Azami's POV.

I sigh as I walk up beside my cousin, Kae, who is fan-girling about two boys who are showing their teamwork or something. After a while, the ball comes straight our way and a blonde boy pretty much rams into Kae, they both slide into the wall, Kae cushioning his fall. I help Kae up and into the infirmary, the boy helping too. Kae goes unconscious and wakes up in the infirmary, her best friend, Amane Nakano, worried about her. I tune the conversation out and glare at the door.

"Azami?" I hear Kae whisper beside me. I turn to see her up, and leading me out the door. I hear the health dude's(Hayato Shinomiya) comment, and am about to beat him to a bloody pulp, when Kae holds me back.

"Kae! Release me! He insulted you! No one is allowed to do that! Not even Takurou!" I yell as she pulls me down the hall. I get angry when anyone makes mean comments about her. I get mad if they hurt her at all.

"I'm fine Azami. There's nothing to worry about." She sighs as she sets me back down on my feet. I take deep breaths before looking into her eyes and nodding. "No more fighting today, please?"

"Fine." I sigh and we head to class.

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After school I sit in Kae's room, eating ramen on her bed as she leans against it, playing some game on her phone while watching her laptop. Then she gets all depressed and I leave her to mourn the loss of her favourite character.

"What's happening?" My aunt, Mitsuko Serinuma, asks me as I walk down the stairs and grab my bag.

"She's mourning the loss of her favorite character. Have fun with that." I state simply. "I'll try to visit you guys in a week, I will be busy with a lot of school work and Mum wants me to help with her work too."

I kiss Mitsuko's cheek before walking out of the house and towards mine, which is near the edge of the city.

It didn't have many neighbors, so we never got complaints about Dad's loud handiwork, or my loud instruments. I mostly play the guitar and sing a bit, but no one really knows except my family.

"Azami! You're home!" Dad cheers as he shuts off his saw to greet me safely. "How was school?!"

"Dad... You lost your hearing again, didn't you?" I ask him, in my normal volume.

"What?!" He yells. He tried takin off his headgear, but he still couldn't hear me. "I think I lost my hearing again!!!"

"I know!" I yell into his ear.

"Ow! Oh hey, I got my hearing back." He smiles at me before hugging me and kissing my forehead. "You always seem to be loud enough to bring it back."

"Glad I'm useful." I joke, patting his back before he releases me and walks inside with me. "I almost beat up the health dude, since he made a mean comment to Kae-Kae."

"No ones dumb enough to do that, he must be new or something." Dad jokes around. "Wait– you mean Hayato Shinomiya? My best friend's son?"

"Yes Dad, but I am not dropping the 'Health Dude' nickname. He's a dweeb and a jerk." I state simply. "He's worse than the two jocks Kae-Kae fawned over earlier today." I state simply as we sit on the couch in the living room. "The blonde one was a freaking jerk as always."

"Azami! Set the table for dinner, please!" Mum calls from the kitchen. I get up and place five plates at the table, along with the utensils and cups. "Can you go get Yumi and Takashi from the backyard? They're hanging out with their friend!"

"Yumi! Takashi! Dinners ready!!!" I call after sliding the sliding glass door open.

The two four year olds run in and sit at the table beside Dad. I sat beside Mom, on the opposite side of the twins. We start to eat some rice and dumplings before we all disperse around the house. The twins follow me around the house, wanting to spend time with me, while Mum cleans out the back shed with Dad so that we can store more of my instruments and Dad's tools too.

"Azi-nee! It's bed time! Sing us a song! Sing us a song!" The twins chant excitedly.

"Okay, but straight to dream land after." I warn. They both nod, pulling the blanket closer to themselves.

"A young man walked through the forest
With his quiver and hunting bow
He heard a young girl singing
And followed the sound below
There he found the maiden
Who lives in the willow

He called to her as she listened
From a ring of toadstools red
'Come with me my maiden
Come from thy willow bed'
She looked at him serenely
And only shook her head

'See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don't ask me, to follow where you lead'

A young man walked through the forest
With a flower and coat of green
His love had hair like fire
Her eyes an emerald sheen
She wrapped herself in beauty
So young and so serene

He stood there under the willow
And he gave her the yellow bloom
'Girl my heart you've captured
Oh I would be your groom'
She said she'd wed him never
Not near, nor far, nor soon

'See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don't ask me, to follow where you lead'

A young man walked through the forest
With an axe sharp as a knife
I'll take the green-eyed fairy
And she shall be my wife
With her I'll raise my children
With her I'll live my life

The maiden wept when she heard him
When he said he'd set her free
He took his axe and used it
To bring down her ancient tree
'Now your willow's fallen
Now you belong to me'

'See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don't ask me, to follow where you lead'

She followed him out the forest, and collapsed upon the earth
Her feet had walked but a distance, from the green land of her birth She faded into a flower, that would bloom for one bright eve
He could not take from the forest, what was never meant to leave"

I look at my brother and sister to see they were sleeping peacefully. I brush the hair from their heads, kissing them both before walking to my room. I stop at my door, my hand clenched at the wall beside it.

'He could not take from the forest... what was never meant to leave...'