"I will never leave you alone. That is my promise to you as the student council president, as the captain of our basketball club and as the emperor of your heart. I, Akashi Seijuro, promise to never leave you. "
...
Momoi Chiharu is bland, unsociabl...
"Chi-channn?" questioned Satsuki as she answered her phone.
There was silence and then a small sniffle. Satsuki knew something was wrong. Chiharu had always been quiet, independent and kept to herself but she had never cried let alone sniffled. Satsuki's nose wrinkled. The only person who could have caused such a thing was Akashi.
"Chiharu, what is it?" Satsuki asked again, her voice softening.
Chiharu was quiet for a second before replying, "I miss home."
Satsuki knew there was something more to it but Chiharu did not say and Satsuki did not push for it. She was eager to comfort her twin and quickly replied, "Come home for the weekend."
---
Chiharu sat in the middle compartment of a bullet train travelling from Kyoto to Tokyo. Too many things had happened in the past week and she rubbed her eyes, tired from her lack of sleep. Scrolling through her phone, she looked through her photo gallery, pausing at the sight of three happy girls.
Emi, Alex and her.
They were all smiling and she remembered how she first met them.
...
"Chiharu! Watch out!"
Chiharu looked up only to see a basketball come flying at her head. The ball hit the side of her face and she dropped the book she was holding. Her legs buckled and she fell over.
"Oh my goodness, we're so sorry!" the voices exclaimed, getting closer to her. Chiharu opened her eyes to see two American girls looking down at her.
"Are you ok, Chiharu?" a brunette girl asked her with one hand stretched out to help her up. Chiharu recognised this girl as someone who sat behind her in class.
Chiharu put one hand on her head, moving it down so that it cradled her throbbing cheek.
"I'm ok," she replied quietly.
She looked up at her classmate, ready to take her hand. But as Chiharu moved she saw flashes of light.
She heard the voices and saw the faces of those who had tormented her in middle school. She heard their sneers and saw their grins and understood how it was all directed at her. They were going to hurt her and she deserved it. It was her fault she was with Akashi. It was her fault she was being bullied. It was her fault-
"Hey are you sure you're ok?" her classmate repeated with concern.
Chiharu's vision focused and she saw the two girls who had nothing but concern for her. Her cheeks felt wet and her breathing rapid and heavy. Chiharu realised she had been hyperventilating.
The other girl had blonde hair, pink spectacles and seemed quite a bit older than her classmate. She squatted next to Chiharu and gave her a warm smile. "My name is Alex. Why don't you come play some ball with us? It'll cheer you up!"
Although Chiharu wasn't the sportiest girl, the kindness of both girls compelled her to agree. Little did she know that these girls would become her best friends and begin to heal the holes in her heart.
...
Emi and Alex never asked what had caused Chiharu's panic attacks. They never asked why she had decided to come to the US. These details didn't matter to them. To Chiharu they were her first and most trusted friends in America.
Scrolling even further down her photo gallery, Chiharu paused at another photo that pictured Akashi and her in front of a grand piano.
...
Akashi unlocked the front door and held it open for Chiharu.
"Come in," he said, "You are my guest. Don't be afraid."
Chiharu looked nervously at the entrance of the grand mansion. She knew that Akashi came from a well-off family but she didn't realise his family would be this well-off.
As she entered through the front door and took off her shoes, she was greeted by a friendly, old man in a butler's uniform.
Fuji had worked in the Akashi Manor since he was a little boy. Now as an aged man, he made sure to always trim his beard and straighten his suit to be fitting to serve the Akashi household. He was proud to memorise the schedules of both the Master and the Young Master and had supported the young master ever since the Madam had passed away.
As always he had already prepared his Young Master's favourite tea and snacks in his room. What he least expected was to see the Young Master enter the house and hold the door for a young classmate with him.
His eyes shone when he saw the couple and he had already made a checklist of snacks and beverages he would prepare for the young guest.
"Young Master welcome home." Fuji bowed towards Akashi and Akashi nodded his head in reply. The butler then turned to face Chiharu with a warm smile, "Young Miss, welcome to the Akashi household."
As Akashi led Chiharu inside, Fuji turned to rush towards the kitchen. He instructed the chef to stop preparation for dinner and make additional snacks for the guest.
Fuji was excited.
Since the Madam passed away, there were rarely any visitors to the household.
As Fuji brought a tray of an assortment of snacks and beverages up the stairs of the mansion, he heard the sound of music from far away. He quickened his steps to find the source, stopping outside the door of the music room.
The music room was rarely used anymore but had been carefully preserved by Fuji. It had been the Madam's favourite pastime to play the piano in this room.
As Fuji heard the harmony of music that came from beyond the door, he could feel his heart warm up and tears forming at the edges of his eyes.
Symphony #5 Beethoven. That had been the Madam's favourite piece.
...
Chiharu found herself smiling at the photo.
Fuji had sneakily taken it the first time she had entered the Akashi household.
She remembered how Akashi had shared a bit about his mother and how Beethoven's Symphony #5 had a special place in his heart. He had initiated the melody on his violin and invited her to follow up on the piano.
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Once they had finished, Fuji had entered the room, clapping his hands with tears in his eyes. Fuji would then become one of her closest confidants and someone she had missed dearly when she had left for America.
Chiharu looked up as the automated announcement from the train played around her.
"The next stop is Tokyo. This train terminates here. Please alight at Tokyo."
Chiharu had begun to cheer up as she remembered old memories. She was excited to see Satsuki and her parents and she couldn't wait to go to Tokyo.
She messaged Satsuki quickly, informing her that she would arrive soon.
Satsuki messaged back equally as fast.
[Chi-chan, I hope you're ready to meet some old friends! We're going to visit the Generation of Miracles.]
