from the microwave and began to eat, listening to her attempts at playing a Minuet. She did hit a few sour notes, but it was easy to tell she had talent. He heard her muttering to herself about 'absurd sixteenth note combinations' and 'weird accidentals.'

She was still practicing the Minuet when her brother came out of the kitchen after his very late lunch. He sat down next to her.

"Know how to play Blue Moon?" he asked, keying the first notes.

"I like that song!" Tanya replied, cheerfully. "It was the first one I learned. Let's play the duet version!"

She scooted down the long stool they were both sitting on and waited for her brother to start.

Tokiya began with the intro and then the descant. Tanya joined him with the melody.

He felt his earlier stress over his schoolwork dissolve as he and his sister played the whole song.