Play By Heart
Title: Play By Heart
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Romance/ Drama/ Angst/ AU/ Music
Rating: R
Pairings: Sakumiya (main)/ Jun x Kiko Mizuhara/ Aiba x Yuka/ Ohno x Minami Hinase (broken)
Summary: Nino is an autistic savant and a brilliant violinist. The only hard part for him and his sister, who takes care of him, is finding a consistent and patient piano accompanist for Nino's solo performances. One day, Nino's sister finds Sakurai Sho, a man with a mysterious past but gifted in music. Together, the two musicians must learn to communicate with other, live with each other, and possible love each other.
Warnings: It's rated R for: sensual scenes (softporn), parenting struggles, sexual assault, divorce, character deaths, and mental disorders/illnesses.
Author Notes: sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted. this chapter will finally have some more sakumiya! hope you all enjoy it!
Music reference: Bach Sonata for Violin and Piano BWV 1017 C Minor
Chapter 4 - Andante
Sachi's mind was swimming with doubts. What if something bad happens? What if Nino panics and Sho is unable to control him? What if Nino completely regress in his social skills while she was away in Osaka? Her eyes were droopy from the lack of sleep, and the cold weather wasn't helping relieve her pounding headaches. But Sachi took a deep breath to resort her thoughts. Sho is a capable adult and respectful of Nino's needs, so Sachi didn't have to worry about those two fighting.
She waited by the hot snack stand until she was next in line. Sachi ordered hot waffles with honey and strawberries before walking back to Nino waiting at the bench. Nino never liked going outside unless it was with her, so there was no need to worry about him complaining. On her last day before her trip, they decided to have another visit to the local park. Across the pond, the Ferris wheel remained still but the lights blinked in rainbow colors. Sachi sat down next to her brother and handed him the hot treat.
"Thanks, Sachi," Nino smiled as he accepted the treat.
"Eat while it's still warm," she grinned.
"Yeah, I'll eat while it's still warm," he repeated back to her.
Sachi, on the other hand, didn't had much of an appetite. She watched her brother enjoy the waffles before gazing across the pond. It was a nice park. There were game booths to play, ramen noodle stands at almost every corner, couples young and old walking along the beveled sqaure-tiled sidewalks, and a young sports team jogged along the track. It was nothing like living in the middle of the city. Sachi was glad they moved here.
"When I come back, we'll be sure to go on the Ferris wheel," Sachi told Nino. "We might even see our house from the top."
"Sure. Next time we can ride the Ferris wheel," Nino mumbled absentmindedly. "But why not now?"
"We don't have the time. I'm going to be away for a long while, so you better wait for me before riding it," Sachi said. "Okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Nino said while chewing his food. "When you return, we'll ride the Ferris wheel."
Sachi let out a sigh and glanced back at the pond. Perhaps she was fretting over nothing. Some time apart might actually help Nino grow a bit more. Aiba had always said that Nino needed to build new relationships and that she needed to stop babying him. Maybe this would be the best thing for them.
When they finished eating, they headed back home as Sachi gazed around the park. The air felt so fresh, and the calmness of the park enticed her. Nino smiled at street musicians, and he would delicately twiddling with his fingers as if he was playing a violin made of air. She wanted to stay longer...
They arrived back at their house where Sho waited for them. He finished unpacking his things for the stay while Sachi grabbed her bags to load her car. Sho helped her load the last of her luggage while Nino sat on the front steps tapping his knees to an unheard rhythm.
"You really want to drive all the way to Osaka?" Sho asked. "Wouldn't it be better to leave by train and get there sooner?"
"And have Nino look out the window to see my car is still here and think I'm home?" Sachi questioned back. "No. The last time I left the car keys at home, the land lady called me saying Nino was having a messy fit. When Nino finds out he's alone, he gets scared." Sachi closed the car trunk before letting out a concerned sigh. "When he was little, he would sleep with our parents. But when they passed away, it was quite a shock to him. He doesn't like being alone."
"He's an adult now," Sho pointed out with his brow slightly furrowed. "And he gives the impression of wanting to be alone."
Sachi nodded. "Yes, he can handle it now. But only the minor things like if I have to go to the groceries or have a meeting. But anything more than one night..." Sachi shook her head. "When he finds out he's really alone, it completely terrifies him."
"...how long will you be gone?" Sho asked.
"Depends on the court cases," Sachi answered. "Because of this whole ordeal, I had to put Nino's performances on hold until it's resolved. It's a shame too since I booked for the two of you to perform next month during Christmas, but I can't afford a scandal to break out in the middle of promotion. Nino will have to wait until I return."
"Better safe than sorry."
"Yes....please look after him for me while I'm gone."
Sho lightly bowed his head. "Of course."
"Should you need anything, you can call me or Kiko," Sachi said, hastening her speech. "I left her number on the fridge. She's a close fan and friend. I told her I was leaving. If things aren't going well with Nino, she can help you out." Sachi opened her car door before her eyes widen and her mouth slightly gaped. "Oh, that's right! I left out enough money in case you need to buy more food. And the phone number for Nino's doctor, Aiba Masaki, is on my desk. If Nino gets sick, make him some hot tea. Make sure he brushes his teeth and combs his hair, he always forgets....Oh! And he likes his meat cut into small bite size. He doesn't like too much oil-"
"Sachi!" Sho spoke over her. "Calm down. We'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring nod. "He'll be here waiting for you. Just come back home soon."
Her eyebrows rose high and pinched tight. Sachi glanced over Sho's shoulder where Nino stood behind him. She reached out to him and planted a kiss on his forehead. She smoothed out Nino's hair as she felt her eyes watering.
"I'll be back soon," Sachi uttered. "Sho will be with you until I come back, okay?"
Nino stared back with shining eyes. "I'll be fine, Sachi. I won't be going anywhere. We have a Ferris wheel waiting for us."
Sachi smiled warmly and hugged him one more time. "Yes. Yes, of course. I'll buy all the waffles for you again."
With a shaky breath, she released Nino and climbed into her car. As she started up the engine, Sachi glanced up at her rear view mirror. Sho and Nino were at the door and waving goodbye. She pulled out of the driveway and made her slow descent around the bend until her brother was out of her sight...
*****
Ohno had his head bowed down low with his elbows resting on the bar countertop. The bar was slightly smoky with dim lighting. At least it wasn't crowded or noisy to add to Ohno's headaches. He swallowed down the last of his drink before setting the cup down with a definite "clank." The strong alcohol taste burned at the back of his throat, and he let out a low snarl. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. His mother texted him saying that Kenta finally fell asleep. Ohno let out another low sigh before the bartender reappeared to take his glass away.
"No," Ohno slurred. "One more..."
"I think you've had enough, sir."
"Then give me something to munch on."
The bartender served a small bowl of salted soybeans, and Ohno started eating the light snack with slow fingers. Two seats down, someone called out to the bartender.
"I would like some too."
As the bartender prepared another plate, Ohno side-glanced to see who else was spending the night at the lonely bar. The man wore a business suit, but his jacket caped the back of his chair. His necktie was loose, and he rolled his sleeves up to reveal his expensive wristwatch. He also had a fancy briefcase that took up the empty seat between them. The man had everything to show for and here was Ohno in his cheapest clothes he could buy that could withstand the cold.
Ohno let his tongue click before looking away and popping in another soybean.
The business man heard him. "Something wrong?"
"No, nothing," Ohno said, waving his hand carelessly. "I'm just wondering why such a fine looking man is spending his time in a back alley bar for cheap beer and nuts." Ohno glanced up at the bartender who pouted at him. "No offense."
"Maybe I have a lot on my mind and want to find a place to unwind," the suit man said with no hint of bitterness. "That's probably the same reason you're here, no?"
"Isn't that the reason why bars exist?" Ohno asked back. "We all want to escape somewhere and have someone to hear our problems. But who would want to hear another man's story?"
The man hummed low before speaking again. "I wouldn't mind listening to your story."
Ohno turned to face the man. "What's your name?"
"You can call me Jun."
"I'm Ohno."
Jun gave him a soft smile. "Why don't we become drinking buddies? I never liked drinking by myself." He waved at the bartender to refill Ohno's glass, and they raised their cups for a humble toast. "So what brings you to drink away your sorrows, Ohno?"
The struggling artist set his glass down with a heavy heart as he start recounting the past few months. Jun was a good listener; the man would nod with sympathy and let out a low hum at the right moments. Ohno didn't hold anything back-the alcohol definitely helped get his lips flapping. All his fears, his anxiety, and his doubts poured out his mouth. And the man sitting next to him never interrupted him.
When Ohno finally stopped, he let out a short sigh and grinned to himself. "This...feels nice. Having someone listen to you."
Jun chuckled. "I feel like I didn't really do much, but I'm glad I helped a bit...although..."
Ohno glanced back at Jun and watched him searching inside his briefcase. Jun pulled out a CD and held it out to him. "What's this?"
"Have you heard of the violinist Ninomiya Kazunari?"
Ohno gently took the CD and stared down at the picture of the violinist. "No, I haven't. I don't really keep up with famous people."
Jun tapped on the picture. "He's autistic."
Ohno's head snapped up with his eyes slightly widen. "Really?!"
"My wife is a big fan of his work," Jun nodded with a subtle hint of pride in his smile. "She says that Nino's music is so moving. Even if he plays a classical piece, his own version really resonates at the soul. Or that's what Kiko tells me. I think he's a good musician. Maybe if you let your son listen to this...I don't know. Maybe something positive might happen."
"You'll really let me borrow this?"
"I'm letting you keep it. I already have the music uploaded on my playlist. Plus, my wife always buy two copies for some reason."
Ohno smirked. "Wow...thank you. I'll give it a try."
*****
Chiaki's leg has gotten worse at a faster rate than Aiba expected. She could barely bend her knee, let alone move her ankle to position herself with each step. When he first brought in the walking cane, Chiaki made a sour face.
"It'll help take you wherever you need to go," Aiba said with a smile. "Your left leg is still good. You cannot give up just yet."
"Will it take me to K-Ballet?" Chiaki questioned.
Aiba's smile twitched. "Uh, well-"
"Will it take me to the stage? Will it get to Broadway? Will it help me dance again?!"
"Chiaki," her mother whispered harshly.
But Aiba didn't waver. He sat down and leaned in close so he was almost to her eye level. He kept the walking cane between them in his hands, and Chiaki glared down at it as if it was the most hateful object on the planet. The longer he watched, the more he realized Chiaki's pout looked like Koharu's.
"You know, Chiaki, I have a daughter," Aiba started. "She's about your age, and she also dreamed about being a dancer."
Chiaki's eyes snapped to him immediately.
"Ever since she was able to walk, Koharu wanted to be a ballerina," Aiba said, a bright smile appearing on his lips again. "She especially wanted go to Broadway as well. But then she came up to me and said she didn't want to dance anymore. Suddenly, she wanted to be a baseball player. Her dream changed."
Chiaki's frowned, confused. "Why did she changed her mind?"
"I'm not sure why," Aiba shrugged. "But what surprised me was how willing she was able to move on. When something was out of her reach, she pursued something else. And I can't help but wonder...maybe everyone is like that as well. If there's a dream we can't reach, we'll simply find another and follow it with all our heart. Now, I know being a dancer means a lot to you," Aiba held out the walking cane to her again, "but you shouldn't be afraid to try and find a new dream too."
He waited patiently until Chiaki reached out and took the walking cane. She stood up and leaned her weight onto the cane. With a little practice, Chiaki got used to the walking cane. Aiba spotted a hopeful flicker pass by Chiaki's eyes. She still refused to smile, but seeing a slight change in her expression counted as a small victory for Aiba. When she glanced up at him, her eyes were bright yet painful familiar.
"Thank you, Doctor," Chiaki said timidly.
He grinned back and ruffled her hair affectionately. "You can call me Aiba. Almost all of my patients do."
The corner of her lips twitched. "Thank you...Aiba."
Even her facial gestures looked like Koharu...
*****
Sho woke up from his dream with the sound of Nino's violin echoing from across the hall. He groaned and glanced at his alarm clock. As expected, Nino always got up exactly at nine in the morning for violin exercises. He wasn't playing any variations, sonatas, or original pieces. Nino only practiced his scales every morning before taking a shower. And Sho, having to sleep in the guest room that was within earshot of the practice room, had to listen to Nino play every morning. Sho turned off his alarm clock after the first week of living in the Ninomiya's house. Nino became his personal alarm.
He let Nino play for another fifteen minutes until Sho was able to predict the next seven notes of Nino's repeating scales. He rolled off his bed and rubbed his sleepy eyes. Last night, he had to yell at Nino to stop practicing and to go to sleep. This morning, it seemed like Nino was repaying back Sho's frustration by playing as loudly as he could. Sho still had bed hair as he pulled a T-shirt on and walked down the hall.
"Okay, Nino. Enough playing," Sho grumbled. "I'll make breakfast."
But Nino ignored Sho and continued practicing all minor scales through each string.
"Nino, now!" Sho raised his voice louder with his hands on his hips.
Nino finally lowered his violin and glared at him. "I can hear you fine. I'm autistic, not deaf....when is Sachi coming back?"
"Not until she finishes her court trials," Sho repeated since yesterday. "Now come on. Wash up."
The violinist lowered his gaze and started groaning low and deep in his throat. Very slowly, Nino placed his violin away and wiped it down. Sho leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and waited for Nino to close his violin case. The last time Sho left Nino alone, the man picked up his violin and started playing again. Sho made sure Nino walked out of the practice room before heading towards the kitchen to heat up the miso soup.
It has only been a week, and Sho's mind became stifled like sailors suffocating in an air-leaking submarine. Sho wasn't really babysitting Nino. The man was fully capable of showering, using the toilet, feeding, and dressing himself. The problem was the mundane tasks that drained Sho's energy. On the first night, Sho heard weird noises in the bathroom. When he called out to Nino, it turned out Nino was trying to fill the tub with cold water and the drain unplugged. So the pianist had to draw bath water whenever Nino wants it.
Food was even worse. Sachi left recipes for Sho to cook, but he was hopeless in the kitchen. For years, Sho's best dishes were instant noodles, tea, and sometimes a good rice bowl with stir-fried meat if he concentrated hard enough. But planning meals for two, three times a day, really exhausted Sho. His first attempt to cook Sachi's recipes ended up in a near disaster. Nino hardly finished his plate whenever Sho cooks. But thankfully Sho has improved his miso soup recipe, and Nino would eat plentiful during breakfast.
At least music rehearsals became a breeze. Although they still had trouble staying together and listening, they somehow understood each other through music. Sho's frustration still showed through his piano playing, and Nino's sadness without his sister was clearly heard with his violin. Together, they make a stirring piece with anger, misery, and heartache even if they were practicing cheerful Bach compositions. But Sho wished their practices weren't always this depressing.
Suddenly, Sho heard a loud thud and a wail from the bathroom. He quickly turned off the stove and jogged to the bathroom down the hall.
He knocked on the door. "Nino? Are you okay in there?"
The shower water turned off.
"Nino? Is everything alright?" Sho said, feeling his heart beat pounding a bit. "Are you hurt?"
"...yes."
Sho's hand immediately went for the doorknob and turned it, but he didn't open the door. A strong image of Nino laying on the bathroom tiled floor appeared in Sho's mind. He imagined Nino's dark hair dripping with warm water, and Nino's pale skin would be clean and incredible soft to the touch. The heat rose to Sho's cheeks, and he began wiping his palms against his pajama pants to calm himself down.
"Nino, I need you to do me a favor," Sho called through the wooden door. "I want you to grab your towel and wrap yourself with it. Can you do that?"
"....I hurt myself."
"I know you did," Sho said, his brow deeply furrowed and his eyes shut tight. "But you can dry yourself, right? Just...just cover yourself before I come in."
"....okay."
"Okay?" Sho opened his eyes. "You're covered up? I'm coming in now."
Sho sucked in a quick breath before opening the door. The steam rolled out, and the smell and heat from the water hit Sho's face. Nino sat on the floor with a white towel covering his lap while cradling his left hand. Sho gulped and felt his face burning even more than the shower heat.
Nino was...beautiful!
Just as Sho imagined. The violinist thighs were thin and tight, possibly from standing for hours of practicing. Nino had a little pudgy belly, but the skin looked so smooth and even as if the man bore no birthmarks or moles save for the one on his chin. His hair was still wet, and the water dripped down to his narrow shoulders. His arms weren't muscularly toned, but the slenderness appeared so alluring...
"Sho?"
The pianist quickly blinked back to his senses. "Huh?"
"...my hand," Nino held it up, "it hurts."
Sho frowned and knelt down next to Nino. "Let me see."
He never had any physically contact with Nino, so the violinist cautiously drew his injury hand closer to his chest.
"It's alright," Sho said softly. "I just want to see how bad it is."
Reluctantly, Nino offered his hand and kept his head down. Sho gently held Nino's left hand and slowly turned it. There weren't any blood or cuts. Sho padded around and felt no broken bones, but the freshly washed skin made Sho suck his breath in deeply before he cleared his throat.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Sho asked, still holding Nino's hand. "How did you fall?"
"I stepped on the soap," Nino answered bluntly. "I slipped."
"And you hurt your wrist?"
"I hurt my wrist on the edge of the tub."
"I see," Sho nodded and lowered Nino's hand. "I think you'll be fine. You'll probably have a bruise but nothing serious, I hope. Dry up and I'll have the miso soup ready for you."
Nino was already reaching for the towel on his lap, but Sho quickly stood up and closed the bathroom door behind him. The cool air dried up the faint sweat on his brow, and Sho let out a long quiet sigh. But even as he made his way back to the kitchen, his could still hear his heartbeat against his ear drums. The memories started flooding back before Sho was incarcerated. Memories of a time when Sho was a different man. Soon, Nino's face replaced those memories with lewd eyes...
"Stop it," Sho hissed to himself and shaking his head slightly. "You're not like that anymore..."
After another fifteen minutes, Nino came back out fully clothed, and they ate their breakfast in silence. But Sho noticed Nino switched using his chopsticks from his left hand to his right hand. Then, Nino turned his left hand to reveal a slightly-raised, nasty-looking, red bruise.
"That doesn't look good," Sho mumbled. "That came up a lot quicker than I thought."
"I bruise very easily," Nino uttered. "It hurts every time I move it."
The pianist lowered his chopsticks and let out a sympathetic sigh. "Do you think you can play with that hand?"
Nino also put his utensils down to cradle his injured hand. "I don't know. If I twist my wrist too far, it hurts. And you have to hold the violin with your wrist pointed outward. It's not like I can switch hands while playing the violin." Nino's brow furrowed even deeper as he twisted his wrist to test its limit. "It really hurts."
"I know, I know," Sho moaned before standing up. "Uh, I'll see what I can do."
Sho went for the medicine cabinet and found a first aid kit, but it was poorly stocked. There were only a few plasters, tweezers, disinfecting wipes, and a very short roll of gauze. Sachi must have used this kit often. Sho closed the lid and opened the freezer. He took out ice cubes and placed them inside a plastic bag before wrapping it around a clean towel. He returned back to Nino, who stopped eating entirely, and sat next to him.
"Give me your hand," Sho muttered.
For the second time, Nino offered his fragile hand and Sho held it delicately in his palm. The pianist gently pressed the cool ice patch against Nino's red bruise, but Nino withdrew his hand away.
Nino frowned at him. "It's too cold!"
"It'll help reduce swelling," Sho said as calmly as he could. "It's alright, Nino. I'm here to help."
"This is stupid. I don't need ice. I want Sachi," Nino moaned. "When is Sachi coming back?"
Sho tried not to roll his eyes, but he dropped his kind tone. "For the last time, Sachi is away for a while on business. She'll be back soon. But in the meantime, I will look after you and you're gonna have to deal with it! You want to play the violin again, right?"
He held out his palm open again and waited for Nino to respond back. Sho's patience was just about to wear thin when Nino finally offered his wrist. Sho glanced down and saw how fast the bruise rose. Nino's body is incredible fragile, but Sho placed the ice patch against Nino's skin again. Nino groaned slightly, but the man stayed still. Sensing his discomfort, Sho tried rubbing his thumb against Nino's hand. But Nino started fidgeting in his chair.
"It's too cold..."
Then, Sho did the one thing that came to his mind: humming. It was an old nursery rhyme from his childhood. Since they were near the same age, Sho hoped Nino would recognize it as well. Gradually, Nino calmed down as well as he listened to Sho's lullaby. He could feel Nino's tense muscles melt away just by holding Nino's hand. Sho lifted the ice patch away to give Nino's skin some warmth before resuming back. Sho noticed Nino's breathed slowed down as well, and Sho began singing a wordless song.
The music calmed Nino down nicely, and Sho continued singing. For a moment, Sho worried that Nino's hand became too cold. While still singing softly, Sho set aside the ice patch and gently covered Nino's wrist with both hands. As soon as he did, Sho slowly rubbed back and forth to warm up Nino's wrist again. He was careful not to apply pressure to the wound as he concentrated on making Nino feel better. But Sho enjoyed the feel of Nino's smooth skin. Sho quickly looked up and saw Nino had his eyes closed. Sho couldn't tell if the autistic man was enjoying his voice or his touch....
After awhile, Sho stopped singing to inspect Nino's bruise. "Feel better?" Sho asked quietly.
Nino's eyes drifted between his bruised hand, Sho, the floor, and back at Sho before he nodded.
Sho glanced down at the melted ice bag. He remembered how empty the fridge looked as well as the first aid kit. He met Nino's eyes. "I need to go to the grocery store. Would you like to come with me? You can tell me what you like to eat and I'll buy it."
"Don't buy a lot," Nino responded quickly.
Sho tilted his head. "Hmm? Why not? Sachi left plenty for the both of us."
Nino pulled his hand back into his lap. "I...I don't like expensive foods." Nino stuck his jaw out a bit, and his voice became more sullen. "And you take too much time to cook them. Sachi's recipe tastes good and all...but you take forever trying to make them. And it means less time practicing. So don't buy too much."
Sho tried not to giggle at Nino's childish expression. "Alright, I'll be thrifty"
*****
"MAAAAMAAAAAAA!"
Ohno lightly bounced Kenta in his tired arms, but his eyelids felt like a ton of bricks. At any moment, they would give away before the rest of his body did. The thunderstorm wasn't dying down any time soon. The strong winds rattled hard against Ohno's beaten window shades, and Kenta continued screaming throughout the loud thunder booms. Ohno was alone with Kenta for the week, but he wished his mother was here to help him. However, Ohno has been relying too heavily on his mother, and he wanted her to have a break.
He has been job hunting again. Yet, every job interview he went ended up in a miserable failure. He used to make a living by selling his art pieces on the street and commissions, but now Ohno barely had the time to think of anything to paint. His savings were drastically decreasing ever since he took Kenta in, and he never wanted to ask for his parents for money.
A sudden flash of lightning lit the small apartment, and another deafening thunder boomed. Kenta cried again with snot running down his nose.
Ohno moaned. "Please, Kenta. It's alright. The thunder will go away-"
"MaaaaMAAAA!"
"Mama is not coming back," Ohno almost shouted back, his temper near reaching its peak again. "I am all you have left! So please, do me a favor and stop crying."
But the poor autistic boy continued to cry, and all Ohno could do was rock and bounce back and forth to calm the small two year old. Maybe some warm milk will soothe him. Ohno carried his son into the kitchen, but because the lights were off, Ohno didn't see his toe ramming into a chair. Ohno hissed and groaned while clamping his teeth shut. He heard something fall with a clatter, and Ohno glanced down.
His jacket slipped off from the chair Ohno bumped into, but a CD case fell out from the jacket pocket. With Kenta secured in his arm, Ohno careful bent over to pick up the CD. He completely forgot about it: the CD that Jun gave him. It's supposedly performed by an autistic man. Ohno heard stories of people with incredible talent despite their disabilities. He glanced down at his crying son. Could two individuals with the same disorder be able to understand each other?
What other choice does he have...
Ohno set Kenta back down on the futon, and he quickly retrieved his old boom box from the closet. Ohno plugged in the wire, praying the machine still worked. Thankfully, the numbers blinked on the screen, and Ohno popped open the lid. He placed the CD in and turned the volume low enough so it wouldn't scare Kenta.
Through Kenta's screams, Ohno waited.
Finally, he heard a violin play through the stereo. Musical instruments were not in Ohno's level of expertise, but this violin certainly sounded different from what he normally hears. It was almost like a voice, and it clearly pierced through the air even more so than the thunder. Gradually, Kenta's crying became whining gasps and sniffling. As the music continued, an orchestra entered in as background support. Yet the star of the piece remained with the violinist. For a while, Ohno was lost in the music too. He forgot about his endless job searching, his anxiety over Kenta's weight loss, and all his stress building up since the past few months.
When the music switched to the next track, the sounds of crying and wet sniffling was absent within the mix. Ohno glanced down and saw Kenta sleeping and his mouth slightly open. The next track began playing, and the violinist played a new jolly tune. But it didn't stir Kenta awake. The small child continued to sleep through the piece and breathed deeply.
A sob escaped Ohno's lips, and he quickly covered his mouth. But his eyes burned anyway and became watery.
Finally....finally! Kenta was sleeping. He's really sleeping!
"Thank god...thank god...." Ohno whispered to himself, wiping the tears away. "Thank you...thank you..."
After another two songs, Ohno turned off the stereo and eased himself next to his son on the futon. He brought the blanket up before patting lightly on Kenta's belly. The boy looked utterly peaceful and absolutely adorable. Ohno brushed aside a few stray bangs from Kenta's forehead and admired his cute expression.
The tired father laid his head down and finally had a good night's sleep.
-------
end of chapter
To Chapter 5 >> http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/64376.html
i hope this chapter was satisfying :3
i'm aiming for this to be a slow build, so i hope you'll all enjoy the ride!
sorry if there wasn't much aiba or jun. expect for it to be like that. aside from the main story, sometimes i'll have chapters were it's only sakumiya and ohno, or sakumiya and jun, but never all sakumiya, aiba, jun, and ohno's story happening. maybe, but not all the time. but there will always be sakumiya in each chapter :3
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Romance/ Drama/ Angst/ AU/ Music
Rating: R
Pairings: Sakumiya (main)/ Jun x Kiko Mizuhara/ Aiba x Yuka/ Ohno x Minami Hinase (broken)
Summary: Nino is an autistic savant and a brilliant violinist. The only hard part for him and his sister, who takes care of him, is finding a consistent and patient piano accompanist for Nino's solo performances. One day, Nino's sister finds Sakurai Sho, a man with a mysterious past but gifted in music. Together, the two musicians must learn to communicate with other, live with each other, and possible love each other.
Warnings: It's rated R for: sensual scenes (softporn), parenting struggles, sexual assault, divorce, character deaths, and mental disorders/illnesses.
Author Notes: sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted. this chapter will finally have some more sakumiya! hope you all enjoy it!
Music reference: Bach Sonata for Violin and Piano BWV 1017 C Minor
Chapter 4 - Andante
Sachi's mind was swimming with doubts. What if something bad happens? What if Nino panics and Sho is unable to control him? What if Nino completely regress in his social skills while she was away in Osaka? Her eyes were droopy from the lack of sleep, and the cold weather wasn't helping relieve her pounding headaches. But Sachi took a deep breath to resort her thoughts. Sho is a capable adult and respectful of Nino's needs, so Sachi didn't have to worry about those two fighting.
She waited by the hot snack stand until she was next in line. Sachi ordered hot waffles with honey and strawberries before walking back to Nino waiting at the bench. Nino never liked going outside unless it was with her, so there was no need to worry about him complaining. On her last day before her trip, they decided to have another visit to the local park. Across the pond, the Ferris wheel remained still but the lights blinked in rainbow colors. Sachi sat down next to her brother and handed him the hot treat.
"Thanks, Sachi," Nino smiled as he accepted the treat.
"Eat while it's still warm," she grinned.
"Yeah, I'll eat while it's still warm," he repeated back to her.
Sachi, on the other hand, didn't had much of an appetite. She watched her brother enjoy the waffles before gazing across the pond. It was a nice park. There were game booths to play, ramen noodle stands at almost every corner, couples young and old walking along the beveled sqaure-tiled sidewalks, and a young sports team jogged along the track. It was nothing like living in the middle of the city. Sachi was glad they moved here.
"When I come back, we'll be sure to go on the Ferris wheel," Sachi told Nino. "We might even see our house from the top."
"Sure. Next time we can ride the Ferris wheel," Nino mumbled absentmindedly. "But why not now?"
"We don't have the time. I'm going to be away for a long while, so you better wait for me before riding it," Sachi said. "Okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Nino said while chewing his food. "When you return, we'll ride the Ferris wheel."
Sachi let out a sigh and glanced back at the pond. Perhaps she was fretting over nothing. Some time apart might actually help Nino grow a bit more. Aiba had always said that Nino needed to build new relationships and that she needed to stop babying him. Maybe this would be the best thing for them.
When they finished eating, they headed back home as Sachi gazed around the park. The air felt so fresh, and the calmness of the park enticed her. Nino smiled at street musicians, and he would delicately twiddling with his fingers as if he was playing a violin made of air. She wanted to stay longer...
They arrived back at their house where Sho waited for them. He finished unpacking his things for the stay while Sachi grabbed her bags to load her car. Sho helped her load the last of her luggage while Nino sat on the front steps tapping his knees to an unheard rhythm.
"You really want to drive all the way to Osaka?" Sho asked. "Wouldn't it be better to leave by train and get there sooner?"
"And have Nino look out the window to see my car is still here and think I'm home?" Sachi questioned back. "No. The last time I left the car keys at home, the land lady called me saying Nino was having a messy fit. When Nino finds out he's alone, he gets scared." Sachi closed the car trunk before letting out a concerned sigh. "When he was little, he would sleep with our parents. But when they passed away, it was quite a shock to him. He doesn't like being alone."
"He's an adult now," Sho pointed out with his brow slightly furrowed. "And he gives the impression of wanting to be alone."
Sachi nodded. "Yes, he can handle it now. But only the minor things like if I have to go to the groceries or have a meeting. But anything more than one night..." Sachi shook her head. "When he finds out he's really alone, it completely terrifies him."
"...how long will you be gone?" Sho asked.
"Depends on the court cases," Sachi answered. "Because of this whole ordeal, I had to put Nino's performances on hold until it's resolved. It's a shame too since I booked for the two of you to perform next month during Christmas, but I can't afford a scandal to break out in the middle of promotion. Nino will have to wait until I return."
"Better safe than sorry."
"Yes....please look after him for me while I'm gone."
Sho lightly bowed his head. "Of course."
"Should you need anything, you can call me or Kiko," Sachi said, hastening her speech. "I left her number on the fridge. She's a close fan and friend. I told her I was leaving. If things aren't going well with Nino, she can help you out." Sachi opened her car door before her eyes widen and her mouth slightly gaped. "Oh, that's right! I left out enough money in case you need to buy more food. And the phone number for Nino's doctor, Aiba Masaki, is on my desk. If Nino gets sick, make him some hot tea. Make sure he brushes his teeth and combs his hair, he always forgets....Oh! And he likes his meat cut into small bite size. He doesn't like too much oil-"
"Sachi!" Sho spoke over her. "Calm down. We'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring nod. "He'll be here waiting for you. Just come back home soon."
Her eyebrows rose high and pinched tight. Sachi glanced over Sho's shoulder where Nino stood behind him. She reached out to him and planted a kiss on his forehead. She smoothed out Nino's hair as she felt her eyes watering.
"I'll be back soon," Sachi uttered. "Sho will be with you until I come back, okay?"
Nino stared back with shining eyes. "I'll be fine, Sachi. I won't be going anywhere. We have a Ferris wheel waiting for us."
Sachi smiled warmly and hugged him one more time. "Yes. Yes, of course. I'll buy all the waffles for you again."
With a shaky breath, she released Nino and climbed into her car. As she started up the engine, Sachi glanced up at her rear view mirror. Sho and Nino were at the door and waving goodbye. She pulled out of the driveway and made her slow descent around the bend until her brother was out of her sight...
*****
Ohno had his head bowed down low with his elbows resting on the bar countertop. The bar was slightly smoky with dim lighting. At least it wasn't crowded or noisy to add to Ohno's headaches. He swallowed down the last of his drink before setting the cup down with a definite "clank." The strong alcohol taste burned at the back of his throat, and he let out a low snarl. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. His mother texted him saying that Kenta finally fell asleep. Ohno let out another low sigh before the bartender reappeared to take his glass away.
"No," Ohno slurred. "One more..."
"I think you've had enough, sir."
"Then give me something to munch on."
The bartender served a small bowl of salted soybeans, and Ohno started eating the light snack with slow fingers. Two seats down, someone called out to the bartender.
"I would like some too."
As the bartender prepared another plate, Ohno side-glanced to see who else was spending the night at the lonely bar. The man wore a business suit, but his jacket caped the back of his chair. His necktie was loose, and he rolled his sleeves up to reveal his expensive wristwatch. He also had a fancy briefcase that took up the empty seat between them. The man had everything to show for and here was Ohno in his cheapest clothes he could buy that could withstand the cold.
Ohno let his tongue click before looking away and popping in another soybean.
The business man heard him. "Something wrong?"
"No, nothing," Ohno said, waving his hand carelessly. "I'm just wondering why such a fine looking man is spending his time in a back alley bar for cheap beer and nuts." Ohno glanced up at the bartender who pouted at him. "No offense."
"Maybe I have a lot on my mind and want to find a place to unwind," the suit man said with no hint of bitterness. "That's probably the same reason you're here, no?"
"Isn't that the reason why bars exist?" Ohno asked back. "We all want to escape somewhere and have someone to hear our problems. But who would want to hear another man's story?"
The man hummed low before speaking again. "I wouldn't mind listening to your story."
Ohno turned to face the man. "What's your name?"
"You can call me Jun."
"I'm Ohno."
Jun gave him a soft smile. "Why don't we become drinking buddies? I never liked drinking by myself." He waved at the bartender to refill Ohno's glass, and they raised their cups for a humble toast. "So what brings you to drink away your sorrows, Ohno?"
The struggling artist set his glass down with a heavy heart as he start recounting the past few months. Jun was a good listener; the man would nod with sympathy and let out a low hum at the right moments. Ohno didn't hold anything back-the alcohol definitely helped get his lips flapping. All his fears, his anxiety, and his doubts poured out his mouth. And the man sitting next to him never interrupted him.
When Ohno finally stopped, he let out a short sigh and grinned to himself. "This...feels nice. Having someone listen to you."
Jun chuckled. "I feel like I didn't really do much, but I'm glad I helped a bit...although..."
Ohno glanced back at Jun and watched him searching inside his briefcase. Jun pulled out a CD and held it out to him. "What's this?"
"Have you heard of the violinist Ninomiya Kazunari?"
Ohno gently took the CD and stared down at the picture of the violinist. "No, I haven't. I don't really keep up with famous people."
Jun tapped on the picture. "He's autistic."
Ohno's head snapped up with his eyes slightly widen. "Really?!"
"My wife is a big fan of his work," Jun nodded with a subtle hint of pride in his smile. "She says that Nino's music is so moving. Even if he plays a classical piece, his own version really resonates at the soul. Or that's what Kiko tells me. I think he's a good musician. Maybe if you let your son listen to this...I don't know. Maybe something positive might happen."
"You'll really let me borrow this?"
"I'm letting you keep it. I already have the music uploaded on my playlist. Plus, my wife always buy two copies for some reason."
Ohno smirked. "Wow...thank you. I'll give it a try."
*****
Chiaki's leg has gotten worse at a faster rate than Aiba expected. She could barely bend her knee, let alone move her ankle to position herself with each step. When he first brought in the walking cane, Chiaki made a sour face.
"It'll help take you wherever you need to go," Aiba said with a smile. "Your left leg is still good. You cannot give up just yet."
"Will it take me to K-Ballet?" Chiaki questioned.
Aiba's smile twitched. "Uh, well-"
"Will it take me to the stage? Will it get to Broadway? Will it help me dance again?!"
"Chiaki," her mother whispered harshly.
But Aiba didn't waver. He sat down and leaned in close so he was almost to her eye level. He kept the walking cane between them in his hands, and Chiaki glared down at it as if it was the most hateful object on the planet. The longer he watched, the more he realized Chiaki's pout looked like Koharu's.
"You know, Chiaki, I have a daughter," Aiba started. "She's about your age, and she also dreamed about being a dancer."
Chiaki's eyes snapped to him immediately.
"Ever since she was able to walk, Koharu wanted to be a ballerina," Aiba said, a bright smile appearing on his lips again. "She especially wanted go to Broadway as well. But then she came up to me and said she didn't want to dance anymore. Suddenly, she wanted to be a baseball player. Her dream changed."
Chiaki's frowned, confused. "Why did she changed her mind?"
"I'm not sure why," Aiba shrugged. "But what surprised me was how willing she was able to move on. When something was out of her reach, she pursued something else. And I can't help but wonder...maybe everyone is like that as well. If there's a dream we can't reach, we'll simply find another and follow it with all our heart. Now, I know being a dancer means a lot to you," Aiba held out the walking cane to her again, "but you shouldn't be afraid to try and find a new dream too."
He waited patiently until Chiaki reached out and took the walking cane. She stood up and leaned her weight onto the cane. With a little practice, Chiaki got used to the walking cane. Aiba spotted a hopeful flicker pass by Chiaki's eyes. She still refused to smile, but seeing a slight change in her expression counted as a small victory for Aiba. When she glanced up at him, her eyes were bright yet painful familiar.
"Thank you, Doctor," Chiaki said timidly.
He grinned back and ruffled her hair affectionately. "You can call me Aiba. Almost all of my patients do."
The corner of her lips twitched. "Thank you...Aiba."
Even her facial gestures looked like Koharu...
*****
Sho woke up from his dream with the sound of Nino's violin echoing from across the hall. He groaned and glanced at his alarm clock. As expected, Nino always got up exactly at nine in the morning for violin exercises. He wasn't playing any variations, sonatas, or original pieces. Nino only practiced his scales every morning before taking a shower. And Sho, having to sleep in the guest room that was within earshot of the practice room, had to listen to Nino play every morning. Sho turned off his alarm clock after the first week of living in the Ninomiya's house. Nino became his personal alarm.
He let Nino play for another fifteen minutes until Sho was able to predict the next seven notes of Nino's repeating scales. He rolled off his bed and rubbed his sleepy eyes. Last night, he had to yell at Nino to stop practicing and to go to sleep. This morning, it seemed like Nino was repaying back Sho's frustration by playing as loudly as he could. Sho still had bed hair as he pulled a T-shirt on and walked down the hall.
"Okay, Nino. Enough playing," Sho grumbled. "I'll make breakfast."
But Nino ignored Sho and continued practicing all minor scales through each string.
"Nino, now!" Sho raised his voice louder with his hands on his hips.
Nino finally lowered his violin and glared at him. "I can hear you fine. I'm autistic, not deaf....when is Sachi coming back?"
"Not until she finishes her court trials," Sho repeated since yesterday. "Now come on. Wash up."
The violinist lowered his gaze and started groaning low and deep in his throat. Very slowly, Nino placed his violin away and wiped it down. Sho leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and waited for Nino to close his violin case. The last time Sho left Nino alone, the man picked up his violin and started playing again. Sho made sure Nino walked out of the practice room before heading towards the kitchen to heat up the miso soup.
It has only been a week, and Sho's mind became stifled like sailors suffocating in an air-leaking submarine. Sho wasn't really babysitting Nino. The man was fully capable of showering, using the toilet, feeding, and dressing himself. The problem was the mundane tasks that drained Sho's energy. On the first night, Sho heard weird noises in the bathroom. When he called out to Nino, it turned out Nino was trying to fill the tub with cold water and the drain unplugged. So the pianist had to draw bath water whenever Nino wants it.
Food was even worse. Sachi left recipes for Sho to cook, but he was hopeless in the kitchen. For years, Sho's best dishes were instant noodles, tea, and sometimes a good rice bowl with stir-fried meat if he concentrated hard enough. But planning meals for two, three times a day, really exhausted Sho. His first attempt to cook Sachi's recipes ended up in a near disaster. Nino hardly finished his plate whenever Sho cooks. But thankfully Sho has improved his miso soup recipe, and Nino would eat plentiful during breakfast.
At least music rehearsals became a breeze. Although they still had trouble staying together and listening, they somehow understood each other through music. Sho's frustration still showed through his piano playing, and Nino's sadness without his sister was clearly heard with his violin. Together, they make a stirring piece with anger, misery, and heartache even if they were practicing cheerful Bach compositions. But Sho wished their practices weren't always this depressing.
Suddenly, Sho heard a loud thud and a wail from the bathroom. He quickly turned off the stove and jogged to the bathroom down the hall.
He knocked on the door. "Nino? Are you okay in there?"
The shower water turned off.
"Nino? Is everything alright?" Sho said, feeling his heart beat pounding a bit. "Are you hurt?"
"...yes."
Sho's hand immediately went for the doorknob and turned it, but he didn't open the door. A strong image of Nino laying on the bathroom tiled floor appeared in Sho's mind. He imagined Nino's dark hair dripping with warm water, and Nino's pale skin would be clean and incredible soft to the touch. The heat rose to Sho's cheeks, and he began wiping his palms against his pajama pants to calm himself down.
"Nino, I need you to do me a favor," Sho called through the wooden door. "I want you to grab your towel and wrap yourself with it. Can you do that?"
"....I hurt myself."
"I know you did," Sho said, his brow deeply furrowed and his eyes shut tight. "But you can dry yourself, right? Just...just cover yourself before I come in."
"....okay."
"Okay?" Sho opened his eyes. "You're covered up? I'm coming in now."
Sho sucked in a quick breath before opening the door. The steam rolled out, and the smell and heat from the water hit Sho's face. Nino sat on the floor with a white towel covering his lap while cradling his left hand. Sho gulped and felt his face burning even more than the shower heat.
Nino was...beautiful!
Just as Sho imagined. The violinist thighs were thin and tight, possibly from standing for hours of practicing. Nino had a little pudgy belly, but the skin looked so smooth and even as if the man bore no birthmarks or moles save for the one on his chin. His hair was still wet, and the water dripped down to his narrow shoulders. His arms weren't muscularly toned, but the slenderness appeared so alluring...
"Sho?"
The pianist quickly blinked back to his senses. "Huh?"
"...my hand," Nino held it up, "it hurts."
Sho frowned and knelt down next to Nino. "Let me see."
He never had any physically contact with Nino, so the violinist cautiously drew his injury hand closer to his chest.
"It's alright," Sho said softly. "I just want to see how bad it is."
Reluctantly, Nino offered his hand and kept his head down. Sho gently held Nino's left hand and slowly turned it. There weren't any blood or cuts. Sho padded around and felt no broken bones, but the freshly washed skin made Sho suck his breath in deeply before he cleared his throat.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Sho asked, still holding Nino's hand. "How did you fall?"
"I stepped on the soap," Nino answered bluntly. "I slipped."
"And you hurt your wrist?"
"I hurt my wrist on the edge of the tub."
"I see," Sho nodded and lowered Nino's hand. "I think you'll be fine. You'll probably have a bruise but nothing serious, I hope. Dry up and I'll have the miso soup ready for you."
Nino was already reaching for the towel on his lap, but Sho quickly stood up and closed the bathroom door behind him. The cool air dried up the faint sweat on his brow, and Sho let out a long quiet sigh. But even as he made his way back to the kitchen, his could still hear his heartbeat against his ear drums. The memories started flooding back before Sho was incarcerated. Memories of a time when Sho was a different man. Soon, Nino's face replaced those memories with lewd eyes...
"Stop it," Sho hissed to himself and shaking his head slightly. "You're not like that anymore..."
After another fifteen minutes, Nino came back out fully clothed, and they ate their breakfast in silence. But Sho noticed Nino switched using his chopsticks from his left hand to his right hand. Then, Nino turned his left hand to reveal a slightly-raised, nasty-looking, red bruise.
"That doesn't look good," Sho mumbled. "That came up a lot quicker than I thought."
"I bruise very easily," Nino uttered. "It hurts every time I move it."
The pianist lowered his chopsticks and let out a sympathetic sigh. "Do you think you can play with that hand?"
Nino also put his utensils down to cradle his injured hand. "I don't know. If I twist my wrist too far, it hurts. And you have to hold the violin with your wrist pointed outward. It's not like I can switch hands while playing the violin." Nino's brow furrowed even deeper as he twisted his wrist to test its limit. "It really hurts."
"I know, I know," Sho moaned before standing up. "Uh, I'll see what I can do."
Sho went for the medicine cabinet and found a first aid kit, but it was poorly stocked. There were only a few plasters, tweezers, disinfecting wipes, and a very short roll of gauze. Sachi must have used this kit often. Sho closed the lid and opened the freezer. He took out ice cubes and placed them inside a plastic bag before wrapping it around a clean towel. He returned back to Nino, who stopped eating entirely, and sat next to him.
"Give me your hand," Sho muttered.
For the second time, Nino offered his fragile hand and Sho held it delicately in his palm. The pianist gently pressed the cool ice patch against Nino's red bruise, but Nino withdrew his hand away.
Nino frowned at him. "It's too cold!"
"It'll help reduce swelling," Sho said as calmly as he could. "It's alright, Nino. I'm here to help."
"This is stupid. I don't need ice. I want Sachi," Nino moaned. "When is Sachi coming back?"
Sho tried not to roll his eyes, but he dropped his kind tone. "For the last time, Sachi is away for a while on business. She'll be back soon. But in the meantime, I will look after you and you're gonna have to deal with it! You want to play the violin again, right?"
He held out his palm open again and waited for Nino to respond back. Sho's patience was just about to wear thin when Nino finally offered his wrist. Sho glanced down and saw how fast the bruise rose. Nino's body is incredible fragile, but Sho placed the ice patch against Nino's skin again. Nino groaned slightly, but the man stayed still. Sensing his discomfort, Sho tried rubbing his thumb against Nino's hand. But Nino started fidgeting in his chair.
"It's too cold..."
Then, Sho did the one thing that came to his mind: humming. It was an old nursery rhyme from his childhood. Since they were near the same age, Sho hoped Nino would recognize it as well. Gradually, Nino calmed down as well as he listened to Sho's lullaby. He could feel Nino's tense muscles melt away just by holding Nino's hand. Sho lifted the ice patch away to give Nino's skin some warmth before resuming back. Sho noticed Nino's breathed slowed down as well, and Sho began singing a wordless song.
The music calmed Nino down nicely, and Sho continued singing. For a moment, Sho worried that Nino's hand became too cold. While still singing softly, Sho set aside the ice patch and gently covered Nino's wrist with both hands. As soon as he did, Sho slowly rubbed back and forth to warm up Nino's wrist again. He was careful not to apply pressure to the wound as he concentrated on making Nino feel better. But Sho enjoyed the feel of Nino's smooth skin. Sho quickly looked up and saw Nino had his eyes closed. Sho couldn't tell if the autistic man was enjoying his voice or his touch....
After awhile, Sho stopped singing to inspect Nino's bruise. "Feel better?" Sho asked quietly.
Nino's eyes drifted between his bruised hand, Sho, the floor, and back at Sho before he nodded.
Sho glanced down at the melted ice bag. He remembered how empty the fridge looked as well as the first aid kit. He met Nino's eyes. "I need to go to the grocery store. Would you like to come with me? You can tell me what you like to eat and I'll buy it."
"Don't buy a lot," Nino responded quickly.
Sho tilted his head. "Hmm? Why not? Sachi left plenty for the both of us."
Nino pulled his hand back into his lap. "I...I don't like expensive foods." Nino stuck his jaw out a bit, and his voice became more sullen. "And you take too much time to cook them. Sachi's recipe tastes good and all...but you take forever trying to make them. And it means less time practicing. So don't buy too much."
Sho tried not to giggle at Nino's childish expression. "Alright, I'll be thrifty"
*****
"MAAAAMAAAAAAA!"
Ohno lightly bounced Kenta in his tired arms, but his eyelids felt like a ton of bricks. At any moment, they would give away before the rest of his body did. The thunderstorm wasn't dying down any time soon. The strong winds rattled hard against Ohno's beaten window shades, and Kenta continued screaming throughout the loud thunder booms. Ohno was alone with Kenta for the week, but he wished his mother was here to help him. However, Ohno has been relying too heavily on his mother, and he wanted her to have a break.
He has been job hunting again. Yet, every job interview he went ended up in a miserable failure. He used to make a living by selling his art pieces on the street and commissions, but now Ohno barely had the time to think of anything to paint. His savings were drastically decreasing ever since he took Kenta in, and he never wanted to ask for his parents for money.
A sudden flash of lightning lit the small apartment, and another deafening thunder boomed. Kenta cried again with snot running down his nose.
Ohno moaned. "Please, Kenta. It's alright. The thunder will go away-"
"MaaaaMAAAA!"
"Mama is not coming back," Ohno almost shouted back, his temper near reaching its peak again. "I am all you have left! So please, do me a favor and stop crying."
But the poor autistic boy continued to cry, and all Ohno could do was rock and bounce back and forth to calm the small two year old. Maybe some warm milk will soothe him. Ohno carried his son into the kitchen, but because the lights were off, Ohno didn't see his toe ramming into a chair. Ohno hissed and groaned while clamping his teeth shut. He heard something fall with a clatter, and Ohno glanced down.
His jacket slipped off from the chair Ohno bumped into, but a CD case fell out from the jacket pocket. With Kenta secured in his arm, Ohno careful bent over to pick up the CD. He completely forgot about it: the CD that Jun gave him. It's supposedly performed by an autistic man. Ohno heard stories of people with incredible talent despite their disabilities. He glanced down at his crying son. Could two individuals with the same disorder be able to understand each other?
What other choice does he have...
Ohno set Kenta back down on the futon, and he quickly retrieved his old boom box from the closet. Ohno plugged in the wire, praying the machine still worked. Thankfully, the numbers blinked on the screen, and Ohno popped open the lid. He placed the CD in and turned the volume low enough so it wouldn't scare Kenta.
Through Kenta's screams, Ohno waited.
Finally, he heard a violin play through the stereo. Musical instruments were not in Ohno's level of expertise, but this violin certainly sounded different from what he normally hears. It was almost like a voice, and it clearly pierced through the air even more so than the thunder. Gradually, Kenta's crying became whining gasps and sniffling. As the music continued, an orchestra entered in as background support. Yet the star of the piece remained with the violinist. For a while, Ohno was lost in the music too. He forgot about his endless job searching, his anxiety over Kenta's weight loss, and all his stress building up since the past few months.
When the music switched to the next track, the sounds of crying and wet sniffling was absent within the mix. Ohno glanced down and saw Kenta sleeping and his mouth slightly open. The next track began playing, and the violinist played a new jolly tune. But it didn't stir Kenta awake. The small child continued to sleep through the piece and breathed deeply.
A sob escaped Ohno's lips, and he quickly covered his mouth. But his eyes burned anyway and became watery.
Finally....finally! Kenta was sleeping. He's really sleeping!
"Thank god...thank god...." Ohno whispered to himself, wiping the tears away. "Thank you...thank you..."
After another two songs, Ohno turned off the stereo and eased himself next to his son on the futon. He brought the blanket up before patting lightly on Kenta's belly. The boy looked utterly peaceful and absolutely adorable. Ohno brushed aside a few stray bangs from Kenta's forehead and admired his cute expression.
The tired father laid his head down and finally had a good night's sleep.
-------
end of chapter
To Chapter 5 >> http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/64376.html
i hope this chapter was satisfying :3
i'm aiming for this to be a slow build, so i hope you'll all enjoy the ride!
sorry if there wasn't much aiba or jun. expect for it to be like that. aside from the main story, sometimes i'll have chapters were it's only sakumiya and ohno, or sakumiya and jun, but never all sakumiya, aiba, jun, and ohno's story happening. maybe, but not all the time. but there will always be sakumiya in each chapter :3