After the last standing ovation for Hanzo and Genji, the curtain fell and the auditorium lit up once more. Brigitte clapped a little longer than the others, which got her a coy look from Hana. 

“What, I’m just cheering.” Brigitte said, grabbing her purse and following Lucio out.

“Nothing.” Hana joked, noticing the faint blush still on her friend’s cheek that wasn’t the makeup and also followed them out.

Lucio looked back, leading them down the stairs that took them to the upper area. “So did you enjoy it? I know you are more into rock concerts and such.”

“I really enjoyed it.” Brigitte smiled.

“I’m glad. I take it that if he has another concert nearby I should grab you a ticket?” Lucio laughed then turned the corner to a door guarded by two men in usher uniforms. Showing them his phone to scan. “Dos Santos and party.”

One of them confirmed and nodded, opening the door and letting them walk in. “Thank you sir.”

Just down the hall a few people were walking into a room and shortly they joined as well. One of them Brigitte noticed to be the man she had met earlier since he towered over most of the crowd, he smiled at her which she returned. All the others she had never seen before. Inside was a calm atmosphere. Soft piano music played as people had lively conversations. Waiters carrying hors d'oeuvres and drinks weaved easily through the crowds.

Lucio and Hana waved to a few of the guests as the group made their way to a table covered in more snacks. 

“I’m starving.” Hana took a plate and filled it before throwing one of the tiny meat snacks in her mouth. “Brigitte try this.”

Brigitte giggled and let her friend feed her, it was really delicious. Realizing she was a bit hungry despite having dinner before the concert.  “Ooh I need to get myself some more of that.”  

Getting herself a plate, Brigitte filled it as Lucio started pointing out certain people. Lucio motioned to a couple not much older than them. The woman was wearing a very simple white dress with her blond hair in loose curls while the man was in a more flashy teal suit and slicked back dreads talking with a very tall woman in a black pantsuit and ginger hair also slicked back.

“Alright, Dr. Angela Zeiglar is the blond woman and Dr. Jean-Baptiste Augustin, next to her. They’ve been romantic partners for a few years and are geniuses in their own medical fields. The one having a heated conversation with them is Dr. Moira O'deorain~Reyes, a famous geneticist.”  

Brigitte looked over to Hana. “Reyes, that’s your uncle’s last name right?”

“Yeah, that’s the woman uncle Gabe married after she helped stabilize his condition.” Hana nodded. “Though I haven’t gotten to talk to him as much lately ever since I moved out here. He keeps in contact more with dad. I guess he’s not here tonight.”

She knew of Gabe and had met him on a few occasions when she was younger thanks to Rein and Ana knowing him. 

“Who else is here that you know?” Brigitte asked.

“Next is Amélie Guillard, world famous ballerina. You’ll probably recognize her since your mom watches all those ballets.” Hana pipped in after swallowing another snack. Pointing to a woman in a long silver lined purple dress and hair in a tight french braid updo. Then wagged her finger to the woman aside Amélie, dressed in a beautiful light blue sari wrap. “Next to her is Satya Fawkes, Indian dancer. Though she’s been on break considering she is expecting soon. I’m not totally good with everything about her but I know her husband, Junkrat is hilarious.”

“Junkrat?” Brigitte raised an eyebrow.

“That’s his radio name, he’s actually Jamison Fawkes.” Lucio said. “He has his own radio/podcast type show. Mostly about random stuff and late at night.”

“Ohh that makes much more sense.” Brigitte replied.

“I listen to him all the time when I game.” Hana said. “He’s usually on when you sleep but I’ll give you the link later so you can listen to his older stuff.”

“Well you’ve already met Dr. Seibren de Kuiper and his wife, Olivia. Though for more info, he is a professor at the local university and teaches astrophysics, also one of the biggest contributors and supporters of the Shimadas. Olivia is CEO and owner of her own tech/programming company which she worked up from the ground.” Lucio grabbed a drink, thanking the waiter before pointing slightly at the older couple talking to Seibren and Olivia. Both of them dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos. “The people they are talking to are Sojiro and Yukina Shimada. Hanzo and Genji’s parents. Long reigning musicians themselves. Also last but not least, the tall woman with pink hair standing in the corner near them is Zarya. She’s the bodyguard and driver for the sons mostly but works for the family.”

“Am I like the one of few people here that isn’t a celebrity of some sort?” Brigitte chuckled.

Hana shrugged. “Maaaaybe, though some around here might know of Lindholm because of your dad and think of you as connected to an engineering celebrity. Though don’t worry about that. Most of these people are nice or will leave you alone.”

“I’m not really worried, I guess I feel very out of place.” Brigitte said, pushing a loose hair behind her ear.

“It will be fine.” Hana said, handing her empty glass to a waiter. “Though I will be right back, I need to use the little gamer’s room, I forgot how much champagne goes through me.”

“I’ve told you not to chug it down.” Lucio laughed as Hana walked off, then turned to Brigitte. “Would you like to try and meet anyone?”

In all honesty, she wanted to see the one person who wasn’t here as far as she noticed. The few seconds of silence she took to respond, Lucio nudged her gently.    

“He’ll be here soon.” There was a small vibration sound and Lucio took his phone out of his pocket. “Who's calling me now? I said I was busy tonight. Sorry Brig, I really have to take this. Will you be ok until Hana comes back?”

“Don’t mind me. I’m a big girl, I think I can survive for a few minutes.” Brigitte said with a thumbs up.  

-------------------
Hanzo walked beside Akari, preparing himself for all the conversations he’d be having. Most of it was for pleasantries but it drained on him that so many people might want his attention. 

“You only have to go for about two hours and you are home free. At least Miss Amélie will be there to talk to if the rest dote on you too much. ” Akari said, patting her nephew’s shoulder.

“True.” Hanzo sighed. “I love her as my friend but I hate putting more rumors on her plate that we are back in some on/off relationship again. Especially when her parents insist on egging it on to whomever will listen.”

“Those two are some of the most insufferable people I’ve ever met.” Akari growled. “At least they are away in France, thank god.”

Once they reached the door, they were let in. Hanzo noticed it was the usual group, not seeing any of the new people except for Angela’s boyfriend, Baptiste. He nodded politely at a few, also thankful that his parents were in a deep conversation with Dr. de Kuiper and didn’t notice him.

Across the room something caught Hanzo’s eyes and his breath caught for a moment.

Akari attempted to get his attention a few times as he was in some kind of haze. Following the path of his sight and then smiled when she also saw what he was looking at. “Hanzo.”

“Yes, what were you saying?” Hanzo shook his head and looked over at his aunt.

“If you are going to just stare at that young lady, mayhaps you should go and speak with her.” Akari said, still grinning at Hanzo. Grabbing two champagne flutes from one of the waiters and handing them to him.  “It will be a lot less awkward, love.”

Hanzo took the drinks shoved into his hands as Akari just left him standing there. Though before he could go over a familler green haired person walked over and started talking to the one he wanted to meet. Giving off a sigh, Hanzo made his way over.

-------------

“Hey, what’s a pretty woman like you sitting alone in the corner.”

Brigitte looked up from her seat to see the person she now knew as Genji, kneeling in front of her with a cocky grin.

“Just waiting for my friends to return. Your Genji, right?” Brigitte asked, chuckling a little at his outright pickup line. 

“My reputation precedes me, you know my name.” Genji’s grin became wider. “Though I do not have the pleasure of knowing yours.”

“My friend told me about you beforehand, that you're one of her gaming buddies.  Plus it’s kinda hard not to know your name when it’s announced for the concert. ” Brigitte raised an eyebrow. “Though I’m Brigitte, Brigitte Lindholm.”

“Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” Genji placed his hand on Brigitte’s then it came to him. “Ooh you are the friend Hana mentioned, she really didn’t say how pretty you are. Then again I don’t think words would do justice. Would you happen to like to grab a drink with me sometime? I could show you around town.”

Brigitte felt a little flustered at his forthcomingness even if she was warned about it. “Sorry but no.”

“Too bad, I would have liked to get to know you-”

“Genji.”

Hearing his name, Genji stood up and noticed it came from his brother. “Hey bro.”

“I hope you aren’t disturbing her.” Hanzo said, glaring slightly at Genji.

“I was just introducing myself, no harm done. Thanks for the drink.” Genji jokingly reached for the drink but Hanzo stopped him.  

“This isn’t for you, get your own.”

Genji looked back between the two, noticing Brigitte was glancing more towards Hanzo. “If you wanted to talk to Miss Lindholm, you could have just said so. Well I’m gonna go off, I know when I’m the unwanted third wheel.”

Both Hanzo and Brigitte watched him wink at them before going off to speak to someone else. Then there was a small silence between them.

May I sit?”

Brigitte blinked and then scooted over. “Of course.”

Hanzo then spoke up. “I apologize for my brother, he can be a bit of a...” Stopping to think of a decent word.

“A shameless flirt?” Brigitte offered.

Well that wasn’t the one he would have used under other circumstances but it worked. “You could say that.”

 “I was warned ahead of time for his possibility of flirting with me by Hana and Lucio.” Brigitte giggled slightly.

Hanzo wanted to hear that adorable sound again. “Still I hope he didn’t step over any line.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“This is for you if you wish.” Hanzo offered the extra drink he held, thinking it best to get off the subject of his brother.

“Thank you.” Brigitte smiled a little and took it, looking down at the drink while they sat there in an awkward silence again.

Hanzo caught a few subtle glances at her in the corner of his eye. She looked so beautiful and here he was making a fool of himself.

“Sorry.”

He looked surprised and wondered why she would say that. “I have no recollection as to why you would need to say that.”

“Because I didn’t realize who you were when we first met.” Brigitte looked away and scratched gently at the back of her neck. “That probably sounded like a stupid reason to say sorry for.”

“That’s what you wanted to apologize for?” Hanzo tried to hold back a laugh and then composed himself, giving her a smile. “My laughing must sound rude. In all honesty I didn’t fully introduce myself that night. Besides it was nice to just be seen as a normal person and not the celebrity most people treat me as.”  

Brigitte blushed faintly, seeing the smile light up his face again. “You’re welcome, I guess then.” She was usually way more talkative than this and it surprised her.

Hanzo swallowed his sip of champagne, gathering his courage. “You look quite lovely this evening.”

“Thank you.” Brigitte said, glancing up at him. She wanted to compliment him back at how handsome he was, in his blue pinstripe vest and suit with his hair pulled back into a messy bun. A single string of hair was loose and Brigitte wanted to reach up and fix it but held back and drank a little. She probably sounded like a broken record repeating ‘thank you’.

“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” Hanzo asked, wanting to be able to keep talking to her without this sudden awkwardness. He would feel more comfortable without this huge crowd. Asking to go somewhere to be alone to talk would be indecent and probably spread rumors. 

“Very much.” Brigitte said with a smile, breaking out of her shell a little and turning to face him again. “You looked so happy out on stage, lost in your music. I knew you could play really well from the little private concert but still this was so pretty.”  

“The complement is greatly appreciated.” Hanzo felt that same tug at his chest as when they first met. He could tell her statement was one of the most genuine he had heard in a while. Then noticed she was fidgeting with her purse. “Is everything alright? I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable.”  

“No, no no it’s nothing like that.” Brigitte waved her hand a frantically and stopped when it probably looked stupid. Biting her lip, she decided to just come out with it. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.” Hanzo wondered what made her so nervous and he inwardly groaned when she bit at her pink lip.   

“Could I have your number?”

Hanzo went wide-eyed, not expecting that at all.

“If that’s al-lright of course.” Brigitte’s cheeks turned red again. “It’s just I liked talking to you that time and I wanted to be able to do so again. I probably sound like a rambling mess.”

He wanted to tell her it made her sound cute but held his tongue. Luckily, he kept his phone this time. “It is fine.”

“Alright!” Brigitte opened her back and got her cell out, getting it ready to put in the number.

It made him happy to see her smile brighten with his answer. In the corner of his eye he saw a familiar cover. “You bought one of my cds?”  

“Oh, I was going to but Mr. de Kuiper did so for me instead.”

Hanzo laughed silently and gave his phone to her. “That sounds like him. He’d gladly give away most of his fortune if it helped or made others happy.”

“He does sound really nice.” Brigitte handed him her phone while taking his and quickly input her info. “Here, you can enter your info.”

While he was typing everything out, Hanzo noticed the background photo. It was Brigitte holding up a big fluffy white cat. Then gave her phone back. “I take it that that’s your pet?”

“That’s my baby, Sushi.” Brigitte said, returning Hanzo’s. “He’s such a good boy. I was allowed to bring him when I moved here. Do you have any pets?”

“Actually I do.” Hanzo looked through his picture gallery, which wasn’t a lot, to find his favorite photo. “These are my dogs. Ama is the white wolf dog and Yomi is the black akita inu.”

“They are so pretty. I would love to meet them someday.” Brigitte replied with a child-like tone.

Hanzo chuckled. “I think they’d like that. Especially Yomi, he loves meeting new people.”