"Ancestor, is there anything you want to do while we wait for Hizuki to wake up?" Jushin asked, expecting to play tour guide or chaperone to the willful progenitor. His great-grandfather had tasked him with keeping Kagerou from doing anything impulsive that could spark a war while Hizuki was out. So far, feeding him barbecue worked. Whenever Kagerou suggested visiting Rina to give her a piece of his mind, Jushin would hand him a pork chop, and he'd forget about it. Hizuki had managed to remain incognito for more than a century, all to search for his mate without being recognized. Iori and Jushin would make sure to keep it that way.
"Well, for instance, I'd like to have one of those boxes with moving people inside," Kagerou answered. "I need to continue watching my Dragon Ball, that blondie boy ninja, and the music stations."
Jushin's lips twitched. Now he understood where the progenitor had picked up his way of speaking. Somehow, Kagerou had gotten his hands on a TV and binged on anime.
"Sure… Anything else?"
Kagerou looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do you know anyone good-looking who can play instruments?"
Huh?
Jushin was both surprised and confused by the question.
"Er… yeah, I can play the guitar," Jushin replied. He was confident in his looks, at least.
Kagerou leaned forward, as if scrutinizing his face. "Oh, yeah. You look passable," he remarked, making Jushin pout.
"Ancestor, what do you mean by 'passable'? We look a bit alike, okay? I'm your great-grandnephew," he complained. He might not be as gorgeous as the Alpha, but he was definitely easy on the eyes.
Kagerou looked thoughtful, and Jushin couldn't help but feel more curious, as if he could almost see the gears turning in the progenitor's head. Then, Kagerou suddenly announced, "I need more people. Good-looking ones who can play instruments—drums, bass, piano, and maybe a violin."
Now, Jushin was dying of curiosity. "Why would you need those? Are you forming a band?"
Instead of answering him, Kagerou reached out and patted Jushin on the head. "You seem pretty smart, even if you look a little stupid."
This made Jushin want to cry, but he couldn't hold back his question. "A band? Seriously?"
Kagerou leaned back, looking a little more serious than usual. "For more than a century, Hizuki and I have been searching for our mate, but we always came up empty. We traveled far and wide, combed through countless places, even small islands, hoping to meet her." He paused, then added, "But was that really enough?"
Jushin tilted his head, intrigued by the sudden shift in Kagerou's demeanor.
Kagerou continued, his tone softer now. "To be honest, after Hizuki had that dreadful nightmare—where we finally found our mate but lost her almost immediately in Paris—I could feel his heart slowly losing hope. And for a lycan… that's bad. A heartbroken lycan can die."
Jushin looked at Kagerou, eyes wide, understanding the gravity of what the progenitor was saying.
"But I didn't want to give up," Kagerou said, his voice more determined. "Instead of actively looking for her, I figured it's best to expose myself to the public. At least a different version of me. Let her find me instead." He grinned. "You know, rock star style."
Kagerou leaned forward with a glint in his eyes, his tone shifting from lighthearted to something more fervent. "Being a rockstar, you see, has its benefits," he said, as if unveiling a hidden truth. "Instead of searching for my mate on foot, traveling the world on my own, my music can reach far and wide. It's like sending a message into the ether, one that she can't ignore. My voice—it's not just sound; it's a calling, an invitation."
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Even if she doesn't understand it, the moment she hears my voice, she'll know. It's like the moon calling to the tides, something she won't be able to resist. She'll be drawn to it, and eventually, she'll come."
He sat back, a smile spreading across his face. "And the moment she steps into a concert, I'll know. It won't be some vague, fleeting feeling. I'll feel it in my bones, in my soul. The bond will snap into place, undeniable. We'll know."
Kagerou's words weren't just about the logic of fame and fortune; they spoke to a deeper, almost primal instinct. His reasoning wasn't just about getting attention—he understood the metaphysical connection that would occur when his voice reached the ears of his fated one. The way his presence could resonate with her on a level beyond comprehension, forging a bond that was meant to be.
This was no longer about chasing. It was about letting destiny come to him, amplified by the echo of his music.
"It's a plan that can't fail," he added, the excitement in his eyes palpable.
Jushin was silent for a moment, weighing the progenitor's words. They made sense. As Kagerou had pointed out, it was far easier than blindly searching for someone across the world. The world was vast, and coincidences were rare. Kagerou's plan was logical in its own way. Instead of roaming aimlessly, he could send out his voice through music, letting it travel far and wide, waiting for the right ears to hear it.
The more Jushin thought about it, the more it seemed like a plan that could work. After all, what were the odds of randomly stumbling upon their mate? But with the pull of fate and a voice that could reach her, perhaps Kagerou's unorthodox approach was exactly what was needed.
Jushin gave a small nod, finally breaking the silence. "So, you're really doing this, huh? You're going full rockstar?"
Kagerou's grin widened. "You bet I am. And when she hears me, she'll know. We'll both know."
Still, Jushin couldn't help himself. A thought bubbled to the surface. "Progenitor, do you even know how to sing?"
Jushin had never heard Hizuki sing, though he could play the shamisen—an instrument similar to a guitar, but with three strings, and a long neck, strummed to create a unique, twangy sound—and the koto, a large, traditional stringed instrument played by plucking strings stretched over a wooden body. Both were beautiful, but none of that had anything to do with singing.
Kagerou's grin widened, and before Jushin could stop him, the progenitor opened his mouth and started singing Chala Head Chala, the official soundtrack of Dragon Ball Z. The high-pitched, energetic tune filled the air, and Jushin could only stare in disbelief. His heart sank, but his face twitched in a mix of sympathy and horror.
"I shouldn't have asked..." Jushin muttered, almost shedding tears at the unexpected, ear-piercing performance.