Sapphire String

I took a day off, before texting Kanade, telling him my voice was back. He called me immediately and asked to meet up at the café. I obliged, of course.

"May I take your order?"

"Your voice is back."

I smiled softly, and asked the café owner for a break. She showed me a thumbs-up from the kitchen, and I took a seat at Kanade's table. He told me a few roles I had been requested for, and I was surprised that I was still getting offers. I wonder how he had covered up the fact that I had temporarily lost my voice. Perhaps he said I was simply taking a break from work.

I said I'd do them, and he handed me a script, almost as if he knew I would say okay and had prepared in advance. The familiarity of the script in my hands was comforting.

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I read through the script that night at Scarlet's house. It was the story of a girl who had lost her family and was adopted by another set of parents. She was the adopted sister of a loving brother. The story was bittersweet–almost as bittersweet as the memories in my head. I had a feeling this was a role I could play perfectly.

I headed to the recording studio, where I bumped into someone while turning a corner.

"My apologies," I said as I looked up.

Kai looked down at me. "Mayim?"

My heart stopped for a second before I reminded myself that he didn't know me; that as far as he was concerned, that one meeting at the park was all we knew of each other. I didn't know how I felt about that. I suppose the one who is left with the memories suffers the most.

"Hello, Kai. What are you doing here?"

"Recording. I was asked to voice a character."

"Idols take up that line of work too, huh?"

"We do everything." He smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Recording as well." I held up my script. Kai took it and flipped through it. His face turned to one of amusement. He held up his own. "It's the same as mine."

My mouth quirked up. What a strange coincidence.

"Who are you voicing?" I asked.

"Takumi. You?"

"Mia, his adopted sister." He gestured to me and started walking down the hallway, I took it as a 'Come on,' sort of gesture. He said, "We're heading the same way anyway."

We reached the room, and Kai smiled at me. "I look forward to working with you."

"As do I."

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I did my part after Kai, and noticed that he was waiting for me outside.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"I feel like your voice is familiar from somewhere." He looked like it was bothering him that he couldn't remember. How you can remember something that's no longer in your memory is beyond me.

"Perhaps you remember it from the park?"

"Perhaps..." He seemed unconvinced.

"Kai!" Iku ran up to Kai, stopping short of tackling him.

"Huh?" Kai asked, as the rest of Procella approached. Rui gave me a curious glance, and Shun smiled at me. Yoru gave me a polite nod. I felt a little sad seeing all of them, like a wound that was reopened. At least Shun still knows me.