Eternal Melody

SUMIRE

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Sumire laughed lightly. "Indeed, it is strange. I was worried about him going out a lot because of that. However, Hino spun the tale and simply said he is just more mature than most kids."

"Uh and that excuse worked?"

"Well, it had to. It's better than saying I gave birth at thirteen not sixteen. Sixteen already looks bad."

Miya sighed. "We live in such a judgemental society."

Seeing Satomi and Kyoko's eyelids drooping. Sumire picked them both up as she placed them in the crib. It didn't take long before they fell asleep.

'I'd take them upstairs. But, I don't want to leave them alone in a dark room.'

Huan peeked through the door. "Mom, Mom. The doorbell keeps ringing."

Sumire tilted her head puzzled. The doorbell? Did Toh forget his keys? He did leave abruptly. Still, she ought to remain cautious.

She pulled Huan into the room and kissed his forehead. "Alright my precious. Stay here with Aunt Miya okay?"

"Sumire?" Miya said worriedly. 𝘣𝑒𝘥𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝑙．𝘤𝘰𝘮

"It's probably Toh. But, just in case."

Miya nodded. "Alright, if your not back here in five minutes. I'll call the SF."

Sumire mumbled a quick thanks before rushing off. She walked down the hallway and the minute she did, she felt a familiar sensation. Ah, it's the same malice that she felt from the concert. H-how did they find this place? Did they really follow them after the show? But, she didn't sense them.

She takes a deep breath and walks over to the cabinets and takes out her gun. Alright, she can do this. It's fine. Sumire walked over towards the door and casually opened it.

"Did you really think you could catch-" Sumire stopped in mid-sentence when she saw who was standing at the door.

It was a guy wearing a grey coloured hoddie, a keychain with her face dangling in the guys pocket. A keychain with a signboard with her signature. Ah-

This isn't fair at all.

How can she fight now? Sumire dropped the gun and right at that moment the guy stepped forward.

"Hello, do you remember me? I don't think you would do, a woman like you who lives on a lie."

The doors opened revealing Huan who immediately rushed over to stand in front of her. Sumire shook her head as she pulled her son back. "I know who you are."

This person is one of her long time fans, perhaps she can reason with them?

She watched as his gaze dimmed and fell onto Huan. The hostile aura around him seemed to grow. It seems reasoning isn't going to work.

"If you know who I am then you should know why I'm here! How dare you give birth to kids! How dare you abandon your fans like that?" He yelled.

Sumire bit her lip. Was he always like this? He seemed a lot gentler and supportive. Then again she understands what it looks like to fans. By giving birth not just once but again, it's the same as throwing her career away, the same as abandoning her fans. Idols belong to the fans, for them to worship. While she doesn't agree with that mindset, she understands how society has taught others to think that way. She needs to-

Seeing the knife in his hands, her eyes widened alarmed as he charged forward. She felt a spark of power in the air and turned to see Huan desperately trying to move the knife away. But it did no good. Soon there was a sharp pain in her abdomen.

Sumire clutched her bleeding abdomen. She was stabbed in a vital spot, and the blood spread faster.

It turns out she does have more than one weakness.

The people she loves and those who have supported her this entire time.

"Mom! Mom!" Huan exclaimed loudly.

She weakly shook her head. "Little one, I'm okay." Sumire said weakly.

It hurts, it hurts a lot. This is the first time she has been stabbed. Her demon Princess title in the underworld isn't a joke. Nobody has ever gotten close enough to hurt her before.

"Your a liar! Liar! Your a slut, you have so many guys around you. How many more children are you going to have? How many more times will you betray us? How can you claim to love us when you willingly give birth to these bastards!"

"You're Umi-kun right? Houjo Umi." Sumire said.

Umi froze. "How do you know-"

Sumire laughed weakly. "How can I not know? You have been supporting me from the very beginning. You told me my voice was different from the rest, how I have the power to bring joy and happiness through my songs. It made me really happy to hear that. I never thought I'd bring joy to anyone, you see all my life. I've always been seen and treated as a curse. So those words meant more to me than you think."

Umi remains silent.

"You know, whenever I feel down. I'd look over the letters you sent me, I've even framed some of your encouraging words in the living room. Umi-kun, I haven't seen you in awhile. Are you still attending classes? I hope you are. You should make as many memories as you can while your still young."

Sumire extended her hand out towards him. "You look a bit pale. I hope you have been eating. I'm glad you came to see me."

She hears a scream behind her and turned to see a horrified looking Miya. Sumire immediately pushed Huan towards Miya.

"Sumi-"

Sumire shakes her head as she continued to step closer to Umi. "Did you come to the concert? I hope you liked the new song. I made it with all my fans in mind."

At those words she sees drops of tears fall from Umi's eyes. He was looking at her in shock and the blood. He glanced at the knife and then stabbed her again.

"I-I can't accept you with children, I just can't-"

Umi screamed and rushed out of the front door. The moment he left she walked back over to Huan. She only got a few steps forward before slumping against the cabinet. Huan rushed over alongside Miya.

"Mom! Mom!"

Sumire weakly caressed Huan's cheeks with her bloody hands. "Little one, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Sumire pulled the boy into her arms.

"Hello? Is this the SF? This is Shizune Miya. There's been an accident. Yes, it's Ibuki Sumire's current living residence.

Please call an ambulance along the way. She's been stabbed twice. It's a vital spot, please hurry!" She hears Miya's frantic yelling.

Huan was completely frozen in her arms.

"M-Mom..M-mom."

"I'm still here little one. It's alright. I'm sorry you had to see that. I've been doing my best to protect you this entire time. But I let my guard down. Mom is really bad, I've made so many enemies and I am always putting you and your siblings in danger. I've thought time and time again to send you away, but I just can't do it. The moment you and your siblings were born. No," Sumire shook her head. "The moment I learned I was carrying you, I felt so incredibly happy. I love you so much."

She rummaged through her pocket. That's right, she has to call Yuhi-san. She wants to hear him praise her and tell her that she did a good job, to hear him say that he loves her.

Sumire's eyelids dropped and her consciousness faded.

_______________

USA. At the airport. 12pm.

YUHI

Yuhi exhaled deeply. Geez that Takeyama, he really is over doing it. He has been jumping from one state, country all week. He is beyond exhausted. Just one more place, and then he can go back to his normal routine. He misses calling Sumire often. There is still some time before his flight.

His gaze fell on his phone. Her concert should have ended a while ago. Is she still busy? Yuhi recalled the cup he dropped an hour ago. What's with that bad omen.

"Breaking news from Japan. A popular star, Ibuki Sumire-san, from Star records has been stabbed. An hour ago, after she returned from her concert. One of her fans followed her home, and stabbed her. When the police rushed over, Ibuki-san was in critical condition. Ibuki-san's friend and her eldest son Tsueno Huan were on the scene. She was transferred to Nagawa General hospital, and the operation is still in progress. She was stabbed twice in her abdomen."

Yuhi froze in his tracks. What? What is that supposed to mean-

'Yuhi-san, no matter how late. I will call you after my concert! I want to hear you praise me.'

With trembling hands he tried calling Sumire's number, at first there wasn't an answer. But on the third ring there was, however the one who answered wasn't his wife but Hino. He felt the blood in his body drain and glanced back at the TV report.

"Hino? Just now, on the news-"

"I'm sorry Yuhi."

*Unedited*