the violin idiot ✩ k. tsukishima x fem!oc

𝐜𝐡 𝟖 ✩ 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞

𝟎𝟖

There was one person that Mitsuko played the violin for. She could not falter, could not squeak, could not misstep. Any mistake would only solidify the idea that her existence had been a mistake. She had worked so hard to surpass her brother, but she still wasn't confident enough to think she could win over the approval of her mother.

Although playing the violin was once a choice, it became a tool. Something she could use to prove her worth. After some time, it became an obsession. She craved the satisfaction she would get from finishing a challenging piece with artistry and excellent technique. The obsession with being the best she could be had taken root of her so many years ago. She had become an unstoppable force.

"Play the violin for me next time. Okay, Princess?"

Such playful words, yet they haunted her. They carried an unintentional yet profound intimacy. The violin had become her very essence, and it felt as if he wanted her to bare her soul just for him. She knew he likely hadn't given much thought to his words when he said them. Realistically, he probably just expected her to play any piece she knew.

She had tried playing pieces that won her competitions in the past, pieces she played at recitals, pieces she dared to learn for the sake of the challenge. They all felt decisively wrong.

At lunch, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had begun sitting with the usual suspects. She figured it was probably Yamaguchi who wanted to sit with them so he could be close with Kazune, with Tsukishima just following along. He barely even uttered a word to anyone. Sometimes, he would just have his headphones on as he ate.

She understood how it could be hard to try to fit in with a new group so she would try to say things to make him feel included, but he only ever seemed annoyed with her.

Sometimes, she would finish violin practice early to head to the boys' gym. Aside from Kaito, Hinata, and Kageyama, she befriended Sugawara and Ennoshita. She had a lot of fun visiting, the boys were always so nice to her. Everyone but Tsukishima, who always had something snarky to say to her when she came by.

Even when she tried to be kind, it seemed like he knew exactly what to say to get under her skin. More than once, he reminded her about the fact she hadn't played for him yet, as if he expected that she was just slacking off. Even the mere implication of the idea made her blood boil.

She wondered if that innocent laugh she heard was just a fluke. She wondered why she wanted to prove it was not.

She realized how much time had passed since she worked on Caprice No. 24.

She thought of all of the times she heard her brother play pieces that were far beyond her reach. She thought of the way he was able to play so expressively, while she was scolded for playing so stiffly. She wondered if his playing could possibly bring the blond to tears.

The thought of the mysterious violin girl haunted her to her core. Mitsuko wondered how much practice she would need to come anywhere close to evoking emotion in him. She dared to find out for herself.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Mitsuko was an enigma.

After witnessing the warmth she extended to everyone, including himself, Tsukishima found himself intrigued by the strange girl.

On the night of her birthday, he found no rest, tormented by the thought of how she had shielded him from even potential embarrassment, despite his constant unkindness toward her. She had every right to be just as cruel in return, yet she chose to protect him.