He wondered around the hallways, allowing his legs to lead him along with the rhythm of his footsteps on the floor.

His legs stopped and he looked up. The golden sign that hung above the door read 'Music Room'.

He walked forward, pushed the door open and proceeded to walk into the grand room. The echoing of his shoes against the marble floors increased in volume.

Looking ahead, he saw the grand black piano. Legs once more leading him, he walked towards the beautifully crafted object. He stood in front of it and placed his hands on the smooth cool surface of the instrument.

Pulling the seat out, he sat down in front of the piano. He lifted the lid to reveal keys of black and white, sharps, flats and naturals.

Feet planted on the pedals, his hands glided over the keys, producing notes that echoed throughout the empty room, the song from his not-so distant memory.

It was just him, the piano and the voice that played over and over in his head.

    'Play for me.'

Play for me

    "Keigo, please escort around the school."

    "Yes, Father."

Before Atobe Keigo stood a girl with straight long locks of hair. Her eyes looked as if they were made out of glass, her body structure was petite compared to that of the man beside her, Keigo's father.

Atobe Keigo stepped forward as did the girl named . They greeted each other with a firm handshake.

    "This way."

He led her away from the front of the school where his father was watching their figures disappear from his sight.

The two walked in silence around the grand structure. Along the way, Atobe had explained and showed the female the different physical aspects of the school. The girl responded with a nod and they were on their way again.

After nearly half an hour, they had managed to cover almost all of the school, all except for the music wing.

As they walked closer, their footsteps seemed to grow louder. The school was empty by now for the students had departed for home. This was the only time was allowed to take even a glimpse at the school without the busy hustle and bustle of students.

    "And this is the main music room." Atobe pointed out.

The girl looked at the door in front of them. She glanced at the golden sign and then the handle on the door.

    "Are we allowed in?" She asked him, looking at him with those doll-like eyes.

    "Of course."

They stepped into the grand room, which was illuminated with the lights from the other side of the wall, lined with lofty windows. Keigo closed the door behind them as took a few more steps and looked around the room, trying to take in the sight as much as possible. Her eyes fell upon the black grand piano that stood radiantly near the center of the room.

She walked towards the large object and placed her hand upon the surface of it. Turning back to her escort, she asked, "May I play it?"

    "Of course."

She walked towards the front of the piano, sat herself down on the leather seat and lifted the lid. The keys were dusty, as if someone hadn't played the instrument in front of her. Dusting the particles away, anticipating grew inside of her. She wanted to play.

She pressed a note. The sound bounced across the room and could be heard clearly. The piano was still in tune.

began to play.

Atobe sat back against his seat, absorbing the melody of Rachmaninov's Prelude Opus 23 No. 4 in D Major from the piano into his ears. The atmosphere comforted him and his guest as she played away.

Soon, the music stopped.

    "I didn't know you could play that well." Atobe complemented as the music ceased.

    "You never heard me play before." smiled slightly in response.

Atobe Keigo had heard a song filled with passion and beauty.

He was hooked.

He smirked.

    "Play for me."

* * *

    "Atobe."

Hearing the distinctive Kansai accent that could only belong to one person that he knew of, he lifted his head to meet eye to eye with a certain navy-haired teammate.

    "What is it?"

Oshitari Yuushi pushed up his spectacles with his thin and long fingers then smirked upon his captain. "Shouldn't you be with your fiancé right now?"

Atobe's head dropped back as his attention focused back at the German novel in front of him.

    "She's quite popular amongst the boys, you know."

He slightly grunted, not really caring as to what was happening to at the moment. Oshitari sighed. He wasn't getting a reaction from Atobe Keigo, not today anyway.

Atobe Keigo and , fiancés? Why, of course.

But how?

In this modern day setting, why would people their age be engaged, especially since they both don't seem to have an interest in the other?

It was arranged.

It was decided since their early childhood that the parents of both children would promise them to each other. This agreement was going to strengthen the bond between the two families, both of, which had heads that were CEO's of Japan's business industry on many fields.

They both grew up, knowing they wouldn't have a future in which their spouse was their own choosing. Breaking the agreement in anyway without enough validity would be dangerous, shaking the future of Japan's economy and in their households.

There was no way out.

Both of them did what they had to do to hold their side of the arrangements. They were going to follow through even if they were not going to receive what they wanted.

Life wasn't all that fair.

***

Once more, they found themselves in the secluded music room. The girl played as the boy sat and listened to her music. A routine, recently, for the both of them.

They hardly see each other, let alone communicate with each other in school. Under their circumstances, those that knew about it would have figured they would be together more often. But this was a different pair. They liked their independence.

After finishing the last note of Nocturne Op.9 No.2 by Chopin, adjusted her body on her seat and faced her fiancé resting comfortably on the chair behind her.

    "Do you play?" She asked to break the silence.

    "Not really." Atobe answered nonchalantly.

    "I see."

She turned back to face the keys in front of her and played once more.

Atobe listened hard. With his vast knowledge of classical music, he had heard this one before, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Feeling a strange tingle behind her back, turned back once more. "Is something the matter?"

    "No. Just..."

    "Just?" raised her eyebrow in curiousity. Atobe shook his head.

    "Play for me."

***

    "Atobe-san..."

Why does everyone have to bother him when he is trying to read, arn~?

Looking up, Atobe saw that it was just Ohtori Choutarou, with his violin case in one hand and a folder tucked under his arm. What did he want?

    "I've been noticing that you and -san have been in the music room a lot lately."

And?

    "What is it that you two are doing, if you don't mind me asking?" The second year tried not to be as impolite as possible. Curiosity was taking over him.

Looking at his gold watch, Atobe got up from his position, dusted himself off and began to walk away from Ohtori, who was left standing under the willow tree.

    "Who knows?" he chorused as he walked away, heading towards a certain music room and meet with a certain someone.

***

    "What?"

    "Play for me."

    "That song, again?"

    "Yes."

And so, did. She played the same song over and over again for Keigo, who still sat and listened, trying to remember the song. He had heard it somewhere before, but wasn't able to pinpoint it in his memories. He still couldn't remember it by the time she finished.

    "Play again."

    "How about you play it yourself?"

This was possibly the 16^th time the boy had requested her to pay the same song once more. She was getting quite agitated by it. She love the song, but loved variety in music also.

Atobe looked at her then stood up, walking to the piano and standing behind her. Leaning down, he whispered into her ears,

    "Play for me."

***

He stared at his ceiling, pondering.

Why did that piece of music sound so familiar?

Why was he stressing over this?

He wanted to know.

He closed his eyes and pressed the 'play' button on the remote control, starting the CD.

Atobe drifted off to sleep, still contemplating the origins of that song.

He opened the large maple doors of the den and looked in. Atobe Keigo had followed the sound of the music from around the house.

    "What are you doing?"

    "I'm playing."

    "Obviously."

He sat on the leather sofa closest to the black grand piano.

    "Play." He commanded.

And so, she did.

She pressed the black and white keys; sharps, flats and naturals; chords, even.

Atobe still sat still, listening to her play, a smirk now evident on his lips.

began to sing.

The boy continued to listen as the female sung along to music with the piano compliment.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

An arm stretched out to shut off the alarm clock. He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Looking out of the window as the sunlight bathed his room, Atobe smirked.

    'So, that's where it was from.'

Piano music still played softly from the CD player in the room.

***

could hear the sound of footsteps approach her desk in the teenager filled classroom.

    "."

Looking up, it was none other than Atobe Keigo with a neutral expression.

    "Yes?" She was surprised as to why he was standing there, in front of her. Never had he approach her during school hours before. By now, many members of the classroom, primarily the females had turned their attention to the pair. Was something the matter?

Atobe noticed the now silent classroom. The awkwardness was slowly getting to him. This feeling was something new to the ever-popular Atobe Keigo. Leaning down, he whispered into her ear, "We don't have to meet today."

She raised an eyebrow but knew it was best not to ask.

    "Alright."

Promptly, he left the classroom, chatter soon filling the classroom not too long after.

    'So, I don't have to play for you?'

Atobe walked through the busy lunchtime hallways of Hyotei Gakuen as a man of thought. His ever signature smirk in place as he sat back down on his seat, ignoring the questions the tensai had to offer.

Atobe Keigo had a plan and a scheme up his sleeves.

***

    "We don't have to meet today."

    "Alright."

Since that day, the same exchanges of words have been going on each lunchtime. never questioned the boy but was curious as to his reason why.

What was the reason?

Every weekday afternoon, whether it is after tennis practice or just after school in general, Atobe Keigo had been going to the music room. However, why would he go to the music room alone and without ?

Walking briskly out of the clubroom, Atobe grabbed his belonging and headed back into the grand school, accidentally leaving one of his cellphones behind.

    "Ahh! Atobe-san!" Ohtori Choutarou had called out to his captain but was unsuccessful.

    "Maybe bring it to him after you are done changing, Choutarou?"

    "Alright, Shishido-san."

The second-year changed quickly, grabbed his belongings and his captain's cellphone, and dashed out of the room full of changing boys to meet up with his senior. Atobe Keigo was already in the music room, but Choutarou knew that already.

He climbed the many stairs and walked through the many classrooms to the familiar music room. Ohtori knocked and didn't receive a response.

Twisting the handle of the door open, he peered inside. "Atobe-san?"

What he got in response was the melody of music he had been hearing ever so frequently after school as he passed by the music room. Though the sound of the muffled music was very elegant, this was something different. Hearing the piano being played without any obstacles was like a prayer for the ears.

He waited by the door until the music stopped. Atobe had been in his own world as he played the keys of the piano, unknowing of someone else's presence. But even in that world, good things had to end. They did with the last note of the song.

    "Atobe-san..."

Atobe diverted his attention to the direction of which the speaker who called him was.

    "Arn~ What is it, Ohtori?"

    "Er- You forgot your cellphone in the clubroom. I thought I would bring it to you." Choutarou walked forward to the boy who was just playing he piano and held out his hands, revealing the cellphone. Atobe stared at the electronic device and reached out for it, grasping it within his hand and thin fingers.

Atobe nodded. The second-year knew that it was a sign to tell him to leave, in which he did at once with a bow of apology and closed the door behind him, leaving the blue-eyed boy alone once more.

He turned his attention back to the black multi-stringed keyed instrument in front of him and began to play once more.

    'I will perfect this and play for you like you did for me many times before.'

***

After several weeks and countless hours in the music room with the piano, Atobe was able to learn the piece by ear, and play it like would play it.

He woke up on that sunny morning, slightly more jubilant than he usually would be. Today was going to be the day. Today was going to be the day he was going to play for her.

The usual routine for his day went ahead throughout the day. Like usual, he would walk to 's classroom as lunch and talk to her. Except this time, he was going to tell her to meet him in that music room where she played for him numerous times before.

    "Meet me in the music room today."

    "Alright—Wait. Meet you in the music room?"

    "Yes." With that said, he walked off, leaving the girl speechless in her seat.

***

She did what she was told and met him in that music room. She turned the handle to the door and stepped in, the requester waiting for her already in front of the piano.

    "Keigo?"

    "Sit." He commanded and she obeyed. took her seat beside him in front of the piano.

    "What's going on?"

All he did was smirk and started playing. His world was now her world also. The music played as her head found her way towards his shoulder. Atobe soon finished and turned his attention to the girl beside him.

    ", what do you think?"

Silence.

    "?"

Silence.

He nudged her slightly, and her body fell against the cold marble tiles of the music room.

***

On that Christmas morning, he sat beside her bedside, holding her hand firmly inside his own. He looked at her staring back at him with those doll-like eyes. Her pale complexion had gotten more ashened throughout these past few weeks. She was weak and feeble, but she still looked back at him and returned a smile with her own.

    "I have to go now." Atobe let go of her hand and turned around, heading towards the door. quickly grabbed onto the sleeve of his jacket. He stopped and turned around.

    "Play for me." She smiled as she said that. Atobe smiled back and took out a cellphone and placed it within her hands and closed them.

He nodded and walked out the door of that hospital room.

***

Atobe Keigo stepped upon that stage and walked towards the piano in the center. The audience applauded him as each step brought him closer to the object.

    'Play for me.'

The phrase repeated in his head until he took a seat. The audience had now ceased clapping. Taking out a cellphone, he called her and placed it beside him.

He began to play.

listened on the other side, cellphone in her hand and held against her ears. She listened intently to each note he played and how each rhythm went.

Like all things, it must come to an end.

She smiled as the song ended. Atobe stood up and bowed to the audience and as they gave him a standing obation.

    'I played for you.'

    'Thank you for playing for me.'

The cellphone dropped from her hand onto the white bedsheets.

***

He wondered around the hallways, allowing his legs to lead him along with the rhythm of his footsteps on the floor.

His legs stopped and he looked up. The golden sign that hung above the door read 'Music Room'.

He walked forward, pushed the door open and proceeded to walk into the grand room. The echoing of his shoes on marble floors increased in volume.

Looking ahead, he saw the grand black piano. Legs once more leading him, he walked towards the beautifully crafted object. He stood in front of it and placed his hands on the smooth cool surface of the instrument.

Pulling the seat out, he sat down in front of the piano. He lifted the lid to reveal keys of black and white, sharps, flats and naturals.

Feet planted on the pedals, his hands glided over the keys, producing notes that echoed throughout the empty room, the song from his not-so distant memory.

It was just him, the piano and the voice that played over and over in his head.

    'Play for me.'

fin.
Lui
9.October.2006