Fate's melody

3rd Live~Shocking Party

To xSnowyYui, MelodieSnow, Hisui19, Maki and Nico, thank you for spotting my mistakes and giving me ideas! To everyone reading this, sorry for using A-RISE's song but no other song can describe this chapter other than that. Enjoy!
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  As the last few notes of Yujo no Change died away, the sadness I felt before singing rained on me again. I sighed silently. I caught Eli and Nozomi exchanging glances and smiles. Were they plotting something?

  "Nee (hey) Maki-chan, why don't we have a sleepover at your house!" Nozomi asked. Did they notice the sadness in me? Instinct told me that there was a hidden message in Nozomi's words but I could not put my finger on it. It seemed that the rest had figured it out as Kotori chirped, "Everyone except for Hanayo has not been to your house! Please allow us to sleep over at your house!" Everyone looked at me with pleading eyes. I could not refuse. It would be letting them down. It was the least I could do since I was quitting music soon.

  "My parents are probably working overtime so it should be fine. How about we return home to pick up our belongings before meeting at Honoka's house in half and hour's time?" I questioned. They nodded in agreement and we went our separate ways. Somehow, the fact that they were coming soothed me.

  When I returned to my house, my statement was further confirmed- Mother and Father were not around. They had to be in the hospital. I let out a sigh of relief. If  Father and Mother were here, the sleepover plan would have to be cancelled. They objected to me having friends interested in 'frivolous' activities like singing and dancing. Well, that was what their opinion, not mine!  I did one last cursory sweep of the surroundings and left the house.

  When I arrived, everyone was here. "Iku-nyan! (Let's go-nyan!)," Rin exclaimed in excitement. Chatters filled the air as we ambled to my house. My house was not that far from Honoka's so it took fifteen minutes to arrive at my house.

  Everyone except for Hanayo and me gaped at the iron wraught gates that were painted gold and had intricate designs carved on it. Wonder and amazement were written on their faces as they marvelled at the greenery surrounding the house. I punched in the code for the lock and opened the main door.

  "Sugoi (amazing)! This is like a mansion! You must have everything you want if you parents can afford this house," Honoka said in awe. If only I could... I sighed. Umi probably heard me as she silenced Honoka with a look.  "Why don't we put our stuff down?" Eli asked. With a nod, I led them to my room. They placed their stuff beside my desk which had music sheets piled up in a neat stack. Nozomi noticed the music sheets and picked them up. "Maki-chan, I have never seen these before, can you play it for us?" It would probably take my mind off the fact that music had a time bomb of one month and twenty-nine days before music would vanish from my life. I nodded and walked over to the piano in my room. I sat down on the piano bench, arranged the scores and started playing. Immediately, I forgot about my sorrows but I felt that something was missing. When I was done playing,  I looked around. Realisation struck me with hammer force.

  Rin had disappeared.

  "Where's Rin-chan?" I questioned everyone. They looked around my room and shrugged. Panic was like froth out of a can, fizzing in me. Where could she be? "How about we split up? Nozomi, nico and I can search the first floor. Honoka, Umi and Kotori can search this floor. Maki and Hanayo can search the thrid floor," Eli took charge of the situation and suggested. We nodded and split up.

  Tension hung high in the air as Hanayo and I searched in silence. If Rin could not be found, it would be my fault! I had to find her! A flame of determination ignited in me. A sound broke my train of thought. "Where did it come from?" Hanayo questioned me. Judging from the direction of the sound, there was only one room where the sound could have come from.

  "The attic."

   We called the others over, rushed to the attic and opened the door, only to find Rin sitting next to a CD player. She holding up a CD cover and staring at it. "Maki-nyan, is this yours?" Rin asked me. I took the CD cover from her and gazed at it. Everyone crowded around me. The CD cover did not ring a bell but the lady on the cover seemed familiar. That scarlet, wavy hair that looked like a passionate rose. That pair of eyes the colour of athmysts. "That lady sure looks a lot like you, Maki," Umi said after peering at the CD cover. I connected the dots and shock jolted through my entire body.

  "I think the lady on the cover is my mother..." I trailed off.

  "NANI?!" everyone yelled in shock.