The Art of Teaching
Chapter 2
It had been two weeks since Yuki had started his lessons and Kumiko had begun to get to know him better, as well as Shigure and Hatori. She appreciated his maturity and enjoyed his company. He was a very good student, even though the young woman could tell that if it weren't for the fact that his school was making him take the lessons he wouldn't have even considered playing the piano.
She walked through the front door, kicking off her shoes as she went, and tossed her keys onto the coffee table. The girl collapsed on the couch, exhausted.
"What a day," she said to herself, rubbing her temples. "At least I graduate this year." She glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost 4'o clock…Yuki should be here soon… she thought.
Kumiko sighed heavily and went to clean up a bit. She brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her long, dark hair. As she reached into a drawer for a hair band, the door bell rang.
"Shoot," she hissed. "Just a second!" she called, hoping that her guests could hear her. It rang again and she quickly tied up her hair and ran down the stairs. The twenty-three-year-old slid across the hardwood floor and right up to the door, wrenching it open to see the familiar faces of the Sohmas standing in her doorway. However, there were two others that Kumiko didn't recognize.
The first was a short girl with long brown hair that was tied up in a half ponytail, and big green-blue eyes. The second was a boy around Yuki's height, with crimson eyes and bright orange hair.
"Hello, Miss Hishida," Yuki said in his usual formal tone. Kumiko blinked as she realized that she had been staring at the other boy's hair.
"Oh, hello," she replied.
"I've brought some people here to meet you. I hope that's alright," he stated politely.
"Of course, come on in." After the five of them were seated on the couch, with their hostess on an armchair across from them, Yuki proceeded to introduce the two other teens.
"I'd like you to meet Miss Tohru Honda," he said gesturing to the girl, "and this is my cousin Kyo Sohma."
"Hello, Kyo, Tohru," she said, committing their names to memory.
"Mm…Hey," Kyo stated uninterestedly.
"It's very nice to meet you," Tohru replied enthusiastically.
"Well, we don't want to keep Yuki from his lesson," Shigure said suddenly.
"Uh…Right, we'll talk some more later. Yuki?" Kumiko said. He nodded and stood up, already heading for the room where the piano was located. "Let me know if you need something," she said to the other four before following Yuki.
She could hear the voices of Shigure and Hatori bantering back and forth before she slid the door shut. The college student giggled slightly, then realized that her student was watching.
"Miss Hishida, can I ask you something?" he inquired hesitantly as she seated herself beside him on the bench.
"Anything," she replied. He touched the piano keys softly.
"Am I…doing well?" Kumiko studied his face. There was something in his eyes that told her he was worried about more than just piano lessons. It was impossible to know what exactly was bothering him so much, but she figured that maybe her answer could take at least a little of the weight off his shoulders.
"I think your progressing quite nicely, Yuki," she answered with a warm smile. He let out a relieved sigh.
"That's good, I was afraid that I was just going around in circles. I can get so frustrated by things like this that I tend to get discouraged very easily. Pretty silly, I know."
"I don't think it's silly. In fact, I felt exactly the same way when I started taking lessons," she stated. "But with your level of determination, I'm sure you'll be a fine pianist in no time at all." He looked at her for a moment, searching his teacher's face for any sign of patronization. When he found none he smiled appreciatively.
The forty-five minutes flew by, and before Kumiko knew it, was back out in the living rooming sipping tea with the Sohmas and Tohru.
"So, Miss Hishida, I don't ever see your roommate around, do you have one?" Shigure asked.
"Not anymore. She left about five months ago," she responded.
"Oh, where is she now?" he asked.
"Prison," she answered quickly. The five of them, Tohru especially, stared at her in shock, mouths agape, while she took another sip of tea.
Yuki was the first to regain his composure. "Hold on, doesn't that mean you're paying the rent all by yourself?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Well, judging by location and size, and the fact that you' re the only one living here, it must be costing you a lot of money," Shigure said knowingly. She paused as her cup reached her lips. He was right, but she couldn't let them know that.
"Never mind that," she said setting down her tea.
"Are you ever going to have another roommate?" Yuki asked.
"No. You see, my first roommate was expelled, for what I'd rather not know, the second is in rehab, and the third is the one who is currently incarcerated. After the latest incident the Board of Student Housing decided it would be best if I were left without one."
"I suppose that's understandable," Hatori said.
"So Tohru, how do you know the Sohmas?" Kumiko asked, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, well, actually I live with Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo," she explained, after Shigure nodded to give her the go-ahead.
"Oh, really? I didn't know that you lived with Yuki, Kyo," the older girl said, directing her attention to the orange-haired boy sitting on the end of the sofa.
"It's not like I want to," he replied sharply.
"Don't even start," Yuki said, glaring at him.
"Don't tell me what to do! I don't even know why I came here in the first place!" Kyo exclaimed, his eyes burning with fury.
"No one forced you to come." Yuki was successfully keeping his cool so far, but Kumiko could tell from the strain in his voice that his patience was about to run out.
"You guilted me into it!" the less tolerant cousin yelled, jumping to his feet.
"That was Shigure! Don't think yourself so important that I would even waste my time trying to persuade you to go!" Yuki shouted, getting to his feet as well.
The green-eyed woman raised an eyebrow at the two of them, watching as the fight continued to escalate. Tohru was rushing to each of their sides and trying to calm them down, though her panicky objections were obviously being ignored. Behind them, Shigure and Hatori sat turned away from each other, both with one hand over their eyes in an embarrassed fashion.
"Are they always like this?" she asked Hatori.
"Yes."
"That's it, you're dead!" Kyo shouted, coming at Yuki with his fist raised. Yuki took a step towards Kyo, aiming a kick to his cousin's head. Kumiko had reached your limit.
She lifted herself out of her chair and got in between Yuki and Kyo before either of them could react. She caught Yuki's foot in midair and grabbed Kyo's fist before they could make contact.
"That's enough," she said authoritatively, still not releasing them. A few moments of silence passed.
"Miss Hishida?" asked Yuki from beside her.
"Yes?" she replied.
"I'm sorry," he said earnestly.
"That's alright," she said letting them go. Kyo hung his head, his bangs covering his eyes. With his hands shoved in his pockets, he walked to the entry way and thrust his shoes onto his feet. With unnecessary force, he jerked the door open and walked out.
"Wait, Kyo," Tohru called weakly.
"It's alright Tohru, let him go," Shigure insisted. He turned his attention back to Kumiko. "I must apologize on behalf of Kyo, sometimes he just doesn't now when to say when," he explained with a shrug. "This is really very embarrassing."
"Really, it's fine. Nothing was broken and nobody got hurt, there's no problem at all."
"Well, I think it's time we leave," Hatori stated. The others agreed, and after saying goodbye, they left.
While Kumiko was getting ready for work, even while she was working, one question kept resurfacing in her mind: Why did Kyo seem so angry with Yuki? It was obvious to the young woman that the two had always been rivals, but in what she didn't know.
Maybe, she thought as she carried a plate of food to a table of five, if I get to know them better, I'll be able to find out why he acts the way he does.
A/N: Yay! Chapter two! Remember to reveiw.