Morning again, another day passes by in paradise, or at least that's what everyone expects it to be. I don't know why, but something about this perfect town irks me. This is everything you could hope for, but maybe I want a challenge, something that allows me to prove myself.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT27ggNywIV
I packed a bag with a few snacks, hoping to make a good first impression. "You look like somebody I would care about." I told myself. These were words that got me through every morning, no matter how terrible I felt.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk0mak5C6j
I opened the front door, making my way through the quiet streets. Yeah, what in the world was this place? One morning we have children playing, the next day we have silence. Did something happen? Did I sleep through an apocalypse? No, there would be destruction around me if that was the case.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QwCtVzu9u
This is a beautiful morning.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6x7399sNf
I entered the park, hearing only the sound of the violin. I wandered down the same path I did yesterday, finding Violet sitting under the tree, ending her piece. "You're early. That's my mistake, I should of specified the time."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIDnqpFyIY
"I can see that the streets are dead."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPP8knMyPr
"It's not dead, it's just asleep. In exactly ten minutes, Selonika will wake up, ten minutes until morning."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvupQPrmWJ
"What? Does everyone have the same bedtime schedule? That's kind of crazy."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cRSkKbtON
"Not exactly. Once you become one with this city, you will understand what it means. Have you played an instrument before?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBIT7BbuC8
"I played a piano, but I probably forgot how to, its been so long."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQUlcAYuqD
"Pianos and violins go perfectly together, if you're creating a tragic melody. I listen to their duet in the late hours of the night. It helps me dream of beautiful things."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJEfJHzslH
She went back to playing the strings, and it felt a bit.. off, as if she wasn't the only one playing, like it was being accompanied... but it could just be my imagination. Have I gone tone-deaf or something?20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVuSecTat9
I thought back to those days of playing the piano, and how beautiful it worked by itself. My parents were supporting me, hoping I would make it a career, but I knew I wasn't that good. My fingers struggled to press the keys at the right time, I sometimes played in the wrong scale; the list goes on endlessly.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxjRA6D3wi
My music teacher seemed to agree with me, telling me I didn't have any musical talent, and I should pursue other things. It was harsh, but I felt like it was what I needed to hear. It's better to do something you're good at, then to live a lie, to copy and paste the same formula, and get lost in the clones of successful artists.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeid16dflkX
The money and fame is enticing, but making good works from imagination is a rough and painful path to take. Violet, for some reason, made it seem so simple. Like she found a secret to music that nobody else couldn't; I might be exaggerating.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIgAhx6yPQ
"You know Echo, it seems you already met one of my friends already. You know Mia right?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxXRi0HgMi
"The girl at the cafe? Yeah, I know her. She's uh... very energetic."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzY9r31Nhi
"She is only like that in public places, at her job and while the group is together. It's rare to see her alone. I met her in the park at night, just like you, and I decided to become friends with her on that day."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1nLIBgyfr
"Did you see a side of her in me somewhere?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9tezS2Bb5
"Not really, you two are completely different in a lot of ways. I just find it easier to make friends with lonely people."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQECpl5AbJF
"I'm not lonely."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7Q0W0nFf2
Time passed slowly, as I rested on the other side of the tree, listening to her play. I almost drifted back into a deep slumber, until I heard footsteps closing in on us. "My, I didn't expect to see you again, Echo." Mia joked. 20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TniSG40rS
"You remember my name?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4Ry3TKsil
"You remember mine, don't you?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cerSFbMUl
"Yeah. I also know that boy beside you. Does she follow you home, Jintei?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3zskZFLDc
"Yeah, to the very house I live at, knocking at my window like the boogeyman." Mia smacked him in the back of the head. "Don't tell people that, they'll burn me like a witch!"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljetsVbpDt
Using her bag as a chair, Mia sat near the rocks. "So, how did you two meet?" she asked. "A nightly walk in the park, I assume?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm61erKv2jr
"Of course." Jintei answered. "It's the only place you can meet the urban legend."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHvrM58FvV
"I'm not an urban legend."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFqXlCLzx5
"Of course you are. You even have certain conditions that need to be met before you accept them in our cult. Rule number one, enter the park at night; rule number two, make sure you are alone."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawSyv0nJX8
"Shut up, Jintei." Mia shouted. "He's just playing around, Echo. We just chill out around here, no crazy rituals or anything." 20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdA04RKPXVw
"Yeah, I can see that."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7a84VwGlZ
Two others came walking down the stairs shortly after. The first was a girl who was silent as a flower, her hair was a simple bobcut, white as snow. She wore a light blue a-line dress, and black mary jane shoes. Yeah, a living doll would be a perfect description of her.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS959yMqziB
The other was a boy with the same hair color, except his was messy, but not in a bad way, it was short and simple enough to take care of, unlike mine, which I need to comb in order to avoid a bad hair day.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZKwyOBPV7
He seemed wary, watching everything that moved around him, with an inhuman amount of focus. He noticed me immediately, stopping abruptly at the bottom of the stairs. "Another friend of yours, Violet?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEubCrLJeyL
"Yeah, he's a friend, Riku."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu61jmHpTa
"Just making sure. My work has me a little stressed lately. Are you going to say anything, Lily?" she remained silent, turning away shyly as I looked at her. "Sorry about my sister, she doesn't do much. Give her a few days and she might say hello."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSA9aj11fQ5
"I understand, she's quiet like Violet over there."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkGrUCIX7K
"Yeah, except Violet will at least say hello to strangers. I never seen you in this city before, you must be the new guy who moved here, Echo."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbLyY43Cbk
"How did you-"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vE0zx3DC9
"I work for the police. I know what you're thinking, I look a little too young, don't I?" I didn't say a word, but he knew my answer and kept talking. "Well, our father runs this city, alongside Violet's parents."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRQGCqdGdc
"D-Don't tell him that!"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHec0wu9kP
"Sorry Violet, I know you don't like talking about them, but he's a friend of yours, so he should learn who we are. Otherwise, he won't get used to this city."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8j3Fed2wJ
"Is this everyone you wanted me to meet, Violet?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIus2aKDas
"Y-Yeah."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW8ES14MT8
"Good. I brought a few snacks, and-"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjd1coELxUX
"Hey Echo! Don't steal my specialty!" Mia exclaimed. "I bring all the snacks around here, and they're really good snacks too!"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H92VULhx2
"How do you know mine aren't good? You haven't seen them."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvugY2szmIW
"If you made them, they are probably burnt."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMncSBU5cNC
Violet and the others seemed amused by our silly argument, even Lily cracked a small smile. We decided to just split the snacks this time around, but ultimately, I decided to leave it up to her in the future. The snacks I brought were straight from a convenience store, and didn't compare to her baked goods.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAp2qGfB9p
Half the day went by without notice, I helped Mia pick up the trash and throw it away in one of the park trash cans. She offered to do it herself, but I was partially to blame for making the mess in the first place. I also felt like I owed her for sharing her portion of snacks with me.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JqDyeqj1i
I admit it was kind of stupid, considering I shared mine with her. It already evened itself out, but for some reason or another, I felt like this is what Kel would've wanted me to do.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtjIu4xIkJ
