Overgrown Melody (In My Heart)

The Start of Something New

As I arrived I noticed a slip hole through the door. I slipped the paper that Toya's dad gave me through it, and was greeted by a bodyguard. After promptly looking around, he allowed me to come in. I walked down a seemingly endless hallway that lead to the Aoyagi's main house, where the even was taking place. As I walked upon the entrance, I noticed that people were just standing there and talking amongst themselves.

Is this supposed to be a party? They're all talking about sales and business. "What's a kid like you doing here?" a random guy said learning over to flick my nose. Before he could get close to me, he fell to the floor, blood gushing from a small hole from his chest. "Oh my god, Someone help!" I yelped, but it seemed like no one noticed. I leaned over help the guy up out of pure desperation. "Don't touch em, you'll get your DNA on him." Toya's dad promptly urged, holding a pistol with a silencer on it.

"He's going to die if I don't help him..!" I said my voice breaking. I was trying to desperately resist the feeling that everything is leaving me. I picked him up, using my hand to prevent more blood from coming out, as my clothes were soaked, and ran to the nearest bathroom. Toya's dad look unimpressed. To my surprise, Toya was hiding in the bathroom and forgot to lock the door. "Do you have a med kit!? We're going to loose him..!" I asked desperate for help. Toya looked at me with sad eyes. "He is going to die no matter what you do, so why try.?.." He said, as if he had been in my exact position before. The very idea of the same happening to him over and over broke my heart, what a horrible father he has. "Just get the med kit! I know you have one..!" I had been over to Toya's house before after-all, despite his relative lack of memory.

He sighed and Fetched it from the cabinet, while I undress the man with one hand, keeping my hand over the bullet hole. I knew it wasn't the most sanitary, however it was better than letting him bleed to death, right? After the man's shirt was off, I went in and cleaned the wound, as well as wrapping it with some plastic, as he seemed to be breathing well. I the wrapped it around with bandages with the goal of applying as much pressure as possible. After all of that was done I had no choice but to put him in the recovery position on the floor, as calling an ambulance was off the table given the location.

After I had done all I could do I checked to see if he had a pulse, which remained true. I sighed of relief as his pulse showed no signs of decline. Then I looked towards Toya after washing my hands. "You helped me save a life today... Don't forget that." I said trying to make him feel better for all of the people he couldn't save in the past. "Why...?" He mumbled. "Hm.?" He looked away. "What happened to your face..?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject, it seemed he understood his father had taken a liking to me. "...I dunno.." I couldn't get myself to respond truthfully. Toya's dad opened the bathroom door. Toya helped the guy who got shot earlier stand up. "Ugh... I'm dizzy..." I instructed him not elevate his legs for a bit. Toya helped him to the couch as his dad stood in shock.

"He's alive..? Ah, whatever that much isn't important." Toya's dad said scratching his head. "I wanted you to show these business people your revolutionary 'singing'." He said extending his hand. I didn't like the idea of performing free for a murderer and his accomplices. I ran past him over to Toya on the couch to his disorientation. "Hey wait where are ya' going? What could my kid possibly offer you right now? All he's good for is his girlfriend!" he said as I ran away, disgusted with his lack of remorse.

I grabbed Toya's hand and patted the injured man on the back. "You should get to a hospital as soon as this thing is over." I said. "Thank you, sorry for underestimating you, kid. Maybe it's time I leave this business and turn my life around." he said full of gratitude and remorse. I smiled as I took Toya outside of the event, getting past the bodyguard was easy enough.

I dragged Toya over to the nearest park, it was dark out and the rain had stopped, leaving only stars to fill the sky. We sat on a park bench silently to gather our emotions. "I guess you aren't as bad as people say you are.." Toya muttered looking at the ground. I was lost in his eyes. I felt my face go red as he turned his head toward me. "Oh..You're drenched..." He said slowly blinking his eyes. He reached over and innocently gave me his jacket. "Hopefully that will keep you from catching a cold... It's the least I can do for the prejudice that I acted upon you.."

"Hey...Don't worry about that stuff..." I said looking away so he couldn't see my face. "Uhm.. So what was your dad on about..?" He turned to me, his eyes pleading for contact, as I was still facing the opposite direction. He must've been confused on which thing I was referring to, as his father spits a lot of crap. I slowly turned around, feeling defeated. "Y'know... The thing about your girlfriend being the only good thing about you... I must've taken that the wrong way because-" I stopped, giving him room to actually respond to my question. "It's.. Difficult to speak about.. But I suppose I could attempt to explain." He looked to the side. "I don't... Actually like Kohane.. I am only with her to please my father..." He shut his eyes expecting me to be upset with him for being a jerk or something.

Poor guy.. His father won't get off his case, so he has to stoop to levels that are far beneath him. He probably feels horrible. "Hmm.. Dude that sucks... You can't just end the relationship because you're dad will start buggin' you again, right?" It was hard to tell what he was really thinking, as he wasn't the best at expressing himself. However, he seemed to have a small blush on his face. "Yeah.. How can you be so... Understanding..? ...Don't you think it's terrible that I am leading Kohane on for my own personal issues?" He asked leaning over and putting his hands on his face.

I wanted him to cheer up so bad, but I understood the complexity of the situation. I couldn't quite imagine how he felt before, all I could do was take up for him in whatever way I could. I now understood what it felt to have your superhero image of your dad be shattered in pieces. My dad had never been emotionally supportive of his kids, but we still had good times together. I would never imagine him... Yeah.. I guess that's how Toya felt about his dad as he shifted to scamming people to maintain a certain image of himself.

How could I make him happy? What makes me happy? Pancakes? Cheesecake? Toya himself..? No that won't work.. Ah I've got it! "Hey Toya, wanna continue what we started on the rooftop?" He moved his hands away from his face. "The singing..?" He asked, with a hint of excitement in his demeanor. "I had been practicing what you had told me to do.. So, if you think so.. I think I am ready to move on. I was delighted. "Dude, that's awesome!"

We spent the rest of the night at the park together, me teaching him how to sing, and he actually hit a couple notes! As well as having casual conversation like how we used to do before everyone started acting weird.