I woke up in the middle of the night and turned on my bedside lamp, the yellow light casting a glow on my face. Dylan's call had woken me up.
I rubbed my temples and put the call on loudspeaker, connecting it to the projector with the remote control.
"Brother, are you still preparing, or are you sleeping?" His voice came through.
I smiled at the word "brother." We weren't blood-related, just friends—friends for six good years.
"Brother, are you sleeping or what? We have just one month left until the Enchanted soundtrack drops, then the movie follows. So I just wanted to ask if you've found a backup yet," his voice echoed through the projector.
I smiled at his concern.
"Richie, can you ever be serious?" he teased. "I know you're not preparing!"
"Who told you I'm not preparing?" I asked.
"Have you found the backup person and the love interest yet?" he asked.
"Nope. I don't need a backup person. I can handle it myself," I replied confidently.
"Really?" Dylan asked, sounding skeptical. "Richie, isn't it going to be too stressful? You know it needs to be perfect. I don't want you getting stressed out because of it."
"Stressed out as in?" I replied. "It won't be stressful. I can handle myself and the concert without anyone else's help."
"Richie, there you go again!" Dylan laughed. "Well, Valarie is coming back from Seoul."
"So what's my business?" I asked flatly. "Am I her father?"
Dylan chuckled. "I thought I was the only one who hated that girl. But Richie, she's your thing!"
"Hey, she's not my thing!" I fired back.
"Ahhh, but Xavier said she's your future wife!" Dylan mocked.
"Dylan, if not for the fact that we're close, I'd know exactly what your punishment should be," I warned. He laughed again.
"Sorry, boss!" he said with a grin.
"Don't apologize to me, you're still getting punished," I retorted.
"Anyway, I'll come to see you tomorrow so we can go to school together," he added with a laugh before hanging up.
I dropped my phone and switched off the projector.
I grabbed my laptop and checked my emails. I had a lot of missed messages from Alberto.
I opened my inbox and read through the messages:
---
"Still finding out about the twins.
Mhesha is still harsh, but not like that with Nara, because Seesha won't allow Mhesha to mistreat her since Nara is asthmatic.
Natasha and Alisha are still mean, and they are desperately looking for Nanare.
Seriously, they're looking for her, so make sure she doesn't leave the house.
You won't believe it, but Mhesha has a crush on you."
---
I closed my laptop and grabbed my notepad and pen.
On a fresh page, I began writing the soundtrack for Enchanted. The soundtrack had four parts.
---
First part:
"Better than the Richie's of this world,
Better than the sound of my friends' voices...
Better than the biggest dream of my heart...
Baby, I love you from the start."
Second part (backup):
"I think you're great.
We would be so good together.
You're the perfect mate.
I think we could be together."
Third part:
"But when you left me, the world stopped.
My eyes felt like flooding.
I don't want to hide us away..."
Fourth part (backup):
"I'm so in love with you,
All of me wants to stay with you.
Until we're old and gray,
Love you till my lungs give out.
I promise, till death do us part."
---
After writing, I stood up, glancing at the lyrics over and over again. I began singing them. I sang the first and third parts perfectly, but the second and fourth were a challenge. The backup vocals required me to push my lungs.
I cleared my things and walked into the washroom. After a relaxing bath in the jacuzzi, I emerged in my royal robe and started getting dressed for school.
Dylan would be here soon.
I inserted my rings and threw my suit coat over my shoulder while my headset hung around my neck.
"Richie, why are you so cute?" Dylan's voice said behind me.
"Stop flattering yourself," I replied.
"Seriously, I'm not flattering you. Your last picture on Instagram had 70 million views!" he exaggerated.
"Yeah, I'm cute because my mom is a goddess and my dad is a handsome gentleman," I winked. He smiled.
"Where's Elsa?" I asked one of my escorts who was holding my phone and bag.
"Hmmm..." he stammered, looking at Dylan.
"Where's Elsa?" I asked again.
"No, sir, she didn't make breakfast. She ordered it," my escort replied.
"Where is she?" I asked firmly. Dylan smiled at the situation.
"You've started your superiority act again," he teased.
"Sorry, sir, she's in Madam's room," my escort said. Dylan raised his brows.
"Who's Madam?" Dylan asked.
"Didn't I tell you guys I don't want to see any of you going to her room?" I snapped, giving them a stern look.
"Sorry, sir!" my escort bowed.
"Your apologies won't save you this morning," I retorted, walking to the second building in the mansion.
Dylan and my escorts followed me.
"Who is the madam?" Dylan asked, but I stayed silent, not answering him.
"Brother, are you keeping any secrets?" he pressed.
"No, sir!" my escort replied.
I reached Nanare's door and opened it without knocking. Inside, I found Elsa and Nanare.
Elsa was staring at Nanare, who remained quiet.
"Ma'am, do you have a mother?" Elsa asked.
"What is a mother?" Nanare asked innocently.
"My dear, a mother is someone who gave birth to you," Elsa replied gently.
"Okay, you mean 'mammi'?" Nanare asked. "In my village, we don't call her 'mum,' we call her 'mammi.' Sadly, my mammi died when I was born. It was Granny Amber who took care of me and my sister."
"Wow!" Dylan smiled widely, staring at Nanare's red lips.
"Who's beautiful?" I asked, feeling a tinge of jealousy.
"Her," Dylan replied, his gaze fixed on Nanare's white bangle.
"What's her name?" Dylan asked Elsa.
"She doesn't have a name," I cautioned sharply.
Dylan smiled.
I frowned and told him to stop looking at her.
Elsa and my escorts left, but Dylan remained. I wanted him to leave, but I couldn't tell him directly because we were friends.
"Come to me!" I signaled Nanare, making sure not to call her by name.
"Sir, okay!" she replied, stepping toward me.
Jealousy was eating me up, and I grabbed her hand tightly, leading her down the hallway, leaving Dylan alone in Nanare's room.
"Sir, what did you say?" Nanare asked.
"Should I go too?" she asked.
I stayed silent, unsure of what to say.
She pulled her hand from mine and turned to leave. But her nerves failed her, and she stumbled, falling against me.
Dylan opened the hallway door just in time to see Nanare on top of me.
"What's happening here?" Dylan asked, his voice sharp.
"Sir, it's nothing!" Nanare quickly said, pushing her hair behind her blue hair warmer. She got off me, but her legs were still unstable.
She fell again, this time, her breast brushing against my lips.
Dylan stood there motionlessly, watching.