DIS: I like to write this because there are so many conflicts besides Anzu's that are going on. It makes the story more fascinating. Thanks to innocentenough, drkmagiciangrl25, raygypsy714, journey maker, ANZU&ATEM FAN, Dartz's gyrl, and Midnight Chamber. And yes, to those you mentioned it, Mai is crazy, lol.
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Chapter Three, Meet Anzu MazakiAnzu stopped in front of the opera house, her mouth turned down. She had seen on the Internet that auditions for the ballet, Swan Lake, would be held soon. The requirements included having an accompanist. Anzu wanted to get a big role of either the dark Odette or the normal Odette. Her chances of even auditioning were slim as she was still without an accompanist.
I guess I'm stuck with my café job, she thought sulkily. She turned away from the opera house and continued down the road to the café. This part of town was known for its musicians and artists. It was one of the reasons she enjoyed working at the café (other than that she was paid reasonably well.)
"There you are, Anzu!" Miho Nosaka greeted as Anzu entered the café. Anzu had become friends with Miho instantly. She reminded her so much of Shizuka. She was soft and sensitive with the gentle nature of a small animal. She was always willing to give a hand and the customers loved her. Anzu was surprised she hadn't yet gotten a boyfriend with the way she acted. "It's busy today," Miho said as she took off her apron and handed it to Anzu.
"That's okay." Anzu put her purse and jacket on the table, pulling the apron over her head. Miho took the strings and tied it at the back. "What are your plans for tonight?"
"Nothing yet." Miho flashed a smile and took her things and said, "Bye, Anzu."
"Bye. Have fun at your doctor's appointment." Miho made a sign of a gun with her fingers, pretending to shoot herself. Anzu laughed and waved her off. After she had placed her magnetic nametag to the apron, she went out to the cash register. She settled on the stool, waiting for a customer. The two other girls, Rika and Kanna, were talking by the flavoring bottles.
"Excuse me," a friendly, male voice spoke. Anzu's head turned back and she beamed at the handsome, eloquent male.
"Hello, welcome to Java Beans. What can I get for you?"
"Two sixteen ounce double-shot caramel mochas and with whipped cream," he answered, smiling in answer. After Anzu had given the order to Kanna, who made the coffee, he said, "I don't think I've ever seen you here, have I?"
"Um, no. I'm new to town," she responded, smiling. "I'm from Shibuya."
"Shibuya, huh?" He gave a curious look. "Why come to Domino? Unless you're a musician, that is..." He peered at her nametag, adding, "Anzu Mazaki." She laughed.
"I don't have a nametag to find your name."
"Otogi Ryuuji," he presented, reaching over the counter with his hand. She shook it briefly. "So, what brings you to Domino? If you're looking for being discovered by the music whores, you'll be disappointed."
"No, I'm not a musician. I'm a dancer. I came here because there are always auditions for dancing."
"Oh! So you're going to try out for Swan Lake?"
Kanna handed Anzu the two coffees and she set them in front of him, punching in the prices, as she replied, "No, I don't meet the requirements. That's seven-fifty." He gave her a ten.
"Keep the change as a tip. I'm curious, though. What requirement don't you meet? You're pretty, you're in good shape – what else do you need?"
Flushed from his compliments, Anzu said, "An accompanist. There isn't anyone available to accompany my dancing. I never knew I needed one until I came into Domino." She glanced behind him to make sure there weren't any customers behind him. "Shizuka told me."
"Shizuka Katsuya?" He ventured to ask. She nodded. "I know her. Her brother, too. Hmm...You know what, Anzu Mazaki? I think I might be able to help. I don't play the piano, but I do play the violin – and well. I also happen to have a pianist friend that is currently without any work. I'm sure he'd be delighted to be your accompanist. How do you feel about that?"
"That would be such a help!" Anzu felt hope bubble up in her. Both her father and herself had been searching desperately for an accompanist. Now, a stranger comes wandering in with an offer in his hands. She thought she saw the sun rising on the horizon in her fantasy world. "Do you want my number?"
"That would be a help." She scribbled it on a napkin and put her name on it. He grinned at her and handed her a card. She read the title: 'The Melody Shop.' The words beneath it said, "We can get you any instrument for your musical pleasures!" She raised her eyes back to his face. "You can see why I have connections to pianists." He winked at her and she giggled. He tucked the napkin in his pocket and took his drinks, telling her, "I'll be sure to call you soon, okay?" She nodded and gave a little wave as he left the café. Giddiness was overflowing in her.
Finally! A chance at my big break!X
Otogi was feeling light headed as he walked to the room where Yami was practicing with a piano. A string group that was playing at the concert was practicing in the auditorium. He had gotten two lucky coins in one place – and from one person. He was almost certain Yami would agree to accompany the girl with her dancing, and Otogi was equally sure that if he asked, Anzu would re-introduce him to Shizuka Katsuya. He would finally be able to see her again. But then, that meant seeing Jounouchi, too. If Anzu Mazaki is friends with Shizuka, she must be friends with Jounouchi as well, Otogi assured himself.
"What took you so long?" Yami asked curiously as he stood from the piano and went to Otogi, taking the coffee. "I thought maybe someone had mugged you for the coffee," he joked. Otogi gave a light chuckle, taking a drink of his caramel mocha coffee. It was still a bit hot, but not so much that it would burn his tongue. He gave a smile to himself. "You seem happy. Did you meet a woman?"
"I did, but not in the sense you're talking about." Otogi lowered his cup, a wicked glimmer in his bright eyes. "A new girl that's friends with the woman of my dreams works at the café."
"Oh, is that right?"
"She's a dancer," he added.
"I see." Yami took a drink of his coffee
"She needs an accompanist." Yami lowered his cup and eyed Otogi. "She wants to audition for Swan Lake. Have you ever been the pianist for a dancer before, Yami?"
"No," Yami answered carefully. "You don't dare suggest...?"
"It would certainly brighten your life up, don't you think?"
"Hmm..." He had never thought of accompanying a dancer because he had never fully appreciated the art of dancing. He had only spoken to a few dancers in his career and he hadn't enjoyed their company one bit. Some were so foul-mouthed and bitter that he forgot they were dancers and considered them more like street whores. Others were too reclusive and rude. Otogi wouldn't bother suggesting her if she was that type of woman, however, so Yami had to pause before giving an answer. "Well...I'll have to meet her first. Is she still at the café? Maybe I'll go observe her."
"You sound a biologist, Yami," his friend said laughingly. Yami shrugged and started out of the room.
"I'll be back."
X
Yami had dumped the coffee Otogi had bought him in the lobby and had strolled down to the café with his hands in his pockets. He was uneasy with the idea of having to collaborate with someone in both music and dancing. He had always been alone and had liked it that way. There had been a few times he paired with Otogi on pieces that had a violin part, but that was a rare occasion.
He entered the café and glanced around. A smile touched his lips briefly as he flicked a look at the inhabitants of the café. There were a few well-known artists and musicians that he knew, all of which were absorbed in something other than who was coming in and out of the café. He glided towards the cashier and knew it was the girl by her slender frame. Her smile was not deceiving, though, and her voice was soft and sweet as she greeted, "Welcome to Java Beans. What's your fancy today?"
"A sixteen ounce double-shot caramel mocha, please," he ordered. "With whipped cream," he added as an afterthought. She tilted her head slightly before giving the order to the girl at the coffee flavor bottles. "It's a nice day today," he remarked idly. Her face was bright when she answered him.
"Yes, I know. I took the bus instead of driving. It looked like a good enough day to walk to work."
"It seems to be," he agreed. "I walked here myself. Have you been to the opera house yet?"
"I'm waiting for the right time," she explained to him with a light smile playing on her lips. The girl came and gave the coffee to her. She set it down in front of him and he noticed a bruise on her hand. She saw him looking and said sheepishly, "I smacked it against the wall."
"Ouch." She nodded and punched in the price for the coffee.
"Three seventy-five." He handed her a five dollar bill and three quarters. "Two dollars is your change."
"Hm?" He glanced at her outstretched hand with the two dollar bills. "Oh, no. Keep it as a tip."
"Thank you, then." She flashed him another smile and he smiled in turn. He turned from the counter and took a seat at a table by the window. He blew on his coffee carefully, watching the girl at the cash register. He recalled seeing the name 'Anzu Mazaki' printed in capital letters on a nametag. He watched Anzu deal with the customers with a bright smile and cheerful gestures. He watched as a blonde male entered and her face transformed to a warm welcome of familiarity. "Hey, Jounouchi." Yami knew immediately who the man was. The looks were so much like Rena's that it didn't take a genius to know. Yami wouldn't have even needed the name to know it was Mai's ex-husband.
He certainly doesn't seem like the type of man Mai would go after, Yami observed, watching Jou's graceless movements and his loose attire.
"Yo," Jou greeted in return, grinning crookedly. "Do I get a discount or somethin'?"
"You look like you need a coffee anyway," Anzu replied. "What do you want? A chocolate or vanilla granita?"
"A vanilla one. And a twenty-four ounce. Can you put chopped up coffee beans in it, too, Anzu?"
"Sure, Jou." Anzu gave the order to the girl behind her and turned back to her friend, asking, "Where's Shizuka? She usually comes with you." Yami saw the reluctant look cross the blonde's face and knew that he probably came because of his sister. Anzu seemed to notice it, too, because her eyebrows snapped down and she frowned. The difference was amazing. "What happened?"
"Oh, she's with Mai is all," he grumbled. "Rena's at daycare, so I didn't get to see her – I swear Mai did it to spite me. She had a tantrum because I let you hang with Rena. She thinks we're dating." He rolled his eyes as Anzu took the drink from the other girl and snapped the lid on more firmly. "But anyway, I guess they're out shopping. Mai has a meeting on this side of town and she can't take Shizuka back home, so I'm her ride."
"Well...If Mai has a problem with me being around Rena, I guess that's that," Anzu said, sliding the coffee towards Jou. "It's on the house."
"Anzu, Rena loved you! I don't see what the problem is."
"Yeah, but Mai's her mother and I don't want it to seem like I'm undermining her or anything." Jou's jaw dropped, but he just gave a huff and glowered irritably.
"I just don't see what her deal is," he muttered before giving a dark 'g'bye' and leaving the café.
Yami smiled to himself, finishing the last of his drink. He had to admit that Anzu Mazaki was something else. Anyone else would agree with Jou since he was Rena's father, but Anzu held her ground with her beliefs. He liked that. He got up and threw the cup away before leaving as well. I guess I could try and see what I think about being her accompanist, he thought to himself. It wouldn't hurt.
X
The next day, Anzu was woken up by her cell phone ringing. She rolled to her side and blinked blearily at her pink phone. She reached out and grabbed it, dropping her head on the mattress and flipping it open, mumbling, "G'mornin'..."
"Hello," a familiar voice greeted cheerfully. By the arrogant tenor in his voice, she knew it wasn't her father or Jounouchi that was calling. She suspected it was Otogi Ryuuji, the man she had met yesterday. "I must have woken you up, I'm sorry."
"No, no," she assured, yawning and glancing at the clock. The red, digital numbers read nine-oh-one. Pushing her fingers through her hair, she sat up in bed and said, "It's fine. I should be awake, anyway. But, um..." She trailed off, unsure of how to ask her question without being rude. She had been anxious since she had spoken to him. If his pianist friend declined, she wouldn't be able to try out for Swan Lake.
"I spoke to my friend," Otogi supplied on the other end, not mentioning Yami's spying on her. "He wants to give it a shot. He's never been an accompanist for a dancer because of his...somewhat jaded...views. But anyway, his name is Yami Mutou – you might've heard of him – and he is one of the more famous musicians here in Domino."
"I've heard of him, but I've never seen him or heard him play before."
"Then we'll have to remedy that."
"Does he live in Domino? Permanently?" Anzu asked, afraid she was going to end up without an accompanist if the man was only staying briefly.
"What? Oh! Yes, he does. He travels, of course, as all musicians do. He had a concert scheduled for the end of the month, but it has an upbeat sort of theme and he hasn't been in that kind of mood and wanted to perform pieces that were against the theme. So, he's been looking for something to do that was out of the original. It's a good thing you came when you did or he might have been long gone. Or, more like, it was a good thing you work at that café and I go to it." Anzu gave a light laugh.
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Yami and I will be at the opera house all day today in the auditorium. I'll tell the attendant at the front desk that we're expecting you if you can come today."
"That would be perfect. I don't have any other plans."
"Great! I'll see you later, then, Anzu – do you mind if I call you that?"
"Um, by my name?" There was a pause and then he laughed.
"Yami will love you. See you!"
"Bye." She hung up and flopped down in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She let out an excited squeal of happiness, hugging herself and throwing her covers from her. She did a little dance as she went to her bathroom, throwing her long legs out. I really have a chance! Finally!
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Yami heard the doors open, but he didn't pause in his playing. He kept his eyes closed as his fingers glided over the keys. He was a bit nervous about this meeting and hadn't been able to keep his hands off the piano keys. It was the only thing that was successful in keeping his nerves calm. There had never been anything more soothing to him than the soft notes of a piano drifting to him, filling his soul with a buoyancy that nothing else could accomplish.
Even as he heard Otogi talk, his nimble fingers continued over the keys, pressing lightly. When he was in college, his instructor had told him that it was a bad idea to play with his eyes closed. It had been a habit of Yami's that no one had commented on until then. His instructor demanded him to stop and so he tried playing with his eyes open. He distinctly remembered the astonished expression of the other man when Yami had made more mistakes than he ever would with his eyes closed. He was allowed to have his eyes shut after that day.
"Yami," Otogi said, next to his shoulder. Yami opened an eye and glanced at Otogi and the visitor. His fingers slipped to a wrong key and he flinched, jerking his hands from the piano, almost in disgust. He turned his eyes from the keyboard to meet the azure gaze of Anzu Mazaki. He could see she was surprised to see him.
"Was that one of Beethoven's pieces?" She asked instead of, I met you yesterday at the café, didn't I?
"Yes," he replied, rising to his feet and pasting a smile on his lips. "Do you recognize it?"
"Not by name," she answered kindly. "One of his sonatas, right? In G minor?" Both Yami and Otogi turned a surprise gaze to her and she blinked, blushing in embarrassment. "I...heard it once in a ballet." Yami decided not to comment on that, but was secretly impressed. He hadn't thought that dancers cared for classical music, just as many musicians didn't care for dancing. But, no; he was proved wrong. "I didn't know who you were when I talked to you at the café," Anzu quickly changed the subject. Otogi sent Yami a puzzled look. He had never mentioned talking to her.
"That's fine. Not many do know us lone pianists." He smiled, adding, "Unless we're connected to some kind of scandal." She laughed at his joke.
"Anyone is known when they're connected to scandal."
"Tsk," Otogi sighed, "you two are already talking like old friends and I never even made the introductions!" He smiled at Yami's chuckle and Anzu's shame-faced expression. Otogi could see that Anzu was going to have an accompanist by the end of the day. Yami was naturally polite to anyone, of course, but his manner towards Anzu was more comfortable and easy. With Mai, Yami had been strictly polite and not very conversational. It was a good start.
"I think that introductions are unnecessary, my friend," Yami told him with a touch of amusement in his voice. He turned to Anzu and said, "Before I agree to anything, I'd like to test you – to see how good of a dancer you are. I don't want to commit to anything and have us not go anywhere, if you don't mind my bluntness."
"No, I understand," Anzu assured, a nervous look in her eyes. "But to be honest, I haven't danced in front of such a small audience, so I'm a little...antsy."
"We won't laugh. Now, if you saw Otogi try to dance, then I would be laughing." Otogi chuckled.
"Yes, my dancing skills are lacking, for a polite term," he confessed. Anzu grinned.
"I'll play for you," Yami told Anzu. "Is this enough room for you to maneuver?"
"More than enough."
"Excellent. What would you like me to play?" He could see Anzu considering over it carefully. Then, she just sighed and shook her head, shrugging lightly.
"Anything that has a slow tempo to it works for me," she answered. "I don't want to push my luck with anything fast since I never did any warm-ups before I came."
"That's fine." He settled back at the piano, watching as Anzu moved from him, pulling off her jacket and tossing it to the side, along with her shoes. His eyes moved up her lithe frame without his assent. He saw Otogi watching him and jerked his eyes back to the piano, irritated at being caught. He made one last glance to make sure she was ready and started in on one of the slow pieces of Franz Liszt's. He saw Otogi's fixed attention and also drew his eyes to Anzu's graceful, moving form. It was as if clouds were drifting around her, pulling her with their pressure. He smiled lightly, noticing that her eyes were firmly shut. He stumbled over a key, but picked up his place without her noticing. He returned his attention to the piece and sighed through his nose.
When the song was ending, he glanced to Anzu and almost stopped altogether. Her arms were raised above her head in an arc, her knees beginning to bend as she slid to the stage. Her arms fell as she did and she was seated like a medieval lady would be when the last note faded. He lifted his foot from the petal on the piano and the note died in the air. Otogi turned to him and raised his eyebrows while Anzu picked herself up from the floor. Yami knew that look anywhere: a look of impression and encouragement.
"How did I do?" Anzu asked Yami as she came up to the side of the piano. He moved his eyes from Otogi's familiar, handsome features to her hopeful, lovely ones. He would say her face was foreign to him, but it seemed as though he had looked upon it as often as he had Otogi's.
Yami's mouth curved into a smile and he quietly replied, "You did beautifully."
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DIS: I don't actually know that many piano pieces, but, like I said, I've been reading books about pianists, so I have a few references. I never knew a pianist Franz Liszt even existed until I read the book, Liszt's Kiss by Susanne Dunlap. If any of you like historical novels, I would definitely recommend that or Heart and Soul by Sally Mandel. Both of them are about pianists and kick ass. Anyway, I'm rambling (I tend to do that when I get passionate about books, lol) so I'll bid you guys farewell! Please, pleaaassee send in reviews! I need to know how I'm doing here and if anyone likes this story! Ciao!
