Kazuki walked into his empty home, grateful that no one else was there. It allowed him absolute freedom. Glancing at the clock, he knew his time was short, and headed up towards his room. He locked the door before leaning roughly agaist it then, slowly, slid down to the floor.

Carefully he pushed his trumpet away from him, the distressed look in his eyes hardening. Tensing up at the sound of his phone going off, he quickly looked at the i.d.

"Hello!" He forced his voice to be happy and loud.

"Kazuki! I thought we were going to the coffee shop?" It was Kahoko.

"Ah, s-sorry!" He quickly responded, "I had too do something for my mother. I'll make it up too you."

"Is everything okay?"

He struggled internally at the question. Did she know? Could she tell? Quickly, he lied, "Hey, my mom's home, gotta go!" He hung up, then, made another phone call.

"Sacred Heart Hospital, how can i help you?" The voice was friendly, and he quickly recognized as the same older woman he spoke too every day for about the last two weeks.

"Mrs. Amou? It's Kazkui Hihara."

"Kazuki!" She sounded relieved, "How are you feeling?"

"How is she?" He didn't mean to ignore her question, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Kazuki..."

Shoko Fuyuumi was quietly standing in front of Seiso Academy, looking around with her cheeks lighty red.

"Shoko!"

She quickly turned and smiled warmly at seeing Kahoko running towards her, out of breath.

"I'm sorry i'm late!" She smiled, trying to catch her breath "Kazuki said he had too help his mother, so it's just us. Maybe we can ask Keiichi if he wants to go?"

Shoko blushed faintly at the name, "T-That would be n-nice."

Kahoko couldn't help but smile, but then, looked uneasy as she looked past her.

Confused, Shoko looked back as well.

Azuma was walking towads them, but not with his usual demenour. He had a smile on his face, but it was far from gentle, and had a strange tint of anger. Stopping in front of the two girls, he spoke, "Good afternoon, i need to talk too you."

Kahoko swallowed uneasily, "Yes?"

"What did you say to Kazuki over break?" Azuma asked it bluntly, no longer hiding behind a smile.

"Kazuki...?" Bewildered, she shook her head, "I didn't see him. Everytime i called he was busy."

Azuma went quiet, searching her face for any sign of false truth.

Nami suddenly ran up, holding out her pen and paper, "Ooh, what's the scoop for today?"

"Nami did you see Kazuki over break?" Kahoko questioned.

"Actually yeah," she shrugged, "I ran into him a couple times at the hospital."

"W-Why?" Shoko's quiet voice rang out.

Nami thoughtfully placed the pencil too her lips, trying to recall why it was Kazuki had been there. She never had a chance to talk him, everytime she tried, she only faltered at his unusual distress. Finally, she shook her head, her own smiling fading.

Ryoutaro Tsuchiura stretched his arms above his head, his body pulsing with exhaustion. As he wiped the sweat away, he noticed Kahoko and Shoko walking towards him, both with troubling expressions. "Hey, what's up?"

"Is practice over?" Kahoko asked, looking at the rest of the team talking.

"Yeah."

"Have you seen Kazuki?"

Ryo shook his head, "No? What's wrong?"

Kahoko filled him in, the concern obvious in her voice.

"Maybe he's just busy," commented Ryo. "Does he have to smile every second?"

"No, but-"

Annoyed, he turned away, "I have too go." As he walked away, he knew he was being selfish. However, knowing Kahoko was more aware, and more concerned for Kazuki than himself was... "Damnit," he let the word slip as he walked inside. He was jealous, he was very jealous.

Kahoko couldn't describe the feeling as Ryo walked away, angry at her. She turned to Shoko, "Let's go get coffee." She forced her own smile, grateful when Shoko didn't call her out.

As they started walking, Shoko tried to lighten the mood, despite her own increasing embaressment. "K-Kahoko, do you l-like R-Ryo?"

Azuma made it a point to stop by Kazuki's house. As he stepped out of the beautiful black limo, he headed towards the door, thinking about every possible question he could ask. However, he didn't get teh chance.

Kazuki's mother answered the door, smiling. She was very beautiful, defined lines on her face from years of happiness. "Azuma!"

"Mrs. Hihara," he gave her his warmest smile, "It's nice to see you."

"I haven't seen you for so long," she started, then, "Oh, dear, i'm sorry but Kazuki isn't here right now."

"He isn't?" Azuma's expression contorted.

"No, dear, he is..." She faded, a flicker in her eye stopping her. Her mouth firmly closed as she studied him, measuring how much, or how little, he knew.

"Ma'am?"

Kazuki sat in a very small, white room by a small white bed. On the bed side table, he placed a small vase of bright, colorful flowers, breaking up the white as well as the over intoxicating smell of cleaner. Next to the flowers was a small box of food. Mrs. Amou would bring him food everytime he came, ever since he could not stop complimenting her food. Today, he hadn't touched it.

He leaned down and picked up his trumpet, his eyes faltering as he did so. Holding the instrument in his hands, he felt a little better.

"You used to like this song." For a moment, he smiled largely, a memory crossing his mind. It was one of his favorite memories, when he was younger. It was because of her that he learned, and later perfected, that song.

There was no response, and, even though he didn't want to admit it, there might never be a response. "I hope that you can hear it. I hope that...you remember it."

He lifted his trumpet and very beautifully, played.

Outside the door, hiding to the side, was Nami, watching as Kazuki played. For a moment, she was pulled into the music. It was a lifting piece. It was happy.