Xenosaga Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Kisses ❯ Transitions ( Chapter 27 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The first measures of the recording took him by surprise. The player was old, but the song even older. Older than Fifth Jerusalem, perhaps old enough to have been composed on Lost Jerusalem. Redone in with computer programming and synthetics, then covered again in static Gaignun barely recognized it. Yet, it was still that same melody.

The memories it stirred, however, were only a few years old. The first time and last time he had heard it had been through an open window at the Institute. If he closed his eyes he could still feel the hot sun beating down on his head, with Albedo's angry muttering mixing with the buzz of cicadas in the background. The traditional melody was being picked out on a piano by one hand. Occasionally, the notes would trip up and soft laughter would take their place.

On the side, Sakura's lips would just barely tilt up. Juri and Rubedo watched her smile at the red-head's mistakes on the piano and laugh. He remembered how uncomfortable watching them had made him feel. They had seemed almost happy, yet even now Gaignun remembered the chill that he had felt watching the scene. Had it been an early premonition of the tragedies that would come?

He opened his eyes and looked back at the display. The catalog labeled it as a 'cassette player' including a set of 'cassettes' with unknown songs. A valuable and unusual antique, still in good working condition. Expensive, but hardly a trifle to a Director of the Kukai Foundation. Exactly the sort of thing that Rubedo liked.

The nineteen year old slipped inside the apartment on Second Miltia. Seeing the red-head passed out at his desk made him feel guilty. While he went out and did all the public relations aspect of the Foundation, Rubedo was stuck behind the desk doing all the paperwork and planning. Later on, things would probably change, when Gaignun was old enough to hold his own in the business world, but right now the only time his older brother left was when Helmer had an assignment for them. Right now, however, the burden of creating their new lives fell squarely on the older URTVs shoulders.

He carefully made his way over and deposited the neatly wrapped package on the desk. Then he picked up his brother and carried him into his room and placed him on the bed. "Happy Birthday," he whispered, brushing a kiss across his forehead and tucking him in.