My nee-san came to visit me! :)

She brought a lot of food...I didn't realize how sociable I was before I left...but sure enough, I have plenty of desserts and everything else she brought to share if anyone wants anything. :) My mini-fridge is all filled up...

Oh...does anyone know the pond in the park? The one with the two ducks and the three ducklings? They're getting so big now! :D

Has anyone heard at all from...Atobe-san?

I know we're all busy, with each other and everything...

I wonder what happened to us. To Hyotei. Didn't we used to be inseparable? I know we don't have Kabaji-kun here or anything, and as we've grown, everything's changed. I know everything's changed, that people are angry with each other and friendships break. That people pair up. It's a part of life.

Still...aren't you all even a little bit worried...?

I haven't heard back from Atobe-san's parents since I tried to contact them. They're avoiding press, or something, and Atobe-san's all the way in Greece, and...the press is just...hard to think about, and I know they aren't really saying the right kind of stuff anyway.

I'll just have to keep trying. Even if he's not your best friend, even if you're angry for the things he's done or the lifestyle he leads...I don't know. We're Hyotei. I thought we cared about each other.

Maybe I'm wrong.

There's something to be said for slower pieces.

The faster, rapid, sharp movements are impressive. Everyone seems in awe when my fingers can move that quickly over the bridge. It's said that Paganini himself was possessed by the devil -- when he set out on performing his composed pieces, he played with such fervor and such passion that even if his strings broke, he'd never stop playing, improvising until he'd be left with three, two, even on one string. He is a talent, that is for certain, and I have played many of his various compositions.

But slower pieces can be even more difficult, it seems. While quicker compositions can be played with little regard to trilling and the bending of strings, slower pieces allow for more emotion. It's beautiful, slow and melodic -- I can't even really begin to explain how much emotion goes into the slower songs. I've been studying Chopin's Nocturne for the piano, and I think I'd love to transcribe it for the violin. I'm certain it's been done before...but it's so beautiful, so thought provoking and calming to play.

Tanabata seemed to go very well! A hearty congratulations for Atobe-san, and Kirihara-san also! I'm very happy for the both of you! ^_^ The dances were lovely.

The music majors have all collaborated on few pieces we plan to present at the dance between Mr. and Mrs. Tanabata. We'll be providing a string quartet, a piano, and a few other instruments at our disposal depending on how it goes. :) The unfortunate thing is -- considering we're going to be playing during the ceremony and the first dance, it's rather hard to try and become er, Mr. Tanabata. ^_^;

Luckily I'm not really the kind of person for that, but...! I would love to wish everyone else luck with it. I'm really excited to be playing the pieces, and can hardly wait for the dance.

My tennis has gotten a little rusty...I haven't been able to get one serve in, at least not properly. I need to practice more. It's only a matter of time before the muscle memory comes back to me...

I think that's really all I have to say. :) I hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am preparing for the Tanabata festival!

( 100 Things )

I'm remaining second chair for the orchestra for the time being. I...want to rejoin tennis, I think. :) It's just something that's been missing for way too long, and I miss playing it.

Going out the other night was enjoyable! Although...kind of sad at the same time. I hope you're okay Wakashi-kun. You worried me. Everyone at Karaoke seemed amazing, even on some of the sillier songs.

Shishido-san...can we practice sometime? I tried against one of the walls, and it's kind of not the same unless I have a full court.

It feels so good to finally be back!

I...was only able to contact the few I had an e-mail for. I think Wakashi was the only one I really told, and Shishido-san...Akutsu I I didn't know Jin's

I ended up spending the rest of the semester in Venice. It was so beautiful there -- and oh, the music school was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. My parents wanted me to finish out the semester if I was accepted, which...surprisingly I was. Thus my three week study excursion turned into months, and all of my credits and classes transferred.

I loved it. Being surrounded by music, art, culture everywhere I went. Mayumi-san stayed with me, too, and she decided to stay -- finishing out her degree there.

I just couldn't leave everything here behind. I really...really missed this place. I missed tennis and all of my friends.

I'll always have music. I'm skilled enough now that I can compose things, make my own songs...I've gone as far as I can in my training for the violin, and I can play it for as long as I have her by my side. She'll never leave me, no matter where I go. And...I don't need to be in Venice to prove my worth, musically. It's something personal and something that will never fade.

And it means that I don't have to give up something else that I love to pursue it.

I missed you guys. All of you.

Meyer-sensei had some really good news today~ ^_^

I ...can't help but notice a lot of people are going through some hard times. :( I'm sorry, and if there's anything I can do to help..? I don't know if there's anything, but I'm here if any of you need absolutely anything at all?

( Screened to Wakashi and Jin )

( Screened to Shishido-san )

Thank you to everyone who went to the concert last night. ^_^ We had a really nice sized audience, and from what Meyer-sensei said, it was even better than she had expected.

( Private )

Anyway. ^_^ I ...actually ended up having a wonderful Valentine's Day after all. And a wonderful birthday. Mukahi-san, those fireworks were amazing!

There is no day worse than Valentine's Day.


...Okay, maybe there is. Maybe I'm just biased. But it seems like every year something bad happens, and when I was back in Hyotei I had all these girls confessing to me that I had to turn down and ...and...I hate that. I really just don't like talking about love...and romance...and that kind of thing. Its a nice idea, but all of this pink, and hearts and loud music everywhere makes me want to crawl in bed and never come outside.

Though...Titanic music is really pretty. The strings part of it, I mean.

Anyway...I guess. Happy Valentine's Day. I'm kind of excited for the fireworks, but until then, my nice warm bed is all the Valentine I need. ^_^

Say “interview me!” in the comments and I’ll ask you five questions of my own choosing. Then post this in your own journal, and you can ask me five questions when I comment!

....

Can't we all just get along?

A-aa...Valentine's Day is coming even faster than I thought it would be...I don't really want it it to come so fast...

I've been rather lax in practicing as of late. My wrist is better now, though, so...perhaps tonight will be a late night as far as practicing. Mayumi-san and I have a bit part in the opus that we're playing. It's kind of...difficult, but not that bad. Everyone that I promised tickets to, I'll try and get them to you. Zaizen-san, Niou-san, Akutsu-san...who else?

Would anyone be interested in making some chocolates with me for Valentine's Day? ^_^ I'm not much of a cook, but I'd like to practice...I've never made homemade chocolates before, but I think it'd be fun. I know it's usually a girly holiday, but I always helped my mom make them. Why not give it to everyone?

Going home is a really, really good thing. I feel so rejuvenated.

There's not much in the world better than my mother's beef casserole. She kind of ...gave me enough to feed an entire army for weeks it seems. I don't know if we have enough room in the little mini fridge we have. Oh! If anyone wants some, you're welcome to it. Just let me know. ^_^

Shishido-san, I know I haven't seen you around recently, kindofsortofmaybeonpurpose? but she's worried that you're not eating enough. She made you some grilled cheese sandwiches...and some tomato soup, too. Apparently, she heard through the grapevine, somehow, that the cook wasn't very good at school and that none of us are eating enough at all, because she made something for Wakashi-kun too....

I'm feeling so ....so much better. So I'm sorry for everyone who has been affected by my sour mood over the last week or so. Everything is going okay, I'm fine, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be back here and ready to get back into the swing of things. ^__^

Last night was awful
Shishido-san and Mukahi
Akutsu-san
I really want to do that again
I'm never drinking, never again
Shishido-san isn't
So I was kissed for the first
My fingertips hurt
Drinking games are only fun until certain people start making out
My head hurts
I think my lip started bleeding
Akutsu-san, we should
We should do that again sometime, Akut
Mukahi-sempai, you better make Shishido-san really happ

I'm going to visit my parents sometime soon, so Shishido-san, you're welcome to have the room.

Thank you for the invitation, Kirihara-san.

Akutsu-san, I want to do it again. And I'm sober now, see? I think I'm finally over this I want to see you ...

Thanks to you too. You know what for. Um.

( Akutsu )

( Private )

Practice is going well. Tennis ... could be better, but my serve is a little off for some reason. I hope it doesn't mean I'm growing taller. :)

We have a concert coming up, the day after Valentine's Day. Kind of exciting! I haven't played in an orchestra this big before, much less second chair. I'm really looking forward to it, and Meyer-sensei is such a fantastic teacher! Though...I'm wondering if I should take private lessons, still, and if so...where. Hmm~

So, how is everyone else?

I haven't been this tired in a while! Shishido-san was watching Star Wars last night...so I watched them with him. And then, I got out my Lord of the Rings DVDs, and we watched those and...well, after six episodes of Star Wars, and then the trilogy...

We didn't get to sleep until almost seven in the morning, and my first class is at nine. ^_^;

Lucky for me, I don't really have anything else to do today....but that was really fun. :) We haven't done a marathon like that in a while.

Orchestra is going well. The first chair, Mayumi-san, is a really nice girl. She's insanely talented, too, so I don't feel bad at all being in second...she wants to play for the Tokyo Philharmonic someday! I wonder if I could too...though it'd be hard to go pro with Shishido-san if I'm too busy playing with a really big group like that, huh?

Oh well. It isn't like I need to make any sort of decision.

Doubles 2, regular on the University tennis team. With Shishido-san.

Chair 2, first violins.

They're not the absolute best, but ...that doesn't matter. They're better than I had ever expected. Okaasan's going to be really proud.

And...best of all, I get to play with Shishido-san again.

Life is good. :) :)

Hmmm... you know, the food isn't so bad in the cafeteria. I know there's a lot of those that don't care for it, but there was something - really really good there today, some sort of noodles and vegetables.... ^_^ It was really delicious. I guess I'd better start eating there more often, considering eating out every day was getting a little expensive. Still, nothing compares to home...I miss nee-san's bentos.

My audition for the orchestra is tomorrow. I'm...really nervous. ^_^; A string broke last night, so I had to stop practicing early, but...now thanks to Shishido-san, it's all back in working order! And I've been playing ever since. It's...well. It's going really good. ♥

I should be asleep, honestly - I'm not sure where all of this insomnia is coming from. But, tomorrow's Friday, and that means an easy day for me! The audition is all I need to worry about...so I can nap, before tomorrow's big reunion with Hyotei. :)

Wish me luck! I think...one more run-through, and then I'll actually go to sleep...

There are a few things that... well. I thought they were glaringly obvious. But they're not. Apparently.

I am not with Shishido-san.

Not now. Okay? I wasn't in the first place. We're friends, roommates. Best friends, doubles partners -- we've been through a lot in the last several years together. Shishido is my friend, and...there is nothing between us beyond that.

Sorry... It's just been bothering me.

Also, I can stand up for myself, just fine. Everyone needs to stop worrying, and realize that. Even you, Shishido-san.

( PRIVATE; hackable by the more electronic-savvy, but not to most )

(( ooc: all strikethrough text is typed, and immediately deleted. ))

I made the tennis team!!

I'm not playing with Shishido-san...I'm not sure why I haven't heard from him, I've been calling him, after all, and I thought he But it's still really fun! Kind of like playing back in junior high again, with a new doubles partner to work with and everything!

Hopefully, I'll be able to make my schedule work with both orchestra as well as tennis...it seemed so easy with Sakaki-sensei being both my teacher and coach, so I'll have to work on getting things done! It shouldn't be so hard, though...

This Paganini piece. I'm...having difficulty. Honestly, I should stick to a piece that I'm skilled at enough already, but Caprice No. 5... I've got it, almost, but I can't quite move my fingers fast enough. Hmm...^_^; I suppose I'll just have to practice until I've got it.

:) I'm glad to see more and more people arriving! Everyone's doing well in school so far, I trust? It's only the first week and I'm already looking forward to the weekend~

(( OOC: In case any of you are interested in the piece Ohtori's currently working on, here is a link. It's a terribly, TERRIBLY difficult piece -- but it's amazing. ♥ ))