Consolation

14| Metamorphosis (Or, to change from one thing to another)

Those nine days were the epitome of bliss, and both Asuka and Kurama found it almost impossible to leave their private island in the Pacific ocean. They'd made a good friend during their visit as well. Enoha made them promise to come back someday, gave them his house address, and asked them to write. When Asuka got back to Japan, she sent him her music CD with a thank you note.

What a perfect nine days.

They explored uninhabited islands via a sea Kayak, tried their hands at windsurfing, and made love so often Asuka felt like a newlywed.

The only downside was Kurama's agitation, which surfaced in the last days of their trip. He did his best to hide it, but Asuka could still sense it. She understood his feelings. For the first time in their relationship, Kurama tucked her away, like he always longed to. Giving that up was difficult—yet he did so without complaint.

And that's why I love him.

Some part of Asuka wished they could remain on that island, too. Maybe they would return someday.

"It's good to have you back," Kenji said as they walked into the nursing home together. "Though I'm guessing you don't want to be back."

Asuka chuckled. "Yeah, coming back was hard. It was so romantic and fun to get away like that. He really surprised me. But it's good to see you and the rest of our friends."

"Speaking of," Kenji said, pointing with his chin.

In the nursing home lobby stood a group of musicians dressed in black and clutching different instruments. Their leader turned and gave a wide smile.

"Hello, Ena," Asuka said.

"Asuka! Kenji! Glad you could join us."

Ena had styled her hair into a tight bun that complimented her bright red lipstick and bright red glasses.

"Good to see you," said Kenji.

Ena's instrumental group, called Koto, was not bound by a singular genre and often performed an eclectic mix of classical music and electronica. Their performances were among the highest rated in the business and today, Asuka and Kenji were joining for a charity classical concert.

Ena, above all else, had always believed in making music accessible and often performed for less privileged groups. Since she was so highly respected, many artists joined her free concerts. Asuka and Kenji were no exception.

Today, they were performing at the Fuyu Nursing Home, the largest nursing home in Tokyo. Ena loved educating people about music, and this concert was part of an ongoing series where the performance showcased a single composer's work. They started with Bach, then moved through Handle, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Debussy, and the last concert had been Rachmaninov.

The nursing home director came out into the lobby. "Hello Koto, welcome back to Fuyu. The residents are so excited to hear your lecture and your music."

"We are excited to perform!" Ena said.

The nursing director led the company into the auditorium.

Ena always started these concerts with an overview of the composer's life. It was unconventional, but successful. The residents loved learning something new, and many found themselves more invested in the music because they knew something personal about the composer.

Once the musicians got settled, the tuning and warm-ups began. Kenji played his favorite warm-up piece, and Asuka did the same on the piano. As everyone warmed up, Ena visited and spoke with each musician.

"Ready to play out of your comfort zone, Asuka?" Ena asked with a glint in her eye.

Asuka laughed. "You still manage to push me."