Arkjil’s Song

by tsukimii

 

Premise Tags: First Meeting, Curse,

Sensory Loss, Synesthesia,

Death of Loved Ones, Bittersweet,

Music, Comfort, Heartwarming.

Content Warnings: mentions of depression.

 

 

 

“You exist deep in my mind, in my dreams and in my heart.”
— Unknown.

 

 

That day, a boy fell from the sky.

Also very conveniently that day – perhaps by fate – Appel had been walking in a park, breathing in the crisp evening breeze that autumn had to offer and letting the sight of red and orange leaves soak in his hazel eyes.

“Watch out!”

It was an instant... an instinct.

Whoosh!

Leaves on trees shuddered and those that had fallen scattered out, riding along on the gusts that rose from the impact of the free fall.

In Appel’s arms was a warmth that reminded him of a cup of hot tea.

Unconscious, the person in his arms, who appeared only a couple years younger, leaned his head against his chest, snuggling up as much as possible.

For a second, Appel thought of simply leaving him on a bench.

After all, the person in his arms was clothed in enough layers. The chilly autumn breeze shouldn’t bother him.

Speaking of clothes, however, his attire was... quite interesting, to put it simply. 

If anyone were to pass him by on the streets, the first assumption one would make was that he was a cosplayer.

If Appel hadn’t known better, he would have thought the same.

After all, some cosplayers were crazy, but none of them would simply fall from the sky out of nowhere... without a parachute, no less.

He would have moved on with his life, continued on with his normal routine, forgetting about that strange boy completely.

That would have been, however, one of his deepest regrets in life.

 

🍁🍁🍁

 

Why did I do this again...?

No thanks to Appel’s impulsivity, he decided on a whim to take this person back to his apartment. On the way, he had tried to talk himself into this. “It’s alright,” he whispered, “I will just take care of him for a little bit, and then we can part ways.”

While preparing a warm cup of tea, Appel heard a soft rustling behind him.

It appeared he had regained some of his consciousness.

Perfect timing.

Holding two mugs, both filled with steaming tea, Appel set one down before the other. “It’s not exactly pumpkin spice latte,” he commented with amusement, “but this should do.”

The boy reached his hand out, accepted the mug held out to him and fiddled with the smooth ceramic surface, watching with pursed lips as Appel plopped himself on a nearby sofa to drink his tea.

Appel sipped his tea. He disliked the way he was being stared at, but he schooled a calm demeanor.

“You seem like you want to say something,” Appel started.

It wasn’t an efficient way to break the ice, but he reckoned anything was better than saying “The weather’s nice, isn’t it?” when it was actually chilly.

The boy broke into a fit of laughter, which made Appel jump, startled. “No, no,” he said in between giggles, “It’s just I didn’t expect to meet someone so kind.”

“K-kind?”

“You take me in without knowing my name nor background,” he explained, “Is that not ‘kindness’?”

Appel paused to dwell on the boy’s words. It was true that he didn’t know a sliver about this person, but he had only intended to accommodate him for a short time.

“...You give me too much credit,” he responded, his fingers tightening ever so slightly around the cup.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, seeing the mysterious boy sitting in front of him made Appel feel as though they were lifetime friends.

The boy took another sip of his tea, but not before Appel saw a corner of his lips perk up in a smirk.

Appel narrowed his eyes, but didn’t bother to comment on the other’s strange, if not a bit unsettling, gesture, instead opting for a different topic.

“What’s your name?” Appel asked.

At first, the other was silent.

Then, after several long moments, he answered in a whisper, “...Soleil.”

Appel repeated his name, letting it slide off his tongue. “Soleil.”

Soleil nodded in silence.

"Like, the sun?"

Again, a nod.

“...Why…” Before Appel could finish the question of why he was falling from the sky burning in his mind, he trailed off, not knowing if he was delving too deeply.

Curiosity kills the cat. Always.

Soleil seemed to pick up on the other’s curiosity as he let out a small ‘ah’ in response. “You want to know why I was falling from the sky.”

Appel couldn’t help but chuckle. “What are you, a mind reader?”

“Haha, flattering, but no. There’s not a soul who wouldn’t be curious about this.” Soleil set his cup down. “If it were you falling through the sky, I would be just as curious.”

“Do you not worry about getting into something dangerous or unnecessarily troublesome?”

Soleil shook his head, a smile tugging on his pink lips and his eyes gently narrowing. It was like he was reminiscing about a past long forgotten, gone.

He was silent for a moment – it was a bit strange, coming from someone who appeared so jovial.

“I want to go out, explore the world,” Soleil started, spreading his arms. “I want to meet new people like you, and I want to travel to many places. I want to learn more, and help someone... leave my imprint in this world, no matter how small.”

Someone so young with such big dreams... Appel felt a tug at his heart.

He had respect for Soleil, but there seemed to be some shadows hovering over his words, implying a different, deeper meaning.

“I’m impressed,” Appel remarked, “I hope you can explore all the world has to offer. It will surely be beautiful.”

“Beautiful beyond compare.” Soleil nodded in agreement before asking a question himself. “A question for a question! What do you do?”

“For a living?”

He nodded in response.

“...I’m a musician,” Appel whispered, looking down.

Becoming a musician had been his lifelong dream, and while he managed to keep music as a big part of his life, he did so at the cost of his parents cutting all ties with him.

Soleil, however, started clapping, which surprised Appel, who looked up at the other with wide eyes.

“That’s incredible! I happen to really like music. How about you play a piece or two for me?”

Appel was still recovering from shock.

“...What?”

“Play a piece for me! Please?” Soleil once again clapped his hands together, raising them before the other.

Appel couldn’t help but feel confused at Soleil’s insistence.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t muster the heart to say no, so he brought out his violin case. “Alright, which piece do you want me to play? Any requests?” he inquired as he opened the case.

Soleil thought about it for a moment.

“How about Arkjil’s Song?”

“Ar-what?”

Never in his life had he heard of such a strange title. The way “Arkjil” rolled off Soleil’s tongue made it sound weird, too.

It was a completely different language.

One that Appel didn’t recognize.

“You celebrate Thanksgiving, right?” Soleil started, “This is a song we like to sing when that time comes, or generally in autumn.”

An autumn song, I see.

“Can you sing it for me, if that’s okay?”

“If that’s not okay, then what is?” Soleil responded, chuckling.

He didn’t waste another second as he sucked in a breath. He started singing a tune Appel didn’t recognize, but it sounded festive yet ethereal. Its tune was jovial, celebrating the present, while possessing a wisp of a sweet, nostalgic past.

Appel could not understand a word, but he had no need to.

His voice is beautiful. It almost has an androgynous quality to it.

With the song engraved in his heart, carving a deep impression, he lifted his bow to the strings. He paused for a second to breathe, then started playing.

It was the exact same tune, but without words.

Soleil’s reaction enchanted Appel like a witch would a human.

His eyes, which had initially looked like silver that had seen better days, now shone like it was reflecting the moon’s light. It was as though he was seeing something that Appel couldn’t see.

His brown hair swayed behind him as he started dancing, performing various twirls and steps with a youthful charm.

Appel wondered why Soleil liked music so much.

Of course, it was natural for anyone to like music, but for Soleil, it appeared as if music opened a gateway to nirvana.

Was there something he was missing, or was it simply a figment of his imagination?

When the song was done, Appel asked, “Was that good enough?”

Soleil nodded. “More than enough! I’m impressed with how well you picked up the notes… all of them, too.”

“Mhm, I have perfect pitch.” Appel tapped his ear.

“I see – that explains why you were able to play it perfectly the first time,” Soleil said, “It’s like you were meant to play music.”

Something about those words struck a chord within Appel.

It may have been a simple off-handed comment to Soleil, but to Appel, whose music was always belittled by his own family, it was truly a gift to hear those words.

There was someone who acknowledged him and respected him.

True to his name, Soleil was the sun that showered its warm rays over the vast darkness of someone’s world.

Before Appel could stop himself, a streak of tears streamed down his cheeks, staining them.

Soleil was rendered speechless, unsurprisingly.

His expression morphed into that of worry as he asked, “Are you alright…” he trailed off before sheepishly laughing. “Haha, I just realized I don’t know your name yet. I was too distracted by your wonderful music.”

“I-it’s Appel,” he replied in between sniffles, “I just… it’s my first time hearing someone say that, and I…”

The rest of the words lodged themselves into his throat as tears continued to fall.

It was just a simple comment, but it was a comment that Appel had always wanted to hear for the past fifteen years.

Soleil seemed taken aback as he hummed and hawed on how to cheer Appel up.

Then, an idea seemed to have hit him, because he let out a small ‘aha’ before reaching down to the pouch hanging from his sash and pulling out a necklace.

He then approached Appel, reaching his other hand out until it touched his shoulder. Soleil then took the necklace and put it on the other’s neck.

Appel reached for the gem dangling from the string and resting on his chest.

“This is a meaningful gem to me and my people,” Soleil explained, “It’s called anhev. It’s a jewel one gives to someone they think fondly of, or someone who leaves a deep impression on them. In any case, it’s not a jewel one simply gives to anyone.”

Appel’s cheeks heated up slightly at the last sentence, his fingers stroking the gem like it was his most precious treasure.

“Could I… ask a question?”

“Go right ahead.”

“Where are you from?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Soleil tilted his head. “I come from the sky.”

Appel pouted. “I’m not joking.”

In response, Soleil shook his head. “I’m not joking either. I am a part of the Lithis Tribe, a group that resides in the sky,” he explained, “We are known for our special blood.”

“Special blood?”

“Yes – as for me, I want to use my blood to make a small concoction. The reason I came down here was partly to search for ingredients.”

“And the other part?”

Soleil smiled wryly, not uttering a word for a good few minutes.

“...I was put under a curse due to my family offending a witch a long time ago. It runs in the family and affects its sons,” Soleil said, “I will die when I turn twenty.”

A tug pulled at Appel’s heart.

How could one accept dying at such a young age?

Seeing Soleil smile as he said all this just made Appel feel more sad.

“I don’t have long to live, so I will live out my life without regret.” He laughed, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “At the end of the day, that is my only wish.”

“So.” Appel looked down. “Does that mean you will be going soon then?”

Soleil chuckled. “Do you want me gone?”

Appel shook his head. “No, I don’t want you gone, but if you do choose to leave, I will respect your final wishes. I was just wondering what you were planning to do from here on out.”

“Then, how about I stay here?” Soleil suggested before adding as an afternote, “For some time. I would hate to stay here and trouble you too long, haha.”

Appel lifted his head, not bothering to hide the surprise on his face.

When Soleil’s words processed in his mind, he smiled and shook his head. “No,” he said, “for as long as you decide to stay here, I’ll play more music for you.”

“Really? That’s great!”

Soleil ended up spending a week in Appel’s place.

They would chat about anything, be it the news or even just complimenting each other, but hearing Soleil’s voice and enthusiasm brought a smile to Appel’s face every time.

They would sit down and have a warm cup of tea while watching the reddish orange leaves on the trees.

Appel played the music Soleil knew and loved, and Soleil would dance.

...All just like the first day they met.

In that timeframe, Appel had also been making something special for Soleil – a crown, made of the autumn leaves. When he was little, his mother had taught him how to make a flower crown. That was around the time Appel started to collect leaves, since according to his mother, “If you make a crown from the leaves you collect over the years and gift it to someone, it will be giving them your life, your heart and soul.”

“Soleil,” Appel said, “I want to give you something.”

Soleil’s eyes lit in excitement. “Oh, you’re giving something to me? What is it?”

Appel approached Soleil before placing the autumn leaf crown on Soleil’s head.

“Hm?”

“It’s a crown. I collected leaves for as long as I could remember, and I decided to make a crown for you.”

Soleil smiled, lifting his hand to feel the leaves. “Thank you,” he said, “I will definitely treasure this for as long as I can.”

Appel nodded. “That is enough for me.”

The two didn’t exchange any more words – Soleil gave a bow before he left.

It was a quiet farewell.

 

🍁🍁🍁

 

It was supposed to be a normal day... but for some reason, nothing seemed to be the same after Soleil came into Appel’s life, both in positive and negative ways.

Positive in that he felt he was able to enjoy music as a whole.

Negative in that he felt there was something – someone – missing from his life that he could never get back again.

Sighing, Appel sat down in front of his computer, opening his inbox for any messages.

They were mostly normal messages: coupons to stores he had given his mail address to or offers to stores he had never gone to.

There was one message, though, that caught his eye.

It was from a lady named Lunaris.

【Appel,

My name is Lunaris. I have heard quite a bit about you from Soleil, who is – was – my younger brother.

Before his passing, I met up with him one last time. He handed me a couple of things that he wanted to give to you, so would you be willing to meet up around your area? I would love to talk to you.

Thanks,
Lunaris】

Appel didn’t know much about Soleil’s personal or family life, but he could maybe learn a little bit more about him through his sister... even if he was no longer walking the world.

So, he clicked “Reply”.

【Hi, Lunaris.

Thanks for reaching out to me. I would be happy to talk to you. If it’s not too much trouble, how about we meet at Moonbucks this Saturday at 3 pm to talk more?

Best,
Appel】

Not an hour even passed before he received a response from Lunaris.

【Hi,

Let’s do that. I look forward to seeing you.

Best,
Lunaris】

Saturday had never come more slowly.

Appel sat in a booth at Moonbucks in the corner, which was a relatively quiet place, not to mention that this hour was relatively quiet anyway.

He felt a bit of anxiety, evident from his twiddling thumbs.

When the bell rang to welcome a new customer, Appel jumped from his seat, looking out to see who had come in.

A lady who looked to be in her early twenties walked into the room. She was wearing sunglasses, but when she saw Appel waving at her, she waved back with a smile tugging on her pink lips, taking off her glasses to reveal gray eyes that very much resembled her late brother’s.

She approached Appel and shook his hand. “Hi, you must be Appel?”

Appel nodded. “And you Lunaris?”

“That’s me,” she affirmed, setting her bag down and sitting on the other booth seat across from him, “How have you been?”

“Oh, this and that. I haven’t been doing much.”

Lunaris chuckled. “Haha, I know what you mean, but well, I’m here to give you some things that Soleil trusted me to give to you.”

She reached for her bag, and Appel decided to ask a question while she was digging for what she wanted to give to him.

“Lunaris, can I ask you a question?”

“Hm?”

“Could you tell me about Soleil, if that’s okay?” he asked, “If it’s too difficult to answer, though, I totally understand…”

“It’s alright. I figured you would ask that anyway,” Lunaris replied, “and while I would be happy to reminisce and share happy memories with you, I think it would be better to hear from him yourself.”

As she said so, she gave a neatly folded piece of paper, along with a crown.

A crown made of the autumn leaves.

His breathing hitched, but he held back his tears as he took the crown and note. He set the crown down in front of him before unfolding the paper.

【Dear Appel,

Today is the day before my twentieth birthday. By the time you receive this, I will probably be gone from this world, but that’s alright, since I’m writing this to get everything out before then.

I want to say two things to you.

First, the curse caused me to lose a lot of my eyesight. I wasn’t always blind, but over time, my eyesight grew worse and worse. I could no longer see anything in front of me clearly, and that was devastating.

I was not always smiling. In fact, I fell into a deep, dark hole that I felt I could never get out of. I would be in my room all day, crying. I would think life was not worth it. I would ask myself what the point of going on was, only to come up with no answer. When I look back, I’m not sure what kept me going... Perhaps it was Lunaris.

So... I guess, in part thanks to her, we were able to meet.

That said, I also have a condition. I found out this was called “synesthesia” in this world. It is a type of synesthesia that allows me to see music as colors. If you were wondering why I love music so much, it’s because it grants me a whole new world. “Arkjil’s Song” was composed by Lunaris, who used notes that produced red, yellow, and orange lights to give me “autumn”. In fact, arkjil means autumn.

Every time you played that song, Appel, you gave me hope. You gave me life.

You give me a new world.

Second, I have left you with a gift. I felt that when you were giving that crown, you were giving your life to me. I want to do the same.

Do you remember what I said about our blood? We have special blood, and concoctions made with our blood have a magical effect. This concoction was made from my blood, and it only takes effect after my death. It shows a beautiful memory of mine that I want to show you.

With this, I give my life to you.

It is yours, forevermore.

— Soleil】

Appel looked up at Lunaris, who nodded and set down a small vial containing a reddish liquid.

“Follow me,” Lunaris said, standing up to leave, but not before ordering tea for both of them.

When they were both outside, Appel quietly commented, “I didn’t know he was struggling so much before he came here.”

“Nobody really did,” Lunaris said, “He didn’t want to burden people, so he kept everything to himself. He was genuinely doing better by the time you two met, but he has been to dark places himself.” She sighed. “...I’m just happy for him. He managed to make the best out of hopelessness. I’m very proud of him for that.”

Appel’s hand tightened around the vial, and he kept it close to his chest until they reached their destination.

Lunaris took him to a relatively empty expanse of grass with trees scattered around here and there. “This should be good enough.” She nodded in satisfaction before turning to Appel. “Open the vial and pour a drop of that on the grass.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Appel popped open the vial’s lid and then carefully poured a drop onto the grass beneath him.

When the drop hit the ground, the reaction was immediate.

The wind picked up momentum, coming from behind and spreading out across the expanse, shaking the leaves on the trees. The scenery’s transformation also followed the wind’s path.

Scattered all around him were flowers that bloomed in autumn – dahlias, asters, chrysanthemums, and many more. They colored the grass in vibrant colors, and they swayed gently with the breeze. The trees also became a brilliant red, almost glowing.

Then, Appel heard laughter... very familiar laughter.

Soleil!

Appel found his feet moving at the voice, like a beckoning. He ran to where the voice was coming from until he was in the heart of the expanse.

By the time he had reached Soleil, who was wearing the crown that Appel gave to him, he was singing an equally familiar tune: Arkjil’s Song.

The only difference was that he could now understand the words in this beautiful dream created from his blood.

See the leaves so vibrant and red.
Hear the wind kiss your heart.
The people sing, free from reality,
And I, too, can finally sing now.

Appel watched him dance, letting a tear fall down his cheek.

“I’m happy for you.”

He reached his hand out toward Soleil when he turned and gave Appel a beaming smile that tugged on his heart, a tear flowing down his cheek.

Before his hand could reach him, though, the dream disappeared, plunging Appel back into reality.

“Are you alright?” Appel heard Lunaris’s voice from behind him.

Appel nodded. “It was beautiful.”

Lunaris smiled, placing her hand on the other’s shoulder. “I know Soleil would have been happy to hear that.” She retracted her hand and looked down at her watch. “Oh, I have to go soon, as I have another appointment. Before that though, how about we exchange phone numbers?”

“Sure, I’d love to,” Appel replied, pulling out his phone.

“If you need anything, or you just want to talk, just call me or send me a text. I will always reply as soon as I can.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it, really,” Appel replied.

The two of them parted with a wave and a promise to meet again sometime soon.

When Appel reached his apartment, he gently set the crown, vial, and note on the table where he and Soleil first shared tea together.

He then took out his violin and began to play a song.

It was a very special song – one that gave a new hope to the most precious person in this world.

 

🍁

 

Author's Account:

tsukimii (SH).