Fallen Rose

Lullaby Part 1

"Oooh! This is so cute!"

Hiroshi held up a mint green jacket covered in musical notes "This would go great with a light pink undershirt! Don't you agree?"

"Oh, yeah! It would!" Billy agreed, looking the jacket over, then eyeing the rather heavy bags on Hiroshi's arms. Hiroshi noted he looked slightly concerned, a little lost in thought as he was scavenging through the shop.

"Is everything alright?" He slumped his arms down as Billy shook his head, grinning once more.

"I'm fine! I'm just kinda tired is all-"

"Ohh, I see- ah!" He smiled as he ruffled through the rack "There are so many musical-themed ones, I really love this one the most~" He lifted up a maroon suit coat with a goldenrod keyboard styled collar. "It already goes great with my turtlenecks! Don't you think?"

Billy nodded with a smile, really unfamiliar to fashion. He trusted Hiroshi's judgment, though, seeing his passion for the subject.

"Alright, guys." Katsumi flipped her phone shut, making her way over to the pair. "Booked us a hotel near here for the night, so I'm gonna go bring the luggage over there." She reached into her pocket and brought out a torn sheet of paper. She fished out a pen and scribbled something on it.

"Here's the hotel and your room." She handed it to Hiroshi, "I'll leave it unlocked for you in case you're out too late."

"Oh, alright! Thank you! I suppose I'll be meeting you there!" he looked the paper over before placing it in his pocket.

"See you guys!" Katsumi shouted as she made her way out of the shop. Hiroshi gave a rushed wave, distracted by the clothes.

"Hey, maybe during this trip I can show you around Italy, huh? It's real nice here! How's that sound?" Billy leaned in, nudging Hiroshi with excitement.

"That sounds lovely!" He shuffled through more clothing, "But, not too long, I'm afraid- Oh!" He realized the mass of clothing he had acquired now weighing down on his arm. "Maybe we should get going before I go too overboard here!" He playfully smiled.

They hurried to the cashier, taking a few minutes to ring everything up. Billy looked around, thinking of just where to take Hiroshi first. They waltzed out of the shop, Billy leading Hiroshi onto the motorcycle.

"Hey, there's this really good café nearby, wanna check it out?" He adjusted himself onto his motorcycle, looking back to Hiroshi with a grin.

"Oh, sure! I suppose I haven't really had a proper meal in a couple of days, anyways," Hiroshi placed himself behind Billy, more aware of his growing hunger.

They rode in the crisp morning air, Hiroshi still enthralled by the beautiful landscapes of the area. He looked to the driver, finding himself more at ease in his presence.

"So, you grew up around here, right?" Hiroshi interrupted the calm silence. "How was it?"

"Well... Yea, you could say that. I guess I kinda grew up all around Italy. It's a pretty nice place, I know some cool area's I can show you soon-" Billy called back, a melancholic nostalgia in his voice.

"I've traveled to some parts of Italy before, with my dad... Somewhere in Siena! It was always a lovely place, it's where he grew up... we visited Florence a lot, too!" Hiroshi reminisced, reliving the jovial innocence of the past. The beauty of the cities, the memorable times he had with Aladdin; It filled him with certain happiness that slightly teetered on the melancholy of his absence.

"Oh, so you know some of these parts? Well, I've certainly been to Florence and Siena... Yeah, I lived there for a while. There's a cool arcade near there I visited a lot, maybe I can show you! Oh-" Billy slowed down to a halt, gazing upwards. "We're here!"