After giving Vivi her requested lunch—Coq au Vin and Gâteau au Chocolat Fondant de Nathalie—Sanji disappointedly walked out of the dance room. He wanted to watch the gracefulness of Vivi while she practiced for her first performance as part of the Ballet club, but that bizarre transgender instructor insisted that there should be no outsiders.
"Stupid swan crossdresser", Sanji muttered as he strode along the stairs of College of Music and Dance. Within three years of being a student at Grand University, he only visited the maze-like building thrice, but of course he already knew his way around. He's not like that stupid muscle head, after all.
Since it was Saturday, and only few classes were being held on this day of the week, most classrooms were empty. The entire building was generally hushed, free from chattering noises of college students during regular class days.
But as he descended towards the second floor, he heard a piano music echoing on the background.
He stopped, and he tried to determine the direction of the source. The music was so captivating that he found his feet taking steps, following every tune. He turned right, without haste, until he reached the end of the corridor.
There he found a room, with its wooden door slightly open. He stood there for a few seconds, listening intently without making a noise, until the music stopped. Then he heard a grunt.
A grunt, from a male voice, that was somewhat familiar.
Sanji tensed up, his mind recollecting where he had heard that grunt before. At the back of his head he knew the owner of the grunt; or rather, the one with the similar grunt as the man inside the room. But there was no way that dumbass would be the one playing those hypnotic notes, right? He was sure Zoro was already at the university gym, lifting weights and preparing for his Kendo training.
The man inside the room started playing the piano again, repeating the piece he was playing a while ago. Even without seeing, Sanji could imagine those meticulous hands pressing the ivory keys. He could feel the gentleness of the man's hands just by listening to his music. Unlike those calloused hands. Those hands, gripping the bamboo sword with strength and dignity…
Sanji shrugged those unnecessary thoughts forming in his head and let curiosity got the best of him. He decided to peek discreetly inside. He could see the lid of the piano, although the man was still out of sight. But before he could successfully see the pianist behind the sublime music, a scream from his back broke his cover.
"Saaanjiiiiiii!"
Sanji quickly glanced back and closed the door out of surprise. He saw his freshman friend running towards him.
"Luffy! Why do you always have to shout?!" He said in a loud whisper. "And what are you doing here?"
The pianist seemed to be startled, too, as he accidentally hit the wrong keys. This produced a loud noise that made Sanji cringe even further.
"Oh, sorry," the younger teen said, chuckling. "I'm gonna see Brook. What are you doing here?"
"I gave Vivi a lovely lunch. And no, don't ask if I made one for you."
Luffy pouted. "How rude. Oh well, I already ate. But why are you standing in front of this room?"
He paused for a moment before answering the question. He felt embarrassment, recognizing that the man inside already knew he was listening, thanks to the idiot in front of him. The man probably learned his name, too, if he heard Luffy right.
Sanji placed his ear against the wooden door, hoping to hear him play again, but no music came out of the room. He heard some indistinguishable sound, but that was it. Maybe the pianist got pissed. The thought made Sanji roll his eyes. "Well, I was peacefully listening to the piano music until you came here."
"Oh. Why don't you just enter, then?" Luffy said, already barging into the room. Even if Sanji tried to stop him, it was already too late.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, there was no one inside. The pearl white grand piano occupied the corner of the room, seemingly undisturbed.
"Strange," Sanji said, bewildered. "I am sure there's someone here playing the piano a while ago."
"Maybe it was a ghost," Luffy remarked with no hint of humor on his face.
Sanji looked around. It was a well-lit room with carpeted floor. Large string instruments were leaning on one side of the cream-painted wall. Near the piano stood an enormous wooden cabinet, which was surrounded by a few percussion instruments. They were scattered in a messy way. He looked for another door, thinking the man got out through there, but found none.
"Maybe it really is a ghost," Sanji amused himself, still confused as to where the mysterious pianist had gone into. Maybe he vanished into thin air, like water turned into a vapor. Or maybe he's hearing things. But no, what he heard was real. The music and that grunt, they were all real, Sanji was sure.
He approached the grand piano and randomly pressed some keys. Luffy then grabbed a small metallic xylophone—or rather, the glockenspiel (Sanji remembered Zoro correcting him once, that bastard)—and hit the metal bars with precision. He immediately got bored and decided to leave the room. He said Brook's office was located on the west corridor of the same floor, and Sanji could come if he wanted to.
Sanji was about to leave and follow Luffy when he noticed a piano sheet resting on the music rack. It was a seemingly simple piece, although he doubted he could read the notes. He looked at the title and recognized the words.
"La fille aux cheveux de lin, by Claude Debussy." Sanji stated with expertise. Of course he knew his French. He also remembered studying Debussy back on his high school music class, but he was unfamiliar of his works.
Below the title is its English translation: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair. But what really caught Sanji's attention was the word 'Girl', roughly crossed out by a black sign pen. The word 'Guy' was bluntly written below it.
"The Guy with the Flaxen Hair?" Sanji couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He replaced the 'girl' with 'guy'. That's weird. Could the pianist be dedicating this to a certain guy? With a flaxen hair?
He couldn't explain why, but the feeling of connection between him and the piano piece became stronger. He had felt it right from the start, that moment when he heard the piano music resounding on the empty hallway. So he decided he had to look for the pianist. He had to hear him play again.
He stared deeply at the piano sheet, thinking what to do. Rationality leaving his brain, he opened his leather clutch bag, took a second look at the sheet, and carefully placed it inside the bag. He believed that this would be his access towards the pianist. What I'm doing was stealing, right? But it's just a piano sheet. The man could print another one. But what if it has a sentimental value on him?
Oh well, I can pretend he found it somewhere, and I'm just returning it. Then ask him to play it for me.
Perfect.
He really couldn't understand why, but he found himself grinning.
I have to find that mysterious pianist no matter what, he thought to himself as he exited the room, closing its wooden door.
Little did he know that that mysterious pianist was actually hiding inside the wooden cabinet, not wanting to be seen especially by Sanji. The man cautiously stepped outside, returned the scattered instruments back in the cabinet, and looked for his piano sheet only to find it gone. So he kept it, huh? He didn't mind. He wouldn't need it anyway, because he already memorized it. And he could easily print another just in case. But he had to perfect the piece for it was dedicated for somebody.
Seeing his watch pointing to 12:35 p.m., he decided to end his piano practice for the day. He still had another training to do.
He slowly peeked outside and left the room as soon as Sanji was out of sight.
"Yohohohoho! I never expected you to visit me here." Brook said towards Sanji with his typical eccentric energy. He gave a cup of homebrewed Earl Grey tea for Sanji and Swiss Miss hot chocolate for Luffy.
"Oh, I saw him peeking on someone at the end of East wing." Luffy exclaimed without realizing there's something wrong on what he said.
"Peeking, huh? Yohohohoho!" As usual, Brook was perceptive on the wrong things. "Have you seen some panties?"
"Shut up! Unfortunately, that's not it." It was Sanji's first time to be at Brook's office. Professor Brook Humming was actually one of the most respected and competent faculties in the College of Music and Dance—much to Sanji's surprise—and he had an office of his own. Sanji looked around the music professor's office, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw a bare skeleton at the corner. Just like Brook, it had an afro. "Geez, are you that lonely that you settle on doing that on a pitiful skeleton?"
"Ah, that. Well, that's not for that, you pervy kid. It's a gift from one of my classes. And don't call it pitiful."
Sanji slowly took a sip of his tea. It was different from the green tea Brook always served at his home (it was the marimo's favorite), but it had the right full taste, as expected. Brook, aside from being a musical genius, also had an exceptional standard on tea. "Whatever. Anyhow, why is Luffy visiting you in your office?"
Luffy placed his half-empty cup of hot chocolate on a small table beside his seat. "I always visit him here. Besides, Brook's gonna give me something."
"Oh, right." Brook opened the drawer on his desk and took a small white envelope. He gave it to Luffy. "It's a VIP ticket; the Piano Department will have its week-long fund-raising concert, which will start this Monday. Virtuoso pianists: alumni, professors, and selected students will perform a classical piece of their choice."
Luffy opened the envelope and took out the ticket. Sanji leaned towards Luffy and looked at it keenly. It was, indeed, a VIP ticket, which means having a reserved seat in front, on a location where one can see the pianist's hands. It was given to people related to the performers and university high officials, although anyone could have it in a slightly high price. But it was limited only. The ticket was scheduled next Saturday, five p.m.
"As I said, it's a week-long event—or six-day event to be exact—but I know you'll be more interested going on that day. But you can go on the entire concert if you want." Brook paused, burped a little too loud, and sipped on his tea. "I won't be able to give you another VIP ticket, though. It's kind of limited."
Luffy put the ticket back in the envelope and placed it inside his sling bag. He took another gulp of his hot chocolate, emptying the cup. "It's alright. Can I have another cup?"
Brook stood up and took the cup from Luffy's extended arms.
Sanji couldn't help feeling envious. He had little interest in classical music (he was more into jazz), but he could appreciate good music—especially if that meant hearing the same enthralling music again and seeing the man behind it.
"How about me? You won't invite me?" Sanji asked, disappointment obvious in his voice.
Brook blankly stared at Sanji, blinked twice, and poured hot water on Luffy's cup.
"You… have not yet received an invitation?"
"Well, obviously."
"Yohohohoho! I see." Brook gave the hot chocolate to Luffy and went back to his leather seat. "Oh well, don't worry; I'll try my best to get another VIP ticket for you. You can get it here on Monday or Tuesday."
"Thanks. By the way," Sanji paused, thinking if how he should ask Brook about the man without being weird. "Just like Luffy said, I was peeking—or rather, listening—to someone at East wing. I heard him playing La fille aux cheveux de lin on the piano. Do you have an idea who that is?"
"Hmm… The Girl with the Flaxen Hair," Brook tried to think as he took a sip of tea. "An impressionistic music filled with colorful harmonies. Anyone who studies Piano could probably play that, you know. It's hard to guess. Anyway, you said him. So it's a man, I see. Yohohoho, so you really do swing that way, huh?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's a man, so what? I just like the way he plays the piano," Sanji annoyingly said. He was about to give up asking Brook when suddenly an idea came across his mind. "The concert… Right! Will anyone play that on the concert?"
"As far as I know, no. The only Debussy composition that will be played is Clair de Lune. The pianist is a she, though—a lovely brunette—not a he."
"I see." Disappointed, Sanji opened his clutch bag and took out the piano sheet. He stared at it like it contained all his aspirations and dreams.
"What's that," Brook inquired.
Sanji showed the professor the piano sheet.
A mysterious smile suddenly appeared on Brook's face. So he knew something.
"I think I already figured it out, Sanji-san."
There he is again, using Japanese honorifics. Brook is not even Japanese. Sanji knew a certain Japanese guy—well, half Japanese—who didn't use even a single honorific to anyone. But that was because that someone was a shithead who didn't know what being polite meant. So he wondered why Brook insisted on using such honorifics.
"Really? Then who is he? Will he be playing at the concert?" Sanji said, with a hint of excitement visible to his ocean blue eyes.
"Yes, he will." Brook settled down his empty tea cup. "But it's better to meet him personally. Who knows, a love might spark between you two. Yohohoho!"
Sanji wanted to roll his eyes, but he couldn't, because it's true that he wanted to meet the man. But that's only because of the way he plays the piano. Nothing more. Someone has already occupied his heart—of course, he would never admit it—but that was another story.
"You definitely should watch the Saturday concert, VIP or not," Brook continued. "But like I said, I'll try my best to get another VIP ticket. It's better to be seated in front. Though I am pretty sure someone already has a ticket for you."
Sanji raised an eyebrow. "Someone? What do you mean?"
Brook just smiled and didn't answer the question, much to Sanji's annoyance. He let it pass, though. What mattered is that he was sure he would meet the mysterious pianist this Saturday. VIP or not, it didn't matter. He just wanted to hear the man play again.
Sanji glanced at the antique wall clock hanging at the wall behind Brook and realized it was past one p.m. He was already late on his kickboxing training. "Shit, I'm late. Anyway, thanks for the information." He swiftly kept the music sheet in his bag and ran through the door.
"And yeah, thanks for the tea. It was good, as always." And then he was gone.
Luffy again placed his empty cup on the small table and relaxed himself on his seat. "I don't get it," he said.
"Get what?"
"Why is Sanji so frantic to know the pianist he's talking about, anyway? I was sure it's just a ghost."
Brook couldn't help but felt amused. This is Luffy-san after all. "Ghost? Yohohoho! Scary to be true." He opened his drawer and gave Luffy a pamphlet. "But maybe that guy just hid inside that dusty old cabinet. You know he doesn't want to be seen."
Luffy skimmed at the elegantly styled pamphlet. It contained the details of the concert and the line-up of performances each day. As he then turned on the page of the Saturday line-up, a realization dawned upon him.
"Oh, I get it!" He laughed. "They are both idiots."
"True." Brook chuckled, too. "But don't let Sanji-san see that, okay? It will ruin the surprise.
"And that's why Sanji-san is so drawn to his music. Sometimes, two hearts connect in most mysterious ways! He doesn't know that yet, but he will. On that Saturday. Yohohoho!"
It was Robin who gave Sanji a ticket.
He was not disappointed, of course. Because, one, the ticket was a VIP one, and was scheduled on Saturday. Perfect. Two, it was the exquisite Ms. Robin who gave him the ticket. How thoughtful of her; I'll make sure to prepare her an elegant meal, he mentally noted. And third, he was totally not expecting that the shithead would be the one who'd invite him. That idiot would probably not appreciate those kinds of concert, so why would he invite Sanji to watch one, right?
He puffed on his remaining cigarette, squeezed it, and threw it on the ashtray. Then he lit another. He was thankful at the College of Human Kinetics' administration for providing smoking areas inside its building (or what most students at the university refer to as the gym).
One of the said areas was located on the second floor balcony, beside the training room for Kendo, where he could see the marimo training profusely through the glass-covered window. Of course, he'd been at this specific smoking area a lot of times. He needed to smoke. And other reasons.
As usual, the idiot wasn't wearing the proper training clothes again. No breast plates and other safety gears. Well, he was training with nobody—it's past six p.m. and beyond his Thursday training time—and he's overdoing himself again.
While he watched Zoro thrust the bamboo sword like an expert, the piano piece reverberated on his mind. Then he closed his eyes.
He imagined what the hands of the mysterious pianist looked like. Do pianists have muscular hands, too? He viewed them as gentle and scrupulous, with long and slender fingers. But in order to play difficult piano pieces, you need to have strong hands, right? Hands full of control, just like when you're striking with your swords. With power and precision…
"Hey, curlybrows…"
I wonder if a swordsman could play a piano, too.
"Hey!"
Sanji, startled, opened his eyes and saw Zoro waving his calloused hand in front of his face.
"Tsk. Are you sleeping or what?"
"Oh. It's you." Sanji puffed on his cigarette, aiming the smoke on Zoro's face.
"Bastard," Zoro said, coughing. "What was that for?!"
"For disturbing me."
"Whatever. What are doing here?"
"Smoking. If it's not that obvious."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "There's another one below."
True, there's another one on the first floor, the same floor where the kickboxing room was located.
Sanji leaned forward on the metal railing, and puffed another smoke. "It's quieter here."
Zoro wiped the remaining sweat on his face and neck and loosened his keikogi. Then he also leaned forward on the metal railing, beside Sanji. "So, you're going to watch this Saturday?"
Sanji opened his mouth, dropping the cigarette below. Luckily there was no one on the first floor smoking area. "Do you mean… the concert this Saturday?"
"Why, got other plans?"
"No, no, no. I was just surprised that a dumbass like you will be interested on classical music." It's true. He never expected Zoro to be interested on the concert.
"What was that, shit cook?"
Shit cook. As much as Sanji appeared to be annoyed by that name, he's secretly glad that Zoro was acknowledging him as a cook. Technically he's not a cook, yet, but knowing Zoro thought of him that way made him happy.
"Robin gave me a ticket. Of course I will watch."
A small smile appeared on Zoro's face. Unfortunately, Sanji wasn't able to catch it.
"How about you, marimo?"
"I heard Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 will be played on that day."
"Pshhh. So what?"
"You're telling I'm dumb to know classical music but clearly, it's you who don't know anything." Zoro smirked, giving Sanji a challenging look.
"Shut up," Sanji said. Maybe he was underestimating Zoro, after all. "Mozart is popular; of course you'd know him. Name other composers—aside from Beethoven—and maybe I'll be convinced you know something about classical music."
"I'm no show-off, unlike you."
"I'm no show-off, shithead."
"Got any piece you like?"
Sanji tried to think of a favorite, but he couldn't think of another.
"La fille aux cheveux de lin," was all he could think of.
A few seconds of silence then Zoro bursted into laugther.
"What was funny about that?!" Sanji was now mad. It's either Zoro didn't know the piece or he was mocking him. That bastard.
"I bet you just heard that a few days ago."
Sanji gulped. "How did you…"
Zoro continued laughing. Now it was obvious he was mocking Sanji.
"Brook or Luffy told you, didn't they?"
"About what? Your mystery pianist crush?"
Sanji's cheeks were in deep red because of embarrassment. Or maybe anger, because Zoro was being sassy about it. He's not my crush, you idiot. I already like someone. But of course a thickhead like you would never know that.
But he had to control himself; he needed to fight back.
"Jealous?"
Uh-oh. That was not exactly the retort he was looking for. But fuck it; at least it would make the shitty mosshead feel embarrassed, too.
But it did not.
Zoro just stared at him, without any expression on his face. Sanji couldn't read what he was thinking.
"Of course I'm not jealous," Zoro said stoically after a few seconds. After that he stepped out of the balcony, leaving Sanji alone and confused.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?!" Sanji shouted, motionless. He tried to grab Zoro, but he couldn't move.
"See you this Saturday," was all Zoro said, without looking back at Sanji. Unknown to the other man, he was smiling.
And there Sanji was, left dumbfounded by the bastard swordsman.
"I will never understand him." Sanji took out his metal cigarette case from his pocket, but it was already empty.