Because I'm an idiot and forgot what chapter I uploaded, I didn't give
proper credit in the last chapter! So sorry! Okay, the whole idea about
Kenny and his mother washing his clarinet was a story a reviwer email me.
Thanks so much to Ice Angel for that idea! In fact, thanks to all of you
reviewers. I was rereading all the reviews back to chapter 4, and you all
have some pretty interesting band stories to share. It makes me want to
keep working on this fic. You truly are my inspiration on this one, guys.
Thanks!
Mahojin: ~stares in shock~ Are you serious? They're related? *cringes* Well, too late to do anything now . . . And yes, I /know/ there's too much blushing in this fic *scratches head* I don't know how it happened . . . probably cuz I was inexperienced at writing Rei, but I'm hoping to fix it in future fics! (The reason behind writing Roles Reversed, actually ^^)
Disclaimer: First, if I owned Beyblade Kai would be in the first 2 eps of V- force ~glares~ and secondly, Beyblade would have Kai/Rei in it! So, therefore, since neither of these is true, I do not own Beyblade. ~sighs~
Warnings: Shounen ai *dances around in excitement* and OOC-ness *hears boos and cringes*
-------------------
"Kai, stop it!" Rei laughed and twisted away from the Japanese youth, who smirked in return. The baritone player's cheeks were flushed as his friend pressed him against the wall, gently stroking Rei's soft cheek. Eyelids fluttered shut to hide golden orbs, and Kai felt his breath catch. Then he was leaning closer, brushing their lips together. Eventually his own eyes fell closed as he lost himself in that single motion, pulling Rei into his arms. The other boy's lips were surprisingly soft, and Kai felt Rei draw up his arms to wrap them around the trombonist's neck. And they stood there, kissing in their hotel room, only interrupted by someone knocking on the door. But Kai tried to ignore the sound, growling as it insisted. Then he turned, and . . .
Burgundy pools blinked, one hand brushing away blue bangs as Kai sat up in his bed. In the other bed, Rei groaned and also sat up. His raven hair was tangled from sleep and his golden eyes glared tiredly at the door.
"What time is it?" The Chinese boy finally asked, glancing over at his roommate. Kai merely shrugged, averting his gaze as he remembered his dream. They had been kissing. He had dreamt he had been kissing . . . Oh God.
Kai tossed off the covers and stalked into the small washroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Rei sighed and crawled from his own bed, tossing the white bedsheets aside. The knocking at the door continued and he could hear voices arguing in the hallway. With a yawn, Rei opened the door to find Tyson, Max and Kenny. The trio paused in their verbal fight, blinking at Rei innocently.
"Morning!" Max finally announced in his usual, cheerful tone. Tyson echoed the greeting, while Kenny began to apologize. Then Tyson was arguing with the smaller boy, and Max attempted to quiet them. Rei rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe.
"Is there a reason you woke us up?" The teen yawned again and stretched. His friends quieted.
"You weren't up yet?" Max asked in disbelief. "Do you know what time it is?"
Tyson's jaw dropped. "I was up before Kai? Dude, what did you two *do* last night that he was so tired?!"
Max hit his boyfriend over the head, giggling slightly as he exclaimed, "Tyson!"
But it didn't matter; Rei flushed red and replied, "We didn't do anything Tyson. But I'm curious as to what *you* did last night." A sly grin replaced the blush, and Tyson reddened.
"I- we-"
Rei chuckled, turning as he heard Kai exit the bathroom.
"What's going on out here?" The blue-haired musician demanded, glaring at Tyson and expertly avoiding Rei's gaze. He was dressed in his usual attire now, blue cargo pants and a black muscle shirt. Two-toned blue hair was tamed after a restless sleep, and painted triangles covered pale cheeks.
Rei gave a small smile as he answered, "Just our wakeup call. I'm assuming Tyson wants breakfast."
"You got that right! Now hurry up and get dressed Rei! Everyone else is already down there."
The Chinese boy laughed and walked back into his room, leaving Kai at the door. The trombonist frowned, and then slammed the door shut.
Outside one could hear Tyson protesting, yelling angrily about how rude Kai was being.
*****
Emily flagged Max over to where she sat, setting down her glass of orange juice. The blond excused himself from where he stood with Tyson and hurried over, slipping into the chair beside her.
"Kai's with you," The girl hissed.
Max nodded, "I know. He was ready before Rei, too. I don't know why he didn't leave. With Tyson here, there's no doubt Kai will snap at him for eating too much."
Lee paused on his way by their table, adding in his own opinion. "I think Kai's realizing how he feels. I mean, everyone knows there's something going on between him and Rei."
"Except Mariah." They all finished, sighing.
Emily tapped her fork on the tabletop, then began to push around the scrambled eggs on her plate. Her brow furrowed in thought as Lee took a seat across from her, Max watching her in anticipation. "We'll have to keep watching them." She said finally, speaking slowly. "We have practice this afternoon and Judy's rearranging the band to fit the stage at the center where the competition is. I'll suggest that she seat the baritones and trombones together."
"And Mariah?" Lee questioned as he took a bite of egg.
"She's yours." Emily finished. "That's what you want, isn't it?" Lee frowned slightly, but dipped his head: yes.
"I can talk to Rei." Max added in. "I think we're getting to the point where he needs to tell Mariah how he really feels."
"Just leave Tyson out of it, please. That blockhead will screw everything up. No offence, Max." Emily allowed her eyes to scan over the room. Rei was laughing as he watched Kai scold Tyson, leaning over to say something secret to the trombone player. With a final word to Tyson, the duo walked off to a table in the corner and sat down. Tyson made a face, caught sight of Emily, and bounded over.
"Geez, Maxy, you'd think Kai would chill. It's not like I'll eat all the food or anything, I'm sure the hotel has plenty," whined the boy. Max shook his head.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some food. Hey Tyson? Let's sit over there . . . " The two left, and Lee said his own goodbyes as he went off to join Mariah. It was time for them to have a serious talk. Emily clucked her tongue and finished her own meal, her mind drowning in thought.
Across the room, Rei was in heaven. He sat with Kai at a small table, their knees brushing beneath the wooden surface as they talked about the upcoming rehearsal that afternoon. But as he stared at his crush, Rei couldn't help but drift off into thought. He could remember the first time he had seen Kai, in science class, just a few months before hand. The stoic youth had hardly regarded Rei at first, but soon they had developed an odd friendship that strengthened as they saw each other. And to find out that Kai was in band . . . The Perfect Trombonist was a nickname Kai deserved, as he held the group of amateur musicians together. But it wasn't just that, there was something about Kai that drew Rei to him. There was something about the blue-haired youth that made Rei want to hold him, comfort him, do anything and everything for him. Although, how he'd ever express that to Kai, he had no clue.
"Rei?"
The Chinese boy blinked. Kai was looking at him strangely, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips and amusement evident in his burgundy pools. Rei grinned sheepishly and chuckled.
"Sorry, you were saying?"
Kai was silent for a minute. Then he looked Rei straight in the eye. "What were you thinking about?"
"Eh?" Rei eyes widened and he quickly ducked his head. Taking a shaky breath, he calmed himself and lifted his head ever so slightly, just catching Kai's smirk. The baritone player rolled his eyes for the second time that morning and winked at his friend. "If you're so smart, tell me Kai Hiwatari."
Kai nodded. "Fine, but not here. Back in the room."
"Then let's go," Rei pushed away his half empty plate and rose. "I'm not that hungry anyways." Kai rose as well and followed Rei out of the dining area. They passed Judy in the hall, who smiled and bade them good morning. Then the hotel room's door loomed before them, and with it, all their secrets.
"Open the door, Kon." Kai murmured as Rei hesitated with the lock. They were standing unusually close now, Kai's breath trickling down Rei's neck. The Chinese boy pushed open the door. Kai shut it behind them with a gentle click and silence enveloped the pair.
/ Eyelids fluttered shut to hide golden orbs . . . /
/ They stood there, kissing in their hotel room . . . /
Kai was recalling his dream when Rei turned around. Kai was staring at him intently, crimson orbs narrowed in a thoughtful expression. The Chinese boy took a step forward. So close . . .
It was funny, but Rei had never realized that Kai was a couple inches taller than him. Swallowing, the baritone player shuffled his feet, linked his hands behind his back and began rocking where he stood. Raven bangs hid Rei's brilliant eyes, and Kai found himself reaching out to tip up his friend's head. Rei smiled shyly, his voice soft when he spoke.
"Well, Kai? What was a I thinking about?"
"You were thinking . . . " Kai started, pausing to stare at Rei again, searching for a sign on the long-haired youth's face. Then he saw it, flickering in Rei's eyes, emotions barely concealed beneath the swirling pools of liquid gold. And without any coherent thought, Kai leaned forward and brushed their lips together. And that's just what it was -a soft brushing of their lips that lasted for a fleeting second. It ended all to soon for Rei's liking, and he found himself staring up into crimson orbs void of feelings. "That's what you were thinking about," whispered Kai. The Japanese boy then turned and left the room, leaving Rei standing there in utter shock.
*****
"Emily, I'm worried. Rei is acting weird, and I haven't seen Kai since breakfast!" Max told his friend as they set up chairs for the band rehearsal that afternoon. His mother stood behind them, busy telling some other students what to do.
"Did you try talking to him?" The redhead asked, setting up the last chair in the band's front row.
"I tried, but he told me he wanted to be alone." The American bit his lower lip and reached for another stack of chairs. "What if something bad happened between him and Kai? They left together at breakfast, and that was the last I saw Kai. Rei refuses to tell me anything, and I couldn't find Kai if I wanted to!"
Emily nodded a couple times. "Very interesting analysis, Max."
"This isn't a science problem, Emily. We're dealing with Kai and Rei's feelings."
The girl sighed and sat herself on one of the chairs meant for the second row clarinets. She clucked her tongue and tapped her foot, signs of annoyance. "I know, Max. Although, sometimes I wonder if Kai is human . . . But that's not the point. Look, you mother agreed that we can rearrange the stage and Kai and Rei will now be sitting together. You sit by the brass row, so keep an eye out during rehearsal."
The blond-haired drummer confirmed Emily's request with a nod of his head. Then Max took a seat beside her, groaning. "Was it this hard to get Tyson and me together?"
Emily snorted. "Not really, neither of you acts like a cold-hearted, uncaring bastard."
"Emily!" Max stared at his friend in shock. "You use to like Kai, remember?"
"Key word 'use to', Max."
"I don't understand girls . . . "
"Well, I don't understand boys, so we're even."
The two musicians looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, the rest of the band was busy running over last minute instrument checks and holding final sectionals [1]. From his corner of the room, Rei could see one of the trumpet players yelling at Tyson as they tuned their instruments, the girl's face red as Tyson stuck out his tongue and brushed her away. The trombones were looking around anxiously for their missing section-mate, and the clarinets and flutes were in another infamous argument. Sighing softly, the Chinese boy nibbled his lower lip and stared at the dots and lines on the page before him. None of it was making sense anymore. After all the hours of practicing, all the hard work and effort, he couldn't focus. It didn't help that he was nervous as hell, and Kai wasn't there to calm him down and tell him he'd do fine. Not that seeing Kai would help him right now. Since the trombonist had walked out on his earlier he hadn't been able to hear Kai's name and not feel his heart race. What had happened between them, did it mean, was it possible . . .
No.
Long fingers curled around the tubes of the baritone, knuckles turning white and clashing with the shade of the brass instrument. Rei was so lost in his little world of self-doubt that he didn't see or hear Mariah sit down beside him. In fact, even when she reached out and touched his hand he barely acknowledged her presence.
"Rei?"
Slowly, Rei lifted his head and blinked, finally focusing on Mariah. He stared at her for a moment, before cocking his head and asking softly, "What?"
"Are you alright? You look a little pale."
The boy grunted and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the cool metal of the baritone. "I have a lot on my mind right now."
"It has to do with Kai, doesn't it?" The girl's words were a whisper that Rei could have sworn he imagined, but Mariah was looking at him intently. "Lee told me what's going on."
"Oh." Rei paused, looking at the ground as he felt his cheeks flush. "And?"
"I was kind of surprised," Mariah admitted as she frowned, brushing a strand of pink hair from her eyes. "Okay, really surprised. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you'd hate me, and yell at me, and it's not like there's really anything between Kai and I, we're just friends," Rei finished.
Mariah nodded, and suddenly the conversation was awkward. The two friends glanced at each other, neither sure what to say. Rei swallowed and grabbed some valve oil from his case, lowering his head to grease his instrument. Mariah watched him silently with a sad expression. She cared enormously for Rei, and it hurt that he didn't return her feelings, especially since the holder of his feelings was one Kai Hiwatari. Suddenly a thought struck her, one she had been wondering about since Lee confessed Rei's secret to her.
"Why Kai?"
"Huh?"
"Why. Kai." Mariah repeated slowly, grinning with satisfaction as Rei turned bright red.
"Keep it down Mariah!"
"Answer me."
"Now?"
"Now."
The baritone positioned on his hip, Rei looked down at the pink-haired girl. "I don't know." They had to be the most truthful words Rei had ever spoken. He glanced around the practice room again, repeating, "I don't know," in a gentle voice. The kiss was weighing on him heavily, clouding his mind with confusion and hope, any reference making his heart hammer and his breath catch. Mariah caught the content expression on Rei's face and rose to her feet, clamping a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I hope it works out, Rei. If it's what you want, I hope it works out."
"Thanks, Mariah. That means a lot to me."
They shared a small smile before Mariah walked off, heading toward her section where the other clarinets waited. Rei watched her thoughtfully, before turning his glare onto Lee over in saxophone land. The other boy was grinning at him toothily. Rei shook his head and chuckled, while Lee sighed in relief and proceeded to moisten the reed for his tenor saxaphone.
It wasn't turning out too bad after all . . .
TBC
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[1] Sectionals, it's when an instrument section gets together to just practice their parts, seperate from the rest of the band. Example, all the trumpets would gather to play together and find out what errors their section was contributing to the band.
Mahojin: ~stares in shock~ Are you serious? They're related? *cringes* Well, too late to do anything now . . . And yes, I /know/ there's too much blushing in this fic *scratches head* I don't know how it happened . . . probably cuz I was inexperienced at writing Rei, but I'm hoping to fix it in future fics! (The reason behind writing Roles Reversed, actually ^^)
Disclaimer: First, if I owned Beyblade Kai would be in the first 2 eps of V- force ~glares~ and secondly, Beyblade would have Kai/Rei in it! So, therefore, since neither of these is true, I do not own Beyblade. ~sighs~
Warnings: Shounen ai *dances around in excitement* and OOC-ness *hears boos and cringes*
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"Kai, stop it!" Rei laughed and twisted away from the Japanese youth, who smirked in return. The baritone player's cheeks were flushed as his friend pressed him against the wall, gently stroking Rei's soft cheek. Eyelids fluttered shut to hide golden orbs, and Kai felt his breath catch. Then he was leaning closer, brushing their lips together. Eventually his own eyes fell closed as he lost himself in that single motion, pulling Rei into his arms. The other boy's lips were surprisingly soft, and Kai felt Rei draw up his arms to wrap them around the trombonist's neck. And they stood there, kissing in their hotel room, only interrupted by someone knocking on the door. But Kai tried to ignore the sound, growling as it insisted. Then he turned, and . . .
Burgundy pools blinked, one hand brushing away blue bangs as Kai sat up in his bed. In the other bed, Rei groaned and also sat up. His raven hair was tangled from sleep and his golden eyes glared tiredly at the door.
"What time is it?" The Chinese boy finally asked, glancing over at his roommate. Kai merely shrugged, averting his gaze as he remembered his dream. They had been kissing. He had dreamt he had been kissing . . . Oh God.
Kai tossed off the covers and stalked into the small washroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Rei sighed and crawled from his own bed, tossing the white bedsheets aside. The knocking at the door continued and he could hear voices arguing in the hallway. With a yawn, Rei opened the door to find Tyson, Max and Kenny. The trio paused in their verbal fight, blinking at Rei innocently.
"Morning!" Max finally announced in his usual, cheerful tone. Tyson echoed the greeting, while Kenny began to apologize. Then Tyson was arguing with the smaller boy, and Max attempted to quiet them. Rei rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe.
"Is there a reason you woke us up?" The teen yawned again and stretched. His friends quieted.
"You weren't up yet?" Max asked in disbelief. "Do you know what time it is?"
Tyson's jaw dropped. "I was up before Kai? Dude, what did you two *do* last night that he was so tired?!"
Max hit his boyfriend over the head, giggling slightly as he exclaimed, "Tyson!"
But it didn't matter; Rei flushed red and replied, "We didn't do anything Tyson. But I'm curious as to what *you* did last night." A sly grin replaced the blush, and Tyson reddened.
"I- we-"
Rei chuckled, turning as he heard Kai exit the bathroom.
"What's going on out here?" The blue-haired musician demanded, glaring at Tyson and expertly avoiding Rei's gaze. He was dressed in his usual attire now, blue cargo pants and a black muscle shirt. Two-toned blue hair was tamed after a restless sleep, and painted triangles covered pale cheeks.
Rei gave a small smile as he answered, "Just our wakeup call. I'm assuming Tyson wants breakfast."
"You got that right! Now hurry up and get dressed Rei! Everyone else is already down there."
The Chinese boy laughed and walked back into his room, leaving Kai at the door. The trombonist frowned, and then slammed the door shut.
Outside one could hear Tyson protesting, yelling angrily about how rude Kai was being.
*****
Emily flagged Max over to where she sat, setting down her glass of orange juice. The blond excused himself from where he stood with Tyson and hurried over, slipping into the chair beside her.
"Kai's with you," The girl hissed.
Max nodded, "I know. He was ready before Rei, too. I don't know why he didn't leave. With Tyson here, there's no doubt Kai will snap at him for eating too much."
Lee paused on his way by their table, adding in his own opinion. "I think Kai's realizing how he feels. I mean, everyone knows there's something going on between him and Rei."
"Except Mariah." They all finished, sighing.
Emily tapped her fork on the tabletop, then began to push around the scrambled eggs on her plate. Her brow furrowed in thought as Lee took a seat across from her, Max watching her in anticipation. "We'll have to keep watching them." She said finally, speaking slowly. "We have practice this afternoon and Judy's rearranging the band to fit the stage at the center where the competition is. I'll suggest that she seat the baritones and trombones together."
"And Mariah?" Lee questioned as he took a bite of egg.
"She's yours." Emily finished. "That's what you want, isn't it?" Lee frowned slightly, but dipped his head: yes.
"I can talk to Rei." Max added in. "I think we're getting to the point where he needs to tell Mariah how he really feels."
"Just leave Tyson out of it, please. That blockhead will screw everything up. No offence, Max." Emily allowed her eyes to scan over the room. Rei was laughing as he watched Kai scold Tyson, leaning over to say something secret to the trombone player. With a final word to Tyson, the duo walked off to a table in the corner and sat down. Tyson made a face, caught sight of Emily, and bounded over.
"Geez, Maxy, you'd think Kai would chill. It's not like I'll eat all the food or anything, I'm sure the hotel has plenty," whined the boy. Max shook his head.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some food. Hey Tyson? Let's sit over there . . . " The two left, and Lee said his own goodbyes as he went off to join Mariah. It was time for them to have a serious talk. Emily clucked her tongue and finished her own meal, her mind drowning in thought.
Across the room, Rei was in heaven. He sat with Kai at a small table, their knees brushing beneath the wooden surface as they talked about the upcoming rehearsal that afternoon. But as he stared at his crush, Rei couldn't help but drift off into thought. He could remember the first time he had seen Kai, in science class, just a few months before hand. The stoic youth had hardly regarded Rei at first, but soon they had developed an odd friendship that strengthened as they saw each other. And to find out that Kai was in band . . . The Perfect Trombonist was a nickname Kai deserved, as he held the group of amateur musicians together. But it wasn't just that, there was something about Kai that drew Rei to him. There was something about the blue-haired youth that made Rei want to hold him, comfort him, do anything and everything for him. Although, how he'd ever express that to Kai, he had no clue.
"Rei?"
The Chinese boy blinked. Kai was looking at him strangely, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips and amusement evident in his burgundy pools. Rei grinned sheepishly and chuckled.
"Sorry, you were saying?"
Kai was silent for a minute. Then he looked Rei straight in the eye. "What were you thinking about?"
"Eh?" Rei eyes widened and he quickly ducked his head. Taking a shaky breath, he calmed himself and lifted his head ever so slightly, just catching Kai's smirk. The baritone player rolled his eyes for the second time that morning and winked at his friend. "If you're so smart, tell me Kai Hiwatari."
Kai nodded. "Fine, but not here. Back in the room."
"Then let's go," Rei pushed away his half empty plate and rose. "I'm not that hungry anyways." Kai rose as well and followed Rei out of the dining area. They passed Judy in the hall, who smiled and bade them good morning. Then the hotel room's door loomed before them, and with it, all their secrets.
"Open the door, Kon." Kai murmured as Rei hesitated with the lock. They were standing unusually close now, Kai's breath trickling down Rei's neck. The Chinese boy pushed open the door. Kai shut it behind them with a gentle click and silence enveloped the pair.
/ Eyelids fluttered shut to hide golden orbs . . . /
/ They stood there, kissing in their hotel room . . . /
Kai was recalling his dream when Rei turned around. Kai was staring at him intently, crimson orbs narrowed in a thoughtful expression. The Chinese boy took a step forward. So close . . .
It was funny, but Rei had never realized that Kai was a couple inches taller than him. Swallowing, the baritone player shuffled his feet, linked his hands behind his back and began rocking where he stood. Raven bangs hid Rei's brilliant eyes, and Kai found himself reaching out to tip up his friend's head. Rei smiled shyly, his voice soft when he spoke.
"Well, Kai? What was a I thinking about?"
"You were thinking . . . " Kai started, pausing to stare at Rei again, searching for a sign on the long-haired youth's face. Then he saw it, flickering in Rei's eyes, emotions barely concealed beneath the swirling pools of liquid gold. And without any coherent thought, Kai leaned forward and brushed their lips together. And that's just what it was -a soft brushing of their lips that lasted for a fleeting second. It ended all to soon for Rei's liking, and he found himself staring up into crimson orbs void of feelings. "That's what you were thinking about," whispered Kai. The Japanese boy then turned and left the room, leaving Rei standing there in utter shock.
*****
"Emily, I'm worried. Rei is acting weird, and I haven't seen Kai since breakfast!" Max told his friend as they set up chairs for the band rehearsal that afternoon. His mother stood behind them, busy telling some other students what to do.
"Did you try talking to him?" The redhead asked, setting up the last chair in the band's front row.
"I tried, but he told me he wanted to be alone." The American bit his lower lip and reached for another stack of chairs. "What if something bad happened between him and Kai? They left together at breakfast, and that was the last I saw Kai. Rei refuses to tell me anything, and I couldn't find Kai if I wanted to!"
Emily nodded a couple times. "Very interesting analysis, Max."
"This isn't a science problem, Emily. We're dealing with Kai and Rei's feelings."
The girl sighed and sat herself on one of the chairs meant for the second row clarinets. She clucked her tongue and tapped her foot, signs of annoyance. "I know, Max. Although, sometimes I wonder if Kai is human . . . But that's not the point. Look, you mother agreed that we can rearrange the stage and Kai and Rei will now be sitting together. You sit by the brass row, so keep an eye out during rehearsal."
The blond-haired drummer confirmed Emily's request with a nod of his head. Then Max took a seat beside her, groaning. "Was it this hard to get Tyson and me together?"
Emily snorted. "Not really, neither of you acts like a cold-hearted, uncaring bastard."
"Emily!" Max stared at his friend in shock. "You use to like Kai, remember?"
"Key word 'use to', Max."
"I don't understand girls . . . "
"Well, I don't understand boys, so we're even."
The two musicians looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, the rest of the band was busy running over last minute instrument checks and holding final sectionals [1]. From his corner of the room, Rei could see one of the trumpet players yelling at Tyson as they tuned their instruments, the girl's face red as Tyson stuck out his tongue and brushed her away. The trombones were looking around anxiously for their missing section-mate, and the clarinets and flutes were in another infamous argument. Sighing softly, the Chinese boy nibbled his lower lip and stared at the dots and lines on the page before him. None of it was making sense anymore. After all the hours of practicing, all the hard work and effort, he couldn't focus. It didn't help that he was nervous as hell, and Kai wasn't there to calm him down and tell him he'd do fine. Not that seeing Kai would help him right now. Since the trombonist had walked out on his earlier he hadn't been able to hear Kai's name and not feel his heart race. What had happened between them, did it mean, was it possible . . .
No.
Long fingers curled around the tubes of the baritone, knuckles turning white and clashing with the shade of the brass instrument. Rei was so lost in his little world of self-doubt that he didn't see or hear Mariah sit down beside him. In fact, even when she reached out and touched his hand he barely acknowledged her presence.
"Rei?"
Slowly, Rei lifted his head and blinked, finally focusing on Mariah. He stared at her for a moment, before cocking his head and asking softly, "What?"
"Are you alright? You look a little pale."
The boy grunted and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the cool metal of the baritone. "I have a lot on my mind right now."
"It has to do with Kai, doesn't it?" The girl's words were a whisper that Rei could have sworn he imagined, but Mariah was looking at him intently. "Lee told me what's going on."
"Oh." Rei paused, looking at the ground as he felt his cheeks flush. "And?"
"I was kind of surprised," Mariah admitted as she frowned, brushing a strand of pink hair from her eyes. "Okay, really surprised. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you'd hate me, and yell at me, and it's not like there's really anything between Kai and I, we're just friends," Rei finished.
Mariah nodded, and suddenly the conversation was awkward. The two friends glanced at each other, neither sure what to say. Rei swallowed and grabbed some valve oil from his case, lowering his head to grease his instrument. Mariah watched him silently with a sad expression. She cared enormously for Rei, and it hurt that he didn't return her feelings, especially since the holder of his feelings was one Kai Hiwatari. Suddenly a thought struck her, one she had been wondering about since Lee confessed Rei's secret to her.
"Why Kai?"
"Huh?"
"Why. Kai." Mariah repeated slowly, grinning with satisfaction as Rei turned bright red.
"Keep it down Mariah!"
"Answer me."
"Now?"
"Now."
The baritone positioned on his hip, Rei looked down at the pink-haired girl. "I don't know." They had to be the most truthful words Rei had ever spoken. He glanced around the practice room again, repeating, "I don't know," in a gentle voice. The kiss was weighing on him heavily, clouding his mind with confusion and hope, any reference making his heart hammer and his breath catch. Mariah caught the content expression on Rei's face and rose to her feet, clamping a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I hope it works out, Rei. If it's what you want, I hope it works out."
"Thanks, Mariah. That means a lot to me."
They shared a small smile before Mariah walked off, heading toward her section where the other clarinets waited. Rei watched her thoughtfully, before turning his glare onto Lee over in saxophone land. The other boy was grinning at him toothily. Rei shook his head and chuckled, while Lee sighed in relief and proceeded to moisten the reed for his tenor saxaphone.
It wasn't turning out too bad after all . . .
TBC
----------------------------
[1] Sectionals, it's when an instrument section gets together to just practice their parts, seperate from the rest of the band. Example, all the trumpets would gather to play together and find out what errors their section was contributing to the band.