Restart

9

"There are a lot of things I'd like to say, but I'll keep it to myself for now."

"A music box?"

You asked, scanning the piece of object handed to you. The box was black, a few strips of gold and green lining the sides. A lever stuck from its left side, unmoving. It was spotless.

It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't exactly as light as you'd initially thought. You were tempted to shake it. Though, judging by the weight, it was obvious something was inside.

Directly in front of the object, a few words were encrypted in beautiful cursive handwriting.

'A Tranquil Melody.'

You opened the box, peering inside the object. A strange mechanism greeted you, making you even more confused. You resisted the urge to stick your finger inside to touch them due to your curiosity.

Instead, you raised your head, looking up at Barbatos. "Does it produce music?"

"Of course."

You placed a finger by the side of your cheek, the feeling of confusion mixed with slight embarrassment crept into your body. Seeing a slight tinge of pink forming on your cheeks, Barbatos couldn't help but chuckle.

"...How does this thing work then?" Getting over the bashfulness you felt then, you were quite eager to learn how to make this box work.

He sat down next to you, arm making contact with yours. You said nothing as you watched. Using his index finger and his thumb, he grasped the lever sticking out.

In a slow and careful manner, Barbatos began winding the music box. He rotated the lever in a clockwise motion, a small sound emitting as he did so. Then he paused, not releasing the lever in his hand.

From the corner of his eye, he glanced at you. You continued gazing at it with a look of anticipation and curiosity. It didn't take long before you noticed him looking at you, despite not moving his head much.

You raised a brow, tilting your head to the side slightly. A smile grew on his face as his eyes softened. With a barely audible laugh, he unclasped the lever and leaned back, giving you a better view of the inside of the object.

The cylinder began moving, spinning around slowly. The metal pins made contact with the comb, each producing a note.

You held in an amazed gasp, the sheer excitement visible in your expression. All while the male beside you could only smile. He couldn't help but wonder.

Would you have reacted like this if he had given the music box to you before you passed?