Chapter One:

Soul leant back in his armchair, his arms folded. These days his hair was shorter, more neatly kept and brushed thanks to Maka's continuous bickering. He wore a proper uniform for his teaching job at Shibusen and he was never seen without the gold ring on his finger suggesting his marriage. He looked up in thought, reminiscing the times when he first came to Shibusen and the events that unfolded around that, including his meeting with Maka Albarn, now Maka Evans.

Fourteen years ago:

"Oi, Soul!" A man's voice called out making soul sharply snap away.
"Huh?!"

"You were sleeping." The man said as he walked over, his arms folded crossly. He had a stern voice and had similar white hair to Soul, although he kept it much more tidy than Soul's unmanageable hair.

"Sorry Wes... I hardly got any sleep last night... I've been having weird dreams." Soul replied, rubbing his forehead, his eyes only half open.

Wes, Soul's older brother thwacked him over the head with his violin bow; "You can't sleep during practice. How do you plan on becoming a master musician if you can't even stay awake?"

Soul simply shrugged and yawned widely, too tired to even reply although Wes didn't move, still waiting on his reply.

"Urgh, fine. Sorry." He frowned, looking down at his lap before repositioning himself on the piano stool. Like I'll ever be as good as you anyway...

Wes sighed, pushing his hair back before positioning his violin under his chin, "Whatever... Just don't do it again. From the top." He instructed before beginning to playing a beautiful sympathy in harmony with Soul, who despite still being half asleep, was managing to play accordingly.

"We have that... That..." Soul failed to think of the word in his mind while in his dazed stupor, "That..." He yawned.

"That social event at Shibusen you mean?" Wes replied with a calmer tone as he continued playing.

"Yeah, that."

"Yeah, it's tonight, so we can't have you falling asleep in the last practice." He growled slightly as he said it.

Soul didn't reply, quickly putting his focus on the music.

Wes sighed, stopping mid note, "They love your music you know?"

"Yeah... I suppose." He said half-heartedly with a sigh.

"They do." Wes urged.

"Probably cause you're playing the lead." He murmured almost sightly.

"What was that?" Wes asked, holding his hand to his ear, still holding his bow.

"Nothing."

"Right then, shut up and keep playing." Wes chuckled with a tone of brother humour.

Within the next few hours after practice, the two had eventually gotten themselves ready and headed out to the party, walking up the large staircase out the front of the massive school.

"Whose idea was it to make this many damn steps!" Soul almost shouts in his exhaustion.

"Its a good thing they have showers up there..." Wes chuckled, forcing a smile.

"I mean, it's not like Lord Death even uses them!" Soul continued with his rant, ignoring Wes. "Seriously, what's the point!?" He looked to Wes for an answer but all he got was a laugh.

"What?" He growled in annoyance.

"You're nervous." He said with a smirk.

"I could die right now and I wouldn't mind.." Soul muttered rather grimly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the steps will kill you son." He joked, "But seriously, I'm sure something good will come from this." He said, giving him a reassuring tug on his shoulder.

Maybe for you... but this is one long guilt trip for me... I hate these events. People, people everywhere, applauding YOU for YOUR hard work...

Soul glanced to Wes out the corner of his eye and jumped slightly when he realised that Wes was looking at him; "I know you don't like these events... or the people..." He started.

Were you reading my mind? Soul looked at him, slightly shocked.

"...But you gotta do this. It's something you're going to have to get over one day."

Soul looked down to his shoes as they continued ascending the stairs, "I know..." He adjusted his neck trap of a tie.

Wes smiled a bit, watching his younger brother as they reached the top of the staircase.

"Let's get freshened up, we're on in about half an hour or so." Wes smiled as he entered the school, Soul slowly following after him.

I hate this. I hate this so much.