A/N: My first XXXHOLiC fic, it's going to be DoumekixWatanuki! Let's head on!

Disclaimer: XXXHOLiC will never be mine.

Chapter One: Are You Watanuki?

"The principle said he placed the new piano in the music hall," Himawari informed. "Himawari-chan knows so much!" Watanuki exclaimed with sparkles in his eyes. "But the piano it seems, brings bad luck to those who approach it," Himawari added. Watanuki tensed up. "Do you know where the principle bought it?" He asked in a strangely dazed voice. Doumeki noticed it but kept silent. He wanted to see what his idiotic friend will do this time.

"Well, it went through a long list of owners, but it originally came from a shop down the Sakura Lane," Himawari replied. "I…see. Don't worry, Himawari-chan. I'll do something about the piano. I'll go first," Watanuki answered in the same strange voice and walked away. Himawari's eyes went wide. "Doumeki-kun, Watanuki-kun seemed very cool just now." Doumeki had to agree with the girl. Something was not right with the bespectacled boy. Well, he'll ask him when he returns the bento box.

"Oi."

"Yeah?"

Doumeki was surprised. This was the first time Watanuki did not yell at him for not calling him by his name. "Is the piano problematic?" He asked. Watanuki only nodded. "Do I need to banish it?" Watanuki shook his head. "I'll deal with it myself. You've got archery practice anyway. Don't worry; your bento will be with you on time." Doumeki said nothing more. If Watanuki decided to deal with it on his own, he had no problem with it. Watanuki had passed him the bento before his practice and left.

Watanuki could already smell the stench before he even opened the doors. Steeling himself, he pushed the doors open just to be greeted by the foul odour which suffocated him and the black cloud-like substance surrounding the piano. The smell made his knees weak, but he slowly took steps until he sat down at the piano. "Sensei, this is for you," Watanuki whispered as he placed his fingers on the keys.

Doumeki was finally done with his club practice. "I wonder if he's still there…" With that set in mind, Doumeki went to the music hall. His breath was hitched when he saw Watanuki in front of the piano. His fingers danced softly on the piano and the melody was simply heavenly. Watanuki himself was lost in playing and old memories, crying as he smiled. He hadn't touched a piano in ages. The stench and the black substance were slowly fading. 'Thank you…Kimihiro-kun…'

Only then did Watanuki notice the tears on his cheeks. "…Are you Watanuki?" That question startled him out of his reverie. Doumeki was standing at the entrance of the hall. Watanuki quickly wiped away his tears and glared at the taller boy. "Of course I am! Do you need glasses!" Doumeki walked closer to the boy. "…You were crying." "It's none of your business!" Watanuki bit back.

"How did you get rid of the ghost?" Doumeki asked.

"I played to soothe her heart. She went away on her own," Watanuki curtly replied.

"…Play again."

Watanuki did not reply, but he did not know why he complied with Doumeki's request. Doumeki liked seeing Watanuki play. It was among one of the things he liked about Watanuki. He didn't know why though, he enjoyed watching Watanuki although he constantly shouts in his ears. Watanuki was a very interesting person to watch. It dispelled the boredom in Doumeki's life. Watanuki looked like some figure in a sepia coloured photograph, someone with that elegance of the old era as he played. The music was quite good too. He wondered where Watanuki learned to play like that.

"…A long time ago…"

Watanuki started to speak. Doumeki only listened quietly.

"When I was orphaned, I used to walk along Sakura Lane when I had time. Then, I spotted a piano in a shop."

He remembered how amazed he was at the simple black instrument behind the glass. He admired the way sunlight gleamed off the hard polished wood. It was then he first saw a piano.

"I loved the piano. I went to look at it everyday. Then, the owner of the shop talked to me."

Watanuki went by the shop everyday, but did nothing other than peering at the piano display through the glass. That fateful day, someone spoke to him. "Little kid, what are you doing?" A lady asked. "…I'm looking at the piano," Watanuki bluntly answered. "Why don't you go in and take a better look?" She suggested. "…Is it okay?" Watanuki asked. "Why not?" She replied cheerfully.

"I'm not a customer. I don't go into shops which I don't buy anything from," Watanuki answered honestly. "Well, it's okay to go look. Where are your parents?" The lady asked again. "…They're dead," Watanuki replied. Suddenly the lady looked concerned and bent down to face him. "Do you feel lonely?" "…No, I don't really remember them," Watanuki lied. Then she smiled. "I'd be happy to see you come everyday. I'm used to seeing you." That was the first time he touched those smooth white keys.

Watanuki's fingers trembled but they didn't stop playing. "She taught me to play the piano. And then I saw something normal people can't."

"Sensei, there's a black shadow behind you," Watanuki pointed out. "Kimihiro-kun, it's normal for people to have shadows," she replied kindly. She coughed a little. "Sensei, that's not what I meant…" But Watanuki said no more. He knew no one could see those monsters that plague his nightmares and reality. His sensei only smiled at him kindly.

"Everyday, I see it but I couldn't do anything to stop it. And then one day…"

Watanuki was on his usual way to the shop when he saw an ambulance there. Unease filled his heart. Despite being stopped by the medics, he rushed in the shop to find his teacher dead over the piano. He never went there again.

Watanuki stopped playing. "I never thought I'd see sensei's piano here, and the moment I heard from Himawari-chan, I knew it was sensei. I assured her that I've already grown up. Now she has left in peace."

"Hey, it's late. We have to go," Doumeki called. He cannot say anything to comfort Watanuki because sweet words are not his thing. "At least you know she's at a place she should belong," Doumeki added after a while. Watanuki slowly got up. "You'd better not tell anyone this," Watanuki huffed. "Hn, only if you'll make inari sushi tomorrow," Doumeki replied. "I don't take orders!"

Doumeki smirked. This was the Watanuki he knew, the one who scowled and pouted cutely at him.

A/N: How was it? Reviews please!