A/N: Hello everyone! So, this is my first fic EVER. I mean, I've tried to do some but I just couldn't like them or didn't have the courage to post them, so they ended up becoming lost garbage in someplace of my old computer that's not even with me anymore.
But this time, I think I'll be able to do a pretty good job. My main language is Spanish so if there's some problem regarding grammar, feel free to tell me, I'll be glad.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Love Live, just this AU fic that kind of blossomed from nowhere after seeing the picture made by Alphonse (Pixiv Id 21848) of Eli and Nozomi playing the violin and cello in some kind of restaurant. (IT'S BEAUTIFUL OMG)
Also, I'm not a pro when it comes to music (I don't know how play any instrument besides the flute and can't even read the charts or whatever) but I'm doing my best to create the story and mini-studying for the music talk and plot to be relevant so… (don't hate me)
Anyway, enjoy! Reviews will be much appreciated!
Chapter 1: A new melody.
The cold autumn breeze caressed my reddened cheeks and nose as I brought up my dark blue scarf to cover my mouth that with every breath of air it made a fairly visible tiny cloud of steam in front of me, as I walked across the somewhat crowded street with my violin case in hand.
I had just finished a while ago my music classes which I attended so earnestly and strictly every day except for Sundays, the only day of the whole week I could probably relax and think of things I wanted to do for myself, but helplessly ended up practicing more because I had nothing else to do.
My life just consisted of music classes and the attempt to achieve the goal my grandmother imposed on me the very first moment she noticed I had the talent needed for music. I have a good ear and I'm also a quick learner, so it's naturally she'd feel the need to take advantage of these traits. She took for granted I was the blessed kid who would accomplish her dream in her place.
But I didn't hate music either. I liked it, and that's why I accepted to become the best violinist in the world. I remember feeling completely amazed by hearing my mom and my grandmother play back when we lived in Russia. They are actually very good music artists and we bear a well-known name in the music world. They have participated in highly difficult competitions and got a lot of prizes and trophies, though no one of us, even me, have ever achieved the goal of becoming number one. The closest I can ever get is second place, and mostly third place. Sometimes I think that maybe I'm just not suited for this, that maybe this isn't what I'm good at, and will never be, even though I like it so much, even though it was my dream. But my family has its faith in me, so I couldn't forgive me if I didn't at least try the best I can.
But now… that dream, or goal that I believed was only mine doesn't feel so deep and complete. It feels taken away. It feels empty.
It doesn't feel like it's mine anymore.
It doesn't feel like I'm the one to have it, but more like a curse that has possessed me. Like I'm the one who is being used to achieve something that I believed was my dream too.
"What do I even want to do now?"
Becoming the victim of this thought attacks once more I just stood still in the middle of the street, which now felt empty given the fact that I was totally immersed in my thoughts about pure existentialism. About what I should really do with my life, and that maybe all I've done until now has been in vain. I felt my shoulders being pushed by the people passing by, probably wondering why the hell was I standing there hampering the way, as I continued to wonder that maybe all my life until now, this last twenty years, have been meaningless. That instead of doing what I believed I wanted to do, I just played the role of a puppet for someone else's dream.
I felt like my sense of purpose was broken apart. Like I was losing everything and that I'd just end up disappearing right in that instant. Almost frozen by the cold, visible breezes that never ceased to lift up my golden hair and made it wave endlessly as the warm colored leaves kept falling from the huge trees whose nearly exposed branches covered up the sky above me.
"What do I really want to do?"
And that's when I heard her.
A stealthily, almost imperceptible sound entered my ear as a quite but curious soothing resonance that broke all my agonizing thoughts. The beautiful melody of a string instrument mesmerized me and woke me up to the world again. Desperately, I started chasing after that music, first looking around me and then suddenly sprinting forwards in pursuit of that harmony. What could it be? Who was the one to produce it? I never heard of something similar. I have come to know so much titles and songs throughout the years of my life but I never heard of such melody. What could this sound possibly be? Dragging me helplessly around the streets, drawn to it like a vulnerable creature that's blindly fallen in love with light. I wanted to know it. I wanted to embrace it and never let it go.
After a few minutes, I ended up in some sort of plaza, panting, in which a huge crowd of people with happy faces building up a human wall looked at something I couldn't see yet: the source of the melody that woke me.
I started making my way through the crowd so I could finally see the person performing such a heart-warming sound, completely unknown to my ears. And as I almost fall over because of tripping with someone else's foot, grabbing hardly with both hands my violin case so that nothing bad happened to it, I was able to meet the person who enlightened me.
I slowly lifted my head, nervous for some reason, but more curious than any of the current viewers, and I found for the first time her emerald eyes shining brightly with love: love for music, sitting on a fountain of water. That sweet curve created with her pink glazed like lips, a piece of art that decorated her smooth-looking beautiful face. And her hair… braided up to the side gracefully. A silky looking purple colored hair. I couldn't help to open my mouth wide.
"What was this feeling? It's the first time I've ever felt this way".
The way she was elegantly sit, with the cello between her long legs covered with a black skirt that reached her just above the knee, her feet using a pair of white gracious low-heels that compounded perfectly with her clothes and figure, moving her arms and fingers in flawless process to make music and endless harmony, her eyes closed and focused on the world that was on her mind, invulnerable, smiling.
It was almost magical, how good she looked.
Soon the crowd started to applause, I, for the second time, was woken up to the real world again. Dumbfounded, I started clapping as well, a little bit clumsily because of the surprise.
The girl put the cello to her side, stood up and bowed, thanking the people around them with a waving hand and bright smile. I felt my cheeks heat up for some reason, but I just brushed it off because I was more concerned of knowing the name of the piece she just finished playing. It seems I was a little bit late, because I watched as the crowd started to disperse as she started to put her things away. She was preparing to leave.
That sole thought knocked me out of my insecurity and made me realize how much I felt I needed to hear it again. And also, I wanted to know her name.
"E-Excuse me!"
"Huh?" She uttered as I approached her raising my hand in sign of stopping her, really, really nervous. I felt almost as nervous as when I performed on my first competition at the age of seven. "What is it?" She asked me ceasing to do everything just to have all of her attention, with a huge warm smile, which actually made me more nervous.
"Oh! Um, It isn't anything important is just that, I-I kind of… well, not kind of! I mean! I actually just really liked the melody and I haven't heard of it or anything so, uh… I was wondering if you know it. W-Well, of course you know it! You just played it perfectly and all but I don't so I just… that."
She just looked at me with a surprised face and even though I felt my whole face burning up as a bonfire up to my ears I didn't even had the power left to run away. How could I possibly ask something as simple as that like THAT? So we just kept looking at each other, me petrified as a rock and red as a freaking tomato and for some reason she just stayed the same, there, analyzing my face and probably entertaining herself at how pathetic of a person I am, for not being able to ask the simplest question of the music world.
But she just laughed. She started laughing non-stop while I was still dumbfounded and confused and blushing like a mad person. How worse could this possible get? I just couldn't believe this was actually happening. Bozhe moy!
"I won't kill you, you know?" She could just barely say while laughing. "You just want the name of the song, right?"
"If you'd be so kind…" I said lowly, bowing down mostly because I wanted to hide my burning hot face.
"Well, unfortunately for you, it doesn't have one…" My face must have had a one hundred and eighty degrees change because she suddenly stopped her awkward giggling and looked at me in more surprise.
"What do you mean it doesn't have one!?" I exclaimed loudly this time.
"Uh… Well, that's because I haven't named it yet…" She said as she smiled at me and blushing a little.
"What!? You made it?"
"Err… Yeah, kind of, well, not kind of". She smiled teasingly at me this time. That made me change back into my shy character again. Was that on purpose? I frowned a little, giving her a tiny glare that made her let out a giggle.
"Then… could you please at least tell me your name? You seem to be a really good cellist".
"Oh, but I'm just a street performer. I'm just known around here because I live in that apartment right there" she said pointing at a really near red building. "I don't enter competitions or anything of the sort. I just like to enjoy my music and this is a really nice and lively place".
"Well, that's such a shame… I'm sure you'd win lots of contests and quickly gain a famous name. You're really talented and… you are really p-pretty too". That last stutter made it all seem so wrong. I wanted to kill myself. Why do you do this to ME, brain!?
I saw her smile.
"Hey, you're not trying to hit on me, are you…?" She said giving me another teasing look, almost perverted this time. I felt another rush of blood dominating my face.
"WHA—! O-Of course I am not!"
"I'm just messing around, geez!" She giggled.
"Well, your sense of humor is a little bit weird." I pouted.
"Aw, come on! It's just that you actually look really funny and cute when you blush!" She laughed.
"WHA—! THERE YOU GO AGAIN!" Even though my objective was the contrary of making her laugh, at some point I thought I didn't mind it that much.
"Hahaha…! Well, anyway… What is your name?" She asked me while stopping laughing and wiping off a tear from her right eye with her hand, which I noticed had the nails neatly painted of a pastel pink color. They looked really good.
I coughed as to compose myself, trying to dissuade the blush on my face.
"I'm Ayase Eli, I'm a violinis—"
"HOLY— WAIT, THAT AYASE ELI?" The look on her face this time wasn't that of simple surprise, but rather that of amazement. I blinked twice in surprise.
"Err… Yeah? As I was saying I'm a violi—"
"YOU ARE AYASE ELI THE VIOLINIST!?"
I glared at her.
"Yes".
"Wow, so that's why you looked familiar! I can't believe you are such a dork".
I glared intensely at her this time.
"I would have slapped you with my violin but let's pretend I didn't hear anything". She laughed, again. "Also… what do you mean I look familiar?"
"Oh no, It's just that a few years ago I saw you playing your violin in some concert aired on the TV and I thought that you were amazing, so amazing and graceful and beautiful!" I blushed and looked to the side for a second. "…really beautiful".
"I know you are doing that on purpose".
"What?" She asked me as giving me the most innocent look ever.
"Ugh… never mind".
"Anyway! When I saw you, I thought that I could really become a good cellist. Because you looked like you were a really hard worker and at that time I wasn't having such a good time with my music, so I was thinking of leaving it behind. But you inspired me to be who I am now, while playing my instrument…" I noticed a little bit of pink on her cheeks, and her teasing look changed to another one. I think it was one of gratefulness. "I wanted to thank you".
"Y-You… don't have to really. I mean, I'm just doing what I—" I suddenly realized that I was going to say 'what I want' and I felt confused. I started remembering my struggle of some minutes earlier and I also noticed her giving me a more concerned but almost imperceptible look. "…what I like." I finished my sentence giving her a smile and she gave me one as well in return. "Anyway, I should probably go now, err… Huh? You still haven't told me your name!"
"Tojo Nozomi" She smiled.
For some reason, I felt my heart get really warm and fuzzy when she said her name. Maybe because that was the moment that name was craved inside of my soul completely, her name.
"Nozomi…" I thought out loud. She looked surprised.
"Well, aren't you quite the bold one?" She said teasing me once again.
"Ugh! Come on, I just- I said it to remember it. I didn't even think about it!"
I heard her laugh as she turned away to grab her things, making me pout again. She was really an exhausting person. But… even though she was, I realized that it had been a while since I felt so relaxed, and felt like I was actually having fun. I smiled at that thought, still looking at her back. Suddenly, I caught myself looking at her hair again, the way it shined brightly. Given that her braid was to the side, a little bit of her nape was shown, and I felt my cheeks getting redder again. I turned my view to the side, wondering what the hell was happening to me all of a sudden, having all these weird thoughts in mind about a girl I just met. Then, I realized as well that she wasn't wearing a scarf, and the weather was pretty cold.
"Uh, Tojo-san, aren't you cold?" I asked her as she just finished packing her instrument in the case.
"What? Ah, that's right. I left my scarf in my apartment. Well, technically I lost it hehe… But it doesn't really matter that much. It's right there so don't worry"
"Would you like me to help you carry that?" I said pointing at her cello. "It must be heavy"
"Oh, no don't worry, I've got thi—"
"I'll lend you my scarf so you won't get any colder. I'm okay because I lived in Russia. Also, let me help you" I said as I put down my violin.
Practically snatching away her instrument from her arms I settled it on my back and took my violin again. I made sure not to look at her while doing this because she'd obviously give me a teasing look and I'd get all flustered once more. But when I was all packed I remembered that I forgot to give her the scarf.
"Uh… that's right I'll give you the scarf now"
"You don't have to"
"No, really, please just… accept it. It'd made me look like an idiot if you don't. I don't really care about the cold weather. Come on, I'll give it to you now, just give me one sec—"
I suddenly felt both of her hands reach out to me from both sides of my head, almost as if she were to embrace me, or put her arms around my neck. That's what I thought at first glance. Moreover, just a tiny moment ago she was at a reasonable distance and now she just got so close to me I could actually feel her sweet scent. Not only her hair looked beautiful but its fragrance was mesmerizing as well. I just paralyzed. I stood there, while she seemingly slowly took my scarf off me and put it on her neck, without increasing the distance between us. Then she looked up to me, hypnotizing me with those big emerald eyes, looking at me intensely, making me blush.
But this time, it wasn't just me. She was blushing as well. Or at least, that's what I thought.
"Thank you" she said as she smiled at me, staying right there looking into my eyes just for a few seconds more, before rapidly snatching my violin from my hand this time. "But I'll be the one to look like an idiot if I let you carry everything so at least spare me this".
I giggled.
"Sure"
A/N: Ok, that was the first chapter. I reaaaally hope it turned out okay, because I just made it today and and and… I dunno. Save me.
Also, I kind of plan to do this a relatively long fic, but I don't know if I can actually do that so… I have a lot of scenes in my head yet that I don't know HOW THE HELL TO CONNECT. And that's a problem because it slows everything down and I'm busy with school work too. Goddamit.
I'm on vacation two weeks from now so whatever.
I hope you like it! (: And I hope to finish the second chapter soon too hehe.
NOZOELI FTW!