(Beautiful Art found on Pinterest! All credit to original artist!)
[Y/N POV]
I'm back at school...yay...
'I love getting up early and doing nothing for multiple hours a week!'
To bad for me, my father made sure that I went to school by dropping me off at school himself.
'At least I can avoid the very specific people I want to avoid after embarrassing myself! Double yay...'
So far, I've done a pretty good job at avoiding Tsukasa and the rest of his gang.
Just one more hour until lunch break, then I'll get thirty minutes to even more nothing!
'I can kinda get why Mizuki misses school so much, this place is boring.'
I continued to stare out the window of my classroom and hoped that this day wouldn't be too long.
-
The bell rang and I began to make my way towards the courtyard.
I couldn't help but feel as I was being watched...but then again I feel that all the time.
When I did make it to the courtyard, I sat underneath one of the many trees.
I had forgotten to bring lunch due to my father pressuring me to hurry up for school since he was late for work.
'Maybe I'll just sleep...'
Pulling out my phone, I began to search for a song that'll probably help me fall asleep.
I felt someone wrap their arms around my waist.
When I turned to see who it was, I realized that it was one of the least people I wanted to see.
"Rui?! What are you doing?!" As I tried to stand up to escape his grasp, he pulled me back down to him.
My face started to flush a little at the embarrassing situation I had gotten myself into. "Let go of me Rui!"
'Out of all the people who could have been hugging me right now, why did it have to be the person who I hurt most?!'
"Sorry (Y/N)-Chan~, but I have to do this for your own good~." His smirk showed that whatever he was planning wasn't going to end well.
Not giving me enough time to react, Rui pulled out his phone and pressed something.
Before I knew it, everything flashed white.
-
When everything became clear again, I found myself in the Sekai, the one place I didn't want to be in.
"Good job Rui! On to the second phase of your genius plan!" Tsukasa's here too?!
'Why can't I just be left alone whenever I actually want to?!'
Rui helped me off the floor and snatched my phone away from me.
"Hey! Give me my phone back!" You know what, I don't care about what happens to me anymore, but I can't let them do anything to my phone!
Without second thought, Rui picked me up and put me over his shoulder.
'Will there ever be a time when I'm not put in embarrassing situations?!'
"Rui! Put me down!" I tried to squirm out of Rui's grasp again.
I could practically hear my heart racing as I blushed. What made things worse was that I heard Rui let out a quiet chuckle.
'Does he enjoy this?!'
Deciding that fighting was futile, I accepted my fate and let Rui carry me to where I think was the theatre.
Inside, all the Vocaloid's stood on the stage along with Emu, Nene, and the fox plush.
Rui placed me on one of the many theatre seats near the stage. He still kept my phone with him even though I had asked him nicely.
"I know you're still pretty upset about what happened a few days ago, but that's why we all wanted to apologize for." Tsukasa bowed followed Nene, Rui, Emu and the Vocaloid.
'They shouldn't be apologizing to me...I'm the one who should apologize...'
I looked down at my shaking hands. I wanted to apologize for everything I said...but I can't. The lump in my throat doesn't let a single sound out.
'I can't cry...it'll make me seem pathetic and weak...'
Rui put his hands over mine as he kneeled down so that he could see my distressed face. "We're here for you (Y/N)." He smiled softly as he continued to crease my hands. "We only want to help you be your genuine self. In order to do that, we need to know what's bothering you."
I looked at everyone. Nene smiled whilst Emu gave a thumbs up. The Vocaloid all looked at me in anticipation.
When I looked over at Tsukasa and Kaito, they gave me a reassuring smile, almost as if they were trying to tell me that everything will be fine.
'I trusted Tsukasa before with everything of my past, and that made us friends...maybe telling all of them the memories that I tried to repress so hard might bring us closer...right?'
Looking back at Tsukasa, he mouthed 'You can do this' followed with a thumbs up. Well, I guess maybe I can do it. And if it doesn't go well and I somehow manage to make things worse for myself, I'll just blame it on Tsukasa for giving me false hope.
Taking in a deep and shaky breath, I began to tell them of everything that happened back then, whilst still looking down.
"When I was in Kaware Academy, everything was miserable...I hated it there...no one was ever there to hear what I had to say...except for my butler, Laurent. He was the only one who truly cared about what I felt during those times."
Rui's grip on my hands tightened, he didn't seem to take the news lightly.
Sighing, I continued. "One day, I'd asked him to take me to the theater for a showing of the Little Mermaid...it would be the first show I'd watched in a while...but..."
I felt like crying again, every single time I think out what happened to Laurent, I can't help but feel like it was my fault.
"Maybe if I didn't ask him to take me or if I abandoned theatre all together like my father asked, maybe Laurent would have lived!"
Rui, Nene, Emu, and Tsukasa all pulled me in for a group hug. I just accepted it and hugged the closest person to me, Rui.
"I'm sorry for what happened back then." Rui sighed softly. He creased the back of my head as I held on to him tightly.
My hands were clenched from trying to hold back tears.
Nene let go of the hug and put her hand on my shoulder. "What if we preform the Little Mermaid? You said you really wanted to see it, so what if we preform it? I-It can also be a way for you to commentate Laurent too!"
Emu and Tsukasa both smiled at the idea. "We still should have the props for the show we did a little while back! We'll start setting things up! Let's go, Emu!" Without second thoughts, Emu, Tsukasa, and some of the Vocaloid began running around the stage and began setting it up.
Rui pulled my attention back towards him. "And (Y/N)...you matter to every single one of us. Don't give up just yet, I'm sure your love for theater is still in there."
Nene nodded in agreement. "It's true, and although it takes a lot of courage to move forward, don't let the past hold you back. I'm sure Laurent wouldn't want you to give up on everything you love because of him."
My eyes widen at Nene's statement. 'Have I really disappointed Laurent by doing the one thing he told not to?' I guess in some sense, I didn't fulfill his final wish he entrusted me with.
-
After a while, everyone finished setting up and began to preform.
They all looked so professional. Emu kept the comedy going while Nene's singing was better than ever. Some of the Vocaloid joined in on the show and did their own role acutely to the original.
'They all look amazing! Nene's singing is so beautiful and calming.'
It's just like how I first watched it all those years ago...when we were kids and Nene first introduced me to musicals...
I can't help but feel like crying, the nostalgia is painful to remember.
As the play reached its grand finale, Kaito sat down on the seat next to me. With a quiet chuckle, he continued to watch the play and spoke a few words.
"If there's one thing that I want from this world, it'd be for you to be happy doing all the things you love...so, I'll always be you're number one supporter, no matter what you do (Y/N)!"
'I've heard those words before...Laurent...they're his last words to me before the accident...'
At that moment, I seemed to have lost it. I began to cry as I remembered everything that happened on that day.
'It's all my fault Laurent...maybe if I wasn't so pathetic you'd be alive and well...I'm sorry!'
I was full on sobbing as his final words repeated throughout my head.
Rui had run down from the stage and hugged me tightly as I continued to sob.
'You told me to live my life how I wanted to, but I can't even move on from your death! I'm still that weak girl who relied on you for comfort.'
I could feel myself shaking as Rui embraced me. Emu, Nene, and Tsukasa joined in on the hug too.
"It takes a lot of strength to move on, so, I want you to know that we're all here for you. We'll all move on, one step at a time." Rui placed his hand on my head.
"I'm sorry everyone! I'm truly sorry for the way I've been to you after you tried to help me! I'm sorry..." Tears continued to stream down my face.
"We were never upset (Y/N)-Chan! So don't feel bad and smile!" Emu cheered as she hugged our group tightly.
Even though all the pain in my heart, I couldn't help but laugh a bit at Emu's enthusiasm.
'I guess with caring people around you, life can get better. I just have to be strong and continue moving forward...after all, that's all Laurent wanted of me.'
-
When I eventually calmed down, we'd realized that we've missed most of the school day.
'Only twenty minutes until school ends...I should thank the Vocaloid while everyone else changes out of their costumes.'
Rin and Len pulled me into another group hug with all the Vocaloid, including the rather tired Luka. "I'm glad everything worked out in the end." Meiko chuckled followed by a small nod from Kaito.
After the group hug, Kaito put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud that you took the first step into being who you truly are. So if you ever need help, the Wonderland Sekai will always be available for you, no matter the time or place."
Rui came out the dressing room and handed me back my phone. "Ready to go?" I nodded as Rui held my hand before pressing something on his phone.
Everything turned white again.
-
We're back underneath the tree. Only a few minutes until the day is over.
I felt Rui ruffle my hair a bit as he chuckled. "I'm proud of you (Y/N), for having the courage to tell us everything that's happened to you."
A little chuckle escaped from me. "I should be thanking you for being understanding of my feelings."
Rui blushed a bit and he pulled me into one last hug.
"(Y/N),...I-"
The school bell rang, signifying the end of the school day.
When I asked Rui what he was going to say, he merely changed the subject and walked me to the front of the school gate.
Now we were just standing in awkward silence as I waited to be picked up by my father.
Eventually, I saw his car pull up to the front of the school.
Waving goodbye to Rui, I got into the backseat of the car.
We drove back in silence, none of us spoke a single word to each other.
-
As we arrived in our house's driveway, my father locked the doors of the car.
"Why didn't you go to your last few classes?"
'I forgot to come up with a good excuse!'
Keeping calm, I put on my usual stoic face for when I'm around him. "I fell asleep in the library while studying for the upcoming school exams. I promise you that it'll never happen again, sir."
I heard him left out a sigh, not one of anger nor disappointment, that's good I suppose. Maybe I'll be let off the hook for now.
"Alright, but do remember that University practice exams are close. Although your mother disapproves in making you do extra testing, I still believe it's a great opportunity for you." He unlocked the car door and just as I was about to leave he spoke up once more.
"That blonde boy isn't causing any issues, is he?After all, he's one of the closest you're with part from his sister." Nodding my head in no, I got out of the car and immediately made my way towards my room.
I planned to give Laurent a proper departure from my life, my way to saying goodbye to the past.
Grabbing a box underneath my bed, I got an incense stick and an old theatre ticket.
Burning the ticket, I placed the incense and the burned ticket near the photo of the 50 year old, long blonde haired and green eyed man on my desk.
'Goodbye to the past, huh...I guess that's what you would've wanted, after all, you'd hate yourself if you ever caused me any problems...'
"Goodbye Laurent, I'll never forget you..."
̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•
Semi-rushed chapter
Thank you all for nearly 10k reads! 🥳
If I do a 10k special, should it be angst or something happy? (The special wouldn't be related to the story)
Another thing, should I do the parents as oc's? (Like I'd give the parents their own names, quirks, and looks)
Anyways, do feel free to comment on anything, including questions. 🥰
✨Have a wonderful day/night✨
[P.S: Here's this Chaps meme:]
[And a second!]