Chapter 11: Sweet Tunes and Pastries

"Miyazono-neechan!..", one of the female members of Sumiya middle school's music club called for Kaori during lunch break. "Someone's playing in the prep room! You have to see it, come!"

"Eh? Who?..", reacted Kaori, immediately dropping her lunch box on her student council table to follow her junior.

"I don't know..", muttered the music club member as she rushed out. "But he's so good! I think he's an alumnus.. just come see for yourself, nee-chan!"

Kaori hurriedly paced through the hallways while following her junior's lead. The corridors were empty at the time being, but she already had an idea why. Even from a distance, the delicate notes coming from the piano keys already resounded their mesmerizing symphony all throughout, and most of the students present were swooning at the melody. As soon as she laid her grayish blue eyes on the boy who made the heartwarmingly ticklish music, her heart skipped a beat.

"Onee-chan, do you know him?..", another music club member asked as hearts seemed to float out of her eyes.

"Yeah, is he an idol or something?..", asked another student. "I think I'm falling in love!"

But a stunned expression only covered Kaori's face as her emotions began to stir an unrecognizable confusion within her. "I'm not sure.. I think I know him, but I don't remember."

"Looks like your memories are still mixed up..", remarked one of the girls. "But it's okay.. no need to push yourself, nee-chan."

'What's this? Why do I feel myself getting warm?..', thought Kaori while her heart raced faster than she breathed. 'I remember this feeling.. but I just don't know what it is..'

After finishing the piece the boy just played, he transitioned to another. It was an overly familiar song for the school's resident music club. The deeply embedded lonesome tunes within the keys reverberated throughout the room, almost making everyone float in its ironic light heaviness.

"He's playing your composition, nee-chan!..", beamed another one of the students, but her expression immediately changed to a worried one upon seeing her senior's tears. "Hey.. are you alright?"

Kaori gave her younger club mate a confused look before realizing she was crying. "Eh? Oh.. I think I got a little weird there.. haha! Don't mind me.."

The concerned expression on the younger girl remained on her face as she comforted her upperclassman. "Nee-chan.. it's okay.. just let it out."

However, Kaori immediately flashed her junior a reassuring smile. "Don't worry much! The music's just so good, and it reached me.. that's all!"

That day was warmer than the usual day after Christmas. It only snowed in the late afternoon, but it still wasn't that heavy. It actually turned out to be a good thing since a lot of people got to celebrate the day in the Miyazonos' restaurant. They almost sold everything out, and the head chef had to bake more pastries double time. The residents of Tokyo somehow, loved eating sweets during the holiday season.

'I can't believe that it had been twelve years since I opened the bakery. Before.. it was just a small shop right outside our house with selected goods and pastries..', pondered Miyazono Yoshiyuki, the head chef and owner of Ma Fille, as he worked on the last order for the day. 'People would just simply come and go to buy their desired cravings. Some would stay for a while, and have a chitchat, but most would prefer takeout. I didn't need any help in baking then.'

Then, the shower of blessings poured on them all of a sudden. From a small pastry shop, it had become a restaurant but still situated outside the house. It had tripled its size and catered to more customers. Yoshiyuki couldn't do it alone anymore. He had to enlist the help of his siblings eventually. Then, they started hiring more people. And at present, customers preferred staying because of the warm and cozy ambiance, and the quality service.

And when Yoshiyuki's daughter felt like playing the grand piano at the far end of the restaurant, people would actually flock the place and stay to watch her perform, which led them to order more. The name of the place fitted perfectly, "Ma Fille", French for "my daughter". Among the blessings they have received with the success of the restaurant, the return of his daughter was of course, the greatest one.

'Speaking of which, where is my daughter?..', thought Yoshiki while a frown started to form on his face.

"Yoshiyuki!..", the chef's wife called him, pulling him back to reality. "I think the cake is starting to burn..", she added to her husband's panic.

"Oh no..", Yoshiyuki simply whispered as he ran towards the kitchen. He was the only pastry chef left since they were about to close. "Thank you for reminding me, Ryouko-chan. I was daydreaming about our restaurant again..", he added before he chuckled to myself.

"I told you there was no need to make another cake since we were closing, dear."

"It's alright. This is for tomorrow..", Yoshiyuki paused for a while, trying to think how he was going to save the cake. "By the way, is Kaori home yet?"

"Yoshiyuki..", Ryouko just replied with some eye rolling and a long sigh.

"What?"

"The sun's still up."

"And?"

"It's not that late yet. She'll be fine."

"You'll never know, my dear wife. Times are different now."

Ryouko just smiled at her husband while he took the cake out and cleaned the oven. It was the last job order for the day. Good thing he was able to save it before it burned completely.

"You're such a worrywart. She's a big girl now, dear. She knows what she's doing..", Ryouko added.

"I hope you're right, dear. I hope your right..", answered Yoshiyuki, still worrying about his daughter though. 'I don't actually hope Ryouko is right. I know my wife's right, but we almost lost our daughter once. I'm just doing what I can to protect her while she's still under my roof.'

And just when Yoshiyuki walked out of the kitchen going to the counter, he saw his daughter outside walking with a boy. He quickly went around the back exit to hide myself. 'Why am I hiding anyway? Am I panicking? My daughter brought home a boy. I guess that's a good reason to panic.'

Kaori brought home boys from school before but as a group with girls as well, and never alone with one, except that one time three years ago. However, that boy was a special case.

'This is different. Is my daughter dating this boy?..', thought Yoshiyuki with a skeptical expression.

The chef's heart jumped the moment his daughter almost saw him at the back alley. He guessed she did have a feeling they were being watched. 'I didn't know that she had good instincts already. Ryouko was right. Our little girl could handle herself.'

"This is it. Home sweet home. And yah, literally sweet with all the pastries and stuff..", Kaori jested right before giggling. It seemed that she enjoyed the company of this boy.

'Isn't she inviting him in?..', pondered Yoshiyuki. 'This boy with the long hair and thick glasses just smiled at my daughter. Why is he looking at her that way?'

"I guess I'll be seeing you around..", the boy said, somewhat awkwardly. He seemed to be hiding something.

"Thank you very much for walking me home. Y'know.. You're not that bad after all..", Kaori said, which made the boy turn slightly red. Then, he started to reluctantly walk away. It was as if he needed something else. "Wait!..", she stopped him before he got far. "Would you like to come in for a while?"

The boy sighed. "Sure. I could actually eat a bit."

"Be warned though.."

"And why is that?"

"My dad.. he's quite overprotective of me.. But don't worry. Once my mom's there, it'll be fine. Just follow my lead, 'kay?"

'That's my cue..', commented Yoshiyuki in his thoughts as he began to approach.

"Now, what have we got here?..", roared Yoshiyuki with a loud and low voice out of the blue after sneaking in behind the boy. "Who are you, and what's your business with my daughter?..", he added while making himself seemingly look larger.

"Eh?! Otou-san! Will you quit that! You might scare my friend here.. So embarrassing. Ugh!..", Kaori screamed while knocking her father down by throwing her shoe to his face, which was actually more embarrassing.

"It's all good. I'm fine. No need to get all worked up with your dad..", the boy said as he chuckled awkwardly in between the lines. As Yoshiyuki got to look at the boy more clearly when he was closer, he realized that the kid looked familiar.

"Good evening, sir. It's Arima Kousei. I just got back in town and happened to bump into your daughter, so I walked her home", greeted Kousei. Yoshiyuki expected this. He knew that sooner or later, this was bound to happen. "It's been a while, Miyazono-san."

"Arima-kun..", muttered Yoshiyuki while he smiled and looked at him. The boy still had a certain stiffness in him, but he emanated such confidence that wasn't there before.

Kaori was looking at them back and forth like a confused child. Of course, she couldn't remember anything. "Am I missing something here?..", she asked with a blank stare.

"Kaori dear, go help your mother at the back. We'll be there in a sec..", Yoshiki told Kaori to her disappointment. She gave Kousei a worried look before she went in.

And then, Yoshiyuki placed both his hands on Arima Kousei's shoulders. He looked at him for a few moments and smirked. "You've grown, boy."

"Yeah, I get that a lot especially to those who I haven't seen for a while..", Kousei replied, briefly breaking eye contact.

'Yes he got taller than me, but I was actually referring to how he had matured..', thought Yoshiyuki with a lingering smile. "Please.. Join me inside. We have a lot of catching up to do."

The owner of the restaurant immediately went inside to arrange a table and a chair for his guest. Kousei then followed and sat down.

"You've done great with this place, Miyazono-san. It's huge..", Kousei pointed out as he looked around astonished.

"Let's just say we were blessed..", Yoshiyuki replied as he placed food on the table. "Have as much as you want. It's on the house."

"I'm afraid I can't have these, sir. I'd really like to order instead."

"It's fine, Arima-kun. You're not a customer. You're my guest."

"Alright, sir. Thank you so much.."

It must've been strange for Kaori to see her overprotective father entertain her friend, especially that it was a boy. She actually dropped something that made a lot of noise as she panicked when they caught her eavesdropping from the kitchen window.

"Kaori honey, you alright?..", Ryouko's voice resounded at the back.

"Yes, okaa-san. The trays just slipped through my hands..", Kaori half-lied.

After that, Yoshiyuki's attention went back to Kousei. One thing was for sure. He had rehearsed this many times over. Telling the absolute truth could be difficult with all the details.

"Arima Kousei-kun. Firstly.. in behalf of my whole family, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. We are terribly sorry for failing to inform you about Kaori. We should've told you right away. After all that you've done for her, you had the right to know. I am really sorry..", apologized Yoshiyuki while bowing his head.

"There is nothing to apologize for, Miyazono-san. You had your reasons and I could never question that because you're entitled to that as her family..", Kousei replied.

Yoshiyuki knew he was right, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. The old man knew he cared too much for his daughter.

"But I do need to know from you what really happened..", added Kousei.

"Kaori..", the chef's wife called her daughter in the kitchen.

"Aaahh!!..", then, Kaori's squeal shrieked inside the kitchen. She probably broke some glassware in there as she panicked at her mother's call. She was eavesdropping again.

"She's quite persistent..", Kousei remarked while he looked at the kitchen window.

"You have no idea..", Yoshiyuki replied. "Even in the grip of death itself.. she pushed through."

The two men remained silent for a while and ate a little from what the chef put on the table. Kousei wasn't that much of a sweet tooth based on what Yoshiyuki knew about him, but he could tell the musical prodigy liked what he served him. Also, the owner of the pastry shop could sense he was waiting for him to spill the whole truth out. The boy was just being polite.

"The day she supposedly died.. You were there the whole morning. Am I right? What were you doing there, Arima-kun?"