A/N; Sooo... my excuse for updating early again? It's Thanksgiving week, and the day I'd normally update is going to be a hectic mess (as proven by previous years, one of which I forgot to post a chapter completely until a few days later).
Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty One: After
Penny for my thoughts?
Oh no!
I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more
After I'm a goner.
'If I Die Young', Band Perry
xxXxx
Tsuge stretched happily in his office chair, looking carefully over his work before pressing the 'save' button.
"Finally finished," his now deeper voice grunted with satisfaction as he powered down his computer for the day. He checked the clock on the wall for the time, not bothering to be surprised at how late he had stayed up again.
If anything, his smile increased as he left his office.
Which was once Haru's mother's studio.
Much had changed since his dear friend's death. Without Haru to stay around for, he had completely expected her parents to return to the lifestyles they had enjoyed before he had called them on their behavior. After all, without her, what would be worth staying around for?
He had been pleasantly surprised by their sudden disgust for their careers. Both Hasho and Naoko couldn't find the joy that had once come so easily, and instead focused their attentions on becoming a loving aunt and uncle to both Tsuge and Sakura. They had never been shy about admitting that there wasn't anything else to bring them joy, and they were never able to have another child.
Thanks to his work on Haru's music, the now middle-aged man had received a full scholarship that had led to an internship at a record company. The same company that he now worked for, but as one of their top producers. He could have gained even more power if he had so chosen, but he had not forgotten the slope that Haru's parents had fallen down until it was too late. The last thing he wanted to do was become what his 'aunt and uncle' once were.
On a whim, he walked into what had once been his dear friend's bedroom.
Not a terrible lot had changed in there, but he made a beeline for the most important alteration he had made.
He never did tell anyone that he and Haru had only been friends. It would have felt disloyal to do so after she was gone, and besides, he couldn't help comparing every girl that tried to enter his life to his pure-hearted friend.
Only one girl he had ever met had the ability to compare to her.
With love in his eyes, he took in the sweet face of his brand new daughter, reaching into the crib in order to pull the blanket more fully over her.
The small baby was resting on her chest, her sweet Chinese face looking away from her devoted father, but that didn't stop him from gazing at her with more adoration than he once thought was possible.
"Sleep well, Haru," he whispered, adjusting the large stuffed toy that his sister had given the baby after he brought her home. "Muta will guard your dreams."
Muta's head fell forward slightly as if in agreement. He had been a constant companion first to Haru and then to Sakura after the first girl's death. Guarding another little girl was something the old doll could more than handle, even if he occasionally required a little stuffing and stitching every now and again.
Although he wanted to stay by his daughter's side, he forced himself to leave after pressing a loving kiss to her soft hair. After all, he still had a full day of work tomorrow, and he wanted to make sure he had enough time with Haru when she was awake.
Tsuge came to his own room just beyond hers, and continued to think as he got himself ready for bed.
The college fund that had once been for Haru was now assisting his gentle sister through college, where she was working hard to become a pediatrician. Sakura barely remembered the pale teenager she had once adored, but when pressed, could always speak of the love and safety she felt while in those arms.
The roses that had once been such a handful to get around seemed to lose the fight in them after the first Haru was gone. Now the thorns behaved and stayed trimmed back when he occasionally took the trouble, but for the most part, he allowed them to grow wild.
Even the occasional scratches he received were worth the trip down memory lane. Haru's parents were still very much a part of his life, but they had insisted on giving him the house once he made the decision to adopt 'Little Haru'. Honestly, the girl would probably think that the older Haru was her mother from the way both the older Haru's parents and his made a fuss over her as well as his sisters.
'But that's not such a bad thing,' he concluded as he slipped into his bed and waited for sleep to come. 'She would have made an amazing mother.' His heart broke again, thinking about how her life had been cut short once it finally took a turn for the better.
They could have attended college together. Maybe she could have become an artist at his record company, or perhaps gained a glorious career as a voice actor. Someone would have seen past her success and to the heart by now. Regardless of what the man's career might have been, he knew for a fact that she would have happily given up the spotlight to raise a family. She could have been an aunt to his child, and he would have been more than happy to be an uncle to hers.
It just wasn't fair. Haru deserved to be more than a memory. Even without that incredible voice of hers, she could have been an example to the world. Kind-hearted people were rare enough without succumbing to unidentifiable medical conditions.
He once again quelled the anger that she might have been saved if her parents had noticed her breathing problems before that last day. His eyes strayed to the music player by his bed, wondering if he really should.
When her parents had explored the contents of her computer, they had immediately contacted him as soon as they had found a certain file that featured his name prominently. He still owned and listened to every song she had recorded, including the one mocking Machida and Hiromi, but the last thing he wanted was for that song to grow tiresome.
'It's been a week. I think I'm good.' His hand reached out for the remote and pressed the necessary buttons.
His music player took a few seconds to wake up and go to the number he wanted.
"Hey, Tsuge!" that cheerful voice called out before giving a nervous giggle. "I don't know what I'm going to tell you this recording is, but here's the truth. I know your birthday is coming up and that you wouldn't want me to make a big deal out of it."
He couldn't help but smile at how well she knew him.
"So I decided on the one thing I knew you would accept from me. I've... I've wanted to do this since finding out about this song." She gave a nervous cough. "So... happy birthday!"
He closed his eyes to better visualize her strumming her guitar before the song changed his imagination to them sitting on a cliff facing the ocean; once again the stubbornly happy teenagers they once were.
It didn't matter how old he got, he hoped he would never forget her sweetly innocent smile.
"Un-lim-ited.
"Can you believe it?
"Un-lim-ited.
"And just look at us
"We can do anything
"That we want to.
"Tsu-ge…
"It's all because of you.
"My friend… it's all because of you-."
"And you," he informed her softly, wishing he had the chance to tell her of the good her life had brought. But the only response he got was her guitar, though the actual instrument was downstairs in a place of honor. Dust was something he did not tolerate on the treasured reminder.
Who knows? Maybe his Haru would share her namesake's love for music.
His teenaged self opened his mouth, wrapping his arm around Haru's shoulder as he began singing better than he ever had in reality.
"I've heard it said
"That people come into our lives
"For a reason,
"Bringing something we must learn
"And we are led to those
"Who help us most to grow
"If we let them
"And we help them in return
"Well, I don't know if I believe that's true.
"But I know I'm who I am today
"Because I knew you."
Haru had no idea... scratch that, she knew how well they had influenced each other in their short time together. He had thought he was doing okay before truly letting her in, or at least that was what he had told himself over and over. He grit his teeth, wishing that he had the chance to travel back in time and tell his thirteen year old self that time with that shy, undemanding girl was worth infinitely more than anything a coach or popularity had to offer. Also to force the girl in question to have a real check-up and at least try to delay her death.
She had deserved more than that one day of happiness with her parents.
Haru's image in his mind smiled happily at him, returning the embrace freely before telling him her thoughts.
"It well may be
"That we will never meet again
"In this lifetime
"So let me say before we part
"So much of me
"Is made of what I learned from you
"You'll be with me
"Like a hand print on my heart
"And now whatever way
"Our stories end
"I know you have rewritten mine
"By being my friend!"
"Some rewrite," he growled, although grateful for the happiness she had gained from him. Even if he hadn't given enough to keep her from dying, at least she hadn't died alone.
At that time in the morning? The most she could have hoped for was maybe having him on the phone when it happened. It was the main reason he was able to be civil to her parents before finally warming up to them.
"But then, I guess
"We know there's blame to share
"And none of it seems to matter
"Any more!" Haru's voice finished with his, saying what he knew for a fact she would still say if given the chance.
His head automatically turned to the picture on the wall, surrounded by paintings of grey roses. He had always thought that this computer art he did of his dear friend looked more like her than any of the school photos she had been forced to take.
'Why didn't I think to have one photo taken of us when I had the chance?' With tears in his eyes, he began whispering his part in sync with the music, allowing himself to believe that just this once, he was singing with his dear friend.
"Who can say
"If I've been changed for the better?
"I do believe I have been
"Changed for the better.
"Because I knew you," Tsuge once again insisted to her.
"Becau-se I knew you-" Haru insisted right back.
"I have been changed…
"For good…"
xxXxx
Lots of love goes to: Bambi4ever, foxchick1, NobodyJinx, Samellan, Fangirlingchick, Sol Fox, InYuJi, Aperio, Raye of the Sunshine, Marina Lenore, Sindy Sugar, Elise the Writing Desk, Tesseri, Delilah Hunter, Blood of the Wolf, gacktxx, SilverDragon-Purity, fringeperson, WolfieANNE, Halle78657, Tie-Dyed Broadway, PrincessoftheShadowsofDestiny, Cecily Mitchell, R3dacted, MangaAndAnimeFairy, Casandravus, TsukikoCurrier, Nanenna, mizgardenia21, Boredom-kills-big-time, RedWingedAngel002, Cartoon Dragon, Featherhart, Anon, alynawatlovers, Shatatomyo, Sarabear2275, Noose, Kaoru-Yuki, KrisG, PrayerGirl, tmwillson3, immortal chord, elyador, isara-love, RippleInThePond, EclipseKuran, starlily11, Meeklish, Orihime-San, katdemon1895, phangirl17, ANYTHINGGOES31, AnimeCrazed121, DTFrogget, CC21, Shaderose, kakashifan1792, Tomorrow's Hero, Kitamori, Neko Girl, E-man-dy-S, Albino Stingray, Asuna Winchester, JadenFlame, Chantal, Meg Ng, Dairegh, lordnitemare, MaddySan5926, Guest, PsychEmpress, KathySacuba, Naomi, Rini's Ghost, Princess Hephzi of Arendale, starlily11, shounengirl13, Princess lost in darkness, Raining Daylight, death angel shadow kat, nalua93, RippleInThePond, Midnight the Black Fox, Sesshoumarufan20, SakuraRose16, EclipseKuran, IdrilPuck, 13BloodyStitches, Ichigo Sanero, Brightness Random, Akabari, Aperio, Malorne-10, MaddySan5926, Elizabeth, 143badgirl, princess lost in dreams, Gemini's Dragon, VanillaDreamFran, Ms. S. Phinx, GoldfishDanYAY, klafferine12, Seth, Idk, Emmaline Haesel, yay, nitroglycerine, Hiron Otsuki, Kiss of the Breeze, Quetzalcoatls, hmm, Kohakubear, , Trinabear, FaeryMeganChase, Invader Kyuubi, Momochan77, Halle78657, Fangirlingchan, KrisG (the cookies were delicious!), K. I. Skellington, buchanem, Serendipity's tears, and The-Right-Girl for waiting so patiently and for letting me know what they think in their reviews. Spell check hates you, I thank you.
Oh, and a special thanks to CatSafari and Nanenna for the more extensive chapter reviews on Tumblr. It was hard not to spoil too much after reading them!
This was mostly inspired by the Frankenstein musical mentioned early in the story, and also by the first fifteen minutes or so of The Bride (hated most of that movie, but had to poke fun at parts of it). But as I started writing, I noticed that there was an awful lot of Sleeping Beauty present, as well as the Little Mermaid, except with not only a gender reversal, but combining the mermaid and witch character into one while leaving the SB villain. The language barrier and need for charades was meant as a loving tribute to both of the ballets. I'm also willing to recognize the traces of Avatar (not the Last Airbender one), even if they were unintentional. Oh, Coraline was also used, and there were small touches that were reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera, Frozen, Tangled, Romeo and Juliet, the Firebird Suite, and Once Upon A Time. After thinking about it a bit, I think Through The Looking Glass inspired the traveling through mirrors thing, and Baron admitted that his feelings about his world were starting to match Jack Skellington's. I didn't think of it until posting the wolf chapter, but the wolf was at least subconsciously inspired by the wolves from Princess Mononoke. Dang, they were gorgeous! Also, I swear I didn't watch Strange Magic until I was over halfway through posting this. I love how they deconstructed forced love!
I know I've said that I don't really care for sequels, but it took so long to write this (over two years!), that my mind kept thinking 'well, just one change would have made it go in a completely different direction'. It was going to go a lot darker than people usually see out of me, but then the story took me by the shoulders and started screaming 'No! I want to go THIS way!'
So while the next story isn't exactly a sequel, it's more of an accompanying tale of what would have happened with two little changes instead of one. To those that hated the language barrier, I promise I have a completely different way of tackling it this time!
But, um... I won't be updating it any time soon. I promise, I'm on the second to last chapter of the next story (CURSE YOU, WRITER'S BLOCK!), but out of respect for the fact that my betas have lives outside of looking over my work, I won't be sending them the story until at least after New Years if I happen to finish it before then. I'm going to try to aim for updating again in March, but we'll see.
Once upon a time, there was a curse and a girl. And if those around her had known about the curse, they would never have pushed her away. Alternate story to Ties that Bind.