The Pianist

Concealing

Monday.

The dreaded day.

You awoke before dawn with a swirling mingle of terror and excitement in your stomach, and since you couldn't fall back asleep, you gave up and got out of bed.

But after an hour standing in front of your closet, you still couldn't decide on what to wear.

By Jove, you were being ridiculous.

Nothing was going to happen. What were you getting all worked up for?? It would just be a normal day of classes.

By the time you settled on an emerald green skirt and a lacy white blouse with puff sleeves, the other girls had woken up. You could hear them getting ready in their rooms.

You pulled your hair into a low braided bun, gave yourself one last look in the mirror, and nodded in satisfaction.

Emerging from your room at last, you joined the girls around the kitchen table. Jisoo had made breakfast, though unfortunately you were too nervous to eat.

The other girls exchanged looks, but made no comment.

Afterwards, you walked to school with an excited Jennie who was all but talking your ear off about the big audition for the end of the year ballet show in the Palais Garnier.

"Can you imagine?? Performing at the Opera de Paris." Jennie said dreamily.

You nodded, summoning a smile and trying with all your might to focus on the conversation. "It sounds wonderful, Jennie." You said truthfully.

Jennie sighed. "You're distracted. I can tell."

"Am I that obvious?" You mumbled.

Jennie laughed. "Y/N, you've been distracted all weekend. Ever since you got back from your midnight walk with that gentleman on Friday night."

You froze.

Panic rose in you as you registered her words.

Your midnight walk.

With that gentleman, she had said. Had she seen you two?

"You saw me??"  You gaped, aghast at her.

Jennie just laughed lightly, like it was no big deal.

"Of course I did! I sleep in the room right next to yours, don't I? I heard you leave and then when you didn't come back I got nervous, so I waited up by my window until you got back."

Your heart was pounding wildly, fingers clenching into the strap of your bag.

"I saw you talking animatedly with that gentleman, and I saw how he escorted you all the way to the door. And what a handsome gentleman, may I add." Jennie was beginning to get a teasing grin on her face.

"So who is he?"

You felt your stomach lurch nervously. Your mouth flapped open and closed while no sound issued forth from your throat. "I....he.....uh...."

Jennie sighed. "Relax. I kept your secret all weekend didn't I? I won't tell anyone. Come on, Y/N, I'm your best friend! You can tell me."

For a moment, you considered it.

You wanted so badly to just spill everything, to spill your thoughts about the beautiful, enigmatic pianist that had waltzed into your life and made himself quite at home there, but you couldn't.

How could you?

He was your professor.

So you simply swallowed down your fears and tried to muster a convincing tone.

"He's.......no one. Like you said, I was taking a walk at night, to clear my head, and I...got lost. The gentleman was kind enough to escort me back home. That's all."

Jennie frowned, arching an eyebrow and looking at you skeptically.

You simply stared back, daring her to contradict you.

"Ok....if you say so." She shrugged at last and gave up.

You breathed a sigh of relief. Safe.

For now.

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The day passed both excruciatingly slowly and all too fast.

Nerves warred with excitement in your body, and you were simultaneously dreading and anticipating Professor Min's class.

Finally, the hour came.

Would he be able to read plainly in your face the change in your feelings towards him? Would he acknowledge the strange midnight rendezvous you two had last Friday? Would he ignore you??

Your nerves mounted and your heart pounded as you approached the door to his classroom.
You pushed the door open and......

Found Min Yoongi talking with another student.

You deflated in relief, and disappointment.

You made your way quietly to your piano instead. Though you couldn't resist sneaking glances at him. His dark brows were furrowed and his tone was stern as he talked to the student. The light from the windows glinted on his glasses, and his hair tumbled softly over his forehead.

Suddenly, he raised a hand to adjust his glasses, and your mind went blank at the sight. His long, beautiful, elegant fingers rose to push his hair up, fingers that had brushed up against yours, as he warmly enveloped your hand in his while you two walked the moonlit streets of Paris.....

You swallowed drily and almost tripped over your piano bench, and then, he looked up.

You froze, heart pounding.

He held your gaze for one, two, three, four seconds, and then he smiled.

Just a small smile, but it made your knees go weak.

You smiled back while inside your heart was doing somersaults. So he wasn't going to ignore you after all!

Finally, class started.

"I hope you all had a nice, safe weekend." He said, pointedly looking at you.

You blushed and nodded meekly, remembering his strict orders to not take solitary walks at night anymore.

"Good. Now, shall we begin?" He clapped his hands, and the room erupted in a symphony of sound as all your hands dropped simultaneously to the keys.