Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters. I also don't own the song "Reflection" by Jim Brickman. By the way, when that scene comes up, listen to the song. I have a few instrumental, piano songs in this story that definitely sets the mood. But just so you have an idea of what's going on and what the characters are hearing. :) This story gets a lot of its emotion through the music. Happy reading and listening!
It felt like he was working with a phantom. Two weeks had passed since Hiei had held auditions for his play and he had yet to get in touch with Botan. He used to pass her randomly in the halls of the cultural arts building, but they did not cross paths. Even visiting his sister's apartment didn't help. Botan was never home when he showed up.
If Hiei had actually taken time to consider this phantasmal behavior, he would have realized that Botan was avoiding him. Instead, he grew irritated and ended up leaving the script with Yukina to give to her roommate. Along with that, he demanded Botan show up in the auditorium in two weeks to begin rehearsal. Why was he waiting that long? Well, he was still trying to get in touch with someone to write the music for the play. There was hardly anyone out there, though, that he would trust to match the mood set by his plotline.
He had gotten in touch with someone he had known a long time ago that had been a producer, yet he didn't trust him fully. Shigure was one of the few who had helped him get off the street, yet he was just as dangerous. Hiei had placed a call, but if Shigure gave him a price, including copping in on his deal, he would figure something else out.
That he wouldn't let happen, not with something so personal to him.
Botan had arrived home after she was freed from her music theory course. She had managed to get out of the building through a "secret exit" she came across in her avoidance of Hiei.
She still couldn't believe that he cast her in his play. The whole ordeal was unbelievable. When Hiei had shown up at hers and Yukina's apartment, he didn't seem thrilled with her. He accidentally heard her singing, and now she was the only one he wanted starring in the play alongside him. She didn't even know what the story was about. Of course, she knew he had been wanting to give her the script.
Eventually, she'd have to face him. There was no way to evade him forever, especially living with his sister. He wanted her in his play. Hiding for a while would not change that. Something told Botan that Hiei would not give up without a fight regarding anything that he wanted. She'd have to surrender eventually. For now, though, she was putting it off.
Releasing a sigh, she placed her bag on the table and noticed a large manuscript titled "Spaces." She wondered if Yukina had been working on a new book. The teal-haired girl wasn't around, and Botan's curiosity took over. She decided to check out the passage.
She was surprised to see the story in script form, but it was possible that it was Yukina's specialty. It was about a love story with a girl named Hope and how she had captured the attention of a man named Preston. It seemed like Preston was the main character for the most part. Botan didn't even get through half of the book when Yukina exited her bedroom. Their eyes met, and Yukina smiled at Botan who said to her, "This is really good."
"I'm glad you like it," Yukina replied. "Hiei hasn't gotten to talk to you yet, but his play is about how our parents met and their story."
Shock was visible on Botan's face at the many revelations, including the fact that she wasn't reading Yukina's manuscript, but actually Hiei's script for the play she'd be performing. She instantly blushed and became flustered considering she was one the page where the lovers shared their first kiss. "Th…This is the script?" she asked in surprise.
Yukina grinned and her eyebrow quirked at her roommates antics. She had wondered what the girl thought it was, but decided not to embarrass her further. "Yes, though he said it's unfinished. The writing is done, but he's struggling to find someone to write the music for the play. It's very personal, so there's not many he's trusting with this. I'm glad he decided to go to you. I think you'd be perfect for the role."
Botan couldn't believe that even Yukina had approved of her for the role. What was it about her that both twins believed she could play the role of their mother that well? There was nothing special about her. She was a small-town girl and had absolutely no experience with this sort of thing. Sure, she wrote music and sang, but hiding behind a piano and in a crowd of other singers was much easier for her than being on a stage in front of multiple people, front and center.
"Anyway, Hiei said the rehearsals are in two weeks, hopefully," Yukina continued. "He contacted someone he knows about the music. I'm sure everything will get worked out."
Botan really hoped so. Or, maybe if it didn't, she wouldn't be forced on the stage. But thinking that way was horrible, because she knew from what Yukina had told her that Hiei really needed this. She sighed again in surrender. She would do this, but only for Hiei so that he didn't lose his deal.
Hiei was frustrated. A few days had passed, and Shigure had yet to answer him. He wondered if the man just wanted him to figure things out for himself. He had started him on the thespian path, but maybe that was the extent of their relationship. If that was the case, fine, but at least call and leave a message saying it or, better yet, say it to his face.
He was back at square one, and he really needed to get the play underway. Unfortunately, he might have to look into the talent of the students at the school. Considering how auditions went, he wasn't entirely sure how thrilled he was with that idea. After all, a lot of students were just trying to make a name for themselves. If he was being honest with himself, having a student write music for his play was probably the worst idea he could come up with, but it was the only one he had.
Shit, he thought bitterly. I'll have to hold auditions again.
Out of nowhere, he heard the sound of a piano being played in the choral room where he had seen Botan singing her heart out. Through the closed door, he could hear a very beautiful piece. He decided to enter, seeing as the last time he did he found his star actress. Maybe I won't need to.
Surprising to him, he found said star actress sitting at the grand piano, her fingers gracefully gliding across the keys. His normally tightened jaw went slack, dropping at the sight of the blue-haired girl so into the music she was playing. It was so full of emotion, and it seemed to be drawing him in. He didn't even realize he had walked up to her until the gentle sounds of the piano got louder. He was nearly touching her before he realized he had gotten too close.
The song was getting more aggressive, but still had a very light, pensive tone before it began to soften and one of her hands went to the keys that produced a higher pitched tone. The melody ended soon after, her hands leaving the piano as she let out a contented sigh and began to write something down on a blank page of sheet music.
A smile graced her lips as she gathered her belongings together, including a tape recorder that she abruptly turned off when she was done recording. She turned around and almost immediately stumbled back at the sight of Hiei standing in front of her, his brow creased in what she was going to guess was confusion. "Um…hello," she greeted awkwardly, looking away from him. He really needed to stop popping in on her in her private moments. She hadn't been ready for anyone to hear that song, not until her recital in the spring.
"You play really well," he complimented, causing Botan to blush and withdraw even further into herself. "What was that song? I've never heard it before."
"You wouldn't," Botan admitted. "It's something I've been working on for my profile. I wrote it."
He seemed stunned by the revelation, but kept his cool as he stated, "You write music."
"I do," she answered, getting ready to walk away.
"How would you like to do more for the play?" he asked her smoothly. "I'm in need of a songwriter. If you wrote a piece like that, I can only imagine what you'd be able to do for the play."
"I'm not a lyricist," she tried to counter, though honestly that wasn't completely true. "I can only write instrumentals."
"I'm not a writer or a songwriter, yet I managed to write a play and one song," Hiei argued, his voice forceful and demanding. "We'll work together on this. We can meet tomorrow to begin working on songs. Maybe even start rehearsals of the scenes and add the songs in as we write them." It was not a suggestion.
"You're asking a lot of me," Botan stated. "Why are you so adamant about my participation in your production? You could have professionals who would do a superb job with everything. Why me?"
Hiei pondered her question for a moment. It was clear that she really didn't want to do this, yet she would agree anyway. "Because you're different," he told her. "I don't want stereotypes in this play. This isn't some cliché fantasy or romance. This was a story that actually happened. It's personal. I don't want anyone cashing in on the story that can't appreciate what it really, truly is."
"Yukina told me…that it's about your parents," Botan whispered, feeling his emotion radiating off of him. She sighed and shook her head. "I understand what you're saying, but you don't even know me. You don't know that I won't try to cash in and use this. You don't know what kind of a person I am or anything I may have done wrong. I don't think I'm right for you."
"That alone is how I know you won't try to take advantage of this story," Hiei explained. "You're fighting me on this. If you truly wanted to showcase yourself, you would be jumping at the opportunity. As for your past and everything, that doesn't matter to me. We're costars. It's business. All I need to know is that you won't betray my trust and that we have chemistry together on the stage. So far, both those points are covered."
Botan knew she was dragging this on and that they were talking in circles. It was getting tiring, and she really just wanted to run away. Instead she stayed and said, "How about we start right now? Tomorrow I need to meet with one of my teachers about the song I just finished."
A smirk appeared on the dark-haired actor's face. "You have yourself a deal, woman." Botan's brow furrowed when he called her that. "Let's get started."
Hiei could believe a lot of things. He could believe that a lot of people were trying to claim their moment of fame from his hardships. He could believe he made the right choice by picking his sister's roommate out of all the other girls. Though surprised, he could also believe also believe that the blue-haired girl was an amazing pianist.
What he couldn't believe was that he actually had a decent time that afternoon.
They already had another two songs written and the start of a melody for another. They had spent time spitting out random words from the show or that reflected the feel, and Botan seemed to have an endless amount of melodies to go along with them.
It was strange for Hiei to enjoy menial things, but it was even stranger that he enjoyed them with another person. Though, maybe it was just because he was making progress with his show. Now that they had two more songs written, they could hold rehearsals. They were actually scheduled to meet that Friday. Kurama had sent the e-mail out to all the other cast members. It was time to get the process started, and in between rehearsals, he and Botan would continue to write songs for the show. His show was the most important thing to him right now. And as for his relationship with Botan…
To him, it was strictly business.
Botan got home and released a sigh, but wore a small smile on her face. Working with Hiei had been…not so bad. It surprised her that Hiei was so adamant about having her in his show, but she did know he had some deal going for him. Whatever it was seemed really important to him, and she knew she could make it easier on him just by accepting to help.
She felt like they had a nice afternoon and hoped that Hiei had enjoyed himself too. Though she didn't know him that well, she'd say he did. He seemed to act better around and towards her, and she hoped that meant they were on their way towards friendship. After all, they were going to be seeing a lot of each other now that she was one of the lead characters and the songwriter for his play.
Botan thought about what her brother might say if she told him that she took on this huge project in her first semester. She knew everything would be fine. She had to write songs for her recital in the spring anyway. Working with Hiei allowed for her creative juices to flow. She already had an idea for a song, but she didn't know if she could execute it properly. Well, she would find out tomorrow. For now, she had to listen to the song she had just finished today so she could put the notes down on paper. That would probably take the longest. She'd have to do that with the songs she and Hiei wrote that day as well.
Well, I guess I'll be up for a while longer, she told herself. Better see what I have to eat.
Botan looked in the fridge to see if she could find something and saw that there was a Tupperware container full with her name on it. Yukina must have made dinner and saved her some. It made Botan smile. She really had a wonderful roommate. At least she knew she definitely had a friend in Yukina. Maybe things would fall into place with Hiei.
Well, she could always hope.
