Author's Note: Lol; thank you so much for the reviews once again. Well, I gotta answer some questions cropping up. First one; what's the point of Licia? Well, in my first draft Licia was actually Resha scream, scream! which, thinking back, was pretty stupid. But I really wanted to have a new character, because I don't think Musica belonged with any of the other girls...sorry if you think other wise except Reina, and she kinda went bust. Plus, having Licia gave me a great idea for a sequel, which I won't say another word about until I get it up. Grin. And the second one; why are Shiba, Cattleya , Remi and Solacido in the household? Well, I could say that all four of them have an important part in the story (they do, after all). But it's a really good question why they'd leave their hometowns just to be there; and so after squeezing my brain for a reasonable reason I came up with this: Remi technically wasn't from Rabarrier and she stopped being the ruler of the place when Clare gave the Rave to Haru. So I guess she and Solacido are free to do what they want, lol. And as for Cattleya, well, I suppose she would like to be with her little bro' after so long. Please note, that I do not know the whole story; I'm just starting this story based on what little I do know of what happens after the anime finishes! So I do not know the details if Haru and co. went back to Garage Island in the middle of their travels. I have only watched the anime!! And since Shiba lived with Cattleya during that time, he can go along with Cattleya too; coz it'd be mean to leave him all alone at home. Is that plausible?? And some words in advance about this chapter; I tried to make Musica as much like himself as possible, but maybe it didn't always work out that way. Let's just say he finally snaps under the strain of losing so many loved ones; he has lost a lot, ya know. Yes, I am making this a slightly soppy love story...so...read by your choice!! Thanks so much for those reviews! I regret killing Melodia, but to make a murder mystery, someone had to die...

Whew, that's long

She was dead.

Musica buried his face into the covers, wishing it would swallow him whole. You could've heard a pin drop in the room. Everyone was silent, and horrified. Though numb with shock, questions chased themselves round in Musica's head.

Who did this? Someone from the house? One of us? It couldn't be! Surely she didn't die from natural reasons? She was so healthy! Then how did she die? Why did she die? Now I truly am alone.

The last thought hit him like a tidal wave. No one to love, no one to care for and be cared for by. Alone, alone...Just like the whole of his life. Weep, damn it. Weep for her. Shed a tear, you bastard. You loved her...can't you do this much?

Today was our anniversary.

"Musica...?" It was a timid voice, a soft voice. Like Melodia's. But it intruded on his thoughts. It trespassed onto his privacy and his mourning time. He hated it. He hated everything. He hated life!

"Shut up." His own voice scared him. Was that cold, angry voice full of hate really his? Was Melodia really gone? Yes. Yes. "Just shut up. You don't know anything...have you ever lost everyone you love, Licia? You stupid girl; you don't have anyone to love. You don't even know who you flaming are. Burn you; burn you! Just shut up!"

He stopped, out of breath.

Licia stopped too, her hand halfway to his shoulder. Her face was contorted in grief, but the pity in it was washing away into anger. Her hand was trembling; all of his hits had gone home, and hard.

Licia's voice was now hard, but it too trembled, despite the steady overtone. "What? What's wrong with you? I was only trying to...help. And...and...I do have someone to love." Her honeyed face took on a deeper shade; she was blushing. She can blush at a time like this? Musica felt even angrier.

"Yeah, well, here's a newsflash. You're not helping me at all. You're irritating me. Why are you here anyway? Do you even care? You stupid cold-blooded cow. Of course you don't, when did you ever? You're so selfish, you can't see beyond curling your own hair." It was a direct lie- Licia had never curled her hair. But it would hurt her. "Why don't you get out and let us mourn? We mean it!"

Her mouth had dropped open, and her eyes were shining with fresh tears. "Y-you make it sound as if I killed her!" She spoke with a deathly calm, with only one falter at the beginning.

Musica stood up, and dusted his pants. He met her gaze coldly, directly. "Maybe you did. You do love someone...I know who. Me. And you thought you could just do away with Melodia, is it? And take up my heart with your false sympathy? Was that your plan, Licia?"

No response, but Licia looked as though blood had drained from her face. There was a loud gasp from Remi.

"Your stupid plan failed. I'll never love you. I hate you." As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt that maybe they were too loud. He became uncomfortable conscious that everyone was listening. The entire household. And had he really meant all of that?

He opened his mouth to say something, anything.

"You bastard! I hate you! I hate you!" Licia choked out. Spinning round and stumbling, she ran through the door. A few seconds later, she could be heard thumping down the stairs. There was even a crash; she must've fallen.

And then the front door banged.

Musica couldn't meet anyone's eyes. Drawing a deep breath, he spoke. "Was Melodia unwell? Sick?" Everyone shook their heads. No. "Then...she must have been..."

"Murdered? By Licia?" Remi gasped out.

Licia tumbled down a few steps, because she couldn't see. Her eyes were too foggy with tears. Ignoring the physical pain, concentrating on the mental, she rushed out of the house. Just to get somewhere, anywhere. It didn't make a difference; not as long as she couldn't get away from herself.

How could he say all that? Does he really hate me so much? She wiped away the tears angrily. I shouldn't be crying; not for him. But for Melodia...

"How could he say that I didn't care? I do! I do! She was like an older sister to me...Melodia!" she mumbled brokenly. Her feet had taken her down the street, and round some corners. She found herself in a park. Perfect. I can be alone here..

She sat down by the pond, and stared at the dark water.

I didn't kill Melodia. Is Musica mad?? Me, kill Melodia? Licia's brow furrowed. He wasn't entirely mad, though. How did he know that...that...I love him? Who told him? But nobody knew! But I wouldn't kill Melodia because of him! I knew...I knew I'd never have him.

Licia sighed.

"But...how could he think that I killed her?" she said dully. She shut her eyes, and a few seconds later, she hit the ground.

Cattleya brushed a spike of Haru's hair that had fallen across his face. He squirmed away: "Sis', I'm not a little kid anymore!" Elie giggled, but the giggle died away fast. She sighed.

"Have any of you seen Licia? She's been missing ever since..." Her words died out. Ever since Musica screamed at her, hurt her. It had been so unpleasant. Elie shivered. "I wonder how he knew..."

"What's that?" said Remi, sitting down beside her on the grass.

"I said, I wonder how he knew that Licia loved him..." Elie frowned. "She never told me; but I could make out. She wasn't that obvious was she?"

Remi shook her head. "It was news to me..." Good news, too. So that's who she was after. Musica. As if she could get him...Remi had a secret. She loved Musica too, even though Musica had stopped flirting with her long ago. Now that Musica was free...

She shivered. Now, that's thinking like a murderer. Melodia was too good. She shouldn't have died; but we know she'll be in heaven. "But to think she murdered him; that's ridiculous!" Elie said indignantly. "It was real mean of him!"

Cattleya scowled. "Yes, and he swore so much! It's better to be safe than sorry, I always say...he's too hasty."

Haru looked uneasy. "Somebody did..." he and Remi said at the same time. "Yeah," continued Remi. "The police came; you know there was wine beside her table? There was poison in that. Cyanide; apparently it tastes a lot like wine itself, so Melodia must have drunk it without realizing. It was concentrated with cyanide. One sip would have killed her."

The others digested this news silently.

"Could someone from outside have entered the house?" Elie asked uncertainly. Haru put an arm around her.

"I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water at about 11 p.m. ; I heard Melodia talking to someone in her room. I thought it might have been Musica..." Cattleya said. "I checked that all the windows were closed, and that the door was locked. Downstairs at least. Everything was fine."

"11 p.m.? It couldn't have been Musica; I went up to bed only at 10:50, and Musica was going out for a walk. I saw him go. He couldn't have been back in 10 minutes. He has his own key, so he must have used that to open the door," Haru said slowly.

"Yes, and she only went to bed at 10:00. I chatted with her for a while; until Haru came, in fact." Elie looked thoughtful.

Remi went white. "Maybe...maybe it was inside work. Maybe it was..." She trailed away. Could it have been Licia? Elie shook her head.

"No way!" she said brightly – too brightly, Remi thought. "Licia's such a nice girl! She has a really soft heart. No way she'd do that." Elie sounded confident. "But...I can't imagine anyone else doing it either..."

Musica couldn't look at the corpse. I don't want to. She was gone too. Life didn't seem worth living. The police had found traces of cyanide in the drops left in the wine glass. It was pretty obvious what had killed her; even though they hadn't conducted a post-mortem of her body.

The murderer...it had to be inside work. Why would anyone bother slipping poison into her glass, after breaking into the house? The doctor had checked her too. Dead roughly 8 hours; which meant from around 12 a.m. Health: perfect. She had no weaknesses, no allergies, no diseases or anything that could have threatened her life.

Musica felt tired. He hit the bed behind him, and only then did he realize what he held in his hand. He could smell faint traces of the lavender oil Melodia always wore, just faint, but there.

He recognized the elegant script of her hand. "Musica", the envelope said.

Rising up on his elbow, he slowly tore open the seal. The police had found this in her room, on the table. They thought that Musica should have it, should read it; it might be an important clue. But why? Only people who commit suicide leave letters...

Ignoring his trembling hand, ignoring all the guilt and misery he felt towards Licia, in fact, ignoring the Licia in the back of his mind, he began to read.

My dearest Musica, (she had written)

You'll always be so dear to me; but just not as what we pretend. I love you like a brother, like a son even. Just not as my lover. Surely you've noticed the distance between us lately; isn't that why you've been putting off proposing to me?-

Here Musica felt his face flame up, and his blood churn. She knew...she'd always known. That's why she'd look at me with that strange look in her eyes... It had been a knowing look, mixed with regret. She regretted what she knew.

Don't think you've hurt me. You haven't. Because, after all, didn't I tell you I feel the same way above? You've suffered so much, and been through such trauma. I think you deserve what you want; and not love as an obligation to me.

But I know you; you'll still feel guilty.

So I'm telling you a secret: I love someone else. He's very dear to me, just as you are, just not quite in the same sense. I want to see the world, Musica. Like you have done. So I'm leaving tonight, as soon as I get everything sorted and this letter written. Tomorrow will be our anniversary...

But not anymore. I know you'll understand, you'll have to! Even if you don't now, I know you will once your heart compasses you in the right direction. She loves you very much, and you her.

As for me? I'm going with him. Oh, that pronoun is so sweet to me...I needn't tell you who he is, as I'm sure you'll know tomorrow. So...I'll see you around, then. Somewhere...sometime.

I'm off to see the world and enjoy it.

Bye, Musica. Don't think too harshly of me. I know you won't once you realize!

Love, Melodia. Date: 2oth December

And that was how it went, sweet and innocent. It was full of hopes and dreams, and joys. Numbly, dully, Musica wondered who 'he' was. Melodia doubted my love. She left me. She never loved me. She thought I loved someone else. And I still haven't shed a tear for her. I still can't do that much for her.

"Even if she didn't love me, I love her!!" Musica said fiercely. Who am I trying to convince? Myself?

He sighed, and fell back down. He shut his eyes. Tired...