A/N: My deepest apologies for making you guys wait for this next chapter. I took a vacation to see my grandma whom I have not visited for quite some time (I'm feeling guilty here :C ). Thank you for all those beautiful reviews. They made my day.

I'm posting this raw chapter after two weeks of agonizing whether I need to cut up the last 2 chapters into 3 chapters. I hope you guys will stick around until I posted the final chapter.

Parden my spelling and grammar mistakes. :D On with the story.

June 11, 2017 Updates: Special thanks to Aislynn Gemma Montgomery for the spelling and grammar checks. Please check out her profile and support her works.

Category: Uta No Prince Sama

Title: A Scarf, A Lace Garter and A Guessing Game

Chapter 4

Haruka wished she could get down from the top of the piano where she is currently sitting. Her last visitor had messed up her emotions and thoughts that she forgot to ask him to bring her back to the sofa where she could sit more comfortably.

It was quiet in the room. The background music had long ago stopped playing. Every single noise she makes seemed to amplify inside the room.

She leaned back, her legs dangling at the edge of the lacquered wood. Now what? She thought, trying to figure out the identities of her five visitors to kill time as she sat there mulling over things. It was hard to guess when you only have a few clues to start with: the texture of their shirts, their signature perfumes and smells, the rumbling of their voices as they whispered against her ear.

First visitor…Hmmm..Syo-kun? Or is it Tokiya-kun?

What about the third then? And the second? Hirijikawa-kun? Maybe it was Jinguuji-kun. She felt her face getting warm at the thought that Jinguuji-kun is one of the visitors who had kissed her with such ardent passion. She knew how experienced he is, just by quietly listening to the gossip of the older female students at Gakuen Saotome. But what about the others then? It would be a surprise if they turn out to be more than what she expected them to behave.

She has never been more self-conscious about herself. Not before this event. She made a mental note to act more sensibly and properly when hanging out with members of the STARish band. After all, they are men, albeit younger. They are no longer highschool boys that she can just casually romp about like kids playing in the playground.

She heard a small squeak on her right and she turned, even though her blindfold is still obstructing her vision. She can't wait to finally be free of this restriction. She longed to see the world again. And strangely, thanks to this unusual experience, she will be seeing it in a new light.

She caught her breath as she heard someone pressing the piano keys, as if testing how fine it was tuned.

Her sixth visitor is already sitting on the piano bench, and he started playing a soft, familiar tune. She strained her ears through the soft music he was creating.

Lady..

I'm your knight in shining armor

And I love you..

You have made me what I am

And I am yours..

Haruka held her breath, heart thumping madly. The lyrics flowed into her mind as her visitor played softly with the keys. The music he was producing is magnificent in its simplicity. It's message clearly reaching out to her. His playing is not as superb as Hirijikawa-kun's. But the rougher edges of his music is endearing.

Who is he? She wondered, heart melting. She leaned towards the other edge of the piano, holding out her right arm to feel the edges with her fingers. She wanted to hear more of his undisciplined playing. And he seemed to understand what she wants, so he continued keying in the next tune.

Lady..

For so many years

I thought I'd never find you..

You have come into my life and made me whole..

Haruka listened. And listened some more. She could feel her skin tingling, longing to touch the piano player and feel with her hands. She imagined his long fingers running softly on her cheek, and she shivered in delight. She inhaled softly, taking in the faint pear, white cedar and sandalwood, and something citrusy, like grapefruit..

She stopped breathing as a long forgotten memory stirred within her.

The smell of the ocean..

And her mind wandered from a time long ago, of summers spent in her father's old beach house in the South Pacific, where she often comes to stay for a couple of months every year before her parents died. She distinctly remembered an older boy she had met who smelled like the sea.

A touch on her hand. Long fingers, taking her slender ones. Warm breath travelling from her palms and wrist.

A kiss at the back of her fingers, as the fingers smoothed her wrist gently, lingering there, feeling her pulse race, like water flowing along her skin.

Haruka closed her eyes as blood rush to her cheeks.

"I have loved you for so long" his deep, baritone voice penetrated her mind. And she leaned towards her visitor as he pulled her gently into his arms.

"Do you understand what I am saying?" he whispered in her ear, holding her tight. He moved closer, standing up. His strong arm held her waist, and he easily lifted her up from where she was sitting, she felt his powerful arms tense up. He walked a few paces, holding her like a fragile newborn, until he lowered her on the sofa.

Haruka held out her hands, "Please don't leave me then." Warm hands met hers, and she felt his fingertips brush the hair of her face. She was drowning in his intoxicating voice, which was oddly familiar. She had heard his voice somewhere before.

A soft, fleeting kiss landed on her lips. It was so brief, that for a moment, she thought it was her imagination. But no, she touched a finger to her lower lip, he had aroused such passionate longing within her, enchanting her with his seductive voice and music. She reached out behind her head, intending to pull apart her blindfold, when he took hold of her hand, stopping her just in time.

"No, don't Haruka", he pleaded.

"Why? I wanted to see you!" she said.

"I want you to know me in a different sense" he answered. Taking hold of both her hands, he pinned them up above her head, as he leaned in for another of his minty kisses.

He sure knows how to make my head spin, she thought dizzyingly, as she responded enthusiastically. She wanted him so much that she was afraid to let go of him now.

And he knows it.

Branding her skin with his searing kisses, he proceeded to mark other parts of her as his own. His kisses trailed across her jaw and down to her collarbone, growling as he found other male scents lingering in her skin.

"I will make sure that you will remember me and only me" he said, lowering his now-scorching kisses on the cups of her chest, biting gently to make sure she would listen to his commands.

Yes, she thought. Go on, stamp me with your seal. She squirmed with pleasure underneath his heavy weight, her hands trying to flail. She felt his other hand trailing the smooth lines of her hips down to her skirt, stopping at the hem and pushing the dress upwards to touch her warm, creamy skin.

He started to tug hard at something on her thigh, and she realized that it was her garter that he was holding on. He was breathing heavily on her neck, bestowing love bites and kisses, and she lost count on how many.

"Do you know me, Haruka?" he asked tenderly.

She shook her head immediately. "No."

He gave another kiss on her lips, harder this time. All the emotions he was feeling as he played his song for her earlier coursing through his mouth and into hers. She could almost taste all his hopes and fears, his love and his sorrow.

I love you, she thought fiercely, loving the way he gently cupped her face, memorizing every curve and angle, I may not know your name yet, but I love you.

He stopped kissing her, sighing as he pulled away again, smoothing her hair and tucking strands of it behind her ear. "Now do you know me, Haruka?" there was a sound of urgency in his voice.

Do I know you? She asked herself. The mysterious last visitor who smelled like home, and who sang to her with his deep, deep voice that called out to her soul. Who reached out to her with his undisciplined playing. The one who poured out his innermost thoughts and feelings with a hard kiss on her lips. The one is not afraid to show his dominant side and his vulnerability even as he marked her as his own. Do I know you?

She nodded. "Yes."

"I will wait for you when you are ready." He pulled himself up from her arms, feeling the sofa depress a bit and relax as he stood up. "When you finally see the real me, you will know that you are mine."

His footsteps echoed across the room with finality. A door opened and closed gently, leaving her to gather her thoughts.

She sat up and pulled the scarf covering her face free. Blinking with the sudden brightness of lights invading her eyes, she shook her head, trying to still her trembling limbs to prevent herself from running after him.

She stared at the closed door, silently vowing that one day, she would be reunited with him, and she will know his name.

Tomo-chan looked up from the second cup of tea she was holding. Louis ushered in her last guest. He walked inside the room, staring into space, apparently distracted by his thoughts. She studied him quietly, taking in his expressionless face.

He was wearing a crisp silk shirt bringing out the color of his eyes. He looked impossibly handsome, staring at nothing. She waited for him as he gathered his thoughts.

He is special, this is one thing she is certain about this experiment. She knew it the moment she accidentally caught Haruka look at him with a strange expression on her face. She was hurrying towards the school's dining hall, and as she skidded her way around, she easily found Haruka's brilliantly colored hair nestled among the brunettes and the blonds bending their heads as they consumed their food.

It was at that precise moment when he walked in from another set of doors leading outside to the school grounds. He was talking with his fellow classmates, smiling arrogantly, looking too cool for the dining hall. Almost all heads turned toward in his direction, which was a rare feat, given the establishment is a grooming school for future idols, and the academy is brimming with good-looking potentials.

It was like watching a slow motion film unrolling before her eyes. She had watch Haruka looked up from the plate of pasta which she was about to eat. Along with the rest of the students, she stared at him as he made his way cross the hall. As he neared the counter where Haruka was sitting a few tables apart, she looked away, face reddening.

That's when she saw him look at Haruka, staring at her profile, as she gaze outside the window. It was the briefest of glances. A normal observer would dismiss this as nothing. She, too, would have chalk it up as nothing were it not for the intensity of the gaze he had bestowed on her friend. His expression may not have changed as he flickered a glance to her, but she saw the subtle things: a pulsing on his neck, a deep breath, and the brilliance of his eyes as he took in Haruka's look before turning his head in another direction.

She felt herself getting red with guilt, as if she caught him doing an intimate act. An invasion of privacy. And she could not stop staring at her friend the rest of the day afterwards. She was looking unusually beautiful that day too, wearing a white blouse and a fiery-red sweater, bringing out the gold in her eyes, her cheeks red like apples.

Tomo-chan snapped into attention when she noticed her final guest gave a move from the corner of her eye. She gave him a half-smile as she gestured for him to sit near her, and he walked towards where she was without hesitation.

He accepted the cup of tea she offered him, and he drank thirstily, not minding that the beverage has just slightly cooled.

She gaze at him, trying to guess what he would say to her. The moment of truth has come. Is he really the one for Haruka?

"I don't need to tell you how I feel about her" he said quietly once he finished drinking. He fiddled with his jeans pockets, as he closed his eyes and leaned back on the chair he was sitting on. "You already knew."

She tilted her head at his last sentence. " Why do you say that?" Still as enigmatic as ever, this guy is.

He shook his head, and gave her a quirky smile. "Shall I tell you a story?"

She nodded, somewhat puzzled. She should be counseling him on how best to convey his feelings towards her friend, not letting him get her sidetracked.

"There was a boy who was despised by his mother for being so weak. She always favored his older brother and often lavish much attention and love to him. Not understanding the difficult situation he was in, he would often run to the beach at the back of their house to cry and play by himself, wishing and hoping that someday, someone will love him."

He paused, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath, and Tomo-chan was suddenly transported in her mind's eye. Standing in the powdery-soft white sand, and water crashing against her feet. She could see the boy with sad eyes, crying his heart out at the injustice bestowed on him by his own kin.

"One day, after receiving a particularly vicious slap from his mother, he was weeping again at the beach, trying to clean a small wound he had sustained when he tripped on a tree root. A young girl found him. She smelled like cinnamon and apple pies, of freesias and orange blossoms. She smiled at the boy who was obviously older than her and handed him her white handkerchief. "Why are you crying?", she asked.

"Because I am weak" the boy answered with a sniff, wiping his eyes, trying to be brave.

"I am sick too," she said, patting his arm, "I am not allowed to go out everyday." She smiled brightly at him. "Don't worry, you will grow strong someday."

"He looked at her and saw pale sickly face, thin arms and pale lips. She was obviously sick, but her eyes were teeming with vitality. And they were a color of liquid gold."

Tomo-chan blinked, surprised coloring her face. Haruka? Haruka was the girl in the story?

"They met a few times during that summer. She had came when he was at his lowest, comforting him during his time of need. And then, one day, she simply did not return. For days the boy waited, until it was time for him to return to the city and resume his schooling. He had later found out from his servants that she went to stay with her relatives to recuperate." He took a deep breath and looked at Tomo-chan with his intense eyes, the color of a deep blue sea. "The boy vowed to find her when he is strong enough"

Tomo-chan smiled, understanding dawning in her eyes. She was seeing him in a new light. She had heard swirls of rumors surrounding her last guest when she started going to Gakuen Saotome.. About how he mysteriously disappear most weekends. Or that he is actually the bastard son of his mother and a rumored beau she had met in Europe. He had come from a respectable and artistic family who are known for producing exceptional people in the music industry. She guessed he had a difficult childhood because of his rumored bastard birth.

"And did the boy finally found her?" she asked softly.

"He did not," he answered, "It was fate that brought her to him". And with that, he stood up. Shoving both of his hands in his jeans pockets, he turned his back to her and went out of the room, leaving Tomo-chan with her doubts finally erased.

Haruka looked up and saw a familiar face at last, peeking at the door. The scarf now lay on the sofa beside her, folded neatly.

Tomo-chan.

She gave a sigh of relief, realizing that the entertainment she was forcefully subjected to had finally ended. She was beginning to get tired from all this emotional roller coaster ride, and had almost decided to let Louis know she wants to go home if her friend is still "not around". She gave a smile and waved at her friend to come over.

Tomo-chan looked uncertainly at her, a guilty flush coloring her face. She looked cute in her cream pants and white blouse, red hair tied back in a loose ponytail. She stood at the doorway hesitantly, unsure whether Haruka is really angry or not.

"Oh, come on, Tomo-chan! You let me wait here for almost two hours." She scolded her friend. "The least you can do is buy me a snack." She folded her arms across her chest in mock anger.

"Haruka!" she said, rushing to her, "I'm sorry for making you wait." She threw herself in her friend's arms, then said, "And for subjecting you to my wild experiments." There, she finally said it. She might as well confess to her friend. She's afraid that Haruka might never speak to her. She sneak a look at Haruka with her signature puppy dog pleading eyes that never fail to charm her friend.

Haruka sighed, "True, I should be angry at you. You let six strangers come into the room and.." she suddenly stopped, face starting to get red when she remembered all the intimate exchanges she had made between herself and all six visitors.

Haruka blinked and caught her friend staring at her intently. She gave a nervous laugh, "Very nice entertainment you had prepared for me, Tomo-chan. I hope you will not attempt that again." She gave a giggle, as if convincing herself that nothing is wrong and stared outside. "It's still light, how about if we go out to get a bit of sunshine? I'm sure you are dying to buy a dress." She said in a faraway voice.

A couple of hours later, after spending considerable time inside a boutique where Tomo-chan bought a formal gown for her family's upcoming reunion, they found a small, quaint tea shop just outside the dress shop. The shop was a popular hang out for ladies and teenagers because of its cozy ambience, the cute part-time waiters and the owner's divine baked goodies. And the pale pastel paint colors and white lace curtains is pleasing to one's eyes. They settled in one of the wicker chairs and tables placed outside the shop. They both ordered some cream cakes and tea, Tomo-chan sneaking a look at her friend's distracted face, watching the other shoppers passing by their table laden with designer paper bags. She still wore the same faraway look she sported before they left.

As soon as a tall, blond waiter poured steaming Earl Grey in delicate bone china, she leaned forward, tentatively touching her friend's hand with her fingertips. "Are you sure you are okay?" she asked softly, still feeling guilty. Maybe he is right, I should not have meddled and let nature take its course. She frowned at herself, remembering with a wince on how he scolded her, the fifth visitor with cold eyes.

Haruka shook her head and turned to her friend. Tomo-chan sometimes worry too much over her. She treats her like a baby chick who wanders too much. The thought made her giggle a bit. She admits she can be quite handful when she is absent minded and never takes notice of things happening around her.

"Haruka, you have never asked me even once about the six visitors' identities." She said tentatively. She is prepared to spill everything about the men who spent time with her earlier. Maybe that was what occupied Haruka's mind, the identities of the individuals which she invited. She was probably wondering who they were.

"No," she answered, meeting her eyes with a serious expression. "Honestly Tomo-chan, I am not interested in learning their identities. I would like to be kept in the dark." She fingered the lacy napkin she was holding, letting her tea grow cold. She was suddenly in no mood to finish the strawberry shortcake she had ordered. She did not notice their cute waiter, waiting discreetly at one corner for any other orders they might have.

Huh? "A-are you sure, Haruka?" Why did she say that? Tomo-chan's eyes widened, spilling some of the hot liquid she was about to sip.

"Well," she started sighing, "It would be too much for me to know their names. I mean, I feel like I'm being pressured to do something about my blossoming feelings."

Tomo-chan studied her friend, not quite getting the grasp of what she was saying. "And?"

"Well it's not that I did not enjoy what transpired this morning" she said, her face getting redder by the second, remembering all the intimate areas those hands that touched her, evoking such powerful emotions deep from her core. She saw Tomo-chan grinning, and she became redder still.

Then she gave a nervous laugh, "I think I understand your intentions when you let those guys come and profess their intentions over me. It suddenly jolted me awake that I have been living inside my safe cocoon that I may have been missing out on lots of opportunities being presented to me." She bit her lip, hesitating before she continued, "But I think, I might not come into a decision yet because I need more time to get to know myself before I decided who to choose. You know what I mean?" she looked at her friend straight in the eye, her liquid gold eyes bright.

Tomo-chan nodded, a smile hovering on her face. That's my girl, Haruka.

"I see." She finally said. She was expecting her friend to be more confused about her unusual situation, what with six guys who simultaneously wanted to claim her, but she was surprise that she was holding on her own. She has finally opened her eyes to the power of her feminine charms and how it is affecting every male who come into close contact with her. She's slowly becoming more aware of how she should act in front of a male. She's no longer an adolescent; she's growing into a beautiful and graceful woman.

There was a long stretch of silence after Tomo-chan has spoken. They finished their tea, watching the steady stream of people walking up and down the cobblestone street: groups of tourists with their heavy cameras slung on their necks, female teenagers out for a day's shopping, college boys ogling the busty women who caught their eyes.

"Tell me, Haru-chan" Tomo-chan said, as she paid their bill, "has anyone of the six guys left a lasting impression on you?" she looked at her friend curiously.

"Yes" she admitted. "One or two of them, I think". They started walking down the street, glancing at one of the shops, admiring the artful display of wares. "Maybe three" she added mysteriously.

Her eyes widened. "Who?" she paused, trying to remember which of them could have made Haruka blush like that. "Was it the first? Or the second? Or is it the last?" She jumped up and down like a kid despite being heavily laden by her shopping bags. "Oh, tell me, tell me, tell me!" she squealed. A few people stared at her.

"No." Haruka shook her head, taking her friend's arm and ushering her inside a shop selling vintage clothing. She liked the black and grey satin dress displayed on one of the windows, and she figured it would look great on her. "You just have to wait and see."

"No fair!" Tomo-chan stomped inside the shop, her lower lip jutting out.

It was very dark by the time Tomo-chan's family chauffer dropped her off the small apartment she started renting six months ago. She jiggled the keys to her lock and opened the heavy wooden door, flipping the light switch at the same time, while balancing the heavy bags of dresses that Tomo-chan insisted on buying for her.

The bright lights flooded the empty room in front of her, showing how bare the whole apartment is: a single white couch and a table filled with books, a second-hand baby grand piano occupied most of the space. She had retained walls original white colored paint. Everything was stark white.

Dropping the bags, she shuffled tiredly across the room, kicking the sandals off and feeling grateful at the thick white carpet caressing her feet. She headed straight to the small kitchen and took a glass from the dish rack and got some water from the sink. She drank thirstily from the glass and sloppily wiped her mouth afterwards feeling like a young kid again.

After spending a day with Tomo-chan, her apartment is so quiet. Haruka strode back to the room and glanced around, contemplating whether she still has the energy to tinker a bit with her piano or just call it a night. She stood still for a few minutes longer, before she shrugged and headed straight to her bedroom. She loved her bedroom because it was the coziest part of the apartment. The large baywindow at one side overlooks a small park located outside her building. She slept with the mattress on the floor, with thick books serving as her bedside table. Even her bedroom was bare. Except for her wardrobe where Tomo-chan was horrified to find out she only filled it halfway with her clothes. She went home one day to find her friend stuffing different kinds of clothings and shoes that she bought for her. Clothes that still have price tags on them. Clothes that she could probably be unable to wear in a year. And her old clothes strewn on the floor in one small pile. Surreptitiously, she rescued some of her favorite worn out clothes from the pile.

She quickly slipped off her dress, intending to take a quick shower before she goes to sleep. As the dress slid down her waist, past her thighs, she noticed the pressure on her thigh was a bit lighter. Lifting her leg slightly, she saw that the garter she wore this morning was replaced by a thin, blue silk ribbon tied securely.

She stopped, face getting warm again. She has a pretty good idea who took her lace garter, but she won't allow herself to get distracted about them just yet.

Untying the ribbon swiftly, she tossed it on her bed and quickly went inside the small bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, after drying her hair, she pulled on some ratty pajamas that have survived Tomo-chan's purging and curled up in bed, pulling the comforter up to her chin, shivering a bit.

She reached out and turned off her bedside lamp, blinking into the darkness as her eyes got used to the lack of light. As she felt her way around the edges of her comforter, her fingers found the silk ribbon she had tossed earlier.

Closing her eyes, her nose twitched as she remembered the scents that assaulted her nose earlier: the smell of soft leather, the nostalgic perfume that her father used to wear, plum and sandalwood…

Smiling a bit, she was halfway asleep when she realized that the ribbon she was still clutching smelled like the sea.

A/N: Gah.. I'm still thinking I may be off with my latest chapter, or maybe it's because I'm typing nonstop for the past 6 hours, editing and rewriting a few portions here and there without a real break. Anyway, I hope you guys like the latest one I posted. :D I would probably refined this one a bit along with the other chapters, but what the hell, let me know what you guys think. I will finally reveal all the visitor's names in no random order in my final chapter. Place your bets and I might reward you guys with a box of oreos.. hehe

Btw, I uploaded another fanfiction for Uta no Prince. It's called Underage Love, and I hope you guys check it out and leave a review.

That sums up my notes here.. ahem.. mind if you guys leave a sweet review as reward for my hard work?

Thanks so much! Now, I need to crash..