This was the sixth television that Shuyin's passed by today that was playing Lenne and he just stood there, watching her, reenforcing his point on how he didn't feel anything as he watched her sing. Even though that was the truth, he couldn't deny how beautiful she was. Long, straight, brunette hair dangling all the way to her back, big and bright brown eyes that this television wasn't able to capture. In the performance he was watching he saw those bead earrings again and wondered if she always wore them? The violet lipstick was new in this video; Shuyin didn't remember her wearing that last time.

In every concert she wore the same songstress dress, a blue top with white frills and a laced black miniskirt with brown knee-high boots and blue forearm adornments. It's like she didn't have any other outfit despite being rich and famous. Who was Shuyin to talk though? He wore the uniform to every one of his blitzball games and during practice and he had at least eight pairs of his favorite outfit.

What was he doing again? Every time Shuyin saw her on television or on a poster he would forget his train of thought and just stand and stare at her. It was her beauty; that's why people loved her so much. The first time Shuyin saw her in concert he wanted nothing more than to leave after the first song. The noises and lights bothered him, her lyrics were empty although her voice was pleasant to listen to. He remembered just watching her moving around and dancing, blocking out the sound. He never saw another one of her concerts after that and he thought he never would... until today. Why did he keep stopping?

"Where was I going again?" Shuyin asked himself as he scratched the back of his hat.

Beach! That's right, the beach! To practice his swimming! Although the next game wasn't for another week, Shuyin had to stay in practice. They had their own watersphere and everything to practice in at their stadium; the chances were that his whole team was probably there right now and Shuyin didn't want to listen to them talk about their parties and scores from last night. So the beach was the perfect place for him; no one really went since the war with Bevelle happened. Too scared about a random raid attack happening most likely.

It didn't bother Shuyin as much; when it was his time it was his time. Until then he was just going to do what he did. He had no input on this war, he couldn't care more or less about it; Zanarkand, Bevelle, he didn't care who won. So he might have been voting for Zanarkand just because he lived here, but what he really wanted was for this war to stop just like everyone else did.

The beach had a few children who probably ditched school and came here without their parents knowing. Shuyin took a deep breath and started his stretches. After getting warmed off he threw off his shirt and shoes, taking off his accessories as well before getting into the water. He loved how the water made everything silent once going underneath it. Everything was calm, quiet, just like the waves. He wasn't training like he should have been, instead he was letting the waves move him and cast him aside.

He think he took a nap in the water, which wasn't uncommon to him, because when he woke up he didn't spot the kids at the beach anymore. He didn't recognize the buildings in the distance and saw rocks and ridges all over the coast which weren't there before; the waters must have drifted him away.

"I got to stop doing that," Shuyin told himself as he started swimming to land.

There was actually someone there, dancing. Shuyin slowed down his pace as he watched this mysterious person move near the waves, kicking up water as she moved her staff. Staff? It was a staff. A summoner? In Zanarkand? The closer Shuyin got the more he was able to make out. A female, beautiful long hair, a simple black and white kimono.

He was taken for a surprise when he got close enough and made out the face.

"So you're not only Zanarkand's favorite songstress, but a summoner as well?" He asked.

Lenne froze in her performance and turned around, seeing the last person she ever expected to see in these beaches coming out of the water.

"Although it is kind of making sense now, you did cast some magic on me last night. Fancy meeting you here." Shuyin grinned.

Lenne took in his wet hair covering his eyes, his chest bare and showing everything as drops of water slid down it. She felt an emotion again. Her heart felt strange as she stared, no, gawked could be the word, her cheeks flaring up.

"Hello stupid jerk," she mumbled tearing her eyes away.

She could still see him though; the dirty sand blonde hair, the wide blue eyes, how his pants were sagging because of the water revealing a perfectly chiseled out V with his hips from his pants line.

"Hello to you too Ms. No Real Emotion." Shuyin insulted right back.

Lenne turned to glare, she sighed out gently though and dug her staff into the sands.

"I have a towel you can use if you want," she said lightly.

"Oh? No yelling or screaming today? Was that just a one night thing?" Shuyin teased with wide eyes.

Lenne frowned and bowed her head, "I'm sorry about that; I was worked up from being harassed last night and didn't meant to take it out on you."

Shuyin's eyes stayed wide as he blinked them, "er-um... I thought I finally met the real Lenne last night, but this is new. What's happening? Are you giving another performance?"

Lenne looked up and glared; Shuyin grinned seeing such a thing. She bent down and threw her towel at him, Shuyin allowing it to hit his face so she could feel somewhat satisfied. While he wiped his hair and chest off, Lenne settled herself on the sand and didn't care about her kimono getting dirty. She stared out into the ocean as Shuyin walked over and sat next to her, the staff settling between them.

"I was being serious, the summoner thing is new. What's that about?"

Lenne was quiet. So she didn't want to talk? That worked just fine for Shuyin. He didn't even know why he was talking to her in the first place actually. He wrapped the towel around his neck and leaned back, letting his arms support him as he stared of into the distant with her.

"My father was a summoner." She mumbled softly.

Shuyin didn't say anything, he nodded like he was listening though.

"He taught me a few things, my mother wanted me to be a songstress though. Every now and then I come out here to practice my moves away from her..."

"It was nice, real pretty. It was like the water was dancing around you." Shuyin told her.

Lenne smiled lightly as she looked over, "is that actually a compliment I'm getting from Mr. No Emotion guy?"

"Hey, that's my nickname," Shuyin said, his cheeks turning a small red as he stared at her.

Really beautiful. Really, really, beautiful.

"Do you know you're really beautiful?" He asked her.

It was Lenne's turn to blush now, she kept his gaze though, "thank you."

"Do you think that's why so many people love you?"

She glared now, her blush fading as she pushed him over. Shuyin yelped as he fell into the sand, ready to tell her another insult or call her another name until he saw her face. Lenne pulled her knees to her chest and placed her chin on top of them, frowning.

"It might be. I couldn't sleep at all last night because of what you said." She whispered.

Shuyin blinked, finally feeling bad about something, "don't tell me you actually took it to heart? Aren't you famous? Hundreds of people should tell you bad things a day, I never listen when someone tells me I suck at blitzball."

"Because it isn't the truth, what you told me was though... I don't know why my lyrics don't have emotion. I write what I can and people love it but... why am I telling you all of this? I hardly know you," Lenne frowned deeper before getting up.

She didn't bother dusting the sand off her as she grabbed her staff and started walking off. Shuyin watched her backside as she left before kicking up sand to go after her.

"Wait a second! Your towel!" He called out.

"Keep it, I don't mind."

"Wait, Lenne!" He called out grabbing her hand.

Lenne turned back and blue clashed with brown. Shuyin felt his hand electrify, he didn't let go of her hand though, no, he held it even tighter.

"I-... do you want to hang out?" He asked lamely.

Lenne blinked at him softly, "I don't know what you're trying to achieve, but if you think I'm an easy lay or into things like that you're wrong."

"I don't think that, not at all." Shuyin confessed honestly.

"Then what do you want from me? You said it yourself, I'm beautiful but can't sing and you can't stand me. Why else would you talk to me if you didn't want something from me?" She asked.

"Hey, I never said I can't stand you. I'm not like the other blitzball stars if that's what you're comparing me too, I don't do those kind of things. I believe in love and romance and the whole sha-bang. The reason I'm stopping you and asking you out is because... I guess I just want to hang out with you."

Lenne lowered her staff and looked at their joint hands, "could you?"

"Oh, sorry," Shuyin mumbled dropping her hand.

She took a silent breath, "I have singing practice right now, I'm supposed to be at singing practice right now," she mumbled the second part.

"I don't mind sitting through that," he answered.

"You don't like my music though," Lenne said staring at him.

"But I do like your voice, it's beautiful just like your face."

He couldn't believe he just said that. Lenne smiled lightly before turning around, continuing her walk along the beach. Like always without answer or question, Shuyin followed after her completely forgetting about his clothes on the beach; it wasn't like it was his favorite outfit or anything.

Lenne's singing instructor rose an eyebrow at Shuyin, but didn't say anything as she got started on her job. Shuyin sat in a chair at the corner of the room, his eyes slowly drifting close as her voice lulled her to sleep.

Lenne had never met a man such as him as she watched him sleep when her practice was over. It was weird, but she felt emotions he spoke of whenever he was around. It was too bad that she couldn't know him for very long, maybe once she came back from her Pilgrimage though and they could catch up again... maybe.


"We would be considered friends, right?" Shuyin asked the next day as they went out to lunch.

Lenne hummed lightly as she took her eyes off of the menu, "why do you ask?"

"I just want to know before I offer to pay for the meal."

He laughed while she nudged her shoulder against his.

"Get us a whole pizza, extra cheese, extra veggies, and extra pineapples please," Shuyin ordered placing money on the counter.

"Order up!" The cashier yelled out.

"The whole thing? Who's going to eat all of that?" Lenne asked him gently.

"I burn off a lot of calories, fast metabolism. I'm sorry, did you want something?" Shuyin teased her.

Lenne frowned and turned her head away from him; Shuyin chuckling. He grabbed a hold of her shoulder and directed her one of the tables outside, readjusting the glasses and hat on her head that proudly said Zanarkand Abes that he had let her borrow when she met up with him without much of a disguise on.

"So what's this I hear about your final concert coming up soon?" Shuyin asked.

"Just that, it's about to be my 18th birthday and I made a promise to my father that I would start my Pilgrimage as a summoner the same age he did." Lenne explained.

Shuyin hummed, "and your mother is just okay with that?"

"There's nothing she can do about it, it's my choice."

"Are you excited? Scared? I hear Pilgrimages are long and tough, you travel from temple to temple right praying to Aeons?"

Lenne nodded, "you're very knowledgeable about summoners. Was someone in your family a summoner?"

"No, I pick up on things I hear though and things on the news. Wow, so your last concert in probably what, a year? Since we're friends now I might actually go." Shuyin laughed.

Lenne ignored his last comment and went to his previous questions, "I'm a little nervous, that's not what I'm worried about though. Usually a summoner has Guardians to accompany them on their journey, I don't have anyone like that though."

"Well I'm sure you can hirer people for that, either that or you'll meet some on the way." Shuyin told her.

"You're probably right, I have this problem with being alone though. After my father died in the war my mother was always busy working and supporting us and I just... I didn't like the feeling... why am I telling you this? Is this a trick you play? I'm finding myself telling you a lot of things about myself only knowing you for three days." Lenne asked.

"It's no trick. If it makes you feel any better I'm happy you're telling me things; you don't have to worry about being alone. You'll never be alone; aren't you a summoner? Don't you know our departed are always with us?" Shuyin asked with a kind smile.

Emotion. Shuyin heard his number being called out and went to go get the pizza, his hand dragging off of hers. Lenne couldn't help but feel something as she pulled out a pen from her bag and started writing words on a napkin. It wasn't much, but it was something. She placed it back into her bag before Shuyin came back with a square box, opening it up and releasing the steam of delicious scents all having something to do with cheese.

"You've eaten pizza before, right?" Shuyin asked looking up at her.

"Of course, not really good for a girl's figure though," Lenne mentioned grabbing a slice.

"Since you're about to retire you don't have to worry about that anymore, so dig in." Shuyin said.

She did just that, humming a small tune in her head to match her lyrics.