Music of the Night

Chapter 73

Chapter 73

'Do not go gentle into that good night...Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.' 

Arthur was mentally reciting the poem his has learnt from his dad to calm him down. He was nervous about meeting Mizuchi's family since he knew he can't see his own reflection to tell whether or not his social cues were appropriate.

"Are we there yet?" Arthur asked, puffing out his fluffy white chest. He hoped he could make a good impression as he doesn't want any conflict. He felt Mizuchi's paw grasping his two fingers, curling them.

He sensed she was nervous as well.

"Almost there, Arthur," she whispered, steering him as they walked. Oh, Arthur wished he could fly soon because he had some thoughts about taking her somewhere. A place where they could have tea, the sound of pencil scratching paper and indecipherable noises coming from the trees.

Mizuchi noticed Arthur's stiff posture, poking his ear gently to assure him. She decided to wear her red dress with some matching boots since they are going to a posh restaurant. The harlequin rabbit felt proud of her choice of outfit for Arthur to make him look presentable.

Of course, most of the adults paid no heed to their direction since they looked like a herbivore presenting their kindness onto a blind animal.

When they both stepped inside, Arthur could detect several musical instruments being played, the clinking of cutleries and glass, and the wafting smell of delicious food being rolled on a cart. He straightened his ears and folded his wings tight to his body.

"So...this is the Arthur we have heard about?" a shrill voice sneered. Arthur assumed that to be Mizuchi's mother. "You're five minutes late, Mizuchi. I thought I told you to be on time?"

Arthur would love to tell her mother off but he doesn't want to cause any trouble in public. So, he hoped to steer her mother from reprimanding her even further.

Politely, the Honduran white bat bowed his head. "Hello. Do forgive me if we are late since my wings are a bit big when I walk. Please don't scold her as I wouldn't have got here without her."

There was a pause. He felt Mizuchi tightening her grip on his wing. He wanted nothing more that to hold her in his embrace. Despite being blind, even he knew that embracing her in front of her family would cause an uproar.

He sat at his designated seats, his ears picking up conversations amongst the family. 

"Ew, it's a bat! Don't they carry disease?"

"What's up with his eyes? He's blind! Mizuchi, I thought you said blind animals will die first?"

"So our big sister really is dating a bat?"

Now, this made Arthur's ears pin back. Sure, he and Mizuchi had come a long way in their relationship but her family has no right to insult her at the table. In a public dining area on top of that!

"Oh yes, I am a bat. A Honduran white bat even if I can't tell what colour I am," Arthur jumped into the conversation quickly. "And yes, I am blind since I was born and I am very much capable of performing tasks just like any other animal. Well, shall we order then?"

All of the harlequin rabbits at the table were stunned by the bat. As if their words really deflected off him and turned into something positive. Regardless, all bats are deemed abnormal not just physically but mentally as well.

Mizuchi wanted nothing more than to kiss Arthur for trying to steer away her family conversation. 

Since she was sitting opposite him, she can't really whisper what's on the menu to him. It was as if her family had planned this before that dreaded message she received. However, she was impressed when the waiter approached her boyfriend, Arthur simply asked if there is anything with cheese and to his delight, there was something called a Croque Monsier.