TITLE: Song of the Gentle Wind

CHAPTER: Eight

BY: Simply Kim

GENRE: Yaoi (Angst/Humor)

CAST: The guys from Weiß and Schwarz… who else? ^_^ (And, Ehehe... yeah, I forgot to mention in the preceding parts... the Crashers too. ^_^;

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to do not belong to me… ^_^

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CHAPTER 8: Confusion 101

Ran stared hard at the features of Omi's friends.

Hidaka Ken... Kudou Youji... He was sure that he had seen them before... but where?

Suddenly, his eyes lighted on Omi who took out a paperweight from his duffel bag. It finally clicked.

<FLASHBACK>

"You should see him attack the Japanese sweets store near the university's back gates - he's going at it like -"

"He's going at it like a rabbit in heat."

"Yeah, he's going at it like rab - HENTAI!"

Ran watched in rapt fascination as a chocolate-haired guy bonked a taller blonde-haired one on the head with a huge paperweight.

"ITAI! Will you stop hitting me already? I just hit you once, and unintentionally at that, and still you continue on -"

"Mou... that's because, Youji, you speak like sex is the only thing in your mind!"

"But it IS one of the most prominent things in my mind!" The guy called Youji protested, trying to reason with the other boy.

"HENTAI!"

The cry started off another round of pummeling, and shouts of pain, as well as hate - coupled with embarrassment coming from the flustered Omi near Ran's shocked figure.

"Uh... Ken-kun... will you please stop pounding Youji-kun? You'll cause him extensive brain damage... uh... and you... both have a new guy watching you... go at it like rab-"

"Uh, Omi-kun... I don't think those were the right words to say..."

There was an alarmed look in Ran's lavender eyes as he took in the sudden lapse in Ken's pounding. The gap was long enough for the dark-haired guy to let the words sink in his head, his cheeks redden further, and glower at the poor blonde cowering in front of him. It took all forty seconds for him to do that before -

"What have you been teaching poor Omi-kun?" He raised a hand in preparation for a solid strike. "HENTAI!"

"But I didn't do anything!"

"HENTAI!"

<END FLASHBACK>

He shook his head slightly, a small smile starting at the edge of his red lips. His line of sight shifted, traveling on to Ken who was, as usual, bickering with Youji, who, in turn was doing nothing but grin like the lazy bum many testified he was. They were amusing.

I wonder if there is something between them... they look like an old married couple...

Suddenly, everyone was silent and doing nothing but stare dumbfounded at the smug features of the German, Schuldig.

"Are you serious?" Omi's eyes were glittering with amazement and awe as he looked up almost servant-like at his friend. "They said you could..."

"Of course, Omi-chan!" Schuldig grinned, tossing his shoulder-length auburn hair away from his cotton-swathed shoulder. "I'm a genius!"

"So much for modesty." Farfarello quipped before taking a sip from his steaming coffee.

Schuldig gave him his meanest glare. "Shut up Farf."

"Okay, so what do you propose oh Great Schuldig?" Youji drawled teasingly, leaning back on his chair and placing his hands at the back of his head. "What's your master plan?"

At the unconscious act, Ran saw Ken's cheeks redden, his eyes averting from a brief exploration of Youji's... interesting parts carved out of the clothes he was wearing.

Man, he has got it bad. He thought, shifting his glance at the plateful of food still sitting untouched in front of him. He allowed himself a small smile.

This, however did not seem to go unnoticed.

Crawford was gazing at him with obvious interest. At the sight of the soft smile, he could not resist reaching out and touching the blood red strands that comprised of his ear tails.

At the gentle ministration, all Ran could do was look up and stare at the American sitting so quietly across him. "Wha -"

Crawford just smiled and shook his head, retrieving his wandering hand and applying himself to his food - which was also almost untouched on the table in front of him.

There was something between the two of them that Ran could not understand - and neither could his counterpart. It was something strange... something...

"And so, I propose a concerto!" The German crowed in obvious ecstasy.

Silence.

"THAT is your PLAN?" Ken asked incredulously.

Schuldig nodded enthusiastically. "Ja! Isn't it great?"

Youji finally composed himself and frowned contemplatively. "It's not that bad... however, with that concerto - aren't you just going to do something that is so sickeningly normal? I mean, you are just going to add more concertos from the long list this Conservatorium already has!"

"A-a-ah!" Schuldig grinned mischievously. "Whoever said that it would be a normal concerto?"

"I'm not sure I'm getting it, Schuldig-san..." Nagi said slowly, confusion and uncertainty becoming more pronounced now than ever.

"Of course not liebe... I know you don't get it - no one can get it unless I tell what I'm thinking... after all, I'm a genius!" The words were followed by horrible self-centered laughter loud enough to rival the din in the cafeteria.

Everyone except Ran and Farfarello sweatdropped, their lips twitching in embarrassment for Schuldig, and veins were popping from their forehead in sheer annoyance.

"There he goes again." The Irish blond said much too calmly, sipping his second cup of steaming coffee. Ran sweatdropped. Farfarello was taking all these too calmly...

Schuldig stopped his flow of laughter enough to glare with irritation at his best friend. After a short while...

"NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Ran's amethyst eyes traveled towards the peeved form of Crawford, the obvious irk was on the set of his face, the frown on his forehead, and the forceful grip of two of his fingers on the bridge of his nose. Ran's lips stretched in a semblance of an amused smile and he looked around under his lashes.

"Korosu" Ken uttered murderously as he glared irritably at his protein shake. "Korosu"

Omi was smiling sheepishly, and upon catching Nagi's irritated frown, shrugged his shoulders, continuing to vent his irritation on the unresisting piece of poor tofu meat.

Ran shook his head for the umpteenth time, wondering how he had ended having lunch with such a weird bunch.

However... no matter how he berated himself for immediately fitting in... No matter how many times he chewed out his sense of judgment after shattering all those years of building an almost formidable emotional wall... he could not help but submit to the warmth he felt with these people.

He felt as if he was transforming into someone who had died long ago... the one he had buried along with his most-loved family...

Funny thing was...

He felt good about it.

So good.

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"Okay, let me get this straight... you were asked to stage something for the upcoming music festival..."

"Ja."

"And you are proposing a concerto."

"Ja."

"And it's not just a concerto, but an uncommon one..."

"Ja."

Ken glared at him as he crossed his arms. "How do you propose you do that? And why does it have to include only us?"

"Ja."

"Schuldig!" He immediately blew the stray brown locks dangling and irritating the skin on his forehead. "Stop saying that! I am not asking you a yes or no question - I'm asking you a... a..."

"A question." Youji finished for him, his eyes glittering mischievously at the sight of Ken all puffed up and huffing.

Ken glared at him.

"Oh, sorry." Schuldig cut in, smiling happily as he prepared his case. "I was just carried away."

"That was too obvious, idiot." Crawford muttered under his breath. Fortunately, the German did not hear - or else, chaos would definitely ensue.

"Okay, it goes like this..."

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"WHAT?!" Youji cried out after spurting the water he had just drank across the table. He did not pay heed to the glare Ran gave him as he patted the front of his shirt dry.

Tell me he is just kidding...

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Will the dean even dare to let us perform those stints onstage - and in the Opera House at that? Omi was having second thoughts about the whole thing. He caught the stiffening of all the people around him. What if the administration grounds us? It would be our careers' end!

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"But the Opera House is just for Classical concertos! We can't even step there with that plan of yours!" Ken argued; his eyes wide with obvious disbelief.

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Schuldig-san... that plan... it sounds great! Sugoi! Nagi could not voice out his agreement when all were trying to stop the German from applying it. Your plan would introduce diversity from the usual monotonous world we live in!

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Ran was surprised...

Very much surprised...

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Crawford could not move.

His plan sounded good but... what if we get penalized because of it? What about the owners of this institution?

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Farfarello raised an eyebrow.

This will be good. He thought. I wonder if ...

* * *

He got them, Schuldig knew.

He knew that they would soon join him in his plans, no matter how opposed they are about it.

It was simple, really. They should bring out their newest pieces that does not resemble any of the usual classical sounds... no copying of Bach of Schubert... nothing by Beethoven or Vivaldi...

All their own pieces.

That would shake the administration and the owners from their will to press and install in us only classical sounds...

That would shake them into knowing that their laws are not always beyond contestation...

That not all who pursue their studies in the Conservatorio de San Marco are programmed to obey their every unfair and demanding command...

It would be for the sake of revenge...

For all the time lost without learning the most important thing of all - to stand up alone and choose the musical path you belong.

No more dictators to reprimand them for every diverse musical ideology.

No more...

Payback time...

Takatori.

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TBC

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A/N: Hey guys, it's me again! ^_____^ I am sorry for the long overdue chapter, got a lot of things to do... so here it is! Reviews minna! ^_^

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