"Cale..."

Strike!

"human...."

Strike×2!!

"Nya..."

Strike×3! Critical hit!

"...Fine..."

Shit...how did I end up like this..?

Flashback.

"What?"

"For real?"

"Are you telling the truth, Asteria-nim?"

"..ugh."

Everybody asked with sparkling eyes while Cale groaned.

Asteria smiled, the smile which Cale often used overlapped with her image.

Cale frowned.

"That's right. I never lie when it concerns all of you."

Everyone turned to Cale as he felt chills down his spine.

"Human!"

"Cale!"

"Cale-nim."

"Nya.."

All of them looked at him as if they were requesting him.

Hell, why did you put me into this unnecessary mess?!

- ahahaha I wanted to see it too! Besides, I didn't lie, did I?

"..."

Cale looked at the star turned human who was with Raon, exaggerating about the matter.

"Human, human! Can you do it now? Please!"

"Yeah, cale please,nya!"

"You can do it, Cale. " Asteria added oil to the fire.

Cale looked at them in disbelief as he glanced through his records.

"...you guys really....Fine. which one?"

Raon's wings fluttered as his eyes brightened.

"I know!, I know!, the star goddess told me which song she is going to make you sing!"

Cale looked at Asteria with wary eyes. Only to receive his signature scammer smile from her.

"Should I tell him, little raon?"

"Sure, star goddess" Raon nodded.

-why don't you sing that Japanese song? You sung it in the second or third year after becoming the team leader, remember?

..that one...

"..Fine."

"Which song is it, Raon-nim?"

Alberu asked curiously, he was curious about which song his dongsaeng was going to sing.

"It's a song from his previous life. This great and mighty dragon will cast a translation spell so everyone can understand it!" Raon's voice was heard as they were covered in a black aura before it disappeared.

"Come on now! Start!" Asteria said, as she gestured towards the 'stage' where a piano was present.

Cale scoffed but still went up as he sat on the chair while positioning his hand over the piano.

"By the way, should I put a wall or you're fine with them watching you directly?" Asteria's voice was heard.

"No need." Cale replied coldly to the troublemaker who landed him in this mess.

Asteria smiled again and nodded.

Haha, they can witness him directly now. He forgot about Clopeh didn't he? Hahahaha.

Cale sighed and focused on the task. His fingers first tested the keys by playing it randomly.

He nodded after a while and took a deep breath. He had almost forgotten that he had to sing.

The others looked at him with more and more interest as his aura transformed from an unapproachable one to a noble, sad, tired and lonely one.

It was almost as if they were looking at a completely different person. They did not like it, but did not interrupt.

Some who knew him well, thought that his acting skills were top-notch, while the others thought otherwise.

Asteria silently produced a recording device and gave it to the green-eyed man who was now sitting beside the super rock while putting her finger on her lips.

Ahahaha

Clopeh looked at her gratefully before taking the device and started recording.

The super rock looked at them before shaking his head.

"You... Cale..."

"Ahaha, the Henituse museum needs to have something like this right?"

"Asteria-nim is right. The legend singing a song is the greatest thing we can have the honour to listen to." Clopeh said with fanatic eyes.

Super rock got chills from his gaze and turned away quickly.

"Don't worry , Cale will only know about this after you are sent back to your world ahahahaha."

****

The gods who were sitting together laughed at their interaction.

****

Cale looked once toward the crowd but quickly turning back to the piano.

He did that because he could not stand those curious gazes directed at him.

It's been a long time.

He looked towards the others again and turned away for the second time.

Though it isn't as bad as it used to be.

He smiled lightly as he opened his mouth.

Everyone leaned in as if trying to hear his voice more clearly.

Cale's fingers danced over the piano keys lightly as a melody flowed into their ears.

(Aoi: guess the song~ btw the video is at the end of the chapter!)

あたしあなたに会えて本当に嬉しいのに
Atashi anata ni aete hontou ni ureshii noni
(You know i'm really truly grateful,to have met somebody just like you.)

What they could hear, wasn't the best of the voices out there but it certainly wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Cale definitely had very, Very amazing skills.

"Did he compose these lyrics?" Alberu asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, but it was long back, nearly 10 years ago." Asteria replied.

(Aoi: sorry, Yonezu Kenshi-san!! T^T but the song is yours! Oh, and miss Rachie, the english lyrics are yours too! Just that this universe is where Cale writes it, don't mind!)

"It sounds so sad." Hong commented.

"He was like that at that time." On muttered.

Mhmm, looks like he's re-living those times.

当たり前のようにそれらすべてが悲しいんだ
Atari mae no youni Sorera subete ga kanashii nda
(But life, it goes along, and from what I know, that means we'll have to part soon.)

"I don't want to part with my human.." Raon said quietly.

["Raon, you have to understand, everyone needs to die at one point."

"But-"

"But, you know right, I and everyone will be with you until that happens."

"Yes, human. We are a happy family. We will be together always. "

Cale hadn't replied.]

今痛いくらい幸せな思い出が
Ima itai-kurai shiawase na omoide ga
(Now carrying these memories which pain me with a smile)

Cale's mind wandered back to the time he had first sung this song. Those memories- no, those records that used to haunt him day and night, now appeared to be so nostalgic.

He smiled. Yet that smile, to others, looked as if it was filled with endless sorrow.

It matched so well with the lyrics he was singing, that it seemed painful.

いつか来るお別れを育てて歩く
Itsuka kuru owakare wo sodatete aruku
(I walk away from yesterday to our fated goodbye.)

Maybe this talks about how he let his sad past go.

All of them thought the same. Those who knew him well, smiled. They were glad to have met him.

It was him who made them let go of their past too after all. But they did not want to see the goodbye part anytime soon.

誰かの居場所を奪い生きるくらいならばもう
Dareka no ibasho wo ubai ikiru kurai naraba mou
(If I were to go through life living just to take somebody else's place.)

Cale relived the moment when he met his team leader again.

[-Rok Soo, it wasn't your fault that we died. It was because we were running around.

So,stop feeling guilty, you aren't living in anyone else's place.

-No, it was that motherfucking god of death's fault.

-...yes.]

It was a foolish thought, yet it ate him away for so many years.

****

Meanwhile, the others who didn't know the depth of the lyrics's meaning just looked on.

Was he talking about how he lived as Cale Henituse?

These were their thoughts but they felt like there was something more, considering that Cale wasn't familiar with the original young master at all, at least from what they knew.

They were then reminded that the song was made by him in his past life.

Was there such a thing that could be so severe to the extent that it would break the barriers of this seemingly emotionless young master, making him look like that?

あたしは石ころにでもなれたならいいな
Atashi wa ishikoro ni demo nareta nara ii na
(Then I would rather have been born as a pebble, living out my peaceful days.)

"His...slacker..life?" Suddenly someone blurted out, albeit it was hushed by the goddess.

Alberu chuckled,

He didn't forget to add his slacker life even in such a sad song.

だとしたら勘違いも戸惑いもない
Dato shitara kanchigai mo tomadoi mo nai
(Then maybe we could then avoid misunderstandings too)

"He's the only one who misunderstands his own worth." Eruhaben mumbled. "Unlucky bastard..."

(Aoi: I have never agreed more, cheers for Eruhaben-nim!)

そうやってあなたまでも知らないままで
Sou yatte anata made mo shiranai mama de
(And then maybe I would never have ever gotten to know you.)

Cale almost laughed after snapping out from his records. Who was he kidding? Not meeting them?

He would rather die. He, who hated even a little pain much less dying, would rather die than to have not met them, who saved him.

He glanced at the others who didn't have much change in their expressions but their eyes said it all.

Heh, I died either way.

Yet this place, where he is now with all of them, became of so much value to him.

****

"No, how can human not want to know us?" Raon's worried voice was heard.

"Raon-nim, remember, it talks about his past." Queen Litana said with a weak smile.

She could have never fathomed that the young master would sound so vulnerable because of a mere song.

"Did human have someone he did not want to meet in the past?" The young dragon asked.

"It's not like that, Cale really loved those people but they died for him." Asteria replied.

"So, he thought that if he didn't meet them, they would not die?" Raon asked.

Asteria nodded.

"Stupid human." Raon said with his cheeks puffed.

Even the great and mighty 4-year-old him could understand that it was because they cared for him and wanted to save him so they died but this normally sharp human couldn't?

Stupid human.

あなたにあたしの思いが全部伝わってほしいのに
Anata ni atashi no omoi ga zenbu tsutawatte hoshii noni
(All I ever wanted was for you to hear my thoughts, all my dreams and fears, just say them out.)

Those who would have heard him had died back then.

Choi Han and the crown prince both had the same thought.

誰にも言えない秘密があって嘘をついてしまうのだ
Dare ni mo ienai himitsu ga atte uso wo tsuite shimau no da
(Yet I go and lie to you and say I'd rather not, even though you never found me out)

This reminded them about how he would always say he was okay while being covered in his own blood form head to toe.

Was he always like that? Or was it that he just got used to hiding his pain?

(Aoi: lmao, this song is sad so didn't want to ruin the mood but i had to say it. This reminded me of the time when Cale faced the nobles and said that their uniform was black so that it would be covered in the enemies blood and still remain the same [he didn't say this but let's just pretend he meant this.] Yet look at him, I feel like the only thing that black uniform does is get drenched in Cale's blood. Ugh. This lovable ignorant bastard-)

あなたが思えば思うより いくつもあたしは意気地ないのに
Anata ga omoeba omou yori ikutsu mo atashi wa ikuji ga nai no ni...
(I'm just so much weaker than you thought I ever was, than you ever would've wanted to believe.)

It was good that he admitted it. Most of the people seriously nodded their heads and wanted to convey the same message to the brainless kingdoms, the blind soldiers and whatnot, who viewed him as a hero, saying he would come up to help everyone even if he got hurt.

Cale who glanced at the others at this time, saw them nodding seriously.

I'm weak huh..

He glanced at himself.

Definitely.

He smiled wryly.

どうして..?どうして?どうして?!
Doushite doushite doushite
(So why? Tell me. Tell me!)

消えない悲しみも綻びもあなたといれば
Kienai kanashimi mo hokorobi mo anata to ireba
(With this endless pain in my heart, tearing me apart, but also you beside me.)

Cale relived the moment he met them. And the people here.

He had lost everything each of the times. He had nothing to lose. Nothing precious at that time.

All he was but a walking shell.

Both of those times, he had worked tirelessly in order to survive. He could do nothing but to survive. He didn't even know what to survive for.

He met them. Both of the times, he got something he was afraid to lose.

He lost once. He wasn't planning on repeating it again.

それでよかったねと笑えるのがどんなに嬉しいか
"Sore de yokatta ne" to waraeru no ga donna ni ureshii ka
(Can't you see how happy I'd be? I'd smile and I'd say, "It was all for the best you see")

["I'm fine. This much is necessary for our victory." He said while coughing out blood.

"This bastard...haa.."

"Cale-nim, you have to rest."

"You unlucky bastard, stop running around...ha..."

"Human, you are stupid."

"Huh?? How am i stupid??"

"This idiot... did he not hear the previous sentences??"]

目の前の全てが ぼやけては溶けてゆくような
Me no mae no subete ga boyakete wa tokete yuku you na
(As the world in front of me melts and fades away, I only have one thing to say:)

"Man, this is too sad, I need alcohol!" Bud whisper-shouted.

奇跡であふれて足りないや
Kiseki de afurete tarinai ya
(These miracles flooding me won't make it go away)

Cale chuckled in his mind. Those lyrics really did tell his story in the present even though he had written them so many years ago.

あたしの名前を呼んでくれた
Atashi no namae wo yonde kureta
(Because I can still hear your voice calling out my name)

Cale's voice was a bit shaky at the end.

Others thought that the song was getting to him, as his stoic face had started to show a frown as if he didn't want to let out another emotion.

But only Cale knew that it was because he hadn't sung any song for a long time, and he was out of practice.

Damn, its hard after not singing for more than 10 years.

He paused after finishing the first stanza as his fingers continued to glide over the piano keys, producing a serene melody.

A moment later, his song continued.

あなたが居場所を失くし彷徨うくらいならばもう
Anata ga ibasho wo nakushi samayou kurai naraba mou
(If you're just going to get lost and never find a place where you belong)

"Human belongs here now. " Raon said solemnly. He did not want to hear his human saying he had no place to belong.

"Yeah, he belongs here now, nya."

"Indeed, nya."

"Of course. He belongs to where you all will be. " Asteria nodded.

誰かが身代わりになればなんて思うんだ
Dareka ga migawari ni nareba nante omounda
(Deep in my heart I wished you'd let someone else do that, but I knew all along)

That's true. I had wished that I died instead of them back then.

Cale thought.

[- It wasnt your fault, I was the one who was running wild.]

The same record played again.

****

"Why is the human's expression like that?" Raon worriedly asked himself seeing Cale's self-deprecating tone in the line as if he had made a big mistake.

今 細やかで確かな見ないふり
Ima sasayaka de tashika na minai furi
(Pretending not to understand, we turned the other cheek)

きっと繰り返しながら笑い合うんだ
Kitto kuri-kaeshi nagara waraiau nda
(I'm sure one day we'll laugh again as the cycle then repeats)

Apparently, he really met them again.

Choi han thought. He was grateful to Cale for having befriended his only relative and grateful to his nephew once removed and the team leader for saving Cale from the past that had haunted the redhead for who knows how many years.

何度誓っても何度祈っても惨憺たる夢を見る
Nando chikatte mo nando inotte mo santan taru yume wo miru
(All that I can do is beg as hard as I can, but the nightmares keep on haunting me)

Cale took a deep breath. He still had those buried records that were now coming out one by one, showing him countless moments that he felt he had forgotten. Indeed, he had forgotten that he had this blessed yet cursed ability.

The others couldn't hear anymore, it was painful to watch yet their gaze wouldn't move from the one singing. He looked as if he was in pain yet he looked relieved and happy?

They could not understand what he was feeling.

小さな歪みがいつかあなたを呑んでなくしてしまうような
Chiisana hizumiga itsuka anata wo nonde nakushite shimau youna
(Even though I've seen you leave a hundred thousand times, I can only watch you disappear)

Some of them, who had inexplicably gained some unfamiliar memories, came to a conclusion that this may have been talking about how Cale remembers everything.

Did he have that ability in his previous life too?

["Raon, I'm someone who cannot forget."]

The young dragon's mind was filled with that single sentence as he looked at his human.

あなたが思えば思うより大げさにあたしは不甲斐ないのに
Anata ga omoeba omou yori oogesa ni atashi wa fugainai no ni
(I'm just so much weaker than you thought I ever was, than you ever would've wanted to believe.)

どうして..? どうして? どうして?!
Doushite doushite doushite
(So why? Tell me. Tell me!)

お願い いつまでもいつまでも超えられない夜を
Onegai itsumade mo itsumade mo koerarenai yoru wo
(For the nights I won't make it through, I spend beside you, while holding onto your hand)

They would never allow him to let go. What sad past? What nightmares? Since they're here, they wouldn't allow those memories to even have the chance to ever be mentioned again.

They looked on as the young redhead sang with a smile on his lips. His expressions and mood were so apparent the whole time he had been singing.

They could see that the smile in front of them wasn't a sad one.

超えようと手をつなぐ この日々が続きますように
Koeyou to te wo tsunagu kono hibi ga tsudzukimasu you ni
(Telling me I will and I can, I pray every night that days like this will never end.)

Cale would never admit it if he wasn't desperate enough.

He would never admit how much he had wanted time to stop (Aoi: it stopped though-) while they had their peaceful little moments.

These were one of the many times he felt grateful for not being able to forget.

閉じた瞼さえ鮮やかに彩るために
Tojita mabuta sae azayaka ni irodoru tame ni
(Painting colours vivid and bright I see every time I go ahead and close my eyes.)

そのために何ができるかな
Sono tame ni nani ga dekiru ka na
(Just what should I do so everything remains the same?)

"Stop running around and try to properly chase your slacker life." Asteria muttered bitingly. 

"I agree."

She heard a voice and turned around only to see the crown prince nodding his head seriously.

She looked around and found the others nodding as well.

あなたの名前を呼んでいいかな
Anata no namae wo yonde ii ka na
(Hey, is it alright if I keep calling out your name?)

If those two would have been here, they would definitely give a hard smack on the back of their dongsaeng's head.

He still dares to ask them for permission? Was he still their dongsaeng or not?

産まれてきたその瞬間にあたし
Umaretekita sono shunkan ni atashi
(In the moment I was born, I wouldn't stop screaming )

Cale remembered the time he had lost his first family. He hadn't screamed nor had he shed a single tear.

He wished he did, but that would have only been possible if he had actually accepted the fact that he had lost them.

I was in denial till the very end.

He thought.

****

Choi Han also thought back to the time he had been born- no, brought to this world. He had cried, screamed, killed, whatever he could, just so he could survive.

「消えてしまいたい」って泣き喚いたんだ
"Kiete shimaitai" tte naki wameitanda
(Saying that I wanted to fade away and disappear)

Cale had really, truly wanted to disappear from the world if it could be done painlessly.

He hated pain. But, he didn't want to survive at some point.

The only thing that kept him going was his fear to die.

His whole life had been one of 'survival'. 

If he really died, then what would be the meaning of their sacrifice?

What would have been the meaning of his very life?

それからずっと探していたんだ
Sore kara zutto sagashiteitanda
(Ever since the day I stopped, I had always been searching,)

いつか出会える あなたのことを
Itsuka deaeru anata no koto wo
(For the one I'd someday meet,
For the you that has to leave)

Many of them related to this. When they had lost the ones dear to them, they had become aimless. They drowned in wallow and self pity. Nothing seemed to bring out their true emotions anymore. (Aoi: you know? You know. You don't? You don't.)

That continued on until they met that one person who saved them all. Maybe it was already decided that they would meet him and he would save them.

They looked towards him as they thought,

Intending to leave? As if. We'll just make this goddess stop the god of death's time. That way, death would be out of the way.

They looked towards Asteria as she immediately knew what outrageous thoughts they were having. Not that she disagreed.

消えない悲しみも綻びもあなたといれば
Kienai kanashimi mo hokorobi mo anata to ireba
(With this endless pain in my heart, tearing me apart, but also you beside me.)

Cale relived the top whip's test.

Even if it was just a test, he could not curse it enough.

The way it had potrayed his fear was too creepily realistic and he never in eternity wanted to see it happen in reality.

He didn't just not want it. He would make sure that it would not happen.

****

"It's repeating the most painful lines." Rosalyn muttered.

それでよかったねと笑えるのがどんなに嬉しいか
"Sore de yokatta ne" to waraeru no ga donna ni ureshii ka
(Can't you see how happy I'd be? I'd smile and I'd say, "It was all for the best you see")

[- I leave it to you, Kim Rok Soo.

-...

- Come on, dongsaeng. Don't...show such an expression.... to your dying...cough... hyung.

-...

-it's alright, you...cough... survived.

-ahaha, that's right...cough... team leader, Rok Soo-yah,...cough cough.. surviving is the ..cough.. best, got..cough.. it?

-...]

目の前の全てがぼやけては溶けてゆくような
Me no mae no subete ga boyakete wa tokete yuku you na
(As the world in front of me melts and fades away, I only have one thing to say:)

奇跡であふれて足りないや
Kiseki de afurete tarinai ya
(These miracles flooding me won't make it go away)

Any sort of miracle wouldn't make those records disappear. He knew that.

But he also knew that the gloomy library of records in his mind could be brightened with the new memories he would add.

He had survived without anything but darkness before, so how could he not survive in this overly bright world?

あたしの名前を呼んでくれた
Atashi no namae wo yonde kureta
(Because I can still hear your voice calling out my name )

[- Kim Rok Soo.

-Rok Soo-yah~

-Human!

-Cale.

-Cale-nim...

-Young master!

-Dongsaeng~

-Unlucky bastard...

-Kim Rok Soo, no(w), Cale.

-Cale Henituse.]

From 'Kim Rok Soo' to 'Cale Henituse', he recalled all the voices that had called out his name.

He realised that there were so many of them.

How had he not noticed so many people who stood by his side no matter what?

あなたの名前を呼んでいいかな
Anata no namae wo yonde ii ka na
(Hey, is it alright if I keep calling out your name?)

Everyone snapped out of their trance as the young noble's voice stopped.  His fingers were still playing with the piano keys as the melody continued before it gradually stopped.

His face had morphed back into a stoic one as did his aura that changed back to an unapproachable and emotionless one as if it wasn't him who had sung the song.

Just how perfect does he want his mask to be? Hadn't he already made a crack appear in it while he sang the song? Why does it seem like he still wants to mask his emotions?

They knew it was his habit. Habits were hard to change. But they could not help but agonise about that cold fact.

****

Cale who, as he did occasionally,  turned around to glance at the mini crowd that were watching him.

Seeing that light of determination in their eyes gave him chills for some reason.

Should I have not sang this song...?

He questioned his decision for a moment before shaking his head as he got up.

What's done is done.

He walked towards them with slight uncertainty, that he hadn't noticed was there.

Everyone looked at him quietly.

Ah..was it a bad decision after all..?

He unknowingly smiled dryly as his mind raced to calculate his next excuse to get out of the situation.

He was finally about to open his mouth when his words got stuck in his throat as a little dragon approached him.

Raon flew towards Cale.

"Human, you are a fucking idiot." He said.

Who taught him to curse?!

That was the first thing that came to his mind while he took in the other part of the young dragon's sentence.

"You're stupid, Cale, nya."

"Yes, you're an idiot, nya."

"My dongsaeng is definitely the most unlucky bastard out there."

"Cale-nim. You're....a little ignorant."

"Unlucky bastard, you...sigh."

Cale wondered why they all looked at him like that.

"How am I...? Huh?"

His chain of thought broke as he felt a heavy push.

Huh? Huh? What...??

He came to his senses only to see Raon, On, Hong hugging him while the others either patted his back or his shoulder with a smile?

Huh? No, seriously,  why are they like this all of a sudden?

His confused thoughts weren't answered as he looked towards the goddess who looked at him while shaking her head and chuckling.

What's wrong with all of them??

Asteria, who could hear his thoughts had only one thought in her mind.

This...I'm helpless.

And hence, Cale was squished and drowned in the hugs from his children and his family that he could not do anything but to have a confused look on his face until the very end.

*****************************
(4673 words)

Hehehe~ how did you like the surprise(?) ?

I've thought of doing a special every five chapters~~

It can be a song fic react or a fanfic react or anything! Why don't you tell me what to do in the next special?

Anyways back to today's one.

Mhmm~ I love this song too much.

Anyways, I have seen this song in at least two other lcf/tcf fanfics but believe me, I'm greedy for more.

I have portrayed it in Cale's point of view for most of the part as it is(the fanfic) written solely for Cale.

Hmm..how was it?

Were the emotional changes too fast? I felt like the whole mood changed too quickly...

Anyways, if you haven't guessed, the song above is called 'Eine kleine' and Yonezu Kenshi was the one who sang it.

And the english lyrics were taken from Rachie and the video below is made by Heartselect.

Believe me when I say that both the song and the MVP and also the lyrics are gems that you won't find easily.

I love this too much. Haha.

Don't forget to vote and comment!!!