a/n: this is wholly inspired by this reel (i know it's probably on tiktok but im old okay?) anyway the prompt came to me with perfect timing because i thought it was such a wenrene moment and i wanted to write it i just didn't know where to put it so i have it here - anyway it's a bit of a meet cute and i hope you like it! song [jvke - golden hour] - also i chose pictures from the eras instead of the actual music videos bc when i was searching i was so struck by how perfect these visuals were

prompt from sarahpuspdew - fmr!irene + like water!wendy + orchestra au (conductor wendy x violinist irene)

Wendy sips the last of her cappuccino and finds that the bottom of her cup bears no answers for her predicament. She listlessly scrolls through her contacts when she gets another message from the manager asking her for the umpteenth time how they will fill the third violin seat. Automatically bumping the seats is not ideal on such short notice, but Wendy knows the second violinist can fill in well enough. The problem was that her performance had always fallen short of the first chair. 

The passion, the aura, the control, the leadership of the first seat is incomparable. It’s a standard that her second seat has always failed to reach. If it wasn’t for her hubris, Wendy would happily have her as a first chair. 

As the sounds of traffic filter through the trees of the campus and intermingle with the gentle breeze breathing through the foliage and chirps and scratches of nature’s critters, Wendy feels restless. The sounds coming together aren’t just sounds, they’re music to her. As much as she wants to enjoy the sounds, she cannot .She has to find someone in the next six hours that can fill a huge spot left behind by someone who had yet again betrayed her expectations.

Perhaps she was too strict. Too picky. Too much of a perfectionist. 

Nothing ever sounded perfect to her. And it bothered her to no end. 

The itching in her fingers grows, refusing to be disquieted by her mental fortitude. 

Wendy goes back inside to deposit her mug into the bin when she catches sight of the public piano. 

Not long ago, children were attempting to play on it. The discordant playful sounds only irritated Wendy further in the midst of her predicament. Now that it was empty, Wendy feels peaceful. 

Checking her watch, she has time for one or two songs to clear her mind before preparing for the final rehearsal. 

To get her mind off of things, Wendy plays the first song that comes to mind. Something beyond classical, something more modern. She chuckles at herself because she picks a single song that her mentee keeps begging to teach her. Yerim spends too much time on her phone, something about tiktoks and reels, and this song being the most romantic ever. 

Wendy falls in love easily with the way the chords blossom and flourish. The peak of the song is filled with emotion and passion. It draws Wendy into a fantastical world, taking her away from her troubles. 

Resting her fingers on the keys, Wendy shuts her eyes and begins playing.

The repetitive keys are muscle memory to her already and she gets a few bars into the song when she feels a light tap on her shoulder. 

Wendy looks up to see a beautiful woman dressed in a white strapless dress, tight around her waist and flowing down her body just above her ankles. Her features are strikingly beautiful with her milky smooth skin, high nose, high cheekbones, and heart shaped lips. Her dark brown hair falls over her sharp shoulder with shimmers of sunlight. Under the natural light filtering through the tall glass windows of the building, her skin shines. 

“Can I play