Shiki had gone to The Wells Tavern to drown out his anger, depression, and possibly the memories of his keyboardist, Hayate. He had recently died in a car accident, at least that's what the press had said. Hayate and Shiki were at their house and Hayate had gone to buy some wine. You could say they were going out, but Shiki had called Hayate his "lover". He was the only one that understood Shiki, and the only one he could love. Hayate had left the house and hadn't come back until Shiki had heard from the police that he had run into a large gasoline truck that had gone haywire. According to the evidence, he hadn't had the bottle of wine with him, so it was the truck driver's fault. Regardless, Shiki would still blame himself. He should have been the one to get the wine, not him. Why did it have to be him? He would rather had gone if that was Hayate's fate. He had especially hated the fact that Hayate had asked him if he wanted to go with him and he declined. If he went, at least they would have died together. Being in a famous band, Scarlet Hearts, his manager quickly had to get whatever it would take to get Shiki back on track, and find a new keyboardist quickly before the next tour. No matter how expensive the psychiatrist, massage, or vacation, all Shiki wanted was Hayate, and only Hayate.

It had been a few months now, and the big tour would be in a few weeks, meaning the pressure of the manager kept increasing. After seeing someone who looked fairly like Hayate, Shiki could only do was cry and quickly took refuge in the nearest pub, to get away from the false Hayate. In his diguise, he was wearing a blonde wig and dark designer sun-glasses. He asked for as many beers as he was permitted and promised to drown out his feelings right here, right now, regardless if he was sick after. He also had promised that he would love no one else as he had loved Hayate, and that no one could replace him. He glanced at a dark yellow paper next to him, a sort of flyer telling them about music night, happening right around now. He might as well listen to the talent here before he was yelled by his manager again.

The tavern was packed with people tonight. It was probably to seek out new talent, for the managers and music-lovers attending. The variety of people there was astounding, to say the least. When Shiki first walked in, a tall man playing the accordion was halfway through his performance. He was followed by a Russian who could barely speak English, and he played the trumpet. The one performing at the moment was a meek young woman, playing the violin.

When she finished, there was a round of polite applause. The owner of the tavern stepped forward, with a mic in hand. "And that was..." he peered at the small paper on his hand, "...Gloria Sommers, thank you very much, Gloria!" Once again, his eyes dropped down to the paper in his hand. "Our next performer will be playing the piano, so please be patient while we move it in." Some employees in the background were beginning to move a grand black piano into the center of the stage.

The man scrutinized his paper once more, once his employees had finished moving the piano. "All right. Please welcome Mr. Rand Ferréol."

There was more polite applause as a tall, somber-looking young man stepped out onto the stage. He bowed half-heartedly, and then sat down on the stool. For a moment, his long fingers just ghosted over the keys, as if attempting to memorize them beforehand. And then, he began to play.

The entire room fell silent as he played. It was almost like he was casting a spell over them. He was playing one of the most difficult songs Chopin had ever written.

Shiki wasn't really paying attention to what was being played at first. Accordians and trumpets never really amused him, but the violinist was pretty good. The way she made sure she reached all the dynamics, vibratos, staccatos and legatos could make any guy easily fall for her. Of course, Shiki wasn't interested in her; he was a homosexual, after all.

"Another beer." He told the bartender, loud enough for only him to hear. He didn't like disturbing people when performing, just as his fans did the same for him. His eyes had fully opened when he heard the piano being played. He recognised the song as probably one of the most difficult songs ever to be thought up by the classic composers. Then again, Shiki had little experience on the piano, he thought anything was difficult on the piano. But the way the piano player made it seem so easy, it was unreal. It was as if their fingers flew over the black and white keys. It was beautiful, and Shiki fell in love with the music instantly. He swiveled around in his chair to face the musician. He was young, Shiki could tell, with midnight-black hair that shined in the spotlight. At a side view, the young man had dark purple eyes, but changed to navy whenever he looked up or glanced a something. Shiki was swaying slowly to the music, his heartbeat synchronising with the rhythm. This was the one. He was going to be Scarlet Heart's new keyboardist.

A rare occurrence, the entire room was silent, until the man finished his song. Then, they broke out into cheers and applause, a few people giving him a standing ovation. The young man, Rand, as the announcer had introduced him, stood up and once again gave the crowd a half-hearted bow.

It was then that most people noticed he had played this song without sheet music, though he had the music on him in a folder backstage.

The announcer thanked him, and had some more employees help him move the piano backstage again. "Thank you very much, Rand--so talented, at such a young age! Next we have..."

Backstage, Rand sat down in the chair he'd been assigned to for the night, gathering up the sheet music he had honestly forgotten to bring out with him tonight and setting it neatly in his lap. He would wait for a while before leaving, since he was interested in the music still being played--the next performer was a small boy who sang opera--and he was hoping that he had caught the attention of someone in the crowd.

He was unemployed. He had no parents and two siblings--a twin who lived in Brussels and a younger brother, whom Rand was in charge of. He needed a job to support himself and, more importantly, his little brother.

Shiki had maybe clapped the hardest, and had given the musician a standing ovation. He will have to get backstage to meet this kid. Standing up from his stool, he gave the bartender a quick thirty pound tip. He felt the bartender's surprise as Shiki used a side entrance to get backstage, as to not disturb the operatic boy who was now performing. There was a guard standing at the door, broad and strong. He slipped him a pass, and the guard nodded, letting Shiki through. This pass was some sort of special pass. An ID, you might say, but for undercover rockstars. With one of these, bouncers and guards will slip you in silently without a word of anything, so there won't be fans of his chasing him down the street again. He took off his sun-glasses, revealing icy-blue contacts for eyes. His eyes were actually a green-blue, so hopefuly no one here would notice him. There was a maroon Flying V guitar lying neck-up against the wall. He plucked its strings, enjoying how nice it sounded. When the owner came around, he'd never know a "guitar shredder" had plucked its strings. After looking around for the boy, and had finally found him sitting on a chair, picking up his music and putting it in a folder. Strange, Shiki didn't see any music when he was playing. Had he done it all by memory, or was he just showing off how amazing he was? Either way, Shiki was impressed.

He noticed a few sheets that were lying on the floor and stepped closer to pick them up. "Hey," He started, "These are yours, right?" He handed them to the boy, then stuck out his other hand, "I'm Shiki Nii-" He left his last name out, in case he knew who he was. In fact, he decided to make a completely different last name. "Shiki Niiran."

Rand's head snapped up suddenly, to face the one now speaking to him. There was a moment of silence, during which Rand twitched slightly, uncomfortable. He was not the most social of people. It was a curse. His entire family, save for his small brother, was like that--a bit shy around strangers.

After a long moment of contemplation, Rand delicately took the sheet music, slipping it into his folder. He gingerly reached his other hand out to shake Shiki's hand. "Yes, they're mine. Rand. Rand Ferréol..."

Rand was a musical fanatic. So, he did know of Shiki's band, though he hadn't listened to their music in a while. He also hadn't heard about their recent tragedy.

Shiki shook the delacate hand. Rand was shy, but cute at the same time. He smiled when he saw that look in his eyes. He knew who he was. No use hiding now. He would leave via the back door anyway.
"Judging by that expression of yours, you know who I am." He chuckled, "Yes, I'm Shiki Niiran. I play in Scarlet Heart. Basically we've been looking for a keyboardist, because..." He couldn't finish his sentence, the tears had come again. He looked away from Rand and waited for the salty tears to run down his face. When he had felt fine and didn't have a stutter in his voice, he continued to speak again. "Sorry for that. Anyways, you're an amazing pianist, Rand, and I believe you know that. This may sound odd, but I want you to be in the band, and I'm willing to do anything to get you in." Shiki's fingers ran down Rand's fingertips, getting a bit of a feel for them. They were strong, yet fragile, like his guitarist hands. As to not make anything weird, helet go and waited for Rand's reply, almost forgetting why he had cried. The many beers were finally getting to him, and he'll regret the head-aches in the morning.

Rand had suspected...but he hadn't been sure. He was a tad surprised when Shiki confirmed his suspicions, and he suddenly felt very small in comparison to the music star standing in front of him, even though he might have been just a tad taller.

Rand opened his mouth to ask just why a new keyboardist was needed, since he wasn't aware of Hayate's passing. But he immediately shut it upon seeing the emotional and solemn look on Shiki's face. He fell completely silent, courteously, for a few moments while Shiki recovered. No use being rude and demanding while he was having an emotional moment.

He was sorely tempted to pull his hands away when Shiki gently touched his fingers, but he kept them still. Rand did not like being touched. He never had, ever since he was very small. He cleared his throat slightly, looking confused, once Shiki finished speaking. He smelled alcohol on his breath. "...I understand that you are interested in my musical talents," he murmured, hopeful that this job offer wasn't just some drunken sort of escapade. "But...you are drunk. I would rather make plans and speak with you once you are more sober..."

Rand foraged around in his folder for some blank paper, and then for a pen in his pocket. He quickly scribbled down his cell number, and held the paper out to Shiki. "My number. You can call me later."

Shiki glanced at the paper with scribbled numbers on it. He took it, folded it and put it in the breastpocket of his black leather jacket. He shrugged his shoulders. If he'd rather talk in the morning, then that was fine with him. But he would do anything to get him into the band. "Right, if you say so." He said, "But I will be asking you again in the morning, so be ready." He took his blonde wig off and shook his black hair. He hated wearing a dumb wig everywhere, regardless if his manager thought it was better than simply wearing a hat. Even so, it was getting dark, so he'd rather have his fedora on now. He put the wig in the inside pocket of his jacket and took ou this hat. "I always had too many pockets in this jacket.." He murmured to himself. He had also took out his own paper and ball-point pen. He scribbled down an adress and gave that to Rand.
"My address." He stated, "Please keep this to yourself, if you choose to do so. Having stalkers plus the paparazzi on the weekends isn't so fun. This is showing you I'm serious about taking you in. But, again, I'll call you in the morning tomorrow. I'll see you around." He put on his hat and went out the back door. He smiled to himself as he turned left to where his private home resided. Cute kid. He thought to himself, He'll be a great addition to the band. I may even have a small cru- What was he saying? Already taking a liking to a boy he didn't even know? He was usually a bitter person when he talked to people. They just annoyed him so much with their "Oh my god, I love you." and their "Oh my god, I'm your biggest fan." and such. It irritated him. But when it came to good music, he was easilly pleased. Besides, he had already promised himself that his heart belonged to Hayate, and only Hayate. He shook his head in frustration and walked more quicker to his house.

Rand took the paper without hesitation, shoving it into his pocket. He was glad that Shiki understood. In fact, he was more than glad--he didn't like alcohol, or when people around him were under its influence.

"All right. I will keep it to myself. I know I'd hate it if I have raving fans trying to poke and pry into my life all the time...I don't like publicity..." Rand admitted, sheepishly. He took note that Shiki was almost always in disguise in public--since he was clearly in disguise right now. "Call me around eight or nine. I should be up by then. Later, if you need to...but no earlier..."

Rand watched him as he left, staying where he was for now. He met a few more people throughout the night, but the only job offer had come from Shiki. He left the tavern feeling curious, and a bit elated. He slept good that night, after returning home and making something for his little brother to eat.

Shiki had finally reached home. His maroon shoes clicked on the pavement as he reached the main door, a custom-made glass door with Shiki's initials on it. His manager liked to reward him for his concerts. As he turned the key, entered a pass code and said a voice activation code, which finally allowed him in. The house was quite large on the inside, which was a bit odd in the city. You could rarely find a nice, affordable house in bustling London. Once inside, he made way for the kitchen and brewed some hot water for a bit of tea. His father was English, and had met with The Beatles, before their tragic losses, so Shiki had some of that English blood in him. Shiki realized that he would have to move on with his band. Hayate was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it. Hayate...The thought brang Shiki to waterfalls of tears, then something kicked him hard in the head, and he was fine again. Something about that pub's alcohol seemed to slightly control him, maybe the reason why Rand didn't want to talk to him about joining the band.

Once the hot water was done, Shiki had put some in a mug with one Earl Grey tea bag already placed in. He got some milk from the refrigerator, poured some in and stirred. He took off his jacket and shirt and took a sip from the mug. Once he had finished, he washed it, took a long shower and went to bed. This large house always seemed lonely without anyone else living in it with him. He wanted to find some sort of roommate; hearing nothing but his own movement made Shiki lonely and had a slight longing for communication in the house.

((Sorry if there's a few mistakes in the post. I got kicked off the laptop and it's not always easy roleplaying on a blackberry [x))

((It's okay! ^^))

Rand slept soundly that night. His dreams were a jumbled mass of what had happened during the day. For the most part, they involved his performance at the pub, and his meeting with Shiki. He had visions of the future, which included him being an integral part of Shiki's band, rocking out with them at concerts.

Mind you, Rand wasn't normally one to 'rock out.' He was a quiet, reserved young man who normally had little to say unless he was debating something with someone else or was offended. Both of his parents had been very devout Catholics, and had attempted to press all of their beliefs onto him when he was younger, before they died--they had both perished in a plane crash...their liner had crashed into the Pacific Ocean, when they were heading home from a business trip in New York City. The only things they had managed to push onto him were a sense of humility and an interest in literature.

He did wake up halfway through the night. Or, rather, he was woken up by his little brother, Wand. He had had a nightmare. Rand wearily welcomed his brother into his bed, since he was afraid to fall back asleep. This was how he stayed the rest of the night.

It was a bright saturday, and Shiki woke up peacefully. Which was odd, because he usually woke up with an annoying pain in his head. He had thought too soon, because a pain had shot to his head, and Shiki had quickly put his hand on his temple. He quickly got out of bed and took some Excedrin. He checked the digital wall clock and had noticed it was nearly ten to 9. He remembered Rand saying something at calling him no earlier than 8 or 9. He figured he'd eat some breakfast before he'd call Rand. Gah, where's my jacket? He thought to himself, that was where the boy's number was. After some looking around and some hard thinking, he managed to find his leather jacket. He took out the folded paper with the number and kept it in his hand until he reached the glass table. He set the paper aside, cooked up some eggs and bacon, and wolfed the meal down.

After taking a shower and put some clothes on, it was already half past 9. He decided to call Rand now, before his manager decided to pester him again. He dialed the number on his blackberry and waited for an answer. He was greeted by a younger-sounding voice. Shiki coughed and grunted to make his voice lower, in case he recognised him.
"Er, excuse me, may I talk to Rand Ferréol?" He asked.

"My big brother is playing right now," the boy replied, softly. There was the unmistakable faint sound of a piano being played in the distance over the line. "Do you want me to go and get him? Is this another job offer or something?" Smarter than he sounded...

Job offers had been pouring in for Rand, especially after he performed for a crowd. None of the jobs had paid nearly enough or seemed satisfactory to Rand. He did need to support himself and a child under seventeen, after all. He was only nineteen himself--though he'd attending an Arts High School, he had yet to attend college. He didn't have the money.

Rand had woken up this morning in a terrible mood, as he usually did. He spent seven to eight whipping up a simple omelet breakfast for himself and his brother, and eating it silently with him. He then had his morning energy drink, which for the most part brought him out of his reverie. He started playing at eight-thirty and had been practicing ever since.

"If that's okay with him, yes. And yes, this is another job offer. Tell him we met yesterday at a pub he was playing at last night." Shiki said, hearing a faint piano-playing in the background. Even if it was so faint, so quiet, Shiki could feel himself swaying to the beautiful music. He awaited for Rand to pick up the phone, whilst he was thinking of things to get him to say yes. He won't stop trying until he got him. He wouldn't think he'd find any better player than him. He certainly looked the part, too, with his deep purple eyes, midnight-dark hair, and a face that screamed "keyboard guitarist". He'd even help out his family, if he needed to. Any colleges loans, mortgages, he'd pay it all if he could have Rand.

As soon as he heard Rand's voice, he replied "Rand? It's me, Shiki."

The music came to an abrupt halt when Rand was given the phone. "What?" At first, it seemed like he was going to be annoyed, judging by the sound of his voice. Then, he cooled off, upon hearing Shiki's voice. "Oh. Good morning," he greeted, quietly. It sounded like he'd paused to take a sip of the energy drink he was finishing up.

"What is it you'd like to talk about?"

It opened up the gateway for limitless conversation. He was up for hearing anything right now...he needed a job, and quickly. Or he would run out of food, and lose his home.

Shiki nearly jumped at the stubborn "What?" From Rand. The only stubbornness he got was with his manager, who was never pleased when he didn't do what she asked. Rand's voice had went down to his normal, musical voice. Even if Rand couldn't see it, Shiki smiled.
"Right." Started Shiki, "Like I said last night, I want to hire you as my keyboard guitarist, or keytarist, some might say. And like I said last night, I was being serious, even under those bloody horrible beers. I'd do anything to get you in. You're talented kid. What sort of wage are you aiming for?" Shiki was willing to pay any price, but not anything childish and absurd such as a million pounds. He remembered hearing the other boy's voice and put him into his persuasive job offer. "Judging by the other voice I heard earlier, I take it that that's your brother or roommate? He sounds like a high-schooler to me. I can cover for his college funds and such. Is that okay with you?" He hoped his words enticed Rand to say yes. He'd be quite a nice addition to the band. Plus, he was very cute. That could pose for some of Shiki's uncontrollable flirting.

Rand hesitated. He had never played a keyboard-guitar before. He hoped it wasn't difficult to learn...otherwise, he was going to have to play on a traditional piano or keyboard. He could play just a few chords on a normal guitar. The only other instruments he could play somewhat flawlessly, though not as well as the piano, were a cello, a violin, and an old-style ocarina.

"Wages...I don't care how high they are, as long as myself and my brother can live comfortably without fear of a financial disaster. He's going into high school once the next term year starts. I have never attended college, though I've self-studied and self-taught many college courses on my own.. I never had the money. I would like him to go to college."

"I see." Shiki thought of a good number starter. Something that wasn't a small number, yet not too high. Maybe something with four digits? "Let's say we start the wage at £50 an hour? How many hours do you intend to be here everyday? I'll even throw in a keytarist lesson free of charge. If that doesn't work out, you can always go on the keyboard. I'll pay for your brother's college fund if needed to. You know what, I'll even let you stay here when you like, at my house. Anything else needed to be covered?" This should work out. Shiki thought, I'm gonna make this kid love the rockstar life, and he'll wish he met earlier. He started to mentally laugh in his head, as to not give the impression that he was joking to Rand, which he wasn't. He knew how hard it was getting a job when all you have is music; he had spent hours and hours talking with managers and such about getting him and his band out and touring the world. He, too, played in many pubs and in high school variety shows, and people liked him and his voice. He had finally found the one manager, Leia, who was thought to be nice and gave them a wage that beat all, and they soon made their first album, "This Is Not The End, This Is Not The Beggining". Only soon did he and the band find out Leia's true identity: An evil monster that always wanted her way. She was okay at times, but when things were to be done, things were to be done. And that's how life will go on.

Rand was silent for a long moment. Normally, he didn't take to the cliche 'rock star' lifestyle. In fact, he often shunned worldwide renown. He hated being the center of attention, and stammered whenever he tried to publicly speak in front of more than two people. He could sing, but most of that talent lay with choral sort of songs. He had a deep bass voice.

"...I will give it a try. I will give it a week, and if I like the job...I will be more than happy to join you and your band-mates," Rand accepted, firmly. It was a deal, if there was a chance to back out if he really didn't like it...

Shiki smiled at the receiver, not that Rand could tell anyways. He was just glad that he had convinced him to stay, and would make it his personal mission to give Rand the best God damn time of his life. A few changes to Rand's lifestyle would certainly be made. Rand seems like a quiet, shy person, and he would have to break free from his shell in order to be the proper keytarist. The guys in the band would love him, though, especially Cassie, the bassist. She had been looking for some sort of relationship after being left a broken heart a couple of weeks ago.
"Awesome." He replied, "I'm sure you'll like it here. Being in a band, touring round the world is an indescribable experience. Should I pick you up to the studio, or you come round my place and we'll go there?"

"I don't know where you live, unfortunately. Even with the address," Rand replied, a tad embarrassed. "I haven't been living here very long. I would appreciate it if you could come and find me." He had to rummage around for a moment before he found his notebook, where'd he'd written down his new address in case he forgot it. When he did, he easily lifted it off. It was part of a small apartment complex, newly built in the past year and a half.

"...I may have to bring my brother along. I don't like the thought of leaving him alone. Something might happen..." Rand's little brother was thirteen, but he often got himself into trouble fit for five adults when he was left alone. He was very clumsy.

Shiki gave out a little chuckle. "No problem. I'll make a mental note to show you round England one day. Where was it you lived again?" He quickly dashed to the table for a Post-It note and a fountain pen. He clicked it on and waited for the answer. Whilst his phone in his hand, his iPhone that lay on the table vibrated twice, meaning a text message came. It was Leia, asking him if he had found a keyboardist/keytarist yet. He replied with I've got the perfect addition. and sent it. The band would be meeting around 11-12 in the studio, so they would see Rand quite soon.

"I used to live in Italy. I was born in Denmark, lived here until I was two...and then moved around a lot, to different places," Rand murmured, before lifting off his address and some flimsy, at best, directions. His brother watched him while he talked, curiously.

Little Wand was all Rand really worried about anymore. Rand and his twin brother did not get along, so they didn't often meet. Plus, his twin lived on the continent. It wasn't easy to meet anymore. "What are you talking about? Are we going somewhere?" The excited tone to the boy's voice was evident over the phone, even without a facial expression to back it up.

"Ah, I see." Shiki replied, as he scribbled down the adress on the Post-It, "I was born here, but my parents are from odd places, I think. Part Asian, part European, part American. I prefer it over here in England, no matter where I go." He gave out a slight chuckle again, "Not today. Today, you'll meet everyone. Maybe sometime, I'll show you around the icons of London. Sound good?" He tried to think out to think out a bit of a schedule so he wouldn't be so tired at night, because tomorrow would be just the same. "Eh, what time should I drop you two off? I have to show you around the studios and such, and arrange a lesson for you on the keytar."