Disclaimer: I do not own PoT. But I do wish I own Choutarou. I do not own the Louvre either, just some postcards of it.

Warning: Shonen-ai

Hymne A L'Amour

"Why did I let myself be talked into taking this trip?" Shishido kept muttering in a low voice while walking through the halls of the Louvre Museum, the grandiosity of his surroundings lost on him. He wasn't enjoying himself. Not at all.

A few days before…

"Ore-sama insists that you go on this trip."

A day before their graduation from college, Atobe met up with his former middle school tennis team mates Oshitari, Mukahi, Akutagawa and Shishido. Atobe has invited them to go on a trip with him to France. Atobe wanted one last holiday before he plunges into work at his family's company.

"Consider this my graduation gift to you all. We leave on Wednesday."

And Shishido found himself bound for Paris with his former teammates on Atobe's private jet.

Atobe had planned their itinerary for the entire trip. Their first day was a visit to the Louvre Museum. Atobe and Oshitari might enjoy this sort of activity but Shishido was simply bored. He was not too fond of looking at paintings and sculptures. After an entire day of mind-numbing trudge through the vast halls of the Louvre, Atobe led them to a café for some refreshments. Atobe was clearly enjoying himself for reasons known only to him.

"Make sure you dress formally tonight. We'll have dinner at the hotel's restaurant then we'll attend a recital at the Paris Conservatory of Music." Atobe was outlining their activities for the evening.

Loud groans erupted from everyone else.

"Why can't we just go somewhere and drink beer?" Mukahi suggested, to which Shishido agreed.

"We will go. My butler spent an entire day hunting down the tickets to this recital. I don't want to waste them."

Shishido argued, "Atobe, I don't listen to classical music."

Atobe countered, "You used to like it."

Shishido shot back, "You are wrong. I don't."

"Dinner is at seven o'clock," Atobe closed the discussion.

Even if they have already graduated from college, Atobe really could still get his way among his former teammates. And later that evening, Shishido found himself (again at Atobe's insistence) seated at the Conservatory's Auditorium. He barely glanced at the evening's program, he doesn't know French anyway. Shishido slumped in his seat, a bored look planted on his face. He saw Oshitari peruse the program then glance at him with a smirk on his face.

"What's up, Oshitari?"

"Oh, nothing Shishido. I am sure you would enjoy tonight's program."

"When pigs fly, Oshitari."

"Then tonight is the night that pigs fly, just for you Shishido."

"Oh, shut up!"

The recital started with a string quartet. When the set was finished, Oshitari commented, "The violin solos are up next, Shishido."

"Should I care?"

A tall, young man entered the stage and Shishido forgot everything else around him. The first soloist is handsome, with silver hair and gentle eyes. He is wearing a black tuxedo that fit him perfectly and emphasized the color of his hair.

"Hey isn't that…" Mukahi started then glanced over to Shishido. Shishido paid him no attention.

Memories came rushing back to Shishido. The violinist onstage is his former doubles partner in middle school, Ootori Choutarou. Choutarou was a year younger than him. They became very close friends when they were partnered to play doubles. But Shishido felt more than friendship for his kouhai. And Choutarou clearly hero-worshipped him.

However, Shishido chose not to do anything about it. He felt confused. He felt afraid, for Choutarou might get mocked if the two of them ever have a relationship.

When Shishido graduated from middle school, he purposely did not keep in touch with Choutarou. He refused to listen whenever Atobe and the others volunteered information about Choutarou. He only knew that Choutarou went to a high school that emphasized music.

Now, seven years later, Shishido is looking once more at the one whose memory never left his heart. On stage is Choutarou, his Choutarou, playing with so much skill and passion. Shishido felt pride well up in his heart and tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

He stared and stared at Choutarou, willing him to glance at him but Choutarou kept his head bowed. Mukahi, who was seated beside Shishido, kept nudging him with his elbow but Shishido ignored him, his attention totally on Choutarou and realizing how much he missed his kouhai.

When the recital was finished, Atobe stood up and said, "Shall we go congratulate Choutarou for a fine performance?"

"You go. I'm going back to the hotel. Don't worry about me, I'll take a cab." Shishido walked away immediately before he changes his mind.

Back in his hotel room, Shishido paced back and forth restlessly. He felt regret for not going to see Choutarou and he longed to talk to his kouhai again. Shishido knows that within the hour, his companions would return to the hotel too. He fought the urge to go knocking on their doors to ask about Choutarou. They would make him beg and never make him forget about it. Of course! Atobe knew that Choutarou would be in the recital. That's why he was so insistent on them attending. "That bastard!"

While he was still fuming over that realization, a knock sounded on his door. "That's probably them wanting to gloat," Shishido thought to himself.

"What do you wan-"

Standing in front of Shishido's door is Choutarou himself with a very serious look on his face.

"May I come in?"

Shishido opened the door wider to let Choutarou in.

"Why didn't you come with the others? You didn't want to even say hello. Do you hate me that much? "

"No. I…"

"I thought we were friends. I even imagined we were more than that. Apparently, I was mistaken. You couldn't wait to get rid of me. You never kept in touch."

Shishido realized how much his past actions have hurt Choutarou. Shishido had convinced himself that he was the only one hurt but apparently, it hurt Choutarou more. Choutarou had always been very easy to read, and at that moment all the pain he had endured are in his eyes for Shishido to see.

"I'm sorry. I've been very selfish. I've hurt you. I really thought it was best for us to forget each other."

"But I never forgot you. Did you forget me?"

"No."

"All throughout high school, and when I came here to Paris to study, every note, every piece of music that I played, it was all for you. It was all to keep my memory of you. I loved you then. I still do."

"I don't deserve your love."

"Do you love me?"

Shishido felt as if his heart would burst. He still loves Choutarou but he has his doubts. Can they really continue where they left off?

With a tinge of sadness in his voice, Choutarou broke the silence first. "I have another performance tomorrow at the Conservatory's piano room. It's at 3 pm." Then he left Shishido alone in his hotel room.

At breakfast the next morning, no one Shishido asked about what happened the night before. Atobe merely commented, "It's only now that I realized how stupid you are, Shishido." Shishido couldn't argue with that one because it's true.

The day passed by in a blur of visits to more museums and old structures. Apparently, Paris has plenty of both, and Shishido couldn't remember a single one of the places they went to. His only concern was the passing of time on his watch moving closer and closer to the 3 o'clock mark.

"Someplace you need to be, Shishido?" Oshitari remarked, "you keep glancing at your watch."

"No just bored," Shishido lied.

"Shall we go for some tea and cake? It's almost three o'clock," Akutagawa pleaded.

"Gomen everyone. I have to go somewhere." Shishido suddenly blurted out.

"Take the car, I don't want you getting lost here in Paris. Just send the driver back after dropping you off. We can walk to the café," Atobe offered.

Traffic was horrendous, and Shishido arrived at the Conservatory at four o'clock. It took him fifteen minutes to locate the piano room using his limited English to ask for directions.

Shishido burst into the piano room and found it empty except for Choutarou standing in the middle of the room holding his violin and looking very forlorn.

"Everyone has left already. I really mess up things with you. I'm sorry…"

"Shishido-san, the performance hasn't started yet. I'm expecting only an audience of one."

"Am I too late?"

You've been seven years late. An hour wouldn't make much of a difference." Choutarou's smiling once more.

Shishido approached his kouhai and pulled his head down for a kiss.

P.S.

(not needed in the story but I wanted to include anyway.)

"Shishido-san, I will graduate in two year's time. Then I will return to Japan. Will you wait for me?"

"Yes, I will."

Notes:

1. When I used the Paris Conservatory of Music as the school where Choutarou went to, I imagined that a place like that probably exists. I checked, and there was a Paris Conservatoire now the Conservatoire National Supérieur De Musique et de Danse de Paris.

2. Situation # 12 – Obtaining

3. Up next (maybe), Choutarou goes to St. Rudolph (if I become satisfied with my planned ending). If not, then St. Rudolph can wait.