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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qAvKxU1nw
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5x7wyATnn
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMU2hL11tY2
This is a beautiful morning.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRum2gr7ct
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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyBAxVkLkU
"I can see that the streets are dead."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcerbgSdQ1A
"It's not dead, it's just asleep. In exactly ten minutes, Selonika will wake up, ten minutes until morning."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63FU8HCxOA
"What? Does everyone have the same bedtime schedule? That's kind of crazy."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxzhr12gy6
"Not exactly. Once you become one with this city, you will understand what it means. Have you played an instrument before?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8RGlpTiqG
"I played a piano, but I probably forgot how to, its been so long."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCsMrqC77T
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDcDVDZH1D
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?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFEkN6nC3J
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1AFjBSOh1
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJyJj13U55
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4UdRCnjcn
"You know Echo, it seems you already met one of my friends already. You know Mia right?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXS7kFp3J4
"The girl at the cafe? Yeah, I know her. She's uh... very energetic."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLSygSQ44L
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQG260McQ74
"Did you see a side of her in me somewhere?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtYaUcQwON
"Not really, you two are completely different in a lot of ways. I just find it easier to make friends with lonely people."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXfbdXgbSB
"I'm not lonely."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBHHKDiqHb
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. 11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkziF20VkHX
"You remember my name?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK27esmfg5H
"You remember mine, don't you?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdrSKNMRgj
"Yeah. I also know that boy beside you. Does she follow you home, Jintei?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcnFn69VOy
"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!"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtb5VB4cjfg
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?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiIIS9vIyw
"Of course." Jintei answered. "It's the only place you can meet the urban legend."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMgEOAdlo7
"I'm not an urban legend."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKaZc53zWG
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa96ojqv8Jw
"Shut up, Jintei." Mia shouted. "He's just playing around, Echo. We just chill out around here, no crazy rituals or anything." 11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGK7Gvwdr7
"Yeah, I can see that."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeEsmhkiQO
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsk1Sa2rM3
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN3NDV57Sq
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?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡputUmcfS8K
"Yeah, he's a friend, Riku."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDbxe1GL0C
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhHYus8aGt
"I understand, she's quiet like Violet over there."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73vTVqGDev
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5y0LwFETa
"How did you-"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUQsSpJTnT
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfh5Qqr7OIq
"D-Don't tell him that!"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KN5LL42y0
"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."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg1xHqM9pa
"Is this everyone you wanted me to meet, Violet?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQq6SgHRTy
"Y-Yeah."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegAmsK6Yc5
"Good. I brought a few snacks, and-"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlQeoNltBD
"Hey Echo! Don't steal my specialty!" Mia exclaimed. "I bring all the snacks around here, and they're really good snacks too!"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFFGTg0cBw
"How do you know mine aren't good? You haven't seen them."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIlYt2m7dH
"If you made them, they are probably burnt."11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtPAzsC3IE
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupeEh5RRlw
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ukyWmZc5T
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSop7bW1Eov
