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The gentle sound of Beethoven’s Sonata No.8 C Minor Pathetique filled the room from the CD player in the corner, alongside the shuffling of papers. It wasn’t the usual upbeat tunes Kaede played while sorting her sheet music, but she had wanted to play something softer for her guest. Himiko seemed to enjoy it, which was what mattered.
Both Himiko’s magician lab and the music room were in the Performing Arts Hall, a corridor behind the auditorium. There were three other people with labs in the same hall- Hiyoko in the dance studio, Ibuki in the music room, and Sayaka who was assigned to both the music room and dance studio. The three of them were having a loud dance off in the studio, so Himiko had moved to the sound-proof music room to work on her card tricks.
While Kaede sorted, she let her mind wander to the magician in front of her. She was sitting on the bench of her grand piano, while Himiko sat on top, past Kaede’s spread out papers. She was wholly focused on the deck of cards in front of her, a spark of Talent in her eyes. Her red hair was tied back into a small ponytail, and her hat was still in her lab. Her outer layers had also been left in her lab, leaving her in just a short-sleeved button up and red skirt. Her fingers worked at the cards, spinning and shuffling them gracefully. She had explained, when she came in, that she had been wanting to practice fancier shuffling techniques. Kaede admired the way the cards flipped and spun, as well as the magician herself.
Himiko looked over at her. She set her cards down on the piano, pushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. “Something the matter? I haven’t seen you touch your sheet music in, like, five minutes.”
“Hm? Oh! No, everything’s fine! Just got distracted.” Kaede averted her gaze to the open binder in her lap. She could feel Himiko’s eyes on her.
“Nyeh…” Himiko hummed. “What song is this?”
Kaede brightened. “Oh! It’s Sonata No.8 C Minor Pathetique! Isn’t it such a lovely melody? I thought you might like it.”
“I do. It’s nice.” she paused, considering. “I would like to hear you play it. Songs always sound better when it’s you playing.”
Kaede fought down a blush. “It’s really just the presentation. It’s always different when you’re watching someone play.”
“That’s true. Presentation is always half the magic.” She picked up her cards again. “Fancy shuffles don’t actually do anything for the trick. But the trick is boring without them. You can do all the tricks perfectly, but the flair and drama is what makes a magic show magical.” she flipped the cards and started shuffling.
“It’s the same for you, I think. Sure, the music itself is the most important part, but the fancy outfit and nice piano are what give a concert its magic. Even when you play casually, for a friend, you carry yourself the same way you would if you were playing at the Sydney Opera House. That’s why you’re the Ultimate Pianist- someone could be the best piano player in the world, and know how to play thousands of songs, but without that presentation? It’s boring. Soulless.” She shrugged, putting her cards down. “That’s what I think, anyway.”
Kaede blinked. “I never really thought about it that way. Thank you, Himiko. That means a lot.”
Himiko nodded. “‘Course. I’ve always admired your presentation. Plus, the pretty face is a nice bonus.”
“You think I have a pretty face?” Kaede squeaked.
“I think you’ve got a pretty everything.” she smiled. “But your face is very pretty. I’ve always wondered if your lips are as soft as they look.”
Kaede wondered if this was how Kiibo felt when they short-circuited. Himiko swept up Kaede’s music sheets and pushed them aside, then scooted forward to the edge of the piano. Kaede moved her binder away, before standing up and leaning forward, her hands gripping the lid above the keys. Himiko leaned towards her, and pressed her lips against Kaede’s. It was a little awkward, but it was the best kiss she’d ever had.
After a few moments, they broke apart. Himiko looked at her, her smile wide and her eyes sparkling. Kaede had made a lot of people smile over the years, and she loved all of the smiles she saw, but Himiko’s had to be the loveliest. Kaede made a silent promise to keep that smile on her face, as long as she could.