Music of the Night

Chapter 83

Chapter 83

"Seriously, do the professors do this for their own amusement?!" Mizuchi rubbed her temples in frustration. She was highlighting a few important lines from her textbook. Her course in university is related to her goals on becoming a fashion designer.

Despite the course not having any exams, the amount of assignments could might as well be a new sea in the open ocean. 

Mizuchi only has another rabbit as her roommate since this university doesn't have a lot of smaller animal students. She didn't mind so long as she gets through her assignments. Her side of the room has various sketches of various dresses, shirts, pants of different sorts.

On her desk, her laptop, her stack of textbooks that might as well be kettle bells and a sewing machine with an unfinished skirt. Besides her laptop, the wood-carved pencil cup Arthur has made for her was filled to the brim with various stationaries.

She misses her boyfriend very much. Ever since she entered her university, she has been tired from her assignments, constant lectures and hands-on projects that made her more critical for perfection. Her friends Riley and Tanya were also busy with their own applied courses in this university.

Riley was studying chemistry and food science while Tanya is doing hospitality and hotel management.

The last time they ever hung out was when they slept over at Riley's place where they had karaoke and had a marathon watching Peaky Blinkers. She loved the dresses the ladies wore while the males looked sharp in their hats and coats.

Just then her phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat until she saw who was the caller. Fixing her ears, she answered: "Hey, Haru."

"Mizuchi! I never thought I'm glad to hear your voice," the dwarf rabbit sighed in relief on the other end. "I just called because- Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting you with your assignments."

"Save your apology," Mizuchi clicked her tongue, a hand twirling with a pencil. "I want nothing more than a chat. Anything to catch a break besides the endless streaming on my laptop."

Hearing Haru laughed made her smile, realising that she missed talking to her. Ironic that the both of them used to hate each other over an inconvenience she will have to deal again and again. Genji was still accepted into university however on probation.

"I know the feeling! Anyways, I called because I'm feeling frustrated with everything really...I don't know where the hell is Legosi since he hasn't return my calls and whenever I visited his apartment, he's not there. On top of that, everyone at my university thinks interspecial dating is a trend. You know how difficult it is when the animal that likes you is a carnivore?"

"I do," Mizuchi nodded, bringing the wood-carved pencil cup close to her. "I may not know him but I'm sure Legosi has something on that he doesn't want to pressure you."

"Oh yeah? Does Arthur do the same thing with you? Do you guys even talk after you graduated?"

"We do," the harlequin rabbit smile, smoothening the fur on her ears. "Voice messages and sometimes call during weekends. He's got a lot of things to do ever since the trial and so do I. But we try to make time. Besides this new life, I sort of have a side job that gave me enough money to spend on what I want."

"Oh?"

"Some of the students here asked me to sew and fix their clothes at a fair price. It gives me a lot of practice and get to know the types of animals I want to work with. Some even give me fabric so that I can make something for them."

There was silence that hung in the air. Mizuchi hoped she didn't offend Haru by telling her about how she settled with her new life.

"To be honest...I'm jealous of interspecies couples that wandered around," Haru spoke quietly. "Seeing them smiling and laughing made me realised that I want to spend time with Legosi- No, I WANT Legosi to talk to me."

Mizuchi sympathised with her. She knew the struggles about two different species in love. Arthur's news about how his parents have twin girls made her realised how much she wants to make this work.

" How about writing a letter? I mean a real handwritten letter to tell him how you're feeling. Haru, we have to look out for each other. Two of us are Lagomorphs that date boys outside of our species. I guessed we both have to prove to ourselves that we care about them and be here when they fall. Love is scarier than what we herbivores have to face. It's not easy but it will passed."

Hearing her giggle on the other end made Mizuchi stretched herself to relax. "You know, you're starting to sound like him. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Mizuchi. I'll be okay for now."

"Anytime, Haru. Anytime."

...

Arthur was sipping on his milk bubble tea while hanging upside down on a tree branch.

He was thinking back on how he ended up working as a musician for three Black Market gangs. All because Agata approached him at the train station when he decided to wobble his way through town. His flying lessons will start soon, making him quiver in excitement because Aoba will be joining him.

Just then, his phone buzzed, making him plugged in his earphones to listen.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Arthur! I haven't heard from you in a while," the smooth voice of Sameer hissed happily. Arthur's ears perked up, his smile was formed. He's never been so happy hearing from his old Gryphon Cross friend. 

"Oh, Sameer! It's good to hear from you too! So much has happened ever since the trial. I'm sorry if I haven't called or-"

"No need to apologise, Arthur," Sameer chuckled on the other end. "I understand that you're busy. So are the rest of us here with our final exams and off we go into the cold world."

"I have yet to catch up with the rest of you lot. I've been listening to your ZooTube horror narrations and history facts. Are you planning to work at the museum?"

"Hmm, maybe we will see, yes? Baba's planning to send me off to Luxor to get...what was the word- Oh, expose to the hidden and forbidden history no one talks about. Oh, if you could see how magnificent the ancient sites are!"

"Unfortunately, I can't."

"Of course! Well, there's that along with me getting an admirer. You don't happen to know a sheep from your drama club? He's been commenting on my videos and friending me on Beastbook."

Arthur nearly dropped his bubble tea onto a poor duck couple.

"Bloody hell! When did this happen?! H-how? What?"

Sameer was laughing. "Oh, sorry if I accidentally dropped that on you. Well, things do happen when we don't meet up, no? Well, I also remember you telling me that you have new siblings. How does it feel to be a big brother?"

While Arthur was chatting away on the phone, Yafya was approaching the blind Honduran white bat. Sighing to himself, the old stallion sat down on the bench to observe him. He has seen how Arthur's half-siblings looked like: fur as red as a fox while having large wings that might as well be capes.

Yafya snorted. It was bad enough that he sent Legosi to track down Melon when this tiny rat with wings was already co-mingling with him right under his nose!