pink in the night

the recital

All of Kaede's piano practices had been leading up to this moment. She sat down at her piano, and began to play.

Maki watched from her seat. She'd gotten the pianist a bouquet of flowers to congratulate her on her performance, and couldn't stop fiddling with the stems. She looked ethereal up on that stage. Parts of her blonde hair in curls resting on her shoulders, with the rest in a loose, beautiful bun atop her head. Her purple gown reaching the floor beneath her seat as she sang out to the crowd. Her sparkling purple eyes, sometimes wandering to the crowd and taking in their smiles and enjoyment. Her lips curled in a smile of her own, the exact one that Maki loved to see. With the spotlight over her, it appeared as if she were literally glowing in such a way that made her seem too perfect for this world. Tenko nudged her arm, bringing Maki out of her trance to ask if she could share her armrest.

Maki swiftly moved her arm. Tenko bowed her head in thanks, and Maki couldn't help but notice her and Miu holding hands between the chairs. The sight excited her to an extent. Someday, maybe, she could have that with Akamatsu. Someday...

Then Kaede stopped, and the crowd broke into applause. Miu yelled and Tenko cheered, and Maki clapped quietly. She had always struggled with showing what she was feeling inside; this calmness was merely a façade. Truly, not even she knew what she was feeling in the moment. Kaede stood from her seat and took a bow, searching the crowd for her friends. When her eyes landed on the group, she smiled extra large, waving to them. Maki imagined her grinning and waving at her in particular, and her heart began to feel as if it were beating out of her chest. This was Kaede's moment, and she looked gorgeous up there, presumably having the time of her life.

Maki didn't know what it felt like to take your favorite instrument on a stage and play it for a crowd of people. Sure, she played guitar and sang sometimes, but those were merely hobbies. Kaede's piano playing was a passion. And it seemed to Maki that she got even better each time she played.

With Maki distracted, Tenko and Miu rose from their seats and ran through the aisles as Kaede walked off the stage, rushing to congratulate her. Maki watched shyly, holding the bouquet close to her heart. How would she present it to her? Sure, Kaede and Maki were close, but no one else had brought her flowers. Was this weird? Should she just throw them out? But then Kaede was entering the same aisle she was sitting in, taking a seat beside her. Miu gave Maki a thumbs up and a grin.

Fuck, Maki thought. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

The spotlights were off, and the room was dark, and Kaede still seemed to glow. "You did great," Maki began, offering Kaede the bouquet. "I picked your favorite color."

She could feel her face warming up as Kaede took the bouquet and kissed her on both of her cheeks. "Thank you so much!" she giggled. "I think I messed up at one part, but-"

Maki spoke before Kaede could finish her sentence. "I didn't notice. It sounded amazing."

Kaede looked surprised. Maki twirled her hair around her fingers bashfully, looking away for just a moment. "I-"

Suddenly, Kaede gasped. She pointed somewhere behind Maki. "There's Shuichi," she said. "I'm gonna go say hi."

And, just as quickly as she entered the aisle, she was gone. Maki watched her walk all the way there, bouquet in hand, to greet her crush. She hadn't even known that Kaede had invited him. She kissed both of his cheeks, too..

Another performer walked onstage, and Maki Harukawa was alone in the aisle. Tenko and Miu had snuck off somewhere, Kaede now sat with Saihara, and Maki had no one.

Halfway through the performance, Maki felt someone tap on her shoulder - Kaito Momota, self-proclaimed Luminary of the Stars and Maki's best friend.

"Why are you sittin' here alone, Maki Roll?" he asked in a whisper; a fairly loud one, but Maki knew better than anyone that there was no way he could get his voice any quieter.

Maki was surprised to see him here. "Kaede went to sit with Saihara. Tenko and Miu ran off somewhere like they always do." she explained briefly. Kaito hummed. "I came with Saihara. But then I saw you sittin' here alone, so I ditched them and came here."

Maki looked to her best friend with the ghost of a smile. As the performance finished, the singer on stage bowed. Apparently her name was Celestia Ludenberg. She had a beautiful voice, but to Maki, no one could compare to Kaede. Another woman with long purple hair tied into a ponytail that flowed behind her as she walked came on stage, kissing Ludenberg on the cheek. "Thank you for coming, everyone," she said. "My wife and I are so glad that you all came."

She continued talking for a few minutes, congratulating all of the young people who were invited to perform tonight. Everyone clapped, but Maki was too distracted. Her eyes wandered and soon landed on Kaede, who was sitting in an entirely different section of the theater. It hurt to see, the way that she so easily spoke to Saihara, yet didn't even give Maki longer than three minutes to speak.

Kaito sighed, right into Maki's ear, which made her jump. "What the fuck was that?" she hissed.

Kaito shrugged. "Well, Harumaki.. You like Akamatsu," he said. "And I think I might.. like Saihara. But I think he's already with someone."

Maki's eyes widened. "What?" The innocent question came out of her throat along with a sound akin to a growl. Kaito bit his lip. "Well, I don't know for sure." he added quickly.

The conversation ended quickly, with everyone else in the theater around them moving towards the exit. "You're gonna tell me more about that soon. You hear me?" Maki pointed accusingly at Kaito, who was already halfway out of the aisle. He nodded, then turned and left to go find Shuichi.

Maki sighed. Moments later, Tenko and Miu returned, both with messy hair and smeared lipstick. Maki chose not to ask what had happened to them, because she was sure she already knew. Then, Kaede came back, her cheeks pink with a small trophy in her hand.

She knew it was wrong, but Maki couldn't help but hope that Saihara Shuichi was already in a relationship with someone else.