Intertwine (Strings of Fate)-UNEDITED

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Why are we here?" "Uhm, I don't know but, let's give it a try." Then he drags me inside that I can't resist. We first went to the arcade where we played alot of games. After that, we watch a comedy movie. I didn't know but despite his past, he can still smile and laugh. I hope those smiles and laughs of his never fade away. But how could I protect those? "Are you hungry?" Jiro asked while we left the cinema and now strolling the stalls. We eat in a fast-food chain.

"You like hamburgers?" I asks. "Well, it's the first time I eat in fast-food stall."

"Huh? You're kidding, are you?" I was surprised by what he said, another revelation indeed. "Uh-hu, that's why I'd like to try this all along." Then he bites a mouthful of burger. "Well, it tastes better if you put on lots of ketchup, try it." I hand him the ketchup bottle.

"Eh? You serious?" "Trust me, I always do it and you can put on fries on the burger." I persuade him. "Isn't it gross?" I rolled my eyes and look at him in grin. "Why don't you try it first? There's nothing bad gonna happen to you. Here, just try it." For a few seconds of hesitation, he grabs the fries, put it in the burger, and put on lots of ketchup. He closes his eyes as he bites the burger, as he hardly swallows it in his mouth. The next thing I know, I burst into laughter as I held my hurting stomach.

"It's not even funny." I heard his annoyed and embarrassed voice to make me in halt. "Hahaha, I wouldn't expect that Jiro. You really pulled it through, hahaha."

"Well, I guess. It's not taste so bad." "Haha, told ya. I'm right, right?" "Yeah, you are." After that embarrassing moment, I took Jiro to a hall where a grand piano is place at the center of the hall where the stage is."Why are we here?" Instead of answering his question, I took his hand and dragged him at the center of where the piano is located.

"Hey, Alexis, what are you doing?" And when we are infront of the piano, I let go of his hand. "You play the violin, right?" "Y-yeah, and what about it?" "When I was strolling the hallway, I heard a very beautiful music, I was enchanted so I followed where it is from, and I found you in the music room."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Before answering him, I walk at the side of the piano where I took something from there and handed it to him. "Can you play that with me?" He looks reluctant at first but he grabbed the case and started to pull it off. I ran into the piano and push up the case.

(The song is Merry Christmas by Ryuuchi Sakamoto Trio. Watch the music at youtube, listen to it first before reading the next line.).

I started to press on the high notes making the ambiance in a solemn mode. Emptying my heart and be drown to its melody. After the intro, he started to pull off the violin strings and started to give the melody its own harmony. Trying to gain what has been taken away. Trying to move on in every difficult situation, we encountered. The mode is rising up and so is the harmony. Getting stronger as I press harder on the keys joining the heavy beat of my heart, and so is Jiro as he take his violin louder as it echoed in the large hall. The song is on its climax, we stop no matter what. As I put all my feelings to this song. All of my emotions being brought out, but I don't care if it will spill out. I don't care if it will reveal now. I don't care what will happen next after this. I don't care anymore. As long as I can create sound, I can create my own harmony, then it's fine with me. As long as there is someone that will look forward to this harmony, I'm ok with that. As long as he's there beside me creating this harmony, it's more than fine. I thought revealing this harmony means revealing myself in the world. I'll be free from this fake world, but I'm mistaken.

After the last key, a loud applause heard around the big hall. People around was clapping their hands while staring at us. "I think that was quite a show." Jiro tap my shoulder as he speaks. "I guess so. I never thought that it could be that great." I answered back.

"Well, that was amazing." He then smile politely. "I guess we have to leave here before they can get our autographs." "What?" But before I can inquire further, he abruptly grabs my hand and sprint down the small stage and run through the exit door. I can see people's questioning look, but I didn't care about that. My attention is on my hand intertwine with Jiro's hand at the moment. We halt at one of the bench at the center of the mall as we were both panting.

"Ha, that was so tiring, I'm so tired." "Who wouldn't get tired after we ran half of this place?" He turns his head and stares at me. "That was the most beautiful song I've ever played, you know that. I never thought that you could play it even though you just heard it once." I pause before I can answer back. "Well, I never forget it the first time I heard you played it, so I tried to play it in piano. As from that moment I was able to create a new harmony that will fit into that song."

"That was amazing, you know? And I love it, very much." He gives me his sweetest smile I always wanted to see. "Well, what are we going to do now?" I ask to shift the atmosphere. "Hmm, let's stroll the whole place then, so that we can search for something run along the way." "That was so practical. Ok, let's go?" I stand up first and hand him my hand. He looks at me surprisingly, but I wouldn't care what he thinks of me.

"Ok, let's go." Then he grabs my hand tightly and once again, he intertwined our fingers in the space between it. "You sure you want to eat here?" Jiro ask with frantically. "Yes of course, wouldn't I? Oh come on, it's not that poisonous. I can assure you that the foods are delicious here." I said while dragging him with me, in a Shokudo. "Oh well, this girl is making me crazy this day." He whispers under his breath, but I can hear him fine. We place at the counter were there were tall chairs.

"Irrasahi! futari-domo! What is it that you like to eat?" The cook greeted us and asked for our orders. "Uhm, I like to eat soba, udon, donburi and curry." I answered back. "Ok, how about you sir?" "Uhm, I think I will eat those also." He said hesitated. "Ok ok, put that on me, 2 servings of soba, udon, donburi and curry coming right up!" And after that the cook went inside the kitchen to prepare our food.

"Are you sure we can finish those?" "Of course, I'm so famished right now that I can eat all the food here." He raises his eyebrow in disbelief. "I don't know that you have a large appetite."

"Hehe, is that so? I never know." After a few minutes, our food was served.

"Your food is serve, now eat it while it's hot, haha!" "Yey! it's time to eat, itadakimasu!" I first dig in the curry, this is one of my favorite, whenever I eat in this small restaurant.

"Hey, slow down, they have a lot of food here, you can have everything." "Hehe, gomen, it's so delicious I can't resist it." "Yeah, you are right, it's delicious."

"Darou? I told you." "Ok ok you win, I lose, I should have listened to you, your highness." He said while taking a polite bow. "Stop that, it's not making you look good."

"So, I'm good-looking to you?" "That's not what I said." "If I heard it right, you said I'm good-looking." "Hahaha, you're kidding." "Don't deny yourself, I busted you." "I don't deny myself, stop it, you're looking like a retard." "Ah, now you're saying I'm a retard now." I hold myself to stop myself from laughing. "Haha, I don't get you, but you're cute when you smile."

"And now you are teasing me, that's a strategy Jiro." "You never know." After our long conversation and meal, he decided to go home in their house. "You sure you want to go home after all that trouble?" "Yeah, and beside nothing will change, right?" "Oh, ok then." We remain silent while we took the elevator in the hotel. We arrive at the floor where my room was.

"So, I will see you then?" I ask while unlocking the door. "Of course, I'll be ok, so you don't have to worry that much." I nodded in response. "Ok then, good night." I was about to close the when he blocks the door with his hand.

"Uhm, wait." "What is it, Jiro?" He pushes the door open and cups my face with his two hands, the next thing I know his lips was on mine. After a few seconds, we parted our lips. "That's all, good night too." The last thing I saw was his back facing me.

(Jiro's POV)

I've decided to go home, so that I can't bother Alexis anymore. And probably they were worried about me, even though it's not. I was striding the pavement when I heard a loud booming sound coming from the direction where I was. I turn to see it, and my eyes can't believe it. Alexis' room was exploded and was on fire. I felt that all my sanity been draining away as I can't move any part of my body.