Author's Note: I'm trying to get this done, I swear. No promises on when the next update is. Like I said, I've got college coming up, plus I'm actively seeking a job, so I find myself lacking time to boot up my computer and work on fics.
Author's Note2: If you haven't heard the Phantom of the Opera in French, you haven't heard a true eargasm. drools
Warning: Uh…lemme get back to you on that.

Chapter Six

"Subaru, come out of there!" Hokuto said, knocking on her brother's door.

No answer came, though she could hear her younger twin moving around on the bed. She gave an exasperated sigh. Things had been like this for a couple of days. Ever since Subaru's visit to the cemetery, he had locked himself in his room, flat-out refusing to open the door for anything; he turned down offers of food, company, and whatnot. Hokuto was beginning to get very worried for her brother.

"Subaru, please?" she asked.

Still no reply from within the room. Pouting softly, Hokuto turned on her heel and was prepared to leave, when Subaru pulled his bedroom door open and stepped out. The older twin spun around and put her arms around her brother.

"Subaru, finally!" Hokuto cried. "We were so worried about you! You haven't left the room in days, you haven't eaten, and judging by your eyes, you haven't slept much, either!"

Subaru sighed. "No, I guess I haven't."

"What's wrong, Subaru? Why lock yourself away like that?"

"I don't know," Subaru replied, running a hand through his mussed hair. "Things have just been…strange lately, I suppose."

"But why does that mean you have to starve yourself for two days?" Hokuto asked, pouting. She took her brother's hand. "I worry about you, Subaru. You've always done things like this after bad things happen. After Father died, I was afraid that you were going to die right after him. You hid yourself for days, didn't eat, and didn't sleep. It was so bad; to the point where you got sick."

Subaru was silent, remembering the events after his father's death. He had shut himself in his room for nearly a week, doing exactly as he had been doing for the past couple of days. Even when he had first fallen ill, he hadn't let Hokuto or one of the nurses come in to check on him.

"Subaru, please, take care of yourself," Hokuto said. "I know you're having trouble these days. I know. Please, don't force yourself to face them alone. I'm here for you."

She hugged her brother tightly before letting go. She turned away.

"I'll go get something light for you to eat," she added before walking off. "Don't go anywhere."

"Yes, Hokuto-chan," Subaru said.

As she stood in the kitchen, making a light stew for her brother, Hokuto felt as though she was being watched. Looking around her, she saw nothing, but the feeling remained. Slowly reaching over, Hokuto grabbed a knife from the counter and held it tightly. The feeling of being watched grew stronger as she stood, gripping the knife. Whipping around, Hokuto let out a cry.

"You!" she exclaimed.

The Phantom stood before her. He was in his usual dress, though without the mask, for over the right side of his face was a bandage. The bandage covered mainly his right eye, Hokuto saw.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The Magami boy told you of our fight, didn't he?"

"Only a short story," Hokuto replied. "'Saw Subaru leave, followed, found him at the cemetery being molested by the Phantom, fought the Phantom and brought Subaru back.'"

"To the point, isn't he?" the Phantom asked.

"I suppose. But he was really upset and never gave any more details than that."

"Well, to explain the bandage. His sword struck my eye. It's now blind. The doctors did what they could."

"I'm so sorry," Hokuto said. "What are you going to do now?"

"Well, first off, I'll have to learn to get around with no depth perception," the Phantom replied.

"And your opera?"

"Don't worry, everything will continue as planned."

Hokuto nodded. "That's good."

"How is Subaru-kun?"

"He's locked himself up for the past couple of days, but I got him to finally open the door. I'm going to go take this stew to him as soon as it's done."

"I see," the Phantom said.

"Hokuto-chan?" a voice called from outside the kitchen. Hokuto identified it as Kamui's. Apparently, so did the Phantom.

"Se—!" Hokuto began, but the Phantom had left already.

Kamui opened the door to the kitchen. "Hokuto, there you are!"

"Yeah," Hokuto said, glad that Kamui hadn't come in before the Phantom had the chance to escape. "I've been making something for Subaru to eat."

"Oh, he's finally come out of his room, then?" Kamui asked.

"Yeah."

"I can't believe he did that to us," the Magami heir said. "He really worried me."

"He does that when he's really upset. He's done it a couple of times. Example; when Father died."

"Oh, yes," Kamui said. "I remember that."

"Just give him some time, Kamui," Hokuto said.

"Whatever."

Hokuto spooned some stew into a bowl and put it on a tray with a glass of water. She picked up the tray and headed out of the kitchen with it. Kamui watched the elder Sumeragi twin leave, then got a bowl and helped himself to the stew.

A week and a half later, everyone was preparing for the production of the Phantom's opera, Don Juan. The leads, Fuuma and Subaru, were practicing their parts while the dancers were doing their dance in the background, with Karen showing them the steps. Everything was going well so far. There were no problems with the casting; the Phantom had apparently done his research to find the best parts for everyone.

Kamui was a bit apprehensive about the upcoming opera, however. It was the Phantom's own work, so of course the man would be coming to see the first showing. And with Subaru as the lead, it was even more enticing. Kamui figured that with the chances of the Phantom showing up being so high, he might want to bring in security, in case the Phantom tried anything.

The young Magami heir left the auditorium and went up to Yuuto and Sorata's office. Knocking on the door, he heard Sorata ask him to come in. Kamui opened the door and went inside the office. Sorata sat at his desk, doodling on a piece of scrap paper. Upon inspection, Kamui saw that the older boy was draw a rough sketch of Arashi, one of the dancers in the ballet corps. He sweatdropped; Sorata really wasn't anywhere close to being artistic. He'd just leave it at that.

"What do you think?" Sorata asked, holding the doodle up.

Well, there goes that idea, Kamui thought. "It looks…nice."

"Really?" Sorata asked, excitedly. "Nee-chan will just love this, right?"

"Uh…yeah," Kamui said. "Ne, Sorata."

"Yeah?"

"I'm worried about the opera. I have a strong feeling that the Phantom will show up and possibly try something."

"Oh, have you seen Nee-chan in her dress for the new opera?" Sorata asked, ignoring Kamui's worries. "She looks absolutely divine!"

Kamui blinked. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Yuuto standing behind him.

"Here, Kamui," the blonde said. "Why don't you talk to me, instead?"

"Thank you, Yuuto," Kamui sighed.

"Don't mind him," Yuuto told Kamui. "He's been like this ever since Arashi-chan agreed to go to dinner with him."

"I see."

"Now, you were saying something about the Phantom?" Yuuto asked.

"Yes," Kamui said. "I think we should up security. I have a feeling that the Phantom will be coming to the performance of his opera. And I suspect that the opera might be a trap for Subaru."

"So, you want me to bring in the police?"

"Yes. We know that the Phantom is dangerous and it seems that he won't stop at trying to get a hold of Subaru. He's gone to killing people, Yuuto. I know he's the one behind Shiyuu Kusanagi's death."

"Yes, yes. That was quite a shocker!" Yuuto said. "Right in the middle of a performance."

"That's not all," Kamui continued. "I believe that the Phantom is also the one who ruined Kanoe's image during Il Mutou."

"Ah, the spray that ruined her voice for that performance."

"Yes."

Yuuto nodded. "I shall see what I can do, Kamui. Trust me, we'll make sure that the Phantom doesn't harm anyone."

Kamui thanked Yuuto and stood to leave. As he walked out of the room, he saw Sorata now coloring the drawing of Arashi he had made. Kamui shook his head. Sorata was a hopeless case.

While Kamui and Yuuto were making plans for security around the Opera Populaire, the Phantom was making plans of his own. Despite what Kamui may think, there was already a great flaw in his plan, which the Phantom had known. And it all came down to one particular part in the Phantom's opera; the title character, Don Juan.

It was known that Monou Fuuma would be playing the part of the Don, but what wasn't known was that the Phantom himself would also be playing the part. In his lair, he had an exact duplicate of the costume which Fuuma would wear, with thanks to Hokuto for sewing it. So, the Phantom's plans weren't exactly unknown; Hokuto knew of them. And one other person knew about them.

The Phantom looked upwards at the ceiling of his lair. Above him was the basement of the opera house, where small shrines to families sat. Subaru and Hokuto had one dedicated to their father, who had died nearly eight years ago, murdered at his home. He remembered that night; he remembered it quite clearly, for he had been the one who had killed the father of the Sumeragi twins. Of course, he never intended to tell either Subaru or Hokuto about that.

He knew that, at the present moment, Subaru was singing on stage. From the vents that led from the stage to his lair, the Phantom could hear Subaru's voice resonate. The sound made his heart soar and yet a pain ran through his body. Hearing the boy's voice for some reason made him feel…sad, he supposed. He couldn't quite figure out the feelings he had for the boy. He had grown up in a household where feelings weren't often discussed or taught.

"Subaru-kun…" he whispered. "The things you do to me…"

With those words hanging in the air, the Phantom went about finishing his preparations for the opera. There was still much to do before the performance of Don Juan could begin. And there were only a couple days to complete preparations.

The day of the performance of Don Juan had arrived. Subaru was in the dress his sister had created for the part. Why he kept getting female roles, Subaru did not know. Whatever the reason, it always made him feel so uncomfortable. He sat at the windowsill, looking out over the city. Kamui entered the room and approached the younger boy. Subaru turned to him, his crystal-clear emerald eyes full of sadness and worry.

"Kamui," he whispered. "Don't make me do this. It scares me. Don't put me through this ordeal by fire. He'll take me. I know. We'll be parted forever. He won't let me go. What I once used to dream I now dread. If he finds me it will never end…" Sadness filled Subaru's voice as he continued, this time, singing in tone just above a whisper. "And he'll always be there singing songs in my head. He'll always be there singing songs in my head."

Kamui put his hand on Subaru's cheek, caressing it gently. "You said yourself. He is nothing but a man. Yet while he lives, he will haunt us til we're dead."

"Twisted every way what answer can I give?" Subaru asked, fighting back tears.
"Am to risk my life to win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey, do I have any choice?
He kills without a thought; he murders all that's good.
I know I can't refuse and yet, I wish I could.
Oh, god if I agree what horrors wait for me
In this, the Phantom's opera?"

Kamui leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to Subaru's forehead. Then he looked into the younger boy's eyes; amethyst meeting emerald. "Subaru, Subaru, don't think that I don't care. But every hope and every prayer rests on you now."

Kamui cupped Subaru's face in his hands and kissed him gently but thoroughly. The two of them sat at the windowsill like that for a few moments, just with their lips pressed together. Then Kamui broke the kiss and pulled Subaru close into a tight embrace.

I'll protect you, Subaru, he thought. Like when we were kids. I'll always protect you.

Down beneath the opera house, the Phantom pulled on the new black mask which Hokuto had given him. It was exactly identical to the one she had made for Monou Fuuma, the teen playing Don Juan. As he looked into the small mirror that hung on the wall, words came to him.

"Seal my fate tonight," he sang.
"I hate to have to cut the fun short.
But the joke's wearing thin.
Let the audience in.
Let my opera begin!"

With that, he headed away from the home he had created for himself underneath the Opera Populaire, but not before fingering a newspaper clipping. The Phantom walked away as the clipping fell. The headline read "Assassin's Son Missing."

He smirked to himself. With this performance of Don Juan, he would be free. His goal will have been achieved and he could leave his life here behind. It was high time he returned to his past. He, Sakurazuka Seishirou, after this day, would leave behind this false identity and return to his position as the Sakurazukamori; the position he received years ago, on the night when his mother died by his own hand. Literally.

The opera had begun. The audience sat in their seats in the auditorium. All eyes were on the stage. This opera, set in Spain, was a change to the Opera Populaire. Nothing quite like Don Juan had ever been performed in the opera house before now.

Unbeknownst to the audience, the police mingled among them. Yuuto had kept his word to Kamui and had brought in half the police force in case the Phantom did make an appearance. Kamui sat up in Box Five with Sorata and Yuuto, keeping his eye on the stage at all times. If there was even the slightest sign of the Phantom, he would gesture to the police and they would storm the stage.

So far, everything was going smoothly. The chorus stood on the stage.

"Here the sire may serve the ham,
Here the master takes his meat!
Here the sacrificial lamb utters one despairing bleat."

Kamui could see Monou Kotori among the singers. Kotori noticed him watching and flashed him a smile as she sang. The Magami heir gave a soft smile in return then returned his gaze to the front of the stage, where Subaru sat for the beginning of this act. In the background, the chorus continued to sing, with Kanoe's voice rising above the others.

"Poor young maiden!" the chorus sung of Subaru's character, Aminta. (1)
"For the thrill on your tongue of stolen sweets
You will have to pay the bill
Tangled in the winding sheets!

Serve the meal and serve the maid!
Serve the master so that
When tables, plans, and maids are laid
Don Juan triumphs once again!"

Fuuma came on stage along with the one chosen to act as his counterpart. Segawa Keiichi looked almost identical to Fuuma (2), save for his blonde hair, which for this opera, had been covered with a black wig. The two teens were dressed similarly, to fit the characters of Don Juan and Passarino. Fuuma opened his mouth and began to sing.

"Passarino, faithful friend,
Once again, recite the plan!"

Keiichi replied:

"Your young guest believes I'm you—
I, the master, you the man."

Fuuma stepped off to the side, tilted his head slightly and continued in his deep, warm voice.

"When you mean, you wore my cloak
She could not have seen you face.
She believes she dined with me
In her master's borrowed place!

Furtively, we'll scoff and quaff,
Stealing what in truth is mine
When it's late
And modesty starts to mellow with the wine…"

"You come home!" Keiichi said.
"I use your voice,
Slam the door like crack of doom!"

Fuuma gave a slight grin. "I shall say
Come hide with me!
Where or where?
Of course my room!"

"Poor thing hasn't got a chance!" Keiichi sang.

Fuuma removed the hat, cloak, and sword from his person and handed them to Keiichi, who took them as the script prompted him to.

"Here's my hat, my cloak and sword," Fuuma told him
"Conquest is assured
If I do not forget myself and laugh!"

Fuuma let out a dark chuckled and exited the stage. Sweeping past the red curtain that separated the stage and the back room, the teenager stepped into the shadow. Waiting for him was a dark haired man; the Phantom. Fuuma saw him and flashed him a smirk.

"Yo, Sei," he said, nonchalantly.

"Are you ready for me to take over?" Seishirou asked.

"Go on," the teenager replied. "Take your Sumeragi. Just remember your end of the bargain."

Seishirou nodded, readjusting the mask over his face. "You'll have the Magami heir by the end of the night."

With those words, Seishirou turned towards the curtain, waiting for the cue for him to make his appearance on stage.

Author's Note: Yup, yup. Another update and a sort of cliffhanger. But yes. I am now referring to Seishirou as, well…Seishirou. And yes, Fuuma knew who the Phantom was the whole time. I have a feeling that the two of them are secret fuck-buddies.

Sapadu: I put what molestation I could in. You know Kamui. He has this little complex where he must interrupt Seishirou when he's having fun. He did the same in To Rewrite Destiny.
Soulreciever: See, this is why I can't listen to the soundtrack or watch the movie without laughing like a maniac. Whenever I see the movie, I see Seishirou as the Phantom, Subaru as Christine, Hokuto as Meg, Kamui as Raoul, etc. I just can't stop laughing. My mom is pretty certain I've lost my marbles. And don't worry, I'm not writing anything overly naughty for this fic. I may do lime, but I'm not sure. Definitely no lemon; I've got three of those to be writing and I only rated this fic "T," so, no naughty stuff.
Kakyou-Luverx: I suppose I'll have to be watching for you under a different name? I heard about you being kicked off and all. I'll still watch for you and I'll be certain to dedicate something to you in the near future. Go on, watch the movie for the umpteenth time. Blame me. Drool over Gerard-sama.
Subaru's Voice: I'll have to take your word on that, Janeru. I've never seen the play. It hardly ever comes up to the Portland/Vancouver area. T.T Thanks for the review and I hope you're able to write again soon! 3
Purrrin: You're very, very welcome! I'm glad you're excited about this fic and I hope you continue reading until the end! Trust me, the end is coming up rather soon. Thankies for the review, hon!
Duelist of the Sand: Yeah, I'll probably be e-mailing you when I update from now on. I just don't update often enough, do I?
MoongirlSelene99: Thanks for the review. Oh? Writer's block? I usually just read a lot of smut fics, so unless you do that, I dunno.
SuperSeme Fuuma: Yes, I updated! And again just now! Aren't you proud of me? Don't get images of the Hanson brothers in my head. I may just have to commit suicide.

1. I actually looked this up. Aminta is the name of the character in Don Juan that Christine/Subaru plays.

2. If you don't believe me there, take a picture of Keiichi and compare it to a picture of Fuuma. It's eerie just how alike they look.