"You understand that he is very sick, right Amu?"

"Yes."

"We may not have money for some things."

"I know."

"The…treatments might not be enough…"

"…"

"I want you to try your best and not to cause any trouble."

"I will. I promise…."

It was much bigger and grander than she originally thought it would be. Amu fidgeted in her jeans and plush turtleneck sweater top, tempted to sprint out of the large auditorium and far, far away.

The air reeked with perfume and cologne that was much too pungent for her tastes. It wasn't just the showing room, the whole dang place looked as if it were a castle! Gold rimmed banisters ran all along the many passageways, and lush crimson and lilac curtains hung from large balcony's up way above her. Far too many people were dressed as if they were going to some ball party for Halloween. Elegance rang throughout this large concert hall like it was something to be expected. The chairs weren't even crappy like at a movie theatre. They were quite comfortable, but didn't cease to put Amu on edge and sit straight up like she had a terrible pain in her mid-section. She felt misplaced, lost in the crowd of upper class.

She'd messed around with her hair for a good hour before just going with the 'semi casual look' and throwing on a nice sweater to shed off attention from her very worn and faded pair of jeans. She'd forgotten to do the laundry the other day and been reminded about the tickets by Yaya showing up at her front door to pick her up for the concert. She'd thought Yaya was joking about them. The little bouncing ball of hyper was aghast to see her friend not ready and ushered her to dress quickly before they missed a single minute of the sold out show.

Amu didn't say no thanks like she wanted for one sole reason.

The rosette haired girl's honey eyes trailed to a fat diamond ring gleaming from the lights overhead. A woman around her thirties was sporting it like it was some plastic spider band not worth anything. Her neck adorned many other shiny jewels that Amu couldn't begin to comprehend their value.

Everywhere she looked it screamed money, money, and more money.

The carpet was expensive, the seats were expensive, the toilet paper was probably expensive too. For god's sakes the flipping pamphlet looked like it was worth more than her used car! This sort of extravagant atmosphere made her feel so distant and strange, as if she didn't belong. She'd begged and pleaded for Yaya to take the tickets back and refund them after seeing what sort of 'concert' it really was. But she ignored Amu's cries as she presented the tickets proudly to the collector and claimed their seats. Amu didn't deserve this.

It was too much.

"Yaya," Amu prodded for the girl's attention beside her. "Please tell me what you paid. I'll give you my half back, this is just too much for a surprise present -"

The auburn headed girl waved her off and eyed a young man in a tux. "I told you not to worry about it, didn't I? Come on! Loosen up, and check out that guy with the red tie."

Amu covered her face with her hands and groaned. "They're all wearing red ties!"

"Pshaw. Who cares? He's cute."

"They probably all have sets," Amu replied in dismay. "Made out of silk!"

Yaya balanced an elbow on her knee and leaned her chin into her palm. "Silk smilk, what's the difference? It's not like we stole these seats." She noticed Amu's horrified expression and gave her a quizzical look.

"If you say that, they'll suspect something -"

A high brow was lifted in Amu's direction at this. "Suspect what? I didn't do anything. I mean, hello, there was some candy sitting out on an end table coming in here, but did I take it? No, I knew you would get embarrassed in front of these rich, but complete, strangers. Hear that? Strangers. People you don't know."

Amu's face paled. "You were going to eat food that was opened in public? That's -"

Yaya covered her ears and gritted her teeth tightly. "Blah, blah, blah! I'm not listening to you anymore!"

A few glossy heads turned at Yaya's high and loud bellowing tone. The pinkette tried to sink further down in her seat as to avoid penetrating stares that would soon turn mocking and haughty. She had put up with it and tried to ignore the young women a few years her senior giving them withering glances and sticking up their noses at them as they walked past to their seats. But…

Amu forced air through her lips as her lungs grew excruciatingly rigid and stiff.

It was getting to be overwhelming.

Pretty soon, Yaya snapped out of her aggravation and began to chatter excitedly about the pieces and talent of the musicians playing. Foreign names flew out of her friend's mouth and after awhile Amu gave up trying to follow it all. Her mind wandered to her little sister who had asked, or more like begged Amu to pick her up from school. Or at least today since it was Friday and Amu didn't have work. Her fingers came up to rest against her lips in thought as she wondered how long exactly the showing would be.

Right then, the thunderous roar of people came to a quiet chatter and then to an abrupt stop. Amu snapped out of her reverie and bolted up from her slouch as the lights waned slowly to darkness. Only the stage luminosity glowed in the pitch black all around, casting the platform with everyone's attention. Amu hadn't noticed the musician take his/her place during all the activity around her. But now, she watched in silence as they straightened their arms and placed their fingers above the keys. Or well, that's what she supposed. She couldn't tell exactly from such a extensive distance.

And then…they began to play.

It was obvious Yaya didn't have the attention span for a classical based concert. After an hour of the notes sliding in and around them and about seven rounds of applause to various musicians, the nineteen year old was growing restless. Her chair was apparently very old as it would give out an irritating muted squeak every time she adjusted her sitting position. And Amu sensed that people were beginning to notice and growing quickly irritated. She had told Yaya to sit still finally after the last song had ended and the clapping rang out high and deafening. The younger girl had stuck her tongue out childishly at Amu's implied chiding.

And that was when Amu realized Yaya must have heard all the musical facts from Kairi. The concerts had evidently intrigued her enough to buy tickets. But to spend that much money when it was only a passing interest? Amu clasped her hands as she waited for the next musician to enter. There must be more to it than that, no one spent this much for something so small as curiosity.

Or maybe that was just her.

Yaya knew Amu liked classical pieces like this, but she wouldn't accompany her too unless there was something, at least one thing, that would peak her fascination. Amu bit her bottom lip lightly as the thoughts piled high and endlessly. She could ask, she supposed. But would that offend her?

It would be as if she were asking:

Why the heck did you buy tickets and invite me when you don't even like it?

No. She couldn't say something like that. Not after Yaya had spent so much money. The amount didn't have a number as Yaya refused to leak the information knowing Amu would freak out. And this led to anxiety and heart thumping worry at how much it was. She could pay some of it back at least, or maybe buy her friend something nice…

Lame. Amu thought. Like that will make up for this.

This…made her happy. Amu loved the raw sound and power that came leaping off of the strings and keys as if from another world. To hear it up close, taste the work and effort of musicians that spent practically their whole lives perfecting the skill, it was simply amazing to her. Amu watched absently, tapping her fingers against the arm rest as another pianist entered onto the stage. She wrinkled her nose. Amu preferred the string instruments to the grand piano.

Yaya suddenly straightened, looking at the pamphlet intently.

"Finally," she whispered in exasperation.

Amu glanced at her friend, curiosity gnawing its way into her mind. Evidently this was the person she had been waiting for the entire time.

Amu looked back at the stage bathed in light from all sides. Yaya wasn't this excited for the pianist before…her eyes scrolled the little booklet three pages long in her hand until finally stopping on the last section printed in bold black cursive.

Sonata piece guest performance

Grand Piano: Yuki Kimura

Violin: Ikuto Tsukiyomi

A sonata? She wondered. Which one's the guest?

The little amount of time she had spent looking at the info brochure was enough for the other musician to show himself from behind the tapestries. His walk was straight, forward and direct in a way that showed his confidence to all who were watching. Excited whispering broke like a tremendous wave across the space at the man's entrance. Amu sat completely sill in all this reaction, confused.

The silence was ultimately more deafening than the noise as the violinist placed his instrument below his chin and readied his bow. The sound was slow, so quiet that at first Amu hadn't noticed the piano was actually making noise until it began to rise higher and higher. It was a steady faint rhythm that continued on and on peacefully uninterrupted by any other outside sound. The music, although an addictive melody, seemed familiar to Amu but incomplete. She couldn't place the notes with any piece she listened to in her car or at home laying on her bed in silence to relax.

The next moment hit with a chilling punch to the gut.

High pitched wailing entered the large stretch of space and beat out the piano's notes like it was some insignificant bug. There was no contending, no battling between the two instruments. The violin sliced through the piano's keys but managed to blend while remaining totally dominant. It followed the same exact pattern but stung Amu's skin with every strum, back and forth. She stayed frozen like that, stuck in a trance with the powerful notes from a player who was far beyond in mastery of the pianist.

But the memories and pictures that snaked and cut into Amu's head were too much to bear. She bolted upward out of her seat, ignoring Yaya's concerned glance and anyone near by that shot her irritated glares. The violin raced along with her steps as she hurried down the stairs to the first floor and towards a large firmly shut door. If she wasn't so panicked, she would have noticed it wasn't the same one they came in from.

But Amu continued on, shoving her way through, desperate to slice the violin's stings that seemed to be attached to her back.

In just three seconds it was gone. The single slab of wood slammed closed with her rushed force.

But no one jumped or turned at the noise, Amu was alone in the hallway. She collapsed in a crouch against the wall, putting a hand to her rapid pounding heart.

Pound

That face torn in pain

Pound

Those eyes wide in fear

Pound

The image of his body still on the floor

Pound

Amu's eyes slid quickly shut as she tried to steady the gasps that ripped from her lips. She turned her face downwards towards the floor, blinking back her bleary tear filled vision forcefully. This was no time to cry, she knew that. But it was coming so easy, so fast. It felt like forever before her heart ceased it's hard thumping against her ribs and started to come to a firm, slow pace. Amu leaned her head back against the wall, but didn't remove her hand.

It may have been ten or fifteen minutes she was like that, just staring above at the ceiling. The vibrant reds and purples smoothed into a blend soon enough as she forgot to blink. Amu looked away as a sigh breezed easily from her mouth and into the silent hallway that was empty of anyone near.

That's when the door opened again.

Honestly, she was expecting a worried Yaya.

Not a man she didn't know.

She saw his black leather shoes first. He was wearing a dark suit, fitted, and a plain black tie to match. Her eyes slowly traveled upward and onto his face that was utterly devoid of anything. But it wasn't his unfriendly expression that made her look away from intimidation.

It was his eyes. Those cool, murky azure pools that met hers without a trace of hesitance. The air around him seeped danger and intrigue that many women probably found irresistible. Amu blushed a fine scarlet as he continued to stare at her, frozen to the spot. He had a cigarette poised between his fingertips ready to be lit. But he probably spotted her crouched just outside and stopped in surprise. The other hand was still in his pocket, lighter hidden away. His midnight hair shifted slightly as he cocked his head down at her.

But he didn't say a word.

The man pushed a case that he had set down without her knowing earlier with the heel of his shoe out of the door's way. It was like a line between them, something that was unfathomably mysterious and tempting to cross. Amu stared at it for awhile before realization struck.

The violinist!

He leaned against the wall right next to her, towering above like a giant.

Her fingers tightened instinctively around her forearms as she felt the overwhelming sensation that something big was going to happen if she didn't get out of there soon. But she couldn't move. Her legs felt weak, her heart heavy, her eyes sore and achy from willing back tears.

If she knew what he was going to say next, Amu would have forced herself up and away without a missed beat.

"Want to be my wife?"

It was a mumble.

A mumble she heard very clearly.

Okay, I'm going to say this straightaway. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS CAME FROM!

All of a sudden my fingers were possessed and started writing this random plot. I'd say it's a bit on the cliché side, hope that doesn't bother anyone. I really have no idea where this is all going, so I probably won't continue it if no one cares for the story. I mean, normally I write like around five or four chapters in advanced due to all the inspiration. But this…nope, nada. A sonata as much as I know is a piece (or movement along with a whole performance) done with two instruments or a piano accompanied with another instrument, or rather just a piano. Uh...I tried researching up on that, all that stuff kind of confuses me. If there is some music expert reading this, did I get that right? Sort of?

Ikuto said that bit at the end for a certain reason, not because he's some weirdo who asks young women to marry him randomly. I haven't been to a concert hall thing since fifth grade, (for some field trip) and from what I do remember it was so dang fancy and expensive looking. We were lectured and lectured and lectured not to touch anything and to behave. That didn't happen. My picture of the place might be different from yours, but I'm praying that it came out okay. Alrighty, if you like it that will make my day! :D If no one does, well I suppose I'll just delete it and forget about the entire thing.

I also have a bad habit of not including the chara's! I've gotta stop doing that…