She must have been staring at him for at least an hour. Maybe it was more, but he wouldn't ever find out about that. Not about the day before or the day before that either. Ren would never learn her secret.
The melody of his violin drifted through the air, capturing her very being, piercing her down to her soul-her essence. It caressed her gently like the wind, like a lover. She never truly understood why she was drawn to him. She couldn't understand him at all. He was cold. Guarded. Unreachable. And yet, she had been drawn to him like a moth to the flame. Perhaps it was his music that drew her in the most. The poignant notes were raw. True, yet powerful. More powerful than she'd ever known her entire life.
He had never shown his true self to anyone. Not that she had seen. Not knowingly. But it was through those notes that he revealed the secrets of his unfathomable, inner depths. Only she knew them. Only the two of them. He put so much into his violin. It was his release. The notes, the melody, were heartfelt and they intrigued her even now. Hidden in the melody, his emotions overwhelmed her. Only like this. Only as the breeze blew past them softly. Only as the notes, his notes, his voice held in the air. Only then would he show that he was just as human, just as real as she was.
But he would never show the rest of the world that. He hid behind a façade, behind it's sheer coldness and detachment, his only haven his beautiful music. The violin was all he truly knew. He was at ease when he played. He let everything go as his fingertips nimbly danced across the instrument's strings.
Kahoko clutched her own violin tightly within her slender fingers. He inspired her. He made her feel. He'd never know. She touched the strings tenderly, longing to play and release herself as he was right now. She wondered when her love for his music developed into a love for the music's creator. Perhaps it was the first night she caught him in this secret place. The first time she saw him broken and transparent. The first time she saw the chains of his cold mask that were only lifted for the sake of his violin and his music. Tears trailed slowly down her cheeks. He touched her. No one else would see this side of him. Not like she had. Not like now. No one would understand. She needed him.
She whispered softly to herself, to the wind. "If only he knew my secret. If only he knew I was here. If only those notes were for me. If only he'd allow me to reach out to him. If only he knew I cared. If only he knew I loved him. If only face-to-face he'd…"
Deep in thought, she didn't notice the lilting notes cease. She didn't notice the silence. She didn't hear his soft footsteps coming toward her hiding place. She never expected her world to fall apart. She never expected…
"Hino-san?" His masculine voice woke her from her reverie. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him in shock. There was… warmth? In that moment time stood still.
"Play for me."
Without a word to him, she lifted her violin in a silent response and together they began to play a new melody. Perhaps she didn't see that he grew to need to her too.
A/N: To my beloved reviewers. I didn't even ask for reviews &you gave them. You're all amazing. I love you guys. :
