Watching
Title: Watching
Rating: G
Pairing: Ohmiya, slight Sakuraiba
Genre: Fantasy, romance
Disclamer: Only the story is mine
Description: Nino sees an angel.
Nino had always believed in angels.
That’s why, as he clutched his music sheets tightly against his chest, he wished for an angel to appear before him at that very instant.
Either to stop him from feeling so nervous, or to just make him disappear from this waiting room completely.
He couldn’t play, not in the condition he was in now. His palms were moist to the point that they soaked the sheets in his hands; and his hands… His hands were shaking like crazy.
“You’ll do fine!” Aiba had said brightly, patting the smaller man on the back. “You the best piano player I know!”
“PIANIST,” Sho corrected. “And he’s the only pianist you know, Aiba. But it’s true,” Sho said thoughtfully, turning to Nino, “You ARE a very good player.” The pair had smiled at Nino in encouragement as he smiled weakly in reply.
It was Nino’s turn. He walked onto the stage, the music sheets in his hand slightly damp and very crumpled (from excessive wringing in his anxiety). Legs shaking, he walked to the grand piano as the applause from the audience died down, along with shouts of “Nino we love you!!” from Aiba in the crowd.
Nino placed the music sheets at the piano and sat down on the piano stool. Staring at the sheets in front of him, Nino gulped. Since when did they look so foreign? He couldn’t understand what was written, he couldn’t think. A wave of nausea washed though him.
Taking a deep breath, he placed his hands on the piano and began to play.
Except something was going horribly wrong. The sound that came out wasn’t beautiful. It wasn’t good at all. In fact, it was downright horrible.
Nino watched as his fingers plonked rigidly across the keys. His stubby fingers were jerking about the keys instead of the usual grace they possessed. The legato parts in the song came out as short, uneven staccatos.
Even a five year old could play better than this, Nino thought helplessly as he begged kami-sama to save him from this situation. He was panicking, which was bad, because the more he panicked the more uncontrollable his fingers became and all the more it sounded worse.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the piano. Nino almost fell off his piano stool in surprise and had to remind himself that this was a competition and he had to keep playing. So with much difficulty, he struggled to regain his composure (if he had any to begin with) and stole a glance at the figure before him. The man was about the same build as Nino was, except he had short, spiky brown hair and a rather sleepy expression. He wore a long white robe and attached to his back was (Nino almost fell off his stool again at this point) a pair of snow white wings almost the length of the whole man himself, covered in soft feathers that were fluttering lightly in the non-existent breeze. There was a halo (A HALO?) hovering slightly above the glowing man’s head. And the most magical thing about him was that he was glowing The man turned towards Nino and smiled.
Judging from the fact that none of the audience members were screaming and running out of the hall or gasping at the sudden appearance of someone who looked like he was wearing cosplay, Nino assumed that he was the only one who could see this man.
Which was impossible unless this man was… this man was really-an angel?
So that meant that angels are real! Nino wanted to abandon his place at the piano and go up to the angel for a better look, but the angel, who seemingly read his mind, gestured at him to keep playing.
Nino obeyed, and continued to play. The angel smiled again, and this time, he started dancing to Nino’s music. His footwork was light and nimble. More gracefully than humanely possible, the man danced across the stage. Then, to Nino’s delight, the man started to sing. The angel’s voice was strong and full of emotion, the kind that even Sho would admit was the most beautiful he had ever heard. Nino felt a surge of emotion, and suddenly, he forgot all about his audience. He had forgotten all about the hall and the pressure and hopes that his piano instructor, parents and friends had in him… It was now nothing but the piano, Nino… and the angel.
Nino felt his nerves disappear. Vanish completely, just like how the angel had appeared before him. His hands were no longer jammed up or bumping clumsily against each other. They moved with the grace that he usually had, except with even more emotion. His music sounded serene, and magical, just like how he felt now as he saw the angel, his angel, dance and sing to his music.
Before he knew it, it was the end of his performance. After he let go of the last key, he was snapped back to reality as he suddenly remembered where he was, and why he was here. Below, the crowd was wild. To Nino’s surprise, the audience had given him a standing ovation for his performance. Many were giving Nino impressed looks and Nino felt his cheeks burn red at the attention. Somewhere in the crowd, Nino spotted an enthusiastic Aiba bouncing up and down in tears, tightly embracing a rather pleased-looking Sho. Nino laughed. He turned back to the stage, hoping that the angel was somehow still there, that it hadn’t been a figment of his imagination.
But the angel was gone.
Nino felt his heart sinking. He hadn’t really believed that he had seen an angel, but he thought maybe, just maybe, he had really seen one.
Nino ended up winning the competition, because of his “utterly stunning and heartwarming performance” and was thought to be one of the “future young talents of Japan”. As Nino received his prize, a large trophy so heavy that Nino felt his legs were about to give way, as well as (to Nino’s delight) a cash prize with a lot of zeros at the end, a nagging worry continued to remain in Nino’s mind.
Had he really seen an angel?
As Nino walked off the stage to where Sho and a teary-eyed Aiba were waiting for him, Nino turned back to look at the stage. There, amidst the staff clearing up after the competition the angel stood, his glowing body and peaceful expression setting a large contrast with the hubbub around him. He was smiling shyly at Nino, and waved a glowing hand at him.
Congratulations for winning the competition Nino.
Nino was taken by surprise when he heard the voice. The angel on the stage hadn’t opened his mouth, but Nino had heard him so clearly as though he was speaking from inside Nino’s head. He even forgot to ask how the angel knew his name.
Thank you for helping me, Nino thought, smiling at the angel.
You are very good, the angel replied.
You are very good at singing and dancing too. Nino found himself thinking shyly.
The angel didn’t reply, but to Nino’s surprise a pinkish tinge had appeared on the angel’s cheeks. Could angels also feel embarrassed?
Nino quickly asked a question he had been wanting to since the angel had vanished the first time.
Will I see you again?
Yes, if you want me to.
Really?
I am always watching you. The angel smiled.
What is your name? Nino asked abruptly so that the angel would not see his embarrassment.
Ohno Satoshi.
Oh-chan… Nino thought, forgetting that his thoughts could be heard until he saw the angel blush again, but the angel nevertheless beamed in delight.
I… I will need to go now, Ohno suddenly said.
What, why?? Nino’s smile slid from his face.
I will be there when you need me. Ohno laughed at Nino’s expression but didn’t answer his question. And before Nino could reply, the angel was gone.
Nino subconsciously opened his mouth and shouted “Oh-chan!” out loud.
Aiba and Sho gave Nino startled expressions. Nino had forgotten that they were there.
“Nino-chan, are you okay?” Aiba asked worriedly.
“Uh yes, yes I’m okay,” Nino realised what he had done and smiled sweetly at Aiba. “Let’s go!”
“Okay! Let’s go for some hamburger! My treat!” Aiba cried happily, running out of the hall.
Sho laughed and followed.
Nino smiled and ran after the pair, pocketing the cash prize and lugging the heavy trophy behind him.
But before he left the hall, he could have sworn that he had heard Ohno’s mild laughter.
A/N: A very random story I daydreamed thought up today on my way to school. Hope you enjoy it!
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