Music
One Side
Part One
Song

Unusually, the shop, the shop where Kimihiro Watanuki worked at, (forcefully employed), the shop that grants any wish as long as he or she who is asking for a wish pays equal compensation, was quiet. It was so quiet that the air around the wish granting shop was still. Watanuki stood there, dumbfounded, at the entrance. It was a bright summer day, the clouds white and fluffy and the birds sang chripfully. Still, shocked and in a good mood, he stood their in total disbelief. Slowly walking with some groceries worth two weeks' meals, he was afraid to breathe, to ruin the bliss and peace of silence.

He looked for Mokona, readying himself for a high jump attack from the pork bun. Nothing. He looked for simultaneous talkers Maru and Moro but they weren't in sight either. He was waiting for Mugetsu but he hadn't shown either.

Walking to the kitchen that stood near Yuko's room to put the groceries away, he heard the blocked echo of something. Carefully, he walked towards the sound.

"Yuko-san," he whispered. "Are you here?" In front of the paper door separating her room from all the others, he heard a female's voice. Singing.

You're my angel
back in heaven
Lost among the free
Trapped up in a tower
looking down upon the peace

If only I could
climb up there
and fight through your debris
I'd bring this angel back to heaven
for all eternity

"Music?" he mused. If you could see him now, you'd imagine a pair of kitten ears popping from the sides of his head. "Princess Ai?" he said to himself. Earlier at lunch, he, Himawari and Doumeki decided to go to the park to watch sakura flowers as they ate. She had brought along a CD and played it in her small radio. She explained to them that it was her favorite singer right now; Princess Ai. "Seraph Serenade," Saying the song's title, he slid the door open.

Everyone, Mugetsu on Yuko's shoulder asleep, was listening to an iPod. He found it odd but funny at the same time. Maru and Moro were lying at her feet; looking like they really wanted to sleep. Yuko, seeing him enter, took off her black earphones.

"Hello my young thespian," she murmured. She looked at him, holding a bottle wine. "Noticed our iPods, I believe."

"Uh, yeah. When did you buy them? You never leave the house." He pondered aloud, handing Mokona and Yuko another glass of wine from the bottle in her hands.

"Compensation from a DJ who wanted some help with his career; simple enough to grant. I granted it while you were learning and what-not." Smoothly, the witch pushed a box with a laptop on top of it.

"What?" Confused, he jerked it open. "An iPod?" It was a shuffle, one of those small, rectangular ones; colored regular silver with a red butterfly stickered on the back.

"It's for you dear, April," She said as she laughed to herself at her own joke. "Download whatever songs you want from SpaceWitch, I don't mind." Before he could answer, she opened the mini computer for him.

She watched him do nothing.

"What's wrong?" she said.

"I'm sorry, Yuko-san but I don't tend to listen to music very much," The good mood he was in earlier was still in effect, making him talk politely, out of character of his angry cat style.

At this, everyone froze.

"What!?" Everyone dagger glared him, flabbergasted.

"I don't have the tendency to be into music," Apologetically, he handed the box in return. Refusing it, she held her hand up and said, "Then we're going to learn what type of music appeals to you,"

Bending down to talk to Maru and Moro, she whispered to call some people. They left as she glared at him.

"Katy Perry," she said.

No answer.

"Lady Gaga,"

"Who?"

"Utada,"

"Excuse me?"

"Galneryus,"

"Bless you,"

"Nickelback,"

"I don't have change,"

"Metallica,"

"Err…"

"BRITNEY SPEARS!!!!!!!!!!" she yelled out.

"Um…no. I'm guessing these are singers and bands,"

"Have you ever listened to music at all, Watanuki?" Yuko tapped his face with long, black gloved fingers.

"…"

"Something wrong," she asked for the second time today. Holding a mirror to his face, he saw tears running down from his bi-colored eyes and falling hard like rain during a thunderstorm.

Looking down and heart falling into a pit, deep into one, he remembered his parents. He couldn't remember their faces or their names but he could feel them.

"The only reason I don't listen to music is because my mother and father never stopped playing music in our old house," he couldn't even recall how their old house looked like." After they died, so did almost everything I remembered we did together when they were alive," Pulling out an ebony handkerchief, he wiped away his tears.

"Except your excellent cooking ability you inherited from your father. I know you're a little under now but please bring some classic red wine and snacks. I will be preparing an assignment for you," In a motherly way, she took his hand and led him to the kitchen. She left Mokona no his shoulder, talking animatedly to cheer him up. She would need some silence to prepare.

XXX

In mute, he was cutting some carrots for dinner's stew until he heard Yuko call out, "Watanuki, have you finished, yet!?"

"Yes, I'm just getting some of the dinner ready," His voice was unsteady.

"You know that plastic bag on the counter!?" she said.

"Yeah,"

"Please put on what's inside,"

He stopped what he was doing as Mokona hopped away to her voice and walked into the bathroom. As he was changing, he didn't take a look at what he was putting on. An echo of loud bangs clattered from the direction of her room.

Bringing in the wine and food, he walked in. A large wood piano stood in his view. It was covered with three hand drawn red butterflies hanging around a tree, lighted sakura scented candles glowing dimly in the pale light of the moon that shone through the open window. The Space Time Witch sat on the piano bench with Maru, Moro, Mugetsu and Mokona sitting on the top of it. The atmosphere was calming and serene no one was there.

"What is this?" he pointed to her lavish outfit. The strap dress tightened on her firm body, glittering in the dim light. Her hair was pinned up in a high pony tail held by a purple silk ribbon. She wore glass slippers and a lace belt hung at her waist.

Offering Mokona and Yuko each a glass of wine, she answered. "It's part of your assignment. I think Maru and Moro look much better thought,"

Watanuki turned his head in their direction. Maru held a violin in her hands while Moro sat down behind a harp, strumming it carefully. They were look-alikes but their dresses were opposite. Maru was donned in all black, gloves covering her arms and lace everywhere. Moro would blend in with snow if she lie in front of some. It was the same design as Maru but a pure, virgin white.

"You guys look great," Placing a hand on the top of their heads, he patted them.

They thanked him.

"What is this for?"

His employer sighed. "I was wondering about your taste in music in contrast with your parents," Taking a candle from the lid of the piano, she lit a few incenses that smelled like ginger.

"Oh, well…" he was going to explain but he interrupted when Mokona stuffed some spicy calamari into his mouth. Chewing, he gazed at her.

"I do not want you to explain with your poor memory," Raising a finger to his chest and another to his chin so his eyes met hers, "but with your heart."

"What?"

Grinning, she took out a voice recorder.

"When songs are written, they come with emotions. Feelings come from the heart. The lyrics to a song cannot just be made up; they have to been from a source of relation. That relation can stress a human heart. Songs are sort of certain way of expression and relief to that person who wrote it. They tell a story. I want you to sing, Watanuki." Yuko led him near the piano.

Blood rushed to his face that he stuttered in reply.

"I c-c-can't sing," He looked down at his shoes.

"You don't have to the ability to sing well to sing from the heart," she replied. "And look behind you,"

Turning around, he saw Himawari and Doumeki. The bad luck sunflower was donned in a lacey, silk dress that hugged her body. Doumeki wore a simple suit with ruffles in the middle of the white shirt in the black blazer. They each held an instrument; Himawari and a glossy black acoustic guitar and Doumeki with a violin.

They approached him. At the sight of them, he felt more blood rush to his face and his heart beat faster. "You can do it," Himawari pat him on his back softly when Doumeki placed a firm grip on his shoulder and muttered, "Hmn,"

"I like your clothes, Watanuki-kun," Himawari turned his body to the mirror. He was dresses in Chinese style clothes with a picture of a large black butterfly around his body.

"Thanks,"

"Please start when Moro begins, Watanuki," Yuko said. Before he could begin to argue, Moro strummed some strings on the harp. Doumeki tuned in a violin and Himawari played when Yuko hit a few keys.

He closed his eyes as the thoughts of his parents came at him.

Petals of black roses
fall to the ground
silent
not a single sound

Mugetsu wrapped his body around his arm and the music started to falter.

The remains of my fallen angels
fly in my view
and I've lost everything
I don't know what to do

The violin arrangement became more dramatic.

My mortality is fading
into an empty darkness
and there's not a thing
left to harness

The piano and guitar grew in volume.

I'm swimming,
Lost in deep waters
with no hands
I'm running,
blind to the whispered voices high above
I'm flying with
broken wings
empty in hand
Past every world
Every land
Save me from myself
Before all there is left is broken

They stopped until he continued.

I die a little more inside
as each moment of twilight
is reborn into night
and the full moon reveals
all that there is before me

Though your precious voice

Is whispering loud enough for me to hear
I will always
be left alone to my childhood fears

We're frozen
in high skies
with nothing to touch
we're rising from smoke
yet what did we fight for?
We're breaking,
falling into pieces
but we can't
if we were never whole
Save me from myself cuz
My Hope has vanished
Left with nothing

Lead my spirit into a core of numb
Bind back my legs so I can't run
Cuz there's nothing else left

I'm dying
I'm suffering in silence
alone in the name of sanity
Bearing everything
and taking nothing
Breathe into me
Save me from myself

And they stopped. Watanuki wasn't crying but Yuko went to him.

"Music important to all, is it not?" she said and wrapped her arms around his body. Everyone joined in the silence.

XXX

The next day at dinner, Yuko held a picnic in her back yard. They were all enjoying Watanuki's food but he wasn't listening to them. He was listening to his iPod.

Author's Note; The song is called Save Me from Myself. I wrote it. The song that is used that Yuko was listening to is Seraph Serenade by Princess Ai. Oh, and in case you're wondering, there's two sides to this story. This involves everyone but the next one is going to be slash with Watanuki and Doumeki. Please read it when I put it on FanFiction. It will be listed as Chapter two of this short story. And next I'm putting a list of some songs I think Watanuki would like on his iPod.

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence

Broken by Seether ft. Amy Lee

Going Under by Evanescence

Imaginary by Evanescence

Nobody's Home by Avril Lavigne

My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne

I Miss You by blink-182

Just Like a Pill by P!nk

Everytime by Britney Spears

Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day

Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day

Know Your Enemy by Green Day

Angels by Within Temptation

All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me) by Bullet for My Valentine

My Immortal by Evanescence

Take Me Away by Avril Lavigne

Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Doll Parts by Hole

Dying by Hole

Smile by Lily Allen

Numb by Linkin Park

Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park

Tied Together with a Smile by Taylor Swift

Stop and Stare by One Republic

Decode by Paramore

That's What You Get by Paramore

crushcrushcrush by Paramore

When It Rains by Paramore

All We Know by Paramore

Second Chance by Shinedown

If you have some suggestions, please tell me. Review and read the next part!