Chapter Seven

I was leaning on the couch with my eyes closed as I thought about everything that just happened back at the throne room. So now I wasn't just a Summoned Major Key, but also a key holding a consequence of death. I thought about the two missing Keys and as much as I wanted to live, I couldn't make myself to hope they're dead. Suddenly, the sullen face of Banjo appeared in my mind.

That's why he seemed familiar somehow. Since Rhap said that the previous Major Key was her girlfriend, Banjo must be the Chosen Song. They were the Maestro. But everything had changed when she disappeared. It affected the whole Cradle Kingdom. I couldn't help but let my heart breaks for Banjo. It must be hard for him.

"Medley." a gentle voice said and I opened my eyes to find Apollo leaning towards me, his face worried.

"Are you okay?" He asked then took a seat beside me.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry for making you worry." I said as I gave him a small smile.

Apollo gave me a look that said he didn't believe me and sighed. "I know you aren't okay. But don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you, okay?"

I felt my heartbeat quickened as he assured me with his soft voice. His kindness was so charming that he could steal any lady's heart, not to mention his angelic looks.

Someone snorted and I turned to see Rhap leaning against a wall as he took a sip on his tea. "Now that's one good line there, Romeo."

I glanced at Apollo and his expression changed as he looked at Rhap. There's a hint of darkness in his eyes but he blinked and it was gone.

What was that about? And Rhap just called him Romeo.

"Don't just stand there, Rhap. Have a seat here." Apollo said as he smiled gently at him.

Rhap just snorted and he emptied his cup of tea before disappearing into the door.

Fredrik brought us tea and sweets and we were later joined by Reed who ate Apollo's cake. Apollo shot him a glare and asked Fredrik for another sweets.

As Apollo took a sip on his tea, the jade ring on his finger glinted and I remembered what the king said.

"So that's why I see you all wearing that same ring. It's your instrument, huh?" I asked, staring at his ring. Then my eyes soon staring at his slender fingers. I wonder if Apollo plays the piano.

He put down the teacup and looked at his ring as he spread out his fingers.

"Yeah, we need it to make our melodies."

I smiled softly at him the took a sip on my tea.

"Oh by the way, princess. How are you feeling now? I'm sorry you're suddenly caught up in the castle's problem." Reed said, scratching the back of his neck as he laughed nervously.

"Don't worry, I'm really fine." I assured him.

Suddenly the scene in my dream from last night appeared in my mind and I quickly pushed it away. I shouldn't get emotional right now with these songs in front of me. Instead I focused my eyes on Apollo and Reed as we began talking about school which Reed brought up.

They started asking me about my life at school and I learned that they used to go to school too before becoming a Song. When I asked them how did they become a Song, they just simply answered me, "It just happened. Like how you were summoned suddenly." And then they changed the subject. I know there's more to it. I know they weren't telling me something but I didn't force the subject.

I asked them if I would have to quit school also and they told me that it would happen once the Formal Ceremony comes. Thinking about that, I wonder who among the Songs would I choose as the Maestro?

My eyes flickered to Apollo and he smiled at me. I felt my heartbeat quickened so I averted my eyes from him and took a sip on my tea. The second door suddenly opened and Jazz appeared, a bored expression on his face,   holding a book. He yawned when his eyes landed on me.

"You, the girl. Come with me."

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked at Apollo and Reed quizzically but they just shrugged.

"What's the matter, Jazz?" asked Apollo and Jazz scratched his neck.

"Ah. I don't know. It was an order from Banjo." Jazz responded in a lazy voice.

I frowned at the name. Banjo's calling for me? Now that's weird, I wonder why the guy who seemed to hate me would like to see me.

We walked quietly in the hallway while I looked at the number of every doors we passed. I caught a glimpse of the number nine and I suddenly remembered about Alto.

How is that guy doing now? Was he that sick? I'd never seen him and I was kinda curious about him.

We stopped at a door that had number 4 on it and Jazz glanced at me.

"Just stay there for a moment." He said and entered Banjo's room.

I leaned against the wall and shut my eyes close and stayed like that for a minute. My eyes bolted open when I felt something warm on my face and found Rhap's face so close to mine. He had me cornered against the wall with his hands on either side of my head and was grinning at me, his dark brown eyes were glinting with amusement.

"You don't look bad, milady." he said and his breath tickled my face.

He's close, too close.

"W-What are you doing?" I said in a trembling voice.

"Hmm?" He said and caressed my hair. He grabbed my chin and tilted it up. I  shook my head free from his hold and glared at him.

He chuckled as if he found something amusing then leaned away from me, grabbed my wrist and dragged me with him.

"Rhap, stop. What do you think you're doing?" I said and tried to free my wrist from him but his hold was tight and he just kept dragging me until we stopped in front of a door.

He looked at me and the expression on his face made me take a sudden step backward. He's no longer wearing a playful look but a stern one instead.

"I don't know why they just don't tell you this and put you in puzzle instead. We have a serious problem in our country right now, am I right? And this guy is one of them."

"What do you mean?"

I took a glance on the number on the door. It's 9. I gave Rhap a confused look. This was the room of the Ninth Song, Alto, who was sick. Why are we here? And what did he mean that Alto was a problem?

"See for yourself." Rhap said, a smirk was back on his face.

He knocked twice on the door while his other hand was still holding my wrist. "Hey Alto, we're barging in, mate." He said before opening the door and pushing me inside.

"You're the summoned Major Key, right? So before you try to tune us, help that guy first. He never listen to us, so I hope you get his attention. Good luck, milady." He slammed the door shut in my face, leaving me inside the room of a guy I never met.

What just happened?

I was still facing the door, afraid to turn around. What should I do now? I just barged into someone's room. I was afraid to see his reaction. He's a guy, and it was wrong for a girl to be inside of a man's room, and we didn't even know each other yet. What was Rhap up to?

But then I realized that this room was engulfed in silence. Maybe Alto was still sleeping.

After taking a deep breath, I slowly turned around and gasped when I saw a guy lying on the floor, face down. He was breathing heavily so I ran quickly to him.

I tapped his back lightly as I asked if he's okay, but he's clearly not okay. His bed was a mess, the blanket and the bedsheets were in disarray.

His body was hot and he was sweating. He groaned as I tried to help him get up to put him on the bed.

"Who are you?" He groaned weakly.

"I'm sorry, but I need to help you first before explaining the situation." I responded quickly and carefully put him on the bed. This guy was indeed in a bad shape.

When he turned his face to me, I felt like the time just stopped.

At this moment, I thought I was dreaming. I never thought I'd see this face again. He might have grown up but I still remember this very face. His amber hair, his brown eyes that always looked at me with so much care. I still remembered that thick eyebrows that matched his perfect face.

My heartbeat pounded loudly that it could be heard in this silent room as I stared at this guy in front of me. Tears welled up in my eyes then I reached out a hand to touch his face.

"Max." I whispered, tears falling down my face. "Brother, you're alive."

His eyes widened and he stared at me for awhile.

"Ley?" He whispered, weakly.

I nodded and soon his face was buried in my hair as he held me tightly. He was crying. My brother was crying.

I hugged my brother tightly as I let my tears keep falling then tapped his back gently as I exhaled in relief.

So my brother became a Song? How did that happen? And he was called Alto, the Ninth Song. Thinking about it, were the names of the Songs not their real names? I was really glad to know that my brother was alive. But looking at him, he's not well. What happened to my brother? When they told me that the Ninth Song was sick, I thought he had a fever or something. But this didn't look like a normal illness. Something was definitely wrong.

The words of Rhap from earlier echoed in my mind. He said that he was a problem. So something serious was really going on here.

"Brother, what happened?" I asked but before brother could answer, the door cracked opened and I heard Jazz's voice.

"I'm coming in, Alto."

He poked his head inside and his eyes widened slightly upon seeing us. "Oh."

Jazz entered the room silently as he stared at us with his usual expressionless face.

"And you're here." He uttered quietly when his eyes landed on me.

"You didn't know you just put me on trouble. I told you to wait and the next thing I know you're gone? Banjo scolded me." He muttered the last sentence as he averted his eyes.

I suddenly felt guilty so I lowered my head.

Max pulled away from me and looked at Jazz, confused. Jazz waved his hand at him lazily and Max turned to me. "Somebody explain?"

Jazz sighed. "Well, since you never left your room and refused to talk to us, you missed a lot of things. That girl over there is the summoned Major Key, but I guess you know that already?"

"What?" Max cried out, his eyes widening. "You're summoned as a Key?"

"And I guess you didn't." Jazz muttered under his breath.

Max's face was contorted with anger and confusion. He glared at Jazz and Jazz held his gaze, his eyes unwavering. After a few second, he shrugged and turned to me.

"I guess, you just met the Ninth Song, the Regret Prince." Jazz said to me and his expression hardened before speaking again. "Sorry to break it to you, but that Song is dying."

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