MELODY MUSKETEERS (M911 & TTM)
024. THE GIRL ACROSS THE ROOM

"Sit down, Melo." Athos.

And Melody sat to the left of Niko, in front of Tasya. The girl was still thinking about what happened, why did Niko sit at the dinner table with her brother, Athos?

"I made some Russian food for the first time. Hopefully it suits your taste." Athos told Niko.

Melody noticed the food that was on the dining table, some like the one she had already eaten at Niko's house and some more looked new to her. But what makes him curious is the attitude of his brother Athos, why did he make the food and invite Niko to eat together?

Niko nodded her head with a smile made to stare intently at Athos. Melody knew that this actually felt strange to Niko.

"Kakova vasha nastoyashchaya tsel'? (What is your real purpose?)." Look at Niko with a slanted smile. "Vashe othnosheniye ochen' strannoye. (You're acting very strange)."

"Eto vse dlya moey sestry. YA ne khochu, chtoby ona plakala, tak chto s etogo momenta ya budu dobr k tebe. (It's all for my sister. I don't want to make her sad, so I'll be nice to you from now on)." Answer Athos.

Niko laughed at hearing that. Melody looked at Niko trying to listen to the conversation that made her confused because she did not understand what they were talking about.

"What are you talking about? Use a language that everyone here understands." Tasya exclaimed, and Melody agreed with him. "It's best to eat, I'm curious about these foods."

"Yesh'te pozhaluysta's. (Please eat)." Athos.

"Spasibo. (Thank you)." Answer Niko. "Your cooking ability seems beyond doubt, brother Ato." Said Niko after tasting one Pelmeni.

Athos smiled at Niko's smile. While Melody was still watching them and had not held her food.

"You're the same age why do you call him brother?" Ask Tasya.

"She's going to be my sister-in-law, it looks like now I'm going to call you big sister too, Tasya." Answer Niko.

"Ah, you are this. That sounds ridiculous." Timpal Tasya's. "Geez, this soup is so good, Ato, did you make it?" Look at Tasya while sipping soup on his spoon.

"Sup is called Shchi. It's really good." Niko cried to Tasya. "YES rad, chto my budem brat'yami. (I'm glad we're gonna be brothers)." Niko said to Athos who responded with a smile Athos concluded.

"Melo, you're not eating?" Ask Tasya.

Niko turned to Melody who had been watching her since. Melody was so curious about her brother's conversation with Niko that the girl kept staring at Niko for Niko to understand to tell her everything. But Niko just smiled at Melody who was beside her.

"What are you talking about?" Melody asked because she was very curious.

"We're just gargling." Niko narrowed her eyes at Melody, deliberately teasing the girl.

Melody was so annoyed to hear that, she immediately ate her food. While Niko smiled at the girl's annoyance. Athos who noticed them felt his decision to start being nice to Niko was appropriate.

"Do you see how much he likes your sister?" Tasya's whisper to Athos, his hand holding his lover's arm.

"Tasya, I heard it." Niko.

Tasya laughed as her whisper was heard by Niko. While Melody who was still upset was more busy with eating her food so as not to hear the words of Tasya who sat in front of her.

"Thank you for the food." Niko said after she finished eating. "Znachit li eto, chto v sleduyushchiy raz ya mogu poyest' zdes'? ( Does that mean I can eat here next time?)."

"Pozhaluysta's chat. (Please)." Answer Athos.

"Alright, then I'll go first." Said Niko, making Melody turn to him.

"Why is it so rushed?" Ask Tasya.

"I still have business." Niko. "Melody, I'll go first." Pamit Niko after that walked towards the exit.

Niko stopped and looked at Melody. The young man just smiled wryly at her. But Melody did not speak right away because the girl was also confused as to why she called Niko.

"You don't want me to go?" Ask Niko.

"No, I just wanted to drive you to the front of the house." Melody answered looking for an excuse. "It would be impolite to let a guest go home without being escorted."

"No need, I'll come here more often from now on. I'm not a guest here, this will be my home too. And I'm going to Lion's place." Niko. "There's something I want to ask him. You wanna come?"

"No!" Melody answered quickly. "All right then."

Niko immediately walked towards the Lion's house. He opened the door of Lion's room without knocking and immediately saw Lion lying on his bed with a position of one-third of his upper body hanging unraveled to the bottom of the bed. His face looks red because Lion is holding his breath with his head dangling down.

"What are you doing?" Ask Niko weirdly.

Lion's face looks reddened because the strange young man was holding his breath with the position of the chest to the head hanging down and his body was on the bed.

"You're getting weird, Lion." Niko who stood in front of Lion saw the strange behavior of his friend.

Lion released his breath with a face that was heavily flushed red as blood started to drop into his head.

"I'm trying to add to my record of holding my breath, why are you bothering me? What are you doing here?" Lion asked still in his position so that from his view Niko who was standing looked upside down. "You're just bothering me."

"Lion, you've been getting weird lately. Didn't you notice?" Ask Niko. "I heard your bike was found, but it turns out your weird attitude wasn't because you lost your bike. Isn't that right?"

Lion was silent for a moment looking for the right answer. Then immediately got up from his position and sat on the bed, while Niko immediately pulled the chair in front of Lion.

"My head hurts." Lion smacked his head. "My head is cold as ice."

Niko did not react and waited quietly for Lion. He watched Lion closely. Lion noticed Niko waiting for his answer, then looked at her immediately.

"You know, it wasn't Megan. I haven't found it." Answer Lion. "And I think my attitude from a long time ago was like this, you just don't know. You just moved here."

Niko did not respond, he still tried to pay attention to Lion who always seemed mysterious with his strange behavior.

"Niko, accompany me to eat ramen. I haven't had lunch and the last time I ate ramen was a long time ago. Have you had lunch?" Lion asked to get out of bed and look in the mirror. "Geez, my hair's all tangled up." Lion tidied his hair with his fingers.

"I ate at Melody's. You know, Ato invited me to lunch earlier, he also said he'd be nice to me from now on. Looks like she agreed that I married Melody." Reply Niko walked towards the closed curtain

Niko's words made Lion stunned.

"That's good news." Lion was still standing in front of the mirror and watching his own face.

"It's noon, why are you still closing the curtain?" Niko instantly shifted the curtains of Lion's room, and she fell silent as she looked across the room.

Lion who saw Niko open the curtains of his room immediately closed back without knowing what Niko saw.

"I'm going out so just leave it closed. Come with me eat ramen, Niko." Embrace Lion as soon as possible and lead Niko away from the door of the veranda of his room whose curtain was opened by Niko.

Niko continued to be silent as she exited Lion's room, she thought of everything, plus what she saw across from Lion's room as the curtain of the room opened. He saw a girl across from Lion's room. The girl was standing in front of the window of her room crying and wiping away her tears.

That girl is Melody.

...–NATZSIMO–...