New Year, and it's already starting on the wrong foot a bit for me, but I have to keep my eye on the prize for this year, and that prize is:

I am starting the books finally.

Planning and everything, this story will most likely come to a close by summer, and that's...yeah, I don't know how I feel about that.

I may do an occasional one-shot here or there for some other fandoms, but right now, I'm... I'm at a loss for words.

But things are proceeding slowly due to being bummed about the story ending and having to go back to work and begin moving into the professional sphere.

Sorry about the wait. This was supposed to be one long chapter but will end up being multiple chapters. I'm finding it tough to focus and concentrate, but I hope you'll enjoy what I have posted. I'll have some more up soon. But yeah, this is kind of tough to handle, given what's happening in this series of stories. I don't know if I'll be posting one shots of what happens during the in-between stuff; maybe Yuzu is doing her job hunting and things after being fired so much, or the restaurant opening. Some stuff with Mei and her Grandfather. I honestly don't know, and it's been wearing on me a little.

Also, my cat Oskar has a cold, and he's sneezing, and it's pretty adorable.

I'm going to try to go to Emerald City Comic-Con in March. WHY?! Because Megan Shipman will be there, I want her to sign my Citrus art book. I got a sweater of some of the Christmas fanart made you can find on my Instagram using this name. See if she picks up on it, though it'd lead to an awkward convo, so now I'm a little hesitant.

Chapter 23

Applause echoed throughout the auditorium as the students from Airi's former school finished their final session.

"Is it finally over," yawned Hideki from the end of the aisle, earning him a slap on the elbow from his mother.

"Stop it," whispered Mei as a few people glared in Hideki's direction. "You're being rude."

"I'm not trying to be," grumbled Hideki as he massaged his knee, hoping they would turn on the lights soon. "I need to get up and stretch; this is taking forever. How come Airi's old school is performing with them?"

"They're just about done," whispered Yuzu, peeking around Mei, holding a finger to her lips but still earning some glares. "Just give them ten more minutes; I think there's an encore, then they'll stop for an intermission."

Hideki groaned and continued to massage his knee, making Yuzu smirk and Mei sigh, though they agreed. Despite all of their research to find a suitable music school for Airi, none of it had told them that the same group operated the school Airi was currently attending as her previous one. Which wasn't bad; the teachers at both schools were highly qualified, with experience in several fields and long resumes. However, since the same people ran all three schools, the group would try to cut costs and have multiple concerts on the same day, and the kids and parents had to attend regardless of the child's time slot.

But, it could have been worse, Yuzu had closed down the restaurant for the day to give her staff some time off as they weren't a popular Christmas Eve date spot yet, and Mei had little to no work to catch up on.

Not only that, but it gave them some time together as a family, which is what Mei and Yuzu had been planning on, and while the long bouts of sitting were annoying, the music was pleasant, and the couple felt confident about their choice of teachers for Airi.

However, Mei and Yuzu had seen from the way the kids from Airi's old school were playing something telling them they'd made the right decision in pulling Airi.

While the bullying had been a part of it, there was something about the way they'd seen the kids play when Airi had her solo recitals that bugged them. It wasn't that the kids weren't well-trained; Airi's improvement over the past year was a testament to how well the school taught its students. But the way they moved and sat bothered Mei and Yuzu.

As they watched the group, it finally began to resonate with them that the kids suffered from a similar problem regarding his dancing; the way they performed was all about technique.

This way of thinking made sense to a degree. It was the same reason Yui and Airi's teacher stressed using an acoustic guitar before having Airi start with the electric, she must hone her technique before she could advance, and things like posture impacted that. Airi's teachers had her do a series of muscle and vocal exercises before every class. They had the kids do it every night before they went to bed or practiced to avoid injury and unnecessary stress, and Mei and Yuzu did their best to ensure Airi followed through with the instructions. Although sometimes life made following the regiment difficult.

But as much as she understood the reasoning behind the why, it still bothered Mei. It bothered her to see that the kids were so focused on performing the music properly that they didn't seem to be enjoying themselves, and she wanted more from that for Airi and Hideki, should he continue dancing.

Part of Mei knew that in her younger days, she would have agreed with this approach, that what was on the sheet was what mattered, and part of her still did. The sheet told you what to play so that everything worked in harmony for the entertainment of those watching. But now that she'd had children involved in such pursuits, her mentality had shifted. She was beginning to understand why Airi was starting to flourish in some regards and Hideki was beginning to struggle.

As she began contemplating, Mei's train of thought was broken as the auditorium again broke into applause. When the applause finished, there was a brief announcement about the intermission and the need to sanitate the equipment, followed by the lights turning on and Hideki letting out a loud grunt.

"Finally," he groaned as he stretched his arms while a few adults and other kids began filing out of the auditorium. "I thought that'd never end. Why did they cram them all into one day? Couldn't they have done this at Airi's school, so we didn't have to sit through all of this?"

"How many times do you think we've done the same for you during one of your competitions," huffed Yuzu, reaching over and smacking her son gently on the back of the head, accidentally hitting the back of Mei's head in the process. "Sorry, Mei."

"Just be careful," sighed Mei, noticing a few people staring at them. "I'm certain a few of these people know who we are, and acting up may cause problems. Do you understand me?"

Mei's face shifted from a gentle warning for her wife to cold authority when she laid eyes on her son.

"Do you? Hideki?"

"Okay, okay," chuckled the teen, raising his hands in surrender. "I'll stop whining. But you have to admit that watching all these other kids is a little annoying. We're here to see Airi, and I'm kinda anxious to see her perform. She kept saying she had a big surprise, and now I'm curious because she didn't shut up about it. That and my knee is killing me, but something tells me you're not gonna buy that."

"I accept it as part of why you're acting up," snorted Mei pointing at the empty aisle. "And now that the aisle is clear, you have your wish. We have forty-five minutes to stretch, walk, and do what we need to, but I expect you here before the lights flicker. Yui, it's up to you to ensure he returns on time."

"Yes, ma'am," squeaked Yui after appearing from her seat behind Hideki. "While we're up, do you want us to get anything? There's a cafeteria, and we can get something if you like."

"That sounds nice," Mei fished some bills out of her wallet and handed them to her son. "I want the change back."

Hideki mumbled something that sounded like, "Good grief," before using Yui's arm and pulling himself out of his seat.

"Be careful," echoed Yuzu, Mei, and Udagawa as he limped off with Yui.

"Well, now that you've thoroughly chastised my nephew," yawned Harumi from behind Yuzu, "I'm gonna get some coffee and a snack. Udagawa-san, you wanna come with or are you going to hang out?"

"I'll come." Udagawa shot out of his seat and began shuffling hurriedly through the seats. "I'll pass out if I don't get something to eat."

"Then I'll treat you." Harumi waved at Yuzu and winked. "We'll make sure the kids do what they're told. You guys have fun."

With that, Udagawa and Harumi headed out. They watched as Harumi offered her arm to Udagawa and chuckled when his face grew red, and he politely declined, making Harumi laugh. Eventually, they left, leaving the four remaining Aihara family members alone in their seats, wondering what to do.

"We should probably get up and stretch our legs too," suggested Ume, realizing they were some of the few left in the auditorium. "I know this place isn't big, but we have two more sets to get through, and it's good to keep the blood flowing."

"Good idea," chimed in Sho, gathering his things. "Come on, girls, let's get some air. Especially you, Yuzu. You look like your back's killing you."

"It is," grumbled Yuzu, reaching forward and letting out a small whimper of pain, dropping the facade of comfort. "My pillow's not helping, and the seats aren't comfy. Hideki's right; why'd they do all of this today? Couldn't they have spread it out over the week?"

"I'm sure they have their reasons," sighed Ume, rubbing her daughter's back. "Besides, the money we spent on the tickets goes to local charities. We can deal with the discomfort a bit longer."

"I guess," whined Yuzu while Sho and Mei helped her get to her feet.

After they headed out, Yuzu and Ume excused themselves to run outside for Yuzu to do some stretches while Sho and Mei stood awkwardly in the corridor, wondering what to do.

"So, what do you think," asked Sho, breaking the silence after a drink from his water bottle and offering it to Mei. "About the other kids, I mean? I think they're good if a little stiff. I thought Christmas music was supposed to be fun."

"I suppose it depends on the person conducting that year," said Mei after politely refusing the drink. "This is the first time Airi's done something like this, so we aren't sure how it's done, though I agree with you about how the children play. It's as if they're afraid of making a mistake or enjoying themselves."

"Well, it does take a lot of focus," offered Sho. "Keeping time, following the music, remembering hand positions, not trying to hit the other kid..."

"Since when did you become an expert on music?" Mei gave her father the same confused look from earlier after learning he'd managed to do Airi's hair.

"You don't need to be an expert to figure out the basics of what goes into something," chuckled Sho before taking another drink. "Besides, I've taken both kids to practice, watched them practice at home, and been to their recitals; I got a bit of an understanding of it. The kids have a lot on their minds, and their parents and strangers are watching, so it makes a little sense they'd be stiff. But I think you're right about them being so focused that they aren't enjoying themselves, at least with the older kids. I thought they'd be used to performing, but it reminds me a lot of how Hideki approaches dancing."

"I had that same thought," said Mei, not surprised she and her father had come to a similar conclusion. "Rote memorization as opposed to creative thinking or interpretation, like what they expected from us in school."

"Yeah." Sho sighed and shook his head as a few people they recognized from business meetings wandered by and greeted them. Mei and Sho did what was expected and chatted with the acquaintances before they left, leaving the two alone in another awkward silence.

"Do you think Grandfather would be proud of how I've changed things," asked Mei after a few minutes of quiet. "It's okay if you don't think so. He said he had faith in me, but there are days I can't help but think I'm doing something either of you wouldn't approve of."

"I don't know," said Sho after a moment as the decades-long guilt reared its head again. "I mean, your grandfather was set in his ways; that's why I left, you know. I started to see things differently, and he disagreed with me."

"I remember." Mei fidgeted as she leaned against the wall and focused on the window where she saw Yuzu finishing her stretches and gaining some curious onlookers' attention. "It's hard not to remember."

"Yeah." Sho reached over, placed a hand on Mei's shoulder, and squeezed, surprised that she didn't move away. "I'm sorry you're still hurting from that."

Mei reached up and took her father's hand in hers, "I've come to terms with my pain. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to, and the therapy has helped me learn to process it. But it will always hurt, and there's nothing we can do about that."

"I wish I could," sighed Sho shaking his head and running his free hand through his hair. "I wish I could change it, but I can't. I'm sorry if I've been coming off as trying too hard to help Airi. She wanted help and said she wanted to keep it a surprise for you and Yuzu, so I offered. I wasn't trying to keep it a secret or take over."

"I know that," Mei sighed and patted the hand she was holding. "I'm sorry if it feels like I've never considered your feelings, and I'm sorry about earlier when you mentioned you helped Airi with her hair and picking out her clothes. I know you're trying to help, and I trust you did your best to help her. I was surprised, that's all, it had nothing to do with you, and I meant you no ill will."

"Thank you, Mei." Sho wiped his eyes free of some tears and smiled at her. "I'm sorry for bringing this up again and inadvertently trying to make it about me. That wasn't what I was trying to do; I was just trying to..."

"You were giving me context." Mei gave her father a smirk, making Sho blush. "You don't have to apologize for that. If there's anything I've learned over the past several years, especially raising the kids, context is important. I have that now; you don't need to explain yourself. I want you to remember that, Father, and to remember that while it isn't perfect, I'm happy with the relationship we've built. I'm glad we didn't end up like you and Grandfather."

"He didn't make it easy," chuckled Sho as he squeezed Mei's hand. "But we eventually figured things out, and I'm sure he was proud of you in his way; he wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you could handle it and believe in you. I would have been happy if you'd chosen another path, you know that. But I'm happy you found the people needed to make you confident in your abilities."

Sho let go of Mei's hand and patted her head gently as he spoke, "It might not mean much coming from this old guy, but you've got the best of him, and I think you got the best of me and some of Ume and Yuzu rolling around in that brain of yours."

Mei's eyes grew wide, and Sho chuckled as he stroked her hair.

"I'm damn proud of what you've done, Mei. So keep forging ahead with what you think is right, and I'll do my best to help whenever you need it."

"You've given me plenty of help." Mei felt her ears burn with embarrassment but allowed her father to pat her head. "But as long as you're offering it, I'll take you up on that offer any time I need it."

Sho's hand stopped briefly, and from the corner of her eye, Mei saw him fight to suppress a smile but ultimately failed in the endeavor and continued to smile adoringly at her.

Unfortunately for her, Sho's affection lasted a moment too long, and once again, she heard her wife and stepmother sighing at the pair as an all too familiar scene came to a close.

"You two are so cute when you're like this," said Ume, hurriedly tucking her phone into her purse while Sho's hand fell to his side, and Mei turned her head away from her father.

"You're telling me," said Yuzu, practically skipping between Sho and Mei and pulling them close. "Mama, come on, get a picture of us."

"Yuzu, I don't want to," said Sho, flustered.

"Yuzu, please don't," added Mei looking more embarrassed than she had moments ago.

"Fine," sighed Yuzu, letting go of Sho's arm and turning her full attention to Mei while Sho made a hasty getaway, saying something about trying to find the others. "But can I still hold your arm, or do you want me to stop?"

"I'm fine with you holding my arm," said Mei, still blushing and feeling a little self-conscious about the attention they were getting. "But I don't know why you and Mother always need to make a scene about Father and me."

"Because it's cute," giggled Yuzu as she watched Sho attempt to get the phone from Ume, who'd snuck a picture of Mei and Yuzu getting cozy. "Especially today, seeing you and your dad like that is so rare that it felt like a Christmas miracle."

"I suppose you're right in that regard," said Mei quietly, ignoring the glances people were starting to give them and moving a little closer to Yuzu. "Them being rare, I mean. I thought you'd gotten used to that notion."

"I am! But it doesn't make you any less cute." Yuzu saw Mei's cheeks turn red and smiled. "Although you might be onto something about my embarrassing you. We are in a place filled with important-looking people, and I know how much that can put you on edge, so I'll ease up on teasing you and tell Mama to stop too."

"I'll leave Father to sort that out." Mei pointed, and Yuzu turned to see Ume dodging Sho as he reached for her bag. "But there's no reason to stop what you're doing. I..enjoy having you here, even if others can see us. You help make these moments a bit more bearable."

It was Mei's turn to smirk after seeing Yuzus's face turn red.

"I do," asked Yuzu, a little dumbfounded.

"Well, most of the time," corrected Mei, knocking some air out of Yuzu. "Other times, you aggravate me to no end, but even then, you help make me feel better; I'm thankful for that."

"The feeling's mutual," giggled Yuzu. "I'd rather it be you than someone else anyway. Besides, you know you don't have to worry about embarrassing me. It reminds me that there are still sides of you that only I get to see."

"It's not like I'm trying to hide them." Mei gave Yuzu a shy grin and moved her hand into you Yuzu's, and squeezed tightly. "I just don't feel the need for others to see them. But you've always been different, and you know I've always found it difficult to hide them from you."

Yuzu leaned in to kiss Mei's cheek and felt her heart thunder when Mei didn't push her away and risked whispering into her wife's ear, "Can you show me one of those sides later?"

"Which side," hissed Mei, feeling Yuzu's warm breath on her ear.

"Whichever one you want to spoil me with," chuckled Yuzu, putting her head on Mei's shoulder. "I'll let you decide since you seemed worried about it earlier, about me thinking spoiling me was supposed to be a transaction."

"I didn't mean it like that," replied Mei, slightly pulling her head away so Yuzu's hair wouldn't hit her ear and to avoid making a scene. "The words just came out wrong."

"I know." Yuzu sighed when she heard Hideki and Harumin return with the others. "But I still want you to spoil me. Your choice, okay? It can be like this morning or whatever you're most comfortable with. Sound fair?"

Mei nodded and saw that despite the confidence in her voice, Yuzu had an anxious and nervous look on her face.

Wanting to ease Yuzu's worries, Mei straightened herself and kissed the rim of Yuzu's ear, making the blonde stiffen before whispering, "I'll think of something special for you."

Before Yuzu could say anything, Yui came over with a few sandwiches and drinks for the couple, which Mei accepted graciously, along with her receipt and change.

After that, Yuzu spent the remainder of the intermission focused on her food and drink and answering questions politely, prompting Harumi to ask her best friend if she was okay.

"I'm fine," said Yuzu after recycling hers and Mei's garbage. "My back is hurting, and I'm feeling a little anxious about the next few days."

"Oh yeah," chuckled Harumi as the others began heading in. "It's Christmas Eve. Big date tonight?"

"Not really," sighed Yuzu longingly. "We haven't had much time for that the past few years because of work and kids. And after everything this summer, we didn't even celebrate our birthdays which sucked. But we got each other gifts, which makes up for the lack of dates. What about you?"

"Same," answered Harumi making Yuzu roll her eyes. "That sucks about your birthdays. You could always join Matsuri and Me if you don't have plans. I'm sure our better halves wouldn't mind a double date. I know Matsuri wouldn't miss out on the chance to mess with you two all night."

"I'll ask," chuckled Yuzu as the lights flickered. "But you and I know how it's gonna go. She makes fun of us, you chastise her, and I don't even want to know what happens when you get home while I deal with an annoyed Mei."

"Fair enough," said Harumi with a wink. "But keep me posted. I won't be heading back to your place because my sister is supposed to show up before heading out for the holidays. After that, I'm free until Matsuri gets off work if you two want to stop by or go out with us."

"Okay." Yuzu nodded and then pointed at the lights, which flickered again. "I'll let you know later, but we better get in there before Mei kills me."

Nodding in agreement, Harumi followed Yuzu just as the teacher conducting Airi's group began introducing the kids. Sho already had the camera out and was focusing it, grumbling about getting the focus to work while others glared at Yuzu and Harumi for walking in late and disrupting the seating.

"Made it," whispered Yuzu, adjusting her pad and wincing as she felt her back tighten. "I'm excited."

"So am I." Mei reached over and took Yuzu's hand. "Now hush, or you'll get us kicked out."

Settling into her spot, Yuzu ignored the pain building in her lower back as she and Mei waited for the show to begin.

Eventually, a man named Hagihara, whom Yuzu and Mei recognized as Airi's newest music teacher, walked out to a series of polite applause and bowed at the crowd before speaking.

"Sorry for the wait, folks; we had an issue backstage with some of the kids." There was a slight murmur from the parents around Mei and Yuzu, but they remained quiet while waiting for the teacher to finish. "As most of you know, this group contains some of our younger students who've never performed in a setting like this. So we had to take a minute to help them work through some of that anxiety. But as you can see, with the help of our older students and staff, they've agreed to give it a shot. However, given the circumstances, we ask for your patience with them."

Several people around Mei and Yuzu snorted derisively, making Yuzu's jaw clench, and Mei squeezed Yuzu's hand even tighter, annoyed at the disrespect the people were showing toward the kids.

But thankfully, nobody said anything, and Hagihara continued.

"Thank you for your understanding," he said, though something in his voice told Mei that he could sense some people disapproved of his request for empathy.

However, he didn't let that dissuade him and confidently said, "All right, kids, let's have some fun."

The auditorium broke into another round of applause, though this time, it was much more energetic and mixed with a series of chuckles as the kids walked out in an array of Christmas-themed outfits. Smiling at the sight, Yuzu clapped along and forgot about her back pain for the first time since she sat down and began scanning the group for Airi.

"Do you guys see her?" asked Hideki, sitting up a bit so he could get a better view of the stage.

"Not yet," whispered Mei, trying to find Airi, but she was stunned when she saw Honoka walk out into the crowd carrying her violin and dressed in an outfit she was sure her mother hadn't picked for her. "Did you know Honoka was at this school?"

"What?"

Yuzu looked at the crowd and watched Honoka move through the crowd and nearly burst into laughter. Honoka was dressed in a slightly baggy Santa out and looking incredibly self-conscious as she took her chair and began adjusting some strings on her violin while she talked politely to a boy who was prepping a drum kit. Yuzu continued to giggle when she noticed the boy was wearing a red suit covered in Christmas trees and reindeer.

"Papa, make sure you get Honoka in the front row, next to the kid in the green suit."

Sho gave a thumbs up and shifted his focus briefly before turning it back to the other kids and waving to Mei and the others excitedly a moment later.

"I see her, guys. The back row next to the kid going up to the big drum thing."

Rolling her eyes at her father's eagerness, Mei couldn't help but feel her heart rate climb when she heard his announcement. Leaning forward, Mei did her best to sift through all the kids and focused on the area where her father had said to look while Yuzu did the same.

It was difficult for Mei; the entire stage was little more than a rolling blob of red and green outfits, and she had no luck finding Airi. Eventually, she was about to give up and wait and see if she could make out Airi at the piano, but finally, after a few moments, Yuzu shifted excitedly in her seat.

"There she is, Mei," whispered Yuzu excitedly, waving her finger at the stage. "She's wearing the bonnet and dressed up like Santa's wife. Do you see her? She's behind that kid with the trumpet; she's so cute. Why didn't Papa tell us he picked out such a cute outfit?"

Smirking at Yuzu's energy, Mei held tight onto Yuzu's hand as they watched Air pace toward the piano, holding up the skirt of the long red outfit, so she didn't trip over it. When she reached the row where Honoka and the kid in the suit were sitting, Airi stopped and looked out at the crowd.

Immediately, Mei, Yuzu, and Hideki began waving to get her attention.

Unfortunately, whether due to the lighting or the crowd, it didn't work, and Airi let out what they could see was a deep breath before walking past Honoka and the boy next to her.

After seating herself, Airi gave one last look up at the crowd prompting another bout of waving from her family. But again, she couldn't find them and instead focused on the boy who was doing his best to make Honoka and her laugh while they checked their music sheets.

"She knows we're here," whispered Yuzu when she saw the frustration on Mei's face. "Papa told her we were coming, and she's with Honoka, who is almost as cute as Airi. Now I know why Airi wanted to keep her outfit a surprise and why Papa kept it a secret."

Mei shook her head and relaxed her grip on Yuzu's hand but still held it firmly before whispering, "They are adorable, and we can ask Father for their pictures later because, knowing him, he probably couldn't resist taking pictures of them. But I wish she could have spotted us; it might have helped her calm down."

"She'll be fine," grunted Hideki as he adjusted his leg and massaged his knee. "See, she's already focused on her teacher; Airi's got this, Mom."

Mei rolled her eyes at her son's casual demeanor but relaxed a little as the kids finished tuning their instruments and focused on the teacher.

As was common with orchestras, Hagihara conducted them through a quick testing of their instruments. When they finished, Hagihara removed himself from his podium. They watched as he made his way to a few students and helped them make some adjustments, stopping to give them some encouraging words before heading back to his spot.

After completing the second test, Hagihara nodded his approval and began conducting the children after announcing the first song.

They didn't say much as they listened to the songs the kids had been preparing for the last couple of months.

Many were classical songs from old ballets, while others were more modern and upbeat, which got Yuzu's attention, causing her to sway with the music. Mei wanted to stop her but decided that if it helped Yuzu forget her pain, she wouldn't stop her.

While the concert was enjoyable, between the songs, Mei and Yuzu heard some comments of dissatisfaction. Most were about how they thought, stating that it was a waste of time for the kids to study such music and why there was a piano with an orchestra. There were also comments about the pointless nature of the costumes, stating that it had to be embarrassing for the parents.

It was infuriating to listen to, but Mei and Yuzu knew that the teachers hadn't forced the kids as several children were not dressed in outfits. But the comments about Airi not performing with the other kids got on their nerves the most.

"Honestly," whispered one man disapprovingly, "a complete drum kit on top of the piano? They must be out of their minds."

"It's part of the songs they chose," sighed the woman next to him. "While I disagree, it does make sense. At least the drums can be disassembled, and it does add something to the percussion segments. However, the piano is a strange addition, but I suppose they're doing it to be kind to the girl playing. I feel sorry for the people who handle the piano, though. Just because the child lacks the talent of the other children, I don't see why they had to include her. But again, this country has been going downhill, and having a child like that onstage confirms it."

There was a shuffling next to Mei, and her hand immediately flew out to grab Hideki's forearm and squeeze it firmly, turning to her son and shaking her head while wearing a look that radiated the word, "Don't."

She could see Hideki's frustration and anger and could tell Yuzu was feeling the same thing by the way Yuzu was gripping her hand. Mei didn't blame them; it took every ounce of willpower for her not to turn around and berate the people, and she was certain Harumi and Udagawa were having a similar issue holding back their anger.

Luckily, Hideki got the message, and while he didn't look happy, he nodded in submission, and eventually, he settled back into his seat and focused on the show. Though, with how hard his foot was shaking, Mei could tell he was not happy having to follow his mother's orders.

With Hideki pacified, Mei turned her attention to Yuzu and used her free hand to massage Yuzu's arm, hoping it would calm her wife's shaking hand. It took some time, but eventually, the shaking did stop, and the two of them were able to enjoy the concert, and both were impressed with the performance.

It had been a while since the pair had attended a large concert, and even with their untrained ears, they could tell the kids were well-trained, inexperienced.

Occasionally, Mei and Yuzu noticed one of the kids in Airi's age group begin frantically flipping through their pages, only for the older kid next to them to stop and start helping them find their place before easing them back into the performance. Not only that, but there were moments when a loud discordant note came from a random instrument. One time it was a trumpet, another time, it was a violin. When that happened, the child who'd made a mistake would look nervously at the teacher, who just nodded and mouthed something to them. The kid would then reset their instrument and follow along until they eventually joined back in.

Even Airi wasn't immune to this, and there were a few moments where she'd paused to check her sheet music, causing a very noticeable silence, before she once again found her place and continued. Both Mei and Yuzu felt an overwhelming sense of pride at Airi's ability to adapt, but they could tell that the pressure was getting to her and was glad that only a few songs were left.

Despite these mistakes, Mei and Yuzu couldn't hold back their amazement at Airi's ability to keep up. Airi always wore her headphones when using her keyboard whenever she was at home, and without the notes to accompany it, all they could hear was the sound of her fingers hitting the keys. It didn't leave much of an impression on Mei and Yuzu, but now that they were hearing her play in an auditorium, they were relieved. She had improved tremendously since they'd last heard her play, and they couldn't help but feel proud even when she stumbled.

However, despite who made a mistake, Mei and Yuzu could hear the couple in front of them continue their commentary.

"Well, that wasn't a fiasco," commented the woman as she applauded after four children finished a complex piece without any accompaniment. "I wish Ruri had been given a chance to perform a solo, but I'm certain she'll get to next time."

"I'm certain she will," sighed the man as he checked his watch. "With how many children keep screwing up and how that girl on the piano keeps stopping and jumping in at moments is annoying. I don't know if it's because of how Hagihara adjusted the music or if she's just that inept, but I wish it'd stop."

Mei felt the urge but diverted it to keep Yuzu from moving forward to confront them.

"We will handle it later," said Mei calmly, but low enough that only Yuzu could hear her. "Just be thankful only we can hear them."

"That's what makes it so frustrating," whispered Yuzu, exhaling loudly and holding tighter onto Mei. "I don't know how much longer I can take this."

"Only two more pieces," said Mei, rubbing Yuzu's hand and taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Two more pieces, and then we're done, and we can go home and enjoy our night."

Yuzu took a couple of breaths before turning her attention back toward Airi while Hagihara returned to his podium after checking on the kids on Airi's side of the stage.

"And now for our penultimate piece," announced Hagihara with a smile. "I'm sure some of you are anxious to get out of here, given everything that's going on today, but I promise you'll soon be free. But before our last song, we have one that I'm anxious for you to hear. It's a two-instrument version of the 'Waltz of Flowers' from The Nutcracker. On violin, we will have one of our senior students, Honoka Suzuran."

Honoka stood up, took off her Santa hat, and politely bowed to the audience, who all applauded. There were a few whispers that Mei and Yuzu couldn't make out, but from how they sounded, the people more than likely knew Honokas surname.

When those died, Hagihara motioned in Airi's direction and shocked her friends and family when he said, "And on piano, we have one of our newest students, Aihara Airi accompanying her."

More applause echoed through the auditorium, and a couple of people quietly chattered to themselves, wondering if she was part of the Aihara family or if it was a coincidence.

Mei looked at the couple seated in front of them and smirked when she saw a shared confusion between them before looking up to see Airi stand up nervously from her seat and bow.

"Now the costumes make sense," chuckled Yuzu looking over to Sho and Ume, who both wore smug grins. "Bravo, you two."

Sho gave them a thumbs up, and Ume shrugged before pointing at the stage where Airi was returning to her seat while Honoka placed her sheet music on the stand that the drummer was helping her adjust.

They could see the kid's mouths moving, and after a couple of minutes, they were ready, and after checking to ensure they were both in tune, the girls began playing.

The auditorium was quiet as the girls played. The song was pretty, and Mei and Yuzu smiled as they watched the girls play. Honoka, as usual, was exuding an air of calm confidence while Airi was continuously shifting in her seat while they finished getting ready.

The couple in front of Mei and Yuzu once again tutted their disapproval, Hideki's foot motioned to kick the back of the woman's seat, but Mei's shot forward first, hitting the back of the man's chair.

He turned around and glared at Mei, who raised her hand and whispered, "Sorry. I have an itch in my leg I can't get rid of."

The man's eyes narrowed at Mei, and then he turned to Yuzu, who was staring straight ahead at the stage; her lower lip disappeared into her mouth while Hideki covered his mouth and coughed to hide his laughter.

He said nothing but turned his attention back to the stage while Yuzu's head landed on Mei's shoulder, her body rocking in silent laughter while Ume chuckled.

While the man whispered something to the woman, Mei saw Hideki extend an open palm to her from the corner of her eye. She took it, gave it a brief squeeze, and saw him shake his head, but Mei ignored it and continued to watch Airi and Honoka finish, and after, they both played a few keys before drifting into the song.

It was slow to start but beautiful. Airi's piano mixed well with Honoka's violin causing both girls to sway a bit along with their playing, occasionally making eye contact and smiling. The way they played was much more relaxed than when it was with the group, showing how much time they'd spent practicing and how much they trusted the other.

As the girls played, Mei turned to whisper something to Yuzu but stopped when she saw the bright smile and tears pouring down Yuzu's cheeks. Letting go of Hideki's hand, Mei shifted her hand to Yuzu and held her close.

Yuzu returned the gesture and risked resting her head on Mei's shoulder and nuzzling it while whispering, "Our little girl's growing up, Mei."

Mei nodded and watched as Airi and Honoka continued to play. It was apparent that Airi was much more comfortable with Honoka than the others, but Mei guessed it was because Airi had to listen to only one instrument instead of a whole orchestra.

It was hard to discern from the distance they were at, but from what they could tell, Airi's hands were moving much more elegantly, and her body was more relaxed as she found herself getting lost in the song. This newfound confidence also kept Airi from having to stop whenever she made a mistake. However, with it just being Airi and Honoka, any mistake they made was much more apparent. Each time she made a mistake, the couple in front of them would shake their heads, prompting Yuzu to follow Mei's earlier example.

This time, when Yuzu's foot hit the back of the seat, it was the woman looking over her shoulder, but Yuzu apologized, reaching down and acting like she was scratching her leg. The woman looked at how Mei and Yuzu's hands were intertwined and narrowed her eyes but pursed her lips before turning back around.

"No more," whispered Mei as Airi recovered from the mistake that prompted the exchange and began matching Honoka's speed as they reached the song's crescendo.

Yuzu only nodded, her eyes growing wide as she watched the speed at which Airi's and Honoka's hands began flying as they raced across their instruments, each second the music growing louder and louder. As the song reached its climax, both Airi and Honoka's headpieces fell off, making both of the girls smile as they reached the final few notes of the song before stopping and letting out sighs of relief when they reached the end.

Applause echoed throughout the venue, but none were louder than from Mei, Yuzu, and Hideki, who let out several long shrill whistles in celebration of his sister, getting the attention of several people around them but not caring as it finally got Airi's attention.

"Good job Honoka! Good job, Airi," shouted Yuzu after the applause died, making several people chuckle as Airi put her bonnet back on and gave a shy wave before returning her attention to her music. At the same time, the kids began preparing for their last song.

"Now she knows we're here," snickered Yuzu, snuggling closer into Mei while Sho took a few shots of the family before returning his focus to the stage.

Sighing in frustration, Mei smirked to herself and, although her arm was getting tired, let Yuzu stay close while she turned to ask Hideki. However, she was stopped when she saw that his previously happy expression had shifted to deep frustration.