Tomoe's hair was a mess and she looked really tired, quite worse for wear. I fight every urge in my body to be angered at myself for causing this and instead direct my emotions towards my desire to make things right. Tomoe's eyes light up as she yanks me into the house then tosses me onto the couch.
"Where have you been?! Why did you quit CiRCLE?! What have you been doing?! Why's Ako acting like this?!" Tomoe bombards me with questions as I look down. This is my fault no matter how you slice it.
"You can beat me to high hell after I tell you, just please promise that you'll listen until I'm done." I say and Tomoe stands there for a bit before she nods. I take a deep breath and continue.
"I've been trying to make amends with Pastel Palettes and Roselia while also looking for Sayo... she's been missing for several days now... I quit CiRCLE because I messed up... and I still don't have the courage to face Yukina... Ako... it's my fault... I didn't give her an answer... then I disappeared into a slump of self-hatred... and Ako broke up with me..." I say.
"Hey, wait a moment, it's not entirely your fault, Roselia... broke up..." Lisa urgently chimes in.
"What?! When?! Wait... Ako in a slump, you're only helping me and Sayo is on the run... okay... I can see that..." I say.
"It's not completely your guys fault either... I... I really messed up..." Tomoe grimly says... Wait... I remember Ako's words from when I bumped into her yesterday.
"I... don't need... to be like... Onee-chan... Anymore..."
"What did you tell her Tomoe?" I ask.
"I kept congratulating her for everything she's been getting so good at... she's already better than me as a drummer, and is more self-sufficient with her work... so... I said... she didn't need me to look after her anymore... and... and..." Tomoe's eyes start tearing up until she starts weeping into her hands like how a mother had lost her child. In the desperation of the situation I quickly wrap my arms around Tomoe, startling her.
"Shhhh... Just let it all out..." Tomoe keeps crying as I keep an eye on her and do everything in my power to not look at Hina, Lisa or Alisa as to not distract myself.
"Th-Thank you... for coming back... Everyone has been so worried about you..." Tomoe tells me. I guess EVERYONE has been worried about me, just great. I have to keep my will strong though, for everyone.
"I'll make this right, and I won't give up until I do. I... I have an idea... of how to save Ako." I state.
"H-how?! Please tell me?! Can I help?!" Tomoe exclaims and I place my hand on her head to calm her down.
"Anyone we can borrow a keyboard from?" I ask. Suddenly I hear the door to the house open, I quickly look over to see that Mr. and Ms. Udagawa have returned home.
"I didn't know we had guests." Ms. Udagawa says with a voice void of energy as she sees us.
"Mr. and Ms. Udagawa, we want to help Ako." I say.
"You're here to help Ako?" Mr. Udagawa asks.
"Yes. It's partly my fault why this happened and I want to-" I say but am suddenly cut of by Ms. Udagawa suddenly hugging me.
"Please, please help our little girl. We can't bear to see her like this." Ms. Udagawa says as tears fall down her face.
"I will, I promise." I say with determination. It can only make sense that the family would be affected by this as well. We need to help Ako and we need to do it now.
Ms. Udagawa eventually let's go of me and dries her tears.
"Maybe we can ask Tsugumi if we can borrow her keyboard?" I suggest.
"You need a keyboard?" Ms. Udagawa says.
"Yes. I need one to help with Ako." I say.
"I actually have one. You can use that." Ms. Udagawa says.
"That's right, you and dad met when you two were in the same band together." Tomoe says.
Music must run in their family.
"That would be helpful Ms. Udagawa." I say.
"Let me go get it." Ms. Udagawa says as she goes to look for her old keyboard.
"Hehe, yeah, we were in the same band when we were in high school. It was really nice. When Tomoe was born we were making bets who of our instruments she would pick up, and then also bet Ako would pick the other, in the end Tomoe chose the drums and Ako followed her Onee-chan, hehehe, funny how that works." Mr. Udagawa states.
"It is." I say in an amused tone.
"Just you wait Ryu, I will make sure that Seikatsu chooses the keyboard, drums aren't the only rhythm keeper." Ms. Udagawa calls down.
"Seikatsu?" I ask in confusion.
"We have another little one on the way." Mr. Udagawa states.
"What?!" Tomoe exclaims in shock.
"Really?! Congratulations." I say. That's unexpected news if I ever heard one.
"Thanks." Ms. Udagawa says as she walks down the staircase with her Keyboard.
"So what is your plan exactly (Y/N)?" Alisa asks.
"Play a tune Ako has a strong connection to, basically try to do what you guys did at the park when you... helped me..." I say.
"I see but who's going to play the keyboard?" Lisa asks.
"Ms. Udagawa, since you know how to play, can you help us?" I ask Ms. Udagawa.
"I would be glad to." Ms. Udagawa says with a small smile.
"Tomoe, you take a break, these old bones need to get back to their roots." Mr. Udagawa says with a smile.
"Lisa, Hina, you two go grab your instruments." I tell them.
"Right."
"Okay."
Lisa and Hina say respectively and they go to get their instruments.
"If I may request, this please?" Ms. Udagawa shows me a particular song, a duet.
"If I may ask, why this?" I ask.
"This is what we played at our wedding, and for Ako and Tomoe when they were still little, until they started playing for themselves." Ms. Udagawa answers.
"Then it's perfect, we can do that." I tell Ms. Udagawa.
"Well, it has been sometime since we last sang together." Alisa says with a smile.
--------------------
1 hour later
After Lisa and Hina returned with their instruments, we practiced the song. Eventually I feel confident enough to sing the song.
"I'm home..." A voice void of any sort of energy says. It's Ako...
It's now or never.
"Ako come here, follow me." We hear Tomoe say to Ako.
"Huh?" Ako says in the least amount of energy.
"Just come with me!" Tomoe exclaims.
Tomeo brings Ako to where we are and once again I see her eyes that are void of anything. I can feel myself slowly being drawn into them again and I can feel pain in my chest. I then feel Alisa lightly tapping my cheek causing me to look at her and snapping me out of it.
"You can do this." Alisa tells me.
"I can do this." I reply.
"What's going on here? Mom, dad? Lisa-nee, Hina-chin? Alisa? (Y-Y/N)?" Ako says with the least amount of emotion. This is getting to me. We should start before my resolve crumbles.
"Ako, we want you to listen to us play, okay?" Ms. Udagawa says in a motherly tone.
"Yeah, you and your Onee-chan just enjoy the show." Mr. Udagawa says.
"Please listen, Ako..." I say in an almost begging manner.
[The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli]
I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way
Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe
La luce che tu hai
I pray we'll find your light
nel cuore restera
and hold it in our hearts.
a ricordarci che
When stars go out each night,
eterna stella sei
The light you have
I pray we'll find your light
will be in the heart
and hold it in our hearts.
to remember us that
When stars go out each night,
you are eternal star
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
quanta fede c'e
when shadows fill our day
How much faith there's
Let this be our prayer
in my prayer
when shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza
un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace, di fraternita
We dream a world without violence
a world of justice and faith.
Everyone gives the hand to his neighbours
Symbol of peace, of fraternity
La forza che ci da
We ask that life be kind
e il desiderio che
and watch us from above
ognuno trovi amor
We hope each soul will find
intorno e dentro se
another soul to love
The force his gives us
We ask that life be kind
is wish that
and watch us from above
everyone finds love
We hope each soul will find
around and inside
another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer, just like every child
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che
hai acceso in noi,
sento che ci salvera
It's the faith
you light in us
I feel it will save us
As Alisa carries the last note immense tension washes over me when... color... returns from its more pale state in Ako's eyes... and then... she falls. Her head falls onto Tomoe's lap.
"Ako!" Tomeo exclaims. I look at Ako, her face is... at peace... she's... smiling.
"She looks peaceful. Thank God." I say as my knees give out and some tears fall down my face.
"Did we do it?" Hina asks.
"I think we did." Lisa replies.
"Yeah, we did it." Alisa says. Mr. and Ms. Udagawa both have tears in their eyes as they rapidly abandon their instruments and go to lightly embrace their now returned, yet sleeping daughter.
"Thank you so much, thank you for saving our precious little angel." Ms. Udagawa says.
"I think she prefers to be called a dark necromancer." I say in slight amusement as I dry my tears. We did it, we saved Ako. But it's not over yet, Sayo is still missing.
I also can't help but wonder, where is Rinko? She must be busy...
--------------------
The next day [Ako's POV]
I open my eyes to... be... bombarded by light, Wait, LIGHT?! I look around to see I'm back home. Was it all just a horrible dream? I look up to see that I was resting on Onee-chan's lap, I pull my head up and look at my phone, WHAT?! IT'S BEEN THAT LONG?! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?!
"Onee-chan, wake up." I shake Onee-chan to try and wake her up.
"Huh? Ako?" Onee-chan says as she wakes up. "You're finally awake!"
"Onee-chan what happened yesterday?" I ask.
"You don't remember?" Onee-chan asks.
"I can't seem to remember much." I say.
"Let's head to the living room and I'll tell you what happened." Onee-chan says then we head to the living room and sit on the couch.
"Well, what happened was..." Onee-chan starts as she begins to explain everything that happened yesterday. She told me how (Y/N) came since he wanted to help me. He... he came back... to help me? He wanted to make amends with all of us. She also told me how (Y/N), Lisa-nee, Hina-chin, Alisa, mom and dad performed the song they used to play for us when we were little. As well as how mom is pregnant!! I'm going to be a big sister! Then all of a sudden the memories from yesterday slowly come flooding back in my mind. I remember. (Y/N), he really did come back... He came back for me...
Just then someone knocks on the door.
"I'll get it." Onee-chan says as she goes to answer the door while I remain seated and think about (Y/N). I thought he disappeared and would never come back, but he did. He came back and saved me...
"Ako's awake, she's in the living room." I hear Onee-chan say.
"Can I talk to her?" A voice asks. Wait.
"Go on ahead." Onee-chan says.
I look up to see (Y/N) enter the living room. (Y/N)... he's here.
"Hey, Ako. I'm glad to see you." (Y/N) says with a small smile.
"(Y/N), is it really you?" I say, not believing what I was seeing.
"Yes, I'm here." (Y/N) nods.
"(Y/N), you really did come back..." I say as I feel the tears begin to fall down my cheeks.
"(Y/N)!" I yell as I run towards him, wrapping my arms around him and burying my face in his chest. I cry into his chest as he wraps his arms around me.
"I'm sorry for leaving you Ako." (Y/N) says.
"No, I'm sorry... I must have put you into a horrible situation when I left you. When you left, when everything fell apart. I fell into a dark place. I can't help but feel that I also lead you into a similar place." I say as I continue crying into his chest.
"I can tell, but I swear to you... no matter what, I'll never leave again. I'm no longer going to run away in fear from my decision, I've finally made up my mind." (Y/N) gently tells me.
"Thank you... thank you so much... for returning... for encouraging mother and father to play again... for... saving me... from the darkness... Thank you..." I continue to sob to him.
"I'll hold you, no matter what, your soul... it's... beautiful... prouder... braver... brighter than any I've ever seen... let that instill enough pride into you, hold it high, go forward, and say you play for what you believe in on stage." (Y/N) tells me. Those words... they hold a special kind of power... what is it... trying to tell me? Something deeper than his affections... but... what?
"I also want to tell you another thing Ako." (Y/N) says.
"What is it?" I ask him.
"Remember when I told you I had an answer?" (Y/N) says.
"Yes." I nod.
"That answer is that I want to be with all of you. It's selfish and conceited but that's how I feel, I like all of you." (Y/N) says.
I then move away, facing away from his chest, and look up to him and grab him by the collar to pull his face down and smash my lips against his. Moments later we separate.
"I accept thy feelings." I tell (Y/N). He smiles at me, saying this with a hint of pain in his eyes only further proving how conscious he is of his decision. That only proving further without a shadow of a doubt that he's not in it to hurt us, he truly wants to make it work and I'll be darned if I don't let a knight test the extents of his heart from such a task.
"You two really are bold to kiss right in front of me." I hear Onee-chan say from behind (Y/N).
"This makes it the third time..." (Y/N) says in a low voice.
"The third time you've kissed Ako?" Onee-chan says with a smirk.
"That and the third time someone saw us." (Y/N) says.
"Hahaha!" Onee-chan laughs.
--------------------
The Next Day [(Y/N)'s POV]
Me and the group are at Hazawa Coffee explaining to Ako about the situation at hand. Once again Rinko is not with us and I'm starting to worry about her...
"And that's the situation at the moment." I say after I finish explaining the situation to Ako.
"That's terrible... I can't believe Sayo-san ran away. Maybe if I wasn't so childish and left back then..." Ako says.
"Hey, it's not your fault Ako. I'm just as much to blame here" I say as I pat her on the head. "Don't worry, we're going to fix this and bring Roselia back together."
"You promise?" Ako asks me.
"I promise." I say with determination.
"Oh before I forget. Chisato, Ako. Here" I say as I grab 2 plastic rings from my pocket. I give Chisato a Pale Yellow Plastic Ring and Ako a Magenta Plastic Ring.
"I'll treasure it for the rest of my life!" Ako says as she puts her ring on.
"Dear~, are that excited to have children~?" Chisato says with half-lidded eyes after putting her ring on .
"Hahaha!!" Alisa laughs out loud.
"Shut up Alisa!" I exclaim.
"What about you Ako, will you have (Y/N)'s kids?" Lisa says.
"Dammit Lisa!" I exclaim and Lisa only gives me a teasing smirk in response.
"Of course I will. I can't wait to be a mommy! I'll practice with my new little sister Seikatsu when she's born." Ako says, causing me to blush red.
"We could do it right now if you want dear~." Chisato says seductively while staring at me and licking her lips. Making me (Maya, Aya, Eve and Ako) blush even redder at her forwardness.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Alisa laughs even louder.
"I told you to Shut up Alisa!" I exclaim. "Chisato! Stay Hydrated Woman!"
"Eh..." Chisato says in clear disappointment while pouting. At this point I shouldn't be surprised if Sayo, Yukina and Rinko also agree to having my children.
...
Might as well have one of those questions answered now right now.
(Y/N): Hey Rinko, I have a weird question...
Rinko: What is it?
(Y/N): Don't take this the wrong way but, would you be willing to have my children?
Rinko: Umm... probably... not... it's... kinda... I can't...
(Y/N): That makes one, thanks for not turning me into a tomato. Also how are you doing?
Rinko: Umm... I've been particularly stressed about Ako-chan... is she... okay?
(Y/N): She's fine. We were able to help her and she's back.
Rinko: Thank goodness...
(Y/N): Don't worry Rinko, we'll bring Roselia back together. I promise.
"Well would you look at that, Rinko's not ready yet." I say with a smirk on my face.
"That's... kinda odd if I'm going to be honest... Rinko honestly seems like she'd take a course similar to Maya where she'd be embarrassed... should we check up on her at her place? We haven't seen much of her at all." Alisa asks in concern and I also feel begin to feel concerned.
"Honestly, I feel like we should... I don't know... something doesn't feel r-" I say when...
Long Teal Hair