PROLOGUE

"Oh my god! Thank you! Thank you! You've been one hell of an audience!" I cheered as the confetti rained and I stood in front of the crowd, their light sticks glowed to the beat of my song.

Felix! Felix! Felix! Felix! They chanted, singing my name. Ahhh...it feels so so so good to be this freaking famous!

"You guys!~ Ok, ok...this city has been such a joy and you know what," I walked to the screaming girl front of me, reaching out desperately. "It almost makes my heart...Flutter~" I said gracefully touching the lady's face before the next song. Look at her passed out, glad her friend caught her heh~ They all love me~

I was a Popstar who went by the stage name, Felix Gray. I don't mean to brag, well—I mean I am bragging, but I was a game changer in the music industry. I revolutionized a new generation of artists.

From my debut until my latest E.P, I was on top of the world, winning all kinds of awards, earning millions upon millions each year. Yeah...I had my flops but hey! Most of my work never fell below Gold in the album chart, so technically, I never produced any kinds of failures.

But then something happened—

"You~ make my hea—"

Bang!

Not my most graceful moments, but technically I got shot during my concert! I mean...Hello? Did the guards not check security for god's sake?! Anyway, I feel sorry for all my fans who were left scarred, they had to literally witness me—THEIR IDOL bleed on stage.

Before I lost my consciousness, I saw a hooded shadow standing still, smirking at me while everyone panicked. It must've been the murderer, but I couldn't really say for sure since...

Moments after I died, I woke up in a strange bedroom. The bed had a crimson canopy adorned with golden threads which seemed to resemble a music sheet. There was also a cold hearth, an ornate armoire, and a cluttered writing desk that surrounded me.

I immediately knew, whenever I was, it wasn't the twenty-first century. A bedroom like this would only exist if it were preserved by some period-drama tourist attraction.

To my surprise, I woke up in an entirely different body. When I took a glimpse at the mirror, the bureau, facing the side of the bed, I barely recognized who it was. I was beautiful...much much beautiful than the actual me.

It was unfortunate though, this body. I could barely move, I couldn't even talk. I tried walking to the door once, and I couldn't even make it halfway there without falling. No matter how much I've tried, it seemed like this body was refusing to cooperate.

Servants frequently came by to check my condition. They have been calling me by a strange name, Orpheus, and have been asking odd things like 'did something happen today young master?' or 'thank the stars you are ok, you didn't puke blood did you young master?' just what exactly are they dealing with?!

Anyway, whoever this Orpheus was, they seemed like a big deal. I mean, I never had my housekeepers coddle me like this.

Furthermore, this Orpheus person, is he some kind of disabled guy? Everyone seems to treat me like I'm some sort of special patient, but more than that, they seemed really frantic even by the slightest cough and sneeze...just what is it Orpheus that makes them fuss about like this?

It's been three days since I got here, and so far I wasn't able to do anything. I've been playing it safe. I don't know a thing about this world, and since this, godforsaken body, is a pain to live by, my movement is just way too limited.

I need to find a way to get back to the real world.

But before that, the servants told me that Orpheus' family will be arriving today, saying that they wanted to see me since I, apparently, have been sleeping for...FIVE YEARS!

From what the maids have been saying, Orpheus's father is a duke, cousin to the country's King. I never heard much from the mother, they never mentioned her. I wonder why...

Then there was Orpheus's twin brothers: Caden and Clarion. Caden is a knight while Clarion is nurse. They said two of them could wield some kind of magic, but I never really caught what specific magic they were capable of...

"Young master! His grace and the lords will be coming in," the maid said before a tall, and good-looking man entered along with his less tall, yet equally good-looking sons.

That must be the Duke, and Orpheus's brothers. Im assuming the one dressed in white is Clarion and the one in a more military-esque outfit, would obviously be Caden.

They described the duke as a scary and broody man. However, from the looks of it, he looked very kind. Well maybe I'm just a sucker for blue eyes and gold hair, but still—

"Leave us," The duke ordered, the maid gave the duke a shaking curtsy before leaving, clearly frightened by how the duke sneered at her.

Ok..I stand corrected.

Caden and Clarion were having a silent conversation, their eyes looked intently at me, with their brows furrowed, while the duke walked to the side of my bed.

"OH MY SON! YOU'RE AWAKE!" The Duke hugged me really tightly nearly squeezing my body to death! Oh god—I could feel my spine being crushed! Help! HELP!

"Easy father, he had just woken up." Clarion, with a smile, said holding the duke's shoulder, nudging him to release me.

"Apologies, Apologies... It's been five years since I've seen my boy like this!" The duke cheered pinching my cheeks which hurt more than it was supposed to!

Seriously, am I just weak or is this man just too strong?!

"How are you feeling brother?" Caden asked smiling as he sat beside me, the opposite side where the duke was sitting.

I pointed at my mouth and gesturing an X shape, hinting to them that I couldn't speak, then a look of disappointment appeared on their face. A silence followed by some thinking made the room feel weighty and disheartening.

I let out a long silent sigh, back in the old days, predebut, I was about 10 years old, and I wasn't really a talker in elementary. I struggled to keep up with my classmates cause I wasn't able to speak nor even sing properly.

There was one time when the whole class had to do a choir, my classmates were being asses, didn't let me sing on stage. Instead, they tied me to a table in an empty room which my teacher found a few hours later when everyone, including my classmates, went home...

Which is why I practiced hard. I didn't want anyone to put me down just because of the way I spoke. I cried many nights in exhaustion, but it was worth it. I became much more successful than those classmates of mine ever dreamed. I was able to work on my voice, but—Orpheus—it seems like he didn't even had the chance.

"His key is still cursed," Clarion said, frowning as he looked at me with warmth.

Cursed? What do you mean cursed?

"Oh right, I forgot. But it seemed to have grown weaker now. I mean look at him, he's awake!" Caden said.

"Clarion, could you please check," the Duke intoned before stepping back, gesturing Caden to do the same.

"Of course, father," Clarion replied.

I guess Clarion is going to give me a check-up, but...how could he exactly inspect me if he's standing...infront of the bed?

"Hmmmm~♪ Ahhhh~♪ Aaahhhhh~♪ Nananana~♪" he sung, he sung a lyricless soothing melody, it was almost like a lullaby, but it also seemed like gentle opera.

Huh...?

Surprised, I found myself being surrounded by leaf shaped musical notes. They glowed beautifully in green as they danced and laughed around my body like fairies.

"Ah~♪ Lahhhh~♪ Lalalahhhh~♪" Clarion's pitch went higher, and weirdly, the musical notes around me began to dance quicker and quicker then—

"Father..." Caden called out, his voice trembling as he gestured towards the scene unfolding before them, his eyes wide with concern.

The notes began to burn away, followed by the sound of their screams which made Clarion stop singing, altogether dismissing the string of notes into dust.

So that's what the maids meant when they said magic...So these people actually use songs as magic?

"The curse is still there, but Caden is right, it became weaker," Clarion smiled. The duke, smiling, let out a long sigh of relief.

"Is it weak enough to be destroyed?" The duke asked and Clarion shook his head. "Orpheus's body would not survive the process," Clarion replied which made the duke groan deeply.

What curse do I have exactly. I need to find out. Maybe it's the reason why I'm unable able to speak! Or maybe it's the reason why I'm here...

"We will be spending the rest of the year here," Clarion and Caden let out a long sigh of disappointment, which prompted the duke to stomp his feet explosively, and sneered at the two. "Yes father..." they said in gloomy unison, which made me chuckle.

"A special servant will be appointed to take care of you," the duke said kneeling down, gently holding my hand. With a warm smile, he looked genuinely pleased.

"Welcome back, Orpheus."