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Chapter Text

Stepping out of the dormitory building, Tsukasa can definitely feel the chilling breeze through the layers of clothes she's wearing. Autumn definitely feels colder by the day as winter slowly approaches.

Little clouds of vapour escaped Tsukasa’s lips as she breathed in the cold air.

“Brr… It's getting really COLD…” she muttered as she tightened the scarf around her neck.

The sound of music slowly graced her ears as she approached the school building of the Yumenosaki Music Academy, a prestigious music and arts school that she is currently studying at.

Despite it being already months since she first transferred, the beauty of the school grounds never fails to take Tsukasa's breath away. She had to stop for a bit to gaze at the building.

“Kasa-chan, it's not good to stand in the middle of the road, you know~?” a familiar voice approached from behind. Tsukasa turned to face her seniors, Izumi and Arashi walking towards her.

“Ah, good morning, Sena-senpai, Narukami-senpai” she was quick to greet them with a smile. Arashi responded with a friendly wave while Izumi nodded.

“Are you going to the cafeteria for breakfast first, Tsukasa-chan? If so, why don't we go together?” Arashi asked as soon as she came face-to-face with Tsukasa.

Tsukasa smiled. “Well, I am, INDEED. It would be great to join you guys! Will Ritsu-senpai be there too?” she mentioned her other senior.

Izumi clicked her tongue. “Well, he should be, if he manages to wake up at this time. Although I'm sure that Isara kid got that covered” she assumed.

Tsukasa chuckled. It has always been like that anyways. It's a little silly for her to ask, now that she thinks about it.

Before they knew it, they found themselves at the school cafeteria. With her tray full of food, Tsukasa tried her best to look through the crowd for her seniors.

She spotted Arashi waving her hand as if calling her over to where she and Izumi were. Tsukasa happily took her seat once she arrived.

Izumi frowned upon seeing what was on Tsukasa's plate. “Kasa-chan, this is your third time having French toast this week. And you always put so much syrup and chocolate on it! That's not good for you, you know?” she pointed at the plate.

Tsukasa pouted. “But it's very delicious…” she mumbled. “Ha? It doesn't matter. I don't want to see you choosing any more unhealthy food. You have reached your limit this week!” Izumi ordered.

Tsukasa was about to be sad when she noticed a little something Izumi said. "This week? So, I can still eat more next week?” her eyes sparkled. Izumi was about to open her mouth to protest when they were interrupted by someone.

“Hey, hey, Secchan~. Stop bullying our cute little Suu-chan~” a lazy voice came from beside their table. Without them realising, Ritsu was already there, with his own tray of food.

“My, my, Ritsu-chan! You're up early today!” Arashi gasped. Ritsu chuckled. "Well, I only still have energy
right now because I got to catch up on sleep while Ma~kun carried me here. He’s kind enough to get food for me too! See?” he grinned, showing the others the food prepared for him.

“Unfortunately he has errands to do.. tsk.. so much for being part of the student council” he pouted.

Tsukasa, Izumi and Arashi were all too familiar with Ritsu’s laziness. The amount of patience Mao has is admirable.

“Well, come sit. I have some news to tell” Izumi gestured for Ritsu to take a seat. “Gossiping so early in the morning? That's unlike you, Izumi-chan~” Arashi teased. Izumi clicked her tongue. “It's not gossiping, okay~?”

She cleared her throat. “Well, anyways- the other day, I received a call from Ou-sama. Well, technically, the one speaking was Mikejima. It seems like he will be returning soon”

Arashi and Ritsu seemed surprised, while Tsukasa was dumbfounded. "Uh.. Who is this ‘Ou-sama’?” she asked.

“Well, remember the friend we told you about, the genius composer who made a lot of songs for us? Well, he is Leo Tsukinaga” Ritsu explained.

That seemed to make Tsukasa recall the few times her seniors told her about the mysterious figure. From what she heard from her seniors and others, this Leo Tsukinaga seemed to be an amazing person that Tsukasa can't help but admire.

“Oh, that one! If he is returning, then I can't wait to meet him!” Tsukasa spoke enthusiastically. “Well, good luck then. He's a handful” Izumi sighed. Tsukasa tilted her head, unable to understand what she meant.

“But isn't it lovely that he's finally returning? It's been a while since we last gathered. Plus, with the addition of our new friend here, it will be more exciting!" Arashi exclaimed.

Ritsu nodded. "Yup! It will be nice to have Tsukipi~ here again!” he smiled.

Seeing her seniors’ reaction to the news of Leo’s return made Tsukasa even more curious about that mysterious composer.

♪

Tsukasa plays her piano on her own. The perks of being in such a prestigious school is that they can get private lessons from tutors and their own personal studio. Which, to Tsukasa, is great for her to silently train without worrying about others hearing her.

Her tutor seemed to have some important matters to attend to while Izumi, Arashi and Ritsu currently each have their own lessons. So, Tsukasa decided she would stay at her studio to practice on her own.

As she repeated a particularly challenging part of the song, she heard a knock on the door. She quickly stood up to greet whoever was there. Who knows how long that person has been waiting? She must've not noticed because of the piano sounds.

“Ah, Fushimi-senpai” she smiled upon seeing Yuzuru at the door. Even though she and Yuzuru’s master, Tori isn't exactly on good terms, she's relatively okay around Yuzuru.

“Good evening, Tsukasa-sama” Yuzuru bowed politely. "I'm here under Eichi-sama’s request to call you to see him” he told.

Tsukasa seemed surprised. “Oh, really? What for?” she asked curiously. Yuzuru shook his head in response. “I'm deeply sorry, but I wasn't informed as to why. I guess you'll have to go see him to find out. I'll escort you there”

Tsukasa scratched her cheek. “Hmm… alright then. Shall we go now? I can't keep Tenshouin onee-sama WAITING” she nodded. After closing the door of his studio, she silently followed Yuzuru.

Chapter Text

There Tsukasa was, standing in front of the student council office. Yuzuru knocked on the door twice, earning a “come in” muffled by the door.

He opened the door. Only Eichi seemed to be inside this time, unlike usual where the office would be filled with busy students doing their duties. Eichi lifted her head up from the paper she was reading and threw a smile at her guest. She looked at Yuzuru and nodded.

“Alright, you may go in, Tsukasa-sama. I'll excuse myself” he bowed before heading off, waving in a more casual manner.

Tsukasa stepped into the quiet office and closed the door.

“Good evening, Tsukasa-chan” Eichi gave her signature sweet smile to Tsukasa. That eased Tsukasa's heart, knowing that Eichi might not need her for anything worrying.

“Good evening, Tenshouin onee-sama. What do you need me for?” Tsukasa responded to the greeting before wasting no time to show her curiosity.

Eichi chuckled. "It's nothing too serious, but it is important. Don't be too tense, Tsukasa-chan”

Tsukasa covered her mouth. “Ah, I'm so sorry! I must've been very impatient. That was RUDE of me” she panicked slightly. Eichi waved her had. "No, don't apologise. Why don't you take a seat first?” she gestured towards a chair Tsukasa was standing next to. Upon receiving Eichi’s permission, Tsukasa pulled the chair closer and sat comfortably.

Eichi smiled. "So, you might be the first person to know about this, but I am planning to hold next year's annual winter ball in January” she started. Hearing the news, Tsukasa can't help but feel excited. She knew the school had a tradition of holding a winter ball, and this will be the first time she will be attending one. She had only been dreaming all this time.

She shook off her thoughts and focused back on Eichi. “Really? That sounds WONDERFUL! But, what does that have to do with me, onee-sama?” she pointed at herself.

“Well, every year, for the ball, we will select a few talented students to perform for the guests. Usually, I would pick out more experienced senior students, but this year, I decided to switch it up a little. I'm sure you can already tell where I'm going with this” Eichi smiled.

Tsukasa let out a small gasp. "Wait- does that mean you choose me to be one of the performers this year?”

She receives a nod as response. "Correct! I wanted to show the new talents for the ball this time. And you, Tsukasa-chan, is an exceptionally talented student among the first years. So I immediately listed you down as one of the candidates”

The news made Tsukasa really excited. “Thank you so much, Tenshouin onee-sama. I will gladly accept this once-in-a-lifetime offer” she eagerly nodded. Eichi chuckled. “That's good to hear. You still have a whole month to prepare yourself, so don't be too anxious. I'm sure you'll be able to shine on that stage”

Tsukasa balled her fists. “I won't let you down, onee-sama! I'll make sure to show them the ability of the daughter of the Suou Clan”

Eichi smiled at Tsukasa’s enthusiasm. “Great! I'll be counting on you then”

♪

Tsukasa paced around her studio, tapping her chin nervously. Even though she displayed nothing but confidence while talking to Eichi earlier, in reality, she felt a little worried about this heavy responsibility she received.

She knew the ball would not only be attended by the students and teachers, but also some important figures in the music industry. Having to amaze them would definitely not be easy. And Tsukasa knew she doesn't want to just amaze them.

She wants to make sure her performance is the best one they've seen in all their lives.

But of course, just the thought of her own high expectations made her stressed out.

“Ah… What should I do…” she mumbled. She glanced at her piano. Sure, she's going to play piano, obviously, but she can't just play a mediocre piece if she wants to totally wow the audience.

She snapped her fingers. “Ah, maybe I should try and compose my own sonata for the performance? If I do so, I will be able to show them that I can do more than just playing INSTRUMENTS”

Her face dropped down as quickly as her enthusiasm. “Ah.. But I know absolutely nothing about COMPOSING”

She stood in silence. Suddenly, she remembered something. “Wait- that Leo Tsukinaga guy, the one my seniors always talked about! He's a composer, isn't he?” her face lit up again.

“He's coming back, so maybe I can ask for his help! That sounds like a good PLAN!” she clapped her hands, happy to have found a solution. “Maybe I should go find my seniors to ask more about him” she slightly fixed her appearance before heading out of her studio.

Ritsu’s studio is the closest to hers, as he is also learning the piano. As she approached said studio, she heard a beautiful sound.

The sound of piano doesn't seem to come from her senior’s studio, but the one beside it. However, as far as she knows, that studio has been empty ever since she enrolled there.

The music played by whoever was inside caught her attention anyways. It's a sonata she has never heard before, yet it sounds incredibly beautiful and complex, totally causing her to fall into a trance-like state. Without her realising it, her steps took her closer to the mysterious door instead.

She finally noticed the door very slightly open. Being as careful as she can, she peeks through.

Her eyes caught onto the figure of a young man, with messy orange hair that is tied in a ponytail. He has the calmest expression on him, seemingly just as immersed in the music as she is. His slender fingers danced on the piano keys skillfully despite his eyes being closed.

She has never seen him before. Undeniably, looking at the boy caused her heart to skip a beat.

Meow~

“Wargh!" Tsukasa screamed in shock as a cat suddenly rubbed its’ body against her legs. Where that cat came from, she doesn't know.

She jerked off a little, accidentally pushing the door open and losing her balance. In a split second, her face is on the floor.

“Wahaha~☆ I thought this day would never come!” a voice that is presumably that young man’s echoed after the abrupt stop of his playing. Tsukasa lifted her head up slowly, groaning in pain.

As if to add salt to the wound, the cat that interrupted her earlier suddenly jumped on her head, causing it to slam back onto the floor.

“Eh? Where are you going~?” the voice trailed off followed by footsteps. “Awh~ it ran away…” his tone changed into a disappointed one.

As she heard the footsteps coming towards her, she cursed herself, way too embarrassed to lift her head and face whoever just witnessed the most pathetic version of Tsukasa Suou.

“Wow.. Aliens sure do love lying on the floor, don't they?” the voice sounded genuinely curious despite how ridiculous that statement is. Tsukasa immediately choked on air, finally lifting her face off the ground.

Her cheeks turned red as soon as she noticed their faces within inches from each other. In shock and embarrassment, she stood up. “W-what are you doing?” she stammered.

“Hm~? I was trying to understand you” the boy tilted his head. “What?” that just caused Tsukasa to become just as confused.

The boy shifted his body into a sitting position.

“I thought you aliens liked the floor since you didn't lift your face up at all!” he assumed. Well, that didn't make Tsukasa's confusion any less severe.

“Aliens? What?” she frowned.

The boy grinned before jumping up, smoothly landing back on his feet. “Wahaha~☆ don't worry, your secret is safe with me, my new alien friend! Greetings, Ucchuu~☆!” he made two ‘peace’ signs as he spoke.

Tsukasa just stood there in bewilderment. Just a second ago she witnessed the sight of a breathtaking young man playing the piano, and now that same guy is in front of her, blurting out nonsensical alien stuff.

“Uh- I- I'm sorry, what?” she rubbed the bridge of her nose, repeating ‘what’ for what seemed like the hundredth time in the five minutes she interacted with this guy.

“Hm~? Well, maybe we should start with introductions! That's how us earthlings make friends!” as if having absolutely no intention of easing Tsukasa's confusion, the boy continued.

Tsukasa sighed. “Well- I'm Tsukasa Suou, a student here, and I'm learning the piano. I don't know what is in your mind, but I am not an alien” she spoke, emphasising on that last statement.

“Oh? That's such a pity! You're no fun!” the boy pouted. Tsukasa coughed. What does he mean, she's no fun? Is it because she's not an alien or whatnot? "Well, I sincerely APOLOGISE for that” she replied sarcastically.

The boy hummed. "Never mind! I guess you're still very interesting so you're not all that boring, I guess!”

Again, what does he mean by that? Tsukasa shrugged off that thought. Who knows where this conversation will go if she asks that? "Okay… I told you my name, so you should tell yours” she shifted the conversation back to where it was.

The boy grinned. "I am the genius composer Leo Tsukinaga! Nice to meet you, Ucchuu~☆”

Chapter Text

Tsukasa blinked in confusion, before her face turned into one of shock.

“Wait- Leo… Tsukinaga? Are you actually him?” she frowned. There is no way this guy in front of her is the fabled composer she has always admired. She would definitely believe it though if she had only witnessed his skillful piano skills instead of all that nonsensical stuff.

Leo tilted his head. "Hm? Of course I am! The one and only! Wahaha~☆” he laughed.

“Anyways, since you're here, come on in! I need someone to listen to my new masterpiece, and surprise! I choose you! This is a great opportunity for you to listen to Earth’s music! Music is what connects us all anyways!” Leo forcefully took Tsukasa’s hand and dragged her into the studio, blabbering nonstop.

“Leo-san,I told you I am not an alien” Tsukasa sighed. Leo doesn't seem to hear her though, lost in the melody he was humming.

He grabbed Tsukasa's shoulders and sat her down on a stool next to the piano. “Alright, sit there, and don't take your eyes off me! Because you are about to hear the best sonata of your life!” Leo proudly declared.

Tsukasa was genuinely curious this time. Undeniably, Leo does play the piano exceptionally well, from what she heard earlier.

Leo happily sat at the piano and wriggled his fingers. With a deep breath, he began to press on the black and white keys of the grand piano.

In an instant, Tsukasa was taken back into the trance-like state she was in earlier. Whatever Leo was playing sounded new, unlike anything she has heard before. Most importantly, it was nothing but angelic on her ears. She finds herself closing her eyes to further immerse herself in the melody.

Before she knew it, Leo ended his little performance. Tsukasa immediately stood up from her seat and clapped her hands eagerly. “That was amazing, Leo-san!” she complimented.

Leo placed his hands on his hips with a proud look on his face. “Of course~☆ it's my new song, I call it ‘Silent Oath’!”

“So, you composed it yourself? I guess that makes it more believable that you are Leo Tsukinaga..” Tsukasa whispered that last part to herself. “Wahaha~☆ only a genius like me can compose something like that!” Leo laughed.

He suddenly flinched. “Oh, just looking at you gives me more inspiration! Thank you, alien girl! I love you!☆” he stood up and gave Tsukasa a brief hug before running to the desk at the other side of the room.

Tsukasa froze, slightly blushing from that close contact. She shook her head. “A-anyways…now that I've met him, I can probably ask him about composing” she muttered.

“Actually, he is very skilled in piano, almost like a maestro! Maybe he can also give me some extra training in preparation for the performance?” she snapped her fingers. That idea sounded really good.

She turned towards Leo who was busy scribbling music notes on the massive whiteboard next to the desk.

“Umm.. Excuse me, Leo-san?” she called once she stood right behind Leo. “Leo-san, can I talk to you for a bit?” she repeated, only to be ignored again. Leo was clearly way too absorbed in his own composing fantasies.

“Leo-san..” Tsukasa grabbed Leo's sleeve to tug at it slightly, but she accidentally pulled at it instead due to her own lack of patience at the moment.

Unbeknownst to her, that action caused Leo, who was tiptoeing to reach the higher parts of the whiteboard to lose balance as his body was forcefully turned towards Tsukasa.

It all happened in a flash. Tsukasa closed her eyes, preparing herself for the impact from the fall, which was without a doubt painful.

“Ow… Not again…” Tsukasa groaned. She finally noticed that something wasn't right, and opened her eyes.

Lavender eyes once again met emerald ones, but this time, in a different position and uncomfortably a lot closer than earlier. Leo’s hair framed his face as he loomed on top of Tsukasa, using his elbows to prop himself up.

Tsukasa can't help but think that if he didn't do so, they would have accidentally….

Her already red face turned crimson at the thought.

That's when she noticed that Leo was quiet. She made eye contact with him, only to see him heavily blushing as well, with a shocked look on his face.

“I've…seen enough”

“I caught it! Fufufu~ Nacchan will definitely lose her mind if she sees this~. I'll send it to her”

Ritsu and Izumi’s voices suddenly interrupted them. Tsukasa turned towards the door, where her two seniors stood. Ritsu has his phone in his hand, typing something while Izumi peeked at the screen.

Tsukasa immediately pushed Leo away and stood up, fixing her uniform.

“Sena-senpai, Ritsu-senpai! Wha- what are you doing here?” she tried acting as casually as possible, although her words were a little slurred.

“We wanted to check out what all the fuss was about. You two were being very noisy, you know?” Izumi sighed. "But when we came here, we saw you two.. well…” Ritsu left his sentence hanging on purpose, smirking at his blushing junior.

“You- you're mistaken! That was an ACCIDENT!” Tsukasa waved her hands around in panic.

Izumi crossed her arms. "Well, anyways-” she cleared her throat. “It seems like Ou-sama is back”

Leo flinched at the mention of himself. He immediately switched back to his energetic self after being quiet for a while. "Yeah, I am☆! Did you miss me, Sena, Ritsu~?” he grinned, spreading his arms wide.

“Honestly, I thought you wouldn't arrive yet for at least the next few days. I should've known when I heard something from this room” Izumi avoided the question, too lazy to entertain Leo.

“Oh? Is this Leo-san’s studio?” Tsukasa asked curiously. "Mhm~. It has been empty all this time because Tsukipi~ wasn't here” Ritsu nodded.

“Well, I'm here now, aren't I? I'm all ready to fill this room with the most beautiful melodies of my masterpieces! Oh, I should get back to that one!” Leo turned back towards the whiteboard and continued where he left off.

Footsteps were soon heard from the hallways. Arashi appeared at the door, panting from running. “What did I miss? I- I heard Ou-sama is back?” she questioned, catching her breath. Izumi nodded, gesturing towards Leo in front of the whiteboard. “Wonderful!" she clapped her hands.

Arashi turned towards Tsukasa next. “My, my, Tsukasa-chan, what were you and Leo-kun up to earlier~?” she teased. Tsukasa's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It was an accident! It was nothing, senpai!”

Arashi chuckled. "I- I'll be at my studio if you seniors need me. I'll excuse myself” Tsukasa stammered, walking out the door and forgetting everything about her original intentions of leaving her studio in the first place.

“Look at her~” Arashi gushed. "Fufu~ it was a pity you weren't there to witness it in person, Nacchan~ it was very amusing” Ritsu chuckled.

“Oh come on, you two are hopeless” Izumi clicked her tongue. Arashi looked at Izumi with a smirk. "And you, Izumi-chan, why were you in Ritsu-chan’s studio?”

Izumi blushed, avoiding eye contact with the younger girl. "What are you implying? I- I just had to bring him back to the studio since he was sleeping outside… So~ annoying!” she huffed.

Arashi turned towards Ritsu, only to earn a smirk in response. She giggled.

Chapter Text

The next evening, after her daily lessons, Tsukasa finds herself back in front of Leo’s studio. She can already hear the cheerful humming of the older boy from inside.

She knocked on the door.

“Oh? Who's that?” Leo's voice responded. Tsukasa inched closer to the door. “It's me, Tsukasa. I need to talk to you for a bit, Leo-san” she spoke, raising her voice a little so that it could be heard through the door.

A few seconds later, the doorknob twisted and Leo opened the door.

Tsukasa wasted no time to get straight to the point. She fears that if she lets Leo say anything before her, it will lead to another mess and no progress whatsoever. “Good evening, Leo-san. I'm here to continue where I left off yesterday. Well, you seem to be really good at both composing and playing the piano, so I was thinking-”

“Who are you?”

Tsukasa was suddenly cut off by the confused-looking Leo. She seemed just as surprised. "Excuse me, what do you mean?”

“I mean, who are you? You oddly look familiar, but I can't remember at all! Wahaha☆” Leo laughed innocently.

Tsukasa was dumbfounded. "Leo-san,we met yesterday, didn't we?”

Leo's face tells her that he didn't have a single clue what she was talking about. Tsukasa sighed.

“My name is Tsukasa Suou, I'm a first year here and I'm playing the piano. Does that ring a BELL?”

Leo's face turned into one that looks like he just made the greatest discovery in the world. "Ohhh! The alien from yesterday! You're a newbie here too, huh? Well, come in, newbie alien!☆” he smiled widely, inviting Tsukasa into the studio.

Tsukasa refuses to address the alien issue again. Upon stepping inside, she was greeted by a pile of paper scattered on the floor. “Leo-san,what are these?” she frowned.

“Hm? Oh, those are my masterpieces! Careful, don't step on them!” Leo replied without turning towards the girl.

“How am I supposed to do that if it's literally on every inch of the FLOOR?” Tsukasa muttered. Even so, she still tried her best to avoid stepping on them as much as humanly possible.

Leo closed the door and invited Tsukasa to sit down at the same stool as yesterday. Leo grabbed another chair and sat down, facing her.

“So~ what are you here for? You're lucky I just finished the song I was writing earlier, so I'm all ears!” Leo smiled.

Tsukasa cleared her throat. “I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but as I was saying, since you're really good in both composing and the piano, I thought I wanted to ask for your help in something” she continued where she left off earlier.

Leo remained silent, his eyes fixed on Tsukasa. She took that as a sign she can continue. “So, you see, I was chosen for a performance for the upcoming WINTER BALL, so I wanted to totally impress the audience by composing my own sonata for the event.

However, I know nothing about composing, so I would like to seek your GUIDANCE in that, my senior” she explained.

Leo's face immediately lit up. “Really? You want to learn composing from me? Sure, sure! I'll turn you into the next composing genius, I guarantee!☆” he exclaimed.

Tsukasa was happy Leo didn't have any objections to her proposal. That brings her to her next request. “And.. If you don't mind, aside from that, I would also like to train with you. As in, have you oversee my piano skills” she fiddled with her fingers.

“Hm? I thought we had teachers for that? Did all the teachers get kidnapped by aliens?!” Leo gasped. Tsukasa shook her head. There he goes again. “Leo-san, no. Learning from you will just serve as extra lessons”

Leo's mouth formed an ‘o’ shape. “Sure! I've never taught anyone before, but new experiences always brings me tons of inspiration! So I'll accept! Let's get started!” he jumped up from his seat.

“Huh- what? Now?” Tsukasa stammered. "Yeah! Chop chop, grab your pen and let's get this bread!” Leo nodded giddily.

♪

Long story short, Leo only managed to teach Tsukasa a miniscule amount of knowledge before getting immersed in his own composition and totally forgetting the intended lesson.

Tsukasa sighed as she stared at her empty notebook. Then, her eyes went back to Leo who was busy with his own work, scribbling non-stop on a piece of paper.

She pursed her lips. She knew she had no chance of regaining Leo's attention now that he is distracted. She tried earlier, at least.

She looked at her own notebook again, exhaling in defeat. She picked her pen back up and started writing random notes on a blank page, trying to come up with something on her own. She wrote down the notes as she hummed.

After a while, she noticed that there was no more sound of writing from Leo. She lifted her face up.

To her surprise, Leo was staring at her.

She raised an eyebrow. “What's wrong, Leo-san?”

Leo flinched, clearly startled. “E-eh? Oh, nothing! I just couldn't take my eyes off you because you looked really cute when you're focused!” he grinned.

That compliment made Tsukasa's face heat up. She coughed. “Nonsense…” she muttered.

“By the way, you mentioned something about a winter ball earlier, right?” Leo asked all of a sudden.

“Hm? Yes.. What about it?” Tsukasa responded. "So there's another one this year, and you're performing for it? That's super cool!” Leo clapped his hands.

“Thank you.. I guess” Tsukasa shrugged. "Now that I think about it, people act all elegantly and slow dance at the ball. Newbie, do you know how to dance?” Leo tapped his chin.

Tsukasa nodded. "Of course I do. As a noblewoman, it is only natural for me to master the art of ballroom dancing” she bragged. "Well then, can you teach me?”

That request took Tsukasa by surprise. "Teach you…?”

Leo nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I'm not very good at it myself, but I really want to try dancing this year! It always looked very fun!” he explained.

Tsukasa tapped her chin. An idea suddenly came to mind. She smiled. “Okay… I will teach you. But in return, you have to help me train for the performance and compose. DEAL?” she reached her hand out, inviting Leo to shake hands with her.

“Okay! This time, I'll be one hundred percent serious! You can trust me!” Leo gave a thumbs up. Tsukasa wasn't sure to what degree she should trust him, but she nodded anyways. “Alright. We have a deal then?"

Leo grinned, before hooking his pinky with Tsukasa’s. Instead of a handshake, they did the ‘pinky promise’ gesture. “Deal!”

Tsukasa blushed. “Um- Leo-san, the pinky promise is for.. Well… PROMISES. Not exactly for this” she stammered. “Really? Well then, it's a promise! A promise to help one another!” Leo smiled.

Tsukasa smiled back.

♪

The next few days went on very smoothly. Seems like Leo kept his end of the promise and was serious in helping Tsukasa. In return, Tsukasa started teaching him the basics of ballroom dancing. So far, they make a great team.

As Tsukasa walked down the hallways, heading towards her class for regular morning lessons, she noticed a crowd gathering in front of one of the bulletin boards. Curious, she decided to join in.

It took her a while to finally be able to see what the fuss was about, but it turns out it was just the announcement for the winter ball. It was no surprise for her, as she obviously knew it ahead of everyone.

“Ah, Tsukasa-chan!” she was greeted by Arashi the moment she managed to escape the crowd. “Oh, good morning, Narukami-senpai! What are you doing here?”

“I heard the date for the annual winter ball next year is already revealed! I wanted to check it out, but there's too many people” Arashi pouted. “Don't worry about that, Narukami-senpai. I checked it out, and it'll be held on January 15th next year” Tsukasa informed.

Arashi clapped her hands. “Oh, thank you, Tsukasa-chan! So we still have a while to prepare for it, huh?”

Tsukasa nodded. “Yeah. It's nice that they announced it this early. Although, I actually found out in ADVANCE” she confessed. Arashi looked at her, surprised. "You did? How?”

Tsukasa scratched her head. "Well, don't tell anybody this, but I was actually selected by Tenshouin onee-sama to perform there” she whispered.

“Really? That's amazing! Congratulations, Tsukasa-chan!” Arashi immediately pulled her into a hug. Tsukasa chuckled.

She released the hug. "Since you knew in advance, do you already have anyone in mind for your dance partner?” Arashi asked eagerly. That made Tsukasa realise that she didn't think of that at all.

“Oh… Actually, no. To be honest, even if I thought about it, I don't really have that many male friends to ask. There's only Ritsu-senpai and a few classmates.. But.. Well… I don't know…” she tapped her chin.

Arashi gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. “Awh~ don't worry! You should focus on your performance first! I'm sure you'll find one soon!” she encouraged.

“Speaking of which, can I come and watch you train this evening?” she suddenly proposed. "Eh? Sure, no problem. But maybe you can come visit me a bit later in the evening, after the regular training sessions. I am doing some personal training with someone else currently” Tsukasa nodded.

Arashi smiled. "Alright! I'll be there this evening!”

Chapter Text

“Ow! Leo-san, stop that!” Tsukasa flinched when Leo stepped on her feet again for what seemed like the hundredth time today. In fact, it happens way too often to the point where Tsukasa requested him to take off his shoes before they start.

“Oh! Sorry, Suo~!” Leo smiled. Tsukasa just shook her head.

After much effort, she managed to get Leo to call her by her name instead of ‘newbie’ or ‘alien’.

"Okay, let's try this again” she exhaled. "Just follow the TEMPO, alright?”

They heard a knock on the door. "Hm? Who could that be?” Tsukasa turned towards the source of the sound. "I'll go get it!” Leo jumped and ran towards the door, opening it without caring to ask who it was.

“Ohh! Sena, Naru and Ritsu! What are you all doing here?” he spoke in a cheerful voice.

That made Tsukasa realise- she promised Arashi she would let her watch her train this evening. Unfortunately, she forgot to tell her where she would be.

“OH NO, they must've been looking for me!” Tsukasa panicked. She doesn't know why, but her instincts told her to hide. She ran and ducked behind the piano.

“Actually, I was just looking for Tsukasa-chan. She told me she will be practicing for her performance and I wanted to check on her. But well, she wasn't in her studio” Arashi’s worried voice followed. Hearing her tone made Tsukasa bite her lip.

“So… Why is Sena and Ritsu here?” Leo asked. "Naru asked for my help” Izumi replied shortly. "Well, I was just on my way back to my studio when I saw Secchan and Nacchan. I was curious, so I tagged along” Ritsu shrugged.

Arashi took Leo's hands in hers. "Have you seen Tsukasa-chan anywhere?”

Leo laughed. "Of course I have! She was with me!☆”

His answer made everyone gasp.

“She's been with you?” Izumi frowned. Leo nodded innocently. "Yeah! Come on in!” he promptly made way for the three to enter.

Tsukasa held her breath. She shouldn't have been hiding, that will just complicate things. But well, here she is.

“Where is she?” Arashi looked around the room. "Hm? Wait, Suo~ was just here a second ago! How did she disappear?!” Leo gasped. “Did she have supernatural alien powers?"

“Nonsense! Now, where is that brat?” Izumi was quick to cut off Leo's fantasies.

“Here she is~” Ritsu suddenly appeared behind Tsukasa. Tsukasa gulped and faced her senior, laughing awkwardly. Ritsu smiled and grabbed the back of her collar, dragging her up like a cat.

“H-Hello, Narukami-senpai, Sena-senpai…” she awkwardly waved. Izumi sighed, while Arashi ran towards her. “I was so worried when I couldn't find you in your studio! Why were you here?”

Izumi tilted her head, raising an eyebrow in amusement. “Most importantly, why were you hiding? You're not doing anything suspicious, were you…?” she narrowed her eyes.

Tsukasa frantically waved her hand. “No, I wasn't! Uh, allow me to explain..”

♪

And so, Tsukasa explained everything from getting the chance to perform, to her promise with Leo to help each other.

As she finished explaining, her seniors nodded in unison. “Was that it? Honestly, you should've just told us, you know~?” Izumi sighed. “No wonder I kept on noticing Suu-chan’s studio dark so early while Tsukipi~’s studio is always still bright late at night. So, you've been practicing together?” Ritsu commented.

“Yup yup! I teach Suo how to compose and train her piano skills while she teaches me how to slow dance!” Leo nodded.

Izumi tilted her head. "Slow dance? Why would you need to be taught that again?”

Tsukasa lifted her head up to face Izumi. What does she mean by that? ‘Again’?

Arashi's mouth formed an ‘o’ shape, realising something. She whispered something to Ritsu, earning an amused smirk in return. Ritsu then turned towards Izumi beside him and whispered something in her ear as well.

Izumi gave Arashi and Ritsu a curious look. Then, she nodded slowly.

“Wha- what were you talking about, my SENIORS?” Tsukasa asked, slightly anxious. Arashi smiled at her. "Oh, it was nothing!”

“Anyways, don't you guys wanna see just how well I've taught our cute little Suo~ here?” Leo interrupted. Arashi nodded. “Oh yes! That was why we're here anyways!”

Tsukasa smiled. “Then, allow me to let you listen to my sonata, my seniors. It's not done yet, but I can show a bit of it” she went towards the piano, followed by Arashi and an expectant Izumi.

Ritsu stood beside Leo. “Tsukipi~ I never knew you could be this sly~” he lazily gave Leo a smirk. “Hm? What are you talking about, Ritsu~?” Leo tilted his head.

“We all know why you wanted Suu-chan to teach you how to dance” Ritsu whispered. Leo grinned. “Wahaha☆. Of course, a genius like me has to have plans even for this kind of thing, right?”

Ritsu chuckled. “Well, we all wish you good luck”

♪

A few days passed. Leo, Tsukasa, Izumi, Ritsu and Arashi were gathered at the cafeteria for breakfast as usual.

Arashi seemed very giddy that morning. “Everyone, guess what? I already have a date for the ball!” she announced. The others’ attention immediately directed towards her.

“Really? Who is the lucky guy~?” Ritsu smiled.

“Well, yesterday evening, after I left my studio, I bumped into Mika-chan! And guess what? He was looking for me, and right then and there, he asked me if I would like to be his dance partner!” Arashi gushed. "Of course I had to say yes!”

Everyone smiled. It's no mystery to anyone that the two best friends had feelings for each other. It's unbelievable how they're not already dating.

“Good for you. Well, at least Kagehira is brave enough to face you when he proposed that. Unlike the cowards who tried asking me through letters. Pft, what were they thinking?” Izumi chuckled. "You received letters, Sena-senpai?” Tsukasa asked curiously.

“What's with your tone? Of course I did! But I rejected them all. It's no use if they don't want to face me like a real man” Izumi scoffed.

“Wow~ must be hard being you, Sena~” Leo commented, although with a bit of a teasing tone. Izumi clicked her tongue before focusing back on her food.

“What about you, Suu-chan?” Ritsu turned towards Tsukasa. "Huh- M-me?” Tsukasa almost choked on her food, a little startled by the question.

She pursed her lips. That was when she realised she had been way too busy with her preparations that she didn't even think about finding a date for the ball.

“Well… I actually don't have anyone in mind, nor did anyone ask me. I've been way too busy lately” she confessed.

“Awh~ that's a pity! Say, if there is someone who wanted to ask you to be their partner, how do you want them to do so? You don't need to be serious with your answer, just tell me what you're hoping for” Arashi rested her chin on her palm, looking at Tsukasa with a smile.

“Huh? Okay… I guess I don't mind how they decided to approach me, but if I wanted to be a little less REALISTIC, maybe having the starry night sky as the background while he gives me a flower would be quite nice..” Tsukasa fiddled with her fingers.

“Wow… Who knew our serious Suu-chan had such fantasies~?” Ritsu teased. “Yeah, that's oddly specific, Suo~! What's next, are you going to be picky like Sena and wish for a specific flower? Wahaha!☆” Leo laughed. Izumi rolled her eyes.

Tsukasa tapped her chin. “If I have a choice, maybe LILIES would be nice. I don't know why, I just felt like it” she thought.

“Alright, bet! Let's see who will be the one willing to do all that for Suu-chan!” Ritsu smirked. Tsukasa blushed. "Um- of course, I don't mind that much. All that matters is that he's sincere and serious about it”

“But still, if someone does that for such a brat like you, it must mean they're head over heels. I'm quite curious, actually” Izumi spoke.

Tsukasa smiled. "A-Anyways, that leaves us to you, Leo-san. Do you have a date yet for the ball?” she turned towards Leo, trying to shift the conversation so that it doesn't revolve around her too much.

“Huh?” Leo tilted his head. Tsukasa was about to repeat herself when Leo answered. “Oh! Hm~ of course I have someone!” he announced.

Everyone seemed shocked by the news. “What? Who is it? This is interesting!” Arashi asked eagerly. “Well, it wouldn't be fun if I tell, right? You'll just have to see later, wahaha!☆” Leo laughed.

Somehow, that news made Tsukasa's heart ache. She bit her lip. "What is wrong with me…” she whispered to herself.

“Suu-chan, are you alright?” Ritsu raised an eyebrow at her. Tsukasa nodded with an awkward smile. "Eh? Of course I am, don't worry!”

Ritsu and Arashi exchanged glances.

♪

“Why do I need to join you two idiots?” Izumi sighed. “Well, we aren't going to leave you out of the fun, Izumi-chan!” Arashi winked.

They finally found their target, Leo, who was trying to buy some coffee from a vending machine. Being as stealthy as possible, they circled him.

Leo immediately noticed something not right. He turned behind him and was shocked to see his three friends. “Oh! What are you guys doing here? I thought you went to class already?” he questioned.

“That can wait for a bit. We have a lot of time, so care to chat with us for a bit, Tsukipi~?” Ritsu smiled, although it seemed a little suspicious.

Leo gulped.

Chapter Text

Before they knew it, Christmas was right around the corner. Under Arashi’s suggestion, they went shopping for Christmas gifts together that evening.

Everyone split up to different shops so that they don't bump into each other, promising to gather at the park nearby later.

Tsukasa smiled as she peeked into her shopping bag. She just finished buying the gifts for her seniors and a few of her friends.

No one has arrived at the designated place yet. “Oh, I'm quite early. The seniors probably haven't finished yet” she mumbled. The moment she sat down on one of the benches, a voice called out to her.

“Suo~!” Leo ran towards her, cheerfully waving. Tsukasa waved back with a smile. “Leo-san! Are you done with your SHOPPING?" she asked.

Leo nodded, showing his shopping bags to Tsukasa. “Yup! Don't worry Suo~ I picked out something really nice for you!” he grinned. Tsukasa sighed, smiling.

Leo looked around. He turned back towards Tsukasa just as quickly. “Actually, Suo~ can you turn back for a bit? I have a surprise for you!"

That request took Tsukasa by surprise, but she obliged without question. She waited for a few seconds, but nothing happened. “Leo-san, what is it that you- hey!”

Her body shivered in shock as she felt a snowball slipping into the back of her coat. She can hear Leo laughing happily. She quickly removed the cold snowball while turning back to find her mischievous senior.

Suddenly, a snowball hit her face. She frowned. Leo was a few meters in front of her, with snowballs in his hands. “Wahaha~☆! Headshot!” he cheered.

Tsukasa quickly picked up what was happening. She placed down her shopping bags neatly on the bench and grabbed a handful of snow in her hands. “Is that what you want, my senior? Well then…” she smiled, before throwing the snowball at Leo with precise aim.

Leo laughed cheerfully when the snowball hit his body. "Revenge!” he threw multiple at Tsukasa, and she struggled to avoid all of them. "H-hey, that's not FAIR!” she laughed along.

Under the starry night sky, the two ran around together without a care for the world.

♪

“How are we supposed to go home now?” Izumi sighed. Tsukasa and Leo had their heads down in guilt. Their coats were soaked and dirty from all that snow. In fact, it even got to their outfits underneath.

“Fufu~ who knew leaving these two together would lead to that? It's not so weird for Tsukipi~ but I'm surprised even you played along, Suu-chan” Ritsu teased. Tsukasa chuckled awkwardly. "I am deeply sorry, my seniors. I failed to think ahead of my actions” she apologised.

“It's fine, Tsukasa-chan! In fact, if I was there, maybe I would join in as well!” Arashi smiled. “If you join them, Naru-chan, then going home will be a lot harder. Not many taxi drivers are willing to let you dirty their seats, you know~?” Izumi commented while busy scrolling through his phone, perhaps searching for a nearby laundromat to dry Tsukasa and Leo's coats.

“You're no fun, Sena~! Next time, how about we all have a snowball fight to determine who is the best? That sounds fun, doesn't it? Wahaha~☆” Leo chimed in.

Tsukasa seemed excited at that thought. "Fine. Do what you want” Izumi shrugged.

“Oh, yeah! Actually…” Arashi went towards Leo and whispered something to him with a smile. However, Leo made a guilty expression in response. Arashi pouted. "Awh~ what a pity..” she sighed, heading back to her seat.

Ritsu lifted an eyebrow at her, and Arashi mouthed something. Izumi’s face also changed. "You're hopeless, Leo-kun” she shook her head.

“Wha- hey! It's not my fault!” Leo pouted, crossing his arms. Tsukasa can't help but feel that she's the only one left in the dark here. “What are you talking about?" she questioned.

“Nothing~ it's just Tsukipi~ here. Seems like he forgot something earlier” Ritsu gave her an innocent smile. That answer was way too vague for Tsukasa, but she knows how stubborn her seniors can be when it comes to keeping secrets. She ignored her curiosity.

♪

It's already a few days after the new year started, and Tsukasa is now back at school after a brief visit to her home during Christmas break. The Christmas dinner was as it has always been, nothing too special happened. Still, Tsukasa felt content after spending some time with her family.

She silently played the piano that night, with only the moonlight illuminating her. She purposely turned off the lights that night to create a more calming atmosphere as she played.

She stopped playing and flipped through her notebook. With Leo's guide, her sonata is now almost complete.

A knock was heard from her door. She promptly gave permission to whoever it was to enter. To her surprise, Leo stood there, smiling widely. It looks like he has something with him.

“Leo-san! What brings you here?” she gave him a friendly smile. "I just came back, so I went around to hand out presents to everyone like Santa! I thought I'd just leave the presents in front of the studio doors, but I heard you playing from outside, so I wanted to check you out!” Leo grinned.

“Actually, I don't think it's a good idea to leave the presents unattended like that, Leo-san. Anyone can go ahead and steal them, or maybe the cleaners will pick it up and take it away, thinking someone LOST them” Tsukasa adviced. Leo hummed. “Hmm~♪ alright! I'll get them later!” he smiled.

He invited himself inside and closed the door. “Behold, Suo~! Your present is in my hand!” he presented a neatly wrapped box to Tsukasa. “Wait- I think I left something! I have another one for you, actually!” he realised.

Tsukasa chuckled. “Don't worry about it. You can give it to me tomorrow. It'll be tiring to run all the way back to the DORMS to go get it, right?” she suggested. Leo smiled. "Wait, how did you know?! You're so smart, Suo~!” he gasped. Tsukasa smiled.

“Well, anyways, here you go! Open it!” he eagerly placed the present in her hands. Tsukasa excitedly unwrapped the box and opened it, revealing a fancy assortment of praline chocolate shaped like Christmas decorations. “Wow, CHOCOLATE!” her eyes sparkle at the sight of the sweet treat.

“Hehe, I knew you weren't able to eat much chocolate since that idiot Sena~ is always nagging about it! So I kept it a secret from her that I bought this for you! Tonight, you can eat to your heart's content!” Leo clapped.

Tsukasa picked up one shaped like a wreath. "Thank you, Leo-san! I'll eat first” she happily bit into the chocolate. Its’ filling oozed out from the shell and slightly dirtied her chin. “Ah, this is embarrassing…” she muttered.

“Don't worry, I got you!” Leo winked, running off to grab the tissue box from Tsukasa’s cabinet.

Tsukasa thanked Leo and wiped off the mess. “Here, have some too! I know you bought this for me, but it would be a pity if you didn't have one too! But only one!” she offered although still a little stingy. Leo smiled widely and grabbed a piece.

The two sat in silence as they savoured the taste of the sweet chocolate.

Leo licked his lips, picking up the bits of chocolate on them. He looked at Tsukasa. She had the happiest look on her face as she enjoyed her treat. He can't help but think she looks cute this way. His heart thumped loudly.

“Suo~ there's some chocolate on your lips” Leo spoke. Tsukasa covered her mouth. “Oh, excuse me!” she reached her hand to grab a tissue, not even bothering to ask how Leo saw it through the dark.

Suddenly, a hand held her wrist. She turned towards Leo in confusion. “Hm?”

Leo took a deep breath. “Suo… Can I…” he spoke, his voice no louder than a whisper, unlike his usual cheerful and loud tone. “W-what?” Tsukasa stammered, a little nervous when Leo's face slowly inched towards hers.

She failed to react in time. Before she knew it, Leo's lips landed on top of hers. She froze. Leo's other hand touched Tsukasa's cheek as he slowly deepened the kiss.

Tsukasa felt butterflies in her stomach. However, something inside her was telling her to not let go. She closed her eyes.

Their lips slightly parted to let them breathe. “Leo-san.. I-” Tsukasa's words were swiftly cut off by Leo's lips again. She sighed, and this time she is the one to deepen the kiss herself.

There's still some sweet taste of chocolate left on each of their lips. They savoured the taste, but in a different way this time.

Chapter Text

Leo pouted. He had been waiting for a long time in front of Tsukasa's studio. He knows Tsukasa is in there, because she opened the door the first time he knocked, then immediately closed it the moment she saw him.

And whenever he stays quiet, he would hear the sound of piano playing before it disappeared when he knocked again. He doesn't know how many times he repeated the same action, with no success. He scratched his head.

“Tsukipi~”

Leo jumped when a voice whispered in his ear. Then, a laugh followed.

“Hehe, you were so focused that you didn't notice us at all!” Ritsu giggled. It seems like Arashi and Izumi is there too. "Ah! What are you doing here?” Leo asked, still a little shocked.

Arashi stepped forward. "Leo-kun, what did you do?” she smiled, sweet yet threatening. "W-what did I do? I don't know!” Leo panicked, flailing his hands around. Izumi glared at him. "No, you did something. That shitty brat came to me out of all people this morning and told me that if I see you, I need to warn her. Now tell us what you did” she crossed her arms.

“No, I didn't do anything, I swear! Or maybe some aliens came to me last night and took away my memories? Hah! Then how am I supposed to tell you?” Leo stuck his tongue out.

“Alright then, if you don't want to confess…” Izumi sighed. Suddenly, Ritsu came behind him and grabbed his shoulders. “Yes miss~ Come on, Tsukipi~ Come and have fun with your uncle in the torture room♪” he smiled.

“Huh? Wait, no! I'm too young to die! It will be a loss to the world if a genius like me disappear!" Leo pleaded.

Izumi joined Ritsu and grabbed the back of Leo's collar. “Ahh! Sena~ let me go!” Leo screamed. “Now now, Leo-kun, if you are too loud, people will get suspicious. Let's go now, shall we?” Arashi gave him a smile.

♪

In a matter of minutes, Izumi’s studio became an interrogation room. Leo sat on the floor, pouting while Izumi, Ritsu and Arashi sat on chairs in front of him.

“Now, tell us what you did” Izumi started. “I'm serious, I didn't do anything!” Leo fought.

“Leo-kun, what time did you arrive here yesterday?” Arashi questioned. Leo tapped his chin. “I arrived… Last night! Yeah! I can't remember what time though! Why?” he looked at the three innocently.

“Because… Tsukasa-chan has been acting weird since this morning. She keeps on telling us to help her avoid you” Arashi explained. "Whatever happened, it must be something you did. At it should happen last night since she was okay before the Christmas break” she continued.

Leo fiddled with his fingers. "Well… last night I went back to my dorm after I arrived… Then I went around placing presents in front of your studio doors. And then I went to Suo’s door and she was still inside, so I went in to give her her present” he recalled.

“Ah~ no wonder there's a box in front of my door! There were also one in front of yours, right, Secchan~, Nacchan~?” Ritsu interrupted. Arashi nodded. "Yeah! So that was from you, Leo-kun? Thank you! I loved the earrings you bought me!” Arashi gushed.

"Still, you shouldn't have left that in front of our studio door. What if someone else takes it?” Izumi sighed. "Oh~! Suo~ said the same thing! I guess I forgot to remove them~ None of them disappeared anyways, so that's no issue!” Leo grinned.

“That's just coincidence. Now, back to the topic” Izumi quickly brushed him off, redirecting them back to the current issue.

“Ah yes! So I went inside and gave Suo~ her gifts! I bought her chocolate! She offered me one so we ate together!” he smiled as he recalled Tsukasa’s happy face last night.

“You gave her what?” Izumi glared. However, her mouth was quickly covered by Ritsu while Arashi massaged her shoulders. “Continue, please~” Ritsu smiled, ignoring Izumi's wrath.

Leo pursed his lips. He tried to recall what else happened last night. Even the fact that he managed to tell them that much is surprising. He's not usually the type to remember such mundane things. Unless.. Something special happened last night.

He scratched his cheek, trying to think of what might've happened.

“We ate chocolate, Suo~ looked very happy… Then she offered me a piece… Then…”

His eyes went wide and his cheeks slowly reddened. Oh, now he remembers what happened. “Leo-kun? What's with your expression?" Arashi asked curiously. “I-I might or might not have… Uh…”

The three waited patiently for Leo to finally tell them. He bit his lip.

“I don't know… I… kissed her… I think?”

Arashi gasped, slapping Izumi's arm rather aggressively. Izumi's eyes widened in shock while Ritsu looked shocked as well, but it quickly turned into an amused smile.

“W-was that the reason why Tsukasa-chan avoided you?!” Arashi exclaimed.

Leo shook his head. “B-but she kissed me back! I'm not sure but I think she did! Plus, she didn't push me away at all! She even let me stroke her cheek and play with her hair! That means she's okay with it, right?!” he reasoned.

Arashi, Izumi and Ritsu gave the same reaction as earlier, except a little more dramatic.

Izumi rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You two… Are hopeless. Not just you, Leo-kun. That brat Kasa-chan is, too” she muttered. Ritsu chuckled. “This is very interesting~”

“Wha- hey! Don't make fun of me! You guys were the ones who were eager to help me, weren't you!?” Leo pouted. “I know, I know. But you are too much of an idiot to carry out the plan properly. And then you two suddenly… kissed… out of nowhere? This is so~ annoying! Why must I be surrounded by idiots?” Izumi sighed.

“Honestly, I don't even know how to help you two…” Arashi smiled awkwardly. “It's not my fault that this is too hard! If only it's as easy as creating a masterpiece!” Leo scratched his head.

“Anyways, you're on your own now, Tsukipi~” Ritsu chuckled.

Leo pouted. How is an idiot like him supposed to do this alone?

♪

Tsukasa blinked in confusion after the voices of her seniors disappeared. She was sure they were gathering in front of her studio just now, but they seemed to have gone away.. Not before creating a ruckus, of course.

She sighed. After what happened last night, she felt too embarrassed to even face herself in the mirror. Because whenever she did, she would think about how her face looked like when Leo kissed her.

And well, when she kissed Leo back.

She didn't understand what was going on with herself last night. It was that small corner of her mind that told her to not back off, even when Leo started running his fingers through her hair intimately.

Honestly, at this point, she can't exactly call it a ‘small corner of her mind’ anymore. Because in reality, this odd feeling had been growing in her ever since she laid her eyes on that particular orange-haired senior.

Even though Leo can be a little insufferable and a handful sometimes, Tsukasa can't help but get drawn to him as the days passed by . Every time the appointed time for their lessons came, she can't help but get excited over the thought of dancing with Leo.

Maybe what she's feeling is exactly what she thinks it is?

“Ah~ I'm such an IDIOT..” she cursed herself. She rarely does so, but she truly thinks she is one right now. Isn't she supposed to be the mature, level-headed one here? Then why is she childishly locking herself away from someone just because she's too embarrassed to face him?

She shook her head and focused back on her piano. Just a few more lines and her sonata will be completed. Maybe this time she'll do it on her own, without Leo's help?

She took a deep breath. She continued to press on the piano keys, although her mind kept on going back to Leo every other second.

Chapter Text

The day everyone has been waiting for finally arrived. That evening, the ballroom of Yumenosaki Music Academy was full of students, teachers and VIPs here to attend the annual Winter Ball.

Everyone was dressed exquisitely in their beautiful dresses and suits, and the four friends were no different.

Arashi and Tsukasa stood together away from the crowd. Arashi can't help but praise Tsukasa’s look multiple times.

“Honestly, the white suited you perfectly, Tsukasa-chan! And the details with the lilies on the skirt, the intricate green and black patterns and of course, this cute little bow is so pretty!” she gushed.

Tsukasa smiled bashfully. Arashi was of course, no less beautiful. Her dress was white as well, with blue patterns instead. It is also decorated with pearls and a beautiful bow at the back.

“Thank you, Narukami-senpai. You look DAZZLING as well!” she complimented. Arashi pinched her cheek. “Hehe, of course I am! But you look cuter!”

“Heh, not as much as me!” Izumi's arrogant tone interrupted them. Tsukasa's eyes sparkled seeing the elegant blue gown Izumi wore. Ritsu followed behind her, wearing a red tuxedo with sheer black fabric decorating it.

“Awh~ you look amazing too, Izumi-chan! But beauty and elegance is my middle name!” Arashi declared. Izumi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course. But even so, you are just the second most beautiful! Of course, the first one is me♪” she bragged.

Tsukasa chuckled awkwardly as her seniors continued to go back and forth over who's better than the other. Ritsu moved beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Ignore those two! How are you feeling, Suu-chan?” he asked. Tsukasa sighed. "I'm a little nervous about the PERFORMANCE, of course. But I'll get over it! I need to make sure all my effort won't go to waste!” she clenched her fists.

“Speaking of which, Tsukipi~ helped you compose the music you're gonna play, right? I can't wait to hear it~” Ritsu smiled. Hearing Ritsu mention Leo's name made Tsukasa's heart skip a beat. “I-I won't let you down, my senior!” she stammered.

“Oh yeah! Where's Leo-kun? Is he not here yet?” Arashi interrupted. “I-I don't know…” Tsukasa muttered. Deep down, she's worried Leo is mad at her for avoiding him these couple of days, and now won't talk to her anymore.

Izumi suddenly patted her head. “Ah~ don't worry about that guy. He'll arrive soon. He couldn't possibly want to miss out seeing you perform” she spoke, as if reading Tsukasa's mind. Tsukasa blushed. “I-I wasn't thinking about that!”

Ritsu and Arashi chuckled. Tsukasa is terrible at lying, as always. Someone approached them. “Good evening, everyone!” Mao appeared, waving at them. “Maa-kun~! How dare you left me to come here on my own~?!” Ritsu whined upon seeing his childhood friend.

“Hey, hey, it wasn't on purpose, okay~? Plus, Sena-senpai was with you, wasn't she?" Mao sighed. Arashi discreetly gave Izumi a mischievous look. Izumi rolled her eyes.

“Anyways, that's not why I'm here. Suou, you're performing tonight, right?” Mao turned towards Tsukasa. Tsukasa nodded in response. "Well, Hasumi-senpai is looking for you. He needs you to get ready” he informed.

“Oh, yes of course! Well then, I'll excuse myself, my seniors!” Tsukasa waved before trailing behind Mao.

♪

The lights dimmed. The ballroom had a large stage to accommodate performances like these and Nazuna, who was tasked to be the host, stepped on the wooden floor of the stage to announce the start of the performances for tonight.

There were 3 solo performers including Tsukasa. The others were all seniors from other classes, so Tsukasa didn't talk to them that much. She nervously fiddled her fingers as she awaited her turn.

“Oi~ Tsukasa! You're up next” Tori called, peeking into the room Tsukasa was in. Tsukasa took a deep breath. "Nervous much? Pft” Tori scoffed.

Tsukasa crossed her arms. "Hmph, at least I was chosen to perform! What about you?” she taunted. Tori puffed her cheeks and turned away. "I'm way better than you anyways!” she declared.

Then, she abruptly sighed. "Still… Good luck- I guess” she muttered, not making eye contact. Tsukasa smiled. "Sure. Make sure to watch me carefully” she patted the shorter girl’s head, earning an unsatisfied look from her.

Now, Tsukasa is only an inch away from stepping onto the stage. After the staff checked her piano one last time, Nazuna announced her turn and ran to the other side of the stage, giving Tsukasa a thumbs up before disappearing behind the curtain.

She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. She finally walked forward and made her appearance on stage. She wore a confident smile on her face while scanning for her friends. She can see a few of her classmates huddled together.

Izumi, Ritsu and Arashi were also together amidst the crowd, all three of them silently cheering for their junior. She continued to discreetly look around the dark ballroom to try and spot Leo.

Tsukasa exhaled when she failed to see him anywhere. “It's okay, maybe I just didn't notice him” she thought, trying to ease her heart.

She stood beside her piano and bowed towards the audience. Taking her seat, she lets her fingers loom on top of the keys before taking one last deep breath.

The moment her fingers finally moved, pressing the keys precisely without mistakes, she felt herself lost in the melody.

Not only her, actually. Everyone in the crowd who were either busy drinking or whispering to each other soon got lured in by the music, paying their full attention towards the girl on stage.

Tsukasa’s lips curved upwards into a small smile. She feels the calmest when she plays the piano. The sonata she created using her fingertips echoed throughout the ballroom.

Deep in her heart, she expressed her gratitude towards everyone. Eichi who picked her out of everyone else, her seniors who were never shy about their support and her classmates who always talked about how excited they were to see Tsukasa perform. Of course, she can't think of every single one, but there's one particular person she's indebted to the most.

Leo- The one who taught her how to create the very same sonata she's playing, the one who never lets her get too serious and stressed during their training sessions and the one who made her feel one very special feeling. She can hear her mind whisper.

“Leo-san, are you listening? This is the melody I- no, we- created together.

The sonata I proudly named- Castle of My Heart”

♪

Izumi, Arashi and Ritsu stood near a wall while watching Tsukasa who stood alone at the small balcony nearby.

“Just look at her~ she's grown so much, hasn't she?” Arashi gushed. “Oh come on, you don't need to act all motherly, Naru-chan” Izumi clicked her tongue.

“But well, she did gave us a spectacular performance earlier. I can genuinely say I'm very impressed” she continued. “Yeah. Everyone loved it so much to the point where they couldn't stop talking to her after her performance ended. We only managed to talk to her for a brief moment. What a pity!” Arashi pouted.

“Well, we can talk to that brat later. I guess she needs a bit of time to take a breather after talking so much” Izumi shrugged. “Still, where is Tsukipi~? We couldn't find him anywhere, even after the lights turned back on” Ritsu wondered.

Izumi pursed her lips. “I'm sure he's here. If he decided to just abandon our plan this time I swear I'm gonna strangle him to death. Tonight is his last chance” she crossed her arms.

Ritsu chuckled. “Don't worry~ I guess he did come after all. He's done a lot to try and get Suu-chan’s attention. He even pretended he can't dance” he thought. Izumi nodded in approval.

“Ah, I think I saw Mika-chan there! Hehe, gotta go!” Arashi interrupted before happily making her way through the crowd to meet her date. Izumi and Ritsu watched as she and Mika came face to face.

Right at that moment, the music switched to a classic waltz tune. Mika shyly offered Arashi his hand and she giggled before accepting. The two danced together with the widest smiles on their faces.

All the guests started to partner up. Ritsu peeked at Izumi beside him. “Why are you still here, Secchan~? Don't you have a partner? Or did you reject all of them~?” Ritsu teased. Izumi frowned. “Don't make fun of me”

A chuckle escaped Ritsu’s lips. He suddenly bowed in front of Izumi and reached out his hand. “You don't have one then? How about you dance with me?” he smiled. “Hmph. You're energetic” Izumi scoffed.

Without warning, Ritsu pulled Izumi by her waist with one hand and the other’s fingers intertwined with Izumi's. Their faces were only an inch from each other, and that was only because Izumi managed to place her hand on Ritsu's chest before they got closer.

“Of course I am~♪. A vampire’s prime time is when the moon is high up in the sky, after all~” he whispered. The feeling of Ritsu's breath on her face made Izumi blush. Ritsu chuckled in amusement.

From afar, Tsukasa watched as her three seniors danced gracefully. She smiled. A few people had asked her if she would like to dance, but her heart tells her that she needs to wait for someone.

She sighed and turned back to face outside, crossing her arms on the balcony and feeling the soft, cold night breeze caress her cheeks.

She closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt something being placed on her head, followed by the voice of someone she's been waiting for all night.

“Careful, Suo~. The crown might fall♪”

Chapter Text

Tsukasa turned behind her. Her eyes met Leo's.

“Leo-san!” she gasped. “Oop! Wait, wait! Stand still for a bit” Leo told, carefully placing something on top of Tsukasa's head. From the reflection in the window, Tsukasa can see that it's a beautiful tiara with amethyst-coloured jewels decorating it.

Leo stepped away from the girl, smiling. Tsukasa carefully touched the tiara. “A tiara… Thank you, Leo-san” she smiled.

“Oh, yeah, it's a tiara! My bad!” Leo grinned awkwardly due to his mistake of calling it a crown.

Then it finally hits Tsukasa- Leo is here.

“Wait- Leo-san, you came? I-I thought you didn't…” Tsukasa stammered. Leo tilted his head. “Eh? Why wouldn't I come?”

“Well, I thought you're mad at me for ignoring you and you don't want to see me again. So I thought, even if you came, you wouldn't come find me” Tsukasa explained.

“Wahaha~☆! Silly Suo~! I'm not mad! Since you were avoiding me, I decided not to bother you! I'm not mad at all!” Leo laughed. "Oh yeah, I also watched your performance earlier! I couldn't see you since I was at the back of the crowd, but it doesn't matter, right? Because what connects our hearts is the music! You were amazing!” he gave Tsukasa a thumbs up.

Tsukasa can't help but smile. “Oh, one more thing! Since I had extra time because we didn't hold our usual training session, I wrote a song for you! Wanna listen?” Leo excitedly offered.

“Huh? You did? I would love to, but it's not like we can here, right? It'll BOTHER everyone else” Tsukasa thought.

“Hehe~ then how about we run away?” Leo held Tsukasa's hand. Before she could react, Leo dragged her along and they ran out of the ballroom.

♪

Leo opened the door to his studio and ran to his piano without bothering to turn on the lights. Tsukasa followed him.

“Okay, pay attention! I call this sonata ‘Luminous Crown’! The inspiration is of course my cute little Suo~ here!” Leo grinned. Tsukasa smiled, silently sitting on the very same chair she would sit on every day when Leo wanted to demonstrate a performance.

The moment they shared as Leo presented his new sonata and Tsukasa falling into the very familiar trance-like state felt all too short. Before she knew it, Leo ended the performance. “How was it, Suo~? Did you like it?” he giddily stood up and went to Tsukasa.

Tsukasa exhaled. She rose from her seat and stood on her tiptoes before planting a soft kiss on Leo's lips. Now, she is certain she won't feel embarrassed doing so.

Leo was the one to freeze in shock this time, unlike that fateful night where they shared their first kiss.

“I love it, Leo-san. I love it so much” Tsukasa gently whispered. Leo slowly smiled. “Actually, Suo, come here!” he gestured for Tsukasa to follow him, leading her to stand near the large window in the studio.

Leo smiled, before grabbing the lily Tsukasa noticed him keeping in his pocket for a while. He bowed and handed the flower to Tsukasa. “May I have this dance, my princess?”

Tsukasa blushed. She was too stunned to speak. "What..? Leo-san, what are you doing?” she stammered.

Leo scratched his head. "You said you wanted someone to ask you to be their dance partner like this, right? Under the moonlight while he hands you a flower- a lily, to be specific.

So, I wanted to do that, because in reality, I've fallen in love with you from the very moment we met- when you accidentally entered my studio the day I came back. Sena, Naru and Ritsu~ had been telling me to ask you to the ball this way, but I guess I'm way too much of an idiot and I kept on forgetting to do so.

But tonight, along with a Knight's confession of love to his Princess, I invite you to dance with me. So, do you accept, Suo~?”

Hearing Leo's confession made Tsukasa's heart flutter in a way it has never done before. She gladly placed her hand in Leo's. “Of course I do. Although, I don't want to be the princess” she spoke. “Oh? Then, what do you want to be?” Leo asked, confused.

“Leo-san, I want to be a Knight who stands by your side. Someone you can share your burden with, and I can share mine. I want to sing and dance with you, not as your princess, but as a fellow Knight walking the same path as each other”

Leo’s lips smiled softly. "I like the sound of that”

They got into position and started dancing. "You've gotten really good at this, Leo-san. I taught you well” Tsukasa spoke proudly. Leo smiled awkwardly. "Actually, Suo~, I do know how to slow dance. I'm no expert, but I actually know the basics! I only asked you to teach me so that I can get closer to you…” he confessed.

Tsukasa was dumbfounded. She frowned. "IDIOT… You're such an IDIOT, Leo-san. I suffered all that foot damage for nothing” she muttered.

Leo gasped jokingly. "I've been cursed at in English?!”

They froze, then, without hesitation, broke into a childish laughter. They don't need to care if there's anyone here, anyways. They'll be as loud a they want to.

Tonight, it's just the two of them, dancing and laughing with each other under the moonlight, without a care for the world.