Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda D'Oro.

I was really unsure whether or not to post this since I wanted it to be longer; I guess I can deal since this is only the second one. I'm pretty lazy as it is until I get some kind of inspiration.

I stood at the grand arch of the bells as the sprinkling rain pelted down on my form. The same bells that rang for me when I first had my unexpectedly happy encounter. That day where I was pulled into the grand scheme of manipulating the people's feelings from those of avoidance into envy and enjoyment for the thing that is music.

I should be happy! I finished what I needed to do and I found the time to feel the joy of it. Why am I feeling such torment? I don't know why I'm feeling...shameful. I crumbled down and pulled my knees to my chest. I believe that getting sick out here won't atone for what I did. The red hair that I have come to loathe shrouded my eyes.

Red...that's all I could think. People used to love it...this beautiful, yet sinful color. "It's the color of love," they said. "Red is for happiness," they said. They're wrong, terribly wrong. This color did not only complement the other bright colors we usually associate it with.

To me, red is the embodiment of 5 of the 7 deadly sins: lust, greed, envy, pride, and wrath.

The weeks before that day, the man didn't know the meaning of privacy. He wasn't as subtle as he liked to think. His lust disgusted me to no end, once I understood what he was doing. All of his hugs were so tight, so uncomfortable that I stopped hugging back to satisfy him.

The man saw me as a treasure. How I came to that conclusion, I don't know. The way he looked at me just wasn't a look you should give to a friend's daughter. I asked father why and the response was cryptic to me as well.

"His greed has nothing to do with you. I think it's my fault he's this way. Don't worry, daddy will take care of it," he said a he pet my hair and I leaned against him, sitting on his lap.

His envy-filled eyes, although I did not see it at the time, burned through my parents' backs. It turns out that he could hide his emotions if he really wanted to. The day of the incident, he no longer concealed his goals behind masks and false words. His real intentions were muffled by the angry winds of the storm.

"My pride as a man is the most important thing to me, and that conniving snitch ain't gonna ruin it for me," This man had no morals. He went about his business as if it didn't matter. I found out years later, after the last horrible encounter I had with him, that he became a pro in the underworld of our country, being in the yakuza.

Finally, on my 10th birthday, the truth came out. He had slipped into my father's circle, trying to swindle him out of the company father spent countless years building. He was ruthless. His wrath unleashed upon my family. I used to love the rain that poured that day, so happy that the clouds chose to cry upon me.

Flashback

"Where's my present, Mr. Hitoshi?" I asked. I was so naive, thinking that this man was so kind, even if it was only an act.

"You'll get it later in the evening, my dear. Right now, I must speak with your daddy about business. It won't take long," he gave me a small pat on the head with his foul hands and quickly strided to Father's office.

Mother led me to the grand dining room. It was as majestic as ever. The two-layered red velvet cake with a thin layer of chocolate icing, my favorite, stood at the head of our long table. It adorned sweet vanilla roses colored in bright red. "Happy Birthday, Akane!" could be read, in pure white icing gel. The ten candles signifying my age circled the top.

I squealed at the sight of so much red in one place. It puzzled me how such a beautiful color came to grace my hair. Many complimented it and I took all the praise in thanks.

Mother pulled out the head chair, a special place for me when I made my birthday wish. "Let's wait for Daddy. They shouldn't be talking for long. Men are always straight to the point," she cheerfully said as I sat down and strapped party hats onto both of our heads. Aside from Hiroki, the others wouldn't be here for a couple hours. Everything was perfect. Rainbow streamers hung all around the house. Other party hats, plates, napkins, and other utensils were placed neatly before each seat.

BANG!

A loud shot rang through the house. It sounded like a gunshot… Arms wrapped around me and I nearly shot up 'til I noticed that it was only Mother's warmth. The lights went out. I only hoped that the storm was the cause of it.

"Mommy...what's going on?" I whimpered. As a child, I was never scared of the dark. I was more mature than the others, since I was to take over my father's company, despite being a girl. Back then, after that disturbing noise sounded, I felt insecure. While I wanted to be strong, the situation scared me too much.

Mother shifted me over her shoulder and took quiet steps towards the corridor, yet I could still hear the slight echo of her heels. I felt her tense shoulders under me as we slowly made our way down the hallway.

"Sweetie, please don't make a sound. Someone might have gotten inside and shut the power down. We're just going somewhere they can't find us, okay?"

I nodded, nudging her neck. Her blunt explanation showed her acknowledgement of how I understood more than those of my age. Mother's need for reassurance made me shiver, for she held me tightly. Was she trying to comfort me or was she telling herself that I was still there? I didn't know what was going on. I might have been smart for my age at the time, but I was still a child. For the first time in my life, I was actually terrified. That gunshot sent shivers down my small spine.

I couldn't help but think the worst. Who's hurt? Where's Father? Mr. Hitoshi?

Another pair of steps echoed throughout the hallways. The footfalls were heavy, with a "thump". I wonder if it's really safe to panic…

Mother's pace picked up, going down to the basement. Did I just see someone behind us?