Author's Note: Everyone who has read DarkNaty's fanfiction, The Phantom of the Opera, I assure you, I did not copy the idea from her, nor did she copy hers from me. They are completely different fanfics and we have talked about this. Please do not bash either of us for having similar fanfics.
Warning: Um…character death, author being stupid, and shonen-ai. Fair warning.
Chapter Three
Subaru lay in his room, contemplating his adventure with the Phantom. He remembered walking with the Phantom, but not how long, nor where. He had been too captivated by the man in the mask. The golden eyes, warm, yet cold at the same time, had all but hypnotized Subaru as they walked along the hidden labyrinth to the lake beneath the Opera House. And the Phantom's voice, deep, clear, and rich, had kept Subaru wanting to hear more, as it had during the lessons he had received from the Angel of Music. The young singer could not help but obey the Phantom's command to sing.
There was a soft knock at the door. "Subaru-chan?"
"Come in, Hokuto-chan," Subaru said.
The door opened and Subaru's sister came in, dressed in her jazzed-up ballet dress. Unlike the other girls' costume, hers was not white, but a pale pink. A layer of sheer black fishnet covered the rest of the skirt, and her shoes were black-laced. A set of miniature angel wings added to the costume made Hokuto stand out even more.
"Kanoe-san is going to be singing the role of the Countess tonight," Hokuto said, softly. "The managers decided that you'd be the page-boy."
"Oh, that's all right," Subaru replied. "I don't know if I really want to sing anyway."
"Oh, Subaru-chan," Hokuto sighed, sitting down next to her brother. "I know you're probably embarrassed about having to sing last night, but everybody loved your performance!"
"I know," Subaru said. "But I'm not so sure if it would be a good idea to sing again so soon. Kanoe-san was furious this morning when she found out how much everyone loved me. I heard her screaming."
"There's something else," Hokuto said. "This isn't like you, to just give up on your career like this."
"I'm a chorus-singer, Hokuto-chan," Subaru said. "I don't belong in the front."
"Yes, you do, Subaru. You're one of the best singers out there."
"You're just saying that."
"No, really," Hokuto told him. "If you haven't noticed, most of the city admires you now."
"But…"
"No buts about Subaru-chan. You're greatly admired."
"It was a fluke."
Hokuto turned red in the face. "How can you say that, Subaru? You did so wonderful and I know you've been taking private lessons. I can hear you from next door. I listened as your voice became more and more wonderful every day."
Subaru looked at the ground. A long moment passed in silence.
"I'll do the part of the page-boy," he said, finally. "Kanoe is the lead soprano, not me. She deserves the part."
"But--!" Hokuto began.
"Please, Hokuto-chan," Subaru interrupted. "I know you want me to be proud of my voice, but I just…don't want to sing. Not for a while."
Hokuto let out a sigh, and then rose from her seat. "Well, I'll go get your costume. We have to practice a bit more for tonight's production."
Subaru nodded.
Kamui sat in the box which the managers had reserved for him. It was a nice view from Box Four. A count and his wife sat in Box Five, next to him, waiting for the show to begin. The managers, Sorata and Yuuto, sat in the box with the young heir to the Magami Clan; for even though Shirou was Kamui's surname, he still belonged to the Magami Clan and was now the only survivor of the family. His mother had died a while back and his only aunt had died only recently.
Sorata had brought a young woman with him. She was a raven-haired beauty, her hair perfectly straight and her eyes a stormy gray. If he recalled correctly, her name was Arashi, who was typically a dancer, but tonight's production had no need of her, so she had the night off.
Even Yuuto had a date for this performance. The young woman had short black hair, which had a small ponytail and part of her bangs were blonde. Her name was Satsuki. She was a rather…reserved young woman. She spoke only to Yuuto, hardly making eye contact with anyone else. Kamui recognized her as another one of the usual dancers. She must have had the night off as well.
The performance had reached the big scene where Kanoe's part was the most important. It was the song that everyone in the crowd had been anxious to hear and was critical to the play.
((Author's Note: I'm just bullshitting here. I don't know just how important it is to "Il Muto," only that this is one of the best parts. In my opinion.))
"Poor fool he makes me laugh! Ah-hahahahaha!" Kanoe sang, brilliantly.
((Author's Note: snorts))
The chorus joined in for the next few lines. It was a spectacular performance. At least that is, until it was suddenly interrupted by a strange, powerful, and dangerous voice.
"Did I not instruct that box five was to be left empty?" the voice boomed in the echoing auditorium.
People searched for the mysterious voice. Only a select few knew who the voice belonged to. Even fewer knew where it was coming from. Karen and Hokuto looked up.
"He's here," Hokuto said, "the Phantom of the Opera."
Subaru followed his sister's gaze. "It's him," he whispered.
Kanoe turned to the young man with a furious gaze. "Your part is silent, little toad."
Subaru turned bright red from embarrassment and stammered an apology, bowing.
From his perch, the Phantom watched in disgust.
A toad? He thought. My Subaru-kun? Perhaps it is you, Kanoe, who are the toad.
((Author's Note: And oh, how we know it. And I'm going to stop for now; it's like 3:30 in the morning right now.))
((Second Author's Note: It's been three weeks since I wrote this last. hides from the rotten vegetables that are being thrown at her))
Kanoe went over and sprayed her throat, not knowing that her bottle had been replaced. She went back onto center stage and commanded that the song begin from the top. The music began and she opened her mouth.
"Poor fool, he makes me laugh, ahahahahaha—CROAK!"
The audience gasped. Kanoe's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. Had that come from her? No. It must have been a mistake in the orchestra. She cleared her throat and tried again.
"Poor fool, he makes me laugh—CROAK! CROAK!"
Kanoe screeched and ran off stage as the curtain closed.Sorata ran down from his seat and went on stage to proclaim that the show would continue in just a few minutes. He told the audience that Subaru would be taking Kanoe's place as the Countess. The crowd roared in approval.
Subaru gulped, but went backstage with his sister to change. A few minutes later, as he was just putting the cloak of his costume on, Subaru discovered a rose hidden in the folds of the velvety fabric. Suddenly, there was a scream. Hokuto looked out on stage and gasped. Shiyuu Kusanagi, the man in charge of the sets hung from a thick rope attached to the catwalk. Nekoi Yuzuriha fell to the ground in a dead faint.
The audience screamed. Sorata ran to the stage and had the curtain closed. His eyes full of panic, he turned to the audience.
"Please remain calm!" he said. "It was an accident! Just an accident!"
Though Sorata claimed it as an accident, Hokuto and Subaru both knew it hadn't been. And so did Kamui. The young man ran backstage to check on his friend.
"Subaru!" he called, running to the emerald-eyed boy. "Are you all right?"
"It's not safe here!" Subaru said.
Subaru led Kamui up the stairs to the roof. As the two of them rushed upstairs, Kamui asked why.
"Why have you brought me here?"
"Can't go back there!" Subaru replied.
"We must return!"
"He'll kill you!" Subaru told his friend. "His eyes will find us there!"
"Subaru don't say that!" Kamui said.
"Those eyes that burn!"
"Don't even think it."
"If he has to kill a thousand men!"
Kamui shook his head. "Forget this waking nightmare!"
"The phantom of the opera will kill and kill again," Subaru insisted.
"This phantom is a fake, believe me! There is no phantom of the opera!"
"My god, who is this man?" the two said in unison.
"Who hunts to kill?" Subaru added.
"This mask of death?" Kamui asked.
"I can't escape from him! I never will!" Subaru sang.
"Whose voice is this you hear with every breath?"
"And in this labyrinth," Subaru said as they reached the roof, "where night is blind, the Phantom of the Opera is here, inside my mind."
Kamui said the same, replacing 'my' with 'your' and added "There is no phantom of the opera!"
Subaru looked the other boy in the eye.
"Kamui, I've been there.
To his world of unending night.
To a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness. Darkness."
Kamui opened his mouth to say something, but Subaru cut him off.
"Kamui, I've seen him. Can I ever forget that sight?
Can I ever escape from that face,
So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face,
In that darkness. Darkness."
Subaru was silent for a second as he reflected on the meeting he had with the Phantom. His emerald eyes glazed over for a second.
"But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound," he continued.
"In the night, there was music in my mind.
And from music my soul began to soar.
And I've heard as I've never heard before."
Kamui shook his head. "What you heard was a dream and nothing more."
"Yet in his eyes," Subaru sang, remembering the golden gaze of the older man, "all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes, that both threatened and adored."
Kamui embraced his friend. "Subaru. Subaru."
In the distance, Subaru could hear another voice calling his name; that deep, beautiful, and entrancing voice that belonged to none other than the Phantom. He held onto Kamui. The soft breeze blew Subaru's long bangs into his face.
Kamui looked at Subaru and brushed away the tears that were beginning to form in Subaru's beautiful green eyes.
"No more talk of darkness," he told Subaru.
"Forget these wide-eyed fears,
I'm here
Nothing can harm you,
My words will warm and calm you.
Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here
With you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you."
Subaru looked up and his emerald eyes met Kamui's amethyst ones.
"Say you'll love me every waking moment,
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you'll need me with you now and always.
Promise me that all you say is true.
That's all I ask of you."
Kamui nodded. He released Subaru from his embrace and took hold of the other boy's shoulders.
"Let me be your shelter," he told him,
Let me be your light
You're safe
No one will find you
Your fears are far behind you."
"All I want is freedom," Subaru sang, walking away from Kamui,
A world with no more night."
Here, he paused to look at the amethyst-eyed teen. Snow had begun to fall and the snowflakes glistened in his jet-black hair.
"And you always beside me
To hold me and to hide me."
"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime," Kamui sang to him.
"Let me lead you from your solitude,
Say you need me with you here beside you
Anywhere you go let me go too.
Subaru, that's all I ask you."
Kamui approached Subaru and wiped a tear from the other boy's cheek. Subaru closed his eyes and let Kamui rest his hand on his cheek. He put his own hand on top of Kamui's as he continued singing.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime,
Say the word and I will follow you."
"Share each day with me; each night, each morning," the two sang to each other.
Subaru looked into Kamui's eyes. "Say you love me."
"You know I do," Kamui replied.
"Love me that's all I ask of you," they sang in unison.
Kamui pressed his lips against Subaru. Subaru froze up for a moment, and then put his arms around the other boy, returning the kiss. He opened his mouth and let Kamui's tongue slip inside. The rose that Subaru had been holding for several minutes fell to the snow covered surface of the roof of the opera house. When the taller boy broke the kiss, their eyes met once more.
"Anywhere you go, let me go too.
Love me, that's all I ask of you."
They kissed once more, this time shorter, but still passionate. Subaru broke the kiss this time, knowing that the show down in the amphitheater was waiting to continue.
"I must go," he told Kamui. "They'll wonder where I am."
"Subaru, I love you," Kamui said.
Subaru smiled and led Kamui to the door down to the stage. "Order your fine horses. Be with them at the door."
"And soon, you'll be beside me," Kamui sang.
"You'll hold me and you'll hide me."
As the two teenage boys disappeared downstairs, another figure appeared out of the shadows. It was the masked phantom. He had been watching Subaru and Kamui the whole time. Now, he felt something tugging at his heart, threatening to tear it to pieces. He walked over to the rose that Subaru had dropped; the rose that he himself had given to the young man.
"I gave you my music," he sang to himself, picking up the rose,
"Made your song take wing,
And now, how you've repaid me,
Denied me and betrayed me."
Tears began to form in the Phantom's eyes. He fingered the rose, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to overcome him. Subaru, his beautiful young singer, had left him. The young heir to the Magami fortune had taken Subaru from him. The Phantom closed his eyes. Behind him, in the stairwell, he could hear the two teenage boys singing. They repeated a few lines of the song they had sung just minutes ago. When their voices died down, the phantom rose to his feet and looked skyward.
"YOU WILL CURSE THE DAY YOU DID NOT DO," he sang, so that the world would hear him, "ALL THAT THE PHANTOM ASKED OF YOU!"
Down below, on the streets in front of the opera house, Madame Karen looked up with sad eyes at the young man on the roof of the opera house. Sumeragi Hokuto stood beside her. Hokuto looked up at the woman who had taken care of her and her brother. Karen shook her head.
"There isn't anything we can do," she said. "Subaru has chosen Kamui."
"But, Subaru doesn't belong with Kamui!" Hokuto insisted.
"How can we know for sure?"
Hokuto looked down, and then looked at the Phantom, who still stood at the edge of the Opera House's roof. She said nothing to Karen's question, unsure of the answer.
Author's Note: Dear Gods, I hated writing that scene. SeixSu forever! I swear, I only wrote SuxKam to please Charon! It's all Charon's fault! Blame her!
Sorry this is so late! I swear the next one won't take as long!