The Maestro | RusAme |

Twenty

He seized the opportunity and accepted. He went back to his car and grabbed his flute, and the band members all walked over to the building and walked in. They were stopped at the door by the receptionist and asked to sign in.

They went in and we're directed to set up, and while they did, Gilbert kept an eye out for Yan. He spotted her in his perifferals, sitting next to the same man who had pick her up from work last week. She seemed to be sitting awfully close to him, for just being coworkers. He decided to listen to what they were talking about, while also recording it so he would be able to share it with Roderich. He knew he should have left it at eavesdropping, but this was getting too interesting for him not to record this.

"I heard you are about to secure a higher position in management soon, the boss has seen you working diligently in the office lately." The man said with a miniscule smile on his face.

Yan nodded, "Yes! I'm very excited, but when I get the position I think I'm going to have to let Ivan go. I love him, but I won't have time for him if I want to focus on work... Or on other things..."

"Like me?" He replied, half jokingly and half expectingly, like they had been seeing each other as a couple for years (although Gilbert wasn't sure how long the affair had been occuring anyways).

"I guess you could say that. Anyways, I don't know what I'll tell him or how I'll tell him. He never really reacts to that kind of stuff like a normal person, he doesn't snap or yell. He just brushes it underneath the rug and keeps it inside him and it always makes me feel concerned. I wish I could see inside his brain..." She had to stop herself to take a sip of her drink. "And on top of that, I feel like I've taken advantage of him for the last couple months of our relationship. Not on purpose, but he's always so willing to help me that I seem to have forgotten that it means sacrificing some things on his part..."

The man, although he seemed ill-willed at first, offered advice to Yan that would have been useful to Ivan as well and sympathized with her boyfriend.

"Listen, it's not your fault if you can't put into the relationship as much as Ivan has been doing for you. I can't tell you why he doesn't get mad, but I know that one reason may very well be that he wants to continue to show you his support and continue helping you. I think, to save the both of you the trouble, you should break it off. It's not love-expert stuff, it's just common sense." He told her while he inspected the food on his plate absent-mindedly.

He continued, "I don't want you or Ivan to think I'm trying to separate the two of you because I have feelings for you, but it isn't logical to stay in a relationship like this where you both are unhappy, even if that means you won't be seeing Ivan's paycheck anymore. That is the other reason you've been staying with him for this long, right?"

Yan shook her head with a slightly flabbergasted expression as she retorted, "I, uh-I can't say that his paycheck hasn't kept me from asking him to leave, but I was with him before he was famous. I can't just abruptly tell him, 'Hey, get out of my house, it's over'. After how much he's gone through, I'd feel bad if I did something like that."

He nodded, understanding what she meant. "Well then let me suggest you ask him how he's feeling first, and then you tell him how you're feeling. That way, he'll know you're taking his thoughts into consideration."

"Okay..." Yan supported her chin with her hand dejectedly.

He sat silently, deciding it was best not to say anymore for the sake of keeping the mood light for the rest of the evening. Yan had taken the few moments to gather her thoughts and continue onto another subject with Kiku, in turn boring Gilbert who had decided to leave his phone by his flute case to continue recording their conversation, while he played with the band.

So then for the rest of the evening, he decided to keep an eye on them until the band packed up. He hoped his phone captured good enough audio, or that it might have gotten this man's name. But for now he packed his flute and stand and waved goodbye to his sister until the next evening at the club. Gilbert blended in as best as he could (being an albino attracted many stares) while waiting for the two to exit the building.

He walked out behind them, getting in his car and following the same procedures as with before, except he was led to a neighborhood in a part of town he'd never been in. He parked in the small lot next to a community pool after watching Yan and the coworker park at, what he presumed, was his house.

He walked down the street, making sure no one was taking notice of him while trying to maintain a composed, outward appearance, until he reached the house. He stood a good twenty-five feet from the driveway, and walked into the grass and out of the light of the porch light, more in the side of the neighbor's yard who did not have their porch light on. He saw Yan and this man through the window on the side of the house after walking towards the backyard, so he got down and crawled on the ground a few feet so he could sit against the side of the house, and observe them.

When the man started to make moves on Yan, Gilbert became increasingly uncomfortable until his ears perked, when Yan said his name.

"Kiku, stop! You shouldn't, I'm still with Ivan..." She said half heartedly. Gilbert decided he was out of there, because he knew exactly where this was going.

He couldn't help but feel like he accomplished a lot that evening, despite feeling icky about Kiku trying to get in Yan's pants. While he knew what he did was wrong and that he was messing up other people's relationships, he could sleep soundly that night knowing Amelia and Ivan would be back together soon enough.

AN: Double update, you're all very welcome ;))