Chapter Text
“thanks for coming, i miss when we would do these things as a family” harumichi says to the tenma’s. they decided to all attend sunday service- as a group. toya was mashed in the middle seat between saki and tsukasa.
saki gave a side eye to tsukasa, who then side eye backs at saki. they both immediately go on their phones.
(saki - little sis’): toya has that look…
(tsukasa - deformed ape): i know…but harumichi is here, i doubt he will tell us what’s wrong.
(saki - little sis’): ig…well he is being forced to play piano :(
(tsukasa - deformed ape): that could be the reason…
the siblings nod at each other, they knew (or at least had a gut feeling) what was going on.
“so toya…” harumichi interrupts, “you’ve been working hard for this. i hope you do this right…”
“toya always does a good job mr. aoyagi!” saki beams as she hugs toya’s arm.
“we’re here for you, little brother…” saki whispers. toya forces a smile. saki frowns. toya seems defeated.
“we’re here!” tsukasa smiles as he nudges toya, “you’ll do fine, we’ll be there!”
but if anything, this made toya feel worse. they’d be there to watch him fail.
meanwhile, in sekai, akito, an and kohane were discussing event plans while they waited for toya.
“he sure is taking a while…he’s usually here first” meiko sighs as she taps the countertop.
“i’ve been sending texts and calls but he wont even answer, damnit..” akito groans as he tosses his phone to the side.
the virtual singers, miku and meiko look at each other, “i know what to do!” miku nods. in a sudden, swift motion, miku disappears.
akito raises an eyebrow, “ah…smart…”
they all wait expectedly for miku’s return…
miku reappears with a bright smile, “he’s in someones pocket…? i believe its his dads…it sounded like they were listening to some sort of prayer.”
akito looks towards an and kohane, “dad…? that means…”
“he must’ve gotten in trouble or something…but a prayer doesn’t click at all…” an thinks as to where he might be.
kohane looks to the side, before she swiftly gets up, “i know! when i was in elementary i had to go to church to a place near aoyagi’s current house…i think i know where he might be!”
“well, i guess plans are save the missing aoyagi~” meiko smiles.
akito couldn’t help but feel a pit in his stomach, “g-guys…wait…this is toya’s dad…i think its best if i handle this alone.”
“alone? you aren’t the only one who’s toya’s friend you know?” an butts in, crossing her arms.
she was right, they were all in this together. but akito had a gut feeling this was something toya needed him for.
“an…please, just…stay here and work on the song. trust me.” akito holds his chest hoping an would understand.
kohane looks to an as she grabs her hand, “lets stay back an-chan…”
an lets out a long huff before agreeing, “fine. but tell toya i’m worried sick about him okay?! and that you forced me not to come…”
akito nods, “will do…”
toya breathes in and out deeply, his heart pounding as his dad took the mic to announce him onstage. the crowd clapped for him, saki and tsukasa let go of toya’s hand as they watched him walk onstage.
as toya approached the grand piano, his steps were slow and deliberate, carrying the weight of his emotions with every stride. his body language revealed a profound sadness and nervousness, creating a striking contrast to the elegance of the instrument before him.
harumichi watched toya with arms crossed, “dont let me down.”
with a quiver in his hands, he took a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm the storm of anxiety churning within. his fingers, which had danced confidently across the keys in the past, now felt heavy and uncertain, as if they were unsure of the melody they were about to create.
“we practiced. we worked hard for this…” toya reassured himself. but as all eyes were on him, he felt like he was about to pass out.
before he even placed his hands on the piano, a few notes escaped, tentative and hesitant, as though the keys themselves were reluctant to cooperate. the room was hushed, and toya’s vulnerability was palpable.
the doors of the church fling open, as akito runs in, panting for air. but he was too late.
“t-toya…?”
as toya began to play, his fingers descended upon the keys with a gentle touch, coaxing forth the initial notes like a painter applying the first strokes of a masterpiece. the melody that emerged was delicate and haunting, a testament to his skill and deep connection to the music.
he maintained a serene composure as he played, his body swaying subtly with the rhythm, adding a touch of physicality to his performance. with each note, it was as if he was having a silent conversation with the piano, pouring his emotions and personality into the keys.
“toya…” saki gasps as she watches him play the piano. the whole church was silent. all you could hear was the breathing of those next to you. everyone was in awe.
but the one who was the most captivated wasn’t the one in the church benches. it was akito, who stands in the isle, watching toya play.
his playing was a masterful blend of technical precision and emotional depth. it was as if they channeled their very soul into the piano, making each note resonate with a unique and resonant quality. the room was filled with the rich, evocative tones, and the audience was captivated by toya’s virtuosity.
in this moment, toya and the piano were one, an inseparable union of musician and instrument. his performance was a testament to the power of music to communicate complex emotions and stir the hearts of those who listened.
the heart of akito. the music seemed to reach deep into akito’s heart, plucking at the strings of their emotions with delicate precision. a subtle quiver in his lower lip was the first sign of the overwhelming emotions that were welling up within.
akito’s heart pounded as he watched toya play.
akito’s breath caught in his throat, and he felt a powerful connection to the music, as if it were a bridge directly to akito’s soul. he watched as toya’s expressions shifted with the melodies, from moments of joy to heart-wrenching sorrow.
as toya played, a sense of vulnerability and authenticity radiated from him, and it drew akito in. it was as if the piano's melodies were revealing a side of toya akito had never seen before, a depth of emotion that left them completely exposed.
unable to contain his feelings any longer, akito’s tears began to flow, glistening in the soft, golden light of the room. the tears were not just a response to the music but also a reflection of the burgeoning emotions they had been suppressing, emotions they had been unwilling to acknowledge until this moment.
in the midst of this emotional storm, akito’s heart began to swell with a profound and unexpected love. toya’s music had unveiled a new layer of their personality, a raw and vulnerable side that was impossible to resist. it was as if akito had fallen in love, with a depth and intensity that took them by surprise.
as the final notes of the piano resonated through the room, akito couldn't contain his emotions any longer. he approached toya, their eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and affection, silently confessing.
akito wraps his arms around toya, “toya…”
toya is taken aback, the crowd is silent as they gather their emotions after the piece.
tsukasa gets up, “TOYAAAAA…THAT WAS AMAZING” he screams, saki joins as everyone begins to cheer loudly.
toya looks at the people cheering around him, then back at akito, “you…saw the whole thing?”
“yes…it was amazing toya” akito smiles as he takes toya’s hand, “t-toya…i…i”
“what are you doing here, shinonome?” harumichi looms over the two boys.
“o-oh dad…he came to watch-“
“i did not ask you to speak, toya.”
akito holds onto toya’s arm tightly, “we were about to hang out. your son did a good job didn’t he?” akito grumbles through gritted teeth.
harumichi smirks, “dont think i know what you’re doing here, with my son.”
“d-dad…stop-"
“you’re the one influencing him. you’re so flamboyant it disgusts me. what idiot raised you?” harumichi mocks.
akito is taken aback, but he remains in front of toya standing his ground.
“oh yeah? who raised you to be such a bitch?” akito spits.
SMACK
“D-DAD…AKITO!” toya watches as akito is slapped violently by his own father. his heart pounding out of his chest.
“d-dad! what is wrong with you?!” toya yells.
tsukasa and saki come running over as people gasp around them.
“lets go, toya” harumichi instructs.
“NO! i wont go home with you…you hurt akito?!” toya yells, his voice cracking, “akito get up…” toya cups akito’s face.
“i-i’m sorry i let him hurt you” toya sobs. akito wipes away toya’s tears, “for you, i’d do anything to see you smile…”
“m-mr aoyagi wait-!” saki’s voice echos in akito’s head, before toya is snatched by the head.
akito quickly gets up and tries to reach for toya, “T-TOYA-“ tsukasa and saki hold back akito as toya is dragged away by his fathers grip.
“a-akito! dont fight! you’ll get hurt again” tsukasa says holding onto akito’s arm, “please akito! listen to us!” saki yells.
but if anything, akito feels like he’s being held back from protecting the thing he loves most.
“LET GO” akito barks as he attempts to kick the tenma’s away. saki begins to sob as she begs akito to calm down.
“akito please give up!” tsukasa shouts. the three of them flopping to the floor. saki sobs as she hugs tsukasa.
akito sat there, his once fiery demeanour now a smouldering blend of anger and defeat. it was evident in his clenched fists, the way his knuckles turned white from the force of his grip. his shoulders, which had carried the weight of determination, now sagged under the burden of disappointment.
“fuck…we let him go?! we let him get away with that?! you know how cowardly we all look right now?!” akito’s voice, when it broke the silence, carried a trace of bitterness and despair.
all they could do is sit there, toya was long gone. hell knows what was happening with him.
“toya! you disappoint me, over and over again! now you’re hanging out with that…akito?! he’s trying to coerce you into things you dont need to be involved in!” harumichi says, slapping toya.
toya freezes as his body trembles, why is this happening to him? what did he do to deserve this?
“toya?! answer me!” harumichi yells, forcefully grabbing toya’s wrist.
“why is akito so important?! more than your own father? imagine how i feel toya!”
toya remains still, maybe he was right. maybe he should focus on family. but akito was so important to him.
SMACK
harumichi hits toya once again, for good measure.
“fine, be that way and stay silent. you sit in this damn room until you learn how to respect me.” harumichi yells, slamming the door.
toya is left in the cold storage room, with nothing but his dark thoughts.
he curls up into a ball, fighting back tears. he could only worry about akito in that moment.
“akito…i hope you’re okay…”