บท 50: Birthday and Confession

Mei was shaken. She immediately looked towards Kazuya who was already fully concentrated in playing. This was when she realized that this was what he was nervous about. From her knowledge, this boy never had any lessons when it came to music because Kyouko didn't want to force him to learn things he didn't want to.

Yet here he was, playing music using a grand piano. Each note seemed to resonate with her deeply. She was not the only one, the ones listening in on the performance from the guild despite being muted were silent behind their keyboards.

They had the same reaction as Kazuya did when he first heard this song. This is the tune that helped him struggle with his fate. He looked forward and not backwards. He did not let his unknown past get in the way of what he had to do. In front of him, was the most important person in this world in his past life.

Kazuya concentrated his mana and used it to help project his voice. He couldn't copy the exact version in his memories so he tweaked the song to fit what he was capable of. This was the song that told of the artist's hardships and to encourage those who were on the verge of giving up trying.

[This melody is for the stronghearted you

Who held on and remained true

Here I am knowing how hard you've fought

Telling you that it was not all for naught

You are not on your own

I stand seeing how much you've grown]

Kazuya didn't expect it himself but he felt very emotional. Slowly discovering his own history made him feel like his past self was like shell that had no soul. Like a puppet that looked for a soul, he wanted a place that he would be able to belong.

Now here he was, slowly but surely getting attached to how things should have been. He not only wanted to protect what mattered to him in his previous life, he also wanted to prevent what would happen to the people he started to care about.

His memories on earth wasn't the only thing on his mind. Various people that died because of him showed up as his eyes remained closed. The true people who stayed by his side that ended up being casualties without his knowledge still weighed heavily on his mind.

Even though he was busy with business on earth like school or the company, Kazuya still never failed to continue improving himself. Every second he spent after he realized he had returned was dedicated into improving himself. Even though he had every intention of protecting the people close to him like Mei and Kyouko, his main purpose remained never changed.

He wondered if the him that died was watching him now like he watched his old self before he died and wondered what he would have thought. This put a smile back on his face as Kazuya imagined his older self mocking his current for being too emotional or cursing him for having achieved what his older self couldn't even dream of.

Kazuya opened his eyes after hitting the last note. He quickly grabbed his phone to log himself off from the eavesdroppers without even looking at the comments and messages that were flooding in.

"Kazu…" he turned towards the tears filled face of his 'big sis'.

"Happy Birthday big s—" he got pulled into a tight embrace by a sobbing Mei.

She herself didn't understand why but after hearing the song she knew she heard for the first time, her tears couldn't stop falling. This little guy was indeed too much. He not only named the company that was supposed to be his after her but he also seemingly made a song just for her on the birthday that seemed to have slipped her mind.

"You can't keep doing this to me Kazu, you just can't" she continued sobbing. She tried to hide her face but he could feel the top of his head slowly getting wet.

"Huh?" he was genuinely confused. "Keep doing what?"

"Uuu… some genius you turned out to be… hmph!" she refused to answer his question.

Mei couldn't really blame him. To her, Kazuya only did whatever he could to make her and Kyouko happy. In her eyes, he was just a child who was naïve and selfless but she couldn't help but be moved and hoped that he wouldn't change even if he grew up.

Things were definitely changing and she was aware of it. She was starting to see this little boy not just as her benefactor's son. He was slowly becoming an existence that was slowly growing close to Kyouko in Mei's heart.

"I'm so—"

"Don't you dare apologize!" he got scolded. "If you haven't done anything wrong, don't ever apologize!" She cut him off and held him tighter.

Mei had long been thinking about it. Today pretty much already proves her suspicions. Kazuya had been too good to her. She didn't understand nor could find any reason why he would go so far. It was understandable if it was Kyouko but all she had been was just an assistant who happened to like him because he was her benefactor's son.

She felt guilty, Mei had never done anything for him but here he was giving everything to her. Even though the company got started because of the lottery, she knew that he would have found a way to start it and still get to where they were today.

"Okay… I won't" he didn't really expect her to react this way. He really couldn't think much about why she would because he was currently having a hard time to breathe.

It took a little while before Mei could finally calm herself down. She retreated to the ladies room to fix herself up without letting him see her in her current state. This embarrassed side of her was also new to him so Kazuya couldn't help but smile as he sat down to wait for her.

"I must say, that was a brilliant performance young man" the polite manager approached him while carrying the several food samples and served them one by one.

"Thank you. Though I'm still nothing compared to you. People who I saw give reviews about your place always mention how it was always a treat to hear you play"

"Shall I perform if the young lady decides to book our place for the event then?" he tried fishing for information.

"That would be much appreciated. It's a pity I won't be able to attend because of my age. Rest assured, I've already decided to use this place. If the employees like it then we shall be your regulars" he replied.

Kazuya was thankful towards this person so he decided that he should at least help him out since he has the chance to. Because of the numerous changes their town would go through because of the development, this restaurant would have less and less people visiting it. Having his company be a regular was a good way of helping out.

Mei returned and found the two talking. She was a little relieved since she felt embarrassed about crying in public like that. She silently took a seat and got an introduction of the sample meals provided.

"These are samples of the food currently available in the menu. Please enjoy and do not hesitate to call my attention if you have any questions" he bowed and excused himself. He didn't want to mention it to embarrass Mei but he saw what happened and wanted to give them their privacy.

"Kazu… I have a question" Mei broke the silence as the two continued to try the samples.

"The bbq here is nice. There's also—"

"Not that! I really want to know why… why are you so nice to me when I haven't even done anything for you. I don't think I can accept your gift unless you can tell me why. I don't think I deserve any of this because I'm just your mother's assistant" Although she was confident, she still thought that even though people resented her, those who do have the proper credentials have the right to do so.

This was why she didn't retaliate against them other than just treating them coldly. They had the right to be critical of her since they spent their time in universities while she skipped the years they spent getting the proper credentials for their occupations. She worked flawlessly to prove herself but that fact never left her mind.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. In everyone's eyes, I'm just a kid who seemed to have matured because of what I've experienced" he bitterly said.

"I will believe it even if it was a lie. Otherwise there would be no explanation about why this unbelievable thing is happening. No matter how I think about it, you simply being fond of me doesn't explain this much favor" Mei pushed. She wanted a clear answer.

"You will think I'm crazy. Any sensible person would"

"I won't. I swear. I won't even tell Kyouko"

"Fine…" he sighed. "Let me think for a moment on where to start…" he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Kazuya truly didn't expect that he would have to explain himself so he tried gathering his thoughts.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to tell her everything because she would end up not believing a single word. So he decided to just simply answer her question.

"Please stop me if you think this is too unbelievable. I don't want to embarrass myself" as intelligent as Mei was, he definitely knew that even he himself wouldn't believe it if he was told everything.

"Stop worrying and just tell me"

"Does big sis still remember the dreams I told you about?"

"How could I forget?"

"It wasn't just one dream... I even felt like I've experienced them first hand. It was about the future and it was before I woke up in the hospital.

I don't remember all of the details but like when I first woke up at the hospital, unlike what happened here, it was further into the future" he told her the story about what happened when he first woke up in his previous life.

"Waking up alone… injured… having amnesia and not even remembering Kyouko?" she developed a frown. She instantly understood why Kazuya had been fearful about Kyouko leaving on a business trip.

"My supposed trustworthy brother who was considered an adult and indicated as my legal guardian via legal documents took everything I should have inherited but refused to actually take responsibility of me aside from footing the hospital expenses. That only lasted until I completed my therapy and got discharged" he continued.

"That sounds about right. I wouldn't expect any less from that perverted bastard" Mei commented.

"It was you who took me in big sis. But unlike the person you are now, you were very much quiet and kept to yourself. I assumed that it was because of my mom's untimely departure that you ended up that way" he looked at her reaction.

She couldn't deny it. Losing Kyouko and having the Kuroganes bastard of an heir take over the Kouzuki corporation would indeed make her leave the company. Mei listened to Kazuya's story and the amount of detail shocked her. It was as if he really was there instead of it being just a nightmare.

"What about your grandfather? He should have been there right?"

"I'm sorry. I don't have memories of grandfather then or now. I only remember that you mentioned that he disappeared after a trip with his friends to go exploring somewhere"

"That's…" she was speechless because even if he didn't have memories of his grandfather, she could see those circumstances actually happening because she knew just what kind of person Kouzuki Kou was.

"Even though we weren't related by blood nor legally, you took me in without a word. Even though that version of big sis was cold, you were very caring. You helped me get used to life and even got me admitted to Sacred Forest Academy's middle school" he continued to tell her what happened.

"Even though I was stupid, I still understood what big sis had to go through. I have a better grasp of it now since I know how much you've helped mom. You were my world and I didn't want to disappoint you so I chose to dedicate my future in repaying you by making you happy" he confessed. This caused Mei's face to blush like a ripe tomato.

She had gotten her answer. This explained and answered so many questions in her mind. If he really did have such a realistic dream then how could he not change?

"I thought my future was set and I devoted myself into making it a reality. I didn't know what happened but before I graduated from middle school, you told me that you decided to abandon me" Kazuya didn't know that he had already satisfied Mei so he continued with the story.

"Was this the reason you asked me the question about me abandoning you back at my apartment?"

"Yes. I couldn't figure out why such a thing happened. I assumed you were tired of taking care of me and chose to go with Lee instead. You deserved better than taking care of me so even though my world fell apart, I accepted it and lived on my own"

"Stupid Mei! What an idiot!" she cursed herself. Even though both of them already knew why she did what she did, she still couldn't help but curse herself for not even giving him a proper explanation.

"Don't curse yourself big sis. We both know that you did that because of me in the end. That version of you wasn't the type to explain anything to me in the first place and… did she even owe me to be given one" he bitterly smiled. Even though it was already cleared up, remembering it still left him with a bitter taste.

"I can't help it! My future self was too insensitive! She let you suffer too much!"

"Wait a minute…" it felt stupid for actually realizing it too late. "You believe me?"

"How couldn't I? the amount of detail leaves me with little to refute. My only problem is with that darned future self of mine!"

"Future self?" he tried to confirm why she referred to her own self as such.

"It probably wasn't a dream but a premonition. I think that if you didn't lose your memories and had this premonition, you would have still avoided me and when the accident happened, it would have turned out like it did" her quick wit actually left Kazuya speechless this time. She had accepted it all too quickly and seemed to have believed everything he said.

"I see…" he replied halfheartedly. He was still processing how she could have just accepted such an absurd thing like that.

"Thank you Kazu"

"What for?" he tilted his head in confusion.

"For telling me the truth" she gave him a genuine smile. His heart skipped a beat because this was the most honest and most beautiful smile she had given him. He felt that his earlier worries were for nothing.

"Has my answer satisfied you big sis?" he tried to change the topic while calming himself down.

"Not only have you convinced me, you gave me a reason to work harder"

"Work harder? Why?"

"Your plans involve strengthening the Kouzuki corporation's standing against attacks not only from it's biggest rival but also from bigger ones like the one that weird little girl will inherit one day"

"Stockton International?" he really didn't think that far but after considering it, this was indeed true. He was proud of his big sis for seeing things farther and knew that he was giving the company to the right person.

"It was only an example. Besides… if what I'm thinking is correct. Then you probably already prevented the accident that will happen in the future"

"Huh? I already did?"

"Think about it… from your memories, who benefited the most after Kyouko… passed away"

"Are you saying…" he swallowed hard as his eyes narrowed.

"It was probably orchestrated by people from the Kurogane Conglomerate"