It was during the winter of his final year in high school when he first met her. Everything began from that very first encounter. Akashi Seijuro, the vocalist and leader of the Generation of Miracles, a renown teen band that lately made its way into the music industry, decided to leave the party that was celebrating the band's first debut that has been dragging on till late evening.

He couldn't think of any other place where people would find him, so he went back to the school. He doubt there would be anyone at that hour in the late evening, he made his way around the school blocks, and then towards the music room; his favorite hiding place whenever he wants to take a rest from all the stress of the world.

He sighed inwardly as he shifted his guitar bag that slings over his shoulder. His frowned at the name of the incoming caller on his phone, he immediately turned his phone off as he stuffed it into his jeans pocket.

He was mentally and physically exhausted from all the pressures he has been enduring these past few years ever since his father has named him as the heir of the Akashi Corp., he has not once took any break from it. He was only a mere 17 year old teen and yet he has been juggling three things in his daily life. His training in his father's company, his band practices and performances, and lastly, his studies. It was hard but he has to keep his perfect image as the school's top student while living up his father's expectations. That was to be expected since he is the only child his parents have. An Akashi will never be at the bottom pit of the society. However, right now, he just wants a break from the world and have a long nap without anyone bothering him.

He leaned his guitar bag against the wall before sliding down against the cold wall as his rear fell onto the cold floor, not that he minded anyway, since he was wearing a thick coat. It was warm enough to keep him from freezing to death. He lets out a sigh, he would never do so in front of others but today, he was far too exhausted as he rested his head against the wall.

The quiet and peaceful surroundings of the nights was lulling him to sleep. He has forgotten how long it has been ever since he felt so peaceful and without any thoughts of reaching everyone's expectations filling his mind up. His eyelids flutter to shut close before completely dozing off on the cold concrete floor.

He wasn't sure how long he has been asleep when he was woken up by a melodious sound of the grand piano in the second music room, right next to the room he was in. He was sure that no one would be in the school at this hour. He then noticed a soft blue fabric wrapped around his shoulder.

"A muffler…?" He doesn't remember having this around his shoulder earlier nor owning such muffler. However, the warm muffler made him change his mind on standing up to check the second music room. Instead, he sat there, listening to the beautiful tune.

It was a mystery to him; he never heard such beautiful tune ever since he entered the music department when he first started schooling. He has always kept up with the music department's students' progress; however none of them ever made a good impression in his eyes. Nonetheless, his mind was too tired to think more as the soft melody lulled him to sleep like a gentle lullaby as he drowned in the unknown warm muffler. It was soothing yet so relaxing.

He fell asleep completely.

The sliding door of the first music room slides open quietly, just wide enough to fit in the small frame. She hesitated to enter, but when she noticed the blue muffler that she has wrapped around the teen who has fallen asleep on the freezing floor slipped down from his shoulder, she gently wrapped it around him once again. She smiled at how the vocalist seeks for warmth in her muffler.

His calm expression was far different from the façade he always puts whenever he's around people. It saddens her at how much the vocalist struggles to keep his façade up.

There was one time when everyone has gone home for the day except for a certain vocalist that refused to stop practicing until he got the right tune for his part, he lost his voice after the intense practices he has been doing. Sometimes, when he fallen sick, he will still attend school and practices despite the red flushed face and messy locks. He would never stop loving music that has brought him bits of life into his pressured life. She knew how much everyone around Akashi Seijuro was expecting from him. He has always reached everyone's expectations, but how long can Akashi hold on to himself before he completely shuts down?

Without knowing what she was doing, she planted a soft gentle kiss onto his forehead.

Please tell me…how can you be so strong, Akashi?

She cupped his cheeks before standing up and left the first music room, leaving Akashi to his needed rests.

Akashi could feel a soft yet warm touch on his forehead, but he was too exhausted that his eyelids refused to open. Someone touched his cheeks, it felt so warm. Much warmer than anything else he felt before, but the warm touch suddenly disappeared.

I want to feel more of it.

With a losing battle between consciousness, he managed to crack an eye open. It was blurry, but the last thing he could see before the small figure quietly closed the door of the music room, was short blue locks that fall beautifully on the figure's shoulder. His sight darkened as he fell asleep for the second time that evening.

How can someone be so warm...?

Anyways, Akashi didn't manage to get a hold of the muffler owner's name. How will he find this person? And who was it that played the piano in the second music room? Next up in Chapter 2.

Please don't forget to drop your review/comments in the box!~ Would love to see two or three comments to see whether I should continue and to see what you want to see in this route.

Thank you for reading!

Till next chapter~