Eternal Melody

A few hours later, at Rosette hotel.

Tetsuo arrived at the ball on time and scanned his surroundings. It

seems like the people he is supposed to look out for haven't arrived yet.

For now, he ought to. He paused in mid-sentence when he saw a woman with brunette-colored hair wearing a purple colored off the shoulder dress.

Sumire? Despite being far away, he couldn't mistake that color combination. Didn't Yuhi say this is a place where those hostile to her may gather, so what is she doing walking into enemy territory so boldly?

A trap, at least it felt like one to him. Unlike his other team members, he deliberately tries to avoid getting close to Ibuki Sumire. However, it seems like Yuhi has seen through that.

'Why is he even allowing me an opportunity to get close to her?'

Thankfully the girl hadn't noticed him yet, and he had no intention of letting her see him. He already regretted his behavior from the previous day. He did not know what possessed him to ask her out on a drive.

'I have already regained my senses. I will not do it again.'

"Isn't that Ibuki Sumire?"

"Somebody talk to her."

"No way, no way. I tried, and she coldly rejected me with a smile."

"Che, she is acting high and mighty. But when those people come here, will she act calm?"

"Right, I can't wait to see her crawl and beg. Maybe we can have some fun with her then."

So, this is the reason why Yuhi asked him and not Kou. Kou could easily do this job too. Unlike his companion, he will not overreact if somebody bad-mouths Sumire. It certainly isn't pleasant to hear, but it would be worse if he overreacted.

"But she sure is pretty; look at that smooth hair and smooth skin. How would it feel if I touched it?"

Tetsuo almost dropped the cup of wine in his hands, hearing those words. Do these people have zero morals? What kind of vulgar topic are they discussing right now?

"Hey, I have an idea."

Unfortunately, he could not overhear the rest since they were whispering. 'Those people have bad intentions. After all, I'll have to watch over her at a closer range.'

Tetsuo scanned the room and found her exiting and heading over to the gardens. "Pardon me. I was just curious why the leading lady would leave the banquet so easily."

".."

"Perhaps are you not feeling well?" Tetsuo asked, concerned.

Sumire shakes her head, "It's not that."

"Then, could it have something to do with Ichinose-san?"

At that comment, she flinches, causing him to chuckle. "Sumire-san, you are quite obvious as usual. Would you like to share your problem with me if you don't mind?"

Sumire averted her gaze. "Honestly, I feel quite awkward speaking about this with you and the others."

Tetsuo smiles. "Indeed, it's not a topic you can easily bring up in front of the others. But you can say it in front of me."

"That's true."

In the end, she sat down crouched on the ground while he leaned on the wall beside her. It did not take long before Sumire confines in him.

"I see, so that's it. But is it not normal?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Because you also made a promise to Ichinose about your singing. It's only natural. It would also reflect."

"I, back then, thought that I just wanted everyone to hear my song. But after Yuhi disappeared from my life, even that thought vanished. Hino said that recently I haven't been having fun when I'm singing, and I also noticed that. I'm sure the fans did too. I can't sing bright songs without Yuhi around, but I don't mind if people don't listen to my songs anymore. I only want one person to listen."

He remembers something Mamoru-san said before; he said that for Sumire, singing is her lifeline. Without it, she would cease to exist.

Tetsuo reached over and patted her hair at those words, causing her eyes to go wide. "Alright, I've heard it loud and clear. Your feelings."

"Tetsuo?"

"Truthfully speaking, I haven't been worried at all, unlike the other two. Sumire-san, you without a doubt only love Yuhi, and what you'd rather see now is the colors of the wind, not a seven-colored melody."

"Wai-" Sumire looked offended for being exposed. "H-how come you know?"

It's reflected quite clearly in your singing, you know? I wonder if the other two were distracted by the seven-colored lights. But I can see it. I'm sure the others do too. What do you really want, Sumire-san?" Tetsuo chuckled.

"You really do have some impressive confidence." She mumbles. "But I can't deny anything."

"Indeed I do. Sumire-san, I'm sure by now you have a lot of things you want to say to Yuhi, right?"

"A lot, it's true that whenever he is busy and comes home late. I end up suppressing my emotions but cannot convey them through words."

That's right, that is something he has noticed, too. Even now, she still finds herself clumsily tripping over her own words when it concerns matters of the heart.

But that is fine too; it's not easy to convey emotions.

"Then are there not any other means to convey it?" Tetsuo trails of.

"What's that camera for?"

"Ah this? I was thinking of taking some pictures today. Anyone can press the shutter button to release on the camera. But what's important is how you feel and what you choose as your subject. I want to see other worlds with my own eyes. The land, air, the sea, the daily lives of people living in different places. Their facial expressions, their emotions. I want to see everything over there, and while I'm filled with the brim of these thoughts, I press the shutter.

Joy, anger, fear, loneliness, and sorrow. Through the lens of the camera, emotions and conflicts are revealed. These pictures that allow me to express myself are the best moments that define me."

"I see. Didn't that just answer my question?"

"Ah."

"You know, from the very moment I listened to your songs, there was something I understood. Although you need all those factors to compose your songs, the meaning behind what you sing is different. Truthfully speaking, we met each other before you became our composer. " Her eyes went wide at that comment, "But at the same time, it's like we didn't meet at all."

Yes, it was long before he saw her in the book shop. It took him a while to understand the Sumire he met, and the Ibuki Sumire from the elite circle was the same person.

"At my relatives funeral?"

"Yes. That was the first time I looked at you, although only from a distance. You gave off a strong and dignified air then. Up until then, I had imagined you as a child as beautiful, strong, and dignified. That's why when you became our composer, I was surprised."

Her sweat dropped at that comment. "Because I wasn't like you imagined?"