I really like working with this format (which I can thank one of my IRL friends for)! Rach, if you're reading this, thanks for the inspiration!

This is for lesbianimeme over on tumblr, I hope you enjoy!

Shuichi determined about a week or so into the school year that the only quiet place in Hope's Peak Academy was the music room on the fourth floor. Not even the library was quiet, not when those two upperclassmen were always arguing about their writing. The music room was hardly ever used when he was in there, which was perfect for him to complete what little homework he had.

On most days, he would go there right after class, not really bothering to hang back. Sometimes he used the excuse of having casework to deal with. The only people who could possibly call his bluff without taking a lucky guess were Kyoko, the only upperclassman he knew well, and the headmaster.

While he did his homework, he played music from his phone, a few classical or jazz songs he'd downloaded for when he had trouble sleeping. Classical music wasn't his favorite to casually listen to, but it helped him concentrate a bit more on his work. That day, he sat down in the back of the room where he usually did and unpacked his work to the sound of beautiful piano music.

Wait.

He hadn't turned his music on yet, had he?

He checked his phone for good measure before looking up at the grand piano on the stage. The girl sitting at the piano playing...he was pretty sure she was in his class. Kaede, he recalled. If he wasn't mistaken, she was the one who'd volunteered to be their class rep.

She was...really good. Well, of course she was, she was an Ultimate for a reason. The piece she was playing sounded complicated, but form what he could see, she wasn't even breaking a sweat, not once missing a beat. Shuichi's eyes didn't break from her until he remembered that he actually came there to do something. By the time he had finished his first assignment, he was surprised to find that the room had gone silent, Kaede's song finished. Surely he'd worked faster than usual?

"Um...hi?" His head whipped up at the sound of Kaede's voice right in front of him. A small, somewhat embarrassed smile graced her lips, but he was sure it was nothing compared to the embarrassment he felt. How did he not hear her approaching. "Shuichi, right? I wasn't aware that I had an audience."

She didn't seem angry that he was there, so that was a good sign. Right? "Yeah, that's right. I'm sorry if I'm intruding since you're obviously in the middle of practicing, but do you mind if I still do my homework here? I really like your playing and it's helping me concentrate."

He fought the urge to squeeze his eyes shut when a look of amazement or something along those lines crossed Kaede's face. "Oh. Yeah, of course that's fine, just- you really like it?"

"Yeah, I do." He shifted his hat so he could see her a little better. It was rude to not make eye contact, just… "Your music has a lot more emotion to it than the music I usually listen to." Truly she was the Ultimate Pianist, as his memory served.

"That really means a lot. Clair de Lune is one of my favorites, and the raw emotion of it just-" She stopped herself short, her smile growing into a frustrated scowl as she tugged at ends of her hair. "Sorry, you probably don't care. Long story short, feel free to stay and listen, I don't…"

X-X-X

"...mind if I asked you for a favor?" Kaede asked, the song she was playing stopping abruptly.

He glanced at the rest of his workload quickly. "Sure, what do you need?" Whatever it was, it probably wouldn't take long, and he was almost done with his assignments anyway. Pushing his work onto the seat next to him, he approached the stage so she wouldn't have to shout at him.

"I'm starting to learn this new piece and I'm not quite used to it yet, do you think you could be my page turner?" A hint of embarrassment crept into her voice, likely for needing to ask.

Shuichi barely needed to think it over, though. "Yeah, I can do that."

Her brilliant smile returned. From that distance, he could actually see her eyes light up. "Thank you so much! Come on up, there's plenty of room on the bench." She scooted aside to give him a little extra room. "I'll nod to you when I need you to turn the page, okay?"

He nodded; it wasn't a hard job by any means. Not to mention, it was more...interesting? Yeah, interesting, to see her focus on the sheet music and her hand placement at the same time while still having the appropriate emotion shine through. Clearly she was deserving of her Ultimate title.

Kaede's hands remained on the keys for a couple of moments after the song ended. When she broke into a grin, her hands returning to her lap, she nudged him with her shoulder. "Thanks for the help, you were perfect."

"I really didn't do much." He ducked his head, the brim of his hate covering his eyes and (hopefully) his blush.

"You did! Don't sell yourself short, alright?"

Shuichi watched as Kaede started to change her sheet music before a loud voice called her name from the doorway. One of the upperclassman- Taka?- was standing here, his arms straight at his sides. "We have a class rep meeting in two minutes!"

Kaede's eyes shot wide open. "Oh, jeez, I totally forgot! Sorry, Taka!" She hurried to pick up her sheet music along with her bag, resting at the side of the piano. "Thanks for the help…"

X-X-X

"...Shuichi, please?" Kaede was hardly giving him a chance to say anything, tugging him into the music room. "Please please be my test audience?"

He stared at her back openly, letting himself be pulled along. "It's eleven at night, what are you doing up?"

"Are you really going to ask that when I found you working in the library?"

...Okay, then. "Alright, I guess." Not like he seriously would've said no. If anything else, it was a better use of his time than studying himself to death.

She kept tugging him until they were at the front of the room before letting go so he could take a seat. "I'm still so blown away that I'm even doing this concert, it's not the biggest venue I've ever played at, but-" Finally she took a breath as she sat down, smoothing her skirt. "Anyway. This is it."

As far as Shuichi could tell, Kaede's worry melted into serenity. It was the perfect calming piece, one he should consider adding to his list for when he found it hard to sleep. Even though it was so late, he wouldn't dare do that in front of Kaede. Though part of that was likely due to the coffee he'd had an hour ago.

When she finished playing, her hands twisted together lightly. "What do you think? Am I ready?"

"Absolutely," he said with one-hundred-percent honesty. With that piece, she would be able to wow anyone she performed for, he was sure of it. "You're going to blow everyone away."

Relief washed over her face. "You think so?"

"I…"

X-X-X

"...know what exactly none of this means," Shuichi said, attempting to look through the stack of sheet music he'd been given.

"That's fine, we're only looking for Canon in D. The name should be on top of the page." Kaede spread out her own pile of music around her, scanning each one quickly. "It might be under 'Pachelbel's Canon' instead."

Shuichi glanced over at her. "I think I know that one."

Almost immediately after he said that, Kaede hopped onto her feet and sat herself down at the piano. "It starts like this, I'm almost positive you know it." She began playing, sparking his memory instantly.

"Hold on, if you know how to play it, why do we need to find the sheet music for it?"

Her song stopped abruptly. "Because that's all I have memorized." She rubbed the back of her neck a little before returning to the pile of music laid out on the floor. "Wow, I should dedicate a day to organizing all of this."

Shuichi laid down part of his stack, starting in on the next section. "I'm surprised it wasn't orderly before."

"Well, Sayaka and Ibuki don't usually use the piano and I'm pretty sure if anyone else did, they'd be using their own music, not looking through classical." She sighed mutedly at that. "Leaving me to handle this mess."

It was a mess, but at least it wasn't anything that couldn't be handled. "If the day ever comes that you actually try organizing, I'll help. Assuming I don't have casework."

She tossed a crumpled post-it note at him. "Like you would've had the choice. But seriously, let's…"

X-X-X

"...finish this!" Kaede tried playing the last half page again, letting out a frustrated groan as her hands flew off the keys and into her lap. "How can I not get this?"

"Take a break," Shuichi suggested lightly. "The practical exams aren't for a couple more weeks." He said, as though he weren't stressing over them himself.

Her hands bunched her skirt up before she released a breath. "A break. I can do that." She stood and paced around the piano for a minute or so before exiting the stage, taking her bag with her. "Let's go somewhere. Get away from school for a while."

He glanced up from his paperwork, a write-up of a case from earlier in the week. "Where did you have in mind?" Assuming she had somewhere in mind.

"Anywhere. Nowhere. I don't know." She widened her eyes, pouting a little in a puppy-dog way. "Please?"

"I never said I wasn't going to join you." He stood, quickly but carefully putting his write-up in his bag. "How about that new cafe around the block? My treat."

She slipped his hand easily into his, their shoulders nearly touching. That was something he'd learned about her; she loved holding hands. "Thanks. You're the best."

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