Itsuki didn't realize how much time had passed since he spent it on the lake and trying his best to finish his composition. Much to his surprise, he actually did despite his mind being in pieces because of so many thoughts lingering around.

"I can't believe I did it…" he muttered as he went over his latest composition.

To be honest, he could only look at it, feeling unsure of what to think about his finished piece. This wasn't the first time he actually felt this way about his composition, especially recently finished ones. But there was only one particular topic or theme in his composition that he felt anxious about.

The compositions he had about the little girl in his dreams. He would always talk about certain moments in those compositions that he wanted the girl to know.

To find her.

To save her.

To protect her.

To let her live.

All those frustrations that he had for being unable to do all that in his dreams were vented out in each of those compositions. He always had this aim to let those compositions reach her in some way, though he had no idea how. Many times, it would drive him crazy that he couldn't. Not to mention, he wasn't aware if that little girl actually existed or not.

A ringing from a phone startled Itsuki, prompting him to stop his musings and take out the phone from his pocket. He couldn't help frowning as he did so since he wasn't expecting any call. That frown deepened as he saw the name Kuraki Makoto on the Caller ID flashed on the screen.

"That's rare. When was the last time he actually called me?" he couldn't help asking himself as he continued looking at the ringing phone.

It wasn't unusual that he had that name registered on his contacts because Makoto actually said to him that he'd call one of these days so he shouldn't delete it. The man tried to connect with Itsuki and Erika, even when the Hoshiyama siblings' parents died. Makoto was Itsuki's father's former piano student. Makoto quit after some time to focus on studying history under one of the famous historians by the name Taiga Mitsuharu.

That was when he froze at the sudden realization. Didn't Hideoki mention a while back that Helen's guardian was someone named Taiga Mitsuharu?

"Urgh! Why didn't I listen fully when people would tell me important things?" he mumbled in frustration and even scratched the back of his head. But it wouldn't change anything, anyway.

He would have to deal with the consequences later on.

In the end, he decided to answer that call since it had been a long time and it was a rare chance, after all.

"Hello? Makoto-san?"

"Wow! You actually kept my contact number. That's amazing!" The man chuckled, which only made the composer smile. "This is a surprise, to be honest. I actually thought you would forget about what I said to you."

"You're strange right from the start for me. But that doesn't mean I would forget a talented pianist and a good friend who stuck with us, especially when my sister and I needed it," Itsuki said, his tone serious.

Then he heard the man chuckle on the other line once again. But he could tell that it wasn't a mocking kind. It could be amusement, but he wasn't sure. At least, it wasn't something condescending.

"I'm glad to hear that, coming from you," Makoto responded. "By the way, how have things been in your new home since I left? Life's been faring well for you and your sister?"

"Makoto-san, that was ten years ago already. And you said you were leaving us to a man who was every bit as righteous and strict as my dad. Erika and I trusted you that day. What do you think happened after that?"

"Well, I want to hear the answer straight from you. And it's for the best if you actually do that."

It didn't take a while for Itsuki to come up with a reply. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Life has fared well for me and my sister ever since living with Hideoki-san. It was hard trying to move on with our lives after that tragedy. But he stayed with us all the way. We got to continue our passion and hobbies. He didn't stop us when we decided to chase them and aim higher. Now… both my sister and I think that we couldn't think of anyone else that we can entrust our dreams with other than Hideoki-san and Nanami-san."

The composer doesn't usually speak of his fondness and adoration towards Hideoki and Nanami to anyone at all. But Kuraki Makoto wasn't just anyone to him. The man was his father's former student who entrusted him and Erika to Mizuhashi Hideoki that one fateful day after the tragedy ten years ago. And he knew he would eternally be grateful to the man who made it happen.

"By the way, what made you decide to call after such a long time? I already thought you forgot about us," Itsuki joked after asking.

Makoto laughed before answering. "I wasn't too busy these days since I managed to finish all that I needed to do after my mentor's death. Which reminds me…" The man paused that made the composer frown. "What do you think of Tennouji Helen?"

His eyes widened at the question before frowning. Without a doubt, that question had caught him off-guard. Of all the questions, did Makoto really have to ask that to him? And seriously, he wasn't sure how to answer that question at all, considering his unexplained irritation to the said girl.

Though before he could ask more about the reason, Itsuki soon heard a click on the other line, followed by a busy tone.

"Hello? Makoto-san? Hello? Are you still there?" he repeatedly asked. No answer came.

He looked at his phone with a deeper frown this time.

"I wonder what happened…"

That click he heard indicated that the call got abruptly cut. But why?

Series of explosions soon resonated in the area, and Itsuki rashly faced its presumed direction. His eyes widened when he realized where it was.

"Cell towers… There were several phone towers and cell towers around that area."

Around that time, his Celestial Shifter started beeping. And he then came to a conclusion as to what had caused the explosions.

"Could it be that the Tareans are attacking again?"

He took out his Celestial Shifter and checked on the situation itself using that. He could only clench his fist at the sight that greeted him from that holographic monitor.

xxxxxx

Here's to a new daily update of this story. Doing this is actually more doable for me who couldn't stick to doing super long episodes like this. At least, I'm succeeding on doing this on small chunks at a time.