Fujimi Orchestra Series Part II.C

• Title: 富士見二丁目交響楽団シリーズII.C: オー·ソレ·見よ
• Author: Akizuki Koo
• Illustrator: Nishi Keiko
• Pairing: Genius conductor x Delicate violinist
• Dramacd: no
  • Seme: /
  • Uke: /
• Summary based on: NOVEL
• Availability in English: no

What the fuck? Skipping again? Well, II.C starts on Christmas eve and ends where II.1 takes over. I never liked that there was such a long gap between I.7 and II.1, I was like, what happened on Christmas!
This subpart is a very special and a personal favourite, it’s from our very own coldfront conductor’s third point of view (as opposed to Morimura’s first POV). While following his thoughts, the reader learns his thoughts and feelings are far from being cold.

It’s Christmas eve and Tounoin is back in Seijou at his parents’ magnificent mansion. Father and son are conversing with the same poker face. They are talking about the disappeared Amati, and soon it becomes clear that Tounoin Tanemitsu knows very well who Tounoin gave the violin to. But Tounoin retorts he will soon return the counterfeit Amati, as said violin has surpassed its level and will need to find a replacement, not going into the discussion whether it’s a real Amati. On his way he finds the family’s butler Izawa Juuzaburou, 67 years old. To Tounoin, he feels a deeper connection with this person than both his parents. He has a request for him, he wants to see the photos that father’s detective has gathered of him and will wait for him in his room. To Tounoin there’s no regret in leaving the family, but there’s still the burden of who to leave the financial assets to, and it seems like his little sister Sayoko doesn’t want to inherit the responsibility either. While looking for reference books in his room he hears a knock, it’s Izawa. He flips through the pictures, one particular photo catches his attention. In there he is walking with his lover with on his own face an expression he has never seen before, like he’s very pleased about something. He then heads to his grandfather’s room, who’s listening to a tape. About his opinion, Takamune answers the violinist must be a very sensible person. As for the performance, if there’s a weakness it might be too fragile, but the skills are something to look forward to. Even as a past banker, his grandfather always had broad interests, in particular music. Tounoin tells him that the violinist is Morimura Yuuki, on which he answers that Tanemitsu can’t be very pleased then, hinting that Tanemitsu wants Tounoin to produce an heir. For that, he will take care of this himself, if there’s no way out, he will be able to fulfill this task. The one suffering wouldn’t be Tounoin however, it would be the woman he takes as his wife and the man called Morimura Yuuki. If possible, he wouldn’t want to make his wife unhappy, but he has no confidence in succeeding this as he is not willing at all to marry a woman. Even if he finds a woman willing to these conditions, the most pitiful one will be the child. They discuss this for a short while, thinking back how four years ago he refused a marriage match by announcing he’s gay and he decides to ask uncle Kouji how he was able to shake away his responsibility. After leaving the room, he considers grandfather’s age and decides to treasure the time that they have left for he has always revered him.

He tries to obtain the picture from Izawa (but fails) and after some negotiation Izawa promises to prevent it ever to be thrown away. Sayoko comes home and is headstrong as always. Then Tounoin is on his way to his apartment. While he didn’t see mother, she’s not home so it’s not his fault. He only feels at ease in his own apartment in his regular clothes. Morimura is still perfecting Air on the G String. To Tounoin’s ears, it’s already perfected but let’s him continue his practice even though he has noticed his lover’s dissatisfaction. He can easily read his face, how Morimura is blaming his own maturity as a musician. While Morimura is leniant on Fujimi, he is very strict on himself as a violinist. This makes Tounoin almost regret to push him in the role as a soloist, seeing how tired his lover is and feeling he must have lost some weight. As his lover, Tounoin is worried about his health, but as a musician himself he anticipates how far Morimura can go. He opens his mouth, should he cancel the reservation? But Morimura immediately protests, he isn’t tired at all and there’s still some time left. They use that precious of time in the bathroom, together. (XXX)

They manage to reach the restaurant in time for dinner despite the many seductive diversions on the way. Morimura’s shows his nervousness, who worries about etiquette since he isn’t used to eating with fork and knife. The both of them are taking their sweet time with the dessert and digestive while enjoying  the show until Tounoin notices his little sister. He’s startled, and his first concern is not to let his lover know since he’s so sensitive to others’ opinions. While pondering to leave at once Tounoin recognises her partner, it’s Abe Hitoshi – or something like that – a young violinist lecturer in Arts University. So it’s  like that. Sayoko is trying to make a statement by coming with a rival violinist to the same christmas-dinner as her brother. Unfortunately that man is no match to his Yuuki. With the singer finishing her song, Tounoin proposes a change of place and like this he avoids the first confrontation between lover and sister.

As usual Morimura is busy in the kitchen when Tounoin comes back from MHK. In his answer-machine he finds two messages: first is from Izawa who tells him of grandfather’s order to return home on New Year, and the second comes from his mother. She has something to tell him and wishes for him to return before New Year’s Eve. Thinking back, Morimura must have heard the messages too, and his keen sensitivity must have figured out the identity of the second message. That night, he tells him of his forced three-night stay in Tounoin-mansion, and Morimura responds very acceptingly and lectures him to treasure his parents, for they will be gone before you notice. To the question whether he wants to meet his parents, Morimura only has a short answer ready (“we should probably meet…” and then remains silent. He’s not evading the issue, rather he’s thinking of a plan to justify their relationship in front of them.  He accepts Tounoin’s proposal to hold a mini-solo in Seijou next month, acting badly that he isn’t nervous at all but his violin doesn’t lie. Unlike Tounoin, Morimura cares about the opinion of his remaining family members. As for Tounoin, he went into the music industry against his father’s wishes and was cut off from the family resources when he refused to marry the woman they picked out. Only through a slip in the law he managed to get an advance of his grandfather’s inheritance. Having grown up in the Tounoin-family he’s more than used to their politics and manoeuvres. However, Yuuki isn’t the same, and it’s his task to protect his lover from their evil-doings. In his heart, he tells him not to worry about his family matters, he will take care of them himself, so he thinks, not realising the dark glow in his usual poker face.

As agreed he’s in his old home and his mother receives him for a talk. It’s about Sayoko. She wants to know about her relationship with Abe. As an heir of the prestigious Tounoin-family, their mother fears for certain gold-diggers. Tounoin assures her that Sayoko isn’t serious. Then a surprise attack: even though he isn’t her biological child, she still harbours motherly feelings towards him, for she was the one who raised him. This stuns him for just a moment, when she continues her plea to have him return to the house, that’s father’s wish. Out of all the family members, Tounoin finds his mother the most difficult opponent. Not only does she possess over keen eyes and a rarely seen patience, her nerves are as hard as steel. He doesn’t know whether he prefers her nerves or the attacking  tears of his father. Back in his old room he misses his lover and prefers to have his handmade potatoe-meatstew over the luxurious dinner that’s awaiting him. Hatsu, the old maid of his deceased grandmother helps him wear the traditional white/black wear. Then it’s time and Hatsu cleans up the left mess. While she was shocked to learn how young master left the mansion to pursue his dream 4 years ago, it’s not that is wasn’t to be expected, young master has always been strong-willed. However with young master returning on a crucial time it proves that he is aware of his responsibilities. So in a year or two-three he will most certainly take over the family and when he has taken care of that bad habit to like other men, this family will be restored. She takes a last glance to see if she has missed anything, and her eyes land on a picture, with in the handwriting of the young master “Yuuki, my love”. Her thoughts return to the poor madam and her face turns dark. She will definitely not allow it!

On to the happening, Tounoin is bored and fed up. The same useless ceremonies, and faces he doesn’t even recognise. This year uncle Kouji is also attending. Last New Year he was called for an emergency in his hospital. He asks for Morimura who he treated earlier (in I.3) and by mentioning the missed recital he manages to invite the violinist for a private performance, much against Tanemitsu’s will. After declaring in dubious terms how important that man is for him (hoping he will be his soloist for eternity), Hanako (mother) decides on January the 5th since it will also be Sayoko’s coming of age ceremony. Tounoin knows his uncle set him up, but he doesn’t mind for this is a great opportunity to make a statement.

Unlike the previous day with related visitors coming over the floor, the next 2 days all who are connected to Fujimi’s bank are paying their respects. Tounoin bears the obligations that comes with the ceremony and finally it’s over. He wastes no time and returns to his room to take off the ceremonial clothes and falls on the bed naked. Then there’s a knock on the door, it’s Hatsu. Tounoin can guess the reason is the picture of Yuuki he left earlier in his room. However he doesn’t know the triangle of his grandfather, grandmother and Izawa that has been a family-secret for decades. Since Hatsu came into the family together with his grandmother, she can never forgive him for the sake of poor madam. Seeing the obvious hate in her eyes, Tounoin fears for worst and postpones the private solo of Morimura Yuuki with his mother. As for the reason, he mentions the story he heard earlier from Hatsu and adds that while he had considered to fulfill his duty of producing an heir if there’s no way out, he has finally decided he won’t repeat what grandfather has done. With the excuse he needs to work, he leaves the mansion in the early morning.

Back home he feels liberated, and a smile shows up on his face when being welcomed by “Tango”. While holding his beloved lover to his chest Tounoin thinks over the family that’s devoid of any family-warmth. He became aware of this after experiencing the shrill contrast between Ikushima’s “Mommy” in New York and after returning home from his trip in middle school. Why his parents would give up their life and presume their current positions, the triangle between his grandparents and Izawa, and Hatsu,… how are they able to continue their life in such circumstances? Morimura senses that something must have happened but Tounoin remains vague. While making up for the three missed days Tounoin has realised something important. This New year was tedious as always, but he now knows that the awful events in the past should not be repeated again.

Quite some amount of background information about Tounoin. Hopefully it wasn’t very confusing since I wrote this assuming one has read his character profile. I haven’t conveyed this properly but in his monologues Tounoin is very passionate, be it the dislike for his family or his love for Morimura. Next will be II.1 (promise!).