Eternal Melody

There was still some time before the concert. Yuhi didn’t want to return to the venue right away, so he returned to the bar.

Yuhi found Sumire’s’ extra’ copy of Hamlet, laying down on the ground in his chambers. Thus he slumped down on the couch downstairs the bar as he read through it. It was something he had read once before, but he never bothered to read it for a purpose. 

Thus the words he read did not register in his brain; instead, it faded like a firework. However, now it was different; he was going to read it properly. 

Although he said that stuff about her acting brave only when she quotes Shakespeare, if he thought about it carefully, perhaps he already identified the meaning then.

‘With that mind, perhaps there is no meaningless misfortune’. 

She truly is a fool; he thought so before. But this t confirms far too much for his liking. At the end between the two of them, is there truly a connection?

Although they had ‘connected’ through the girl’s marbles several times, Yuhi noticed they only connected whenever she has nightmares. Such nightmares would leave anyone feeling rather suffocated.

“I can guess what’s on your mind.”

His thoughts break upon when he spotted Yamaguchi Ryou make his way over. It surprised him when he found EMMAS number two in the bar, but the man was busy speaking to Atushi when he came. He overheard bits and pieces of their conversation and indirectly gave advice.

Yuhi sighed. “Well, it’s just a thought, and you might as well mix it up so you would all be able to participate.”

Ryou smiles. “Your that thoughtful, huh? How unexpected.” 

“I suppose.”

“But still Hamlet huh? I didn’t pin you for the Shakespeare fan.”

“I’m not,” Yuhi admitted. However, he and Sumire shared many interests, like their favorite books, and read the same material. But on this matter, he would have to disagree. “Sumire left this behind, and she often quotes from it.” He tosses another book to the table.” She often quotes from this too.”

“The Tempest?”

Yuhi raised his eyebrows when he sensed Ryou’s confusion. “You don’t know this one?  The setting is on a remote island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place and skillfully manipulates the situation. He conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to lure his usurping brother Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to the island. 

There, his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio’s lowly nature, the redemption of the King, and the marriage of Miranda to Alonso’s son, Ferdinand. It starts as a tragedy but ends peacefully. In, the end everything is forgiven, it’s forgotten almost as if it was just a passing by memory.”

“A tragedy and a story of forgiveness, huh? I see Ibuki-chan has  a strange perspective on life.”

Even this guy noticed that. He supposes anyone who spends time with Sumire has more likely gotten caught up in her Shakespeare quotes. However, that time he said it. That he wouldn’t live his life like a script, he shuts his eyes as he recalls the words he said that day.

‘You are doing what you shouldn’t have, and aren’t doing as you should have. Because you are always relying  on someone else’s script, you are wrong.’

He went ahead and said something brave like that.

But he has not acted on it. Indeed it seems as though, ever since that incident happened. Ever since then, all he could do is stand by her side. When one wants to start something when one wants to change, what is the first thing to do?

The current him is unable to understand what action he should take next without anybody getting hurt. Yuhi briefly closed his eyes and opened them again.

“Hamlet’s mistake is that he believed in something like a ghost that doesn’t exist.” Yuhi took a deep breath. 

“By believing in something outside the norm, he already lost any chance of returning to normal society. Those are just delusions imagined by the living. Once you’re dead, that’s it. The dead don’t return, nor do they hear our wishes. It’s all an illusion. The things you forgot to say or say are regrets they desperately want the dead to hear. They regret it to the point they become delusional.”

“Do you not believe in ghosts or spirits?” Ryou asked.

“They regret to the point they create images in their mind to the point they start projecting those things into reality.” 

“No, you make a point there. Because it is something people want since it is something they strongly desire. That’s why it becomes real. That in itself isn’t exactly wrong, and even if it is a mere illusion to others, it holds meaning. That’s what you were trying to get at.” Ryou said.

  Yuhi doesn’t say anything in response and merely rolls to the other side on the couch so that nobody could see his face.

“I think you’re able to see it too, Terashima, the same things as she does. If that’s so, then perhaps I can help delay Atsuros request.”

Yuhi sighed when he heard those words. “It is up to Sumire. Besides, she said she would accept it, wouldn’t she?”

“Only because our leader is very pushy. To be honest, while I admire her skills, right now, I do not think Sumire-chan should compose for us.”

Yuhi sat up then. “What do you mean?”

“Did Sumire-chan tell you how she met me last year?”

“No.”

“It was during the time Tsueno Mamoru went on a dangerous job. Sumire-chan got a bad feeling and rushed to the place. But the ones who employed him at the time stopped her from assisting. When I found her, she was very restless, but she still tried to force a smile. I knew it was not the right time to approach her about being our composer, so I tried to get to know her instead.”

Yuhi felt like he already knew where this story would go. But he didn’t stop Yamaguchi from speaking. 

“Back then, even though her main priority was Tsueno, I learned what I had to. There is something special about this girl, but she lacks the confidence and love for herself for her to take any proper actions. When Tsueno got injured badly, I saw her break down badly. For the first time, I thought there is somebody I want to help.”

“And?”

“The current her cannot handle more than one person’s love right now, let alone those who respect her as a musician. That is why Terashima, I will convince Atsuro to back down.”

“What is the catch?” Even if Yamaguchi Ryou says all that stuff about Sumire, there is still something wrong with this situation.