MY MUSE, tooru oikawa

chapter four

(chapter iv)

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Yuna sat on the patio, her eyes fixed on the two males with an intense focus. She watched as Daichi turned to her, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yuna-chan," Daichi said, "I think we need to take a break. Your brother looks like his arms are about to fall off at this point!"

Asahi, sat beside Yuna, silently reading a sports magazine. He had helped out earlier by tossing the ball to Koshi, but Yuna had firmly declined his assistance. She had bluntly told him that he wasn't the sound she was seeking.

Asahi had initially sulked for a while due to Yuna's rejection, but her words had uplifted his spirits. She complimented his sound during a match, and she had also given him a magazine and other gifts when she left school earlier.

Yuna pursed her lips and let out a soft sigh. "Okay, you can stop," she told her twin, who promptly dramatically collapsed to the ground, groaning about his aching arms. She had worked them harder than their usual practices, but the passion and determination in her eyes had made them envision her as a formidable coach. However, she quickly shot down the idea, quipping that she would rather stare at a wall than coach.

Daichi sauntered over and grabbed a bottle of water from Asahi. He then settled himself on the other side of Yuna, noticing the notebook she held in her hands. It was evident that the pages had been torn from it numerous times, attesting to the hours spent scribbling away.

"You mentioned you found the sound you were looking for," Daichi began, leaning back on his arm. "Maybe it's not just about the sound itself, but also the person who produces it."

Yuna turned her head, curiosity piqued. "The person?" she inquired, her head tilted to the side.

"Yeah, that could be it," Daichi acknowledged, letting out a chuckle. "But I might be speculating here, since I'm honestly clueless about music."

Koshi chimed in from the floor, avoiding Asahi's water flicks. "It's not necessarily music, really," he informed them. "It's more about what goes on in Yuna's head."

Yuna's eye twitched as she casually kicked the ball by her foot into her hand, catching it perfectly. She narrowed her eyes, taking aim at her brother, and unleashed a precise hit right at her target—his head. Her brother let out a cry, sitting up and casting a resentful glare at his twin sister, but he refrained from retaliating by throwing the ball back. Instead, he chose to immaturely stick out his tongue at her.

"In that case," Yuna mused, turning to Daichi, "if I go up to the person, I'll be able to hear the sound again?"

Daichi let out a sigh, having been watching Koshi's predicament before turning his attention back to Yuna. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You can," Asahi chimed in, gesturing with his finger, "but perhaps don't just saunter over to whoever it is and start making demands."

"Don't worry about it," Yuna reassured, a confident but mild smirk playing on her lips. "He won't be bothered."

Koshi, who had been lying on the floor, looked up and fixed his sister with a firm gaze. "He?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So, it's a guy then, huh?"

"No, it's a dog." Yuna replied impassively, before rising from the patio and starting to walk into the house. She paused, glancing over her shoulder at the males with a subtle nod, silently conveying her gratitude before continuing on her way.

Koshi watched his sister's retreating figure, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Come on, Yuna," he called out, "it's 'thank you.' Say it," he pleaded, to which she didn't respond. A sigh escaped him.

"Don't worry, she'll come around eventually," Daichi reassured his friend.

Koshi shook his head, a mix of frustration and concern etched on his face. "It's been a year already," he said to Daichi, "and she still hasn't really warmed up to you two. I thought by now she would have at least shown some improvement."

Daichi nodded, a sympathetic expression in his eyes. "She has made progress with us," he countered, "she can now have a conversation with us, whereas before she would just give one-word replies."

Koshi let out a snort, still somewhat unconvinced. "True, but it's still like pulling teeth just getting her to say simple things like 'thank you'" he said, exasperated.

Daichi chuckled softly, understanding his friend's annoyance. "That's just her, Koshi," he said, patting him on the shoulder. "She may take a while to open up, but trust me, we've been making progress with her."

Koshi sighed, some of his frustration slowly subsiding. "I know, I know," he admitted, "but sometimes I wish she would just be a little more...normal?"

Daichi chuckled again, a faint smile on his lips. "Normal isn't exactly in Yuna's vocabulary," he teased, "and honestly, that's one of the things that makes her endearing."

Asahi, who was tidying up the mess he had created, couldn't help but flash a sly smile. "Hey Daichi," he began, "do you perhaps have a little crush on Yuna?"

Koshi shot Daichi a "you better not" glare, while simultaneously giving a warning glance at Asahi. "No, no," Daichi quickly denied, waving his hands frantically, "she's like a sister to me! Plus she's your twin, Koshi, it would be totally weird!"

Asahi chuckled, clearly finding amusement in teasing Daichi. Koshi rolled his eyes at Asahi's antics, but couldn't help but smirk at Daichi's panicked response.

Daichi, feeling a bit embarrassed, sheepishly chuckled. "Yeah, definitely not," he insisted, a hint of redness creeping onto his cheeks. "Just because I think she's intriguing doesn't mean I have a crush on her."

"Hey, no need to get all red in the face, man," Asahi teased, poking fun at Daichi's blushing cheeks.

Daichi protested, his embarrassment growing a shade darker. "It's just hot out, you know," he mumbled, trying to justify his rosy cheeks.

Koshi, who had been quietly observing, couldn't hold back a chuckle. "You're totally flustered, Daichi," he said, a smirk on his lips.

Daichi shot Koshi a sheepish look, his face now practically glowing. "I'm not flustered," he protested feebly, glancing away from both Asahi and Koshi.

Asahi, clearly enjoying the banter, chuckled loudly. "You can deny it all you want, but your face says otherwise," he teased, nudging Daichi playfully.

Daichi smiled inwardly as he reflected, it was brief but in the past he did have a crush for Yuna. But he had come to realize that while he once had a crush on her, he now treasured her as a beloved sibling.

The more time he and Asahi spent around Yuna, the more they began to understand her. She wasn't one to express herself through words, but her actions revealed a great deal about her true character.