CHAPTER 3

~ A Miracle Always Happen if You Believe in One

'Kana! Want to get my brother a present for his birthday?'

A little girl dressing a one piece dress, styling her hair with two pony tails came gracefully, just like an adorable angel sending a message to me.

'Sure, we'll get something for him! Are you sure your parents let you to leave the house?'

'Of course! If you're around, mom and dad wouldn't mind getting me a detour.'

'If you say so, let's get a surprise celebration for your brother.'

She smiled at me while grabbing my hand, I followed her behind.

That day was one truly a happy moment with Taiyou's sister. Even her smile was unable to be erased from my memory.

We haven't talked one bit since the door shut itself and totally trapped inside.

'There's no reception signal here. We can't call up for help.'

Was he talking to himself?

I secretly peeped out a tiny gap from my lower arm.

Since when he got so closer to me!? In fact, he was sitting beside the chair I was sitting but on a ground.

I could felt my face getting hotter the minute I saw Taiyou. I quickly hid back inside my arms.

My mind was hesitating. Should I talk to him? My heart felt so uneasy.

A melody suddenly played into my ears.

A soft pandora box melody, the place was covered with the sound of it, even echo was made.

Now I come to realize, that song was familiar. I caught up an image when I was at the swap shop I bought a melody box which was playing the same song.

That same verse.

However, the second verse of the song was a piano. That feeling abruptly changed.

'That song…!?'

I woke my body up.

'You remember?'

Taiyou was playing that song using his phone.

I gently nodded my head. I couldn't search any courage to look at him face to face; I moved my eyes to another side.

'It's the song that you, me, and the others made for Ino's audition. In the end, Ino was so furious and ended up performing another song. Haha.'

Taiyou laughed a little.

'We eventually entitled this song as a friendship anthem. Sound funny?'

'It sounds like we're childish.' I said.

'We're "kids" that time. I'm okay even it's childish.'

Taiyou stared at his phone for a while.

'I amended the later part of the song. Since I learned piano after that, I tried to add some nice little ring to it.'

'Uh huh.'

'Do you know the entire piano was played by whom?'

Taiyou suddenly questioned me.

'I have no idea.'

He paused for a moment, trying to catch a breath.

'It's… Amy.'

My eyes grew bigger.

Amy… That was Taiyou's little sister.

'Why? Why bringing out her name?'

The place turned silent again.

'It seems like I picked up a wrong subject.'

Taiyou's face fell into a different expression. His voice turned moody.

'We… can't always avoid this topic, right?'

I tried my luck to make it less tense.

'Yeah…'

…

'I feel… Amy has taken an interest on having piano lesson after the incident.'

He proceeded.

'It's like… she had finally found something that truly fits with her personality. She loves it so much, more than the passion I have for piano.'

I glanced at Taiyou, his side lips were lifting up.

'But, it's eternally my fault.'

'Kana…'

'Amy wouldn't be that seriously injured if I've confronted those people! She instead tried to protect me. And ended up-!'

I couldn't hide those feelings and the remorse feeling inside my heart for years. I blurted each and entire words I was attempting to say since that incident happened.

My eyes turned watery. The only thing I could think of was that day those people forced Amy to drink a dying hot boiled water if she wouldn't tell her parent's phone number for kidnapping purpose.

I was left at the corner of the room; being badly hurt after some kicks and throws from them.

My body couldn't respond and was suffering at looking how those people tortured Amy.

'It wasn't entirely your fault. It's partially my fault as well! I should have look after Amy more seriously. I was too stubborn for just thinking of myself.'

Taiyou went crazy when he saw me cried.

Now, the mood altered into some sort of torture chamber.

Our feeling were too fragile and might soon collapse the minute we tried to accuse that one of us had resulted the misfortune to Amy.

Soon, the melody had finished playing its part. It turned silent.

…

So, making me return back to alive requires me to settle the misunderstandings we had? That's too absurd!

I crept back into my arms. Those tears won't stop by themselves.

'But, sometimes a miracle just happened.'

Taiyou suddenly sounded less angry.

'Without that incident, Amy won't be able to discover her love towards music. Even now she was offered to study in university for diploma, and later invited to be a pianist in an orchestra. Her life will not be completed and not come this far.'

'I bet Amy and your parents still can't forgive me for what I have done.'

'You're wrong, Kana. Amy didn't get mad at you from the start. She tried to meet you after her recovery. It was me that make this process went longwinded.'

'I can't accept at first. But in the end, Amy taught me something. Bad things can't be avoided, even though you tried hard not to involve. Yet, it can lead you to something new. And have a wonderful ending.'

'I have no idea what you're saying.'

I sounded so bitter.

'It is you that makes this miracle to happen. I should thank you.'

I heard Taiyou made a slight move as the floor was shaking a little.

A warm feeling was carried on my head.

'Thank you. Suzu.'

I was surprised. He called me Suzu. He used to call me that name.

'I tried to find a way to tell you this, but I can't find that courage to do so. Now we're trapped here, I can finally explain everything to you from the beginning till the end of this misconception. Don't you find this a miracle thing?'

I slowly lifted up my head. Taiyou's hand was on top of my head, he's patting me.

His smile was so sweet that my heart started to race up again.

'No… no one calls me "Suzu" anymore. Just call me "Kana".'

I felt myself blushing so much.

'Haha!'

Taiyou chuckled.

'It's okay for me to call you "Suzu"? After all, I'm used to address you as Suzu.'

'Er…'

I have no idea what to answer. I'm officially reaching from a raw egg to a hard-boiled egg. It's gradually hot here.

'That means a "yes"?'

Taiyou stared at me, giving out a cute signal against me.

'Err… err… do whatever you want!'

I shook my head. I quickly stood off and went to the window for cool off.

'Okay!'

Taiyou replied excitedly.

'Nice to meet you, Suzu! My name is Matsuo Taiyou.'

I discovered Taiyou's reflection on the window. I turned back.

He was giving out his hand.

'My name is Suzuhina Kana! Nice to meet you, Taiyou!'

I smiled at him, lending out my hand and grabbed his.

Both of us laughed like we used to. A nice introduction clearly states that all the commotion is over.

Just after seconds, the door suddenly screeched open.

'Hah! You're freed!'

A dark shady blue haired person just showed up outside of the door.

'Shouta!?' I yelled.

'Shouta, I seriously owed you for this.'

Taiyou waved at Shouta.

'The door from the inside might be jammed. Opening from the outside just help us a big time.'

'Really? I thought that both of you locked it on purpose.'

Shouta began to sound so mischievous.

'No. We're trapped in here for an hour.'

I talked back to him.

'Kana, you looked like you've faced a hurricane. You look entirely exhausted and steamed up.'

Shouta was giving me all the nerves.

'At least we're saved, Suzu. Don't tackle him that much.'

'Suzu? That's new. You look happy now. What actually happen between you two when being confined for hours?'

He gave a sly look at Taiyou. As if we're doing something wrong here.

'It's not what you think it is, Shouta. We're just luckily for solving the biggest problem. Now, we're fine. Right, Suzu?'

'Ehh…'

I hassled again.

'You're blushing, Kana. I mean, Suzu.'

'STOP TEASING ME! I'm going back now.'

I hid my embarrassing emotion by walking out of the attic.

'Wait for us, "Suzu"!'

Shouta's voice just pierced into my ears.

'I told you not to call me by that name!'

I scowled.

I had myself lying on the bed. After all the hard work had seriously paid me off with body ache.

'Sleeping so soon?'

Shouta came appeared inside the room by gliding in from the window.

'Don't you feel exhausted since the work?'

'I'm a genie. I can't feel anything: Overworking without getting any tired, eating without any taste, hurt without feeling pain, can't have a desire to sleep. Unless my magic drains out, I'll feel sleepy.'

'I didn't know that a genie has to live for the rest of his life with these habits on hand. I pity for you not to experience this undying pain I'm currently having.'

'Excuse me? I was once a human before becoming a genie.'

'Oh, I didn't know that.' I acted sarcastically.

'You yourself aren't a human, alright? You're just a spirit.'

'If it wasn't your dilly dally I might be continuing my life as a human living being.'

'If it wasn't me "dilly dally", you can't even make up with Taiyou in the first place.'

'Speaking of Taiyou, you are the prime suspect for trapping me and Taiyou in that attic.'

'What if I answer "yes"?'

'So, you're the one…'

I gathered all my strength to sit up.

Then, I tried to stand up.

Shouta detected a terrible atmosphere and was offended.

'What you're… trying to do?'

I got closer to him then stared at him.

'Thank you.'

I returned to my happy expression.

'Ah… you're welcome? Are you having mood swing?'

Shouta got shocked and eventually talk with trembling fear. A vivid redness just shot through his face.

'You're… too close to my face… Kana…'

Ah?

'Uwahh! Sorry!'

I jump backed.

I didn't notice that my action just made me got so close with Shouta.

'Anyway…!'

I flied off to bed.

'Maybe your sleepiness just got you an illusion of me as Taiyou, that's why you were that close to me.'

Shouta said while lifting both of his index fingers and measured roughly 2cm distance in an empty air.

'OF COURSE NOT!'

It's my turn to get a blushing sign.

'GOOD NIGHT! We'll be heading home first thing in the morning. So, get a rest.'

I slammed my head onto a pillow.

'Then I'll be lying on the couch for some rest.'

Shouta replied and heading to a couch.

'Shouta?'

'Hmm?'

'Do you think that sometimes bad things happen are always a sign of getting a good outcome?'

'Who told you that?'

'Taiyou.'

'I'm fine with it.'

That's it? I thought of more words coming out from that genie's mouth.

I'm starting to get dizzy; all the lights were getting smudgy colliding like a black diluted into clear water.