Violet Petal

A New... Home?

The president was a young man—also quite pretty if you really want to know—and I played a few of my songs for him. He nodded. I wonder if he liked them or whether he was simply feeling sorry for me.

"Would you work for us?"

"Yes, but I need a place to stay." I was gonna get the benefits out of this first.

"That can be arranged," he said, nodding to Kanade, who quickly turned around and made a phone call. The president and I watched him, as he turned back to us and held up his phone.

"I don't think we can have her stay at the dorm for now, but there's another small house nearby."

I nodded in the relief that I wouldn't have to sleep on the streets. I was amazed they managed to get me a house on such short notice.

"Is there anything else you need?"

I looked down hesitantly. If I'm working, would that mean I'd have to drop high school? I don't want that. "I would like to finish high school."

The president nodded and said that that would be fine, and he also gave me an assignment—to write two songs, within 2 months. I wondered why, as Kanade took me to the house.

"Do you have anything? I'll bring it."

I shook my head, wondering how much money—if anything—I had in my bank account. "Everything burned down in the fire."

Kanade's eyes narrowed, but didn't press further. He said his goodbyes and left.

I decided to skip school for two days and was very surprised when someone came knocking on the door the next day. I opened it, and some people left a bunch of boxes in the house and asked me to sign a paper.

"I didn't order any of this!" I said, not sure what was going on.

"Someone named Kanade did."

I stared at him for a second. Kanade didn't need to go that far for me. Do you really go that far for someone you just met? And especially for a co-worker? Although, I suppose it was more likely from the agency, rather than Kanade.

I signed and unpacked all the boxes. He really thought of everything. Clothes, even a keyboard. I felt my heart warm up slightly with gratitude, for the first time in 15 years.

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I came to school 2 days later, to a lot of muttering, pointing and whispering. 'They must've heard about my house burning down,' I thought, slightly amused. I wondered how they knew, and what else they were saying.

Hajime and Haru looked like they wanted to ask me something, but I ignored everyone and made my way to check the term test time table. I wondered if I would even make it into University. Maybe after things settle down a bit, I thought to myself. Someone placed a hand on my head, and took it back before I could react violently. I watched as Hajime walked away, his black hair ruffled by the wind.

'Huh,' I thought, placing a hand on my head.

There was only one month left of this academic year. Starting autumn, I'd be a third year student. I handed over both songs to the president—sheet music and CD—by the week following the end of high school.

"You work fast," he noted as I nodded.

He played both songs, and I watched colors clashing and fading as the music ended. He nodded and smiled.

"They're well written." I had an extremely weird but familiar feeling bothering me.

"Thank you sir, and if you don't mind me asking, who are these songs for?" I asked, realizing I was feeling curious. Wow, I hadn't felt that emotion in so long.