Chapter 48

After Yaten and Taiki had left, I spent the rest of the day at Motoki's place, letting the events of the day sink in. I kept staring in disbelief at the note Taiki had given me. It was proof that I was officially registered as the owner. It felt surreal, as if I were trapped in a dream. But it was so typical of Seiya to find a way to surprise me, even when he was no longer here.

Then, I reached for my notepad again. Funeral. The words on the paper carried immense significance, as it was the last thing I could do for him. I felt a mix of determination and despair as I wrote down my thoughts. Every letter, every stroke through a word expressed my deep grief.

I wrote and crossed out and wrote again. It felt like I was navigating through a labyrinth of emotions, searching for the perfect arrangement for the funeral. I noted down names of florists who could create flower arrangements and speakers who could find the right words.

Every entry on my endless list of possible songs was carefully considered, only to be discarded in the end. None of them seemed to express the depth of emotions I carried within me. None of them seemed to fit Seiya's carefree spirit, which he had until the very end. But it had to be perfect.

Every now and then, Motoki would poke his head into the kitchen to check on me. I could see in his eyes that he wanted to talk to me, but I still wasn't at the point where I could put my feelings and thoughts into words. The grief and loss were still too fresh to share with anyone else.

Only when dusk set in, and the sky slowly turned into a warm evening glow, did I bid farewell to Motoki. I made my way back to my apartment. It was officially mine now, even though it still sounded wrong in my ears.

As I walked home, I reached for my phone and called Minako. She was worried about Yaten, who hadn't returned home since our conversation at the Crown and wasn't answering his phone. I tried to reassure Mina as best as I could, but the concern was growing within me too. I promised her that I would let her know as soon as Yaten showed up or contacted us.

Once home, I longed for a moment of relaxation. I filled the bathtub with warm water and slowly immersed myself in it. The scent of the bath additive enveloped me, and I let my thoughts wander for a moment. I thought back to the time when I had pulled him into the bathtub with his clothes on, and I felt a renewed sense of loneliness. When I stepped out of the bath, I wrapped myself in Seiya's black bathrobe, which still carried his familiar scent, and headed towards the bedroom.

But suddenly, a vigorous ringing broke the silence of my apartment. I rushed to the intercom, asking with slight uncertainty in my voice, "Yes?"

The absence of a response confused me, and instead, I heard a heavy pounding next to my ear on the apartment door. Hesitantly, I opened it just a crack to see who was outside. But as soon as I opened it even a few centimeters, Diamond pushed it open and barged in.

He stood before me, angry and his eyes blazing with fury. The intensity of his gaze hit me like a blow.

"Is this a joke?!" he yelled at me.

Surprised and caught off guard, I desperately searched for answers. What did he mean? Why was he here and in such a charged mood? I hadn't done anything, at least not consciously.

My own voice sounded soft and shaky as I asked him, "What do you mean?"

He grabbed my wrist roughly and pulled me into the living room with a forceful gesture. Without saying a word, he turned on the TV and switched to a news channel. My eyes fixated on the screen as the news anchor spoke in a serious tone, "As we have learned today, the lead singer of the band Three Lights was shot dead on his way home after the Winter Gala in Tokyo."

The words echoed in my ears, and on the screen, in the background, were images of our last joint performance at the gala. I clung desperately to the edge of the sofa, trying not to collapse to my knees. Then Yaten appeared on the screen, his face marked by deep hardness. My heart seemed to skip a beat as I stared at the screen, unable to look away.

"In our studio, we welcome the brother of the deceased and at the same time bandmate. Yaten Kou. Welcome, Yaten. On behalf of the entire team, I want to express our condolences," the reporter continued, but her words only reached my ears muffled.

My mind was overwhelmed by shock and grief, and my heart felt like it was shattering into a thousand pieces. My gaze was still fixed on the image of Seiya, who had given his most radiant smile to the camera.

"Thank you. However, the reason I'm here today is different," Yaten began in a serious tone. "I'm asking the people out there for their help. We are certain that the shooter is Saphir Prince. Unfortunately, we don't know his whereabouts. Since his father is one of the richest men in Japan, it is possible that he may have left the country. We want justice for what happened to my brother. Therefore, we appeal to the local authorities: Search the Prince family's estates and ensure that Saphir Prince receives his just punishment. He must not get away with it!"

I turned my head hesitantly to Diamond, who stood behind me with his arms crossed, fixing me with his piercing eyes.

"I didn't know about this," I whispered softly. The full extent of the situation only became clear to me now.

"Grab your bag and come with me," Diamond whispered to me, gripping my wrist tightly again.

"Where to?" I asked, confused.

"The first reporters are already downstairs in front of the building. I'll take you away. Or do you want to give interviews in your current state?"

I looked down at myself, my body still only covered by the bathrobe and the towel turban. "Can I at least get dressed?" I asked, my voice sounding more irritated than intended.

It was the first time in a long time that I saw Diamond's mouth twitch upward for a brief moment, a hint of a smile that quickly disappeared. "Hurry up," he replied tersely.

As I headed to the bedroom to get dressed, I asked into the hallway, "Where are you taking me? After Yaten's call, won't the police search your properties?"

"Just get ready, Usagi," Diamond grumbled, sounding annoyed.

I quickly dried my hair, tied it up in a messy ponytail, and put on Seiya's warm winter hat. Diamond seemed extremely impatient when I returned to the hallway. He pushed me out the door and closed it firmly behind him. Uncertain about his intentions, I let him lead the way.

I wasn't exactly sure why, but I felt that I had to trust him, even though he continued to present himself as the "Prince of Darkness," as Kaori had called him. Diamond hurried through the stairwell, and I followed him. But as we reached the first floor, I suddenly stopped. Mamoru was coming towards us, holding two bags, and the delicious smell of stir-fried noodles wafted towards me. My stomach growled, even though I didn't have much of an appetite. My only bite today had been the blueberry muffin at the Crown.

"Bunny, where are you going?" Mamoru asked, surprised, his gaze shifting between Diamond and me. I could feel the electric tension between the two.

"I have something to take care of," I said curtly.

"If I were you, I wouldn't leave the apartment. There's already a group of reporters outside," Mamoru pointed out.

Diamond pushed himself between us. "Thank you, we know that," he said coldly, nudging me further along. I cast one last glance at Mamoru, who was still standing on the step.

"I'll get in touch, I promise," I whispered softly.

Diamond led me to the underground garage, where Massaru was already waiting. Fortunately, no reporters had reached this place yet. As we turned onto the street, I finally saw what Diamond and Mamoru had meant. A crowd had gathered in front of the entrance. Reporters with cameras, but also fans, were leaving flowers and candles in front of the building to express their condolences. Haruka stood by the main door with two other people, making sure that only residents had access. So that's why nobody was upstairs.

My gaze shifted to Diamond, whose fingernails seemed to be digging into his thighs while his features remained hardened. I placed my hand on his. "Thank you," I whispered into the silence.

But once again, there was no reaction from him. Silently, we continued our journey, the steady hum of the engine accompanying us. We drove for quite a while until the endless blue ocean gradually came into view. Massaru finally stopped at a small harbor just outside Tokyo. In front of us was Diamond's yacht, and I recognized it immediately.

"Your things are already on deck. You know where everything is. The captain will take you out for a few days until things calm down here," Diamond explained with a touch of determination in his voice.

"What about you? Aren't you coming along?" I asked him.

"No, I have enough to take care of here. If something happens, call Haruka; she'll take care of everything."

"Diamond, I still have to take care of the whole funeral. How am I supposed to organize that from the sea? I have to..."

He interrupted me firmly. "No, you're going on the yacht now. No objections, Usagi. Otherwise, the press will tear you apart. I'm sure you'll figure out everything else."

He was still so cold and distant, just like the last time we saw each other. I gripped his hands tightly, desperately trying to establish a connection with him. At first, he looked past me as if lost in thought, until his gaze finally met mine. His black eyes revealed a deep sorrow gnawing at him.

"Diamond, I wanted to apologize to you," I began softly, my voice filled with sincere regret. "It wasn't right what I threw at you. I'm grateful for what you've done for me and what you're still doing for me."

He pulled me closer, and for a precious moment, his arms wrapped around me as if he wanted to protect me. Then he gave me a hurried kiss on the forehead, leaving me with mixed feelings.

"Go now," he suddenly said and got into the car. I stood there, watching the car until it was out of sight. Loneliness surrounded me, and reality hit me with full force. Seiya was gone forever, and Diamond had also left me here. I wiped the tears from my cheeks with my sleeve. Diamond was right; I wouldn't have been able to bear the mass of reporters and grieving fans.

As soon as I boarded the yacht, we set sail. The cold sea breeze surrounded me, and I decided to retreat below deck. In my cabin, I took out my phone, grateful that I at least had reception. My fingers trembled slightly as I composed the messages.

Can you explain what's going on with Yaten? He can't just go to the press like that! It was chaos in front of my house. I'll be out of town for a few days. send to Mina. I'll be out of town for a few days. The whole commotion is too much for me. Thanks for being there earlier, would have loved to eat the noodles. send to Mamoru. Can we please talk calmly tomorrow? send to Taiki.

I considered whether to write to Yaten as well but decided against it. He was still too upset. Then I curled up in the bed and tried to find some peace.