Chapter 77

Deep breaths could be heard through the bedroom as Hitomi and Leifang were lying side by side, completely naked and drenched in sweat, basking in the afterglow. The Chinese traced her finger gently along the younger girl's ribcage and her face was still a little flushed from their recent lovemaking session.

Well the latest round anyway.

Hitomi in turn pulled her closer until she was half on top of her again and kissed her gently on the swollen lips, nibbling a little on her lower lip too. Her eyes wandered down to look at the pendant that was hitting her right breast. Yup, looks great on her.

Leifang had insisted on keeping it on, so in turn Hitomi hadn't taken off the bracelet that she had just gotten a few hours ago. All in all she would say that this was a very good anniversary.

My first too. It was true, all of her past relationships never managed to get to the one year mark. It felt...great.

Or maybe that was just the afterglow talking now, but she didn't really care.

"I...I want to apologize again for making you worry. And don't shush me now, I need to say this." Leifang said and nuzzled her face into the nape of her neck.

"I don't think I could do that even if I wanted to right now, sweetie."

Leifang gave a small laugh. "Seriously now though. It's just...It feels like this is my first big step into what might be my future. I know I'm just reciting a song that was written a long time ago, but in the end I'm doing it so that other people can listen to it. One day I want to compose such music myself so that people can enjoy it. So I'm sorry for being holed up in here all day long and not spending enough of my free time with you."

"Of course that's not the only thing." she carried on after a few seconds. "It also helped me to take my mind off...things, so I guess that's another reason I went so overboard with it as well."

"Leifang?"

"Hmm?"

"It's alright. I know you have a lot of things on your mind, and not just the music. What happened was..." she thought for a moment about what she wanted to say. "I can't fault you for taking solace in the music. But part of me would rather have you find it in me, you know?"

Hitomi planted a kiss directly above Leifang's brow and gently cupped her cheek with her hand. "I've told you a few times that I'm always there for you. No matter what. So promise me you won't drown yourself in work again just to forget, okay?"

"Hitomi..." Leifang took a deep breath and nodded, breathing out. "I promise."

"Good, because it won't go away that way, it'll only make it worse."

Leifang leaned into her touch. "It's just hard. Some days I feel like I couldn't care less about the whole thing and on others I just want to lie down in a corner and cry."

"Then whenever you feel like crying we sit down, have us some hot chocolate and talk about the whole thing."

"Yeah," Leifang bit her lip. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They gazed at each other for a while, and the small smile that formed on Leifang's lips told her that they were finally heading into the right direction.

Now if only I'd get an answer to that e-mail. But she could only wait in that regard, so in the meantime she might as well just raise another subject.

"I've also talked with my father yesterday about, well, when we are done studying. He said it might be a good idea to arrange ourselves a little bit, to have room for our relationship," Hitomi said. "I'm not saying we should do it today, or tomorrow, but maybe we could take some time and talk about it...I really want this to last."

The smile that Leifang presented her was the most brilliant she had ever seen on her. "I want that as well."

"Wow that," she laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head again. "Erm that is-"

"Jeez. Stop acting like you just put a ring on my finger," Leifang playfully slapped her arm. "Romantic as that is I don't think neither of us would be ready for that."

True. It was a romantic idea, but for now she wanted their relationship to go on for more years to come. Maybe then could they entertain the idea of making it forever.

She shook her head, but for now she would take what they had and treasure it. Kissing her once she brushed her dark locks behind those oh so cute ears and pulled back afterward, turning around and letting her legs hang down the side of the bed before standing up. Leifang looked at her. "Little bathroom break?" she asked.

"Better." Hitomi gave her a secretive smile and stepped out of the bedroom, padding towards the kitchen. It should be ready by now. She took two spoons from the cupboard, placing them on the counter and opened the fridge, nodding in satisfaction as the almond tofu was the right consistency. But before they could eat it there needed to be something added. And that something was the two actual almonds placed on top of the tofu in both bowls.

She also added a few grapes to give it a little fruity touch and to make it look more fancy and took both bowls into one hand each, holding the spoons between ring and pinky fingers.

"Since it's a special day I decided to make your favorite." Hitomi called out before she entered the bed room once again. Leifang was already sitting on the bed on her knees, looking rather ravishing in the German's opinion, and held her hands out when Hitomi handed her one of the bowls, spoon included.

"You are officially spoiling me rotten."

"Nope, after all," Hitomi sat down back on the bed, took a spoonful of the dessert and put it into her mouth. "I made some for me too."

"If you hadn't already managed to seduce me I would think about jumping your bones right now." Leifang said and started to eat too.

"Don't let me stop you, sweetie, I happen to like it when you jump me."

Leifang fluttered her eyelashes playfully but said nothing. As they ate in silence Hitomi took the time to take in her girlfriend's perfect body. Ah, she could call herself really lucky.

"See something you like?"

"On you? Definitely."

"Something in particular?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. I think I need a little bit of persuasion to spill that little secret."

"Just wait until I'm done with this." Leifang lifted her bowl demonstratively, showing that it was already half-empty. Both of them letting out a small laugh.

Hitomi then remembered something she mentioned.

"Say, you mentioned some research. What was that about?"

Leifang's face brightened up after hearing those words, placed her bowl on the bedside cabinet and hopped off the bed, making Hitomi watch her in amusement as she went for the printer and pulled out a few sheets that Hitomi hadn't noticed before.

Sitting back down she patted the sheets with the back of her hand. "You see, I've got an idea."

"An idea you say?" Professor Neuhaus asked, raising a curious brow as he looked at the young Chinese standing in front of his office table. It was the morning of the first day of the winter semester and classes wouldn't begin for another hour, so it had come to a big surprise when Leifang had knocked on his door and all but stormed into the room, sheets in hand and telling him that she got an idea.

"Yes." she nodded with a beaming smile.

"For what if I may ask?"

"The Open House day." Leifang help up the sheets of papers. "All of us that decided to perform have their own song, but why not have us do one song together?"

She placed the sheets on the table and spread them out until they were five small stacks. "We've got a violin, a cello," she pointed to the first two on her left side then moved her hand slowly to the right. "A flute, a clarinet and me on the piano. Would make for a nice little concert."

"Hmm," the man crossed his arms and thought about this for a second. Then he smiled and slapped his hand on the table. "Alright you got me curious now. So let's have a look at this one, shall we?"

He took the sheet that was lying in the middle and scanned it over. Leifang all the while took a seat and waited for the older man to finish.

"Interesting..." he looked from the notes to her. "Where have you gotten these?"

"Erm, that might sound a bit strange, but Youtube."

Now both his eyebrows were rising and he returned back to the notes, muttering. "The wonders of the Internet."

After a few more minutes he placed the sheet back to the others. "This is definitely a great idea, but I'm afraid that I'm not really familiar with the song itself."

Truth be told Leifang would have been surprised if he did, so she suggested. "If you want I can play it for you."

"I'd like that."

After gathering up the music sheets they left the professor's office and headed for the music room. As she entered the room Leifang took a deep breath. Over their vacation she had kind of missed the smell of the room. And of course she had missed the piano. It was the only instrument that actually belonged to the University. Everyone else brought their own when they had practical lessons and in the past the teacher usually used it to accompany the students when they were performing.

But on the day Leifang joined the class and she had been asked if she had her own instrument, she told him that she didn't but had practiced the piano at a very young age, and after a few demonstrations he pretty much left it to her in light of her talents as he had said.

As she sat down on the piano stool she placed the sheets that she had labeled with 'Piano' in front of her on the holder. The professor meanwhile sat down on the nearest chair he could find.

Placing her hand over the keys she took a few deeps breaths to gather her focus just as she had learned it from her Sifu and scanned the notes one last time.

Alright she thought and started to play. The song in itself wasn't very long, for classical music standards anyway, but it was rather complex to play on one instrument so she had to pay a lot of attention as she didn't have the same practice with it as she did with the Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 now after these past weeks. Damn, she probably could do that one in her sleep now the way she went at it.

But she had promised Hitomi not do it that excessively anymore and she was right about the other thing too, how while it did get her mind off her father it didn't really help at all. So she was glad that she had now started to talk more about the whole situation with Hitomi. She should have done so from the start, but she guessed that was just like her. A late starter for a lot of things when it came to her own feelings.

The song came to a close and as she took her hands off the keys and placed them onto her lap the professor walked up to her. "That was very good, might I ask where this is from?"

"Now you probably won't believe this, but it's from a video game."

"Oh" was all the Professor managed to say. He cleared his throat. "Well why not? Something more modern can't hurt I suppose."

"My idea exactly. But we still have a bit of tweaking to do. This part here." she tapped her index-finger against the notes and replayed them on the piano. "We would have to change it so that the flute or clarinet would be in the foreground."

The older man smiled. "I guess we have our work cut out of us, don't we?"

Leifang fixed her grin at Hitomi and Viktor as they were all sitting in the cafeteria. "And they all think that it's a great idea!"

"That's awesome." Hitomi pulled her into a one armed hug, and turned her head to look at Viktor. "Right?"

"Uh yeah, congrats." He said with a voice that betrayed that he didn't particularly care, making Hitomi frown.

"Oh come on!"

"Hey hey," he lifted his hands defensively. "It's great that you can do that music thing. That's at least better than what I'll be doing on Open House day."

"Why? You gotta play tour guide?" Leifang asked.

"God if it was only that." Leifang gave Hitomi a puzzled look.

With a sigh the Karateka explained. "His activity is going to be sitting in class and being watched. The majority of the Open House day consists of normal study time. The only difference is that people are allowed to watch." she pointed at Leifang. "You got lucky that you guys are gonna play music. If you had any other classes that day you would be in the same situation as Vik."

"Yeah," Viktor nodded. "Why don't you take some extra classes? I like having company in my misery. Hit-girl here has it lucky too, only having to play a football match."

"Only?" Hitomi scoffed and let go of Leifang. "Might I remind you that I have to go and work at the Oktoberfest afterwards?"

"Honestly? Slipped my mind." that earned him a light punch against the shoulder. "Ouch! Dammit that one actually hurt, I'll sue you!" he joked while gripping at his arm over-dramatically.

Hitomi ignored him and pinched the bridge of her nose. "God I'm so gonna feel like crap that day." she glanced at Leifang before snuggling her head against the older girl's shoulder. "Take care of me when I'll be back home?" she batted her eyelashes and tried to look especially cute.

Leifang smiled and patted her head as if she was a small child or a pet dog. "Only if you're a good girl."

"Sounds like a deal." With a grin she turned her head a little more and stole a short kiss from her. "There." she said. "Sealed with a kiss."

They laughed when Viktor made some fake gagging noises and resumed eating.

Later that day, on their way home, Hitomi and Leifang were taking a little detour through the nearby park at the German's suggestion and seeing how, in her opinion, Leifang had neglected her girlfriend a little these past weeks she agreed to it wholeheartedly. After all she still had a little time before her shift at the restaurant began.

The Chinese gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She really needed to think of something to repay her for being such a supportive partner all the time.

"So from your words earlier I presume you got the job again?"

Hitomi sent her a grin. "But of course. I don't think he'd ever say no to one of his best waitresses." she pointed her thumb at herself.

"Not to mentioned cutest." Leifang planted a kiss on her cheek, making Hitomi giggle. She smiled for a moment before becoming serious. "Don't overdo it though. Even if it means you'll make less money. Your health is more important."

The German's gaze locked onto hers. "I promise. Still gonna be tired as hell though. But I'll make sure to be there when you'll play the piano."

"You don't have to be, you know."

"I want to though. Gotta watch my girl so that she doesn't mess up after all."

Leifang cocked her head to the side and flicked her index-finger against the younger girl's forehead. "I won't mess up." she said, very sure of herself.

"Let's see if you're that confident in a few weeks, sweetie."

"Don't worry, I will." Leifang said with a huff. The rest of their walk as well as their walk home passed in comfortable silence, not once letting go of each other's hand.

Upon arriving home Leifang immediately headed into the bathroom to freshen up a little. Hitomi in turn headed into the bedroom, switching on her PC. Ever since she had written that E-mail she had checked daily if there was a response, but thus far there had been nothing and she was tempted to write another one.

Opening up her E-mail service her eyes instantly fell upon the heaps of spam and didn't bother to check them. Delete.

But as she deleted them she spotted an E-mail that was directly addressed to her. Checking from who it was she felt her heartbeat quicken. She finally had gotten a reply. For a moment she wasn't sure if she should open it for fear that its content wasn't good.

Just open it Hitomi, she told herself and left-clicked on it. The reply was in English, thank god, but it was obviously not from the person she wanted to talk to but someone that would translate it, which was good she supposed. She had enough trouble trying to learn how to speak Mandarin as it is. The corners of her lips curled into a smile as she read the e-mail and she could kiss the screen right now. Yes!

She jumped off the chair and did a little dance before sitting back down and typing a reply, all the while looking over her shoulder if Leifang was approaching.

Now came phase two of her plan.

And that's it for this week. Stay tuned for tne next update.