Promise to Sirius (An Utapri / Uta no Prince-sama Fanfiction)

Chapter 12: Fracture

Reiji Kotobuki

"Natsuki, I did not expect you to like this kind of music. It's rather surprising to me, given what kinds of songs you normally sing onstage."

"Starish usually sings songs that give off energy and spirit to the crowd," Natsuki said, smiling faintly before spooning another small lump of his strawberry ice-cream, "but I really like songs that move the heart too. Ballads, piano music, songs with deep meanings..."

His eyes smiled.

"I wish that I could make a song like that."

Reiji smiled at Natsuki's pure sincerity as Ai nodded in understanding. It was a Sunday afternoon. They were sitting at a bench table in the park, with Ai seated directly across Natsuki and Reiji, eating ice-cream that they had bought in a nearby ice-cream parlour while taking turns in choosing songs to listen to with Reiji's viridian cellphone playing the music at the center of the table. While Reiji had chosen soft but energetic tunes and Ai had picked lyricless piano and violin music, Natsuki had chosen surprisingly sentimental and touching songs. Taking another spoonful of his cupped chocolate ice-cream as the treetops' red, orange and brown leaves swayed and rustled gently in the autumn breeze, Reiji wrapped an arm around Natsuki and spoke.

"Well, you Starish guys are all in charge of making your own solos this time around, right?" Reiji asked. "Maybe this is your shot at creating that kind of song, Nattsun! After all, Shining-san did say it was all up to you and with a bright, emotional heart like yours," he grinned, "I'm sure you can create a song like that!"

"Speaking of that project," Ai said, placing his small spoon back into his cup of vanilla ice-cream, "how is the progression of your solo, Natsuki? Have you figured out what song you're writing?"

Natsuki smiled slightly. "Actually-"

"You're so useless!"

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"Just go away!"

Natsuki was cut off mid-sentence by a harsh voice and a timid, trembling one. Reiji and Natsuki's eyes widened as they and Ai turned to the direction from which the voices were coming from, only to find a blond teenager who could not be more than 12-years-old being shoved to the ground by a redhead, with three other boys watching them. Reiji stared in shock as the redhead sneered at the wincing blond and let out a condescending scoff.

"See why you're always the last pick whenever we play together? You're so useless! Do you even know how to play properly, Eli, you loser?"

Anger coursed through Reiji's blood as he started to get up from the bench and Eli pulled himself up, the latter's eyes filled with pain as the redhead continued to taunt him.

"Nobu-" Eli tried to speak, his voice weak.

"Maybe you should go and find some other-"

"Please stop it."

Reiji's eyes widened in surprise as Natsuki reached the teenage boys first, not noticing how fast the latter had walked. With Ai following closely behind him, Reiji increased his pace as Natsuki stood beside Eli and faced Nobu, all five teenagers staring at the Starish member in utter shock and disbelief.

"Nattsun!" Reiji called out.

"What's your problem, sir?" the redhead, Nobu, demanded rudely. "It's none of your business."

"My friends and I saw you hurting him," Natsuki spoke quietly, his voice filled with anguish as he glanced at Eli, whose head was hung, and Reiji and Ai reached them. "I don't know what happened between you guys, but shoving and using those kind of words hurt other people."