Eternal Melody

Yuhi looked up, and their gaze briefly met. "I didn't think I would catch you staring."

Sumire felt heat creep onto her face. "I was just thinking that you really are too kind; even now, that hasn't changed."

Even now, there is an aura of kindness around this person. Moreover, she felt her heartbeat increase. The feelings she no longer wants to acknowledge are still there.

"You're the kind one, aren't you?"

T--thats, she looked down. "You know that isn't true."

It isn't true. Because never once has her actions made anyone happy. Even now, she still doesn't understand why they all stay by her side. Why do they all still remain kind to her? Even when she's like this.

"Hey," Yuhi said, breaking her thoughts. "Do you know the meaning of being weak? It's people who always say, "I can't." Those kinds of people don't necessarily mean they "can't," but they just don't."

Her eyes widened when she heard those words. Those words are familiar to her because it is something she had told him before.

Yuhi hands her the violin. "You're not like that at all, Sumire. But I'll admit that you probably are still fragile in more ways than one. Well, that can't be helped. Isn't it human nature to cry?"

It feels like she told him something like this a long time ago.

Far away, huh? Does that mean that even now, there's still distance? She wonders about it, wonders if maybe that's something she ought to change. Or maybe she ought to leave it alone.

She fingers the violin string that Yuhi just put on. He positions himself behind her again.

"This string really is pretty. Where did you get it?"

"That shall remain a secret until you get to Tokyo."

"Eh? What's with that. It sounds suspicious."

"Tokyo is a suspicious place. Especially in the yakuza business. It's not like here, and the people aren't exactly what you'd call nice at times. Though the higher members are nice, those below tend to be filled with greed and jealousy. It's quite a shady society."

As Sumire listens to his warning, she notices his hand moving slightly and yet hesitating somewhat. " So you're saying I won't be ready for it?".

"That'll depend on you, wouldn't it?"

"Eh, how cruel? You're not going to watch over me, Partner."

At that, she placed her hand on top of his; she could hear how surprised he was.

She shuts her eyes. "Yeah. I'd like it again if that would happen. Suppose we can be partners again. Back then, all I thought about was getting stronger. I had to get stronger; otherwise, my weak side would show. For such a long time, that's the only thing that was on my mind. Until I met you, it suddenly became fun and a lot more enjoyable. It was fun for me."

At that comment, he suddenly spun her around so she was now facing him; he leaned forward and brushed his lips against her neck as he whispered his next words ever so quietly. Before she could even respond, though, soon Yuhi was no longer in sight.

She placed her hand on her neck, where his lips were just a few seconds ago. Even now, she could still feel the remains of that cool breath tingling against her. What an idiot. But her gaze lands on the moonlight skies; it really does seem as though she will carry on being surrounded by them.

....

Sumire snapped out of her daze when Hino asked. "Did you meet with Yuhi before your performance?"

"You didn't allow him to come to see me?"

"It's more like he had plans with his girlfriend then. I say plans, but I think he was planning on dumping her. He must have gone to you right after."

Sumire recalled his behavior, and her sweat fell. Yuhi-san subtly flirting with her right after a break-up? Then again, she flirted back, so it was her fault too. Back then, she felt troubled about many things, but her main concern, after all, was Ru's condition. She worried about it for so long, and the theme for the final selection bothered her.

As Ru's girlfriend that time, it should have been natural for her to perform for Ru. But when she first saw the theme, the first person's face that came to mind was Yuhi. During that time, he kept releasing songs about her, and as his fan, she listened to it.

The more she listened, the more her desire to see him grew. 'Even now, this person still likes me, then perhaps-' She entertained the thought of running to him. But those thoughts were short-lived when she recalled the sight of Ru on the hospital bed.

How could she possibly leave him alone? How could she abandon him after everything he did for her.

"Yuhi returned to Tokyo shortly after." Hino trailed off. "I was surprised he came alone. After all, he seemed determined to confess."

"He didn't confess, or perhaps-" Sumire thought back to the sensation of his lips that grazed her neck. "I wonder if that was a confession.

Hino sighed. "You two are such a strange couple. Why do I have to listen to this?"

"Does it upset you to listen to it? You told San that I am a cruel woman who openly shares their romantic moments in front of people I like, right?"

At those words, Hino flinched; he looked very troubled. "You know I only said that so he would back away."

"I think you should give up on that already. San is very stubborn. In his mind, he has already decided that he likes me, so he won't change his mind easily."

That's right, just like how he stubbornly insisted that to justify his cheating, just like he decided to break up with her in the cruelest way possible.

Hino slides an envelope onto the counter in front of her. "He told me to pass this onto you. This is the results of the investigation regarding your family's accident."

"Ah he works fast."