Music of the Night

Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Arthur's heart was pounding.

It was not because of Mizuchi who was holding his wing as they were walking to the herbivore dorm. 

Oh, no! It was because of the voice message he received from an unknown sender. Usually, unknown numbers would made the Honduran white bat immediately block the callers because he wasn't too familiar with them.

This particular voice message had a familiar voice that Arthur was crossed with ever since he came to Cherryton. He has an idea on where the voice might be and it was the very reason he was walking  between his girlfriend and Haru who was telling him about what is expected at the gardening club tomorrow.

Arthur just nodded while his left ear swivelled to detect where the sender of the message might be. If he could make out his shape without letting the two rabbit does suspicious, Arthur let out a yawn, big enough to use his clicks.

He could detect a figure at the corner of the dorm, long ears. It must be Mizuchi's ex. 

"Um, I'm going to go for a walk," Arthur cleared his throat, trying to hide the shakiness in his tone. Haru and Mizuchi both noticed a change in his demeanour.

"Do you want us to accompany you, Arthur?" asked Mizuchi, concern about her boyfriend acting stiff. Arthur rubbed his girlfriend's back to assure her.

"I'll be alright. Please, I need to think about something alone if you don't mind."

Both Lagomorphs were hesitant about it but decided to respect the Honduran white bat's wish. "Fine Arthur. But if you don't show up tomorrow at the Gardening Club, I will hunt you down."

"Yes, ma'am," Arthur did a small salute at where he would think Haru's voice might be. Reluctantly, both rabbits left the blind Honduran white bat to his own device. This gave Arthur a sense of dread but he knew he has to tackle the problem.

It took him some time to use his clicks to locate where the sender of the message was. It was somewhat behind the building or was it the front? He couldn't tell because the doors on both ends felt and sounded similar.

"So you got my message?"

"I did," Arthur nodded, his ears drooped a bit. "You've heard me playing. Was it bad?"

There was silence but then a laugh of disbelief was heard. "I threatened you and you were concern about how bad you've been playing? You really are a Vampyrum since they can manipulate minds."

Arthur couldn't help but be irritable by these accusations. "Do you know what I find funny? You can't seem to let go about what has been done. Mizuchi has moved on, I want to continue my school life and you seemed kind of obsess with bullying a junior."

SLAP!

"How dare you assume that, disgusting rat!" the voice seethed. "Mizuchi would never love or go out with the likes of you. I know her and her family. They will never accept the fact that their daughter is dating something ugly from another species or the fact that he's blind."

Arthur became quiet. From his interaction with Mizuchi, he could tell from her tone and her mannerism of speaking that she has been genuine. With her ex, he could unfortunately tell that he too was telling the truth.

"So," Arthur decided to change the subject. "How did you get my number?"

"Eh, someone from the newspaper club knew."

'Bloody rat!' Arthur thought to himself. All his life, he only played his music to those he was comfortable with or with the band he joint back at Gryphon Cross. But here, he has experienced a different life and impossible obstacles he must overcome. With a deep breath, he replied: "Do it, then."

"What?"

"You can post it on social media or share it with everyone. I don't care anymore."

With that, Arthur brushed himself off, trying to ignore the stinging pain from his cheek. He wanted nothing more than a good amount of tea to calm him down.

Little did he know that someone has been recording his and Genji's conversation. It was about time that justice is to be served.

...

"I don't believe this."

After that fateful night, suddenly every student in Cherryton has been greeting him and even wanting him to join them for lunch as if he were a celebrity now. He had a feeling that it had something to do with Genji posting the revelation of the mysterious musician. Right now, there were more chatters amongst students while they were at assembly.

This was something Arthur knew it would happen eventually.

"Ignore them, Arthur. These guys here are as shallow as fruit flies at the garbage dump," Bill scoffed. "Honestly, if you didn't have any musical talents, they'd probably be back to normal."

Arthur could hear the Bengal tiger yelped in pain. "Bill, that's really inappropriate to say!"

"What? It's the truth, Els. I'm pretty sure you'd believe that too."

Arthur smiled, feeling grateful for Bill giving him some insights. Despite his brash attitude, Bill is an honest classmate. He was disappointed that Aoba was absent today and he couldn't detect Legosi' form.

"Well, I'll just learn how to adapt and get it over with," he concluded, wrapping his wings close to his body. "Bill, I wanted to thank you about that night."

He heard chuffing coming from the Bengal tiger. "Of course! Consider it as a paid debt to you saving me. Geez, I could see some of the girls in front staring at you like you're some big shot."

"I thought you were going to be the big shot, Bill," Arthur teased him to lighten the mood.

"Shh! Be quiet, the principal is about to speak!"

Arthur perked his ears up to listen. It was mostly updates of the school's policies, announcements from different clubs and introductions to new subjects in the upcoming semester. However, the next speech made his stomach churned, hoping that it was the caffeine from the pomegranate tea.

"As far as our school policies are concerned," Principal Gon continued. "There hasn't been any awareness for those who have become the victims of bullying or experiencing mental health. I understand that as students, we are the future to our society however we earned our place at a price."

Through his hearing Arthur could hear murmurs of disapprovals while some held their breaths to listen.

"From a video I was sent, there has been some bullying not just between the carnivores and herbivores but on those we deemed different from our norms. I'm referring to those born with disabilities, abnormal physical traits or a culture different from our own. Now, it has come to my attention that those problems need to be addressed. The first step is to introduce our counselling sessions which will be available during meal breaks and after schools, where you will have to make an appointment first via our school's website."

"Where's the justice for the perpetrators?" Bill muttered into Arthur's ear.

"As for those who were the bullies," the principal finished his speech. "They will be suspended for a month before coming back into school. I believe in correcting them since everyone deserves a second chance. However, if they resumed back their tactics, they will be expelled, privileged or not."

Arthur heard nothing except his own breathing when that happened.

"Will the student Arthur from Year 2 please come up on stage?"

Arthur wished he was a statue or hang himself on one of the hidden corners of the ceiling. Instead, he hid behind Bill while closing his ears to block out the voices from the others at assembly.