Fly Me to the Moon

From the perspective of Elise, formerly Eric

"My name is Elise. Nice to meet you," I said, bowing deeply.

"There's no need to be so formal, Elise-chan. Akira always speaks so highly of you. Please, come in," encouraged Akira's mother as I entered.

I was prompted to sit on a cushion placed on an unfamiliar mat called tatami, where I settled into a formal kneel.

"Is the boy doing well?" Akira's father asked with a gentle voice.

"Yes, he's thriving daily in his voice training, becoming a top-notch magician," I responded.

"Is that so," he said while offering me a drink called gyokuro, a bitter yet refreshing green liquid served in elegant pottery, indicating its high status in this world.

I felt a sense of relief realizing I was welcomed in this home.

"It's so nice having you here, Elise-chan. It's like having a daughter," Akira's mother said joyfully.

"No, I'm honored," I replied humbly.

"I haven't accepted that kid yet," interjected Ryoko, Akira's sister, not quite as welcoming as I'd hoped.

"Ryoko! That's no way to speak to someone who's come all this way," her father scolded before she turned away.

"I'm sorry. She really loves Akira, and seems to see you as a rival. She's a good girl, really," explained her mother.

She then led me to Akira's room, filled with magazines about music, records, CDs, and a mini component system for playing music.

"Akira loves jazz music, you know. He has a collection of standard numbers passed down from his grandfather. Feel free to play any music you like here, and you can even sleep in Akira's bed," his mother said as she left the room.

Akira's bed.

I impulsively hugged his pillow, inhaling his scent, enveloped in relief.

Am I a pervert?

What if someone saw me like this...

I tried operating a device called a CD player and randomly chose a song to play.

As the melody "Fly Me to the Moon" filled the room, it seemed to transport me to another world, reminiscent of a high-tone dream.

It appears that in this world, music is primarily for entertainment, not used as magic for living or advancement like in ours.

Lost in this treasure trove of music, I indulged until late at night after a delightful dinner.