Soft and sweet strums of a guitar rippled soothingly as it created dulcet and euphonious tunes. Accompanied with it was a quiet yet upbeat melody that flowered in the form of a hushed hum. An abundance of paper laid sprawl across a bed, each one with different music notes scribbled onto them in a child-like messy handwriting.

Striking and prepossessing silvery blue eyes, ink black hair, lovely youthful features, and a darling smile on his lips; a child sat alone in his room, crossed legged whilst playing his guitar. Muffled footsteps then sounded from the other side of the door. It wasn't long until the door slowly opened and a woman with similar grey-blue eyes peered from the other side, her long braided jet black hair falling to the side from her head tilting.

"Kashi! Are you ready to head over for your performance now?" A friendly smile graced her gorgeous features as she fondly gazed at her son. "If you're not here downstairs in ten minutes, we're leaving without you."

Startled, Utari hastily began gathering the sheets of paper on his bed. "W-wait! How will I perform if I'm not there?"

With a proud huff, the woman gave her son a thumbs up. "Don't worry, your mum will sing in your place instead."

Mid stuffing his papers in his bag, the boy paused. "But, mum. You're terrible at singing," he said with an innocent tilt of his head, his short black locks sweeping to the side in accordance to his actions.

"...I'm shortening it to five minutes."

The door closed and the sounds of footsteps began fading away. The Utari's eyes blinked in confusion. "Did I do something wrong?" he mumbled. His eyes caught sight of the clock on his desk. "Ah! Right! The time."

Hurriedly he slung his bag over his shoulders, stuffed his guitar in a case, and headed downstairs. He passed by his fish tank and quickly bid them goodbye before stepping outside. Once he was outside, he felt someone ruffle his hair. The child let out a petite cry of surprise and looked upwards before meeting a pair of deep blue eyes.

"D-dad?"

The man smiled jovially at his son and playfully flicked his forehead. "You're out here early. That excited for your performance?"

"Mum said to hurry or else I'll be left behind."

Utari's father's expression displayed one of confusion before a dulcet chuckle withdrew from his lips, the euphonious sound resembling his son's, only much deeper. "C'mon, you know we'll never do that." He patted his son on the back. "Since you're here, let's hop in the car."

Utari nodded eagerly and followed his father into the vehicle. Promptly seating himself in the passenger seat, the child excitedly placed on his seat belt. His legs dangled back and forth and a bright smile remained glued on his features, eager and more than ready for the car to begin driving.

"Someone's excited," Utari's mother commented.

"Well, it is the first time he's performing in front of such a large crowd, after all," his father said and glanced back at Utari. "Nervous?"

Utari's head inclined to the side innocently as he contemplated the simple question. "Nope!" he responded cheerfully, flashing an adorable grin at the end.

"Well look who's confident. Wonder where he got that from." His father sent a knowing look towards the female next to him.

Utari's mother rolled her eyes. "Just start the car."



===



The area was far more lively than Utari anticipated.

After just entering backstage, he was welcomed with an abundance of staff members running around as they rushed to get the performers ready––performers who ranged from children around his age to young adults. There were also people working on the technology fixing up the music and lights while looking especially professional while doing; honestly, they could be simply pressing random buttons and Utari would still watch them in awe.

All sorts of chatter cluttered the air as many different conversations mixed in with one another. From what Utari could piece together, the concert had already started. It was an interesting environment to be in and he felt a small hint of professionalism from himself. After all, he was going to be the one performing here. Just the thought of it made him giggle in excitement. Up until now, Utari had only performed at school. This is the first time he would be doing a performance outside of it.

He carefully walked around while making sure he didn't get in the way of the staff members. He sent a few greetings and smiles as he surveyed the area, trying to find a specific individual. Eventually, his eyes landed on a woman who seemed to be in her late twenties; she had square shaped glasses, brunette hair tied into a tight high ponytail and a kind face. That was his teacher, the very person who gave him the opportunity to perform here.

"Ikeda-sensei!" the boy called out happily as he immediately rushed over to her.

"Oh, you're just in time!" The woman exclaimed. "You're up right after this performance ends. I was afraid you weren't going to make it."

"Sorry, there was a lot of traffic," Utari responded apologetically. "Mum swore a lot during it."

"Well, let's hope you don't pick up on those bad words, hm?"

"Of course not! I promised my dad to never say bad things!"

While conversing with his teacher, a staff member walked up to them and informed that Utari's performance was going to take place soon. At the news, Utari thought back to when he said that he wasn't nervous and felt a tinge of regret; he was starting to feel a little nervous now.

"I got this," he said. Nodding to himself in approval, he unzipped his instrument bag and brought out his acoustic guitar––one that was gifted to him by his parents on his birthday. Utari smiled as he thoughtfully reministed how excited he was to receive the gift and how for the entire week he would refuse to part ways with it.

The boy then took out a mask. It was simple and white in colour that covered the top half of his face. The only additional design was a black musical note painted in the center between where his eyes are meant to be. There wasn't any meaningful or complicated reason behind why he chose to wear it. One day he was bored and his mother suggested the idea to him. They purchased a mask and his mother painted on the musical note for him (she was a surprisingly good artist).

Utari placed his mask on, gave a determined nod to his teacher before following the staff member to the stage. He waited behind the curtains, listening attentively for his cue to go on stage.

"Next up we'll be seeing a talented young artist, at only aged twelve, please give a warm welcome to Note!"

An onrush of eagerness and nervousness crashed into him like a tsunami at the sound of his name being announced. Note; obviously, it wasn't his real name. It was just a nickname given to him by his peers. Students began calling him that as his books would always have musical note doodles on it and also due to how passionate he was about music. He honestly liked the nickname, despite its childishness, and happily embraced it.

A clamorous barrage of applause followed suit and Utari tensed; it sounded like there were a lot of people there. Utari stepped on the stage and walked steadily and felt his breath stop momentarily at the large crowd of people.

The room was dimly lit and darkness casted over the audience, making it difficult to make out their facial features. A spotlight luminously shone down on the center of the stage where there was a microphone and a stool. In this moment, all eyes were fixated on him. Utari's heart began racing a little faster and he carefully seated himself, readied his guitar and felt the weight of everyone's gaze as he attached a microphone to the instrument.

It's okay, this isn't anything new. There's just a larger audience. Utari continuously repeated that same sentence in his mind as a means to reassure himself. It helped a bit, but when he looked up at the crowd again, that sentence immediately vanished into thin air. Especially now that he was sitting down, he felt so small being in the center of such a large stage.

As the boy's mind was preoccupied on the amount of eyes on him, his arm had accidentally bumped into the microphone. Luckily, his reflexes were quick enough and he managed to frantically catch it in time before it fell. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he carefully placed the device back in its place.

With a nervous chuckle, Utari spoke into the microphone. "S-sorry about that."

Chuckles arose from the crowd, however, they didn't sound like ones of ridicule or mockery. In fact, it was more like friendly amusement. Utari noticed the people in the front row giving him encouraging nods and some even whispered how the sight was adorable.

A small blush painted Utari's cheeks as his lips curved into a timid smile. His nerves melted away from the warmth of the audience. Far more relaxed now, he began playing his guitar.

A beautiful and calming melody flowed from his guitar which was soon followed by his sweet and melodious voice. The song elicited a sense of tranquility and a serene feeling enveloped the room. It was the type of melody you'd appreciate most late at night whether alone or with a loved one.

The audience listened, struck with immense awe. They were not only captivated by the beautiful tune, but also the presence of the young and talented singer on stage. The light from the spotlight illuminated Utari's black locks and the yellow hue reflected significantly on his prepossessing grey-blue eyes from behind the mask. It was a sight many were unable to peel their eyes away from.

The performance then came to an end. There was a short period of silence at first before the crowd broke into a wild round of applause. Utari was surprised by the reception, a stunned expression on his face before a joyful look settled on his features.

He stood up and bowed as the applause continued to reverberate loudly across the room. He showed an ebullient smile to the crowd before waving and walking off stage. As soon as he was out of sight, the boy took off his mask. He let out a sigh, one of both relief and content. A feeling of happiness bubbled within him, a feeling he always felt after a proud performance.

"I want to perform again," Utari mumbled before giggling to himself. If he could rewind time, he would love to relive the same experience. Singing and creating music was his passion and hearing people applaud and cheer for him while doing what he loved made his heart race with joy.

Utari went off to find his teacher to share his excitement. It took asking a few staff members for directions and a good few minutes of wandering around in confusion until he eventually spotted her with an unfamiliar individual.

It was a woman with straight and long dark red hair that cascaded elegantly down her back. Her pale features were highlighted with makeup; dark red lipstick, prominent eyeliner, and an ombre of orange and red for eyeshadow. Utari stood where he was, uncertain if this was an appropriate time to intervene. However, it wasn't long until the unfamiliar woman's crimson eyes caught sight of Utari.

"Looks like someone is waiting for you," she said, her red lips twisting into an amused smile.

A little startled at the eye contact, Utari waved friendlily at the woman before heading over and saying his greetings and introducing himself.

"Ah, so that's your real name," the stranger said. "Well, it's nice to meet you. Your performance was truly something."

Utari's face brightened and he smiled widely at the compliment before saying a chirpy 'thanks!' in response. He looked over to his teacher, hoping for her words of approval as well. However, his teacher's attention was solely on the woman with red hair.

"This is Ichika-san, she came to watch today's show as a special guest," his teacher explained.

"I'm not all that special. In fact, I feel honored to be invited. I was able to see something amazing today." Ichika's eyes briefly glossed over Utari when she said the last line before she glanced down to her expensive watch. "Ah, I should be going. I have some errands to attend to."

Utari's teacher's face fell. "So soon? It's a shame, I did enjoy our conversation."

"I feel the same. Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your night." She looked over to Utari and smiled. "You have talent, make sure to keep working hard. I'll be cheering for you."

Utari nodded. "Okay! Thank you."

Taking out her phone from her designer bag, the woman nodded at Utari and his teacher before leaving the scene as she took a call. Utari waited until she was out of sight before gazing up at his teacher with an inquisitive look.

"Ikeda-sensei, what do you mean by special guest? What does she do?"

"Hm? Oh, that's right. I didn't mention it to you, did I? That was Ichika Miura, she works in an agency in the entertainment industry as the main producer."

Utari tilted his head to the side. "The entertainment industry? Like for singers?"

"Well, that's the basic idea of it."

"I see, thank you for explaining!" Seeing that his teacher didn't have any additional words––to his disappointment as he hoped for a compliment on his performance––Utari asked, "Since I'm done with my performance, can I go watch the rest of the show with my parents?"

"That's fine with me, I have a few things I need to do."

Excited to see his parents, the boy rushed off and went to find them. He wondered what they thought of his performance. Utari had performed in front of them in the past, but it wasn't often as his parents were always busy with their work. The last time they heard a full performance from him was quite a while ago.

He quietly remained by the wall to not disturb the audience and, due to his shorter height, he had to tip-toe in his pursuit to find his parents amongst the large crowd of people.

"Oh! It's you!"

At the voice, Utari stopped his search to be met with a pair of deep forest green eyes belonging to a boy whose height was a little taller than Utari's but appears to be around his age. The boy also had fluffy brown hair that was damaged towards the end as the colour faded into a light blonde.

Raising an eyebrow, the stranger inclined his head to the side, scrunching his nose a little at the lack of response from Utari. "You were the singer from before, right? The one who knocked down the mic?"

Utari laughed sheepishly at the memory. "Yeah, that was me."

"Okay, cool. I have a message for you."

"A message?"

"Do I need to repeat that again––nevermind. My sister is too shy to speak to you herself so she asked me to say it for her. She goes to your school, actually."

"Do I know her?"

The boy shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? I'm still in elementary. Anyways, she says that she really likes your music, like a lot," he said and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "So––uh. Yeah, that's that. Keep at it, I guess."

At that, Utari's lips curved into an effusive smile. Though he was known in his school for his music, he wasn't sure of the extent of how much his peers actually enjoyed it. Knowing that someone out there appreciated it gave him a spike in confidence.

"Tell her that I said thank you."

"What am I? A messenger now?"

"Oh, do you want me to do it myself?"

"I never said I wouldn't do it."

Utari held back a chuckle. "Oh, okay. Hey, did you like my performance?"

The boy crossed his arms and averted his eyes. "W-well, it was okay."

Utari's shoulders slumped as he feigned a despondent look. "Oh, I see."

"What the––why are you getting all sad for?! It was good, okay? It was better than all the others! I-I mean, okay. Maybe not that great but––"

"I was just kidding, but thank you." Utari laughed at the look of disbelief on the brunette. "Oh yeah, I didn't ask yet. What's your name?"

The boy's chest puffed out proudly. "Kasumi Kai! You should be grateful to meet me while I'm still young. I'll remember you when I become famous."

Utari clapped at his enthusiasm. "That's so cool! What are you going to be famous for?"

"An athlete of course!" he replied with a triumphal smirk. He then pointed over Utari's shoulders. "Hey, are they your parents?"

"My parents? Where––"

"Kashi! There you are!" he heard his mother's voice call out to him.

Before Utari had the chance to respond, he felt his feet leave the ground as his father swept him up into his arms. The man chuckled at Utari's flustered expression.

"You never told us you could sing like that," he said. "Everyone's breath was taken away. You really showed them."

"Whoever believes that they can sing better than our son needs to reconsider their opinion," his mother added in before playfully pinching Utari's cheeks with a grin. "You need to sing to us more often, okay? I feel guilty for not realising the extent of your talent."

Utari laughed. "It's okay, it's not your fault that you have a lot of work. Oh! And, I also made a new friend––"

He stopped talking abruptly when he looked over his shoulder to find that the boy with green eyes was no longer there. Utari's face fell in disappointment, he wanted to get to know him more and he also didn't the chance to ask for the sister's name.

"A new friend? Who is it?" his father asked.

"I'll tell you later," Utari quickly replied. "Can you let me down now?"

"Sure. Want me to drop you from here?" With a chuckle, his father raised him higher.

Utari paled. "No! I have my guitar on me."

His mother stifled a laugh. "You're supposed to be concerned about your safety, but okay."

Then, what was left of the minimal lighting in the area had completely disappeared and the soft chatter of the audience had begun to die down.

"Looks like the next performance is starting," his father said as he settled his son down. "Alright, let's go back to our seats and watch it together, okay?"

It was one of the few occasions where both his parents were free and Utari wanted to enjoy the moment to the fullest. The rest of the night progressed without any problems, Utari watched the rest of the remaining performances in astonishment before eventually the final one came to an end. After a loud round of applause, chatter began to rise and everyone began leaving the building.

Holding onto his father's hand, Utari began making his way out as well. As they were leaving, Utari's parents were approached by some friends. They happened to be here to watch their child perform as well.

"Kashi, wait here a bit, okay? This won't take long," his mother said.

Utari nodded. This was going to take very long. He and his father exchanged knowing looks and they silently agreed that Utari could wander off for a bit as long as he didn't go too far and took a phone with him.

The place was overflowing with people, people that watched his performance. He smiled to himself and hummed a quiet and joyful tune. Tonight was a great experience. Utari was glad that the song he worked so hard on was able to receive such a positive reception.

"I didn't expect to run into you again so soon, what are you doing here alone?"

Utari turned around and he looked up to find a red-haired woman. It didn't take long for him to recognise her. She had her arms crossed, a mature smile on her velvety red lips that accentuated her bewitching features, and a naturally imposing presence; you'd naturally assume she was someone of importance as soon as you see her.

Utari paused for a short moment, surprised by her appearance. Didn't she have errands to attend to?

"Hello! My parents are busy so I'm just walking around," he said. "Seeing so many people here, it's so cool to know that they all watched my performance."

The woman nodded. "Well, this is hardly anything. Picture around triple the size and that's when it becomes a little more impressive."

"Woah, then the building would have to be huge!" Utari stretched his arms out for emphasis. "I can't imagine performing in front of that many people."

"Why do you think that?"

The boy thought about it for a moment. "I mean, I don't see myself doing things like this often since I'm just a kid."

"I see..." The woman remained silent for a moment before she took a few steps towards Utari, her high heels clattering against the concrete floor. She bent down to Utari's level. "If I may ask, why do you sing?"

Utari's expression mirrored one of confusion, wondering why the woman suddenly closed the proximity. "Why do I sing?" Well, the answer was obvious to him right off the bat. With a giggle he replied with childlike enthusiasm, "It's really simple! Singing is fun."

"Is that it?"

He didn't expect to need to elaborate. He pondered for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts and piece together a response.

"Well, I first tried music because I was bored. A friend of mine had an old guitar in his house and let me borrow it. I never thought I'd enjoy it so much."

He continued his explanation to the woman––how he eventually entered his school's talent show where he made a small name for himself and discovered his love for performance. He then was given opportunities to perform in school assemblies, sometimes with just his voice. Then, he moved onto composing his own melodies and lyrics.

"Aside from enjoyment, I do hope that people find comfort in my music or that they feel a little happier after hearing it. My mum works in a hospital and my dad is a therapist, both of their jobs include helping others. I want to do that too with my music. So, it doesn't matter if I sing in front of one or one hundred people––as long as I help someone, I'm happy." A tinge of pink dusted Utari's cheeks. "S-sorry for the ramble."

"No, no. It's fine. That was very insightful, thank you. I believe that's a beautiful and admirable reason to sing," the woman said. "Well, I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I'll be heading off now. I hope you enjoy the rest of the night."

The two exchanged goodbyes and Utari watched as she disappeared past the crowd of people. He wondered why she wanted to talk to him, was she just curious? He didn't want to be egotistical and assume it was because of she was impressed with his performance. Perhaps his teacher exchanged a few words with her he didn't know about.

His phone––which was borrowed from his father––rang and Utari quickly picked up. It was time to go home. Sending one last glance back, the boy went and rejoined his parents.

Meanwhile, Ichika was walking away from the building. A hum of contemplation parted her lips as her nails painted black drummed against her handbag. "What is he doing with such a gluttonous teacher?" she mused.

She took out her phone and began dialing a number. "Utari Kashi..." she hummed. "It rolls off the tongue well."

She pressed call and wasn't surprised when it took less than a few seconds for the individual to pick up. Ichika held back an amused chuckle as a frantic voice projected from the phone.

"I-Ichika-san? Why did you call so soon? Did you want to talk more?"

Ichika took her time answering the teacher's question as she played with her red locks, purposefully creating tension. It was funny how the teacher's composed act from their previous conversation was so quickly shattered from a simple abrupt phone call. Was it because she was an influential figure? If so, Ichika certainly didn't mind the impact her power had.

Will the teacher take the bait? It was time to test things out.

Smiling, she said, "Ikeda-san, I have an offer for you."



===



"A song for another performance?"

It was currently after school. Like many other students, Utari was walking out of the school gates while chatting and laughing with his friends until he was asked by his teacher to stay behind for a quick talk. And, when Utari heard the news, he was understandably surprised. It was only a day after his last performance and he was already doing another one?

Well, the boy wasn't too bothered. He enjoyed creating new songs and performance just as much. However, he was curious as to why the request was so sudden. Typically, it would take at least a month before he was notified of another possible performance.

"Yes. It'll take place within a week," his teacher said.

"A-a week?"

Was it for a large performance? If so, then an original song done in just a week? That was far too soon, especially since he was very meticulous when composing his music. He didn't like rushing when it came to making songs. He created songs out of passion and enjoyment, not for the sake of making a song.

His teacher took note of his expression. "Oh, don't worry. It's not as big as the one we had yesterday—a handful of people at most."

Utari's posture relaxed in relief. "I can manage that! I'll probably play one of my old songs then."

"You can't do that."

The boy fluttered his eyes in surprise. His teacher's expression hasn't changed, however, he felt an inkling of apprehension all of a sudden. Was he just imagining the tension?

"Oh...why?"

"They're close friends of mine," she explained, an amiable smile crawling on her lips. "Your performance yesterday was amazing and I want to show them that. The place isn't anything special so don't feel pressured, but I'd like an original song."

Utari's face brightened at his teacher's praise. "Okay! I'll give it my all!"



===



Utari spent countless hours on his bed staring at a blank piece of paper along with a mind just as blank. It was a strange feeling, he never had any trouble creating music before. His head was always brimming with inspiration to the point where his hands had a hard time writing it all down fast enough.

So, why was it so different now?

Was it because of the time pressure? No, Utari didn't feel particularly stressed due to the short time limit.

Or was it because...

He looked over to the sheet with writing inscribed onto it beside him. Written on it was a short list of what his teacher wanted Utari to include in his song. The boy picked up the paper, eyes transfixed on it for a prolonged period of time before placing it back down, nothing new coming to mind.

Contemplate, write, test it out, scrap; this was a repetitive process for a few days. Whenever he would write something down, it didn't take long for that idea to be thrown in the bin. And, as the end of the week slowly approached, that was when panic finally settled and Utari began compromising his sleep in order to work on the song.

As his parents tend to work late into the night, all Utari needed was to put on a smile and a convincing enough act to show that he has been getting sufficient sleep. Though, that act grew harder to maintain as time progressed. Though his parents did express some concerns, they never pressed onto the issue too greatly.

Eventually, the week came to an end and it was the day of the performance. Utari had just arrived at the place where he was meant to perform.

And, it was not what he had expected.

"Ikeda-sensei..."

"Hm? What is it?" His teacher looked over to him, a smile on her lips and a look of excitement in her eyes.

Utari stared ahead, uncertainty rippling in his eyes as he examined the extravagant building built out of smoked glass and steel in front of him. It was also brightly lit up with a galaxy's worth of lights to battle against the night's darkness. It's impressive colossal height seemed to stretch past the sky as it towered over Utari's small figure. If the building were a person, he felt as if it would be laughing at his inferiority.

Utari swallowed nervously. "Uhm, you said it was only a handful of people...Are you sure this is the right place––"

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise. You're here early."

Utari flinched. That voice, it couldn't be––The boy quickly turned around to confirm his suspicions, and sure enough, it was exactly who he thought it was. Ichika Miura, the woman he had met a week ago. What was she doing here?

Utari heard his teacher laugh beside him. "Well, of course! He has an important performance, after all."

"Important performance?" The boy shot his teacher a surprised look. The pieces were slowly forming in his mind and he began drawing closer towards a realisation. "Wait, but you said––"

"Well, why don't you come right in? The venue is under my name, after all. I'll escort you there," Ichika said. "Ah, but no need to rush. His performance is last."

Utari's teacher clasped her hands joyously. "Of course!" She looked down at Utari and gestured to him to follow her. "Come on, let's not keep her waiting."

There wasn't even a second to spare for Utari to slip in any protests or questions. His mind was spinning in confusion and he began to feel tendrils of panic coiling around him as he followed his teacher inside the building.

Polished floors, expensive chandeliers shining resplendently, marble furnitures, clusters of people wearing expensive outfits; the list could go on forever. A handful of people? Nothing special? Even Utari's respect for his teacher and child naivety couldn't blind him from the fact that his teacher had lied to him about those facts.

Utari simply kept his head down, trying to shroud his presence to the best of his ability. He didn't deny the place was both elegant and glamorous. Under different circumstances, he might've been looking around in awe. However, he was currently apprehensive for what was going to happen. And, in contrast to him, a certain teacher was paying close attention to her surroundings with esurient eyes.

There was even an elevator that led upwards. The further they ascended, the more distant the noises from the crowds of people became. Though it didn't quell Utari's apprehensive state, he was at least relieved to be away from the chatter.

The red-haired woman led them towards a door. There were two men guarding it, both having similar large and burly builds. Just the sight of them elicited an intimidating aura.

"These two are with me," Ichika said. The guards nodded and allowed them inside.

Utari stole a quick glimpse at the guards over his shoulders before continuing to walk forward, hand gripping his guitar case a little tighter. Staff members were overflowing the area and noise levels were oppressively high. If Utari hadn't been with two adults, he felt as if he would've gotten tripped on by how small he was in this new environment.

Utari really didn't want to be here. If only there was a way for him to somehow disappear then reappear in the comfort of his home.

"Oh my, you look pale." Ichika cocked her head to the side, her red locks falling over her shoulders; it was done in a neat low ponytail and parts of her hair were decorated with expensive accessories that shone like jewels. "Don't be nervous. I think you'll do just fine."

"What is this exactly?" Utari asked, perhaps a little too quickly. You couldn't blame him though, every time he had tried to ask anything tonight, he was cut off.

"Hm? Did Ikeda-san not explain it enough? It's a promotional event for my agency. Many talented singers would be performing today, they've spent months training and preparing for this moment. After all, the audience is full of esteemed guests. It's their chance to get their name out to the world and demonstrate their capabilities. Of course, you're a special exception since you're not from my agency. Ikeda-san mentioned that you would be interested in being recognised at a larger scale and that's why I've offered the opportunity," she explained.

A crushing weight of dread pummeled Utari and he shot his teacher a look of both disbelief and hurt. Why? Why would his teacher lie to him about something like this? Also, why would she lie about his intentions? Utari had never mentioned about wanting to be recognised at a larger scale.

Before the boy could speak, his teacher did so first. "Ah! Ichika-san, you mentioned VIP spots during our discussion, right?" She ignored Utari entirely, not even attempting to salvage the situation or try to fix the eroding trust and respect the boy had for her.

Ichika spared Utari a confused glance before replying. "You're not mistaken. Would you like for me to escort you? I can introduce you to a few guests as well."

A grin etched on his teacher's lips, one that was poorly masked with a humble smile. "Of course!"

Was she just going to leave him here alone? "Wait––"

His presence was on par with an insignificant speck of dust at this point. His teacher hardly looked his way as she disappeared off to who knows where. Utari spent a good few minutes frozen to one spot as his mind haphazardly tried to comprehend the situation.

He surveyed the area and watched as performers walked around carrying fancy looking instruments, wearing eccentric and resplendent makeup and clothing, and carrying an air of professionalism that made him feel heavily ostracised.

In comparison to that, Utari had a simple acoustic guitar, ordinary clothing, and a song he was hardly proud of. The boy's breath began to quicken when he realised just how severe his dilemma was. Just what was his teacher thinking putting him in such a situation?

A passing staff member noticed him. "What are you just standing there for? Are you performing?" her voice was quick and strict, she gave off the impression that she did not respond well to wasting time.

"Y-yes." Utari's voice came out meek and timid.

The staff eyed him suspiciously, not convinced that he was one of the performers. However, she didn't have time to dwell on the matter any further. "Well, go hurry up and prepare. Do you know how important this event is?"

The staff hastily ushered him to a seat in front of a mirror before immediately leaving his side afterwards. Utari sat on his seat in silence, head down, eyes on his lap, and back hunched in an attempt to make himself as invisible as possible.

Utari shut his eyes tightly before mumbling a soft, "I want to leave..."

He didn't want this, he didn't want this at all. Being in this environment was hard enough already, but the fact that he had to perform terrified him.

"You're up next."

Utari hadn't realised that the entire room was empty until he looked up. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that so much time had passed without him realising it. Hesitantly, he took his guitar out of the case before he quickened his movements at the staff member's impatient stare. Utari placed on his mask and was escorted to the back of the stage behind the curtains.

Okay, deep breaths. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought it was? He severely doubted that thought, but it was the only thing he could cling onto to help subdue his nerves.

"And, for the last performance of the night, we have Note!"

Utari's body tensed at the mention of his name. His legs felt momentarily chained to the ground and he was unable to move. He didn't want to go out there. He didn't want to perform.

Hesitantly with little confidence, Utari walked up the stage. The luminous spotlight blinded his eyes and he immediately felt the oppressive pressure of a thousand eyes staring at him. He couldn't help but glance at the crowd and his breath hitched at the sight.

The amount of people present was so large that the seats stretched beyond his vision. Some people were seated above while others on the sides. From three angles, eyes were pinned on him. Unlike his last performance where the atmosphere was relaxing and friendly, he felt like every gaze fixated on him was judgemental and critical. It was as if he was here to be assessed and the audience were his strict judges.

Swallowing, he forced himself to begin playing. The prolonged silence only suffocated him.

So, he played.

It was off to a shaky start, he had already messed up the introduction to his song. And, that mess-up instilled additional panic into him, continuing to affect his performance. However, in the middle of the song, he was able to compose himself and play normally. However, his heart wasn't in it. In a way, he was playing fearfully, waiting for the moment when his song would finally end.

For what felt like several hours, his song finally came to an end.

And, there was no applause.

Utari noticed the audience exchanging glances, some confused whilst others condemnatory. Whispers then began floating around, whispers that Utari weren't able to decipher but he felt like the entire room was criticising his very being.

He didn't know what to do. This wasn't the type of response he had anticipated. Though he didn't expect an ear shattering round of applause, he hoped to at least get a few pity claps.

...Was his performance really that bad?

Granted it wasn't the best, but it couldn't have been terrible, right? He thought his singing would at least make up for his shaky guitar performance. His voice was always praised so he thought he might have at least some talent?

Were people just being nice to him when he was praised?

Yes, Utari didn't play music for recognition. He did it because he enjoyed it. However, he didn't realise until now just how much the validation of an audience meant to him.

"Th-thank you for listening," he said, voice almost cracking towards the end. If it weren't for the microphone, he was sure his voice would've been lost in the sea of whispers.

No one acknowledged his words, barely anyone even spared him a glance as he exited the stage.



===



Utari was given a ride home by a personal driver, which was organised by the red-haired woman. He didn't have the chance to talk to his teacher or the woman after his performance as both of them were busy. Doing what? Utari didn't know nor cared at this point.

When he was dropped off, he said a quiet thank you to the driver. And, just as he anticipated, the driver didn't acknowledge his words or spare him a single glance before driving off. A bittersweet smile settled on Utari's lips and he sighed, a despondent feeling weighing his heart.

"It'll be okay," he whispered to himself. "I'll be fine." He forced a happy smile on his lips, pushing aside his negative thoughts. However, when he realised that the driver had dropped him off at an unfamiliar area, his smile fell.

Where was he?

He didn't have a phone on him to contact anyone and he was alone at night. This wasn't the safest situation for a twelve year old. Utari had no choice but to cautiously walk forward and keep a vigilant eye on his surroundings. Hopefully, he'd be lucky to find someone who can help him.

The night seemed to only grow worse and worse for him. He was exhausted and just wanted to go home, see his parents, and forget about all of this. As he continued walking, he hadn't realised that a glassy layer of tears had formed in his eyes. Flustered, Utari's eyes fluttered in surprise. Sniffing, he tried to stop his tears from flowing. However, with each attempt, he felt even more inclined to cry.

"Woah, woah. Are you okay there?"

Utari hiccuped at the voice. Frantically wiping his tears away, he looked towards his left. There was an unfamiliar woman who had her head peeked out from behind a glass door. She eyed Utari in both confusion and concern.

Startled, Utari quickly replied with the first thing that came to mind. "I-I'm okay."

The woman shot him an unconvinced look. "Yeah, that doesn't look okay to me." She opened the door wider. "Wanna come in and talk it out? The bakery is supposed to be closed, but I can make an exception."

He shook his head. "N-no, it's okay, I don't want to trouble you."

"Goodness, you don't need to be so polite. C'mon in, I'll give you some free food."

Utari was close to rejecting her a second time, however, he remembered that he still needed help getting back home. Maybe she could help him? Though accepting help from a stranger at night is by no means the safest option, the only other option was wandering around alone at night without a clue where he was.

With a slow nod, Utari accepted the offer. The woman smiled triumphantly and let him in the building.

The bakery was simple in appearance. It had nothing too fancy, but it was clean and comfortable. Utari looked around the area and his attention was captured when he noticed a variety of pastries displayed behind a glass wall. His eyes sparkled in awe the unique designs. He had never seen anything like them before, were they food or pieces of art?

The woman grinned proudly. "Oh? You interested in those? Hold on a second, I'll get one for you."

"Ah, no that's fine!" Utari waved his hands dismissively.

The woman laughed. "Just nod and accept it. Makes things easier for me."

Hesitantly, Utari nodded. There was something about the woman's carefree and frivol tone that made it hard to say no to her. He seated himself on one of the tables and he glanced around the area. There was a peaceful silence in the air and Utari felt himself relax a little. The simplicity of the bakery eased his mind from the intensity of earlier.

"Feeling better already? I should just ditch my job and become a therapist." The woman settled down a plate in front of Utari with a chuckle. "I didn't know what you wanted so I just chose my daughter's favourite."

Utari thanked her before asking, "You have a daughter?"

"Yup, and I love her to bits. Though, today hasn't been the greatest day for her. Actually, she hasn't come out of her room all day."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Utari tried a bit of the pastry and his eyes lit up pleasantly. It didn't take long for him to take another bite.

"That good, huh? Well, it's not like I didn't expect that. My baking is pretty awesome, after all."

A genuine smile was on Utari's lips. "If it's okay to ask, what's your daughter's name?"

The woman hummed, her eyes twinkling in amusement as she winked. "Why? Interested in her?"

Flustered, a hint of pink dashed across the boy's cheeks. "Th-that's––"

"I was just joking. Your reaction is absolutely hilarious," she laughed.

Though he was still a little flustered, a small laugh parted from Utari's lips. His heart felt a little lighter and his mood was certainly lifted. The woman smiled fondly at him, proud and relieved that she was able to put a smile on his face.

"Moving on, since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you my daughter's name. It's (L/n) (Y/n)," she said. She then suddenly clasped her hands together, surprisingly Utari a little.

"Actually! It's been awhile since she's had a friend over. Would you like to meet her?"



A/n: This chapter took so long to write ohmygod and there's probably 2332343243287594385390 typos >:,)

Welp, here's the long awaited backstory! Well, half of it anyway lol. I was actually kinda nervous publishing this chapter, I'm not sure if I executed it well skcfjrn