NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Concert in Purple and Navy Blue
Kaito, Kenchikka, and I went our separate ways after leaving Mukuro's Dorm. I needed to clear my head, and decided to head to the Second Floor to take a look around again.
Reaching the Second Floor, I looked out the window, seeing Leon speaking with Celeste near the fountain. Whatever Leon was selling, Celeste was politely not buying, judging from their body language. However, I couldn't hear anything that was being said.
I went to check out the Exercise Room next, but it was empty, so I made a right at the T-intersection and headed to the Music Room instead.
I heard two girls talking inside, but didn't see anyone right away. Figuring they must be in the adjacent Jam Room, I walked into there from the Music Room, where Sayaka and Kaede were talking with each other near the keyboard along the side of the wall.
Sayaka takes notices of me, and walks over, cheerful as ever.
"Bera! How are you?" She asked, as Kaede started to tinker with the keyboard.
"I'm ok, I guess. What are you two doing in here?" I ask.
Sayaka and Kaede exchange glances. "Well, we plan on having a small concert in here later tonight, and we're figuring out what songs we both know, that we could perform together."
My eyes lit up. A concert with the two of them? That sounded awesome!
"Well, what songs could you two do together?" I asked.
Sayaka and Kaede exchanged glances. "Well, we're still figuring that out," Kaede admitted. "I mostly play classical music, while Sayaka is much more into today's pop hits."
I nodded, seeing the problem. "Any suggestions so far, though?"
"Well, the only song we both know from our childhoods is 'My Grandfather's Clock', but if we can't find any other songs we both know, that one will have to do," Sayaka confessed.
I remembered that song. It was an old one, but a classic.
"Well, if nothing else, that would be an interesting one to perform," I offered, as I decided to leave the two girls to it.
I spent the rest of the afternoon working on dress designs in my notebook, until around 4:30pm, when I received a message from Kaede.
Kaede Akamatsu: Hey! We decided on that song we mentioned earlier! We're gonna perform it tomorrow afternoon, at 2pm!Bera Haikiko: Great! Can't wait to watch it!
Kaede Akamatsu: Thanks! Sayaka and I have been working hard on it, and she's got some real talent. Looking forward to it!
Bera Haikiko: Me too. Working on some designs for now, so I'll talk to you later, alright?
Kaede Akamatsu: Alright. Bye!
About an hour later, I headed down to the Dining Hall for dinner. Theo had made sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, baked beans, and steamed broccoli for dinner, for everyone. Kaito found some Honey BBQ sauce, some Alpha 1 steak sauce, and ranch for anyone's preferences.
I chose the steak sauce for my sirloin, and put some ranch on my steamed broccoli, and grabbed a soda to go with it. I then sat down next to Sayaka and Kaede.
"So, how are plans going for tomorrow?" I ask the two girls.
Sayaka smiled. "It's going great! Having Kaede with me makes me feel a lot better about my future. She's so optimistic, and keeps my mind off of things with our shared love of music. If she wasn't here with me, I feel like I'd eventually lose my mind in here."
Kaede patted Sayaka's back. "Awww, don't worry, Sayaka! Once we get out of this place, we can take our talents to the next level, just like you mentioned earlier! I'll find a way to make our talents work well together, I promise!"
Sayaka nodded in agreement. "That's right! We'll work together, do our best, and find a way out of here, together!"
While I enjoyed my dinner, I couldn't help but smile myself, happy to see the two girls so cheerful and happy together. It made me really look forward to their co-op event tomorrow afternoon at 2pm.
While we spoke, everyone enjoyed the dinner that Theo prepared for everyone. The sirloin was cooked perfectly. The mashed potatoes had no skin, and were amazing. The broccoli was steamed just right, as well; not too hard, but still had its flavor.
After dinner, I volunteered to stay behind to help with dishes, since I hadn't yet. Chihiro and, to my surprise, Celeste volunteered to stay behind to help with dishes.
To nobody's surprise, though, Celeste wasn't actually interested in helping with dishes. She just wanted to direct Chihiro and I, while we did the dishes ourselves.
"Well, we all use this area, so we should all do our best to keep it clean," Chihiro offered back.
Celeste looked taken aback. "Did you really expect me to sully my hands with this filth? I was merely bored, and thought this might be a form of entertainment for me."
Celeste then smoothed out her skirt. "Besides, I despise getting my face, or my clothes, wet, particularly with soiled water like what your hands are in."
I looked back, annoyed. "If you're not going to help us, feel free to leave, then."
Chihiro looked at me, worried. "Just ignore her, and let's get these dishes done, ok? I don't want to fight."
Celeste made another comment, but I wasn't really listening to her anymore.
Without a word, I followed Chihiro's direction, cleaning pans, scrubbing plates, and washing utensils. As we worked together, Celeste continued to watch and make tactful, yet snarky comments at the both of us. As far as I was concerned, it was just me and Chihiro there now, as I completely disregarded anything Celeste had to say.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally finished up all the dishes, pans, utensils, and glasses. Celeste gave a halfhearted comment of approval before leaving us.
"Well, once you improve upon your speed and efficiency, perhaps I could elevate you to C-Class. But I wouldn't hold my breath."
Celeste left first, and after Chihiro and I dried off our arms and hands, we left the Dining Hall as well, heading towards our respective dorms.
I spent the rest of the evening working on designs for blouse and skirt sets, before switching to drawing pants. When the 10pm alert goes off, I change into my PJs and head to bed.
"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"
It was now Friday, November 4th. Nine days since I had become trapped in this place.
I got out of bed and took a shower, deciding to put the Music Player on shuffle instead of picking any particular song. As I showered, the Music Player shuffler settled on "The Last Call" by Sirenia, before switching to "Use Once and Destroy" by Psyclon Nine, then finishing with "Sister September" by Anorexia Nervosa.
I finish up my shower and dry off while the final song gradually fades out, and get dressed to "Where Angels Die" by Dawn of Ashes. After I get dressed and brush my hair to the left side, I turn off the music player and head to the Dining Hall for breakfast.
I decided to heat up some waffles today, and cut up some bananas to put on top of them. Pouring myself a glass of orange juice, I took my plate to the Dining Hall and eat my breakfast there, sitting between Leon and Mukuro.
Neither one of them said much of anything to me, with Leon mostly talking to Sayaka and Kaede, and Mukuro remaining silent as she ate. She would occasionally give Makoto glances, blushing slightly to herself whenever he would look over at her.
After breakfast, I put my plate up and decided to talk to Leon, to see if he had any plans to work with Sayaka and Kaede.
I found him in the Music Room, looking over the microphone.
"Hey, Bera! What's up?" Leon looked over at me.
"Doing alright, Leon. Just wondering if you were going to join Sayaka and Kaede in their concert this afternoon."
Leon looked at me, annoyed. "And do what? Sing over Sayaka's super-cool voice? I'm gonna be a singer, dude, and Sayaka's already got that covered. I don't play music!"
"Oh." I thought maybe Leon would want to play an instrument with them, but I guess not.
"Yo, I'm gonna head back to my dorm and write some more songs to start my music career. See ya later, man."
Leon left the Music Room, saying there was no way he was missing this afternoon's concert with Sayaka and Kaede.
I hoped I didn't put Leon in a bad mood. Meanwhile, while I looked at the trombones, trumpets, and other musical equipment in the room, Sayaka and Kaede entered the Music Room, and headed to the Jam Room.
After listening to Kaede play a song that was familiar, I went back to my dorm room to work on a design I had in mind for shoes; a pair of low heels, and a sneaker.
Around 2pm, Sayaka sent a message to the Group Chat.
Sayaka Maizono: Hey everybody! Come to the Jam Room! Kaede and I are hosting a concert together! Her musical talents and my singling and dancing, together for a song!"Kenchikka Kowareta: Sounds good. Welcome change from usual doom and gloom.
Kaito Momota: Count me in! I'm there!
Celestia Ludenberg: Hmmmm. I suppose I can attend.
Everyone else commented that they would attend, and before too long, everyone was in the Jam Room together.
Kaede Akamatsu was wearing a pink sleeveless, shoulderless dress, with flowers going across the neckline.
As for Sayaka, she had a pink sleeveless, shoulderless mini dress on. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with flowers in her hair, and a matching set of flowers creating a sash around her waist. She had on pale pink heels, as well.
"Thank you for coming, everyone!" Sayaka greeting each of us, as we sat on chairs that Monorakun had somehow provided for us. At least, I didn't recall seeing them before. "We're going to perform 'My Grandfather's Clock' by Henry Clay Work. I hope you enjoy this!"
(Author's Note: "My Grandfather's Clock" by Henry Clay Work falls under the Public Domain, and is therefore free to use. I double-checked before finishing this chapter.)
Kaede began playing the intro to the song as we all sat and watched. It was a slow song, but the music was pretty. Sayaka swayed gently side to side as the intro played on, before singing the first verse.
"My grandfather's clock
Was too large for the shelf
So it stood, ninety years, on the floor."
Sayaka sang somewhat slowly, but in a heartfelt manner, as she sang a song of a newborn receiving the large clock on the day of his birth.
"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," she continued to sing, her voice slightly saddened now.
She went into the chorus line, swaying her hips to the "tick-tock, tick-tock" parts, as if mimicking a pendulum of the clock. She finished the chorus line by repeating that foreboding line again.
The song continued with the baby, now a young boy, watching the pendulum swing to and fro for many hours a day, and how he kept the clock even into his adulthood.
"For it struck, twenty-four, when he entered at the door,
with a bloo-ming and beau-tiful bride," Sayaka continued to sing, spreading her dress out a little.
"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," She repeated that ominous line again.
She continued singing, stating the man, now a grandfather, never found a servant more faithful than his clock, that it kept perfect time, and only desired to be wound at the end of each day.
"And it kept to its place, not a frown, upon its face,
And its hands, never hung, by its side." Sayaka danced, smiling and moving her hands cheerfully.
"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," There was that line again, sending a chill through me.
The song continued, taking on a darker feeling tone, as Sayaka sang of the clocking ringing an alarm that had not worked for years, and the grandfather's family knew his hour was coming. Still, the clock kept time, with a soft and muffled chime, as his family stood at the grandfather's bedside to see him off.
"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died."
Sayaka curtsied as she finished her song.
Everyone clapped and cheered for the two of them. Even Celeste seemed impressed with the talent shown amongst the two girls.
"Thank you! Thank you all!" Kaede and Sayaka spoke. "We look forward to doing this again soon, if it helps everyone keep their spirits up!"
Unknown to us, everyone's spirits would come crashing down the next day