ａ ｃｕｒｓｅｄ ｐｒｉｎｃｅ
『 your p.o.v 』
Waking up in the middle of a forest, I slowly sat up on the dirt path and looked around some. It's the middle of the night, moonlight peeking through the leaves of the trees just ever so slightly, and the sound of crickets chirping off in the distance rings out into the night.
Where am I? I remember going to sleep after talking with Haruka and Tomo-chan a little more after we called Reiji and just- is this a dream? It must be. There's no other reasoning for me waking up in the middle of some random forest and it's not even winter anymore. It feels like it's mid spring...
Just what kind of dream is this?
Making my way down the path, I continued to glance around in hopes of finding something. There's nothing else for me to really do other than walk until I wake up. Though after a few what I think were minutes spent walking down this path in the moonlit forest, suddenly bright green fireflies began to light up the area in front of me.
The further into the forest I walked, the more dense and tall the trees became until I was now walking through a large jungle of sorts. The air was slightly humid, though still cool as the fireflies continued to guide me through the vaguely familiar area. It feels almost as if I've been here before but can't quite place my finger on when or why I would have ever come to the jungle in the first place. Even in a dream this is pretty weird.
The faint sound of a cat's meow came from further down the path through the jungle. I continued following the fireflies until a certain emerald eyed black cat came into view, just sitting on top of a fallen tree and tilting his little head slightly as our eyes meet.
"Kuppuru?" I said almost in shock just as the cat meowed once more and then jumped off the log only to run further down the path. "Kuppuru, wait!" I called after him. Though by the time I managed to run and make my way over the log, he was already gone and I was met with a large semi-cracked staircase that leads up to some ancient ruins. If I listened closely, I could just barely here Kuppuru meow one last time from the top of the ruins.
Shaking my head some, I began the long climb up the weathered staircase that looks as if it was built centuries ago. All of this feels so strangely familiar now; the jungle, the ruins, seeing Kuppuru here, and the brightly glowing fireflies that dance around the dark jungle, illuminating it in the most beautiful way possible. There must be something I'm forgetting...
Finally making it up the last of the steps and reaching the top of the ruins, I was surprised to find not a cat but rather a handsome tanned young man dressed in royal middle eastern attire waiting for me. Those striking emerald green eyes instantly reminded me of Kuppuru's, though I'm pretty sure that even with this being a dream and all, Kuppuru is by no means a handsome guy.
The emerald eyed boy walked up to me and knelt down on one knee, taking one of my hands in his and kissing the back of it like a true prince while his other hand was placed over his heart. "___, I'm so glad the god's have allowed me to see you again." He said softly as he looked up to me with a breathtaking smile dancing across his lips.
"Again?" I repeated, hesitantly taking my hand out of his as well as taking a small step back. "I don't... Wait, you're the boy I dreamed about after I lost mom's laptop!" I said with widened eyes as realization struck me harder than a falling brick wall.
The boy chuckled as he stood back up and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. "I'm glad you remember me ___. You're doing much better now than you were back then. I'm so proud of you."
My chest warmed some at his words as I glanced around a bit. "Where's Kuppuru? He came up here and- and did you see a black cat anywhere?" I asked once I looked back to the emerald eyed boy.
"A black cat?" He repeated as he walked behind a broken and chipped pillar only for Kuppuru to walk back out from the other side. "You mean this black cat?" The small feline then asked as he tilted his head to the side and looked at me with those same emerald green eyes as the boys.
It took me a few seconds to get over the initial shock of what just happened as I stared at the small black cat. "But, that's not- how did you do that?"
Kuppuru walked back behind the pillar and, just like before, the emerald eyed boy stepped out from behind it and offered me a bright smile. "I haven't officially introduced myself to you, my muse. I am Aijima Cecil, prince from the western desert kingdom Agnapolis."
"Cecil, a prince..." I repeated before shaking my head. "No way, there's no way that Kuppuru is really you."
Cecil laughed at that, looking to me with nothing but pure adoration behind his eyes. "Not too long ago, a curse was placed upon me and I was turned into the black cat you've named Kuppuru. I came to find you, my muse, for only you can lift my curse."
"I-I have to somehow lift your curse?" I asked in complete and utter disbelief. "This is crazy. Kuppuru is a cat, not a cursed prince."
"If that's what you choose to believe then that's fine. I just wanted to see and talk to you again." The emerald eyed boy said honestly as more fireflies began to flutter about around us. "You see ___, fate brought us together and I want nothing more than to one day sing your songs. That's what I was destined to do since before I was born. But, with this curse, I can't do that just yet..." He sighed. "You're doing amazing now and soon, my curse will be lifted and I'll finally be able to sing your songs. I hope you will wait for me."
I blinked a few times as I just looked at this boy with probably the most blank and dumbfounded expression plastered to my face that he's ever seen.
You know, I thought Tokiya being Hayato was something crazy. When I found out Satsuki existed, I thought maybe I was losing my mind. Not to mention there's now the whole AI and Aine thing; but this by far win's for the most outlandish thing I think I've heard since I came to Saotome Academy. Not even hearing Ringo was a guy for the first time beats this and I can promise you that that shocked me quite a bit...
"___?" Cecil said my name hesitantly as he reached out and grabbed both of my hands in his, emerald eyes looking into my own with slight worry swirling around behind them now. "I'm sorry if this is all sudden and all but don't worry, I'll work just as hard as you do so I can become an idol worthy of singing your songs. For now, keep composing and I'll do my best to watch over you like I have been. I'll try to speak to you again soon..."
As his voice began to fade, so did my vision until everything was bathed in black. The dream quickly came to an end and then I was just barely opening my eyes as bright rays of sunshine came pouring in through the window beside my bed, Haruka and Tomo-chan still sleeping soundly in their bed that's made of their two single beds they pushed together a few months ago now.
Yawning, I pushed myself to sit up as I stretched some. I couldn't help but glance around and see if i could see a certain black cat running around anywhere in our dorm room. Though, as expected, Kuppuru was no where in sight.
I really wonder if Kuppuru is Cecil or not... I mean, it would make some sense, wouldn't it? Kuppuru has led me places that an ordinary cat might not even think of leading me- like when he led me to the practice room when my laptop went missing. There was also that time back in Okinawa when he was hissing at the other students who just so happened to be the ones who pushed me into the ocean not too long after that. And he did steal my phone as blackmail that one time too just so he could hitch a ride in Quartet Night's van to their debut stage.
For a small black cat, Kuppuru is surprisingly attentive and smart and seems to understand what's going on around myself more than a normal cat ever would. If Cecil really is cursed and is Kuppuru, then I have to ask him where he hid Reiji's jacket and why he insists on swiping those claws of his at both Tokiya and Camus...
I'm almost hoping that dream was just that, a dream, because if Cecil really is Kuppuru, then he's going to find himself dead when him and Camus meet.
Getting dressed and ready for the day, I went ahead and grabbed the laptop Reiji got me back in Okinawa and headed off for my usual practice room off in the older part of the Academy. I'm finished with Tokiya's song, Otoya's is nearly completed as well, and now all I have to do is start and finish Syo and Natsuki's solos along with both duo's duets which shouldn't be too hard. I've written a songs for Syo and Natsuki before already so I'm sure I can figure something out in record time for those two. Tokiya and Otoya's duet is going to be a little harder to somehow piece together though. Well, if I can make Quartet Night a song that fits all of their varying personalities, I'm sure I can do the same for Toki and Otoyan.
A few hours passed of me just sitting by myself on the couch and composing my morning away. By the time Syo and Natsuki came to bring me some lunch and discuss ideas for their new solo songs, I had already finished trial songs for both of them to choose from. Needless to say I'm going to start speed running through these songs in order to stay on top of my game and keep my idols as successful as possible.
"You're actually insane, you know that?" Syo asked with a laugh as he plopped down beside me on the couch, his fedora shifting some with the sudden movement. "How did you even manage to compose this much in like, what? Three days?"
"Four days." I corrected as I flashed him and Natsuki an award winning smile, the taller blonde sitting on the couch across from us with our lunches placed on the coffee table between the two couches. "And you know me, just no life-ing it up and having nothing better to do with my time than compose my friends amazing songs.~"
Natsuki clasped his hands together as a bright smile stretched across his lips. "You're amazing ___-chan! I knew you could do this."
The blue eyed blonde sitting beside me rolled his eyes at his roommate. "Hey, I never doubted her. I'm just saying she's crazy."
"Don't be mean Syo-chan."
"Who said I'm being mean?"
Laughing, I went ahead and grabbed a bag of chips from my tray of lunch food. "You guys are the crazy ones here considering you and our friends are now determined to debut together." I scoffed. "And here I'm the crazy one for composing like the good composer student I am."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about our debut song!" Natsuki said after he finished chewing the cookie he had stuffed into his mouth only moments before. "I know you said we get to make up our own debut song really, but have you come up with any ideas on how you think our debut song should sound like?"
I shrugged as I ate some more chips. "I've made a couple trial tracks but nothing sounds right just yet. We still have a bit before debut auditions so I'll work on it over winter break and have it done by the time we come back for sure."
"Man, two weeks without seeing you? What a drag that's going to be." Syo sighed before taking a large bite of his chicken sandwich. "I mean, what am I supposed to do for two whole weeks?"
"I don't know, maybe work on your dancing?" I said with a quirky grin.
"Oi, my dancing is better than Ren's."
"Ha, sure it is."
"Well, we don't have to go back home for the holiday's, do we?" Natsuki asked as he glanced between Syo and I. "Only classes are cancelled for the two weeks, but we're allowed to stay on campus if we want to so why don't we try to get everyone to stay and see if we can finally start and finish our debut song?"
I couldn't help but smile as I looked to Natsuki. "That's a great idea! We can even spend Christmas together!"
The fedora wearing boy sitting beside me nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I can get behind that. Better than doing nothing for two weeks and spending a boring Christmas back at home."
"Oh! How about we throw a Christmas party?" Natsuki then asked.
"That could be fun." I agreed. "Would it only be the eight of us along with Haruka and Tomo-chan, or should I invite Quartet Night and Ringo and Ryuuya?" I then asked.
Syo groaned some at that. "Can't we do something without your other band being in the picture?"
I held up my hands as I laughed a little and offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry sorry! I just don't want to leave them out since everything is so new for them and myself."
Rolling his eyes, Syo shoved another large bite of his chicken sandwich into his mouth. "I'm sure a bunch of grown adults can spend the holidays doing their own thing."
"What if Reiji want's to spend Christmas together? This is my first Christmas with them as a family you know."
"Tough luck for your family since we're you're family now."
I laughed even harder at that. "Oh my gosh, are you jealous of Reiji because he's my step-brother?"
Syo's cheeks instantly turned a bright shade of pink as he stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from me. "Of course not. Why would someone as manly as me be jealous of a guy like that?"
Natsuki cooed at his friend. "Awe, Syo-chan is jealous.~"
"I am not!"
"Sure sure, you being all butt-hurt about the possibility of me spending time with Reiji and the other Quartet Night members and not with you lot isn't out of jealousy." I scoffed before eating another chip. "I buy that."
Rolling his eyes, the fedora wearing blonde beside me ate his chicken sandwich and made no more attempts at talking, Natsuki laughing at his friends childish nature despite him literally wearing a Piyo-chan shirt as we speak.
I shook my head at these two as I went ahead and grabbed my laptop and typed some things into the search bar. "Oh yeah, Syo, did you hear about Ryuuya's new movie coming out in the "Prince of Fighting" series?" I asked, shifting a little closer so he could see my laptops screen as well. "Apparently they're holding open auditions for someone who could pretty much be a mini him in the movie. I don't really get the plot, but Reiji said that it would interest you."
"How the hell did Reiji know I'm a fan of Ryuuya's?" Syo asked as he grabbed my laptop off my lap and began scrolling through the information on the screen, Natsuki silently sipping his juice box across from us as he listens on curiously.
"I do talk about you guys when I'm with the Quartet." I said with a laugh. "You're my friends and I want them to know that they're going to have some major competition once we all debut together." I then said with an added wink. I've been talking with Ren too much lately...
"How has working with them been?" Natsuki then asked with a gentle smile. "I hope they're all being nice."
I shrugged. "Camus and Ranmaru can be nice when they want to be, but overall I really love composing for them even if they are sometimes hard to work with. Even Reiji can be stubborn so it's not all fun and games with them. You guys are far easier to compose for though."
Natsuki's smile brightened at that, his light green eyes sparkling some at the makeshift compliment. "Really? We all thought composing for them was easier since they're professionals."
"Nah. I'm watching and helping you guys grow with every song I compose for you all so it's much easier to be on the same page with concepts and melodies and all that jazz." I explained, Syo too absorbed in the audition sign-up page on the "Prince of Fighting" website to pay all that much attention to the conversation now. "They may be professionals, but they all have their own ways of wanting to go about things and since I haven't been talking with them as long as you guys, I'm still trying to learn what's the best approach to take when working with them. And it doesn't help that they never agree on anything the first or even second round of ideas that I throw out."
"They sound like more trouble than they're worth if you ask me." Syo mumbled, clicking the "apply now" now button that's in red and all caps near the bottom of the page.
"I could say the same about you." I scoffed as I nudged his shoulder with my own.
"I'm a pleasure to work with so don't even try and say you don't enjoy working together."
"Whatever you say shorty."
"WHY DOES EVERYONE LISTEN TO REN AND CALL ME SHORT?!"
Natsuki and I both started laughing at that while Syo huffed and continued filling out the application form for his audition. Needless to say that the rest of our lunch together was spent teasing one another and throwing ideas for our Christmas party around as well. Thankfully both of my friends said they liked their songs so really, all I have to do is finish them now and hand those over before I start on the last two songs; the duets.
Eventually, both Natsuki and Syo had to leave to head back to class while I stayed cooped up in the practice room finishing up their songs as well as I could. It wasn't until it was nearing eight at night that I figured I had worked long enough and should both go find some snacks and probably head to bed a little early since I need to continue composing tomorrow as well.
Stretching a bit, I went ahead and closed my laptop after double checking that I saved both Syo and Natsuki's songs. "Oresama Rondo" and "Southern Cross Waltz" are going to be some interesting pieces to say the least. Syo's is kind of expected since he has practically called dibs on being the up-beat and energetic song idol for our group of friends, but Natsuki's song is more emotional than I was guessing he'd go for. Then again, his first song I composed for him shocked everyone as well back when we were recording those very first songs of the school year.
Wow, that feels like ages ago now...
With my laptop held protectively against my chest as I make my way down the many hallways of Saotome Academy, I wasn't all that surprised to find my roommates doing something weird and probably just a little idiotic outside of our dorm room. I wish I could say I was joking when I tell you that both Haruka and Tomo-chan were hiding around the corner to our dorm rooms hallway, just sitting there and peering down the long hallway with two pairs of binoculars like they're waiting for someone to come walking by. Someone remind me again why I'm friends with such weirdos?
"What are you guys doing?" I asked as I made my way up to them from behind. "I know you said that we should set up a little sting operation to catch whoever is leaving me these flowers, but I didn't think you were being serious about it."
Tomo-chan placed a finger up to her lips and quite loudly shushed me as Haruka quickly pulled me down to sit with them as I now join them in peering around our hallways corner. "I do not joke about something as serious as this." Tomo-chan said before grinning. "C'mon, I want to know who this guy is just as badly as you do! Could you just imagine if it is Tokiya leaving you the flowers?"
"I'm sure a riot would break out among the boys." Haruka giggled.
Rolling my eyes at them, I followed their gazes down towards where our room is. "You two are more invested in my nonexistent love life than even me and it's my nonexistent love life. We don't even know if they're going to bring me another rose tonight!"
"Shhhh, it's going to happen, I can feel it." Tomo-chan said with an added wink and oh gosh these two are really too much for me to handle.
We sat there for another ten minutes before Haruka and I decided to start whispering about composing ideas and whatnot while Tomo-chan kept her eyes fixated on the more or less empty hallway. Though when almost a full hour had passed of us just sitting there talking and watching videos on our phones, Tomo-chan suddenly got very excited and quickly shoved the extra pair of binoculars into Haruka's chest as if she or I need them to see thirty feet down the hallway.
"Someone's here and they have a rose." The burgundy haired girl said as a grin started tugging at the corners of her lips. "But wait, it's a girl?"
I placed my hands on Tomo-chan's shoulders and looked over her head and, just as she said, there's a girl walking towards our dorm room with three roses tied together with a small ribbon. Though just like the last time I spoke with her only a week ago now, I was shocked to see just who this girl is.
"Shizu!" Tomo-chan practically yelled as she scurried to stand up and nearly trip over her own two feet in her haste to run over to my fellow S-Class composer. The poor girl nearly had a heart-attack at seeing not only Tomo-chan but myself and Haruka as well walking up to her. "So you're the one bringing ___ the gifts?" Tomo-chan asked while Shizu just looked at the three of us in nothing but complete and utter shock.
"I think we broke her..." Haruka murmured as she curiously peered up at the cute girl standing in front of us, the three roses still gently resting in her arms almost as if she was cradling a baby
I couldn't help but giggle a little. "You know Shizu when we decided to try to catch my secret admirer, I sure wasn't expecting to find out it's you."
The cute girls cheeks instantly flared up and she looked mere seconds from passing out from embarrassment right then and there. "I-It's not what it looks like!" She hurried to spit out, Tomo-chan holding back her laughter now. "I was asked t-to bring these to your dorm room on behalf of someone else!"
Haruka's eyebrows knitted together some in confusion. "On behalf of someone else?" She repeated.
"So you're just the messenger." Tomo-chan finished for her girlfriend. "Oh whoever is doing this is smart!" She then said with a large grin. "This makes everything so much more interesting."
Hesitantly, Shizu held out the three roses for me to take. "I-I'm sorry for causing another problem for you ___. It's just, I couldn't say no when he asked me to bring you these and, and..."
"And just who is he?" The burgundy haired girl standing beside me asked with that same Cheshire Cat like grin.
Shizu's eyes immediately widened at that. "Ah, no one! I'm not supposed to tell you who's sending these..."
Haruka sighed. "Whoever it is really should just come out and say they're the ones doing it."
"Well, it's sweet nonetheless." I mumbled as I glanced down to the roses before looking back to Shizu. "Don't worry Shizu, I'm not upset with you or anything. Just tell whoever it is that's having you deliver these for them that I would rather them give it to me in person. That'll help get you out of the crossfire."
"I told him you'd want the flowers given to you without me being the middleman but he wouldn't listen! He insisted that I be the one to leave the flowers so that no one would be suspicious of him." Shizu said with an added sigh. "I mean, he's nice and any girl would be lucky to have him as their secret admirer so I don't get why he's being so secretive about all this. It's not like he'll get rejected anyways."
Tomo-chan leaned down some to be more at Shizu's height, her smile more wicked than anything now. "Shizu, you can't give us a name, but could you give us a hint as to who's tasking you with delivering these flowers?" She asked with an "innocent" smile.
Shizu glanced down both ends of the hallway before sheepishly rubbing at the back of her neck. "I don't know... What if he get's upset with me?"
"Only a horrible person would get upset with someone as cute and nice as you." Haruka reassured. "Now give us just one hint." She then said with a genuine gentle smile, the complete opposite of her girlfriends.
"Why don't you just tell us what class he's in?" I offered as a way for her to get out of this unscathed. "Just telling us a class shouldn't be too big of a hint."
"Class?" Shizu repeated with a small tilt of her head.
"Yeah, A-Class or S-Class?" Tomo-chan asked, looking a little more impatient now.
Glancing from me to my two roommates, Shizu quickly looked down at her feet. "He isn't in either of those classes." She said softly. "He doesn't have any classes here actually."
Haruka looked to Tomo-chan with widened eyes as the burgundy haired girl never took her attention away from my fellow S-Class composer standing before us. "You mean to tell me that the guy sending ___ these flowers doesn't even go here?"
Shizu laughed shyly. "Yeah, he's not a student at Saotome Academy."
I blinked a few times as my roommates and I more or less looked between one another with the same dumbfounded look plastered to each of our faces.
If it's none of my friends at school and I know none of the Quartet Night members would be sending me flowers like this, then just who is?
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Bum bum bummmm, the plot surrounding the mystery admirer thickens.~ (why does that look like I spelt it wrong wait-)
Question of the Chapter: Alright, the numbers have narrowed down considerably in terms of who the possible secret admirer could be so anyone want to take another guess at who could be sending our dear protagonist these gifts? I think you'll all be surprised when you find out who her secret admirer is ^^ It's kind of far-fetched, but it's also something I could 1000% see him doing which is why I'm going to make this part of his little side story with the protagonist xD needless to say this never happened in the anime and hopefully this doesn't backfire on me in later chapters lululul save me (cue bts in the bg)
Also can we all just take a moment to appreciate that completely random Cesshi moment in the beginning lmao like, sorry Cecil I know you're not a hooman yet but I'm trying to make sure you don't get forgotten like Toki has been at this point xD rip On the bright side though, we did get some cute moments with Syo and Natsuki which is always wholesome and precious and really they need more love both irl and in this fanfic i swearrr
I can't wait until I get to have scenes with the (currently) three members of heavens like you guys don't understand how excited I am to have buttmunch Nagi, creep show but cute Eiichi, and somewhat normal boi Kira actually interacting with the protagonist and all the other boys. And I really can't wait until we have all of the boys introduced in this fanfic! We're getting closer to the first true chapters dedicated to heavens so it's only a matter of time before all seven of them are apart of this complicated race to win the protagonists heart~
I'm highkey hyped for my own fanfic when I'm the one writing it lmao don't mind me also not knowing what's going to be happening next chapter lul makes everything much more interesting xD
I love each and every last one of you lovely cuties and thanks so much for taking the time to read this chapter <3
~ ｋａｔ ♡
p.s. the christmas party hype is real rn you don't even know
p.s.s. lovely eyes is one of utapri's best songs, change my mind.