Amu's POV

It was Ami's first birthday. Papa and Mama had taken us out to dinner, and we browsed among her favorite shops.

Ami stopped.

"What's wrong?" Mama asked my child prodigy sister, who already learned to walk and talk.

Ami said to me, "Pwetty houwshe! Go!" I looked at the "house" and saw that it was a fortune telling shop. I looked at my parents, and they paid for two turns: one for Ami, one for me. We walked through a curtain made of strings of pearls and walked into the well-decorated shop.

The fortune telling lady was sitting at a table. We sat down and she turned to Ami. She closed her eyes and started chanting. I shivered. Finally, her catlike eyes were open.

"She is a prodigy, and will glow very bright until the early time all the light in her will swiftly disappear." I shivered again, the words chilling me. My parents shifted, and Ami looked like she was about to cry.

Before anyone could say anything, however, she turned her yellow eyes to me and started chanting again. My whole body shook. She opened her eyes and looked at my parents, who looked fearful.

"A frightening curse binds her. However, it will not reveal itself until the most dreadful time of her life occurs...very soon..."

Without another word, Mama and Papa pulled me and Ami out of the shop and tried to continue celebrating. However, it was like a cloud of darkness hung over us, and nothing could make it better. Ever again.

Utau's POV

"Saa nani ga hoshii no? Nani wo motomeru no?" I sang, hands on the side of my headphones, eyes closed.

"Stop, stop. Stop the music," Yukari ordered, clapping her hands. The music stopped. "Utau, you're getting worse. Put some heart into your song."

I erupted. This was the fifth time this rehearsal!

"If you expect so much of me that I obviously can't accomplish, choose someone else and leave me alone! Go ahead! I don't care! I doubt if anyone can ever meet your standards!" I yelled at her.

She smirked and crossed her arms. She tilted her head, her eyes now visible under her reflective glasses.

"My oh my, are you blaming me? You should know well that your father was the one who 'forced' you to work under me and -what was that quote? Oh yes! 'Listen to everything I say?' Yes, I believe that was extremely similar, if not exact to what he hair said."

I was trembling in rage. I felt an urge to slap her, but kept it down.

"No one...No one is in charge of me! Of anything that I do! Of my dreams! You can't make me do anything I don't like!" My bangs darkened my face and hid my eyes, which were squeezed shut and overflowing with tears.

I furiously wiped at my face and stormed away.

"My, my! What a troublesome girl. I apologize for Utau's rudeness."

Yukari bowed to the band.

"It's fine... Just make sure it won't happen again. It's just wasting precious time."

Yukari smirked, glasses once again reflective.

"Oh, don't worry. She will definitely learn."

XXXXXXXXXX

"What!? You're forcing me to go to SCHOOL!?"

"Since it's the only way to make you learn your lesson... Your father has agreed to it as well."

"Well my FATHER can't make me!"

"Utau." I whirled around... And met eyes with my father.

"Do you ever want to see Yoru again?" My eyes widened. He still had Yoru? My cute, sweet little brother...was still alive?

"F-fine," I muttered, then whirled back and walked away.

"Utau." I stopped without turning around. "Prepare to meet Ikuto." My hand clenched into a fist, nails biting into my palm.

Ikuto. What a detestable name. Ha, he was the one who only cared about himself, the one who left us (Yoru and I) to fend for ourselves. He was the one to blame for what happened to Yoru. If he had stayed just a little longer, and cared just a little bit more, he might've been able to save Yoru. Poor 6-year-old Yoru. The one taking the blame for Ikuto. And Ikuto never even looked back at him.

Rima's POV:

"Papa, Mama, now that I'm in high school... Can you set me free?"

They turned to look at me, surprised. My dad laughed.

"'Free.' Are you saying that we are imprisoning you?" He asked, then laughed again.

Yes, yes you are.

"Rima! Be grateful for what you have!" My mother scolded.

"Grateful…" I said, repeating the word. "Grateful for what I have. And what do I have? I have a life, but I can't use it. I have parents, who don't care about me. I have 'friends', who end up ditching me when I won't give them money. Hm…What do I have?"

And I have myself. Myself…the only one who seems trustworthy now.

"Rima! Don't talk that way to your parents!"

"Mama, Papa…It's the truth. How many times have you complimented me for my good grades? Hm… None that I remember. How many times have you let me have good friends? Zero. How many times have you even smiled at me!? None! You see, now!? And you're telling me to not talk that way to you. What right do you have to rule over my life?! What right!?" I screamed, tears running down my cheeks.

Slap!

I touched my cheek, then looked at my fuming father. I giggled. My mother looked horrified. I laughed, which ended up sounding crazy.

"Mama, Papa, I thank you graciously for giving me love, shelter, food, family, friends, freedom, and happiness," I mocked them in a small curtsey, a grin on my face.

This reminds me of that dancer-Nadeshiko Fujisaki, who had 'disappeared'. However, it was obviously because of all the stress that piled up in being a world-class dancer.

XXXXXXXX

I climbed out of bed as I looked at the time: 2:00 AM. I grabbed my bulging bag full of my clothes and needed belongings and purse. I slipped on my darkest dress and grabbed a pencil, writing hurriedly on a sheet of paper.

Dear 'Mama' and 'Papa,'

Love ya! Or not. Wish I could say that, but seriously? You don't deserve it. You never gave me any love, and you won't accept mine. So, basically… I'm leaving. I hate being a puppet doll, being dragged around without love and having to act happy. You made me all rich and pretty, and made me attend your business meetings. But you wouldn't care less if I happened to disappear, would you? All you would think is that you would need to cover up the mess YOU created, and think about how much money it would cost. Word of the wise? Money can't get you everything you want. Sorry, but it's the truth. Face it. So… Bye.

Mashiro Rima is gone.

-Mashino Rima

Kukai's POV:

"So, Mother... Before I move away into the dorms when High School comes... Will you come to my soccer game? As a memory?"

"Kukai Souma! How many times do I have to tell you to focus an grades!? Act like you father! He was the top student of his school!"

"My father is dead! And even after that, you continued disrespecting him! You didn't attend his funeral and never visited his grave!" I scoffed.

"But you didn't have any respects to pay, did you? And now you're asking me to act like him! I shouldn't have asked you to come. You would never have come, and if you did come, you would mess everything up. Well, then. This will be goodbye! Don't ask for money when I'm in my dorm, and I won't bother you. You were too 'busy' to care about Father during his life and after his death. So bye now...stranger!"

I shouldered my bags and walked towards my new school. Well then, here comes Kukai Sounna.