Violin and Piano [one-shot]

RATING: AA (I think...)

Standard Disclaimers Applied

This fic is totally random.

Inoue Mao was left in awe yet again as the magnificent piece ended enchantingly. The participative applaud of the audience resounded in the incredibly large auditorium. It was expected. Oh, how she wished it was for her.

Toda Erika—the siren—smiled in return at her patrons. Then she bowed politely as the gales and cheers continued. But it was not her that had caught Mao’s attention. It was in fact the pianist, Kamenashi Kazuya. The passionate expression that caressed his face while he played the delicate instrument was indeed breathtaking. And the ridiculously captivating melody he had created made her heart skip a million of beats. She considered herself lucky to be seated in the front row.

It wasn’t the first time that his music amazed her. It was countless of times nevertheless. Ever since her middle school days, he had been in her special music classes. Yes, she plays an instrument—the violin actually but it was in secret. Blame her lack of self-confidence. It was thoroughly encrypted in her mind that the violin was the most intricate instrument to master and that she wasn’t even good enough to play it. Her music instructor handed her the flute instead.

Jealousy and adoration churned in her insides. If only she had the guts to go on stage… It was actually just a simple audition for some event in the upcoming school festival. However, myriads of students still frittered to come. Well, who could blame them?

Mao’s body suddenly stiffened. She could’ve sworn Kazuya’s eyes flicked on her… Even though it was just for a split second… But she shrugged the thought off as he paid attention to his piano.

Kazuya met the eyes of the person he was searching for. He was startled, realizing that he wasn’t actually ready for that moment. He tried to look anywhere but her. The monochromatic keys of the piano were his only refuge. He stared down at them, trying to count how many they were. ‘One… two… three—Argh! This isn’t helping at all!’ he thought furiously. He then raked his hair through his slender fingers. What was he going to do? His sweat could be seen—even from afar—dazzlingly sliding down from the side of his face. Mao could hear the girlish swooning sounds of her seatmates. He did look cool. Or more like hot.

---

Mao peeked inside the dim music room. The coast was clear. Well, she was a bit early for her afternoon class. A delighted smile appeared on her lips as she laid her eyes on the beautiful mahogany resting on a chair—a violin. She slowly neared it, and then traced the exquisite strings with her fingertips. She wanted so much to take the opportunity to play while no one was around. In the corner of her eye, she saw a music sheet lying on the floor. She bent down to pick it up. Her eyes widened in surprised as she saw the notes engraved on the paper with his name neatly written on it. She knew this was the song Kazuya used in the audition.

Hesitant at first, she gave in, sat down and lifted the violin, held it against her shoulder under her chin and positioned the bow. Then she played, once in a while glancing at the sheet that she placed on a podium. The music was truly magical… She was now deeply immersed with the song that she now closed her eyes and simply relied on her memory of him playing the song on stage during the audition; unaware of the intruder who watched and listened intently.

Contentment seared in her heart, as she ended the song. She exhaled heavily, realizing she was actually holding her breath.

“Absolutely wonderful,” a voice said. Mao, surprised, turned back to the direction of its owner. She gasped in shock upon seeing Kazuya there… grinning.

“I’m no ghost, you know,” he informed her, amused.

“W-What are y-you doing here?” she stammered. Perhaps it was the only thing she could ask. Someone had caught her playing the violin. What would he think? Compared to a musical prodigy of the famous Kamenashi clan, she was nothing.

“I already said you played wonderfully, so don’t think that compared to a ‘musical prodigy’ like me that you’re nothing.” What was he? A mind reader?

Mao continued to stay quiet, struggling to find ways to make words come out of her mouth. Her head hung down. “Oh yeah, I didn’t answer your question. What was I doing here? Well, I came back to retrieve my song sheet then I heard you playing it.”

Silence.

“You’re really going to stay quiet and ignore me like that?”

Her head bolted back up and her eyes met his gaze. Oh, his piercing… his beautiful… eyes. “Er, no—uh, sorry,” she apologized, hoping to remove his misunderstanding.

“Oh, and for your information, we’re done with our session for today. The schedule was moved to an hour earlier,” he said.

“What?” Mao asked; her eyes spelled disbelief. How was she supposed to know anyway?

“Something urgent came up, so Hiroshi-san had to leave as soon as possible. Rescheduling was our only option,” he explained.

“Do you want to make up for it?” he asked. Inside, really hoping she would say yes.

And so she did. “Yes.”

---

“There,” he muttered as he placed the podium near the grand piano. His stomach was already doing flips with all the excitement he was feeling albeit it wasn’t that apparent on his face.

“Erm, Kamenashi-san,” Mao said. He winced inwardly. He would have loved to hear his name coming from her lips. She continued, “Are you sure?”

“Very. So stop complaining and let’s get started,” Kazuya demanded. ‘What did I get myself into?’ Mao thought to herself. Just awhile ago, he had stated—not asked—that they do a duet—him using the piano and her using the violin—with the piece of his choosing.

“Here it is…”

---

As her fingers danced vividly on the strings, she couldn’t help but get the feeling of nostalgia. The song that entranced through her ears was… familiar. Really familiar. Mao continued to concentrate on playing. Kazuya, on the other hand, couldn’t help feel all giddy inside while constantly catching glimpses of the look of total focus on her face. It was absolutely adorable!

Then the music had to eventually end. Mao still carefully analyzed the song as it rang in loops in her mind. She knew she heard it before… But she can’t quite put her finger on it.

“Ever since… I’ve always wanted to play this song with you.” She was snapped back from her reverie as she heard him say it. What was he talking about? She looked at him in utmost confusion but his gaze was at the keys of the piano. Gone was the cheery expression she had seen earlier. He was dead serious. Even so, he looked more stunning.

“Come here,” spoke Kazuya softly, with his eyes still transfixed down at the instrument. Unknowingly, Mao’s feet did his favor. She was so dazed, seeing his figure bathed by the streaks of orange sunlight that the afternoon sky offered inside the unlit room. Facing down, he had murmured something, but it was too soft for Mao to hear. So she bent down, with her head inclined a bit to the side. He leaned in forward and then she felt a pair lips brush on hers. This had caught her off-guard. Way off-guard. For one thing, the always-brooding and aloof Kazuya was not one to do this sort of thing. Even seeing his smile a little while ago was unusual. As he pulled back, the smile appeared once more. Mao couldn’t look more confused. Yet deep down, she felt an alien current making her senses alive. She heard a series of loud thudding her heart made that she wasn’t able to notice the heat that reached her face. What she also didn’t know was that he was feeling the same. Mao bent back up and her eyes blinked for a couple of times.

“I didn’t like the piano at first. No—I hated it!” he exclaimed but still grinningly. “But then, I saw you play the violin…”

Kazuya retold as he remembered lividly the incident inducted in his memory.

“Why do you even bother?” the fourteen-year-old whined.

“You’re studying here and you’re attending that special music class. That’s final, Kazuya!” his famous orchestra conductor of a father reacted. “I just wonder if you’re really my son,” he sighed. “I mean—our son,” he corrected as soon as he saw the disapproving look his piano-lover wife gave him. It had always like that. Even after fourteen years of raising their one and only son, they were unsuccessful in any attempt to interest him in music. Even modern-day types made him snore. Mr. Kamenashi somehow had this notion that his son has some kind of abnormality towards music.

“Kazu,” his mother called softly. She glared at his too demanding husband before hugging her son. “If you seriously don’t want to play any instrument, then that’s fine. I’m only looking for what you really love to do. But you haven’t tried the piano yet.” Yes, his mother never forced him to play the piano even how much she loved it. She wanted to him the freedom to choose what made him truly happy like what her parents had provided her. The piano seemed like a really, REALLY boring thing for Kazuya actually, like it wasn’t a challenge or something, that was why he never bothered. Now, it was his folks’ only resolve. Plus, they enrolled him in a fancy boarding school which was well-known for prioritizing music. “I’m only saying ‘try’. After that, you’re done.” Then his mother pushed his long bangs to the side and pressed her lips on his forehead.

He grudgingly grumbled something about having himself at this school had no point at all. He had been meandering around the campus ever since his parents took their leave. He didn’t want to settle yet inside his prison cell. Then suddenly he saw a girl—probably the same age as he is—walking past him in the empty hallway. A violin case in hand. She didn’t seem to notice him. He didn’t know why but he felt intrigued at the expression written on her face. It was as if she was some kind of criminal, taking a chance at breaking out from the precinct. ‘Or was that it?’ he thought. ‘…Since this academy’s practically prison…’ He saw her entering some kind of room. A frown instantly formed on his face as he saw ‘Music Room’ being boldly written at the front.

Then a soft melody started to make its way to his ears. It was surprisingly beautiful to hear. And he never was a fan of music! He slowly—knowing the girl probably didn’t want to be disturbed—poked his head inside, revealing a large hall filled with different kinds of instruments. But then he caught sight of her. Her furrowed brows telling him she was struggling with playing, nonetheless, it was stunning. Her music made him drunk… it was intoxicating… though he didn’t know what the piece was.

“Then after that, I had talked to my mom and dad about the song, and I frantically searched for it. I found out it was accompanied by a piano. So every single day, I practiced the darn piano and I realized that I love it. My parents were naturally happy with it. I was happier to know that you were also in my special music class… but you played with the flute. You didn’t show any sign of interest on the violin when some played it. I realized how much I wanted to have a duet with you. However, gradually I also realized it wasn’t the only thing I wanted from you. My whole time here had been all about you. You plagued my thoughts to the point that I wanted to hate you, but I couldn’t. Instead, I… love you…”

Mao’s eyes were now as large as platters. The last sentence struck her, probably worse than lightning. She was left speechless the whole time.

Then she smiled, bent down once more as her lips searched for his. Nipping his lower lip and kissing him slowly until he kissed her back. He pulled her down that she was now sitting on his lap, never leaving his lips from hers. Their bodies now wrapped in the dim light from the fading sun.

It was then the both of them knew that they were each other’s music.

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Sorry for the suckish writing. I just felt like I should post something here...