Play By Heart
Title: Play By Heart
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Romance/ Drama/ Angst/ AU/ Music
Rating: R
Pairing: Sakumiya (main)/ Jun x Kiko Mizuhara/ Aiba x Yuka/ Ohno x Minami Hinase (broken)
Summary: Nino is an autistic savant and a brilliant violinist. The only hard part for him and his sister, who takes care of him, is keeping a consistent and patient piano accompanist for Nino's performances. One day, Nino's sister finds Sakurai Sho, a man with a mysterious past but gifted in music. Together, the two musicians must learn to communicate with each other, live with each other, and possibly love each other.
Warnings: It's rated R for: sensual scenes (softporn), parenting struggles, sexual assault, divorce, character deaths, and mental disorders/illnesses.
Author notes: hi hi! a new chapter here! i should have mentioned this in the first chapter, but there will be mentions of depression and anxiety (as part of mental illnesses tag, so please keep this in mind). i'm posting earlier than i expected, i thought i make it in the weekend. turns out i updated earlier. yay!
For this chapter, i recommend listen to this piece >> Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, I. Adagio - Allegro aperto
Enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Allegro
Aiba heard the children playing outside from his open window. It was a crisp beautiful day for September, and Aiba wished he could join them in their fun. His office space smelled too much of prescription forms and rubbing alcohol. Obnoxious health charts plastered the white walls and made Aiba itching to have a breather outside, but he had appointments scheduled. The facility hardly lets Aiba have a day off since he was one of the few doctors who works closely with the pediatrics ward. At least today, he'll be seeing an old friend...
He heard a knock on his door. "Come in."
Sachi and her brother, Nino, entered the room. "Hello, Aiba! Long time no see."
"Hello, Sachi," Aiba grinned standing up from his chair. "And Nino! So good to see you."
After the older sister gave him a hug, Aiba waited for Nino to extend his hand out before Aiba shook it. They were Aiba's first patients when he got his degree in neurology. Their beginnings were shaky since Nino was busy with his touring. Back then, Nino wouldn't respond back to Aiba's speech exercises until finally Nino grew comfortable around Aiba's smile. Now, they were good friends, and Aiba found Sachi to be a sweet woman. He almost considered her like an older sister of his own.
"Back from Europe, I see," Aiba said as he sat back down. "How was it, Nino?"
"It was cramped," Nino commented. "It always rained, and most of the food was terrible. It was filthy and still chilly despite being summer. It was really crummy and cramped. I didn't like the food. But lots of famous musicians though."
"Well, that's good," Aiba smiled, leaning forward in his chair. "Did you enjoy their performance?"
Nino made a smug face. "Of course not! They call themselves musicians, but they're more like elementary students. The concerts I attended were awful! That Pierre-whoever couldn't get to the fifth position to save his life. He was completely out of tune. I had to cover my ears just to get through the concert because Sachi wouldn't let me go." Aiba couldn't hold back his giggle as he watched Nino shake his head in utter disappointment from the memory. "You should have heard it, Aiba. The man had no business in music. I could've played it way better, and I did!"
"Now, let's not start bragging," Sachi said, rolling her eyes with a smirk.
Aiba knew that look. Whenever Nino gets heated in a topic, there could be no stopping the man. Music was Nino's passion. His life. His art. And Nino loved nothing more than to talk about music and play the violin. Ever since Aiba became good friends with the autisic savant, he realized Nino was quite the chatter bug.
"It's the truth," Nino continued ranting. "I'm telling you, Aiba. There is a significant difference between a harmonic and just playing a high note. And this guy is so blatantly stupid in thinking he could get away with just playing a higher note instead of the needed harmonic. It's infuriating! It sounded so terrible, even a three-year-old could notice! But that's not the only problem. The technicalities are only part of playing the violin, and I couldn't believe the amount of deaf-tone musicians who claimed themselves to be famous musicians as the best of Europe. There is only one deaf musician whom I'll accept and that's Beethoven. I was so mad, I ended up eating a lot of bread back at my hotel."
"You need to eat more vegetables," Aiba teased. "Remember the last time I told you? A healthy diet will help you make better music."
"I eat my vegetables. I make new music everyday," Nino pouted playfully once he finished his rant.
"Oh, I would love to hear it again," Aiba grinned before turning his attention to Sachi. "Have you received the concert request? The administrators really want to push this forward to raise funds for the pediatrics department. It even got my vote."
"I have," Sachi nodded, "but we're short a pianist."
"Sho is playing the piano," Nino said, matter-of-factly. "He plays the piano very well, so he'll play for me."
"He didn't say yes, Nino," Sachi reminded him.
"Sho will play the piano," Nino repeated but more heatedly. "He knows how to play the piano like how I play the violin, and I don't want anyone else."
"He doesn't want to play."
"Sho will play!"
Aiba remained silent throughout the harmless family banter, but his focus was on Nino. Even though his arguments were the same, Nino projected his voice louder than usual. Sachi has clearly been through the same debate with him before, but Aiba found Nino's behavior interesting. The autistic savant hardly talked so passionately about someone other than failed musicians, which eventually turned into the topic about music again. It was the first time Aiba heard Nino talking about something other than music...
At that moment, a nurse walked in.
"Hi, Yuka," Sachi looked up to ignore Nino's rants.
"Hello, Sachi. It's good to see you," Yuka smiled warmly at them. "If you don't mind, I would like to take Nino for his therapy."
"I don't need it," Nino complained, but he still stood up.
"We're working on management skills, remember?" Yuka continued to smile and escorted Nino out of the office. Aiba could faintly hear Nino telling Yuka about Sho the piano player.
Sachi left out her breath and gazed back at Aiba. "I need this new pianist."
"I sensed that," Aiba said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his chin. "Who is this person that Nino is so interested in?"
"I met him as a construction worker. Sho used to play the piano until..." Sachi paused. Her brows slightly scrunched up from a bitter memory. "Well...he has his reasons about not wanting to be around others, but I want to trust him. I have tried calling him and offered better payment to come on board, but the man is dead set on leaving my sights." Sachi shook her head in pity. "He's perfect, Aiba. He's completely considerate around Nino. I don't know what to do."
"It sounds like the man won't be motivated by money," Aiba said critically, tapping his temple to stimulate his thinking process. "And I can't help but notice the way Nino chatted with you about him. Did you detected it?"
"Yes, I have," Sachi said. "They've played together once, and something just...clicked for them. I don't know why Sho wouldn't want to work with Nino. They have so much potential."
Aiba stopped tapping his head when a new idea came to mind. "Perhaps you should let Nino approach Sho. If they already understand each other musically, surely Nino can convince him."
"Nino?" Sachi frowned. "But he doesn't know how to do negotiations. I've always handle the arrangements. He can barely calculate the amount of change to give to a cashier."
Aiba leaned forward again with his elbows resting on his knees. "But think how this can affect Nino positively. No doubt, Nino prefers a life of peace and solitude. But he needs to develop more relationships with others. The more he is around others, the more he'll grow used to interacting."
Sachi shook her head in disagreement. "Nino never wants to interact with others unless they know music as much as he does. When we were on the Europe tour, he never spoke a word to anyone."
"You need to trust Nino more," Aiba sighed. "He can't grow if you are there to hold his hand."
"But...but he needs me!"
"He needs Sho," Aiba said firmly. "He needs other people."
Sachi had her mouth opened ready for another comeback, but nothing came out. Aiba hasn't been their neurologist and counselor for a long time, but according to the records, Sachi has taken Nino for social therapy on a daily basis. She wanted Nino to be more independent, but Sachi was being too protective. And as Nino's doctor, Aiba hoped to see the day when Nino would visit his office alone instead of being escorted by Sachi.
Whoever this Sho is, the man is key to Nino's development.
Aiba reached for his pen and notepad. "I have another suggestion," Aiba started scribbling an address. "Aside from our main concert next year, the administrators are also planning seasonal recitals for other participants wanting to help our cause." Aiba handed her the note. "If Nino wants to participate as well, you can invite Sho to visit."
Sachi glanced at the note before staring back at the doctor. "But the pianist-"
"A college student will be provided for the recitals," Aiba reassured her. "Nino can play Beethoven pitch perfect, right? Just one piece. Let Sho watch Nino perform and see if that doesn't convince him to work with Nino."
"I'll...I'll try," Sachi said and pocketed the note in her bag. "Thank you, Aiba. I can always count on you to know what is the best course for Nino. He must be a very special patient for you."
Aiba chuckled. "I've come to see Nino more as a friend now."
Sachi smiled at him and excused herself to find Nino. Aiba set his pen down and glanced back out the window. Out of all his patients, Aiba was especially fond of Nino and his special gift. He had a fascination towards savants while he was in medical school. Even through all the agonizing studying and painstaking hours put into his work, it was a miracle that Nino became his patient. But it took them great lengths to be on talking terms. They had so little in common to talk about. Aiba had tried everything he learned from the books, but Nino never responded back.
Until he found the answer to Nino's mind.
Aiba pulled the handle of his desk drawers. Stashed away in the corner under stacks of papers, Aiba kept his trusty harmonica. He picked up the silver instrument and brought it to his lips. When Nino first heard him play a tune, Nino went nuts. He immediately took the instrument into his own hands, but coordinating his breaths while covering the finger holes was a difficult challenge for him. Nino wasn't the wind instrumentalist type. So in the end, he asked Aiba to play for him. He later played the notes perfectly on his violin, and they carried on through the rest of that session with melodic sounds. Aiba would never forget that day. Music was the language Nino understood best. And if Sho is gifted in music as well, then they'll grow an even deeper bond. Aiba just knew it.
The clock continued to tick on Aiba's wall, and he made his daily rounds and appointments. The sky slowly turned into a warm shade of orange, and the sounds of the children from the yard slowly disappeared. As he sat down at his desk to finish up the last of his reports, the atmosphere in his office became lonely. Aiba glanced at the clock and stretched long enough to feel the sweet soreness in his muscles. Outside in the distance, he heard a bird cawing at the final hour of sunset. His shift was over.
Yuka came back to his office wearing her outdoor jacket.
"Shall we go?" Yuka asked, her voice soft and melancholy.
Aiba nodded and stood up to change out of his white coat. A bundle of white flowers waited for him on his spare table, and he picked them up to admire them one last time. He purposely got up early in the morning to buy the bouquet because the flower shop would have been closed by the time their shift ended. And the white flowers symbolized the ideal setting and message.
Aiba glanced at his calendar before leaving with his wife and the flowers. Today was the anniversary...
*****
Sho chewed on his slightly-burnt-self-made omelet when his boss sat down across from him at the table.
"Is it true?!" He exclaimed. "You ate dinner at Ninomiya's house?!"
Sho swallowed loudly before speaking. "Uh, yeah. I did."
"And you didn't invite me or my daughters?!" His boss roared out louder. His eyes grew round, and his brows rose up into a high upside V. "You always keep your best secrets."
"Sorry, Boss," Sho snickered behind his hands while his silly manager flailed about on the table. The man continued to praise his offsprings while Sho resumed back to his poorly made lunch.
The night at Ninomiya's place ended on an awkward note. The absolute shock and horrified expression on Sachi's face made Sho regret the words he said back then. Of all the things he had to say before he left, he had to confess about his criminal status. Anything would have been better, but he hated lying to himself. If anyone ever came close to him, they should know the truth. He started working at the construction job less than six months ago, and only his boss and the HR staff knew about his criminal record. Sho was grateful none of his co-workers asked any questions; remembering the past always brought up a foul taste to his mouth.
Sho coughed. "Damn..."
He only ate two-thirds of his lousy lunch before he closed the lid. His break wasn't over for another thirty minutes. With no appetite and feeling downhearted because of old memories, he retreated to the locker room.
Sho reached for his cell phone before walking outside and finding a private place to sit down. He scrolled through his phone book and skimming through all his old contacts. Majority of them either never picked up his calls or even answered back from his messages. Finally, he found the one person who was willing to listen to him. Sho pressed the call button and waited for the other person to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Mom? It's me."
"Ah, Sho," his mother said. He heard her smiling through the phone. "This is a surprise. Shouldn't you be working?"
"I'm on break," Sho said. "I didn't felt hungry, so I called you."
"Not hungry? That doesn't sound like you? Is everythi-" she coughed. "Is everything alright?"
"I'm just...uh..." Sho wiped the inner corner of his eye, "I'm just tired." He heard her coughing some more. "But you don't sound so well."
"Oh, it's just dust caught in my lungs," she wheezed before clearing her throat. "If you want, I can cook dinner for you since you hardly come ove-"
She started hacking deep throaty coughs, and Sho began to frown. "Mom, are you really alright?"
"I'm...I'm fine," she gasped. "That was a surprise. I really need to clean this place up."
But Sho wasn't buying it. "I'll come over to check."
"Sho, I am fine," she said a little firmer. "What you need to worry about is yourself. I am very worried about you. That construction job won't last you for long. And when will you get married?"
He chuckled quietly. "Not this again, Mom. I told you already. There is no way I'll ever get married after everything that's happened."
"You'll find the right person, I know it," she said. "Just remember that you are a good person who wants to be loved. There is someone out there who needs you, and they will love you for it. When you do find that person, be sure to call me, okay?"
"Mom, I work at a place that is ninety-nine percent male. I won't find someone any time soon."
"No? Do you remember when you where in second grade? You came back home, jumping up and down, telling me how you were in love with a boy."
Sho felt himself blushing. "Mom, that was years ago!"
"Well, I thought it was cute. And you can't hide things from your mother," she snickered before letting out a wicked laugh. "Just so you know, if you find a sweet girl or boy, I will still love you."
"Mom, please!" Sho glanced over his shoulder. "I called you so I could feel better, but you're making me feel even worse!"
She laughed harder. "I'm embarrassing you? Well then, I'm not sorry! But I'm serious. No matter what happens to you, or what you do, I love you."
Sho sucked in his lips to prevent himself from grinning idiotically. The guilty feelings of his past slowly faded away...
"Sho!" Someone called out to him. "We're called back!"
"Sorry, Mom. I gotta go. Love you too."
*****
Kenta cried again, and he turned his head away from the spoonful of curry. Ohno groaned out loud and put the plate away. More than a month have passed since Kenta was left at Ohno's doorstep, and Ohno has not found a way to stop his son from crying all day and night. Ohno hasn't slept a good night's rest in weeks. His son wouldn't stop crying about his mother, the lousy food, spoiled diapers, loud neighbors, and overall being around a stranger. And the poor two-year-old only knew a few words to express his pain.
"Please eat, Kenta," Ohno begged as he brought the spoon back to the child's mouth. "You haven't eaten lunch or breakfast."
"NO!" Kenta screamed, and knocked the spoon clear off Ohno's hand.
"Hey!" Ohno shouted back. "Stop it! Now!"
Kenta continued to babble out more gibberish words-snot and spit dripped from his nose and lips-and cried some more until his eyelids turned bright red. Ohno sighed heavily and bent over to pick up the spoon. Ohno pushed his poor uneaten curry aside and went back into the kitchen. He opened the cabinet and pulled out a box of rice crackers and a jar of peanut butter. Kenta saw the cracker box, and his wails slowly subsided. With a butter knife, Ohno smeared a thin amount of peanut butter on the thick rice cracker and handed it to his son.
The small child greedily reached out for the only food he'll eat and munched on the cracker.
"This is no good," Ohno mumbled to himself. "How am I going to feed you?"
Ohno kept handing the child peanut butter covered rice crackers until Kenta got bored. After Ohno gave Kenta a drink of water, Ohno carried him back to the living space and turned on the television. Kenta's eyes immediately glued to the anime set at a low volume, and Ohno returned to the kitchen to clean up. Before, Ohno's living room was clustered with his art supplies but that was when he lived a single life. Now, the paintbrushes were replaced with children clothes, specks of baby powder, and crumbled up tissue paper. Ohno put away all his paints, canvases, and brushes in fear that Kenta might eat them.
But aside from taking care of his son, Ohno has tried reaching to Minami non-stop. He tried calling her parents to see if they knew anything, but they were just as clueless.
"She left on us too," Minami's mother answered him. "The last I've heard of her was when she told us she was going to have her divorce."
Her parents lived too far away for Ohno to drop off Kenta, and Ohno didn't have the heart to leave Kenta at an orphanage. So he contacted his mother who helped him with all the necessary supplies.
"Satoshi, you must take responsibility for this child," his mother told him. "That woman has caused you nothing but trouble. Kenta is now relying on you to be his family. Don't ever abandoned him. Do you understand? You are all he has left!"
It didn't help lift the burden off his shoulders. Ohno had never changed diapers before, and he found it revolting. When his mother came over, she yelled at him for not properly cleaning Kenta. At one point, Ohno got so tired of Kenta's night screaming, he wanted to slap him. Instead, Ohno cradled him all night long until the sun came up. But during the day, Ohno barely had the energy to make food for them. At least his landlord understood Ohno's troubles, but that didn't meant the neighbors appreciated the child's night cries.
In the month since they've been together, Ohno bought Kenta new toy cars. However, Ohno noticed the why Kenta held the toy cars close to his eyes and shook them repetitively. Ohno frowned and watched his son shake his head and wave the car in a particular movement. It didn't look right. Ohno assumed it was only that one time, but Kenta would continue playing the same form every time. He wanted to ignore it, but his mother told him otherwise.
Suddenly, Ohno heard a loud crashing noise behind him, and he whirled around. Kenta returned to the kitchen and tried to get more rice crackers from the box. But in his attempt to grab it, the box fell over and the crackers scattered across the kitchen floor and on the tatami.
"Kenta!" Ohno yelled. "What are you doing?!"
The boy continued to munch on his cracker before running back to the television. Ohno groaned out loud and picked up the crackers. He'll have to buy a new box anyway. He cleared away the bigger pieces, but there were still tiny crumbs everywhere. Ohno dug through his closet found his old vacuum cleaner. It took a couple of angry shakes before the machine finally turned on.
At the instant the vacuum made its loud noise, Kenta started crying. Ohno glanced back and saw Kenta's red face. He dropped his rice cracker and covered his ears tightly.
"Kenta, it's not that bad," Ohno spoke over the vacuum noise and continued to clean up the mess.
But the boy cried desperately as if it was the worst noise in the world. Ohno admitted the vacuum was outdated and noisy. Ohno glanced back at his son just in time to see him running away into the bathroom: the farthest place from where the noise could be heard. Kenta closed the door behind him and continued to scream in the bathroom. Ohno's frown deepened as he continued to finish the job.
That was new. Kenta never behaved like that before. And even as Ohno turned off the machine, he could still hear Kenta's screams as if the little boy hoped he could drown out the noise himself. Ohno opened the bathroom door and found Kenta crouching inside the tub with his hands still covering his ears. The boy had pure fear in his eyes.
Ohno kneeled down. "It's okay, Kenta. It's over. The vacuum is turned off."
But Kenta still cried out nonsense words until more snot ran down his nose. Ohno wished he knew what the boy was saying, but Ohno assumed his son had a fear of vacuums.
Ohno picked up Kenta. "Come on. I'll show you it's-"
Suddenly, Kenta put all his strength to get out of Ohno's arms.
"K-kenta! Stop!"
"No! Noooo!"
Ohno held him tighter and carried him back into the living room. "See! The vacuum is off."
But the little escapist slithered his way down from Ohno's grip and ran back into the bathroom. His hand still covered his ears. Ohno shook his head and placed his hands on hips, speculating the scene. He decided to put away the vacuum and bring out Kenta's toy cars. Maybe the sight of the machine also scared the boy.
Ohno returned to the bathroom and picked up the crying child again. Kenta tried to escape, but Ohno managed to hold him tighter and brought him back to his toys.
"Look, Kenta," Ohno sighed. "The vacuum is gone now. Your toys are here."
Kenta's crying gradually subsided, but his face was a wet mess. Ohno reached for a towel resting on the couch arm, and he wiped around the Kenta's face. The boy still kept his hands to his ears.
"What is wrong with him?" Ohno thought.
Kenta was different. And Ohno couldn't help but feel this might be the real reason Minami left her son to him...
*****
"It's only one session," Sachi said through the phone one October afternoon. "I would like for you to hear Nino perform."
"I've seen it," Sho replied. "That time in the practice room was more than enough to tell me that Nino is talented. I don't need anymore persuasion of that fact."
"That was without a piano accompaniment," Sachi pointed out. "Nino will be performing a piece for the closing hour. I want you to see how Nino plays in front of a live audience. It is completely different than the practice room."
She could hear Sho groaning annoyingly at the other end. "I don't understand why you're so persistent in hiring me, Sachi! Aren't you afraid what...what I'm capable of or what I might do?! Did you forget what I told you that night?"
"I remember," she uttered, her brow furrowed slightly. "Let me ask you this...do you still want to commit the same crime?"
"...even if I said no, you still wouldn't trust me."
Sachi rolled her eyes. "Yes, I would!" She shouted over the phone. "What I saw in that room were two men who both have a passion for music! Not some sex predator that was ready to pounce on anyone in that room! You were even playing the piano when you were supposed to be dry walling the room! You love to play, Sho! I can hear it in your music! That is what you want to do again. Not another sex crime!"
"...."
"Please come to Nino's recital. I'll wait for your answer," and she hung up.
Her hand was still on the receiver as she replayed her own words in her head. She wanted to ask questions about what happened, but she was afraid the information will only cloud her judgement for turning away a talented pianist. Sachi truly wanted Sho to work with her brother. If Sho finally decides to come on board, Sachi can ask for a full background check then. But if he doesn't take their offer, Sachi wouldn't hold it against him anymore.
Nino, on the other hand, was convinced that Sho would play his piano every day. Sachi reminded him that the pianist for the recital will be played by another person. Nino nodded but continued to speak only of Sho's music.
Two weeks passed since Sachi took Aiba's advice. The first recital was packed with children health advocates, locals, musical students, and fans of Nino. When word got out that Nino will attend for the first recital, Sachi received a wave of calls requesting Nino to perform at other hospitals and schools. Fortunately, Sachi was used to this behavior and turned them down. She made up the excuse that Nino will perform this one time as a kickstarter before the main concert. Nino doesn't say it, but the Europe tour took a toll on him. And Sachi made sure he'll be well-rested before he takes on another concert.
She waited in the back with Nino until someone would call them. Earlier, Sachi spotted the audience from behind the curtains and saw the whole auditorium packed, but it was hard to tell Sho from the crowd. She wanted to know if he had arrived yet, but she couldn't leave Nino until he was next to perform.
Finally, someone with a headset and a tablet entered their room. "Ninomiya Kazunari? You're up next."
Nino knew what to do from here. Sachi gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed for the seats. As the curtains pulled down, and the audience began to buzz. This was the last song, and the anticipation spread throughout the theater. Sachi searched for a seat when she saw someone standing up and waving enthusiastically at her. At first, she thought it was Sho, but when she came closer, she recognize the face.
"Kiko!" Sachi whispered excitedly.
The young retired model kept her arms up to greet Sachi with a hug. "I saved you a seat."
"I shouldn't be surprised to see you here," Sachi said. "You have always been following Nino's performances. Oh, hello Jun."
As Sachi sat down, Jun reached over to shake hands. "Kiko wouldn't stop pestering me about coming to see Nino perform. She's still upset she couldn't go to the Europe tour."
Kiko pouted. "I've made a solemn vow as a fan to attend Nino's concerts whenever I can." She rubbed her belly. "And I will make sure my child will be properly educated with good music."
But Sachi's jaw drop at the word "child."
"Kiko, you're pregnant?!"
"Two months," Jun replied with a grin.
"Congratulations!"
"Shh! It's starting," Kiko interrupted them both and clapped loudly as the curtains rose.
Nino walked out on stage and took place next to the grand piano. The fans cheered and applauded-Kiko might have been the loudest. When he bowed, the audience grew quiet. Nino raised his violin to his chin, and the air was thick in its silence. Nino inhaled sharply and played the first note. Out of all the other performers, Nino's music rang out the clearest. Sachi could hear the audience gasp at the sudden energy, but then Nino played softly and the audience leaned forward.
This was Nino's magic: captivating the listeners. Whether it was through CDs, on the radio, or live, everyone would almost always stop to listen. Next to her, Sachi could see Kiko clasping her hands together, sitting on the edge of her seat, and smiling with admiration. Sachi wanted to tip her hat to Jun for having so much patience for his wife. Kiko had been to every Nino concert in Japan, and her presence caught Sachi's attention. In the end, Kiko was one of the few lucky people to be friends with Nino.
Suddenly, Sachi heard someone open the exit doors behind them. Thankfully, the hallway light didn't disturb the performance, but it annoyed Sachi that they would allow someone to walk in right in the middle of a recital. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Sho standing in the back while still wearing his construction clothes. Sachi's heart leaped with joy, and she quickly turned back to Nino.
"He came!"
And right when Nino reached the climax of the piece. Sachi watched the female pianist struggling to keep up with Nino's tempo, but everyone's eyes were on the violinist. The lights were too bright and a light damp of sweat shined on Nino's forehead, but the man continued to play with all his heart. His eyes were always closed, and he turned his left ear towards his violin. Then, his fingers became a frantic blur. His gelled hair bounced to the rapid movements of his bow arm. The music swelled and swelled. Suddenly, Nino stopped and everyone held their breath.
At long last, he played the final note in a long, slow, somber vibrato. A single pin drop could be heard, but soon the audience exploded and gave a standing ovation. Kiko was the fastest to stand up; her hands looked like they were about to fall off from clapping together so hard. The pianist stood up with Nino, and they bowed before the curtains came to a close.
"Oh, it was everything I imagined it would be!" Kiko expressed with glee. "Even though it was only a recital, he truly captured the essence of that one single piece. A true genius!"
"You should marry him," Jun teased. Kiko lightly punched his shoulder.
Sachi glanced back at Sho and saw him still standing in the same place. She excused herself through the row of seats and met Sho at the back.
"S-sachi," Sho gasped. "I...that...Nino-"
"Come with me," Sachi said and showed him to the backstage where Nino waited for her.
As usual, Nino had his head down and cleaned his violin from the build up rosin.
"Nino, there's someone here to see you."
The violinist still didn't look up. He inclined his head to the side a bit with his eyes were still on his violin. Sachi and Sho both waited until Nino packed away his instrument. When the genius savant finally raised his eyes to them, he focused on the former pianist.
"Sho," Nino greeted. "You'll play the piano now, right?"
The construction worker only swallowed.
"You have to," Nino continued. "Because you're good at it like I am with my violin. You'll play the piano, and I'll play the violin."
"Y-yes, that's right. I know how to play," Sho said, rubbing the back of his neck and his eyes cast down.
"Did you hear me perform?" Nino asked, looking eager to talking about music again. "While I was playing, the piano part sounded different. It was obvious because you weren't playing the accompaniment."
"N-no...I wasn't."
"But Sho could play it better. You're really good at it."
"...Nino, I'm...I'm not-"
"Play the piano this time," Nino said, plainly as if the matter was already decided by himself. "Sho will play the piano for my next performance."
Nino's lack of expression gave Sachi the urge to step up and put in her words for more persuasion, but she held her tongue. At this point, it was truly up to Sho if he wanted to join him. But Sachi could see Nino was struggling to find the right words to convince Sho to stay. Sachi always knew Nino had a hard time socializing unless it was about music. Negotiation was a difficult task for him.
Then, Sho turned around and passed Sachi without a second glance. Her once tensed shoulders slowly sagged just as her heart did.
Nino spoke. "You're my left hand."
Sho stilled his hand at the doorknob.
"You are the harmony," Nino continued, scratching his head and forcing the words out of himself. "You are the left hand, and I am...I'm the right. I need both hands...the piano and violin...I need both. I need to know these sets. Teach me to play the piano. Please stay!"
Sachi heard a quiet sob from the former pianist, and Sho glanced back with a sympathetic look. At that moment, Sachi knew the answer. Aiba was right. The man wouldn't be convinced by the amount of money she offered him. Whatever Sho had gone through, he lost the one thing he loved most. Music. Because of his crime, he couldn't go back to being around others. He couldn't teach or play the piano around others ever again. No one trusted him.
But Nino trusted Sho. They can understand each other through their music.
Sho turned away from the door and glanced back at Sachi. Neither of them said a word, but Sachi could read it on his face. He will accept their offer. Sho approached Nino and nervously wiped his hands against the back of his jeans.
"Well then, I guess I'll play the piano," Sho nodded, "for you...Nino."
Sho reached his hand out and they both shook hands.
Sachi could almost cry.
----------
end of chapter 2!
To Chapter 3 >> http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/63900.html
so you see! the other characters do have connection with each other :3
see you in the next update!
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Romance/ Drama/ Angst/ AU/ Music
Rating: R
Pairing: Sakumiya (main)/ Jun x Kiko Mizuhara/ Aiba x Yuka/ Ohno x Minami Hinase (broken)
Summary: Nino is an autistic savant and a brilliant violinist. The only hard part for him and his sister, who takes care of him, is keeping a consistent and patient piano accompanist for Nino's performances. One day, Nino's sister finds Sakurai Sho, a man with a mysterious past but gifted in music. Together, the two musicians must learn to communicate with each other, live with each other, and possibly love each other.
Warnings: It's rated R for: sensual scenes (softporn), parenting struggles, sexual assault, divorce, character deaths, and mental disorders/illnesses.
Author notes: hi hi! a new chapter here! i should have mentioned this in the first chapter, but there will be mentions of depression and anxiety (as part of mental illnesses tag, so please keep this in mind). i'm posting earlier than i expected, i thought i make it in the weekend. turns out i updated earlier. yay!
For this chapter, i recommend listen to this piece >> Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, I. Adagio - Allegro aperto
Enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Allegro
Aiba heard the children playing outside from his open window. It was a crisp beautiful day for September, and Aiba wished he could join them in their fun. His office space smelled too much of prescription forms and rubbing alcohol. Obnoxious health charts plastered the white walls and made Aiba itching to have a breather outside, but he had appointments scheduled. The facility hardly lets Aiba have a day off since he was one of the few doctors who works closely with the pediatrics ward. At least today, he'll be seeing an old friend...
He heard a knock on his door. "Come in."
Sachi and her brother, Nino, entered the room. "Hello, Aiba! Long time no see."
"Hello, Sachi," Aiba grinned standing up from his chair. "And Nino! So good to see you."
After the older sister gave him a hug, Aiba waited for Nino to extend his hand out before Aiba shook it. They were Aiba's first patients when he got his degree in neurology. Their beginnings were shaky since Nino was busy with his touring. Back then, Nino wouldn't respond back to Aiba's speech exercises until finally Nino grew comfortable around Aiba's smile. Now, they were good friends, and Aiba found Sachi to be a sweet woman. He almost considered her like an older sister of his own.
"Back from Europe, I see," Aiba said as he sat back down. "How was it, Nino?"
"It was cramped," Nino commented. "It always rained, and most of the food was terrible. It was filthy and still chilly despite being summer. It was really crummy and cramped. I didn't like the food. But lots of famous musicians though."
"Well, that's good," Aiba smiled, leaning forward in his chair. "Did you enjoy their performance?"
Nino made a smug face. "Of course not! They call themselves musicians, but they're more like elementary students. The concerts I attended were awful! That Pierre-whoever couldn't get to the fifth position to save his life. He was completely out of tune. I had to cover my ears just to get through the concert because Sachi wouldn't let me go." Aiba couldn't hold back his giggle as he watched Nino shake his head in utter disappointment from the memory. "You should have heard it, Aiba. The man had no business in music. I could've played it way better, and I did!"
"Now, let's not start bragging," Sachi said, rolling her eyes with a smirk.
Aiba knew that look. Whenever Nino gets heated in a topic, there could be no stopping the man. Music was Nino's passion. His life. His art. And Nino loved nothing more than to talk about music and play the violin. Ever since Aiba became good friends with the autisic savant, he realized Nino was quite the chatter bug.
"It's the truth," Nino continued ranting. "I'm telling you, Aiba. There is a significant difference between a harmonic and just playing a high note. And this guy is so blatantly stupid in thinking he could get away with just playing a higher note instead of the needed harmonic. It's infuriating! It sounded so terrible, even a three-year-old could notice! But that's not the only problem. The technicalities are only part of playing the violin, and I couldn't believe the amount of deaf-tone musicians who claimed themselves to be famous musicians as the best of Europe. There is only one deaf musician whom I'll accept and that's Beethoven. I was so mad, I ended up eating a lot of bread back at my hotel."
"You need to eat more vegetables," Aiba teased. "Remember the last time I told you? A healthy diet will help you make better music."
"I eat my vegetables. I make new music everyday," Nino pouted playfully once he finished his rant.
"Oh, I would love to hear it again," Aiba grinned before turning his attention to Sachi. "Have you received the concert request? The administrators really want to push this forward to raise funds for the pediatrics department. It even got my vote."
"I have," Sachi nodded, "but we're short a pianist."
"Sho is playing the piano," Nino said, matter-of-factly. "He plays the piano very well, so he'll play for me."
"He didn't say yes, Nino," Sachi reminded him.
"Sho will play the piano," Nino repeated but more heatedly. "He knows how to play the piano like how I play the violin, and I don't want anyone else."
"He doesn't want to play."
"Sho will play!"
Aiba remained silent throughout the harmless family banter, but his focus was on Nino. Even though his arguments were the same, Nino projected his voice louder than usual. Sachi has clearly been through the same debate with him before, but Aiba found Nino's behavior interesting. The autistic savant hardly talked so passionately about someone other than failed musicians, which eventually turned into the topic about music again. It was the first time Aiba heard Nino talking about something other than music...
At that moment, a nurse walked in.
"Hi, Yuka," Sachi looked up to ignore Nino's rants.
"Hello, Sachi. It's good to see you," Yuka smiled warmly at them. "If you don't mind, I would like to take Nino for his therapy."
"I don't need it," Nino complained, but he still stood up.
"We're working on management skills, remember?" Yuka continued to smile and escorted Nino out of the office. Aiba could faintly hear Nino telling Yuka about Sho the piano player.
Sachi left out her breath and gazed back at Aiba. "I need this new pianist."
"I sensed that," Aiba said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his chin. "Who is this person that Nino is so interested in?"
"I met him as a construction worker. Sho used to play the piano until..." Sachi paused. Her brows slightly scrunched up from a bitter memory. "Well...he has his reasons about not wanting to be around others, but I want to trust him. I have tried calling him and offered better payment to come on board, but the man is dead set on leaving my sights." Sachi shook her head in pity. "He's perfect, Aiba. He's completely considerate around Nino. I don't know what to do."
"It sounds like the man won't be motivated by money," Aiba said critically, tapping his temple to stimulate his thinking process. "And I can't help but notice the way Nino chatted with you about him. Did you detected it?"
"Yes, I have," Sachi said. "They've played together once, and something just...clicked for them. I don't know why Sho wouldn't want to work with Nino. They have so much potential."
Aiba stopped tapping his head when a new idea came to mind. "Perhaps you should let Nino approach Sho. If they already understand each other musically, surely Nino can convince him."
"Nino?" Sachi frowned. "But he doesn't know how to do negotiations. I've always handle the arrangements. He can barely calculate the amount of change to give to a cashier."
Aiba leaned forward again with his elbows resting on his knees. "But think how this can affect Nino positively. No doubt, Nino prefers a life of peace and solitude. But he needs to develop more relationships with others. The more he is around others, the more he'll grow used to interacting."
Sachi shook her head in disagreement. "Nino never wants to interact with others unless they know music as much as he does. When we were on the Europe tour, he never spoke a word to anyone."
"You need to trust Nino more," Aiba sighed. "He can't grow if you are there to hold his hand."
"But...but he needs me!"
"He needs Sho," Aiba said firmly. "He needs other people."
Sachi had her mouth opened ready for another comeback, but nothing came out. Aiba hasn't been their neurologist and counselor for a long time, but according to the records, Sachi has taken Nino for social therapy on a daily basis. She wanted Nino to be more independent, but Sachi was being too protective. And as Nino's doctor, Aiba hoped to see the day when Nino would visit his office alone instead of being escorted by Sachi.
Whoever this Sho is, the man is key to Nino's development.
Aiba reached for his pen and notepad. "I have another suggestion," Aiba started scribbling an address. "Aside from our main concert next year, the administrators are also planning seasonal recitals for other participants wanting to help our cause." Aiba handed her the note. "If Nino wants to participate as well, you can invite Sho to visit."
Sachi glanced at the note before staring back at the doctor. "But the pianist-"
"A college student will be provided for the recitals," Aiba reassured her. "Nino can play Beethoven pitch perfect, right? Just one piece. Let Sho watch Nino perform and see if that doesn't convince him to work with Nino."
"I'll...I'll try," Sachi said and pocketed the note in her bag. "Thank you, Aiba. I can always count on you to know what is the best course for Nino. He must be a very special patient for you."
Aiba chuckled. "I've come to see Nino more as a friend now."
Sachi smiled at him and excused herself to find Nino. Aiba set his pen down and glanced back out the window. Out of all his patients, Aiba was especially fond of Nino and his special gift. He had a fascination towards savants while he was in medical school. Even through all the agonizing studying and painstaking hours put into his work, it was a miracle that Nino became his patient. But it took them great lengths to be on talking terms. They had so little in common to talk about. Aiba had tried everything he learned from the books, but Nino never responded back.
Until he found the answer to Nino's mind.
Aiba pulled the handle of his desk drawers. Stashed away in the corner under stacks of papers, Aiba kept his trusty harmonica. He picked up the silver instrument and brought it to his lips. When Nino first heard him play a tune, Nino went nuts. He immediately took the instrument into his own hands, but coordinating his breaths while covering the finger holes was a difficult challenge for him. Nino wasn't the wind instrumentalist type. So in the end, he asked Aiba to play for him. He later played the notes perfectly on his violin, and they carried on through the rest of that session with melodic sounds. Aiba would never forget that day. Music was the language Nino understood best. And if Sho is gifted in music as well, then they'll grow an even deeper bond. Aiba just knew it.
The clock continued to tick on Aiba's wall, and he made his daily rounds and appointments. The sky slowly turned into a warm shade of orange, and the sounds of the children from the yard slowly disappeared. As he sat down at his desk to finish up the last of his reports, the atmosphere in his office became lonely. Aiba glanced at the clock and stretched long enough to feel the sweet soreness in his muscles. Outside in the distance, he heard a bird cawing at the final hour of sunset. His shift was over.
Yuka came back to his office wearing her outdoor jacket.
"Shall we go?" Yuka asked, her voice soft and melancholy.
Aiba nodded and stood up to change out of his white coat. A bundle of white flowers waited for him on his spare table, and he picked them up to admire them one last time. He purposely got up early in the morning to buy the bouquet because the flower shop would have been closed by the time their shift ended. And the white flowers symbolized the ideal setting and message.
Aiba glanced at his calendar before leaving with his wife and the flowers. Today was the anniversary...
*****
Sho chewed on his slightly-burnt-self-made omelet when his boss sat down across from him at the table.
"Is it true?!" He exclaimed. "You ate dinner at Ninomiya's house?!"
Sho swallowed loudly before speaking. "Uh, yeah. I did."
"And you didn't invite me or my daughters?!" His boss roared out louder. His eyes grew round, and his brows rose up into a high upside V. "You always keep your best secrets."
"Sorry, Boss," Sho snickered behind his hands while his silly manager flailed about on the table. The man continued to praise his offsprings while Sho resumed back to his poorly made lunch.
The night at Ninomiya's place ended on an awkward note. The absolute shock and horrified expression on Sachi's face made Sho regret the words he said back then. Of all the things he had to say before he left, he had to confess about his criminal status. Anything would have been better, but he hated lying to himself. If anyone ever came close to him, they should know the truth. He started working at the construction job less than six months ago, and only his boss and the HR staff knew about his criminal record. Sho was grateful none of his co-workers asked any questions; remembering the past always brought up a foul taste to his mouth.
Sho coughed. "Damn..."
He only ate two-thirds of his lousy lunch before he closed the lid. His break wasn't over for another thirty minutes. With no appetite and feeling downhearted because of old memories, he retreated to the locker room.
Sho reached for his cell phone before walking outside and finding a private place to sit down. He scrolled through his phone book and skimming through all his old contacts. Majority of them either never picked up his calls or even answered back from his messages. Finally, he found the one person who was willing to listen to him. Sho pressed the call button and waited for the other person to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Mom? It's me."
"Ah, Sho," his mother said. He heard her smiling through the phone. "This is a surprise. Shouldn't you be working?"
"I'm on break," Sho said. "I didn't felt hungry, so I called you."
"Not hungry? That doesn't sound like you? Is everythi-" she coughed. "Is everything alright?"
"I'm just...uh..." Sho wiped the inner corner of his eye, "I'm just tired." He heard her coughing some more. "But you don't sound so well."
"Oh, it's just dust caught in my lungs," she wheezed before clearing her throat. "If you want, I can cook dinner for you since you hardly come ove-"
She started hacking deep throaty coughs, and Sho began to frown. "Mom, are you really alright?"
"I'm...I'm fine," she gasped. "That was a surprise. I really need to clean this place up."
But Sho wasn't buying it. "I'll come over to check."
"Sho, I am fine," she said a little firmer. "What you need to worry about is yourself. I am very worried about you. That construction job won't last you for long. And when will you get married?"
He chuckled quietly. "Not this again, Mom. I told you already. There is no way I'll ever get married after everything that's happened."
"You'll find the right person, I know it," she said. "Just remember that you are a good person who wants to be loved. There is someone out there who needs you, and they will love you for it. When you do find that person, be sure to call me, okay?"
"Mom, I work at a place that is ninety-nine percent male. I won't find someone any time soon."
"No? Do you remember when you where in second grade? You came back home, jumping up and down, telling me how you were in love with a boy."
Sho felt himself blushing. "Mom, that was years ago!"
"Well, I thought it was cute. And you can't hide things from your mother," she snickered before letting out a wicked laugh. "Just so you know, if you find a sweet girl or boy, I will still love you."
"Mom, please!" Sho glanced over his shoulder. "I called you so I could feel better, but you're making me feel even worse!"
She laughed harder. "I'm embarrassing you? Well then, I'm not sorry! But I'm serious. No matter what happens to you, or what you do, I love you."
Sho sucked in his lips to prevent himself from grinning idiotically. The guilty feelings of his past slowly faded away...
"Sho!" Someone called out to him. "We're called back!"
"Sorry, Mom. I gotta go. Love you too."
*****
Kenta cried again, and he turned his head away from the spoonful of curry. Ohno groaned out loud and put the plate away. More than a month have passed since Kenta was left at Ohno's doorstep, and Ohno has not found a way to stop his son from crying all day and night. Ohno hasn't slept a good night's rest in weeks. His son wouldn't stop crying about his mother, the lousy food, spoiled diapers, loud neighbors, and overall being around a stranger. And the poor two-year-old only knew a few words to express his pain.
"Please eat, Kenta," Ohno begged as he brought the spoon back to the child's mouth. "You haven't eaten lunch or breakfast."
"NO!" Kenta screamed, and knocked the spoon clear off Ohno's hand.
"Hey!" Ohno shouted back. "Stop it! Now!"
Kenta continued to babble out more gibberish words-snot and spit dripped from his nose and lips-and cried some more until his eyelids turned bright red. Ohno sighed heavily and bent over to pick up the spoon. Ohno pushed his poor uneaten curry aside and went back into the kitchen. He opened the cabinet and pulled out a box of rice crackers and a jar of peanut butter. Kenta saw the cracker box, and his wails slowly subsided. With a butter knife, Ohno smeared a thin amount of peanut butter on the thick rice cracker and handed it to his son.
The small child greedily reached out for the only food he'll eat and munched on the cracker.
"This is no good," Ohno mumbled to himself. "How am I going to feed you?"
Ohno kept handing the child peanut butter covered rice crackers until Kenta got bored. After Ohno gave Kenta a drink of water, Ohno carried him back to the living space and turned on the television. Kenta's eyes immediately glued to the anime set at a low volume, and Ohno returned to the kitchen to clean up. Before, Ohno's living room was clustered with his art supplies but that was when he lived a single life. Now, the paintbrushes were replaced with children clothes, specks of baby powder, and crumbled up tissue paper. Ohno put away all his paints, canvases, and brushes in fear that Kenta might eat them.
But aside from taking care of his son, Ohno has tried reaching to Minami non-stop. He tried calling her parents to see if they knew anything, but they were just as clueless.
"She left on us too," Minami's mother answered him. "The last I've heard of her was when she told us she was going to have her divorce."
Her parents lived too far away for Ohno to drop off Kenta, and Ohno didn't have the heart to leave Kenta at an orphanage. So he contacted his mother who helped him with all the necessary supplies.
"Satoshi, you must take responsibility for this child," his mother told him. "That woman has caused you nothing but trouble. Kenta is now relying on you to be his family. Don't ever abandoned him. Do you understand? You are all he has left!"
It didn't help lift the burden off his shoulders. Ohno had never changed diapers before, and he found it revolting. When his mother came over, she yelled at him for not properly cleaning Kenta. At one point, Ohno got so tired of Kenta's night screaming, he wanted to slap him. Instead, Ohno cradled him all night long until the sun came up. But during the day, Ohno barely had the energy to make food for them. At least his landlord understood Ohno's troubles, but that didn't meant the neighbors appreciated the child's night cries.
In the month since they've been together, Ohno bought Kenta new toy cars. However, Ohno noticed the why Kenta held the toy cars close to his eyes and shook them repetitively. Ohno frowned and watched his son shake his head and wave the car in a particular movement. It didn't look right. Ohno assumed it was only that one time, but Kenta would continue playing the same form every time. He wanted to ignore it, but his mother told him otherwise.
Suddenly, Ohno heard a loud crashing noise behind him, and he whirled around. Kenta returned to the kitchen and tried to get more rice crackers from the box. But in his attempt to grab it, the box fell over and the crackers scattered across the kitchen floor and on the tatami.
"Kenta!" Ohno yelled. "What are you doing?!"
The boy continued to munch on his cracker before running back to the television. Ohno groaned out loud and picked up the crackers. He'll have to buy a new box anyway. He cleared away the bigger pieces, but there were still tiny crumbs everywhere. Ohno dug through his closet found his old vacuum cleaner. It took a couple of angry shakes before the machine finally turned on.
At the instant the vacuum made its loud noise, Kenta started crying. Ohno glanced back and saw Kenta's red face. He dropped his rice cracker and covered his ears tightly.
"Kenta, it's not that bad," Ohno spoke over the vacuum noise and continued to clean up the mess.
But the boy cried desperately as if it was the worst noise in the world. Ohno admitted the vacuum was outdated and noisy. Ohno glanced back at his son just in time to see him running away into the bathroom: the farthest place from where the noise could be heard. Kenta closed the door behind him and continued to scream in the bathroom. Ohno's frown deepened as he continued to finish the job.
That was new. Kenta never behaved like that before. And even as Ohno turned off the machine, he could still hear Kenta's screams as if the little boy hoped he could drown out the noise himself. Ohno opened the bathroom door and found Kenta crouching inside the tub with his hands still covering his ears. The boy had pure fear in his eyes.
Ohno kneeled down. "It's okay, Kenta. It's over. The vacuum is turned off."
But Kenta still cried out nonsense words until more snot ran down his nose. Ohno wished he knew what the boy was saying, but Ohno assumed his son had a fear of vacuums.
Ohno picked up Kenta. "Come on. I'll show you it's-"
Suddenly, Kenta put all his strength to get out of Ohno's arms.
"K-kenta! Stop!"
"No! Noooo!"
Ohno held him tighter and carried him back into the living room. "See! The vacuum is off."
But the little escapist slithered his way down from Ohno's grip and ran back into the bathroom. His hand still covered his ears. Ohno shook his head and placed his hands on hips, speculating the scene. He decided to put away the vacuum and bring out Kenta's toy cars. Maybe the sight of the machine also scared the boy.
Ohno returned to the bathroom and picked up the crying child again. Kenta tried to escape, but Ohno managed to hold him tighter and brought him back to his toys.
"Look, Kenta," Ohno sighed. "The vacuum is gone now. Your toys are here."
Kenta's crying gradually subsided, but his face was a wet mess. Ohno reached for a towel resting on the couch arm, and he wiped around the Kenta's face. The boy still kept his hands to his ears.
"What is wrong with him?" Ohno thought.
Kenta was different. And Ohno couldn't help but feel this might be the real reason Minami left her son to him...
*****
"It's only one session," Sachi said through the phone one October afternoon. "I would like for you to hear Nino perform."
"I've seen it," Sho replied. "That time in the practice room was more than enough to tell me that Nino is talented. I don't need anymore persuasion of that fact."
"That was without a piano accompaniment," Sachi pointed out. "Nino will be performing a piece for the closing hour. I want you to see how Nino plays in front of a live audience. It is completely different than the practice room."
She could hear Sho groaning annoyingly at the other end. "I don't understand why you're so persistent in hiring me, Sachi! Aren't you afraid what...what I'm capable of or what I might do?! Did you forget what I told you that night?"
"I remember," she uttered, her brow furrowed slightly. "Let me ask you this...do you still want to commit the same crime?"
"...even if I said no, you still wouldn't trust me."
Sachi rolled her eyes. "Yes, I would!" She shouted over the phone. "What I saw in that room were two men who both have a passion for music! Not some sex predator that was ready to pounce on anyone in that room! You were even playing the piano when you were supposed to be dry walling the room! You love to play, Sho! I can hear it in your music! That is what you want to do again. Not another sex crime!"
"...."
"Please come to Nino's recital. I'll wait for your answer," and she hung up.
Her hand was still on the receiver as she replayed her own words in her head. She wanted to ask questions about what happened, but she was afraid the information will only cloud her judgement for turning away a talented pianist. Sachi truly wanted Sho to work with her brother. If Sho finally decides to come on board, Sachi can ask for a full background check then. But if he doesn't take their offer, Sachi wouldn't hold it against him anymore.
Nino, on the other hand, was convinced that Sho would play his piano every day. Sachi reminded him that the pianist for the recital will be played by another person. Nino nodded but continued to speak only of Sho's music.
Two weeks passed since Sachi took Aiba's advice. The first recital was packed with children health advocates, locals, musical students, and fans of Nino. When word got out that Nino will attend for the first recital, Sachi received a wave of calls requesting Nino to perform at other hospitals and schools. Fortunately, Sachi was used to this behavior and turned them down. She made up the excuse that Nino will perform this one time as a kickstarter before the main concert. Nino doesn't say it, but the Europe tour took a toll on him. And Sachi made sure he'll be well-rested before he takes on another concert.
She waited in the back with Nino until someone would call them. Earlier, Sachi spotted the audience from behind the curtains and saw the whole auditorium packed, but it was hard to tell Sho from the crowd. She wanted to know if he had arrived yet, but she couldn't leave Nino until he was next to perform.
Finally, someone with a headset and a tablet entered their room. "Ninomiya Kazunari? You're up next."
Nino knew what to do from here. Sachi gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed for the seats. As the curtains pulled down, and the audience began to buzz. This was the last song, and the anticipation spread throughout the theater. Sachi searched for a seat when she saw someone standing up and waving enthusiastically at her. At first, she thought it was Sho, but when she came closer, she recognize the face.
"Kiko!" Sachi whispered excitedly.
The young retired model kept her arms up to greet Sachi with a hug. "I saved you a seat."
"I shouldn't be surprised to see you here," Sachi said. "You have always been following Nino's performances. Oh, hello Jun."
As Sachi sat down, Jun reached over to shake hands. "Kiko wouldn't stop pestering me about coming to see Nino perform. She's still upset she couldn't go to the Europe tour."
Kiko pouted. "I've made a solemn vow as a fan to attend Nino's concerts whenever I can." She rubbed her belly. "And I will make sure my child will be properly educated with good music."
But Sachi's jaw drop at the word "child."
"Kiko, you're pregnant?!"
"Two months," Jun replied with a grin.
"Congratulations!"
"Shh! It's starting," Kiko interrupted them both and clapped loudly as the curtains rose.
Nino walked out on stage and took place next to the grand piano. The fans cheered and applauded-Kiko might have been the loudest. When he bowed, the audience grew quiet. Nino raised his violin to his chin, and the air was thick in its silence. Nino inhaled sharply and played the first note. Out of all the other performers, Nino's music rang out the clearest. Sachi could hear the audience gasp at the sudden energy, but then Nino played softly and the audience leaned forward.
This was Nino's magic: captivating the listeners. Whether it was through CDs, on the radio, or live, everyone would almost always stop to listen. Next to her, Sachi could see Kiko clasping her hands together, sitting on the edge of her seat, and smiling with admiration. Sachi wanted to tip her hat to Jun for having so much patience for his wife. Kiko had been to every Nino concert in Japan, and her presence caught Sachi's attention. In the end, Kiko was one of the few lucky people to be friends with Nino.
Suddenly, Sachi heard someone open the exit doors behind them. Thankfully, the hallway light didn't disturb the performance, but it annoyed Sachi that they would allow someone to walk in right in the middle of a recital. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Sho standing in the back while still wearing his construction clothes. Sachi's heart leaped with joy, and she quickly turned back to Nino.
"He came!"
And right when Nino reached the climax of the piece. Sachi watched the female pianist struggling to keep up with Nino's tempo, but everyone's eyes were on the violinist. The lights were too bright and a light damp of sweat shined on Nino's forehead, but the man continued to play with all his heart. His eyes were always closed, and he turned his left ear towards his violin. Then, his fingers became a frantic blur. His gelled hair bounced to the rapid movements of his bow arm. The music swelled and swelled. Suddenly, Nino stopped and everyone held their breath.
At long last, he played the final note in a long, slow, somber vibrato. A single pin drop could be heard, but soon the audience exploded and gave a standing ovation. Kiko was the fastest to stand up; her hands looked like they were about to fall off from clapping together so hard. The pianist stood up with Nino, and they bowed before the curtains came to a close.
"Oh, it was everything I imagined it would be!" Kiko expressed with glee. "Even though it was only a recital, he truly captured the essence of that one single piece. A true genius!"
"You should marry him," Jun teased. Kiko lightly punched his shoulder.
Sachi glanced back at Sho and saw him still standing in the same place. She excused herself through the row of seats and met Sho at the back.
"S-sachi," Sho gasped. "I...that...Nino-"
"Come with me," Sachi said and showed him to the backstage where Nino waited for her.
As usual, Nino had his head down and cleaned his violin from the build up rosin.
"Nino, there's someone here to see you."
The violinist still didn't look up. He inclined his head to the side a bit with his eyes were still on his violin. Sachi and Sho both waited until Nino packed away his instrument. When the genius savant finally raised his eyes to them, he focused on the former pianist.
"Sho," Nino greeted. "You'll play the piano now, right?"
The construction worker only swallowed.
"You have to," Nino continued. "Because you're good at it like I am with my violin. You'll play the piano, and I'll play the violin."
"Y-yes, that's right. I know how to play," Sho said, rubbing the back of his neck and his eyes cast down.
"Did you hear me perform?" Nino asked, looking eager to talking about music again. "While I was playing, the piano part sounded different. It was obvious because you weren't playing the accompaniment."
"N-no...I wasn't."
"But Sho could play it better. You're really good at it."
"...Nino, I'm...I'm not-"
"Play the piano this time," Nino said, plainly as if the matter was already decided by himself. "Sho will play the piano for my next performance."
Nino's lack of expression gave Sachi the urge to step up and put in her words for more persuasion, but she held her tongue. At this point, it was truly up to Sho if he wanted to join him. But Sachi could see Nino was struggling to find the right words to convince Sho to stay. Sachi always knew Nino had a hard time socializing unless it was about music. Negotiation was a difficult task for him.
Then, Sho turned around and passed Sachi without a second glance. Her once tensed shoulders slowly sagged just as her heart did.
Nino spoke. "You're my left hand."
Sho stilled his hand at the doorknob.
"You are the harmony," Nino continued, scratching his head and forcing the words out of himself. "You are the left hand, and I am...I'm the right. I need both hands...the piano and violin...I need both. I need to know these sets. Teach me to play the piano. Please stay!"
Sachi heard a quiet sob from the former pianist, and Sho glanced back with a sympathetic look. At that moment, Sachi knew the answer. Aiba was right. The man wouldn't be convinced by the amount of money she offered him. Whatever Sho had gone through, he lost the one thing he loved most. Music. Because of his crime, he couldn't go back to being around others. He couldn't teach or play the piano around others ever again. No one trusted him.
But Nino trusted Sho. They can understand each other through their music.
Sho turned away from the door and glanced back at Sachi. Neither of them said a word, but Sachi could read it on his face. He will accept their offer. Sho approached Nino and nervously wiped his hands against the back of his jeans.
"Well then, I guess I'll play the piano," Sho nodded, "for you...Nino."
Sho reached his hand out and they both shook hands.
Sachi could almost cry.
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end of chapter 2!
To Chapter 3 >> http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/63900.html
so you see! the other characters do have connection with each other :3
see you in the next update!