Alex was sitting on the floor, watching tv and eating a bowl of cereal

Her brother was gone off to a library for extra studies and while her parent were at work, so she was home alone

She watches the news about a young girl murdered after being raped and the mother was missing

Tadayoshi: you seem to be enjoying yourself?

She turns to see Tadayoshi

Alex: you didn't knock...

Tadayoshi: I gather barge in, who know what could happen to you when I'm not around

Alex: I see... um... why are you here

Tadayoshi: just checking up on you, can't let anything happen to you, but since your fine, I'm leaving

He turn to leave out the door

Alex: um... Tadayoshi?

Tadayoshi: hm?

Alex: can I... come to your place?

Tadayoshi: no

Alex: oh.... may I ask why?

Tadayoshi: you won't like it...

Alex: but... I don't want be left alone...

Tadayoshi: ... *sigh* fine...

Alex: r-really?

Tadayoshi: yes, but don't judge it?

Alex: o-ok...

Alex quickly shuts off the tv and finishes up her cereal and walks out with him

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They walked for a while until they were in the forest

Alex: um... are you sure your place is around here?

Tadayoshi: we're almost there

They soon were able to get out of the forests

Tadayoshi: here we are

Alex rubs her eyes to be sure what she is seeing, is what she is seeing

Alex: w-wait... you live here

Tadayoshi: *sigh* yep home sweet home

He walks to his place as Alex stares at the old shack

Alex: w-what...

She catches up to Tadayoshi as they enter in. The place was all dusty, the place was falling apart, and all there was in the shack was a plate, a jar with only 2 coins in it, and a rag blanket

Tadayoshi: make yourself at home, and don't hurt yourself

He spreads out the ragged blanket as Alex slowly walks towards it and sits on it

Alex: um... do you even eat?

Tadayoshi: if I have enough money

Alex: oh... any... heat or-

Tadayoshi: no

Alex: I see...

Suddenly Alex notice a newspaper on the ground, she picks it up and reads about the announce Inkopolis' fifth annual Youth Folk-Singing Contest

Tadayoshi: you planning on joining the show?

Alex: huh... um... well...  I don't think so...

Tadayoshi: why not?

Alex: ... people will laugh at me...

Tadayoshi: kid, your not, plus you'll probably do well, after all you sing pretty good

Alex: how do you know?

Tadayoshi: ... come with me

Alex: o-ok

They stand up as Tadayoshi picks up hugs jar with two coins in it and they exit out of the building

Alex: where are we going?

Tadayoshi: to discover your talent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrive at Inkopolis, fine the place quiet crowded and they notice some people upahead setting up something

Alex: what are they doing?

Tadayoshi: probably, for the concert

Alex: oh...

They continue walking past through the crowd as Alex notice that Tadayoshi always wears a hoodie over him

Alex: um... why do you always wear a hoodie?

He turns at her

Tadayoshi: it's best for you not to know

Alex: why?

Tadayoshi: I have reasons

Alex: but... ok...

Tadayoshi: here we are

Alex looks to find themselves at a karaoke place

Alex: wait... are we

Tadayoshi: yes now come on

They enter inside the place

Worker: hi, is it just the two of you?

Tadayoshi: yes

Worker: alright, that'll be 50 coins

Alex: um... Tadayoshi, how can we-

Tadayoshi removes his hoodie

Worker: oh! Um.... never mind, that will be 1 coins...

Tadayoshi pulls out one of his coin and hands it to her

Worker: thank you for um... being here... your room will be over there...

Tadayoshi: you go ahead kid, I'll meet you there

Alex nods as she leaves down the hall to the room, as she enters the room, Tadayoshi turns at the worker

Tadayoshi: report me and I will skin your entire body into a floor mat

Worker: y-yes sir!

Alex sits down as she looks around until, she hear someone people singing in the other room

?: Ho ho ho, you girl will do great in the concert

?2: hehe thanks gramps!

?3: yeah, we'll make you proud!

Suddenly Tadayoshi enter inside

Tadayoshi: you ready?

Alex: for what?

Tadayoshi changes the tv as he got a certain music, as he does that he hands Alex a microphone

Tadayoshi: alright kid... show me what you got

Alex: w-what... but I-

Tadayoshi: it's ok to be nervous, just close your eyes

She closes her eyes

Tadayoshi: now I want you to imagine that your somewhere nice, somewhere you can be happy and relax...

Alex opens her eyes, to find herself in a different environment

Alex: woah...

Tadayoshi: if you found your place... sing..

Alex looks ahead as she takes a deep breath... and sings...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours went by as it was night, and Alex and Tadayoshi were walking back home

Tadayoshi: you did well...

Alex: I don't know... did I really do well..

Tadayoshi: you did good... so, do you what to join the concert

Alex thought for a moment

Alex: yeah... I think I will... I have something I can sing about...

Tadayoshi rubs her head

Tadayoshi: I'm glad to hear that

Alex looks up at him, even though he isn't showing a smile at her, she still gives a little smile back to him

Father: ALEX!

Alex jumps to see her father and mother waiting outside her home

Mother: we were so worried about you!

Father: do you have any idea-

Tadayoshi: it's my fault, I kept her out so long, I wasn't paying any attention

Father: and why should I believe in a hooded man?

Alex: "do they not recognize Tadayoshi?"

Tadayoshi: I'm just a friend... I apologize for getting your daughter in trouble

Father: ...

Mother:  alright... come on dear, dinner is waiting at the table

Alex walks to her parents as they go inside

Tadayoshi: makes sure she eats well

The father stops and turns at her

Father: don't worry... she's been eating her meals now... thanks for your concern

The father closes the door leaving Tadayoshi alone outside in the cold dark

?: so this is where you have been hiding, demon?

Tadayoshi slowly turns at the stranger

?: it's been a while friend

Tadayoshi: what do you what Bella?