Okay, I'm back, and I'm much happier than yesterday! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, nor Phantom of the Opera.

The fourth hour into their trip, Hatori pulled over and Takano took over driving, Hatori almost immediately falling asleep in the passengers seat. Mino and Kisa were still asleep in the back, Kisa still leaning against Ritsu, the newbie editor feigning sleep to avoid a conversation.

"You can just push him off, you know."

Ritsu sighed, knowing Takano had been aware he was awake for an hour now, and it took him a moment to realize the editor-in-chief was talking about Kisa, "No, it's fine. I don't mind."

"I thought you had a thing against people touching you, or something."

Ritsu's eyes blinked at Takano's reflection in the rear view mirror, "No," Ritsu said, "I just have something against certain people touching me."

Though his comment did not offend the noirette as he'd hoped, who'd only smirked in response.

On the beginning of the fifth hour, Kisa awoke, effectively rousing Mino as well, and he'd barely been awake ten minutes before he started criticizing Takano's driving, though it was much less frequent than it had been with Hatori's, the tinier noirette breaking off to yawn here and there or to complain of something else (for Kisa fully believed that if he complained enough, he would eventually get what he wanted, which was entirely true).

And, at the sixth hour, Hatori was woken up as they pulled into the towering hotel which was to house the party, though Kisa appeared to be the most amazed out of them, pressing his face to Ritsu's window as Takano drove around for a parking spot.

"Hey, Takano!"

Takano sighed, fully prepared to be chastised for his driving, "Yes, Kisa?"

"Isn't that Senbo-sensei?"

"... What?"

"Yeah, it is! What is she doing here?!" Kisa groaned, "She's supposed to be working on her storyboard!"

Takano didn't reply, parking, and he had barely came to a stop when Kisa had opened Ritsu's door and climbed out over the brunette's lap, heading to the two girls standing beside a pillar by the hotel's front doors.

"Remi-chan!" he snapped, and the brunette girl's shoulders slouched at her first name, saying a quick goodbye to whoever she was chatting with on the phone, flicking away the butt of her cigarette.

She managed a smile as she turned to face her editor, "Kisa-kun!"

"Don't Kisa-kun me! Why are you here?! You should be working!"

Her chocolate eyes winced behind her glasses, "Oh, come on, Kisa-kun, I needed a break! Don't worry about it, I've got this!"

His left eye twitched at her, "Isn't that what you said last month, when you took off a week for your cat's birthday."

Her hand went up to his face, "It was my dog's birthday, and I do believe I finished everything on time, thank you very much!"

He swatted away her hand, "Yes, you did, after working nonstop!" he turned to the blonde girl beside Senbo-sensei, "Come on, Ana-chan, couldn't you of knocked some sense into her!"

Senbo laughed before Ana could reply, "Ana-chan's just my assistant, Kisa-san, not my mother, and she agreed that I needed a break, as well!"

He looked, wide-eyed at the blonde, who only shrugged in response as the rest of the editors approached them.

Senbo-sensei looked over Kisa's shoulder at them, "Takano-kun!" she waved, and he nodded back at her.

"Senbo-sensei, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry for not calling and saying something, Takano-kun, but Chiaki-kun's invitation was a little last minute!"

Ritsu briefly wondered if this girl was as informal with everyone, and just exactly how much she was kept in the loop, considering she knew of the mangaka's true identity.

Kisa rolled his eyes at her, "You should be apologizing to me, you little brat!"

Her hand went up to his face once again, "You shouldn't be calling anyone a little brat, little brat! Besides, Chiaki-kun would of been crazy if he hadn't invited me - after all, I helped him come up with this Phantom idea! Chiaki-kun's just lucky that I happened to have an appointment with the salon yesterday!"

Looking closer at the mangaka, Ritsu saw what she meant - streaks of blonde were here and there in her thick brown hair, and he could see the ends of her nails glittering on the hand she held in Kisa's face.

... Actually, looking even closer, this girl looked really familiar.

Feeling the brunette's eyes on her, she turned back to the editors, and she smiled when she saw Ritsu, hand leaving Kisa's face and going to her hip.

"Ah, is this little Onodera Ricchan?"

Ritsu couldn't help but to grimace - she seemed too much alike Kisa, and he wasn't sure if he could handle two of them.

Kisa hesitated, glancing to the boy, and he nodded, "Yeah - Ricchan, this is Remi Senbo-"

Senbo cut off her editor, offering her hand to Ritsu, "Author of Gomenasai Ai and Konnichiwa Kirai!" she gave a wink, shaking hands with the brunette, and he hesitated, "I'm also going to be a co-author with Chiaki-kun on Opera-za no Kaijin, but that's supposed to be a secret, alright?"

He gave a pause, and slowly nodded, still trying to wrap his head around her familiarity - how did he know her...?

Kisa sighed, pulling Ritsu from his thoughts, "I knew Remi-chan back in high school, so don't be offended, Ricchan - she was just this annoying back then."

The girl gave an over dramatic gasp, "Oh, Kisa-kun!" she cried sarcastically, "You're so cruel!"

The two glared at each other, before Senbo got bored, turning back to Ritsu, "Oh, Ricchan - this is my assistant, Ana-chan!"

She pushed forward the blonde, who rolled her turquoise eyes at her mangaka, before outstretching a hand, similar to the way Senbo had done though in a much calmer way, when it clicked in Ritsu's mind.

This girl, this blonde girl right here, was the flutist from Yukina's band.

He felt his breath hitch in his throat, and he accepted her hand out of instinct, looking back over to the mangaka who had gone back to bickering with Kisa.

And she - Remi Senbo - was the girl in the peacock dress Kaoru had been speaking to at the masquerade, the clarinetist who'd seemed especially annoyed by the percussion.

The blonde girl hesitated, a blush rising to her freckled cheeks, and she spoke for the first time today, her voice timid, "Ano... Onodera-san, are you alright? You look really pale..."

Kisa spoke up from behind her, "See what you did, Remi-chan, you scared him!"

The girl gave a gasp, "Me?" she snapped, "I hardly believe I did that! Maybe that bedhead of yours is scaring him!"

It was Kisa's turn to gasp, though before they could begin again, Ritsu shook his head, suddenly feeling dizzy. "Ano - no, it's fine, I'm fine. I just... am hungry, that's all."

Kisa hesitated at that, and he shrugged, "Hmm... I'm hungry too, now that you say something, Ricchan."

Senbo laughed, "Why am I not surprised!" she said in a teasing tone, "You're making it too easy to win our bet, Kisa-kun!"

Kisa went pink, the tips of his ears burning red, "Really!" he snapped, poking at her stomach, "This will be the first thing I've ate today! And what about you, huh? How many fast food restaurants did you stop at before you got here?"

It was Senbo's turn to turn pink, tanned skin flushing, and she opened her mouth to defend herself when Ana replied,

"Three."

Kisa laughed loudly, and Senbo wheeled on her assistant, "Ana!" she cried, "I told you not to tell him!" while the blonde girl simply shrugged.

And, as Kisa laughed, Ritsu's color returning, he insisted to himself that he must of seen the two girls some time before just now.

The day was surprisingly uneventful, Yukina showing up two hours late, sheepishly admitting he'd gotten lost even though he was supposed to just follow Hatori's car. The party was scheduled until the following night, so the Emerald department was left to listen to Senbo and Kisa bicker, which was able to be heard throughout the whole hotel (there had already been several complaints, though each one that happened Kisa and Senbo gave the hotel workers such a glare that they refused to be the bearer of bad news again, sending a different worker for each complaint.). By the time they had all retired for the night Ritsu had already been in his room for the past hour, claiming he felt sick though in reality just couldn't bear Senbo, Ana, and Yukina all being in the same room at one time.

He fell onto the bed face first, hair still damp from his shower and towel still wrapped round his head. He briefly wondered for about the fiftieth time that day where exactly he'd seen Senbo and Ana, considering he could not remember ever speaking with them, before he blacked out.

The director's long fingers moved along the keys of the piano, the tiny noirette dancer standing at his side, looking over at his shoulder at the music notes.

"Hide our sword now, wounded knight! Your vainglorious gasconnade brought you to your final fight for your pride, high price you've paid!"

Kisa glanced up from his fiance's shoulder as the chorus sang; new members had replaced those who were fired, and Kisa had yet to find himself fond of any of them.

"Silken couch and hay-filled barn, both have been his battlefield." Kisa sighed as the opera's star sang, his voice somber, and he sat down besides Yukina on the piano's bench.

"Those who tangle with Don Juan-"

Yukina hesitated, glancing up from his piano, its notes slowing to a stop, "Ano - Kirishima-sama, that note is higher..." Yukina's eyes blinked, and he glanced back to his piano, finding and playing the high note, and the tenor nodded, humming the note, "Choir, stop talking, please, for a moment!"

As the chorus continued chatting however, Kisa stood up from the piano, "That is enough!" he snapped, his foot slamming down on the floor all-to-similar way to the ballet mister's, "The next one of you to speak out of turn and I can guarantee you will no longer be working for this house, or any, for that matter!"

The chatter dissapated, glares being cast at the tiny dancer, which he threw right back. Yukina gave a smile before turning back to his piano, playing the note once more, "Kirishima-sama?"

"Those who tangle... tangle... tangle with Don Juan..."

Yokozawa tutted, his hand fan moving back and forth in front of him, "His voice is too deep for such a high note. His way sounds better, anyway - such a random high note written in."

Hatori's eyes glanced up at the soprano from the chair he'd pulled out, "Monsieur, I can't help but wonder - would you say such things in the presence of the composer?"

Yokozawa scoffed, black bangs being flicked off his forehead by his fan, "There is no reason for me to even fathom such a thing - the composer is not here."

Hatori nodded, folding his hands in his lap, "Monsieur, are you certain of this?"

Yokozawa hesitated, his fan snapping shut as he turned to look at the ballet mister, "... I-"

Yukina played the high note once more, his foot beginning to tap in the time of the music, "Kirishima-sama, if you'd please. One, two, three, four, two, two, three-"

"Those who tangle... tan... tangle..."

Both Kirishima and Yukina's faces fell, and, at that, the chatter once again rose in the room. Kisa stood once more from his seat beside Yukina, though the director's patience seemed to be drawing thin, for he too stood, slamming his hands down on this piano.

"I believe we have already told you enough is enough, choir!" the répétiteur was suddenly wishing for his band back - they were much more well-behaved.

Kisa walked straight up to a certain redhead girl in the front row of the choir, "And you - Mai Kyoyama! I see you still sing too high!" Fangs bared at the curly haired girl, who towered over Kisa once she'd rose to her full height, freckles lost in a blush.

The girl - Mai - gave a scoff as she looked down at him, eyes such a piercing blue color that the surrounding sopranos all backed away from her. "And you - still sleeping around, I see!"

Kisa reeled back as if he'd been hit, and when Yukina stepped forward to come to the dancer's defense, Hatori stood from his chair and caught the conductor by his elbow.

"Just let him deal with this, Monsieur."

And deal with it he did.

Kisa tackled the girl to the floor, the choir separating with shrieks for security, though when Mino arrived he just stood off to the side with a aggregated Hatori and a speechless Yukina. After a moment full of curses, Kisa being the only one to get in any good hits, Hatori dropped Yukina's arm and calmy walked over to the fighting dancer and soprano, sliding his arms underneath Kisa's and hauling the red-faced noirette to his feet.

"Let go of me, Hatori!" the boy kicked and screamed against the ballet mister's grasp, though the brunette did not let up - not even when the boy leaned his head down and bit his hand.

"Kisa, that is enough, I believe." Hatori sighed, and Kisa shook his head, black locks hitting Hatori's chest rhythmically.

"I don't believe it's enough, Hatori! I want that little skank out of my opera house and I want her out now!"

Hatori gave another sigh, nodding his head, "I know, Kisa." he said simply, and he looked over his shoulder to the security guard, "Mino, if you would, escort Madame Kyoyama to our managers - though, if you don't mind, speak with Kaoru about this. He will understand."

The smiling boy nodded, walking to the choir and pulling the girl up quite roughly - she gave a loud gasp, glaring at the man, and opened her mouth to complain though quickly shut it at the sight of him. Her hair that had once curled was tangled, her cheek red and her eye beginning to swell, and, as she passed Kisa, the dancer gave a snicker as he yanked away from Hatori, now calm.

Though that changed when the choir returned to talking, this time louder and much more excited. Kisa's shoulders went tense, and he opened his mouth just as the piano began playing.

Almost immediately, all talk stopped, and they all glanced over to piano, though the conductor did not sit at its bench, still at the spot Hatori had left him at. In fact, no one sat at the piano's little bench, the keys moving on their own.

And, at that, Ritsu darted away from the choir and out of the opera house before anyone could stop him.

The opera star had waited out the searching men before slowly tiptoeing back into the opera house, returning to his room and pulling a cloak round him and a red scarf - the exact same one knitted by An - around his neck, a bouquet of roses tucked under the cloak as he ordered the carriage to speed off. Once dropped off at the cemitary, he'd told the carriage driver to return in no longer than an hour, before waving him off as he walked through snowy grave sights, headed to a looming mausoleum, ONODERA engraved on it, large and proud.

The brunette boy collapsed down on the bottom step, leading up to the mausoleum, unable to take much more for the day. He sighed, glancing up to the towering stone building, and took the roses from his cloak, letting them rest in his lap.

"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for guidance..."

The boy hesitated at the voice, a bewildered look being cast around all of the graveyard, "W-who's there?!..." he called. Father, angel... Friend, or the Phantom...?

"Tell me you haven't forgotten your angel..."

Transfixed by the voice, Ritsu stood on the icy steps, almost losing his footing. He clenched fists, and commanded himself, No, you must stop, you can't sing...

"Angel... Please, speak! So much longing in this one whisper..."

The pounding of hooves could be heard from somewhere far off, though they paid the distant sound no mind, Ritsu slowly walking up slippery stairs, eyes staring at the mausoleum.

"You've been wandering in the snow for much too long..."

"My mind fights against you..."

"You do resist, that's true, though your soul stays obedient..."

"I know it's true now, though - you are my Angel of music... I've denied you for far too long, yet you have been my protector..."

"Yes, that's right, I am your angel of music... Come to me..."

Finally, hooves became louder, and two horses rode into the cemetery, the white mare ahead of the black stallion neighing wildly, almost blending into the snow.

"Ricchan!"

Those glossed over green eyes blinked, slowly turning away from the mausoleum, "Kisa... san?..."

And there was the tiny boy, riding on the white mare behind the tall conductor, who had jumped off the horse before it came to a stop, pulling a sword from its sheath as Kisa attempted to calm the horse, An riding up behind them.

"Onodera-san," said Yukina, rushing up the stairs to the opera star, who stared at the man in shock, "Whatever he's told you... Onodera-san, this is not your father. Now, please, go stand back with Kisa-san and An-sama."

The man placed a comforting hand to the tiny brunette's shoulder, before turning towards the mausoleum, the Phantom walking out from behind it, drawing his own sword.

"You, my dear conductor..." began the Phantom, stepping closer and closer, "... are becoming a hassle."

Yukina hesitated, before turning towards the tall noirette, sword still held tightly in his hands, and gave a smile, "Ahh... I could say the same thing about you, Monsieur."

The Phantom rushed towards the conductor, though the man lifted his sword and knocked aside his attempts, speaking to Ritsu without turning, "Please, Ritsu... Go with Kisa-san."

A metallic sound resounded through the air as their swords clashed once again, though the Phantom seemed to be prepared for this, using all the strength he could to push on the conductor's sword, knocking him backwards, down the stairs he'd come from.

Kisa gave a gasp, hands clutching onto the reigns of his horse, An paling behind him, "Y-Yukina!"

The man however got up as soon as he'd hit the bottom step, Ritsu's hands clasping on the roses, little needles digging into his hands. The Phantom walked past, down the stairs where Yukina had not moved from, shoulders heaving, puffs of white breath clouding in front of them.

"Keep at it, conductor, why don't you? I shall guarantee it war on not only you but also your little dancer over there."

Hazel eyes glanced up at Kisa atop the horse behind his mask, and at that Yukina gave a growl, shoving the Phantom to the snow when he was distracted. The tip of Yukina's sword went to the man's neck, and they were waiting with bated breath, Ritsu running down the stairs.

"Y-Yukina-san, stop!" The opera star grabbed onto the conductor's arm in a pleading fashion, green eyes staring helplessly up at brown orbs, "Please, Yukina-san... It can't end like this..."

The man hesitated, eyes going from Ritsu to the Phantom, and, after a moment, he let out a defeated sigh, "... Fine, Onodera-san. Go get on the horse." he commanded, and he made sure the boy was seated on the black stallion behind An before he removed his sword, sheathing it and returning to his own horse, leaving the Phantom there amidst the snow.

He awoke from his dream at a pounding on his door; lifting his head, the towel still present tumbling off his head, and he glanced to the hotel's clock in the darkness.

Three o'clock in the morning. What.

He gave a groan when the knocking persisted, getting up from the bed and flicking the bedside lamp on. Shivering from the loss of the blanket, he padded over to the door, little shocks traveling from the carpet to his socks.

"Ricchan! Ricchan, Ricchan, wake up, I need to talk to you! Riiccchhhhaaannnnnnnnn!"

Ritsu gave a sigh at who he now knew to be Kisa, yawning as he opened the door, the veteran editor still pounding at thin air. When his fists didn't come in contact with anything, he blinked open teary chocolate eyes, falling into the brunette's chest.

Ritsu stumbled back with a, 'Oof!' attempting to hold up both of their weights. "K-Kisa-san, what's wrong?..."

Kisa glanced up at him, shaking his head in response.

"Ricchan, Ricchan! Mino - he's dead!"

Awful cliffhanger is awful.

I started writing this at seven yesterday, and I'm just now finishing this. Oops.

NinjaSheik: I am going partly off the play's script, and partly off the movie's, as well as putting in extra scenes, so :3

nekocandy4life: Being a Phantom just makes Takano that much better~

SaySaeri: They will! :D

loopyhutton: Thanks! :D

Also! This fic is very slowly reaching its end, but don't worry - I plan on writing another Sekaiichi Hatsukoi fic! I'm most likely going to start writing it either tonight or sometime soon, though it most likely won't get posted until this is finished! It's going to be a midieval AU, and I'm super excited to start it - I've posted the summary in my bio, if you're interested! :D