"Hey, Kazuki." Father called out to me.
I'm Tachibana Kazuki, 20 years old and a vocalist of the band Low Currency here in Tokyo. We started the band 2 years ago when I was a 3rd year college student and wanted to start pursuing my dream as a musician. It wasn't easy especially now that a lot of bands keep appearing from different parts of the country.
I grew up in a family of successful businessmen who own multiple restaurants all over Japan. They're naturals when it comes to cooking delicious traditional and modern food.
But I was an exception...
I'm the only one who wasn't blessed with great cooking skills that the rest of my family has. Well it's okay for me since I'm the youngest child of the Tachibana family and I'm not the one who will inherit the family business. That job is for my eldest brother, Takeru, who is the spitting image of a perfect businessman.
My parents were okay with my decision of being a musician but they still offered me to take part in the family business if my career doesn't go too well.
I asked my parents to lend me a bit of money to buy a small studio for my band in exchange for being a valedictorian graduate when I graduated from college last year. They didn't oppose to my request and was actually really happy. They said that they're proud because I'm being serious in pursuing my dream of becoming a musician.
"Yes, father?" I asked him as I walked down the stairs.
"Come sit next to me for a minute." He pat the empty space on the sofa.
I walked towards him and slowly sat down the sofa. "What do you want to talk about?"
He crossed his legs and inhaled heavily. "Takeru is getting married."
"Really?! Well that's great news." I felt so happy hearing this, "Did he propose to Yuki already?"
"Yuki?"
"Saga Yuki." I said, "Takeru's one and only love?"
"Your brother is getting married to the eldest daughter of the Yamazaki family."
"Huh?"
"Yamazaki Aoi is your future sister-in-law. Both families have already agreed to this marriage."
"What?!" I suddenly stood up, "You're making Takeru marry someone he doesn't love?"
"Kazuki. Why are you behaving like this?" He raised an eyebrow. "Your brother didn't oppose to their engagement. In fact, he was willing to push this through for the sake of the Tachibana and Yamazaki families."
"Maybe he just didn't have a choice? His marrying her for advantage so that she can bear a new heir. He doesn't love her!"
"Tachibana Kazuki." Father raised his voice as he stood up from the sofa, "We are not the kind of parents that will make our children marry each other just because of business purposes."
"Then why would?" I paused.
"Kazuki." Father approached me and pat my shoulder, "Whoever your brother or even you choose to marry, as your father, I will have to accept it one day. I don't want my children to end up like my parents who married each other because of money."
I looked down at the floor. "Did Takeru really want to marry her? I mean, I have never even heard of her. He kept it a secret from me."
"Who is this Yuki?"
"Oh. She's Takeru's best friend and also his high school crush. He always tells me what Yuki is like and what he likes about her. So I really thought they were together." I scratched the back of my head.
"Whatever reason Takeru has, we just have to respect it. If you love your brother dearly, let him do what he wishes to because we both know that Takeru doesn't make bad and irrational choices in life." He smiled.
"I guess so." I smiled too.
"Speaking of marriage." He grinned at me.
"Stop." I sighed.
"You're at your 20s now. When will you get a girlfriend? Your reason before was that you want to prioritize your studies and we understood that. But now that you're already a college graduate, what other reasons do you have?"
"My band."
"Of course." He laughed.
"Why are you laughing?" I pouted.
"You never changed. You're still our precious little boy no matter how you look like now. I'm glad about that actually."
"I'm not a kid anymore."
"Right, right." He smiled, "You're a man now. But I hope one day this man will give me a grandchild."
"Ughhh..." I rolled my eyes, "I'm leaving for band practice now."
"Your debut concert will be held this Friday, right?"
"Yes! Make sure you'll come and cheer us so loud that I'll be able to hear you in the crowd!"
He laughed. "I hope my middle aged body can withstand that energy."
I smiled. "I'll get going now... See you later, father!"
"See you at dinner, Kazuki."
I walked quickly and left the house. The sun is shining bright again today. I feel positive that our debut concert will be unforgettable!
The Castle in the Underworld...
"My son." Mother walked quickly towards me, "Have you heard of the news in the mortal world?"
"What news?"
"It's about your destined bride." She smiled, "I heard his band is going to have a debut concert this Friday!"
"This Friday?" I gritted my teeth, "Of all days!"
"Is there a problem, my son?"
"I need to make him my bride before that devil gets to him." I walked over to the middle of the room and summoned a circle of fire around me. The flames rose and gathered in front of me and formed a portal, "It's that time of the year."
"Oh my! This Friday night is when the blood moon shines the brightest. That demon gains a huge amount of power if he's exposed to it's light." Mother sighed heavily, "I totally forgot about that."
"I'll go to the mortal world in disguise and pay my bride a visit. I won't let that bastard hurt my fated pair."
"Beelzebub, you evil thing!" Mother said in anger, "Hurry, Lucifer! That demon never wastes time."
"I honestly don't want to take him here yet. He wants to be a musician in the mortal world and I don't want him to lose all his dreams because of me."
"Lucifer... There is a way to keep him safe in the mortal world even without you there." Mother summoned a blue flower on her hand. She waved her hands around it and it turned into a necklace, "This is a Spirit Necklace. He needs to wear this at all times especially on the day of his concert debut. It has spirits inside and shields him from dark energies that Beelzebub might release to harm him. This will buy us some time before he decides to marry you."
"Thank you, mother." I held the necklace tightly and pressed it against my chest, "Wait for me, Kazuki."
I breathed heavily and entered the portal to the mortal world.
"Kazuki... I will keep you safe from him... Please wait for me, my bride."