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Yuzuru winced as he fumbled at the keys once again. Sighing, he resigned himself to the fact that he lacked the musical skill necessary to master even a simple tune. Grinning sheepishly, he turned to his companion. “I’m not very good, huh?” he asked, laughing a little.

“You’re getting better,” she assured him, a small smile on her face. “You just need to keep practicing.”

Yuzuru snorted scornfully, then sighed deeply, running a hand through his red hair. Glancing back at his friend, he asked quietly “Will you play it for me?”

“Ok,” she whispered, her amber eyes half closed as she focused on the keys. The piano seemed to come alive at her touch, even before she began to play. Pausing a moment to move a few rogue strands of silver hair back into place, she glanced back at Yuzuru, smiling again. She never played in front of others. Even her parents rarely heard her play, but Yuzuru was different. He was her only audience, the only one she felt safe playing in front of. 'Playing for Yuzuru,' she thought, 'is like playing by myself.' It always surprised her how effortlessly he’d slipped into her world.

“Kanade?”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you going to play?” her ginger haired friend queried, an expectant look in his brown eyes.

“Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. I suppose I lost myself in my thoughts,” she answered, laughing at herself.

Yuzuru smiled back at his amber-eyed companion. She’s got such a pretty laugh, he thought to himself. Then he sat up straight and focused as Kanade closed her eyes and her fingers began to dance across the keys. Soft notes drifted from the instrument, weaving themselves into an intricate melody that rose and fell, filling the air with gentle music. Yuzuru sat on the bench next to Kanade, entranced. As she played, he thought back, mentally going over the last few weeks in his head. In that short period of time, he had grown closer to this strange silver haired girl than anyone else in the world. They connected effortlessly, understanding one another on basic level deeper than anything he had ever experienced. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was odd, to say the least. So far it was devoid of romance, but it was deeper than a normal friendship. They spent nearly all their spare time with one another. Both were introverted, not overly sociable, but each had proved to be the exception to the other’s rules.

'She’s the person I want to be with when I want to be alone,' Yuzuru thought, setting his mind adrift in the flow of the music. They didn’t talk much, nor did they participate in any normal group activities. They enjoyed the simple act of being together. Some days, they would just listen to music. Others, they would read together, or lie on the hammock in Yuzuru’s backyard and stare at the clouds. Both of their families were confused at first, but gradually grew accustomed to their strange relationship. Yuzuru was totally at ease around Kanade, and there was never any awkwardness between them. Neither sought to question their strange connection, merely to enjoy it. 'It’s like she’s a piece of me that just fell into place,' thought the red-haired teen, tapping his foot softly as Kanade’s song came to an end, the final notes lingering in the air like a forgotten memory.

Kanade placed her hands in her lap, turning to look at Yuzuru. He was smiling softly at her, and began to clap quietly. The girl laughed, taking a small bow from her seat on the bench. Then she reached toward her companion, taking his hands and placing them on the keys, her slender fingers resting on top of his. “Your turn,” she whispered, her golden eyes aglow. Slowly and carefully, she moved Yuzuru through the piece, pressing down on his fingers and murmuring gentle instructions as the two steadily worked their way through the melody.

'Her hands are so soft,' Yuzuru thought to himself, enjoying the contact. Turning his head slightly, he stared at Kanade, who was entirely focused on the task at hand. As the song reached its conclusion, she looked up, meeting his warm brown eyes. Smiling at her, he turned his hand palm upward and interlaced his fingers with hers, then gave a slight squeeze. Wearing a smile of her own, Kanade squeezed back, sealing the unspoken pact. Yuzuru’s eyes shone with delight as he drew the sliver haired girl into his arms, reveling in the closeness.

'This feels like coming home,' Kanade thought, her eyes misting over. 'I’m home now.' Snuggling up closer, she placed a hand on Yuzuru’s chest, feeling his heartbeat. 'I’ve never been this happy before,' she thought. As she sat there, Yuzuru’s arms wrapped around her, she experienced a flood of emotions, a sudden outpouring from somewhere deep inside her. There was pain, so much pain, then fear, and lonliness, crushing down on her, making it hard to breath. But then hope surged through her, followed by a torrent of joy, happiness, and finally, love. And then, all at once, as quickly as they had come, the emotions faded, leaving behind the sensation of something unfinished, a conclusion to be had.

Kanade looked up at Yuzuru, her eyes wide and questioning. 'Yes,' his eyes seemed to answer. 'I felt it too.' Standing up, he offered her his hand. Taking it, she stood as well, and drew him into a hug, burying her face in his chest, seeking the comfort of his heart beating close to her. Yuzuru held her tightly, running a hand through her hair, and softly kissed the top of her head. Kanade sighed deeply, finally at peace.

“Kanade?”

“Yes?”

“I love you. Let’s stay together forever, ok?”

“Ok. Thank you, Yuzuru.” Then, in the softest of whispers, she added, “I love you too.”