Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis; that is the domain of Konomi Takeshi, and whoever owns the rights to the Anime.
Writer's Note: This came about on the way home from Kansas; we found the classical radio station, and they played the coolest song. It was called "The Devil's Trill" by Tortini. He said he'd dreamed the music, and woke up to write down as much as he could. It's a really cool song.
Writer's note 2: I wanted this to not be predictable. It is, of course, but hopefully not as preditable as most people think.
Yazawa Kaori waited by the piano for the violinist she was going to work with. She'd been practicing "The Devil's Trill" Sonata by Tortini for the last few weeks at the suggestion of her piano teacher, and it had paid off. The original accompanist had - well, she didn't know the story, but she wasn't available any more.
She hadn't been there long when the door opened and a young man carrying a violin case stepped into the practice room. He was tall, with a kind face, and wore a Hyotei High school uniform. Behind him came a second boy, dressed the same, his dark hair silky and just brushing his shoulders.
They hadn't noticed her, yet, so she observed them. They were familiar with each other - old friends, probably - and very different. The violinist was much more refined, much gentler, his friend rougher around the edges. Neither of them seemed to care - or even to notice.
"Look, Choutarou, I don't care what Atobe says. He's lost it if he thinks…." The dark haired boy started toward the piano, obviously intending to help his friend tune, and stopped abruptly. "You're not Kikuchi."
Kaori smiled. "No, I'm not." She played an A.
"Thanks," the violinist said, and began to tune his violin.
"I'm just as glad you're not her," the other boy said in an undertone after a few minutes. "She kept hitting on Choutarou."
The tuning stopped. "Shishido-san!"
"What? She did."
"You don't have to tell everyone."
Kaori laughed softly. "I won't tell anyone."
The violinist smiled. "You don't have to. He's already done it."
Apparently finished tuning, he came closer, peered at the music sitting on the piano, and then smiled at her. "The Devil's Trill? Can you play it?"
"I can."
"Will you accompany me?"
"I'll try. I've never done it before, so I might not be very good."
"It'll be fine," he said.
The long-haired boy moved away, sitting in a chair near the door. Kaori watched the violinist, and at his nod, they began.
It was rough in places, and they had to restart in the middle, but they ended together.
More than one person applauded, and Kaori jerked upright, staring in surprise.
Next to the boy she'd known was there stood her own piano teacher, who strode across the floor to join her on the bench, and a stern looking man.
"What did you think?"
Kaori took a deep breath. "It's very different, accompanying someone," she said. "I wished I'd had a third hand and a pencil so I could mark the places I had trouble. And I can understand why I need to memorize it."
"Play it perfectly first," Hoshino-sensei said, and looked up. "Well, Sakaki, what do you think?"
The man finished what he was saying to the violinist, and turned to them. "She has potential," he agreed. "Can she be ready in four weeks?"
Hoshino-sensei turned to Kaori. "Well? Can you have it perfected and memorized in four weeks?"
Kaori looked at her. "I'll do my best," she said.
Sakaki gazed at her, then nodded sharply. "Play it again."
Hoshino-sensei moved out of her way, although still on the bench, and produced a pencil. Kaori caught the violinist's eyes; he nodded, and they began.
This second run-through went much smoother, and both teachers looked pleased when they finished. "Same time, here, next week," Sakaki said. "I expect improvement." The statement was aimed as much at the violinist as at her; without another word, he strode from the room.
"I will see you tomorrow," Hoshino-sensei said as she rose. "Well done, Kaori-chan."
"Thank you."
She left as well, and Kaori gathered her music up.
"I'm sorry," the violinist said. "My name is Ohtori Choutarou, Hyotei second year. That's Shishido Ryou, my doubles partner."
"Doubles partner?" she asked.
"Tennis," Shishido said.
"Ah. Yazawa Kaori, second year at Jyosei Shonan. I'm glad to meet you."
"I hope you can say that in three weeks," Shishido muttered, winking at her.
"Shishido-san!" Ohtori protested, but he was grinning, and when neither of them explained, Kaori slipped out.
She'd never worked so hard, practicing every spare hour, perfecting, memorizing, and practicing. Each time they met, it sounded better, and finally, the third week, when no one had said anything, she asked what was happening the next week.
Ohtori's eyes widened. "No one's told you?"
Kaori shook her head. "No."
Ohtori glanced at Shishido - she'd never really understood why he came - and then looked back at her. "It's a national competition. I'm one of the finalists."
She stared at him, feeling the blood drain out of her face. "Oh," she managed.
"I thought you knew, you'd been working so hard," Ohtori said apologetically.
"No. So… what should I wear?"
"Do you have a black dress?"
"Yes," she said, and prayed it still fit.
They were going to meet again on Saturday, for a dress rehearsal and for one last practice afterwards, on the stage, and Kaori went home immediately to find out if her dress did fit.
No such luck. But she hadn't grown too much, and she could let out the hem and the waist.
She spent that evening adjusting the dress, and then hung it up to let the material rest a little before she washed it. Finally, Friday night, she took it down and tried it on again.
Much better. And it didn't look too bad, either.
When she got to the rehearsal, Ohtori and Shishido were waiting. Kaori still didn't understand why Shishido even came around, but she wasn't going to say anything. It was nice to have someone else there, to give them feed back, no matter if he thought it was something he didn't do well. Glancing around at the other girls, she approached the two. "Will this be okay?" she asked.
"I told you," Shishido growled at Ohtori. "Sakaki-kantoku is good at coaching tennis, he's good at leading the orchestra, but…."
Ohtori's eyes went huge. "Shishido-san!"
"But what?" Sakaki asked mildly from behind him.
Shishido stiffened, but then turned around to face him. "But you suck at interpersonal stuff, sir. Did you realize that no one told Yazawa-chan what she was doing next week?"
Sakaki regarded Shishido impassively. "What business is that of yours?"
"Choutarou loses points if his accompanist isn't dressed right. It would be good if someone could tell her what she needs to know before it's too late."
Sakaki looked - just looked - at Shishido, and after a moment, Shishido looked away. "I do not need a lecture from you," Sakaki said icily. Then he turned his attention to Kaori. She barely managed not to fidget under his gaze. "However, you may be right. We will address the situation after the rehearsal." He walked off.
Shishido snorted. "Yeah, that'll help."
"Shishido-san," Ohtori said, sounding resigned.
"It's okay," Shishido responded, his eyes on Kaori. "You know what? I've got an idea. Tell Sakaki that I'll take care of everything, okay?"
Ohtori stared at him. "You'll…."
"I'll take care of everything," he repeated. "Yazawa-chan, you just show up next Tuesday, okay? Your dress is fine, it just needs… one little touch." He smiled at her, then turned to his friend. "I'll catch you later, Choutarou. Break a leg, or whatever they say for musicians."
Before she could say a word, he'd run across the foyer and out the door. "Does he always do that?" she asked, turning helplessly to Ohtori.
He shook his head with a laugh. "Yes," he said. "He's… impulsive. Ask him sometime why his hair isn't halfway to his waist by now."
And he refused to answer her questions on the subject.
So, admittedly nervous, she wore her dress to the competition. Ohtori greeted her with a smile. "Nervous?" he asked.
"A little," she smiled. "I'll do fine."
"I have no doubt."
"There you are."
She turned to see Shishido walk toward them, grinning, and had to smile in return. "I thought you weren't going to make it," Ohtori said.
"Oh, I wouldn't miss this," Shishido said, and handed Kaori a small floral box.
Stunned, she opened it, and lifted out a small corsage, a white rose with small spray of baby's breath. "Oh," she said, stunned. "Thank you."
"Do you mind if I pin it on you?"
She looked up, even more stunned. "No, of course not," she said, and gave it to him.
With care - and a skill she didn't think he'd possess, although she wasn't sure why - he pinned it on her right shoulder. Then he stepped back and smiled. "There. Now you look perfect." One eye closed slyly - did he just wink at her again? - and then he turned to Ohtori. "I'd better get to my seat, and you guys should get to yours. I'll see you afterwards."
He walked away. Kaori looked Ohtori, speechless. "Does he do that often?"
Ohtori smiled at her. "No. I'm as surprised as you are."
It was a difficult thing, to put something like that out of her head, but she had to. She played as though a rather coarse, long-haired boy a year older weren't watching her - like it didn't matter that he was watching her.
To say they lost would have been a lie; they came in second place. "Considering that you're pretty much untried, I'd say that's a good job," Ohtori told her as they headed out of the award ceremony to meet Shishido in the foyer. "If you're interested in doing the next competition with me, I think we could come in first."
Kaori looked up at him, stunned. "Really?
"Really," he said, and smiled at her.
"That was awesome," Shishido's shout greeted them as they entered the crowded foyer. "Great job!"
"We didn't win," Ohtori said when he'd joined them.
"Hey. I know how far you've come together. You did great."
"Next time, we'll do better," Kaori said shyly, and Shishido grinned at her.
"Yes," he said, with another sly wink, "you will."
"He's late," Choutarou said with a sigh. "Why is he always late?"
Kaori laughed. "Because he knows you'll wait for him," she teased.
Choutarou shook his head. "I'm not the only one," he teased back. "It's not as if I can go up there and do this alone."
"Sure you can! You've done it before!"
He fixed her with a glare. "Not with you on the program. Do you have any idea what they'd say if I tried?"
Kaori laughed. "Something about being left at the altar again, that your doubles partner stole your accompanist and eloped with her, that…."
Choutarou covered her mouth with his hand, eyes twinkling. "Please! Don't give them any ideas!"
Kaori laughed. "I don't think I need to," she told him.
"Still, you never know who's listening," a familiar voice said, just as she was engulfed by strong arms around her. "It's not nice to talk about someone behind their back."
Kaori turned to face her boyfriend. "It's not nice to keep people waiting," she said, but she smiled. "I'm glad you made it."
Ryou smiled down at her. "I wouldn't miss it." He let her go long enough to produce a floral box, and she took it with a smile.
"I'd feel distinctly strange without this," she said, and opened it.
The arrangement hadn't changed, in the last six years they'd been dating; it was still a simple white rose with a spray of baby's breath -
Only this time, he'd added a small diamond ring, centered perfectly in the rose.
She looked up at him, eyes wide, the smile falling from her face. "Are you sure?" she asked in a very small voice.
"I wouldn't have given it to you, if I wasn't sure," he said, and took the ring from the rose. "Please marry me?"
"Yes," she said even as Choutarou plucked the box from her hand -
thus saving the flower when she threw her arms around her boyfriend - fiancé.
"Yes. I will."
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