KagaKuro AU Collection

Day 5: It's not useless effort - Admiration

The sound of the violin cut through the air, sweetly assaulting the ears of those near it. The unwitting passersby drew closer to the sound, enchanted, fixing their eyes upon a lean, cerulean-haired boy as he drew the bow across the strings.

The boy looked young enough to be a fresh university graduate, yet instead of finding work, he was standing inside a subway tunnel, creating music for the masses. It was enough to make anybody wonder, but his audience was too enraptured by his melody to bother.

The song finished on a tremulous note, and the audience applauded. Many members of the crowd stepped forward to toss coins and notes into his collection tin, and for every donation, the boy murmured a pretty 'thank you'.

The crowd soon dispersed, and the boy collected his winnings for the night, carefully transferring the cash to a sturdier carrier. Then he packed up and left the area, just as he had every night for the past year.

What he didn't see was a dark shadowy figure watching him from behind a pillar. The figure's eyes trailed him as it had for so many nights past, following him until he disappeared out of the subway.

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Kuroko Tetsuya hurried home in the dark, cradling his violin and the money he earned. He was greeted by an enthusiastic bark when he opened the door, and a large Alaskan Malamute nearly mowed him over.

He laughed and patted it on the head, saying softly, "Hi Nigou. I'm home."

He fed the dog and ate his own meagre dinner, before carefully counting the money and storing it in a safe deposit box. The money would go to the bank at the end of the week, but for now, it would join his earnings from every other night that week.

After a quick shower, Kuroko finally picked up his violin case and stood before a locked wooden door in his house. He entered the room almost reverently, switching on the display lights that softly illuminated the room and its contents.

Lining the walls were every musical instrument possible, ranging from woodwinds to stringed instruments. In a corner of the room stood a baby grand piano, its black glossy exterior shining in the light.

Kuroko pulled out his tools from the lone worktable in the room, wiping down and buffing his violin as he would a child. He did the same for its bow, before carefully replacing them in their case and placing it against the wall with its brethren.

Finally, he walked around the room, gently touching each instrument and murmuring his goodnights. The lights were flicked off when he finished his round, and the door locked against potential intruders. It would not be opened again until the following afternoon, where he would select one of the instruments to perform with on the streets.

It was a simple life he lead with only his dog and his instruments for company, but Kuroko Tetsuya was content with the way it was.

Little did he know of the changes to come.

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The next day, Kuroko took a flute with him, thinking to himself that its sweet melody would draw as large a crowd as the day before. However, when he reached the subway where he usually performed, he almost dropped it in shock.

There was already a large crowd blocking the tunnel, and the loud burst of music echoing in the enclosed space made him clench his teeth with frustration. He had a feeling he knew what sort of performer had stolen his limelight, and he wasn't feeling too pleased about it.

Using his misdirection to push his way to the front of the crowd, his eyes alighted upon a certain figure performing as he had thought they would be.