--
Last Chapter:
"I'm stupid? You're the one who got my hand injured!"
"Which is why I'm bringing you to the doctor now… So, keep quiet and follow me!"
Seiya frowned, slightly exasperated. "You're so not cute…"
"And, you're so uncool!" Usagi retorted.
Seiya gave her an unenthusiastic look as she rebelliously stuck her tongue out at him. They just kept walking down the street, so absorbed in their argument that neither of them was aware that they were being watched.
Seated in a black fancy car, Taiki continued to observe the couple quietly as they made their way across the road. He tapped his fingers against the arm rest once, signalling to his secretary that he was calling him.
"Yes, master Taiki?" Ryo obediently responded.
With an expressionless face, Taiki fixed his eyes on Usagi with a slight hint of interest. "Check on that girl and bring her to me by the end of this week. I'll have a little fun with her."
--
--
Stage 2: Magic Lullaby
--
Usagi sighed as she followed Haruka down the hallway that was scattered with students whispering and looking her way. They were obviously murmuring a few words about her, but she wasn't aware of the attention she was getting. It was common for people to scream or call her name whenever they were around her, and Usagi had gotten pretty used to all those noises directed to her, let alone faint murmurs spoken every now and then.
Within that morning, everyone already knew that she was the new girl in school, mainly because she was referred in by Haruka who was the school most prominent student due to his father's reputation. But no one knew that Usagi was forced in here by Haruka with the intention to manage his music club activities on his behalf. And despite her reluctance, Usagi couldn't say no to him since he was the one paying for the rental of her apartment.
It was official.
Usagi Tsukino, the sole vocalist of the multi-talented band, Blue Moon, had officially become a slave for an unnamed band until she was able to find a job to pay for her own expenses.
Usagi sighed for the tenth times at the thought of her financial problems. She knew that she needed a job, but she didn't know how or where to start looking for one. Back in her world, money had never been an issue to be concerned about when her profession could easily earn a sum large enough to buy down a house or two. But she lived a completely different life now, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find any joy in attending classes and listening to long boring lectures.
"Ignore them, Usagi. They are just curious because you're new here…" Haruka told her, thinking that she was looking uncomfortable because of the attention she was receiving.
"Eh?"
Usagi blinked and looked up, nearly bumping into Haruka when he stopped by the entrance of their club room. Without hesitation, he slid open the door, ready to introduce Usagi to his other band member, Minako Aino, but was startled to find that she wasn't alone. Standing beside her was Yaten Kou, a boy whom Haruka didn't particularly like despite secretly wanting him in his band for his exceptional skill in playing the bass.
"This room is for members only. We don't welcome outsiders." Haruka stated bluntly while glaring at Yaten.
Minako quickly jumped into his defence, "It isn't Yaten's fault! I was the one who insisted him to come in…"
"Forget it. I didn't intend to stay here for long either." Yaten mumbled uncaringly as he shoved his bass guitar back into the case.
"Good. Then leave." Haruka demanded, gesturing to the door.
"Gladly." Yaten replied simply.
He walked past Haruka, not bothering to look at him or even say goodbye to Minako when she called out to him. The only person his eyes landed on was Usagi, the brave girl whom had made herself famous for offending his brother, Taiki. He smirked at her before leaving, but Usagi was completely unaware of that silent message. Besides the bass guitar Yaten was carrying, she paid no attention to anything or anyone else until she heard a loud shriek coming from behind her.
Immediately, Usagi spun around to face the source of the scream, and was more than surprise to see Minako gaping at her with an overexcited expression, one that reminded her of how her fans would usually react whenever they saw her.
"Usa-Usagi Tsukino! It's Usagi Tsukino from Blue Moon!" Minako gasped and flung herself at Usagi before she could even react.
For a minute, all Usagi could do was stared at the blonde clinching onto her in shock. Wait a minute. Did she hear her right? Someone in this world actually knew her? But how could that even be possible?
"I'm hugging Usagi Tsukino! I'm actually hugging Usagi Tsukino! I can't believe it! This must be a dream! KYaaaa!!" Minako shrieked in excitement.
Her extreme enthusiasm made Haruka narrowed his eyes at Minako, asking, "You knew Usagi?"
Still holding onto her idol, Minako spun around and threw Haruka a shock look, "Of course I do! How can anyone not know Tsukino-sama?! Do you know how famous she was back in my ex-world? She was everyone's idol, and her influence went beyond music! She was even considered as a fashion icon and trend-setter! Every girl's out there would dress and bun their hairs up just to look like her-…"
"Wa-wait!" Usagi cut in and covered Minako's mouth with both hands, stopping her from saying anything more to confuse Haruka.
She quickly excused herself and pulled Minako out of the club room before Haruka could even stop her. Minako didn't know where exactly Usagi was bringing her but she didn't seem to mind. She could hardly contain herself from clinching onto Usagi again after they had entered the empty classroom just next door.
"It's really you, Tsukino-sama! I've always dream of meeting you like now! Please, please! Can I have your autograph?" Minako requested keenly.
"Wa-Wait! You actually know who I am?" Usagi asked in absolute surprise.
Minako beamed and nodded happily, "I know everything about you, Tsukino-sama! At just the age of 15, you debuted as the main vocalist in the band, Blue Moon, which later became the leading music group in the world. And even though you are the youngest in the band, you are the one who handle all the lyrics composition and could play almost any types of instruments because of your perfect pitch ability…"
Usagi blinked in amazement as she continued listening to Minako poured out information about her for a minute longer before finally deciding that she should stop her for questioning, "Bu-But wait… How did you know so much about me…?"
"That's because I came from the same world as Tsukino-sama…" Minako replied calmly.
"Yo-You what?!" Usagi shrieked.
Minako nodded but smiled sadly. "But I couldn't be happy back in that place where I was born. My family saw me as a burden and they would always ignore me. In school, I didn't have any friends and was often picked on because I looked different from all the other girls. There was many times when I wish I could just die and disappear… but you saved my life Tsukino-sama…"
"Eh? Me? But I don't remember rescuing you or anyone from anything..." Usagi exclaimed quickly.
"You did, Tsukino-sama! You did save my life two years ago!"
"Two years ago?" Usagi repeated, still not getting her.
"Yes! Yes! I was there on Blue Moon's first live performance that was aired across the country where I once stayed! Even till today, I could still remember the yells and claps around me when you appeared on a white mount, dressed in a sparkling pure white gown... You have no idea how beautiful you looked back there, and the moment you started singing, everyone just went quiet because your voice… It's… it's so incredible… It really is…" Minako smiled gently.
"No, no… I'm not that good…" Usagi denied and shook her hands in front of herself embarrassingly.
"You are! You are amazing, Tsukino-sama!" Minako insisted and grasped onto Usagi's hand. "Back then, the only time I ever felt comfortable was watching and listening to you sing. You are always looking so happy, always full of life, and always shining up there… I've always wanted to be like that… So, last year, I made a wish on my 16th birthday… I wish that I could start a new life somewhere where I can get the chance to be a lead vocalist, meet top talented musicians, and formed a band as great as Blue Moon. And, the next thing I knew, my dream came true and I was sent here! Rebirth as a new Minako Aino!"
"Rebirth? What do you mean by rebirth? Are you saying that there is no way for us to get back?" Usagi asked anxiously.
Minako released Usagi, taken aback by her worried expression. Her idol had always appeared cheerful and carefree in her memories, nothing near to how disturbed she looked right now.
"I'm sorry, Tsukino-sama… I don't know anything about this… and I've never thought of going back to before. Unlike there, I've a wonderful family and good friends here…"
"I don't!" Usagi exclaimed in an unintentionally sharp voice before continuing emotionally.
"I don't have anything here… my family, my friends, my past and my future, are not here… I didn't want to start a new life… I didn't even wish to be here! So why am I sent here? Can you imagine what it's like to lose everything that is precious to you? Mother, Father, Rei, Mamoru, Saphir, Makoto, everyone… I miss everyone back home… I miss them…"
Minako tensed up as she watched Usagi looking away in distress. Mortified by the wave of agony drifting off of her, Minako touched her shoulder to get her attention. She had to apologize. Yes, she clearly believed that it was her fault that her idol was looking so miserable right now.
"I'm sorry, Tsukino-sama…"
Usagi looked back at her, giving her a perplexed look. "For what?"
"Because I must have said things that upset you…"
"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing… I'm sorry… I got carried away…" Usagi muttered, smiling gently.
"You shouldn't apologize to me, Tsukino-sama. I was really thoughtless… I said so many things without considering your feeling. You have the right to be angry with me…" Minako muttered and looked down in shame.
"Eh? Angry with you? What are you saying? I should be thanking you for telling and hearing me out…"
Minako lifted her head up, revealing her dumbstruck expression.
Usagi smiled, "And you don't have to be so formal, Minako-chan. You can just call me Usagi… After all, I'm the manager of your band now…"
Minako threw her a disbelief look, "Yo-You are our manager? Si-Since when?"
"Since I didn't have the money to pay for my rental…" Usagi muttered quietly to herself.
Overjoyed by the news, Minako practically screamed and flung herself at Usagi causing her to fall to the ground with a loud crash.
"This is like a dream come true! I actually get to work with Tsukino-sama! Kyaaa! I'm so happy! I'm so happy!"
Her loud scream had Haruka bursting into the room and the scene of Minako lying on top of Usagi was what he found himself staring. Minako was still hugging dearly onto Usagi, unwilling to let go and she didn't seem bothered by how misleading her conduct appeared to be at that moment.
Haruka coughed awkwardly, trying to bring their attention to him. "Minako, I don't care what kind of a relationship you have with Usagi. But, I need her to run a little errand for me. So could you please get off her?"
Immediately, Minako released Usagi and shot up to her feet, looking almost angered. "How could you ask the almighty Tsukino-sama to do your errands? Prepare to get punished by her millions of fans out there!"
Haruka gave Minako an unenthusiastic look, "What nonsense are you bragging about? She's our manager. Of course, she will be handling all the little things…"
Minako widened her eyes at his remark, "No! You are not letting Tsukino-sama do all our silly chores! Don't you realize that you are just wasting her talent by asking her to do things like that?"
"It's alright, Minako-chan. I'm pretty good at running errands too…" Usagi lied, not wanting Haruka to turn anymore confused or suspicious as he already was now.
"But, Tsukino-sama…" Minako whined.
Usagi smiled and shook her head at her, but her grin instantly faded when Haruka handed Seiya's guitar out to her, silently asking her to find and hand it over to him. Usagi stared at the crimson casing for a second longer before sighing. Though she was reluctant to do any job that would lead her into another encounter with Seiya, she couldn't reject Haruka. After all, it was only the manager's responsibility to take care of the day-to-day business affairs of the band.
"I can finally understand your great contribution now, Yuuichirou-san. I'm sorry for always trying to mess up your carefully planned schedule. And if I ever get the chance to come back home alive, I promise that I'll never be lazy again and skip anymore appointment in the future." Usagi muttered to herself, finally appreciating the hard work that her manager had put through for her and her band.
With a tired expression on her face, Usagi continued to walk down the deserted hallway that would lead her to the school's roof, the place where Haruka claimed that Seiya would usually hang out in. After climbing a series of stairs, Usagi finally found herself standing before the entrance to the rooftop.
Without a second thought, she opened the door and stepped into the open ground. Her eyes wandered around lazily in search for the particular person that she was here to find, but there wasn't even a single soul in the large space before her. Thinking that he could be somewhere else, Usagi quickly turned around for the exit only to stop when she heard light giggling coming from one of the corners of the roof that was blocked by a concrete wall.
Tracing the source of the soft laughter, Usagi went over and stopped behind the last wall. She poked her head out without a second of hesitation and flinched at the scene she had caught sight of.
Seiya had his lips locked against Kakyuu's, a senior who was considered to be one of the most popular girl in school, while she had her arms wrapped around his neck. Little to Usagi's knowledge, a disgusted look crossed her face as she continued to watch them kissed for the next minute or two before Kakyuu decided to let Seiya go, allowing him to break the kiss.
"Is that good enough, Kakyuu-senpai?" He asked bluntly.
"One more…" She breathed and reached up for his lips.
But to her dismay, Seiya didn't submit to her request like he usually would. Instead, he backed away from her and avoided anymore contact, informing her that the promised dateline between them had just ended.
"Sorry, times up. My service stops here…"
Kakyuu's lips curved down by a little, showing a hint of disappointment, as she took out the check that she had already prepared from her skirt pocket and handed it over to Seiya.
"It's for this month…"
Still holding onto a straight face, Seiya took the check over without a single word and took a quick look at the amount written before slipping it into his side pocket. He thanked her softly and turned to leave, but Kakyuu simply held him back, hugging him from behind.
"I heard that your mother needs to be transferred to a private hospital soon and the charges are higher there. To help lighten your burden, I can pay you thrice if you're willing to come over my place tonight and accompany me through the weekends."
With that, Kakyuu quickly released him and took a step front so she was standing directly in front of him.
"I'll be waiting for you tonight. Goodbye." She smiled, waving at him as she headed for the exit.
After Kakyuu was out of sight, Seiya let out a tired breath, "How long do you plan to keep hiding, Odango?"
There was a brief moment of silence before Usagi reluctantly took a step out from behind the wall to face Seiya, looking anything but pleased. She averted his eyes and handed his guitar out to him.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I wasn't stalking you. I'm just here because Haruka wants me to return the guitar back to you."
Seiya grinned and took the case over from her. "Oh? You are allowing him to give it back to me? But weren't you the one who wanted it confiscated a week ago?"
"Your hand is much better now. So there is no reason for me to stop you from playing. And, if there nothing else, I'm leaving." Usagi finished simply and spun around to walk away.
"Wait! I'm not done yet…" Seiya called out.
Usagi sighed and stopped walking, "I'm not in a mood to start an argument with you today."
"I'm not going to argue with you. I just need your help." He told her.
"Help?" Usagi questioned, turning around to face him.
Seiya sighed, "Yes, my little cousin is staying over at my place today. I need your help to look after her while I'm out tonight."
"It's inconvenient…" Usagi rejected quickly.
"You just live next door." Seiya argued.
"But I'm busy… I need to look for a job…" She added simply.
"I'll pay you to baby-sit her then." He offered.
Immediately, the weariness in Usagi's eyes was replaced with a dollar sign. For someone who had nothing in this world, the mention of any word associated with money did sound delicious to her, and it didn't take very long for a greedy grin to replace her previous tired expression.
"Ok! A thousand for an hour!"
"Are you trying to rob me?!" Seiya yelled.
"I'm actually being very generous here! I used to earn ten times that amount in less than an hour!"
"Really? And what kind of job would allow an Odango to make that much?" He asked half-teasingly.
"Don't call me that! I'm not an Odango!" She shrieked angrily at him.
Seiya shrugged, "Fine, fine. I didn't come all the way here to quarrel with you today."
"That was supposed to be my line!"
She attempted to glare fiercely at him, but he just stared at her forcibly unhappy expression, entertained by this. From the look of it, Usagi probably had realized how much Seiya enjoyed teasing her. She didn't even understand why they would always end up engaging in an argument. But one thing she did know was that he would usually appear cockier and less cold around her. Was he doing this on purpose? But, he did look happier now as compared to a moment ago when he was kissing Kakyuu.
Usagi could feel her stomach tightened at the recollection of that scene. It was a strange feeling, rather unpleasant, but Usagi decided to shove it aside, thinking that she was falling sick because she didn't have a good breakfast that morning. Soon, the thought of food made her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't taken her lunch yet.
"I don't care how much you're paying me. Just give me something to eat… I'm hungry… I'm dying…" Usagi sighed, dropping her head as she reached out to tug Seiya gently on his sleeve much to his surprise.
"You are really…" He muttered but paused shortly with a smile.
…So cute.
That was what he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't possibly say it out loud, could he?
"Come with me. I'll prepare you something for lunch…" He told her and simply took her hand into his.
"Eh? You can cook?" Usagi asked in surprise, allowing him to pull her along.
"I have to know how to since I live alone…" He replied briefly.
"Oh…"
Somehow, his reply reminded her of the terrible feeling of living alone in this world with no one to depend on, to smile at, or to cry to.
It was miserable.
And because of the situation she was in now, she could feel his pain in some way, but not entirely. Unlike him, she didn't have anything or anyone to be troubled over besides herself. Slowly, she turned her attention over to his broad shoulders, wondering how much burden he was carrying on them.
"It must be heavy…" Usagi muttered softly.
"What did you say?" Seiya stopped and turned around, not catching his words.
Usagi shook her head but smiled, making Seiya looked oddly at her. He swore he had heard her said something, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't press her further when she was looking so innocently at him all of the sudden. That just made him looked away and continued down the road they were in to avoid making the atmosphere around them anymore awkward than it already was.
For the rest of their journey, the couple walked together in a strange silence until they reached back to their apartment where they were greeted by an elderly man and his granddaughter.
"Onii-chan!!" The little girl cried and raced towards the door.
"Hey Chibi-Chibi…" Seiya smiled, bending over to pick her up when she flung herself onto him.
"My Onii-chan!" Chibi Chibi screeched and clung to Seiya.
She stared at him for a moment before peering around the room and furrowing her brows at Usagi, whom she deemed too close to Seiya. After swinging her legs and attempting to drive Usagi away, Chibi Chibi buried her face in Seiya's side, possessively gripping him.
Usagi widened her eyes at this, taken aback by her action. She was clearly missing the picture and didn't understand what she had done to make the little girl unhappy. Noting her startled look on Usagi's face, Seiya chuckled lightly to himself as he patted Chibi Chibi on the head in an attempt to calm her down.
"Forgive her, young lady. She has been like this since the last few weeks. I guess she must have missed Seiya badly, which is why I brought her here today. I hope you aren't offended by it." Grandpa smiled.
"Oh… No, no… Not at all…" Usagi replied quickly before introducing herself with a bow, "And nice to meet you, sir… My name is Usagi Tsukino… I'm here to help Seiya with the babysitting, but I'm new at it and isn't very good, so please feel free to instruct me if I make any mistake… I'll do my best to correct them…"
Seiya glanced over at Usagi, surprised to see her behaving with such courtesy. Whenever she interacted with him, she was always rude, if not difficult, nothing near to how she was acting towards his grandfather now. Any normal girls he knew would have chosen him over an unattractive old man to behave sweetly to, but Usagi was doing the entirely opposite. It was indeed weird to see a girl acting all nice and polite to an elder while ignoring him when he was supposedly her 'employer'.
She even offered to help his grandfather out in the kitchen, but immediately dropped the idea when she realized that Seiya would be the one doing most of the cooking. Without another word, Usagi made her way out, but stopped by the corridor when she glimpsed Seiya giving his grandfather the check that he had received from Kakyuu.
"Keep it for yourself. You have already done enough to pay for your mother's debt. We don't want anymore money from you." The old man rejected.
Seiya shook his head and placed the check into his grandfather's hand, wrapping his fingers around his to keep the paper in place. "I know that oba-san has fallen ill. This amount should be enough to cover the rest of her medical bill."
His grandfather sighed, accepting the money. "I'm sorry, my boy. You have been doing so much for us yet all my family ever did was to push most of the blame to you… You must have suffered a lot…"
Seiya smiled slightly, "It's alright. They have all the right to… since everyone might live a better life if it wasn't for me…"
"That's just an excuse, my boy…" His grandfather shook his head.
Seiya kept quiet, leaving their conversation to end with that statement. Usagi, on the other hand, quickly retreated before either of them noticed that she was even there. She knew it was wrong to be eavesdropping, but instead of feeling guilty, she found herself unconsciously worrying for him.
Her mood only improved slightly after eating the delicious meal that Seiya had prepared for her, and he seemed somewhat happy that she had enjoyed his cooking. He was even seen smiling to himself when she asked for another serving which only swelled Chibi Chibi to dislike Usagi further.
It didn't matter how hard Usagi tried to be friendly, Chibi Chibi would always ignore her, and her defiance only got worse after her grandfather and Seiya had left them alone in the small apartment. Usagi sighed, dropping the idea of acting nice. She walked over to Chibi Chibi, glaring at her for a second before picking her up forcefully. The little girl shrieked and struggled vigorously but Usagi ignored the rebellious look on her face. She simply carried her to the guest room and dropped her uncaringly on the bed.
"Sleep!" Usagi ordered, pointing her index at Chibi Chibi.
"No! Where's Onii-chan? Chibi Chibi wants Onii-chan!" She cried.
"Didn't Seiya say that he will be back later? There's an important appointment he needs to attend to…"
But her statement only made Chibi Chibi screeched even louder, "Don't bully Onii-chan!"
"I'm not bullying him… He's the one who is always picking on me…" Usagi sighed, dropping down on the empty spot of the bed besides Chibi Chibi.
To her surprise, the little girl didn't edge herself away as Usagi had expected her to. Instead, Chibi Chibi cocked her head to the side, staring innocently back at her, "Really…? Onee-san won't be mean to Onii-chan?"
Usagi nodded with a smile, "You really do like Seiya a lot, don't you?"
"Chibi Chibi loves Onii-chan a lot! Onii-chan is really nice… but everyone is mean to him… Mama, papa, aunty… kept saying bad things about him… Chibi Chibi hates it when they bully Onii-chan…" She uttered slowly.
Usagi smiled at her, finally understanding the reason for her defiance and her unwillingness to go home. And, even though throwing her tantrum was the only thing she could do to defend Seiya, it was still amazing how she had tried to protect him in her own way.
"You're such a good girl…" Usagi commented, patting Chibi Chibi on her head.
Chibi Chibi peered up at Usagi innocently, taken aback by her compliment. This was the first time anyone had praised her when defended Seiya. Her mother would scold her and her relatives would ignore her whenever she said something like that, but this Onee-san didn't. Maybe grandpa was right. Unlike the other big sisters, this Onee-san wasn't really a bad person…
"Is that a recorder you are holding onto?" Usagi asked, noticing that Chibi Chibi had been clutching onto it for quite some time now.
The little girl nodded, "Chibi Chibi wants to listen to Onii-chan sings… So Chibi Chibi can record it but Onii-chan said he didn't want to…"
"Eh? Why not?"
Chibi Chibi's lips curved downward as she stared sadly at the recorder, "Onii-chan said that he didn't like his voice… and it'd bring back luck if Chibi Chibi listens to it… But Chibi Chibi thinks that Onii-chan has a nice voice. Chibi Chibi likes it very much… Onee-chan, is it wrong to listen to Onii-chan sings?"
Usagi smiled warmly, "There's nothing wrong with that. If Chibi Chibi really likes to listen to Seiya sings, then I'm sure he must be really good at singing."
"But, Mama even took the recorder and erased the song that Onii-chan once sang to Chibi Chibi… Mama hated it... saying it's bad for Chibi Chibi…"
"There's no such thing as a voice that would bring bad luck, Chibi Chibi. There are only people who don't know how to appreciate it… And your mother might just be one of them… So, there's absolutely nothing wrong with listening to Seiya sings. And, neither will it bring anyone bad luck…" Usagi convinced thoughtfully.
"Really?" Chibi Chibi asked, cheering up by a little.
Usagi nodded before smiling thankfully, "Yes, so ready to sleep now?"
Chibi Chibi shook her head, "Chibi Chibi wants to wait for Onii-chan to come back…"
"But, it's getting late…"
"Chibi Chibi can't sleep if Onii-chan doesn't sing for me..." She insisted.
Usagi dropped her head in defeat. As she had expected, it would take more than just a few good words to tempt Chibi Chibi into sleeping. For the next minute, Usagi continued to stare at the little girl who was now playing with her recorder before an idea came to her.
"Wait here…" Usagi told Chibi Chibi before disappearing out of the room.
She came back a moment later, carrying the last thing Chibi Chibi would have expected. Seiya's electric guitar. Usagi beamed at her surprise expression as she stepped into the room and sat down on the chair that was next to the bed.
"Shall I play you a song while we wait for Seiya to come back?" She suggested with a bright grin.
--
Shutting the front door behind him, Seiya slid off his shoes and shoved them uncaringly to the side. With midnight just around the corner, Seiya knew that he should be heading straight for bed, but strangely, he didn't feel the need to. He was so used to living a laborious life that he had long forgotten how it was like to feel exhausted.
Besides, with Chibi Chibi around, Seiya didn't think that he could have a peaceful rest even if he wanted to. He was positive that she was still awake and probably alone, waiting for him. He didn't think that Usagi was tolerant enough to stay and watch over his difficult cousin till this late. But as soon as he opened the door to the guest room, he found himself staring at an unimaginable sight.
Chibi Chibi was sound asleep with Usagi by her side, brushing a few bangs away from the little girl's face as she watched her sleep. She quickly turned to face Seiya when she heard him coming in and immediately placed the tip of her finger to her lips, reminding him that he should be quiet.
"She actually slept?" Seiya asked, barely whispering.
Usagi nodded and stood up quietly.
"B-But how…?"
She simply chuckled at his startled expression before replying softly, "A magic lullaby…"
"Magic lullaby?" He repeated, frowning a little in confusion.
A simple nod was the only response she gave him before a yawn escaped her mouth. She quickly covered her mouth, muttering something he couldn't make out against her hand. But judging from her tired gesture, she was most probably telling him that she needed to return home and catch some sleep.
Just when she was about to leave, Seiya stopped her as he reached into his pocket for his wallet. "I guess I should pay you more for-…"
But before he could even finish his sentence, Usagi had already reached out and grasped onto his wrist, stopping him from withdrawing any cash. Seiya lifted his head up and looked at Usagi, not getting her action, but she simply shook her head at him.
"You have already paid me…"
Within seconds, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion while his eyes widened from shock as he tried refreshing his memories but he couldn't recall ever paying her.
"Hmmm… You paid me with the spaghetti that you made this afternoon, remember? It was really delicious... even the leftovers that I had for dinner were good..." Usagi stated and pretended to think about it before smiling brightly, "Also, Chibi Chibi is such a sweet kid… I have such a great time playing with her…"
Seiya shook his head at her with a sigh, "All those are no compensation…"
"Of course they are." Usagi insisted with a smile. "Besides, I finally get to touch the guitar again. No, I mean, as part of my pay, I get to play your guitar… and thank to you, I even got the opportunity to sing my heart out. It felt so good… and that made me really happy. So, thank you, Seiya."
Seiya stood there, blinking at her joyful expression. He didn't understand why she was thanking him when clearly he had done nothing but be away with another woman. Still, her smile made his heart flutter, and for a moment there, all he wanted to do was to stare and admire this beauty before him.
He took a step back, refraining himself from hugging her when she casually waved good night to him before disappearing out of the room. The closing of the front door sounded a minute later, indicating that she had left to return to her home which was just next door.
"What am I thinking…?" Seiya sighed and shook his head, clearly all the unrealistic thoughts.
He turned around and kneeled down by the bed to check on Chibi Chibi, still finding it hard to believe that she actually slept without him persuading her to. For a moment there, he actually thought Usagi might have drugged or knocked her out with something till his eyes landed on the recorder that Chibi Chibi was hugging.
Carefully and slowly, Seiya took the tiny device over from her tiny arms only to realize that it was actually on a record mode. Without giving it a second thought, he hit the stop button and gave Chibi Chibi a light peck on her forehead before returning to his room.
Once inside, he turned his attention on the recorder in his hand, deciding to listen to whatever Chibi Chibi had accidentally recorded as he lay himself down on the bed and hit the play button. Immediately, Seiya's eyes lit up at the conversation between Usagi and Chibi Chibi that were being played.
He sat up, obviously interested in their on-going conversation, and found himself laughing a minute later after hearing what Usagi had told Chibi Chibi. Who was she to say such silly things when she didn't even know a single thing about him?
She was wrong…
…so wrong.
Yet, why?
Why was he still touched by her words? Why did he wish that he was the one she was telling these to instead of Chibi Chibi?
Maybe then, he would have agreed with her…
Closing his eyes, he dropped back down when the conversation had ended before his ears perked up again at the fine tune of music being produced by a piano. He lay there for a few seconds, listening to the soothing melody before it finally hit him.
There wasn't any piano in his apartment.
Again, Seiya shot back up from his spot on the bed after realizing that it was actually his guitar that someone was playing, but with such great technique that it sounded like an illusory production of a piano. And that person, who was able to freely manipulate the nature of a single note couldn't be Usagi, could it?
Just when he was about to think otherwise, the amazingly gentle tune was gradually overshadowed by what sounded like a voice from an angel.
Have you heard of this wave…?
That drifts past the darkness and into the light.
Ever and never end,
A magic lullaby.
Unconsciously, Seiya smiled to himself, figuring out what Usagi had previously meant by a magic lullaby. Her voice, he realized, was so beautiful, so delicate that he wanted to keep it all to himself. For once, he had found something that he didn't want to share with anyone as he possessively grasped onto the tiny device that continued to play her song.
Ah…
Shut in another world,
You can't hear my voice…
No matter,
I'm here now and I only sing to you,
This magic lullaby.
It'll bear in your heart
And embrace you while you sleep
Do you feel the warmth now?
Please close your eyes…
And listen to my magic lullaby.
Now, her voice was the only thing that was ringing inside him. It was as though she had cast some magic into her song, metamorphosing all his worries into light, soft feathers, and leaving him feeling warm and comfortable for the first time. He soon shut his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep as the song slowly eased to a gentle end.
Rnnnnngggg…rnnnnnnnnggggg
Seiya groaned at the annoying vibration noise coming from his bed stand. Sure, it was morning already. But that didn't change the fact that he was tired and wanted to continue his sleep. Not wanting to wake up and answer the call, he squeezed his eyes shut and yanked the covers over his head. But the caller was persistent and his cell phone continued to ring for the next five minutes before Seiya finally gave in and answered it, sounding anything but pleased.
"What do you want?" Seiya demanded angrily.
Haruka, who was on the other end, sighed, "You should be asking your half-brother, Taiki Kou, what he wants for taking Usagi away and forcing her in his custody…"
--
--
Usagi awoke in a large, expensive looking room which she couldn't realize. She opened her eyes and stared at the three men who were presently standing before her bed until the signs of sleep faded from her face. Abruptly, she shot up and blinked a couple of times at them before rubbing her eyes in disbelief. When she opened them again and found that the men were still in front of her, she extended her finger towards them, almost shrieking, "Who are you people?"
"Sorry to have startled you like this, Tsukino-san. My name is Ryo Urawa. I'm Master Kou's personal secretary and the two of them are my associates who brought you over…"
"Eh?! Where? Why…?" Usagi stumbled on her own words as she glanced wildly at her surrounding, shocked to find that she wasn't in her room.
"You are now at the sub-mansion that was built for hosting the guests of Master Kou." Ryo answered briefly.
"And how did I end up in such a complicated place?!" Usagi shrieked, not getting a thing he was saying.
"You see, Master Kou have ordered us to invite you over this morning. But you didn't answer the bell when we got to your place. After breaking in, we found that you were asleep and tried waking you, but you didn't even stir. So, as ordered from Master Kou, I have my associates to carry you out of the apartment and drove you all the way here while you were asleep." He explained thoroughly.
"Don't go carrying others out of their homes when they are asleep!!"
Her angry scream was the first thing that erupted in that room before a few crashes, screams, cries, and whimpers were heard a moment later. Soon, the scene of the three badly beaten up men was replaced by Usagi slamming the door shut behind her.
"Why must everyone keep forcing me to get so work up in the morning?" She sighed angrily as her empty stomach let out a low growl of hunger.
"I'm hungry…"
Placing her hand against her flat abdomen, Usagi tried finding her way out as she continued down the long, deserted hallway that, from her point of view, seemed to extend forever. She let out a tired sigh, and would have given up on walking the endless path if her ears hadn't picked up the classical music that echoed through the hall that she was in.
Following the complex tune, Usagi sauntered down the stairs and through a few doors until she reached the main hall where a tall, young man sat, playing his huge grand piano at the centre of the room. She recognized who he was, but she didn't retreat. Instead, the wonderful composition that he was playing lured her over to him, making her gaped at him in amazement.
It was an extremely difficult piece, but he still managed to perfect every chords and lines so effortlessly that it made Usagi second guessed her absolute pitch ability to identify faults for a moment there. She clapped as soon as the grand composition came to an end, drawing Taiki's attention to her. Slowly, he peered up from where he was seated, his expression not showing any sign of surprise or pleasure to see Usagi standing there and applauding.
"I'm amazed! Your technique is excellent!" Usagi complimented before continuing thoughtlessly, "But it's a bit of a pity though…"
Taiki widened his eyes by a little, startled by her following statement.
"If you didn't dislike music so much… you'd have surpassed Makoto with that great masterpiece. It's a real pity…"
He stared at her, not letting his shock show. He wasn't concerned about who this Makoto person was, but rather how did she find out? A girl who had only met him once couldn't possibly know much about him, let alone any hatred that he had successfully hid in him for so many years.
He stood up and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Usagi, asking, "Who are you?"
His question brought back Usagi's frustration as she burst out abruptly at him, "You are the one who brought me here! Yet, you are asking me this?!"
Taiki continued to approach Usagi with a blank expression before he stopped right in front of her, and for a moment, they just peered unhappily at one another with silence hanging in the air.
"I've done some research on you, Usagi Tsukino. But it's sure funny. Besides your newly registered identity card, I couldn't find any of your personal information or past records... there's nothing…" Taiki muttered before stressing. "It's as thought you aren't part of this world at all…"
Usagi raised her eyebrows at him, looking surprised by his interpretation. Unlike Haruka or Seiya, who thought that she was just another teenager escaping from a broken home, this inconsiderate man before her couldn't be more right about her background. But she wasn't a girl who would give in to a kidnapper just because he could play the piano wonderfully well.
"So, you captured me here just because you couldn't find anything about me? I don't understand what you are thinking… I am just a normal high school girl, not someone particularly interesting or important who'd worth your time investigating on." Usagi shrugged, trying to look insignificant.
"Of course you are important enough…"
Startled by his remark, Usagi stared quietly at Taiki, watching him bent over so that he was at eye level with her. She remained silent, unaware of how close the distance between them was, which made Taiki smirked at the surprisingly calm reaction she was portraying.
"Anyone whom Seiya cares so deeply for is important enough, Tsukino-san…" He continued in a murmur.
"Eh? But Seiya doesn't care about me at all!" Usagi exclaimed quickly.
"He doesn't?" Taiki questioned, raising his eyebrows at her.
"Of course he doesn't!" Usagi insisted loudly. "You don't know how horrible he usually treats me! He orders me around, laughs at the things I do, and picks fight with me every single day! Like yesterday, he conveniently made me babysat his cousin for the entire night just because I happened to live next door! So how can you assume that he even cares for me when I'm just a babysitter to him?!"
"Babysitter?" Taiki repeated, trying to fight off a laugh without avail.
A muffled sound escaped Taiki's lips despite his effort to keep a straight face. Though he was perfectly aware that there was nothing funny about the things she said, he found her angry expression comical and her frustration entertaining. He stopped chuckling to himself shortly and looked back up to face Usagi who was now staring oddly at him.
She looked slightly offended but at the same time surprised by his warm expression. That look had somehow given her a better impression about him even though she still considered him rude and inconsiderate. She didn't know, however, that she was the first person he had laughed so honestly to. Still, his rare expression only wavered for a second as he quickly regained his cool composure he usually exhibited.
"Why are you still helping him then?"
Usagi sighed, "I don't have a choice. Besides, he offers to pay me…"
"He actually pays you?" Taiki questioned, his eyes widened a little in surprise, before he shook his head with smirk. "To think that he would pay a girl to stay by him… I wasn't wrong then. You are indeed someone important, Tsukino-san."
"I already said that-…"
"Even though you said that he's horrible to you, you still defended and stood up for him the other night." Taiki cut in shortly and silenced Usagi. "And he did the same to protect you. Now, what does that explain?"
"Hmm… That Seiya is good person after all?" Usagi answered innocently after a deep thought.
"Good person?" Taiki laughed sarcastically at her reply before he commented in a solemn sounding voice, "What's so good about a bastard who made used of girls to stay alive?"
Usagi frowned at his comment before retorting calmly, "At least, he doesn't go around kidnapping others while they are asleep. I think that's a whole lot worse…"
"Are you trying to say that he's better than me?" Taiki asked in an unintentionally angry tone.
"Eh? But, aren't you the one who thinks this way?" Usagi replied and folded her arms, seemingly unaware of his growing anger.
But her attention immediately jerked back to Taiki when he reached his hand out to grab onto her wrist, pulling her closer so she was looking directly into his eyes. "You are really silly to have said such brave things, Tsukino-san. Do you have any idea why I've brought you here today?"
"Breakfast…"
"What?"
"I don't know why you have brought me over, but I know I want my breakfast now…" Usagi sighed, not making any attempt to break loose from his hold as she felt her energy disappearing due to hunger.
Taiki blinked in surprise when he heard her stomach let out a loud growl. He released her, chuckling softly to himself for the second time that morning. "Interesting… You're really interesting…"
Usagi eyed oddly at Taiki, switching her view from his amused expression to herself in the attempt to find out what there was on her that fascinated him to make such comment. She didn't understand him and had no idea that he was feeling the same.
It was usually easy for a prodigy like him to understand whoever he came across in life, so why couldn't he catch a glimpse of who she truly was? She didn't look very bright, actually he thought she looked stupid, yet why were there so many mysteries in her that he couldn't lay his hand on? And now, he even found her adorable just by looking at her.
"I'm not a host who would starve my guest, Tsukino-san. I've already ordered the kitchen to prepare a good breakfast for you. It should be ready soon." He informed her with a smile.
"Really? But I've no money to pay you…" She muttered and bit her lips in fear that he wouldn't offer her anything to eat after learning that she couldn't pay.
Taiki smirked as an idea hit him, "I didn't have the intention to ask you to pay me. But since you've brought it up, I think I should consider asking something from you in return."
"Eh?!" Usagi gasped and dropped her jaw, making Taiki chuckled at her astonished expression.
"Master Kou, you have a visitor…" They heard a quiet voice announced.
Immediately, Taiki's expression turned cold as he glanced over to the entrance, seeing his fiancée, Ami Mizuno, standing behind a short maid. He nodded at her before ordering the maid to take Usagi over to the dinning room. Usagi followed without a word, exchanging a friendly smile with Ami as she left. After she was out of sight, Ami turned her attention back to Taiki who had went back to playing the piano.
"You don't look very happy to see me…" She began.
"Isn't our engagement arranged to maximize the benefit for both the Kou and Mizuno families? Between us, there will only be gain and no loss. So, why wouldn't I be happy to see you?" He replied in a straight face.
"But you were laughing a while ago-…"
"You didn't come all the way here just to hear me laugh, did you?" Taiki replied quickly, hitting on the next few notes.
Ami smiled gently, "No, but that was the first time I've heard you laughing so openly. I'm surprised. Usually, you wouldn't be in a good mood when I come over and would be playing the piano instead..."
"Actually, I never like playing it…" Taiki murmured as he pressed the keys forcefully down with his ten fingers.
Startled by the loud, hammered sound, Ami could only gape quietly at Taiki looking at his hands which were just above the keyboard as he added in a murmur, "For so many years, after winning so many awards and getting all sort of compliments… it's funny that no one has ever noticed how much I hated playing this musical instrument till now… And, I wonder... how she knew-…"
His voice stopped in mid sentence when he noticed the short maid, who was supposed to be escorting Usagi, running anxiously back into the room. Taiki stood up and raised his brows questionably at her as she tried to catch her breath before exclaiming, "Master Kou, your guest, Miss Tsukino, was taken by an intruder!"
--
"Follow me…" Seiya muttered, guiding her through the vast garden.
Usagi nodded and followed closely behind, holding his hand to make sure she didn't fall behind or get lose in the maze-like field. She cocked her head at him when he stopped to glance around the place carefully.
"But Seiya, why are you here?" She finally asked.
"To get you out of here, of course…" He answered quickly, looking back at her as if he was stating the obvious.
"But I haven't eaten my breakfast yet…" Usagi frowned slightly.
Seiya gave her an exasperated look before he buried his face in his hand and shook his head at her, "How can you willingly stay over at another man's place just because he offers you something to eat? What are you? A lost puppy?"
"I'm not a puppy! I'm just hungry!"
"That doesn't mean you have to agree to have breakfast with him! Can't you tell that Taiki Kou is up to no good?! He's not someone you should get close to!" He retorted.
"But he plays good music like you do…" Usagi replied in a strangely calm voice.
"What?"
Usagi nodded with a warm smile, "Even though he didn't enjoy it, he actually plays wonderfully well. And, I believe for someone who can produce such beautiful music, he can't possibly be a bad person."
"You're really hopeless…"
Seiya sighed, thinking through what she had just said, with an exasperated expression. He wasn't pleased that she was siding Taiki, but he couldn't voice out his frustration when she was looking so happily at him as though she was expecting him to understand her.
But, he couldn't do that. He couldn't agree with her when he had known Taiki longer than she did. That half-brother of his was devious and ruthless, but no matter what nasty things he did in the past, Seiya had never hated him as much as he did now after hearing what Usagi said. Then again, why was he so concerned and unhappy that she was defending Taiki? What was he thinking? He shouldn't even be here in the first place, let alone get all caught up by the things she did.
"Ah Seiya! Don't you have someone you need to meet today?" Usagi brought the question up as though she had just read through his mind.
He widened his eyes at her, staring at her in surprise for a second, before realizing that it was just a coincidence that she had mentioned something he was thinking. There was no way she could read his thoughts.
"You mean with Kakyuu-senpai?" Seiya asked before shrugging uncaringly, "Never mind about her. I can't possibly be in two places at one time, can I?"
"Eh? But wh-why? What about the money?" She inquired quickly, unable to believe that he had chosen to come get her instead of meeting Kakyuu.
"Of course, you will be taking full responsibility for all my losses today…" Seiya stated half-teasingly, guiding her down the stone stairs.
"What?! Me?!"
Usagi gasped, staring at Seiya in shock. But for once, he was quiet, too preoccupied to tease or argue with her about it. His ears perked up at the sound of quiet footsteps gradually growing louder. He quickly pushed Usagi against the thick tree she almost collided with, placing his finger to her lips wordlessly telling her to remain silent.
"They shouldn't be too far! Spread out and search for them!" One of the guards ordered.
As the men got closer, Usagi could feel Seiya leaned in towards her. He was so near that she could hear his rapid heartbeat and even smell the sweet scent of soap clinging on his skin. For some reasons, her cheeks began to burn and her heart raise rapidly as the seconds went by.
Seiya, on the other hand, kept his arms outstretched one on either side of her shoulders. Like her, he remained perfectly still, feeling her warm breath brushed against his neck. He did his best to focus on going unnoticed by the guards instead of her and how her radiance shone under the few rays of sunlight that managed to get passed the shade they were under.
Lucky for them, the search party headed towards the opposite direction, and once they were gone, Seiya quickly took a step back, looking at Usagi who was now clutching onto her chest as though she had just suffered from a heart attack.
"No good, Seiya! It must be because I'm too hungry, that's why my heart… it feels like it's about to burst out!" Usagi exclaimed anxiously, looking up at him with a dark red face.
Seiya was startled silent for a second as he tried to figure out a connection between her hunger and her heart. But before he could even comment on it, Usagi dropped wearily down on the ground, muttering something about how she was about to die of starvation.
He chuckled and bent over towards her, kneeling there at one knee so as to encourage her to gaze back at him. And as expected, Usagi's face shot up to his, and her cheeks began to burn again when he smiled charmingly back at her before reaching his hand out to place it on top of her head.
"Stop grumbling already. I'll prepare you something nice once we get back."
"Really? You are willing to make breakfast for me?! Usagi beamed excitedly.
Seiya nodded, "Only if you promise me that you'll stay away from Taiki Kou."
"Hai, hai! I won't go near him." She agreed and nodded keenly, making Seiya smiled at her.
"Can you walk back or do you need me to carry you?"
"I can walk on my own." Usagi answered as she tried getting back up on her feet only to lose her balance and fall into Seiya's arms.
Seiya sighed and took the opportunity to sweep her up into his arms carefully. Usagi gasped in surprise before struggling for a bit, not liking the idea of being carried.
"Put me down! I already said that I can walk on my own!"
"Shh…" Seiya hissed, trying to calm her down as he hurried across the field. "You will alert the men over to us again if you continue to make so much noise."
"Even if they come, I can outrun them…" Usagi argued in a softer tone.
"How? By falling?" He teased.
"I won't fall!"
"You just did."
Usagi gave him one of her best scowl but kept quiet, feeling unhappy that she had lost an argument between them. Seiya simply smile at that expression as he continued down the path that would lead them to the secret exit that he had came in through. For a moment, neither of them said anything, an awkward silence resting between them, until Usagi broke the stillness in a soft murmur.
"Thank you…"
Seiya looked down and blinked at her in surprise before grinning, "Did I hear you right? You didn't just thank me, did you?"
"Yes, I did. Even though I didn't ask for any of these, you still sacrificed an important appointment, came all the way here to fetch me, carried me, and even willing to cook for me. I can't be rude and overlook all that you did… "
Usagi replied and turned her head away from his smile, feeling displeased that he was always the one helping her. "Just wait… I will definitely repay everything to you one day…"
"You already did…" He told her with a smile.
Usagi turned to face him with a perplexed expression and stressed, "I did? When?"
"Last night." Seiya replied simply.
"Last night?"
"Your magic lullaby…" He muttered before smiling, "I want to hear you sing it again…"
Usagi was truly baffled now. But to his surprise, she didn't start questioning him like he had expected her to. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before a familiarly soft yet beautiful sound escaped from her lips. "Have you heard of this wave…? That drifts past the darkness and into the light…"
Seiya slowed down his pace to look down at Usagi singing to him. There was no mistake. It was the same voice, the same song, the same girl he heard last night. The only difference, he realized, was how much more amazing she sounded in reality. Her voice, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his entire life.
"…I'm here now and I only sing to you, this magic lullaby…"
Enchanted by her, Seiya smiled gently and decided to stay at where they were until she finished singing. The wind caught up, slowly drifting the lovely melody along with it, and soon reaching to a certain someone who had been watching them from his balcony, two stories up above.
For the first time in years, a warm smile came across his face as he continued to eavesdrop on her singing. His fiancée, along with every servant and man around him, were stunned silent by his gentle expression. If his previous order to end the pursuit on the couple hadn't shocked them, his next instruction definitely would.
"The academy that Tsukino-san had been posted to…" Taiki muttered after the song had ended.
"Y-Yes sir, she attends the same private high as Master Yaten and young Master Seiya…" His men answered quickly and straightened their posture the moment he turned around to face them.
"Good." He smirked subtly at them before adding, "Make an arrangement for me… I'm transferring over to join them…"
--
--
The lyrics, Magic Lullaby, belong to me, please do not copy or distribute it. Thank you.
A/N: I'm only going to update chapter 3 of Stage On! upon requests, so please leave a review if you'd like to see another chapter. I promise there will more Minako x Yaten moments then. Also, do let me know if you would like me to update the NPA or Tale of the Zodiac. The one with the highest demand will get an update :). Thank you for reading!!
--