she's still there [jshk/tbhk au]

she's still there

oneshot cuz you guys keep asking me about this well, here you go oop

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These past months have been a handful.

How could anyone explain it to a rational person? Amane wasn't even sure anymore, and he'd rather not to. He'd already lost sleep thinking about it all.

"Maestro. You're sighing again." The monotone voice of Nene spoke beside him, staring at him with her unnatural, blue eyes. He didn't like looking at them at all. In fact, he hated it.

She wasn't always this way.

Two months ago, all she and her big sister Mei would have been worrying about was moving to New York.

Nene was a ray of sunshine back then. She didn't have those blue eyes, rather they were the color of bright red, full of life. She always had a smile on her face whenever she'd come over his house, where he mostly spent his days playing the piano.

"Amane, it's morning! You're still playing the piano?" She would call out, unannounced, hands on her hips with a slight frown. "I'm worried about your health if you keep locking yourself up in your garage like this."

And he'd merely roll his eyes, continuing to play the piano as always. Well, until she'd stop him either by nagging him or putting the vacuum cleaner's suction up his sleeve threatening to suck his clothes up if he didn't move from his spot.

Despite that, however, she'd always tell him how much she loved hearing him play. In fact, since meeting him for the first time as children, she had been a big fan of his playing. He could only assume it was because of his father being a famous conductor and musician, but aside from that, he couldn't help but feel... somewhat elated.

"Why don't you go perform outside for the town's festival tomorrow? I'm sure it'll be fine, even if it's for a little while! They're going to love it!"

"Idiot. There's still D2 roaming about, you know? And I'm not interested in playing piano for a world that won't even want to hear it."

She'd just smile at him, and would join his side by the piano, playing a few keys. "There's still me and Mei-nee-chan. And besides, I want to hear your playing outside before we move to New York the next day after."

They were all he had now. Not since those D2 attacked when he was a young boy and took the lives of his family. Since then he had been hiding his grief through the piano, and had been locking his own emotions up to himself.

He didn't really count on Nene being so determined he would play the piano at the festival tomorrow, but the sight of the instrument literally missing and his garage door wide open was proof of that.

But he found himself mustering up the courage to face the crowd that day, and play the piano for the first time in public. He even had Nene join along with him, and little by little, they moved closer together, dancing a bit along to the music.

That was probably the first time he had ever put on a carefree smile around her.

By the time their performance ended, Nene had taken him by the hand, guiding him to the front of the audience giving them applause, raising their arms up to them. "See? They love it! I told you so!"