Disclaimer: I don't own the Hyotei boys or Prince of Tennis. Konomi Takeshi does. T-T
A/N: I don't play the violin, so the violin stuff in the fic is based on my friends who do, my 5 years in orchestra, and the internet. If anyone wants to correct me, please do.
Something About G-Strings… (Part 2)
Shishido felt like his face had spontaneously combusted as he repeated the words to himself. His eyes darted around the hallway again. Luckily, no-one was paying any attention to him, except for Oshitari and Gakuto, who were smirking and waving at him respectively. Shooting the pair a look reminiscent of the snakelike Seigaku player with the bandana, Shishido sped towards the music room.
As he ran, his mind bounced back and forth between two things: Ohtori and G-string. He had been with the boy for…God, he couldn't remember how long now. Not with Ohtori dancing around his subconscious wearing nothing but a G-string and his cross necklace. Shishido knew his doubles partner better than anyone else, but he also knew his modest partner had a few tricks up his sleeve. But a G-string? No way…
"Dammit," he swore to himself. He could feel the teenage hormones surging through his body. He didn't have time for that, though. Forcing the images from his mind, he tried to focus on his mission. He had to return…whatever was in the box…to Ohtori before his lesson with Sakaki.
Wait a minute. Why would he need a G-string for a violin lesson with…Sakaki?
"GAH!" Shishido exclaimed as he burst into Hyotei's fine arts wing.
"Something bothering you, Shishido-san?" asked a tall boy standing next to the music room entrance.
It took Shishido a moment to figure out who was speaking to him. "Ch-Choutarou," he sputtered, his face coloring again.
"You look flustered. What's up?" the younger boy asked, his chocolate eyes twinkling.
His mind racing, Shishido tried to wrap his tongue around coherent words. "D-don't you have a lesson?" He fidgeted with the box in his hands.
"Oh! Yeah. Kantoku's at a meeting right now, though. He should be here in a few minutes," Ohtori replied, gesturing at a note written in a flamboyant calligraphy posted on the music room door. "What's that in your hands?"
"Ah- your G-string!" The words tumbled out of Shishido's mouth. He immediately looked down so Ohtori wouldn't see his shining face.
Ohtori blinked, confused. "My…what?"
"Your G-string. You dropped it in the hallway," Shishido mumbled. He pretended to be fascinated by the painting of some 18th-century composer on the opposite wall.
"Oh!" Comprehension dawned on the taller boy's face as his eyes fell on the painting. He laughed and hugged his humiliated sempai.
"Mmmph. Not in the hall," Shishido muttered into Ohtori's shaking shoulder. Suddenly, he squirmed and looked up angrily. "…WHY are you laughing?"
"Shishido-san, did you open the box?" Ohtori replied in between giggles.
"Ah- No, I thought…never mind…" Embarrassed, he fumbled with the cardboard flaps and pulled out a small stack of papers. "Air on the G String, J.S. Bach, arrangement for violin," he read, his eyes widening. His eyebrows skimmed the bottom of his blue hat. He turned the box over to re-read the front and noticed the eraser smudges. "…that bastard…" he whispered.
Ohtori, obviously amused, read the box over Shishido's shoulder. "Oh, it looks like Mukahi-sempai found the music first. I'm glad he had you return it."
"That smug little BASTARD!" Shishido repeated angrily.
Ohtori smiled. "Now that you're here, I could maybe show you my G string…"
"NO!" the older boy's stubborn mind was dead-set on murdering the rose-headed little imp.
"But I've wanted to play for you for a while…even though I know you don't like this kind of music…" Ohtori said shyly.
"Alright, alright," Shishido said, rolling his eyes. He needed something to calm his frazzled nerves. And besides, he had been wondering more about his partner's life off the tennis courts.
As he turned the ornate brass doorknob, Ohtori looked over his shoulder and winked. "By the way," he said with a playful smile, "My 'G-string' is really pretty."
"Oh, shut up," Shishido snapped. Ohtori winked.
While his junior set up his music stand and tuned his violin, Shishido gazed around the room. The room, like all of Hyotei, was extremely exaggerated, from its enormous size to its lavish décor. The walls were covered with photos of Sakaki posing with people who Shishido assumed to be famous musicians. In the center of the room sat a shiny black grand piano and an antique gold harp. Shishido figured that the room alone cost more than his house.
"Shishido-san!" Ohtori's gentle voice broke the older boy's brief trance.
"Sorry. I've never been in this room before…" Shishido answered dazedly. He sat in the extra chair Ohtori had brought over, took off his hat, and scratched his head.
"It's nice, isn't it?" the silver-haired boy replied, raising his bow. "Before I play, I need to explain the title because you still look a bit confused." He grinned.
Shishido let out a quiet"hmph" and leaned back in his char. "So what does it mean?"
"Well, the G-string is part of the violin. This string." Ohtori ran his bow over the last string, producing a round, mellow sound.
"Now, if I had known that, I wouldn't have thought…" Shishido snapped, catching himself just in time.
"Thought what, sempai?" Ohtori asked innocently, earning him another disgruntled "hmph."
"Never mind, just keep playing."
Ohtori raised his bow again and began to play. Shishido knew nothing about music and had never heard the piece before, but knew instantly that the younger boy was playing the piece extremely well. Every note in the simple melody was full of raw emotion. Shishido watched his partner's fingers gracefully switch from one position to the next.His eyes were closed;he put all of his soul into his music. Just like with his tennis, Shishido thought smiling.It was—he could find no other word to describe it—beautiful.
"So, what did you think?" Ohtori asked shyly after the last note faded away. He stood to put his violin back in its case.
"It was...It was good," Shishido said honestly, also standing. He smiled at the junior. "Not what I was expecting when I first came in, but I'm not complaining."
"I'm glad you liked it, Shishido-san," Ohtori said, pulling the shorter boy into a tight hug.
"Yeah, yeah," Shishido answered, his voice muffled by Ohtori's shoulder.
For a few moments, there was silence. Then the sound of a doorknob clicking echoed through the large room, making the two boys jump.
"Shit!" Shishido exclaimed.
"Shishido-san, I never expected to see you in a place like this," Sakaki remarked from the doorway.
"Ah- Kantoku, I was just…" Shishido stammered, trying to come up with a credible lie.
"I was showing off my G-string to my doubles partner, Kantoku," Ohtori finished.
Shishido bristled. "No! Not like that, Kantoku! Gah! MUKAHI, YOU'RE DEAD!" He paused, realizing how awkward he sounded. "Um…I'll be going now. See you on the courts, Choutarou. Kantoku." He bowed, and then hurried out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sakaki turned to his student, who had his palm over his mouth to stifle his giggles. "I see," he said with a nod. "Now why don't you show me?"
