TSUKI
After Mukahi's dare, things kind of decelerated. Fuji went to take pictures of the area, Eiji asked for a hairstylist and the data freaks went off to revise the Special Fear-cure Power Inui Juice. On a whim, I decided to check out Yuki-chan's music room – it being a rich household, it should be something to see.
It took a few maids and a butler to get me where I wanted. Seeing that there was a light on inside, I knocked on the door before entering.
"Yuushi-kun?" I said, surprised to see the blunette.
He lowered his violin. "Ah, Tsuki-chan. What brings you to this music room?"
"I could ask the same of you," was my replied.
"As you can see, I am here to play my violin."
I walked over to look at it and whistled in admiration. "Stradivarius, or I'm vegetarian lion."
"Happily for you, it is a Stradivarius."
"Mm, but being a vegetarian lion – or rather lioness – might be interesting…" I mused.
He raised the violin again. "Yes, you would make a very pretty lioness."
I glanced at him in mild surprise as he began to play. "Flirt."
"I know. I can't help flirting with gorgeous girls. By the way, congratulations on Gakuto's dare. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
"No problem. It really was entertaining – I think we didn't stop laughing for at least fifteen minutes. I believe that's Elgar's Salut d'Amor?"
"Correct. Have you played it before?"
"Actually I have. A very nice piece, if I do say so myself – simple, but beautiful."
"I fully agree. You are here to play, no? Yuki-chan's violin pieces are over there."
"Thanks." I flipped through them for a while. "Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Dvorak, Kreisler, Faure… quite a variety she has here." One particular booklet had caught my eye, and I held it up. "Ne, Yuushi-kun… have you ever played this?"
He looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "J.S. Bach's Double Violin Concerto in D minor…? No… I haven't played it before… it is for two violins, in case you didn't realize…"
I smiled at him. "Well, I haven't played it either. Let's sight-read, shall we? Whoever makes a mistake first will have to do a forfeit."
"A challenge…" He smirked. "Very well, but we shall decide on a forfeit if and when the other makes a mistake. That'll keep up the suspense."
"Sure. Let's start when I've warmed up."
YUUSHI
She didn't know what she had gotten herself into. I was definitely not going to lose, not if I could get her to do a forfeit if she lost.
While setting the metronome to the correct time, I listened to her style as she tuned, then warmed up with a couple of scales and arpeggios before dancing through a light Humoreske. She played with ease, fingers moving swiftly over the fingerboard. She was, actually, almost as good as I was – and I was good.
Tsuki-chan turned around and smiled at me. "Shall we begin?"
"Whenever you're ready."
TEZUKA
"Fuji, was it you who implanted the idea of games with Hyotei into Koori-san's head?" I asked sternly.
The tensai gave me an angelically innocent smile. "Why would you think that?"
I fought the urge to rub my temples. Almost any form of interaction with Fuji was just about guaranteed to give me a terrible migraine.
"Because, Fuji, you are the only one who would. I am sure that she would not have thought of it herself."
His smile was positively dazzling. "Saa…"
Avoiding the question again. I should have known that this holiday wouldn't be so easy, not when there was the Fuji Aspect.
The Fuji Aspect ensured that if things were going too smoothly for the sadist's tastes, anything that could possibly go wrong would most definitely go wrong at the worst possible moment. The Fuji Aspect kept the team living in fear whenever something was planned; it had a 100 success rate; and it was a living, breathing migraine for me.
"Ne, Tezuka, have you seen Tsuki-chan? She disappeared a while ago…"
"No, I haven't seen her." Actually I had, but I preferred to keep the two sadistic tensais apart from each other as much as I could. It was safer.
"That's sad. Oh, Taka-san! Have you seen Tsuki-chan?"
"Oh, Tsuki-chan? I think I heard Yuki-chan saying something about her bringing a violin… maybe the music rooms?" offered the taller boy.
"Thanks, Taka-san. I'll go look for her there. Ja!"
As the angelic devil left, I allowed myself to heave a sigh. So much for my plan to keep them apart.
TSUKI
I've always liked sight-reading. There is the challenge at every bar, the timing to keep track of, the choice between the upbow and downbow for each note. And now, since it was a duet piece, it was going to be even more interesting.
We played through the first movement without much incident, getting used to the speed and style of the music as well as those of our partner. However, we knew that in order to win, we had to cause the other to make a mistake. The peace would not last.
I was right. A little way into the second movement, the blunette spoke up.
"Na, Tsuki-chan, what instruments do you play?"
"Violin, flute, and harp. What about you?" I returned without missing a beat.
"Violin and piano."
We continued playing in silence for a while. Then he heaved a sigh.
"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling in my hand for an exceptionally high note, then sliding back down the scale.
"I am going to lose this…"
"Oh, so you are giving up already? Why are you going to lose, anyway?"
"Because I am distracted."
"By what? Not me, by chance?" I asked jokingly.
"You're right; I am distracted by you. The way your beautiful hands move as you play, the sway of your body, the glow of your hair…" he sighed again.
"If you think that will distract me, you are in for a disappointment," I informed him, playing as if nothing had been said.
He walked over to me, still playing. "Well then, perhaps this will do the trick."
Leaning over the violins, he kissed me full on the lips. I gasped in shock as my bow screeched over the strings.
He smirked, playing one more note. "I win. And for your forfeit…" He kissed me again, lingering, teasing. Damn, he was good… I could feel my body already melding to his. Then, angry at myself for surrendering so easily, I pushed him away.
"Just what do you think you're doing?!" I demanded, my cheeks heated.
"You lost, didn't you? I'm collecting the debt you owe me," he replied. "And you don't seem to be all that averse to it, either." Strong arms pulled me close again; rough lips rasped over my own while hands ran over my back.
Just then, there was a knock on the door and someone came in.
"Oh, I'm sorry… I seem to be interrupting something…" came an all too familiar voice.
I struggled out of Yuushi's hold. "Fuji! What –?"
His sapphire eyes were open as he held up a flute. "I was going to see what kind of flute music Yuki-chan has. But don't let me intrude…"
"No, Fuji – Wait!" I cried in desperation.
Closing his eyes into his usual smile, he waved. "Ja ne, Tsuki-chan. Enjoy yourself with Yuushi-kun." With that, he turned and walked away.
"Fuji!"
A/N: Hmm… YuushiXTsuki was actually too enticing for me to pass over… review to let me know what you think… please?
PS: I personally hate sightreading. T.T but then that just goes to show that this isn't self-insertion.
PPS: I credit the fic 'If Wishes were Horses, Beggars would Ride' for the Fuji Aspect, though it was originally called the Fuji Factor.