Alice Nine Saga
Title: Mai's story
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Alice Nine, OC
Genre: fluff
Beta:
Summary: read to find out
Word Count: 5584
Author: hannah_arashi
A/N: Hope you all like it, this is part of my Alice Nine fic saga so comments are loved
It was a warm brisk day in Tokyo as she walked the familiar path to work. She had moved to Tokyo when she was young and had essentially grown up there. She made her way to the small café where she worked as a barista, Sunny Day. Their motto was that ‘every day should start as a sunny day’. And as lame as it was she couldn’t deny that all their customers left a little happier. She pushed open the door and was greeted by the stoic owner standing at the bar preparing the coffee for the day. She raised a hand in greeting and headed for the back to change.
“Ohayo Master~ Looks like a good day today…”
The man inclined his head in her direction but as usual said nothing. Shaking her head in amusement she continued to the back to change. 15 minutes late she came out and took her place behind the counter. The open sign was out and the waiters were running around making sure that everything was ready. She relaxed in her spot when suddenly the little bell on the door rang. Everyone stopped and turned to the first customer of the day.
“Irasshaimase~”
The young man chuckled and waved off the familiar behavior. He had started coming here on his days off a few years ago and had fallen in love with the atmosphere. It also didn’t hurt that he thought the barista was adorable. Walking to his normal seat he waited for his coffee and biscotti to arrive. To an outsider he may have looked like just your everyday person going to a coffee shop, besides the fact that he was undeniably cuter than your average joe. With his jet black hair, straightened and styled to perfection and a pair of oversized sunglasses he was undeniably someone special. His slightly round face and short stature had led to some of the more familiar staff teasing him, but it was all in good fun since he was actually quite fit. Looking around the café he smiled at the staff he recognized and greeted the ones he didn’t however his gaze was still drawn to the front. She was short; barely over 156cm with big round brown eyes the color of melted chocolate. Her short black hair was kept up in a ponytail most of the time though once or twice he had seen it down. Her bangs brushed just over her brows and gave a serene quality to her face. He realized he was staring when someone cleared their throat and placed the coffee on his table. His loud infectious laughter was heard throughout place but other patrons paid no mind. After all they were used to it by now.
She knew he was watching her, after all he had been watching her for the last year or so. But she didn’t find it creepy or unnerving. She found it cute because whenever he wasn’t watching she was. Sighing she felt a slight nudge and looked up at the master who was handing her a glass of herbal tea. Taking the hint she proceeded to leave the counter and made her way over to the table. She set her tea down gently and gave the young man a shy smile.
“May I?”
“Of course!”
Shaking her head a little at his loud nature she sat and picked up her cup of tea. They had had interactions like this over the last year almost every week. Of course there were those times when he didn’t have time to come in but he would always seem to make up for it the next time he was there. She enjoyed the silence between them for a few minutes before setting the cup down and glancing up at him expectantly. As per usual he promptly began to talk her ear off incessantly about the coffee they made there and how it compared to the Starbucks he drank when he was at work. She found listening to him both fascinating and entertaining all at the same time. After a few minutes he stopped and frowned.
“Are you even listening anymore Mai-san?”
“Hai~ I always listen to you Nao-san… It’s just you always say the same thing~”
Nao sputtered out a protest before pouting which only earned him an outright laugh from the normally quiet barista. He glanced over her shoulder and saw the owner smirk in approval before turning his eyes back to the task at hand. Sighing exaggeratedly he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
“So Mai-san… I’ve got a question…”
“Just spit it out Nao-san!”
“hmph… fine… Go out with me! … please.”
Mai felt a blush creep her cheeks at the sudden outburst but couldn’t help feeling happiness swelling in her chest. She gave the slightest nod which earned them both cheers from all those present. Blushing furiously she shouted at her coworkers to pay attention to their customers before sitting down in the chair and hiding her face. Nao laughed loudly and reached across the table taking her hand gently in his. She couldn’t help but smile back when the little man grinned like a fool in her direction.
“So… a date… um… would you like to come hear us play this weekend? I would ask if you wanted to go out for coffee but since you work in a café…”
“Hahaha~ that would be a little redundant wouldn’t it… I would love to come hear your band Nao-san. When and where?”
“I’ll message you with the details later today, and the tickets will be waiting for you at the venue.”
He felt tremendously relieved as she answered his advances so positively. Now it was up to him to drop the bomb shell to his friends. Granted they might not be as surprised as he was, but he still felt he owed it to them to let them know. Actually he was more scared of letting their manger know because depending on her mood she might be extremely happy for him, or she would rip him apart. Realizing he had to leave he smiled apologetically and wrote his number down quickly on a napkin.
“Mail me so I have your number… I have to run so I’m not late… See ya later Mai-chan~”
Blushing furiously as he left she felt strangely giddy. All in one sitting the man had asked her out and finally stopped calling her name with ‘san’ attached as an honorific. Feeling like the day couldn’t get any better she stuffed the number in her pocket after entering it into her phone and shooting him a quick greeting.
“Yo~ It’s Mai… Save my number you dork~”
She skipped back to the counter and continued to work for the rest of the day with a brilliant smile on her face. Meanwhile Nao had run to the studio that they were rehearsing at the day and had just burst through the door with a huge grin on his face. The others turned and looked at him when he came in, but it was Tora who responded.
“Wow Nao… too much coffee this morning?”
“Silly Tora~ You should know there is no such thing as too much coffee~”
He literally chirped his reply as he skipped over to his drum set and sat down happily. He started playing a riff so energetic that others could only sit and stare in awe. After a few minutes their manager came in and tried to decipher the atmosphere.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“Don’t know… But Nao is in a really good mood.”
“Hmph… As long as he focuses on practicing the CONCERT MATERIAL… Then I don’t care.”
Nao stopped playing and smiled sheepishly at their manager who was looking directly at him.
“Gomen ne, Ali-san~ I’ll practice properly I promise!”
Sighing she simply shrugged and walked over to a corner indicating that they should get on with practice while she took care of paper work. And so their rehearsal started, and it lasted well into the evening. Ali had left a few hours prior to the end of their rehearsal because she had a meeting with the president to discuss their upcoming tour, as well as she had to confirm the time and venues for that weekend’s special live. As practice was winding down, everyone was feeling the post adrenaline high of an amazing practice session. It was then that Nao decided to tell them. After all, better now than never.
“Uh guys… I have something to tell you all…”
The room quieted down as everyone turned to watch him carefully. It wasn’t often that their fearless leader actually had much to say after such an awesome rehearsal. Seeing the nervousness in his face they calmed down and waited. After a few minutes he let out a nervous laugh and scratched his head with one hand.
“Um.. so you know that barista I’ve been talking about…”
“The one from that café that you’ve been obsessing about for two years almost…”
“I do NOT obsess….”
“Ok Pooh-san… what about her?”
“Hmph…well I asked her to come to our live this weekend… and she said she would…”
“So you asked her out on a date essentially?”
“… uh.. well.. yea…”
There was utter silence in the room for a few minutes before the other all broke out in cheers. Hiroto and Saga ran up and smothered the man with hugs, while Tora and Shou merely watched from the side. After the others were done smothering him Shou walked over and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Omedetou Nao~ we’ve been wondering when you would ask her~”
Nao blushed slightly but couldn’t help beaming at his friends. He was glad that his previous fear was unwarranted. Granted he shouldn’t have been worried too much since Saga had been together with their manager for almost three years already. So it should have occurred to him that as long as it meant he was happy the others took it as being good for the band. Granted the case with their manager was a little bit different but the others didn’t seem to make a distinction so he simply smiled and accepted their praise. The rest of the evening they spent celebrating Nao’s new found courage as well as trying to coach him on how to bring it up to their manager. It was finally decided, after A LOT of alcohol that they should just let it lie and have the two meet at the concert. They would think back to this moment much later and regret the decision but for now it worked.
Mai got off work that evening and went home to her small home that was close to the café. She had gone to university for music, and still played actively in the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, but she loved her small little home. It was perfectly suited to her tastes and no matter what her friends did have to say, she felt no need to move into something bigger. When she entered her apartment she was greeted by her small little Pomeranian, Kai. He was waiting patiently in the hall for her to come home like he always did in the evening. Chuckling she picked him up and held him close to her chest.
“Mah~ Kai… You won’t believe what happened at work today… Nao-san asked me out finally and I said yes… wow… it’s crazy thinking about it now~”
She chuckled and danced into the living room. The room was large and undecorated because she wasn’t home very often. She had a grand piano in the corner and her violin was up on the wall. She was a concert pianist but was also the concert master for the Symphony which meant she was away during the summers quite often. Curling up on the couch with Kai she flipped on the T.V. to catch the news. She had been sitting for a few minutes when suddenly her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket and couldn’t help but grin. There was a message from Nao with information about the live as well as telling her that he was NOT a baka. Smiling cheerfully she replied teasingly but saved the information. The live was set for that Friday night which meant she would simply have to take Kai with her to work, along with a change of clothes. The rest of the evening she spent practicing, thankful for the umpteenth time that her apartment was soundproofed. The rest of the week went quickly but as she suspected she didn’t see Nao again. Knowing how important practice was she couldn’t blame the man but in retrospect it simply made her that much more excited to see him on Friday.
Friday morning found her awake earlier than usual. She had laid out her outfit for the live out the night before. It included a floor length forest green skirt and white peasant blouse which exposed her shoulders over which she wore a gold corset. She carefully placed the clothes into her work bag along with her wallet and other things. She then got Kai into his carrier with a little bit of fuss and was out the door. She skipped down to the coffee shop and waltzed in the door with a bounce in her step. The owner looked up from his place at the bar and simply shook his head. The rest of the day she was bouncing all over the place. Kai stayed at her side as she flitted around taking orders. She had stayed behind the counter for about 15 minutes before Master had kicked her out onto the floor.
She danced around the shop most of the day amusing both the customers and her coworkers with her energy. They all knew she was excited for her date that evening but it was still nice to see the normally quiet young woman hyper. By the time the shop closed that evening she had long run out in her long flowing skirt and slightly revealing top. She was already on the train towards the venue when she got a reminder from Nao that the tickets were waiting for her. Smiling goofily as she waltzed up to the venue she went to the claim window and gave her name. The man leafed through a small card catalogue before finding hers and handing her the ticket with a smile. She was also handed a VIP pass, saying she had been randomly chosen to meet the band. Nodding enthusiastically she made her way inside she weaved her way through the crowd before finding a nice little corner to stand in. She could see the stage perfectly without stepping on any toes. As the lights dimmed and the crowd got hyped she relaxed into her corner with Kai sticking his head out occasionally and gaining attention from those nearby.
To say the show was electric was an understatement. She hadn’t felt such an adrenaline rush since she was on stage last. Realizing how amazing she felt after the show she couldn’t wait to be let backstage where she could express her feeling to the man who made it all possible. About 20 minutes after the show she found herself waiting outside their dressing room. She was standing patiently when suddenly a woman showed up and looked her over. She held her ground against the new woman and glared right back. She was taller than her own 156cm, skinny and modelesque. Yet she had an air about her that screamed business. Before either woman could say a word however the door opened and Saga stared out at the tension filled scene. He cursed fluently causing both women to look at him with arched eyebrows. Seeing the double glare Saga retreated back into the room. The taller woman led her into the dressing room and shut the door before gesturing towards a seat. Sighing Mai took the seat and took Kai out to sit on her lap. Hiroto would have jumped at the opportunity to greet the little dog had their manager not been glaring daggers around the room currently. After a few minutes of silence Ali sighed.
“So who’d going to tell me what is going on… First of all who is she? And how did she get a pass to come here?”
Mai sat patiently as she waited for someone to say something. She glanced at Nao who was desperately trying to get her attention in the most indiscreet way possible however as soon as their eyes met the manager noticed.
“Nao?”
He visibly flinched and looked up nervously at Ali. She was standing stock still like she always did when she was angry. After a few minutes of fidgeting with his hands he heard a sigh. Glancing up he met Mai’s smiling eyes. Then before anyone could stop her she cleared her throat causing their manager to whirl around and give her the same look she gave the others. Matching it with a calming look of her own she smiled.
“Hello manager-san, it is a pleasure to meet you. Nao-san has told me much about you and the others over the last two years that he has been a patron at my coffee shop. He invited me out to this live tonight as a date. As I said he has been a loyal patron for two years now so it’s no surprise that he might decide to return the favor of his lighting up the café with his presence. Is this a problem?”
Ali couldn’t help the smirk that graced her lips as she was listening to the other woman. She was calm and collected; a trait which she herself couldn’t quite grasp naturally. Listening to the outrageous generalization of the events she easily pieced together the situation and nodded as the woman finished.
“Ali… My name is Ali though I did not catch yours miss?”
“Mai… My name is Mai and this is Kai~”
“Mai then… So you are Nao-san’s girlfriend then?”
“Hrm… did I say that?”
“No, you didn’t but if there is anything I have learned from this industry it is how to read a situation; especially when your husband happens to work in the industry.”
“…Husband?”
“Haha~ yes. I am surprised Nao hasn’t told you. I am not only their manager for five years now but I am also married for two years to a certain bassist.”
She let the information sink in before her eyebrows shot up and she glanced over at Saga who had visibly relaxed and was leaning against the wall with a grin. He noticed her glanced and simply winked at her. Mai smiled slightly before shrugging her shoulders and nodding towards Ali.
“I see no point in not telling you the truth then Ali-san. Yes, Nao asked me out last week after spending the last two years watching me from a corner table.”
She chuckled when her comment got the desired effect. Nao stuttered that he had not been stalking her which caused everyone to crack up. She passed Kai over to an eagerly waiting Hiroto while she waltzed over to Nao. He pouted at her which she found adorable. Not knowing what else to do she hugged the man around the neck and thanked him so much for the invite. When she went to pull away she found that his arms had wound themselves around her waist. Feeling a flush creep up her cheeks it was her turn to pout. Nao grin at taking the upper hand and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Her face flared bright red and she hid it against his neck as the others chuckled. He looked over at their manager who was simply standing patiently in the same spot.
“This is my girlfriend Mai-chan~ She the cutest barista you will ever meet and one of the most amazing musicians as well. She’s the concertmaster of the Metropolitan symphony and a concert pianist to boot. You should go hear her over the summer. It will blow you away~”
“Got it Nao~ Just try to warn me ahead of time before you all decide to invite someone close to you to concerts. It’s a pain trying to explain things to security without any notice. Anyway, welcome to the family Mai-chan~ And forgive me if it takes me a little bit to get used to having you around…”
Mai nodded silently and took the other woman’s personality with a grain of salt. She would get used to her or she wouldn’t it didn’t really matter. What really mattered to her was how much more she felt in love with Nao knowing that he actually knew more about her than just that she worked at a café. Glancing up at the man tentatively she was greeted by a shy smile that sent a shiver up her spine. Bury her face in his neck she whispered a question. Feeling her whisper into his neck made him laugh loudly before pulling Mai to sit on his lap in one of the armchairs.
“I knew cause I asked the Master about you the second time we met. Then I went to my first concert that summer in between our own concerts. I thought you were fantastic and after that I really couldn’t keep my eyes off you. For two years I waited, thinking of what to say before I finally decided to give it a shot. And it’s the best decision I could have made.”
Mai felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as he finished. The room was silent as they waited to hear her response. Chuckling she hugged him and kissed him gently on the cheek.
“Baka~ why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
There was a collective sigh of relief as the new couple solidified their relationship. Meanwhile Saga had led Ali to the couch in the corner where they curled up together away from the others. Noticing how well Hiroto got along with Kai Mai smiled and after extracting herself from Nao’s arms to sit on the arm of the chair she spoke to the hyper young man.
“I hear you have a Pomeranian as well. Perhaps we can set up a play date sometime~”
Hiroto looked up for a second before his face broke out in a humongous grin. He nodded enthusiastically before going back to playing with the dog. Tora and Shou took their opportunity to speak with the young woman about the type of music that she played. They asked about composing and when she mentioned that she had composed for a few artists before suddenly Ali sat up and marched over. She stood with her arms crossed, looking slightly uncomfortable until Saga came up behind her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Um… you write under a pen name correct? It wouldn’t happen to be ‘Malice’ would it?”
“Yes… but how did you know?”
“… You have written a ballad or two for my older brother.”
“Eh…. Who?”
“Gackt”
“Really?! I mean he’s your brother?”
“ahaha~ not by blood but yes… he’s family.”
Mai felt self-conscious at being recognized but she suddenly felt like she could understand the other woman a little more. She remembered when she had written the ballads for Gackt, he had told her about a young woman he had adopted. Not understanding fully at the time she now understood the situation he had described to her. Smiling she felt glad to finally meet the young woman to which one of the beautiful songs had been directed.
“One of those songs he had commissioned was to let you know that you were never alone… I’m honored to finally meet the young woman who warranted such a gorgeous song.”
Ali grinned at older woman and simply smiled. She thanked her before leaving to finish up her work for the evening. Saga followed her out after telling Mai to come to rehearsal sometime. Watching the couple leave together she glanced down at Nao who was smiling brightly back at her. Chuckling she hopped of the arm of the chair and walked over to collect Kai from a distraught Hiroto. He only cheered up after she promised to bring the pup by the next time she visited. Shou and Tora both stayed fairly silent as she gathered her things but they sent her off with a kind word and an open invitation to visit anytime. Nao was waiting for her at the door when she had said goodbye to everyone. Waving to them as the door shut behind them she smiled shyly as Nao slipped his hand into hers though in the small hallway it went unnoticed as they squeezed out the back. They walked together towards Nao’s car. It was late in the evening and she had to get up for work the next morning. Nao opened the door for her and then got in the driver side. The trip to her apartment took a little over an hour and within that time they talked about everything and nothing. At one point she dozed off and was woken up by Nao kissing her forehead. They had arrived at her apartment at some point. She yawned blushed.
“sorry… It’s been a bit of a long day~”
“No no~ You are cute when you are sleeping… but how about we get you to bed?”
Blushing furiously she clambered out of the car but couldn’t get her bags away from Nao. He grinned cheekily and grabbed her hand in order to lead her upstairs. They made it to her apartment as she tried not to fall asleep in the elevator. At the door she looked up at him while she leaned against the door.
“Do you… want to stay?”
Nao grinned cutely and kissed her on top of the head before politely declining. He told her that he would rather see her when she was awake and would settle instead for a nice hot cup of coffee in the morning. Smiling happily she nodded before leaning forward and catching him off guard. He wasn’t sure how to react when he first felt her lips on his but then he took control and pulled her even closer. After a few minutes they parted and Nao could feel his cheek flush. Smiling with her handiwork she winked and told him “sweet dreams” before going into her apartment.
The next morning she was woken up by a sweet message on her phone which sent her heart soaring. She skipped into the coffee shop that morning as well, but remembered to tone her spirit down slightly so as to not annoy the owner. When she came out dressed in uniform she was surprised to find all of Alice Nine in the café, along with their manager. With a nod from the owner she walked over and smiled at them.
“What can I get you all today?”
The answer was unanimous: whatever Nao usually gets. Chuckling she nodded towards the owner and held up 6 fingers. After relaying the order she smiled at them all, and simply stood there chatting. A bell rang indicating that the order was filled so she turned to gather it. She found seven orders and took the hint to take a break. As she carried the tray over and set the drinks down she set her cup next to Nao who grinned brighter than ever. As she turned to return the tray she heard the man shout his thanks to the owner from across the café. His only response was a smirk as he dried cups at the bar. She gave the man a light smack as she took a seat next to him. Unlike Ali and Saga, Nao made no attempt to hide their relationship from anyone around. As soon as she sat down he threw an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. The others merely chuckled and Ali buried her face in Saga’s shoulder to hide her frustrations with the older man. But this was all natural.
The next few months were very much similar to that beginning. Even if a week went by without them seeing each other face to face, they undoubtedly stayed in contact. Mai had become extremely busy due to a concert that was coming up. She had been given the Prokofiev violin concerto to play for an upcoming festival. On top of a few other minor solos in violin she had no time on her hands but little messages from the man kept her days bright. She had to take time away from the café in order to keep up with practices. The week before she sent tickets to Ali with a note inviting everyone to hear the concert if they had time; she didn’t expect any response and instead focused her time on practice. The day of the concert came and she was ready for it be over. She prepared in her dressing room and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a floor length gown that hugged her curves. It was a deep shimmering midnight blue which would stand out under the stage lights. Smiling at her reflection, inside she was a bundle of nerves that would only unwind once everything was said and done. Taking a deep breath she grabbed her violin and left the dressing room.
Nao was fidgeting in his seat as they waited for the concert to begin. He had been told to chill a number of times already but he couldn’t sit still. When the second chair violinist came out to tune the orchestra he felt his tension go even higher. When she finally graced the stage Nao thought his heart would stop. She was drop dead gorgeous and looked super sophisticated to boot. When she played Nao felt his heart soar with pride. Never before did he think he could get the same thrill from performing as listening to a performance. But the style with which she played and the emotion was enough to bring everyone into the piece. Once the concerto was finished and the concert continued she still managed to stand out even as she brought the whole symphony together. At the end, once everyone had stood for the second time the conductor asked for the audience to quiet. He pulled her up to her feet and stood beside her, an arm around her shoulders like a proud father as he made an announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to announce that our wonderful concertmaster has been asked to compete and represent Japan in the world renowned Tchaikovsky festival being held in Rome this summer. She will compete against other instrumentalists from around the world and will hopefully bring back an award for us to display. But nevertheless we are immensely proud of her being selected and we will miss her while she is gone. Thank you all for being here to celebrate her time with us thus far~”
She felt her face flush slightly as she shook hands with the conductor as well as the other principal players. They all left the stage in an orderly fashion and she made her way back to her dressing room. She had just rounded the corner when she was greeted by Alice Nine. She looked around in shock since she didn’t realize they had made it. Nao walked up to her and after handing her violin to Tora for safe keeping, kissed her silly. He was immensely proud of her and wanted her to know. She flushed brightly as he handed her a bouquet of pink roses amid clapping from both ends of the hall, as the entire symphony had witnessed the display. She quickly led them into the room and shut the door. Scowling at Nao she couldn’t stay mad at him for long. She hugged him and kissed him back quickly before putting her violin and music away. After she was done she smiled and leaned against the counter.
“Thank you so much for coming… I had no clue you all were able to come tonight. And I guess you heard the announcement. I will be leaving for Rome in two weeks and I will be back in probably a month…”
Nao whined but winked at her simultaneously.
“I guess I just have to get used to not seeing my lovely girl~”
She smiled and walked over to where the man stood. She buried her face in his chest and sighed. It had been too long since she had been so close with the man. Ignoring the chuckles surrounding them she glanced upward and sighed.
“It’s only for a month… So after that we can spend as much time together as possible…”
“I know… And I will wait impatiently for you of course~”
She smiled brightly and laughed at his audaciousness. Kissing his cheek she left his arms and accepted the others congratulations. The rest of the evening she stayed by his side and for the first time in months they spent the night together. The next few weeks they were happy together and even when her time came to leave for the competition Nao saw her off at the airport. Smiling happily she kissed the man goodbye and promised to come back soon for him. This was just another step which would ultimately bring them closer.
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Alice Nine, OC
Genre: fluff
Beta:
Summary: read to find out
Word Count: 5584
Author: hannah_arashi
A/N: Hope you all like it, this is part of my Alice Nine fic saga so comments are loved
It was a warm brisk day in Tokyo as she walked the familiar path to work. She had moved to Tokyo when she was young and had essentially grown up there. She made her way to the small café where she worked as a barista, Sunny Day. Their motto was that ‘every day should start as a sunny day’. And as lame as it was she couldn’t deny that all their customers left a little happier. She pushed open the door and was greeted by the stoic owner standing at the bar preparing the coffee for the day. She raised a hand in greeting and headed for the back to change.
“Ohayo Master~ Looks like a good day today…”
The man inclined his head in her direction but as usual said nothing. Shaking her head in amusement she continued to the back to change. 15 minutes late she came out and took her place behind the counter. The open sign was out and the waiters were running around making sure that everything was ready. She relaxed in her spot when suddenly the little bell on the door rang. Everyone stopped and turned to the first customer of the day.
“Irasshaimase~”
The young man chuckled and waved off the familiar behavior. He had started coming here on his days off a few years ago and had fallen in love with the atmosphere. It also didn’t hurt that he thought the barista was adorable. Walking to his normal seat he waited for his coffee and biscotti to arrive. To an outsider he may have looked like just your everyday person going to a coffee shop, besides the fact that he was undeniably cuter than your average joe. With his jet black hair, straightened and styled to perfection and a pair of oversized sunglasses he was undeniably someone special. His slightly round face and short stature had led to some of the more familiar staff teasing him, but it was all in good fun since he was actually quite fit. Looking around the café he smiled at the staff he recognized and greeted the ones he didn’t however his gaze was still drawn to the front. She was short; barely over 156cm with big round brown eyes the color of melted chocolate. Her short black hair was kept up in a ponytail most of the time though once or twice he had seen it down. Her bangs brushed just over her brows and gave a serene quality to her face. He realized he was staring when someone cleared their throat and placed the coffee on his table. His loud infectious laughter was heard throughout place but other patrons paid no mind. After all they were used to it by now.
She knew he was watching her, after all he had been watching her for the last year or so. But she didn’t find it creepy or unnerving. She found it cute because whenever he wasn’t watching she was. Sighing she felt a slight nudge and looked up at the master who was handing her a glass of herbal tea. Taking the hint she proceeded to leave the counter and made her way over to the table. She set her tea down gently and gave the young man a shy smile.
“May I?”
“Of course!”
Shaking her head a little at his loud nature she sat and picked up her cup of tea. They had had interactions like this over the last year almost every week. Of course there were those times when he didn’t have time to come in but he would always seem to make up for it the next time he was there. She enjoyed the silence between them for a few minutes before setting the cup down and glancing up at him expectantly. As per usual he promptly began to talk her ear off incessantly about the coffee they made there and how it compared to the Starbucks he drank when he was at work. She found listening to him both fascinating and entertaining all at the same time. After a few minutes he stopped and frowned.
“Are you even listening anymore Mai-san?”
“Hai~ I always listen to you Nao-san… It’s just you always say the same thing~”
Nao sputtered out a protest before pouting which only earned him an outright laugh from the normally quiet barista. He glanced over her shoulder and saw the owner smirk in approval before turning his eyes back to the task at hand. Sighing exaggeratedly he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
“So Mai-san… I’ve got a question…”
“Just spit it out Nao-san!”
“hmph… fine… Go out with me! … please.”
Mai felt a blush creep her cheeks at the sudden outburst but couldn’t help feeling happiness swelling in her chest. She gave the slightest nod which earned them both cheers from all those present. Blushing furiously she shouted at her coworkers to pay attention to their customers before sitting down in the chair and hiding her face. Nao laughed loudly and reached across the table taking her hand gently in his. She couldn’t help but smile back when the little man grinned like a fool in her direction.
“So… a date… um… would you like to come hear us play this weekend? I would ask if you wanted to go out for coffee but since you work in a café…”
“Hahaha~ that would be a little redundant wouldn’t it… I would love to come hear your band Nao-san. When and where?”
“I’ll message you with the details later today, and the tickets will be waiting for you at the venue.”
He felt tremendously relieved as she answered his advances so positively. Now it was up to him to drop the bomb shell to his friends. Granted they might not be as surprised as he was, but he still felt he owed it to them to let them know. Actually he was more scared of letting their manger know because depending on her mood she might be extremely happy for him, or she would rip him apart. Realizing he had to leave he smiled apologetically and wrote his number down quickly on a napkin.
“Mail me so I have your number… I have to run so I’m not late… See ya later Mai-chan~”
Blushing furiously as he left she felt strangely giddy. All in one sitting the man had asked her out and finally stopped calling her name with ‘san’ attached as an honorific. Feeling like the day couldn’t get any better she stuffed the number in her pocket after entering it into her phone and shooting him a quick greeting.
“Yo~ It’s Mai… Save my number you dork~”
She skipped back to the counter and continued to work for the rest of the day with a brilliant smile on her face. Meanwhile Nao had run to the studio that they were rehearsing at the day and had just burst through the door with a huge grin on his face. The others turned and looked at him when he came in, but it was Tora who responded.
“Wow Nao… too much coffee this morning?”
“Silly Tora~ You should know there is no such thing as too much coffee~”
He literally chirped his reply as he skipped over to his drum set and sat down happily. He started playing a riff so energetic that others could only sit and stare in awe. After a few minutes their manager came in and tried to decipher the atmosphere.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“Don’t know… But Nao is in a really good mood.”
“Hmph… As long as he focuses on practicing the CONCERT MATERIAL… Then I don’t care.”
Nao stopped playing and smiled sheepishly at their manager who was looking directly at him.
“Gomen ne, Ali-san~ I’ll practice properly I promise!”
Sighing she simply shrugged and walked over to a corner indicating that they should get on with practice while she took care of paper work. And so their rehearsal started, and it lasted well into the evening. Ali had left a few hours prior to the end of their rehearsal because she had a meeting with the president to discuss their upcoming tour, as well as she had to confirm the time and venues for that weekend’s special live. As practice was winding down, everyone was feeling the post adrenaline high of an amazing practice session. It was then that Nao decided to tell them. After all, better now than never.
“Uh guys… I have something to tell you all…”
The room quieted down as everyone turned to watch him carefully. It wasn’t often that their fearless leader actually had much to say after such an awesome rehearsal. Seeing the nervousness in his face they calmed down and waited. After a few minutes he let out a nervous laugh and scratched his head with one hand.
“Um.. so you know that barista I’ve been talking about…”
“The one from that café that you’ve been obsessing about for two years almost…”
“I do NOT obsess….”
“Ok Pooh-san… what about her?”
“Hmph…well I asked her to come to our live this weekend… and she said she would…”
“So you asked her out on a date essentially?”
“… uh.. well.. yea…”
There was utter silence in the room for a few minutes before the other all broke out in cheers. Hiroto and Saga ran up and smothered the man with hugs, while Tora and Shou merely watched from the side. After the others were done smothering him Shou walked over and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Omedetou Nao~ we’ve been wondering when you would ask her~”
Nao blushed slightly but couldn’t help beaming at his friends. He was glad that his previous fear was unwarranted. Granted he shouldn’t have been worried too much since Saga had been together with their manager for almost three years already. So it should have occurred to him that as long as it meant he was happy the others took it as being good for the band. Granted the case with their manager was a little bit different but the others didn’t seem to make a distinction so he simply smiled and accepted their praise. The rest of the evening they spent celebrating Nao’s new found courage as well as trying to coach him on how to bring it up to their manager. It was finally decided, after A LOT of alcohol that they should just let it lie and have the two meet at the concert. They would think back to this moment much later and regret the decision but for now it worked.
Mai got off work that evening and went home to her small home that was close to the café. She had gone to university for music, and still played actively in the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, but she loved her small little home. It was perfectly suited to her tastes and no matter what her friends did have to say, she felt no need to move into something bigger. When she entered her apartment she was greeted by her small little Pomeranian, Kai. He was waiting patiently in the hall for her to come home like he always did in the evening. Chuckling she picked him up and held him close to her chest.
“Mah~ Kai… You won’t believe what happened at work today… Nao-san asked me out finally and I said yes… wow… it’s crazy thinking about it now~”
She chuckled and danced into the living room. The room was large and undecorated because she wasn’t home very often. She had a grand piano in the corner and her violin was up on the wall. She was a concert pianist but was also the concert master for the Symphony which meant she was away during the summers quite often. Curling up on the couch with Kai she flipped on the T.V. to catch the news. She had been sitting for a few minutes when suddenly her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket and couldn’t help but grin. There was a message from Nao with information about the live as well as telling her that he was NOT a baka. Smiling cheerfully she replied teasingly but saved the information. The live was set for that Friday night which meant she would simply have to take Kai with her to work, along with a change of clothes. The rest of the evening she spent practicing, thankful for the umpteenth time that her apartment was soundproofed. The rest of the week went quickly but as she suspected she didn’t see Nao again. Knowing how important practice was she couldn’t blame the man but in retrospect it simply made her that much more excited to see him on Friday.
Friday morning found her awake earlier than usual. She had laid out her outfit for the live out the night before. It included a floor length forest green skirt and white peasant blouse which exposed her shoulders over which she wore a gold corset. She carefully placed the clothes into her work bag along with her wallet and other things. She then got Kai into his carrier with a little bit of fuss and was out the door. She skipped down to the coffee shop and waltzed in the door with a bounce in her step. The owner looked up from his place at the bar and simply shook his head. The rest of the day she was bouncing all over the place. Kai stayed at her side as she flitted around taking orders. She had stayed behind the counter for about 15 minutes before Master had kicked her out onto the floor.
She danced around the shop most of the day amusing both the customers and her coworkers with her energy. They all knew she was excited for her date that evening but it was still nice to see the normally quiet young woman hyper. By the time the shop closed that evening she had long run out in her long flowing skirt and slightly revealing top. She was already on the train towards the venue when she got a reminder from Nao that the tickets were waiting for her. Smiling goofily as she waltzed up to the venue she went to the claim window and gave her name. The man leafed through a small card catalogue before finding hers and handing her the ticket with a smile. She was also handed a VIP pass, saying she had been randomly chosen to meet the band. Nodding enthusiastically she made her way inside she weaved her way through the crowd before finding a nice little corner to stand in. She could see the stage perfectly without stepping on any toes. As the lights dimmed and the crowd got hyped she relaxed into her corner with Kai sticking his head out occasionally and gaining attention from those nearby.
To say the show was electric was an understatement. She hadn’t felt such an adrenaline rush since she was on stage last. Realizing how amazing she felt after the show she couldn’t wait to be let backstage where she could express her feeling to the man who made it all possible. About 20 minutes after the show she found herself waiting outside their dressing room. She was standing patiently when suddenly a woman showed up and looked her over. She held her ground against the new woman and glared right back. She was taller than her own 156cm, skinny and modelesque. Yet she had an air about her that screamed business. Before either woman could say a word however the door opened and Saga stared out at the tension filled scene. He cursed fluently causing both women to look at him with arched eyebrows. Seeing the double glare Saga retreated back into the room. The taller woman led her into the dressing room and shut the door before gesturing towards a seat. Sighing Mai took the seat and took Kai out to sit on her lap. Hiroto would have jumped at the opportunity to greet the little dog had their manager not been glaring daggers around the room currently. After a few minutes of silence Ali sighed.
“So who’d going to tell me what is going on… First of all who is she? And how did she get a pass to come here?”
Mai sat patiently as she waited for someone to say something. She glanced at Nao who was desperately trying to get her attention in the most indiscreet way possible however as soon as their eyes met the manager noticed.
“Nao?”
He visibly flinched and looked up nervously at Ali. She was standing stock still like she always did when she was angry. After a few minutes of fidgeting with his hands he heard a sigh. Glancing up he met Mai’s smiling eyes. Then before anyone could stop her she cleared her throat causing their manager to whirl around and give her the same look she gave the others. Matching it with a calming look of her own she smiled.
“Hello manager-san, it is a pleasure to meet you. Nao-san has told me much about you and the others over the last two years that he has been a patron at my coffee shop. He invited me out to this live tonight as a date. As I said he has been a loyal patron for two years now so it’s no surprise that he might decide to return the favor of his lighting up the café with his presence. Is this a problem?”
Ali couldn’t help the smirk that graced her lips as she was listening to the other woman. She was calm and collected; a trait which she herself couldn’t quite grasp naturally. Listening to the outrageous generalization of the events she easily pieced together the situation and nodded as the woman finished.
“Ali… My name is Ali though I did not catch yours miss?”
“Mai… My name is Mai and this is Kai~”
“Mai then… So you are Nao-san’s girlfriend then?”
“Hrm… did I say that?”
“No, you didn’t but if there is anything I have learned from this industry it is how to read a situation; especially when your husband happens to work in the industry.”
“…Husband?”
“Haha~ yes. I am surprised Nao hasn’t told you. I am not only their manager for five years now but I am also married for two years to a certain bassist.”
She let the information sink in before her eyebrows shot up and she glanced over at Saga who had visibly relaxed and was leaning against the wall with a grin. He noticed her glanced and simply winked at her. Mai smiled slightly before shrugging her shoulders and nodding towards Ali.
“I see no point in not telling you the truth then Ali-san. Yes, Nao asked me out last week after spending the last two years watching me from a corner table.”
She chuckled when her comment got the desired effect. Nao stuttered that he had not been stalking her which caused everyone to crack up. She passed Kai over to an eagerly waiting Hiroto while she waltzed over to Nao. He pouted at her which she found adorable. Not knowing what else to do she hugged the man around the neck and thanked him so much for the invite. When she went to pull away she found that his arms had wound themselves around her waist. Feeling a flush creep up her cheeks it was her turn to pout. Nao grin at taking the upper hand and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Her face flared bright red and she hid it against his neck as the others chuckled. He looked over at their manager who was simply standing patiently in the same spot.
“This is my girlfriend Mai-chan~ She the cutest barista you will ever meet and one of the most amazing musicians as well. She’s the concertmaster of the Metropolitan symphony and a concert pianist to boot. You should go hear her over the summer. It will blow you away~”
“Got it Nao~ Just try to warn me ahead of time before you all decide to invite someone close to you to concerts. It’s a pain trying to explain things to security without any notice. Anyway, welcome to the family Mai-chan~ And forgive me if it takes me a little bit to get used to having you around…”
Mai nodded silently and took the other woman’s personality with a grain of salt. She would get used to her or she wouldn’t it didn’t really matter. What really mattered to her was how much more she felt in love with Nao knowing that he actually knew more about her than just that she worked at a café. Glancing up at the man tentatively she was greeted by a shy smile that sent a shiver up her spine. Bury her face in his neck she whispered a question. Feeling her whisper into his neck made him laugh loudly before pulling Mai to sit on his lap in one of the armchairs.
“I knew cause I asked the Master about you the second time we met. Then I went to my first concert that summer in between our own concerts. I thought you were fantastic and after that I really couldn’t keep my eyes off you. For two years I waited, thinking of what to say before I finally decided to give it a shot. And it’s the best decision I could have made.”
Mai felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as he finished. The room was silent as they waited to hear her response. Chuckling she hugged him and kissed him gently on the cheek.
“Baka~ why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
There was a collective sigh of relief as the new couple solidified their relationship. Meanwhile Saga had led Ali to the couch in the corner where they curled up together away from the others. Noticing how well Hiroto got along with Kai Mai smiled and after extracting herself from Nao’s arms to sit on the arm of the chair she spoke to the hyper young man.
“I hear you have a Pomeranian as well. Perhaps we can set up a play date sometime~”
Hiroto looked up for a second before his face broke out in a humongous grin. He nodded enthusiastically before going back to playing with the dog. Tora and Shou took their opportunity to speak with the young woman about the type of music that she played. They asked about composing and when she mentioned that she had composed for a few artists before suddenly Ali sat up and marched over. She stood with her arms crossed, looking slightly uncomfortable until Saga came up behind her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Um… you write under a pen name correct? It wouldn’t happen to be ‘Malice’ would it?”
“Yes… but how did you know?”
“… You have written a ballad or two for my older brother.”
“Eh…. Who?”
“Gackt”
“Really?! I mean he’s your brother?”
“ahaha~ not by blood but yes… he’s family.”
Mai felt self-conscious at being recognized but she suddenly felt like she could understand the other woman a little more. She remembered when she had written the ballads for Gackt, he had told her about a young woman he had adopted. Not understanding fully at the time she now understood the situation he had described to her. Smiling she felt glad to finally meet the young woman to which one of the beautiful songs had been directed.
“One of those songs he had commissioned was to let you know that you were never alone… I’m honored to finally meet the young woman who warranted such a gorgeous song.”
Ali grinned at older woman and simply smiled. She thanked her before leaving to finish up her work for the evening. Saga followed her out after telling Mai to come to rehearsal sometime. Watching the couple leave together she glanced down at Nao who was smiling brightly back at her. Chuckling she hopped of the arm of the chair and walked over to collect Kai from a distraught Hiroto. He only cheered up after she promised to bring the pup by the next time she visited. Shou and Tora both stayed fairly silent as she gathered her things but they sent her off with a kind word and an open invitation to visit anytime. Nao was waiting for her at the door when she had said goodbye to everyone. Waving to them as the door shut behind them she smiled shyly as Nao slipped his hand into hers though in the small hallway it went unnoticed as they squeezed out the back. They walked together towards Nao’s car. It was late in the evening and she had to get up for work the next morning. Nao opened the door for her and then got in the driver side. The trip to her apartment took a little over an hour and within that time they talked about everything and nothing. At one point she dozed off and was woken up by Nao kissing her forehead. They had arrived at her apartment at some point. She yawned blushed.
“sorry… It’s been a bit of a long day~”
“No no~ You are cute when you are sleeping… but how about we get you to bed?”
Blushing furiously she clambered out of the car but couldn’t get her bags away from Nao. He grinned cheekily and grabbed her hand in order to lead her upstairs. They made it to her apartment as she tried not to fall asleep in the elevator. At the door she looked up at him while she leaned against the door.
“Do you… want to stay?”
Nao grinned cutely and kissed her on top of the head before politely declining. He told her that he would rather see her when she was awake and would settle instead for a nice hot cup of coffee in the morning. Smiling happily she nodded before leaning forward and catching him off guard. He wasn’t sure how to react when he first felt her lips on his but then he took control and pulled her even closer. After a few minutes they parted and Nao could feel his cheek flush. Smiling with her handiwork she winked and told him “sweet dreams” before going into her apartment.
The next morning she was woken up by a sweet message on her phone which sent her heart soaring. She skipped into the coffee shop that morning as well, but remembered to tone her spirit down slightly so as to not annoy the owner. When she came out dressed in uniform she was surprised to find all of Alice Nine in the café, along with their manager. With a nod from the owner she walked over and smiled at them.
“What can I get you all today?”
The answer was unanimous: whatever Nao usually gets. Chuckling she nodded towards the owner and held up 6 fingers. After relaying the order she smiled at them all, and simply stood there chatting. A bell rang indicating that the order was filled so she turned to gather it. She found seven orders and took the hint to take a break. As she carried the tray over and set the drinks down she set her cup next to Nao who grinned brighter than ever. As she turned to return the tray she heard the man shout his thanks to the owner from across the café. His only response was a smirk as he dried cups at the bar. She gave the man a light smack as she took a seat next to him. Unlike Ali and Saga, Nao made no attempt to hide their relationship from anyone around. As soon as she sat down he threw an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. The others merely chuckled and Ali buried her face in Saga’s shoulder to hide her frustrations with the older man. But this was all natural.
The next few months were very much similar to that beginning. Even if a week went by without them seeing each other face to face, they undoubtedly stayed in contact. Mai had become extremely busy due to a concert that was coming up. She had been given the Prokofiev violin concerto to play for an upcoming festival. On top of a few other minor solos in violin she had no time on her hands but little messages from the man kept her days bright. She had to take time away from the café in order to keep up with practices. The week before she sent tickets to Ali with a note inviting everyone to hear the concert if they had time; she didn’t expect any response and instead focused her time on practice. The day of the concert came and she was ready for it be over. She prepared in her dressing room and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a floor length gown that hugged her curves. It was a deep shimmering midnight blue which would stand out under the stage lights. Smiling at her reflection, inside she was a bundle of nerves that would only unwind once everything was said and done. Taking a deep breath she grabbed her violin and left the dressing room.
Nao was fidgeting in his seat as they waited for the concert to begin. He had been told to chill a number of times already but he couldn’t sit still. When the second chair violinist came out to tune the orchestra he felt his tension go even higher. When she finally graced the stage Nao thought his heart would stop. She was drop dead gorgeous and looked super sophisticated to boot. When she played Nao felt his heart soar with pride. Never before did he think he could get the same thrill from performing as listening to a performance. But the style with which she played and the emotion was enough to bring everyone into the piece. Once the concerto was finished and the concert continued she still managed to stand out even as she brought the whole symphony together. At the end, once everyone had stood for the second time the conductor asked for the audience to quiet. He pulled her up to her feet and stood beside her, an arm around her shoulders like a proud father as he made an announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to announce that our wonderful concertmaster has been asked to compete and represent Japan in the world renowned Tchaikovsky festival being held in Rome this summer. She will compete against other instrumentalists from around the world and will hopefully bring back an award for us to display. But nevertheless we are immensely proud of her being selected and we will miss her while she is gone. Thank you all for being here to celebrate her time with us thus far~”
She felt her face flush slightly as she shook hands with the conductor as well as the other principal players. They all left the stage in an orderly fashion and she made her way back to her dressing room. She had just rounded the corner when she was greeted by Alice Nine. She looked around in shock since she didn’t realize they had made it. Nao walked up to her and after handing her violin to Tora for safe keeping, kissed her silly. He was immensely proud of her and wanted her to know. She flushed brightly as he handed her a bouquet of pink roses amid clapping from both ends of the hall, as the entire symphony had witnessed the display. She quickly led them into the room and shut the door. Scowling at Nao she couldn’t stay mad at him for long. She hugged him and kissed him back quickly before putting her violin and music away. After she was done she smiled and leaned against the counter.
“Thank you so much for coming… I had no clue you all were able to come tonight. And I guess you heard the announcement. I will be leaving for Rome in two weeks and I will be back in probably a month…”
Nao whined but winked at her simultaneously.
“I guess I just have to get used to not seeing my lovely girl~”
She smiled and walked over to where the man stood. She buried her face in his chest and sighed. It had been too long since she had been so close with the man. Ignoring the chuckles surrounding them she glanced upward and sighed.
“It’s only for a month… So after that we can spend as much time together as possible…”
“I know… And I will wait impatiently for you of course~”
She smiled brightly and laughed at his audaciousness. Kissing his cheek she left his arms and accepted the others congratulations. The rest of the evening she stayed by his side and for the first time in months they spent the night together. The next few weeks they were happy together and even when her time came to leave for the competition Nao saw her off at the airport. Smiling happily she kissed the man goodbye and promised to come back soon for him. This was just another step which would ultimately bring them closer.