Changing Fate

Monotone/Colorful Part 1

The pianist sits with absolute refinement. His back is straight, his posture methodical. There is only the smell of polished wood. His hand hovers and the world holds its breath. He feels alone, like he is far above the world. Will it reach her, he wonders, will she hear me?

The familiar gold lettering of Steinway & Son stares at him. He glances as the score. Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement - Opus 27 No. 2. He already knows it by memory. Exactly the way it was meant to be played. That is how you win, that will make her happy right?

The silence stretches out every last drop of anticipation from the audience. They are waiting, waiting to be taken away. Light fingers place themselves on the ivory keys. Show them. They say to him. Take them.

His gaze shifted. He blinked twice. There were footsteps in the door way, a pair of trainers. Were they pink and white? He could no longer tell.

"I'm so sorry Kousei! It was an accident."

A familiar voice washed over him.

Knee high socks and... A red floor. Why was the floor red? He had almost forgotten red. Kousei felt heavy, his hand supported him, propping himself up from the floor.

Did I fall asleep?

He could feel sunlight, it was warm. He listened to the faint cries and shouts of people playing outside. He could just hear the almost inaudible buzz of music playing from his headphones.

His head began to pound with a dull ache as his eyes squinted as he looked around him. Sheet music scattered the floor with broken glass and a small dash of blood. The blood was red.

There was dripping; he could feel it down his cheek, warm with a sickly metallic smell. His hand went to his head; it was only a small cut, just above her hair line.

"You're okay? Thank god it was only you." The friendly voice said. "Let me get this cleaned up." She pulled off her outer jersey and held it to Kousei's head carefully.

"Ow." Kousei held a hand up to her head hold the shirt in place. The girl had short wild hair underneath the baseball cap she was wearing and large eyes. Looking at her Kousei saw she was in her gym gear, baseball practice.

"Tsubaki?" Kousei asked he fumbled for her glasses on the ground. He looked around seeing the damage of the broken window; a ball lay beneath the piano. "You broke the window again? Ugh -I'm going to have to write another letter of apology and tell the janitor."

"Is there a dustpan and brush around, I could have sworn there was- never mind I found it!" She said brightly fumbling in the closet ignoring Kousei's complaints. "I'm lucky it was just you in here. The principal would have had me in detention before I could say 'it wasn't me'."

"It would be your own fault; you hit the ball way too hard, as always." Kousei slipped on her glasses. The world sharpened around him, he looked down at the broken glass. he zoned out to Tsubaki's talking and crouched down checking his reflection, there was still blood dried on her brow. It would heal up fine, he thought it was no use bothering the nurse this late in the day.

He reached down about to pick the shard up.

A hand seized him just as his fingers were about to reach it. Tsubaki pulled her up from the floor with ease. "Kousei that's dangerous!" She sounded more shocked than angry. "What if you sliced a finger?" Tsubaki cut him off with concern in her eyes. Kousei looked down going pink,

"Well, what if I did?" He shrugged and said in a small voice. He had tried to sound defiant and strong. He knew he had failed miserably at that before the words even left his mouth.