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You knew today would be extraordinary when you woke up before your alarm. Today was the last day of the three-day music recital held at Fukurōdani Academy. The first two nights of the recital were held for members of the music clubs offered at the school, such as the symphony orchestra or the concert band. You had watched your classmate perform on the first night with her string quartet, and that was all it took to get yourself motivated to sign up for the third night.
This last day allowed any musicians that weren’t part of the musical aspect of the school, due to other interests or clubs they had joined at the beginning of the school year, to perform in front of a large audience with the support of their teachers, family and friends.
Hopping out of bed eagerly, you took a quick shower before changing into your uniform, grimacing at the absurd length of the skirt that would definitely provide zero warm, especially compared with the trousers the boys could wear. You opted to wear a thick pair of black tights instead of the usual calf-length socks you usually wore, and ran a brush through your hair to tie it up into a loose braid.
Happy with your appearance, you skipped into the kitchen to greet your mother, who was cooking breakfast for the two of you. Your father had left for work early and you started to make the caffeinated beverages, pouring the milky coffee into a mug and your thermos (for the trip to school).
“I’ll drop off your dress and shoes after school,” your mother called over her shoulder as she started to fry some eggs on the pan. “Would you like me to bring some makeup so you can freshen up before the rehearsal?”
“No need, okaa-san. I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the school.” The recital was free for the public to attend, but performers were required to dress formally as they were, in a way, representing the school.
“I’m sorry I won’t be able to watch you perform, but you can always play for me in your free time!” Your mother had a night shift, and your father worked long hours so your parents weren’t able to attend your performance tonight.
“Sure,” You hurriedly scoffed down your breakfast and stood up, the wooden chair squeaking against the floor. “I’ll be off now!”
“Good luck, darling! And don’t forget your sheet music!” You threw on your blazer and a woollen scarf, bending slightly to pick up the music file on the piano stool. Giving your mother a final wave, you opened the door and headed towards the train station.
Akaashi knew that today would be unexpected when he woke up groggily to the persistent ring of his alarm clock. Groaning, he wanted to give in to the desire of burrowing even deeper into his blankets but got out off bed reluctantly, teeth chattering at the chill that hung around in his bedroom. Wasting no time putting on his school uniform, he wrapped a scarf around his neck and stumbled towards the kitchen.
Opening the cupboards, he groaned loudly when he realised that they had run out of coffee, and he would have to skip out on his daily intake of caffeine. He grabbed a mug and turned on the kettle, reaching to open the neighbouring cupboard to grab a tea bag for his alternate beverage. Yawning, he shuffled around the house to pack his school bag for the day, pausing only in the living room to collect the music score and his stringed instrument.
After hearing the vice-captain of the volleyball club could play a musical instrument, his teammates had signed him up almost immediately for the music recital, much to his chagrin. Luckily, they let him choose what song to perform and whether he needed an accompaniment, otherwise he knew Bokuto would have him performing a song for the viola, since after all ‘they look the same, Akaashi, except this one’s bigger!’.
Alongside his practice clothes, he had carefully folded a black tie and waistcoat to wear during the recital, deciding that his current white school top and charcoal trousers were presentable enough. The whistle of the kettle made him rush back and pour the boiling water, and he afterwards hunted around the kitchen to find a piece of bread that would suffice for his breakfast. He stuffed the loaf into his mouth and washed it down with gulps of hot tea, and placed them in the sink.
Looking at the clock, he gave a yelp and proceeded to sprint down the hallway with his schoolbag and violin in tow, quickly putting his shoes on before rushing to the train station to (hopefully) make it in time to catch the early train. Fat droplets of rain greeted him, and he silently opened his umbrella before making his way down the street.
You arrived at the train station early and had missed the big downpour that was currently drenching pedestrians. The sky was coloured a grey hue, and every colour seemed to dull with the weather. Placing your earphones into your ear, you hastily clicked the button on your iPod to shuffle the playlist and stuffed the device back into the pocket of your grey blazer. Your phone gave a buzz in your bag and fishing it out from the side pocket, you smiled when you saw your friend from junior high had sent a text wishing you good luck.
You didn't have many close friends at school, as you were often too busy with schoolwork and the role of the class representative to make any. You admired your short nails painted a transparent pink and rubbed your slender hands to battle the cold that was settling in. Businessmen and other employees of the Kanto region workforces were bundled in their warmest coats and gloves, scarfs wrapped securely around their necks to avoid the cold bite of the air. Their breaths came out in short, white puffs and you admired the environment around you; rain pouring from large grey clouds and the colourful umbrellas adding to the overall feel of winter.
The train slowed down and everyone was eager to enter the warm carriages, rushing in to sit on the chairs or stand near the air vents to dry off. You sat down and took out your iPod to skip a song. The train stopped every so often to let passengers hop to their destinations, and you kept a mental count on how many more stops there were until it was your turn.
"Excuse me, sir, would you mind moving your bags to the floor? I'll like to take a seat." You looked a bit to your left to see an elderly woman talking to a grumpy businessman, who pretended that he couldn't hear her as his bags remain unmoved by his side. "Sir?" He took out his phone and you saw the elderly woman looking exhausted standing there with her bags. Onlookers were whispering as other seated passengers tried not to make eye contact, in case she asked them for their seat.
"Um!" Heads turned in your direction as you stood. "If you don't mind, please take my spot." The elderly woman glanced over and her eyes widened. You could see she was not expecting to have a high school student offer their seat.
"Oh, thank you so much! Such a sweet young lady!" The woman hobbled over. You dipped your head in reply and helped her hold her bags as she sat down. Handing them the bag, she gave you one last smile before you made your way to the doors to hold the handrail. You bumped into a figure as the train gave an abrupt stop.
"I'm sorry!" They gripped your arm as you regained your balance, and you noticed their blazer was identical to yours, apart from sleeves dotted by the rain. Looking up, you were met with a pair of sleepy green eyes of a boy with black hair. He had a terribly sharp reflex for someone who looked so tired. "Thank you."
"Coffee," he mumbled before letting his heavy eyelids fall, body leaning onto yours. He didn't move and you realised he had fallen asleep.
"Eh?!"
It was nearing your stop, and he wasn't waking up to your insistent attempts.
"Come on!" You patted his arm again and there was no response; the boy remained leaning on your side, head resting (somewhat comfortably) on your shoulder. His tall form was hunched to allow that position, and it blocked the movement of passengers trying to get off the train. With a slight groan, you wrapped an arm around him and the other picked up his school bag, umbrella and violin. "So you're performing too." As the train doors opened you made your way slowly out, bags and sleeping boy in tow. Dropping him to the vacant bench, you dug around for your thermos. Opening the lid, you breathed in the aroma gratefully and blew into it to lower its temperature.
"Is that coffee?" A groggy voice sounded and you whipped around to face the boy, who was rubbing his eyes and sniffing at the air. He probably needed it more than you, so you handed him the flask.
"Here you go. Careful, it's really hot." he took the thermos eagerly and quickly downed a few mouthfuls.
"Thank you," Sipping slowly, he noticed they were at the train station by his school, and a girl was holding onto his violin and school bag for him.
"Oh no! It's 7:00 already!" He shot up and noted it was still raining. Cursing, you wondered how you could forget an umbrella and made to run out. Stopping you, Akaashi opened the umbrella and positioned it above your head before sprinting up the slope that would lead them to the school entrance. The umbrella was only made to shelter one person, so his arm remained wrapped around your shoulders to keep dry.
"Here, I'm sorry I drunk your coffee." Whilst running, the boy gestured for the panting girl to take the thermos. You peeked in and saw it was half full.
"It's fine, you can have the rest." Turning around when they've reached the shoe lockers, you shot him a smile as he closed the wet umbrella. "I'm (L/n) (F/n), and you can find me in Class 2-4. I really have to go, see you!" Before he could reply, you shot off up the stairs. He looked at the thermos and smiled, swallowing the contents happily.
"Bokuto-san, nice serve!" The Fukurodani boys’ volleyball team were having a short practice match against the girls to finish up the morning session. Although he looked fine to his teammates, Bokuto could see that his friend was preoccupied with something, and that was slightly hindering his performance on the court.
"Akaashi, something on your mind?" The match ended with their win, not surprising anyone as they were the best volleyball team in Tokyo.
"No..." But throughout the morning practice, his mind kept flickering back to the second-year girl who gave him her very nice coffee and shared his umbrella as you both ran to school. He wondered if you would hang around in the classroom during lunchtime for him to hand back the empty, washed thermos.
"Don't be nervous, dude. We promise we won't embarrass you tonight." The whole volleyball team were coming to the recital to support their setter, and he was grateful to have friends who accepted his musical background.
"I'd better go change and hand the thermos back to (L/n)-san." The boy quickly made his way to the change rooms, the captain at his heels.
"(L/n)-san? Isn't she the class representative of 2-4?" A teammate overheard their conversation and asked his friend, picking up the bibs.
"Yeah, she usually sits next to me in the meetings." The brown-haired boy rolled up the nets. "She should be coming over to give me the notes on today's meeting." The friend shrugged and carried the bibs to the store room.
"Hey, Volleyball-kun!" The brunet turned at the sound of his nickname, laughing when he saw you with the notes. It was sprinkling outside and your uniform was dotted with droplets of rain. Jogging to your side, he offered you a clean water bottle.
"Those for me?" You slapped him playfully on the shoulder with the pages of paper, lunging for the bottle. "Gee, no word of thanks?" You handed it back empty as he grinned playfully down at you, finished scanning through the neat, handwritten information.
"Well, I didn't hear any from you." Looking around, you saw the courts were still cluttered with sports equipment. "How's volleyball going?"
"Same old. We're still working hard to keep up with the ace's abilities and energy on the court, as well as his sudden change in behaviour during the games. Bokuto's mood swings can only be dealt with by the vice captain... I feel sorry for Akaashi sometimes, having to take care of such a child." You giggled before helping him push the cart into the storeroom and heard footsteps rushing towards your direction. You turned and saw a large boy standing with his arms crossed.
"How dare you say that about your ace and captain?! Should I lock you in here to think about what you've said?" The white haired boy started closing the door, and the two of you panicked.
"Sorry! Please don't! I take back what I say!" But the apology fell on deaf ears as the door slammed shut and you heard the distinct sound of the door locking. You heard him outside laughing as the one inside continued to apologise.
"He's not the only one in here! I've still got errands to run!"
"There's someone else in here? A girl? I'm sorry, I thought it was only..." The door handle jiggled and the third year cursed under his breath. "I think I may have broken the lock."
"Bokuto-san, please don't trap people in the store room. Remember what happened last time when you locked the coach in here?" A voice muffled from the wooden door reprimanded the captain.
"Akaashi! Save us! The captain broke the lock!" The boy banged on the door, desperate to escape. Outside, Bokuto was explaining the situation to the vice-captain, voice creeping higher and higher as he got more distressed. Footsteps could be heard running away and the handle jiggled a few times again.
"I've sent Bokuto-san to fetch the key from the manager."
"Thank the Heavens that you were still here! Who know's when we'd escaped if Bokuto was still here..." Akaashi's shadow moved and you panicked, thinking he was going to leave you in the dark.
"There's a girl in there, right?"
"Yes!"
"Would you have any hair pins on you by any chance? I'm going to see if I can unpick the lock..."
"I'll slide it under the door!" Taking a black bobby pin out, you slid it carefully into the gap, holding onto it lightly. A force on the opposite end tugged at it, and you let go.
"I'm so sorry for having you caught up in this mess. You still have things to do, right?" The brunet bowed his head and you patted his arm gently.
"It'll be fine." The two of you sat in silence as the vice-captain continued to pick at the lock. A while later, you heard the sound of the door opening fully, and you stood back up gratefully, dusting the backs of your skirt.
"Thanks, Akaashi! I treat you to a popsicle after the recital!" The male representative ran to the change rooms to change back into his school uniform, and you exited the storeroom. The harsh light made you squint, and you hoped you were facing your rescuer as you opened your mouth.
"Thank you so... It's you!" You were face to face with the boy you saw on the train, and he rubbed his neck self-consciously.
"I'm really sorry for my behaviour this morning, and I'll pay you back for the coffee." You laughed and accepted the thermos he handed back, noticing it was clean.
"No worries, you already did by saving us. What's your name?" He stared down at you with green eyes as you held your hand out.
"I'm Akaashi Keiji, pleased to meet you." His hands were covered with callouses not only from volleyball, but the violin as well, and were cold to touch. Could it be the cold weather, or were his hands usually like that? He interrupted your thoughts with a slight cough and you let go. Blushing slightly, you fiddled with the end of your braid and gave a meek smile.
"Well, I'll see you around, Akaashi-kun."
"Likewise, (l/n)-san. I'll see you around."
The next time you saw him was when you collected the dress and shoes from your mother at the school entrance. He himself was standing there to take his parents inside the music hall that would be the venue for today's recital.
"Thank you so much, okaa-san." You gave her a kiss on the cheek as you held the black dress to your body. With a fitted bodice, it cinched in at the waist and flowed out in silky layers that draped beautifully. You wondered if it would appear too dark, and lightly traced the silver threading at the skinny straps of the garment.
"Don't forget the shoes, darling." She held out a pair of strapped silver heels, and you took them gratefully. "I'll pick you up later, good luck!" Waving at the white car as it drove away, you turned back to head towards the bathrooms to change until you saw Akaashi.
"Hello, Akaashi-kun!" He looked up from the novel he was holding in his hands and gave a small smile. Eyes flickering down to your dress and shoes, he asked:
"So you're performing at the recital as well?"
"Yes, I am. Are you waiting for someone?"
"Bokuto-san went to pick up my parents from the train station."
"Good luck! I'm going to get changed so I'll see you there." With a small wave, you left the second year to stand there by himself. Locking the cubicle door, you quickly changed out of the uniform into the dress. Quickly fixing your hair into a low bun, you applied some lip balm to your lips and exited.
You had to tick your name off at the entrance of the hall and noted that you would be performing eleventh of the thirty musicians. Dropping off the school bag containing your belongings in the room provided for the performers, you went off to search for an empty piano room to run through your piece.
Humming the song he chose to perform tonight, Akaashi glanced up when he heard his friend's happy chatter. The rest of the volleyball team had gone off to get the seats and Bokuto had volunteered to pick his parents up. They all walked to the hall in silence.
"Are you ready, darling?" His mother patted his cheek lovingly and he nodded.
"Go and get changed, and make sure you tune the violin." His father thumped him on the back and shot a grin.
"Good luck dude! You'll do great!"
"I'll see you at the end, okaa-san, otou-san, Bokuto-san." He watched them enter the hall before he made his way back to the room. He walked to his bag, shrugging his blazer and blue tie off to put on the waistcoat and black tie.
"Looking dashing, Akaashi-kun." He jumped as you suddenly popped up behind him, laughing when you saw him shoot wide eyes in your direction. He didn't miss how nice you looked in the dress and chuckled under his breath when you grabbed his school blazer, warm from his body heat, to stop the chills. You noticed his slightly shaking hands were finding it difficult to knot the tie properly, and you took it from his fingers.
"Thank you (L/n)-san." You deftly did it up in a Windsor knot and adjusted his waistcoat. The tips of his ears reddened as your fingers grazed his bare neck, fixing the collar his shirt.
"There you go. Nervous for the recital?" You held his hands to stop them trembling and marvelled again at how cold they were to your touch.
"Slightly, everyone is going to watch me after all." You rubbed them together and blew a puff of warm air to bring some circulation to his fingers.
"Do you need any help getting ready?"
"Ah, I'll appreciate it if you could help me tune the violin." Removing his now warm hands from your grasp, he unbuckled the case and handed you the tuner. You watched him rub a fair amount of rosin on his bow before positioning the violin on his shoulder. A single note sounded, and the device showed that it was slightly out of pitch.
"It's a bit too sharp." He adjusted the knobs and played the note again. "Better." He played through all the strings of his instrument., only moving his hand to readjust the tension of the string.
"Thank you, (L/n)-san. Do you need any help getting ready?"
"I'm all set, actually." You gave your fingers a slight flex and smiled. "When are you playing?"
"I'm seventeenth, after the harp." You nodded, glancing to your right to see a girl unzipping the case of her large instrument. Her bright green dress had a fairly long train, and you were glad yours had ended at the ankles, wincing slightly at the possibility of her hem being snagged against the rough edges of a music stand or a chair.
"I'm bringing up the rear of the pianists." He understood now why you weren't holding an instrument, and how your hands had reflected your compatibility with the piano; long slender fingers that could execute strong, fast movements if a piece would call for it.
"Performers, if you may please head over to the seats in the front two rows of the hall; the recital is about to begin." You removed the blazer, shivering slightly at the sudden loss of heat and made your way out with the violinist, music in hand.
The performances showed the audience a wide range of experience within the performers, from those talented musicians playing classical songs with ease, and those who were beginners, slightly fumbling with songs which could be considered easier in terms of technique but still sounded just as nice as the more advanced ones.
A pianist before you had performed the piece you had prepared, and it didn't sound too good. They had failed to acknowledge the changes in tempo and volume, and you heard the audience wince when they held the pedal for too long, causing the notes to blur into each other. You hoped your performance would go by more smoothly with minimal mistakes, mentally running through the parts you found difficult as you fingers moved across your lap.
"Number nine?" A woman hushed at the side and you stood up quietly, picking the sheets off the floor.
"You can do it, (L/n)-san." The boy whispered and you gave him a small thumbs up. You straightened your back and made your way to the stage, as the previous musician bowed to the polite applause. She picked up her music and patted you on the back. Lifting the hem, you carefully walked up the stairs and stood by the piano.
"I'm (L/n) (F/n) and today I would be performing a piece by Liszt called La Campanella. I hope you enjoy." The audience watched quietly as you readjusted the piano stool, murmuring behind the backs of their hands.
"Isn't that the piece the fifth pianist played?"
"I hope she performs better than them." You sat down, foot positioned above the pedal. Hands frozen above the keyboard, you mentally told yourself that you would be fine. You felt a stare burning at the back of your head, and you turned slightly to see Akaashi motioning for you to take a deep breath. You breathed in at the same time as him and pressed the first note of the piece, letting the key resonate in the air.
Anyone could hear you were hesitant when you played the first few bars, but you already sounded better than the other pianist; more sure, more prepared. You paused dramatically, letting your hands lift gracefully to find the right chords before letting your emotions flow through the piece. Akaashi watched in amazement as your fingers moved at an incredible speed, hitting each note accurately.
Everyone couldn't seem to tear their eyes from your hands as they moved from octave to octave, left hand allowing the melody to flow over the chords of the right hand. Some swayed to the beat and others moved their hands as though they were conducting you, unseen and unnoticed in the background. It was perfect; you knew if you were asked to play the piece again, you wouldn't be able to perform at the same standard.
The song seemed to end too soon, and they applauded loudly as you took a graceful bow. The violinist joined in, smiling as he saw you take a big exhale of relief. He watched you help out the next performer, a petite girl struggling to not trip over her dress and carry her cello at the same time, before making your way back next to him.
"You played really well, (L/n)-san."
"Thank you." You both sat in silence as the cellist introduced her song.
In the middle of the performance, a student crouched every so often in front of the musicians, asking them a question which led to many faces falling slightly and nodding in understanding. They made their way in front of Akaashi and whispered into his ear quietly.
"You asked for an accompaniment, didn't you?"
"Yes?" he wondered what could be wrong, and you shot him a worried glance.
"They seem to have a bit of trouble coming to the venue, and you might have to perform without them at this rate. Is that be okay, or would you like us to postpone your performance until they come?"
"Is something the matter?" You leant over the armrest when you saw his face fall slightly at the news.
"The piano accompaniment for tonight is stuck in traffic, and we fear they would not arrive in time." The student whispered and Akaashi ran his hand through his hair in slight annoyance.
"If you don't mind, Akaashi-kun, I can play with you?"
"That would be very nice actually." His eyes flickered back towards the crouched figure. "Would you mind if we practised in one of the spares rooms?" They nodded, and the two of you stood up before making your way out of the hall to an empty music room.
"Pst, what do you think they're doing?" Bokuto leant over to his teammates as they saw their friend stand up with a girl and headed to the exit. He noticed immediately that Akaashi was nervous, wringing his hands before he disappeared in behind the door.
"No clue, and is that (L/n)-san?"
"The girl who played that song really well?" They clapped at the end of the cellist's piece, minds preoccupied on what the second year could be doing. There was silence when a student went to the stage, calling for the audience's attention.
"There are performances from this point onwards that would proceed without the accompaniment they asked for due to external issues. Some are lucky enough to have our pianists back them up last minute, and others have decided to postpone their performance to wait for their arrival. I hope you all understand the difficult positions they have been put in." With a bow, they scurried off the stage.
"Didn't he ask for one, captain?"
"So that's probably why he's with (L/n)-san..."
Several performances had passed, where some played with another student and others had decided to play by themselves. The harpist had finished her piece and was bowing to the audience. It was Akaashi's turn next, and he was nervously wringing his hands again.
"No need to be nervous, Akaashi-kun, you'll be okay!" You patted his arm and shot him a reassuring grin.
"You're up, seventeen." Walking up the stage a second was not as frightening, especially since you weren't at the centre of attention. You set up silently as Akaashi introduced himself.
"I'm Akaashi Keiji, and I'll be performing Czardas by Monti, with (l/n) (f/n) as my accompaniment." You bowed slightly as he gestured to your direction, and sat down, rearranging your skirt. The audience chattered under their breaths as you did last minute tuning with the violinist.
“She’s the one who played very well.”
“I wonder if they'll sound good last minute."
“They look quite nice together. It doesn’t hurt that their colour choice compliments their features and unifies their appearance.” Akaashi’s mother whispered to her husband, and he gave a grunt in reply.
“Ready?” Akaashi gave you a slight smile as your fingers hovered over the keys. Bringing the violin to his shoulder, he held his bow in position. He gave a tiny nod and you began playing at a steady tempo. From the corners of your eyes, you followed every subtle cue he gave as he played each note clearly and confidently.
“Man, I never thought he would be this good,” Bokuto whispered to his teammates as the song slowed down slightly. “(L/n)-san sounds pretty good with him; they make a nice combo.” The audience’s mouths dropped as the tempo increased, and the violinist’s motions quickened. Despite this, he executed each note perfectly and you matched his speed with each chord. The piece ended too soon and what was possibly the loudest applause sounded as Akaashi lifted his bow. Bowing, he gestured to you yet again before offering his arm to help you down the stairs.
They were up to the twentieth musician when the student stumbled back onto the stage.
“I’m very sorry for the interruption, but the accompaniment has finally arrived. Those waiting can have a quick chat with them before we resume the program.” Sounds of relief could be heard and the audience chuckled slightly. To your left, you saw a flutist starting to smile as she unclenched the pink satin of her skirt. “It would take a while for them to get ready so in the meantime..”
“Um!” The clarinettist raised his hand as though he was trying to get the attention of the teacher. “I would like to wait for the accompaniment, so sorry!” Before the student could say anything, he scurried off stage.
“Well… I guess we’d have to wait for around five minutes before our next performance. I’m sorry for the interruption.” They bowed as the audience started to get rowdy.
“Wait five minutes? What are we meant to do in that time?”
“Can’t someone else play right now?”
“Excuse me?” You stood up, startling the audience and yourself. “If you wouldn’t mind I could play a piece to pass the time?”
“That’ll be great.”
“How about you play with the violinist again? It sounded really nice!” Akaashi looked shocked as a lady exclaimed from the audience, and soon sounds of agreement echoed around the hall.
“You can do it, Akaashi!” Bokuto’s shout could be heard and you couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Come on, partner.” You took the boy’s hand, dragging him upright. He sighed and you giggled while making your way up the stage. You brought your arm, still holding his hand, up to hold the file and ruffled through its contents to find a piece that included the violin part. Distracted, you tripped on the stairs and Akaashi’s hand shot from your loose grip on your waist, other hand gripping the neck of the violin firmly.
“Be careful.” Flushing, you watched where you were going and his hand stayed by your side, making sure you wouldn’t fall face-first onto the floor.
“I’ve got this piece which you should be able to sight-read easily.” You pulled out a couple of sheets and handed it to him. He removed his hand and gripped the sheets. Your fingertips touched and you nearly jumped back in surprise.
“How can you play with such cold hands?” Before he could reply, you gripped them in your smaller, warmer ones and rubbed some warmth into them. Your act did not go unnoticed by his parents or his friends, who were surprised that Akaashi did not interrupt your ministrations. His ears reddened and he nervously chuckled.
“I'm fine. This song should be okay.” He placed the piece on the music rack of the piano and made his way to the centre. “I’m Akaashi Keiji and this is (L/n) (F/n), and we’ll be performing Kiss the Rain by Yiruma.”
“We hope you enjoy.” You added and the audience chuckled. You didn’t have to readjust the stool as no one else had occupied the piano, and you watched him bring the violin up to his shoulder and raise the bow into position. The piece started with you playing the ending before Akaashi launched into the introduction alongside you, and you could hear the audience practically sigh.
“They really sound beautiful together.” You let out a tiny grin and glanced back to see Akaashi focused on the music. You let your eyes trail along his facial features before quickly turning back to the music when you felt his eyes shift to you. You could feel your face burning as his gaze didn’t move, and was glad when the piece reached the end.
“Thank you so much!” The student bounded up and bowed gratefully. Turning to face the audience, they announced that the accompaniment was ready as the two of you stood up. You both bowed before making your way off, more careful this time.
The recital ended earlier than they expected, and everyone exited the hall in a large group. Shivering as you made your way into the room to collect your bag, you decided to stay in your current clothing as the bathrooms were jammed with other musicians changing into warmer clothing.
“Aren’t you going to change?” Akaashi had loosened his tie and was currently putting on his blazer.
“There're too many people in the bathrooms; I might as well wait for okaa-san in this.” You had also put on your blazer, but you were worried whether your legs would be warm enough. Fishing out your phone, you quickly called your mother to let her know you were finished. You watched him pack his violin away as the call connected.
“Hello? Yes, the performance ended early, would you be able to pick me up?” Akaashi glanced up at you whilst you listened to your mother speak. “Oh, I see. No, it’s fine, I’ll catch the train. Don’t worry. Love you.” You let out a deep sigh as you ended the call.
“Something wrong?” Akaashi lifted the case and looped his arm into the straps of his schoolbag.
“Okaa-san is quite busy with work so I have to catch the train back home.” You hefted your schoolbag onto your shoulder and walked alongside the boy. He hummed in response and the two of you reached the exterior of the hall, and you groaned when you noticed it was raining outside.
“Why did I have to forget my umbrella today out of all days?” You could barely be heard over the noise of the rain as you stood underneath what little shelter you could find. Akaashi scanned the crowd for his parents and waved to get their attention.
“You played so well, Keiji-chan!” You sidestepped as she quickly wrapped a thicker coat around his shoulders, ignoring his muffled complaints. She giggled as her husband joined her, Bokuto talking excitedly to the man about their progress in volleyball.
“Okaa-san, Otou-san, this is (L/n) (F/n).” You smiled and shook their hands.
"Your performance was beautiful, (L/n)-san. I'm surprised that you could play so well with Keiji-chan, especially since you didn't have much time to prepare beforehand." She noticed you didn't have an umbrella and turned to face her son. "Why don't you share the umbrella with her? Unless she's waiting for someone, and I wouldn't want her to catch a cold."
"Oh no! I'll just wait for the rain to stop before I head to the train station. Don't worry about me."
"It's fine, we were planning to head there too." Before you knew it, you were standing under the umbrella with him again. His mother smiled behind her hand and dragged her husband with her.
"We'll meet you at home, Keiji-chan! We still have to get something from the supermarkets!" With a quick wave, the two adults seemed to disappear as they walked away quickly.
"See ya, Akaashi! I have to go now!" Bokuto gave a big grin and ran down the road to the bus stop where the rest of his teammates were waiting.
"Let's go then, (L/n)-san." And with that, the two of you made your way towards the train station down the slope. Only the faint yellow lights reflecting off the ground lit your path on the wet asphalt, adding a little colour to the monochrome surroundings.
Akaashi left you standing alone at the station as he went into a convenience store. You were panting heavily, bent over to catch your breath as you watched the train disappear into the dark.
"We missed it!" You made your way slowly to an empty bench, plopping your body wearily onto the seat. Wet tendrils stuck to your face as you shivered almost violently, your drenched clothing doing nothing to keep you warm.
"I'm sorry about the umbrella, (l/n)-san." Akaashi came back from the store, holding a new, unbroken umbrella. During the walk to the station, the wind seemed to turn inwards before snapping at the handle. It left the two of you defenceless to the freezing rain and resulted in the clumsy run towards shelter. His black hair was plastered flat and he had removed the thick coat to reveal a slightly damp blazer.
"It's not your fault, Akaashi-kun. Please don't apologise." You wrapped your arms around your body and let your teeth chatter. Your hands were no longer warm, and could almost rival his in terms of temperature.
“Take off your blazer.” You turned to him as he shrugged his own off.
“What are you doing, Akaashi-…” With little difficulty, he removed the soaked garment and placed his blazer around your shoulders. “Wait, won’t you get cold?” He shook his head but you noticed goose bumps starting to appear on his arms. You scooted closer to him and removed his drenched scarf, before reaching into your bag to get your dry one. You wrapped it around his neck before your arms made their way around his torso, moving to let the friction warm him up.
"Thanks." The sight of you in a too-large blazer made Akaashi blush and he awkwardly looked away. He felt your hands travel across his abdomen, tracing the stitching of the waistcoat as well as the barest hints of muscle underneath his clothing. His shaky hand covered yours and you looked up to meet his red face. You gathered up what courage you had and opened your mouth.
“Can I kiss you?” He blinked in surprise, eyes widening as you leant forward until you hovered a few centimetres from his lips. You stayed in that position to let him decide, and smiled gently when his cold lips closed the distance tentatively. The kiss was shy and only lasted a few seconds before he leant back. Rain pounding loudly against the roof of the station, you looked into his eyes and let out a quivering breath.
“I know we've only just met today, but I feel as though I've known you forever. I like you, Akaashi-kun, and I hope you feel the same way.” The tension seemed to grow from nowhere, manifesting in every empty space around the two of you. You started to squirm, not only from the tension but his intense gaze and your eyes quickly flew to the ground, examining the cracks in the pavement. Your gaze only flickered back towards him when he pulled you by the blazer collar for another kiss. This time, it was more insistent to reflect his feelings towards you. It seemed to last a lifetime before you broke the kiss for a much-needed gasp of air.
“(L/n)-san, I like you too.” And with another touch of the lips, your newfound love for the volleyball vice-captain that could play brilliantly on the violin grew just like the rain; gently wetting the earth before the downpour coats everything in its wake with its existence.
END