After Lily Lovebraids opened the double doors, the others entered, which made the other group in the dining hall turn to them. "You're back," Michelle said.
As the duo holding the table carefully went down the stairs, the trio got past them and approached the group. "Once those two place the table down, we'll rearrange the chairs," Lily Lovebraids said.
The group nodded as the duo holding the table reached the floor before approaching the other table and setting it next to it. "Let's start with the end of the table," Lily Lovebraids continued. "That's where Doey, Suzy, and my Braid Buddy will sit."
The group nodded as Michelle and Mommy Long Legs grabbed a chair and approached the end of the tables while Yarnaby pushed the chair toward it.
After the duo placed their chairs at the end of the tables, Mommy Long Legs grabbed the chair Yarnaby was pushing before placing it at the end of the table.
Lily Lovebraids nodded. "Now then, one side of the table should have five chairs while the other side should have three," she said before pointing to her right side. "That side should have three."
The others nodded as CatNap carefully grabbed one of the chairs from Jack's hands before approaching the right side, while Kevin grabbed one of the chairs from Katelynn's hands and approached the left side.
After the group set the chairs back at the table, Lily Lovebraids smiled and clapped her hands. "Perfect! Our Special Guest will love this!" she shouted before looking at the others. "Now remember, we need to be on our best behavior and always smile in front of him!"
Kevin looked away, annoyed. "Like hell I'm gonna be happy for that jackass," he said.
Lily Lovebraids looked at Kevin with a gasp. "You can't say that awful language in front of our Special Guest! Why can't you be happy and be good toy like Yippie Yellow or Outgoing Orange?!" she shouted, which made him glare at her with a slight growl.
Michelle looked at the duo, worried. Damn it, I haven't even told them about Poppy and Kissy in the basement, she thought. I need to de-escalate the situation before it gets worse.
Michelle thought of something and looked at Kevin. "Hang on, aren't you happy when you sing to the smaller toys back in Safe Haven?" she asked.
Kevin looked at Michelle before looking away and crossing his arms. "Sometimes..." he said, lowly.
Lily Lovebraids gasped a bit and smiled at Kevin. "Singing, huh? Why don't you sing a song for us then?" she asked. "That should brighten your mood."
Kevin slightly glared at Lily Lovebraids. "Even if I wanted to, I don't have an instrument or a song," he said.
Lily Lovebraids brought the hair holding Candy Cat's head close to her. "There should be a guitar in the small closet in the living room," she said in a lower pitch voice, which made Kevin look away, annoyed, while she looked at it. "Perfect! That should work; let me go get it."
After Lily Lovebraids approached the living room door and left the dining hall, Kevin sternly looked at Michelle. "Did you really have to say that in front of her?" he asked.
Michelle looked at Kevin. "Sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of to make her leave," she said before approaching him. "And it's a good thing too because Huggy and I made a discovery."
Matthew, Jack, and Katelynn looked at Michelle as the others approached them. "What kind of discovery?" Matthew asked.
Michelle glanced at the living room door before looking at the small group. "Poppy and Kissy... they're in the basement," she said, lowly.
The small group was shocked. "Are you serious, Big Sister?" Katelynn asked, lowly.
Michelle nodded. "Yes, I am," she said, lowly. "However, they're locked inside a room with a pink heart lock and her hair in front of it."
Michelle crossed her arms. "Destroying the door is out of the question; the noise will attract her," she continued. "We'll need to find a key."
Kevin annoyingly sighed. "But that could take hours, and we don't have that kind of time searching in this damn place," he said, lowly.
Jack thought of something and looked at the group. "Actually, I might have an idea where the key might be," he said, lowly.
The group turned their heads to Jack as he looked down and tapped his fingers. "While we were walking with the table and chairs on the catwalk, I spotted the wall that led to her bedroom," he continued. "I was gonna try going inside, but... Lily stopped me in a rather scary way..."
Katelynn's body started boiling before glaring at the door, and her fingertips turned to sharp claws. "I'll kill that bitch..." she said, lowly.
Kevin placed his hand on Katelynn's shoulder, which made her body stop boiling before she looked at him. "Easy, Katie, we shouldn't do anything rash..." he said, lowly.
Katelynn turned to Kevin. "But Big Brother, aren't you pissed off that she threatened Jack?" she asked.
Kevin glared at the door. "Oh, I'm definitely pissed off about it," he said before looking at Katelynn. "But if you think about it logically, would you want a boy inside your room?"
Katelynn blushed a bit and looked down while tapping her fingers. "Well... if I trusted them, maybe..." she said, lowly, which made Jack blush and look away. "But a random stranger, no..."
Kevin glanced at Jack before shaking his head. "Exactly, that's basically what Lily did," he said, lowly.
Katelynn remained silent and nodded as Michelle placed her finger on her chin. "She probably doesn't want us to know what's in her room," she said, lowly. "Especially if there's a key inside."
Matthew looked at Michelle. "So, what do we do?" he asked.
Michelle looked at the group. "For now, we'll play along; as we're playing along, we'll need to get inside Lily's room," she said, lowly. "Matthew, Kevin, and Jack can come with me while the rest of you need to distract Lily when the time comes."
The group nodded as Lily Lovebraids opened the door with a smile and a guitar in her hands. "I'm back!" she shouted.
The group looked at Lily Lovebraids with a sigh as she approached them. "It took a lot longer to find the guitar than I thought," she said before smiling at Kevin and holding the guitar out to him. "Now you can sing a song for us!"
Kevin stared at the guitar before sighing and grabbing it; as he played the strings, he adjusted them. "I still don't have a song that comes to mind," he said.
Lily Lovebraids smiled. "It doesn't have to come from the mind, Silly Billy. It can also come from your heart," she said. "When I try to sing, the one I love and cherish the most is my inspiration!"
Kevin remained silent and looked down. The one I love and cherish the most... he thought.
As Kevin glanced at Michelle, he played the strings a bit. "I think I've got one, though I pulled out of my—" before he could finish his sentence, Lily Lovebraids got close to him, which annoyed him. "Uh, uh, uh, good toys don't say bad words."
Kevin annoyingly smiled at Lily Lovebraids with his red fangs showing. "I pulled this out of my butt," he said through gritted teeth. "So, if you don't like, I don't care."
Lily Lovebraids smiled at Kevin. "I'm sure everyone will love your song; it's too bad our Special Guest won't hear it, but I'm sure it'll be alright!" she shouted.
Kevin looked away with a slight growl as Lily Lovebraids approached the group. As if I care about that asshole's opinion, he thought before glancing at Michelle. All I care about is hers...
Link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vezI8Opd8a4
As the group looked at Kevin, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After Kevin exhaled, he started playing the guitar. "I was a kid looking for love, full of hope inside," he sang. "But time was never kind to me, my heart grew cold as ice."
Kevin looked at the group. "All out of luck, thought I was stuck, alone for all my life," he sang. "But I was proven wrong the moment I looked in your eyes."
Michelle stared at Kevin, shocked. "It's true... until I'm in the grave..." he sang. "Darling, I'll love you for a thousand years, dear; time is nothing when I'm here with you."
Kevin sang a melodic tune as he continued playing the guitar. "All my fears, tears... those memories they disappear with you..." he sang before singing a melodic tune. "Till I turn into dust, I'll carry this love; my dear... for a thousand years..."
Michelle smiled with tears pricking her eyes, which made Katelynn look at her before wrapping her arm around her as Kevin played the guitar.
When Kevin glanced at the duo, he smiled before looking at the group. "Summer is soon, something will bloom, like a lotus flower," he sang. "The bluest moon will soon be sun and turn to golden hour."
Most of the group was swaying a bit while Lily Lovebraids stared at Kevin, amazed. "Hours and days lost in your gaze, losing track of time," he sang. "Learning how to slow it down, appreciate our lives."
Kevin glanced at Michelle. "Just know... until I'm in the grave..." he sang. "Darling, I'll love you for a thousand years, dear; time is nothing when I'm here with you."
Michelle placed her hands against her chest as Kevin sang a melodic tune. "All my fears, tears... those memories they disappear with you..." he sang before singing a melodic tune. "Till I turn into dust, I'll carry this love; my dear... for a thousand years..."
As Kevin played the guitar, some of the group started singing a bit. Soon after, Kevin started playing the guitar faster. "Set it all on fire, let it burn up brighter," he sang. "Love is a flame, and it's dancing away to David playing on the lyre."
Katelynn and Michelle smiled as they swayed to the song. "Set it all on fire, let the smoke go higher," Kevin sang.
Soon after, Kevin started playing the guitar lightly. "'Cause Darling, I'll love you for a thousand years, dear..." he sang. "Time is nothing when I'm here with you."
Kevin sang a melodic tune. "All my fears, tears... those memories they disappear with you..." he sang before singing a melodic tune.
Soon after, Kevin looked at Michelle as he played the guitar again. "Till the air leaves my lungs... with each breath, I'll hold you near..." he sang. "Till I turn into dust... I'll carry this love, my dear... for a thousand years..."
After Kevin stopped playing the guitar, he tried catching his breath. Lily Lovebraids smiled and clapped her hands. "That was incredible!" she shouted.
Lily Lovebraids brought the hair holding Candy Cat's head close to her. "Who knew Raging Red had a wonderful singing voice?" she asked in a lower pitch voice before looking at it. "Well, you know what they say, never judge a book by its cover."
After Katelynn pulled her arm away from Michelle, she approached Kevin and hugged him, which made him look at her. "It was beautiful..." she said, lowly.
Kevin gently smiled at Michelle as she looked at him before placing the palm of his hand against her cheek. Soon after, Kevin's fingers formed a square, which covered Michelle's face, before he leaned forward and kissed her on her lips.
After Kevin pulled his head away, his fingers returned to normal before he pulled his hand away from Michelle's cheek. Lily Lovebraids approached the couple. "Would it be possible to sing that song again once our Special Guest arrives?" she asked.
Michelle looked at Lily Lovebraids. "I don't think that's a good idea, Lily," she said. "If he sang again, that'll strain his voice, and we don't want that."
Kevin sternly looked at Lily Lovebraids. "Plus, shouldn't we be finding your 'friends' or something?" he asked.
Lily Lovebraids gasped a bit. "You're right! We need to find the friends before our Special Guest arrives," she said.
Lily Lovebraids approached a pink and blue record player on a small table. "Three of them should be around here somewhere, and I know they'd hate to miss this," she continued before maniacally laughing a bit.
When Lily Lovebraids was close to the record player, she started spinning the white crank with the blue handle. "This music should be good if our Special Guest comes here early," she said.
Michelle was worried and held Kevin's arm, which made him place his hand against her back. Hopefully he doesn't... she thought.
Lily Lovebraids smiled at the group. "Now I need to prepare my famous sandwiches," she said before looking at Katelynn. "Suzy, why don't you come with me and grab some extra plates and silverware to set on the table?"
Katelynn was hesitant. "I, uh..." she said, lowly.
When Katelynn glanced at the couple, they nodded, which made her look at Lily Lovebraids with a nervous smile. "Sure, Lily... I can... I can do that..." she said, lowly.
Lily Lovebraids smiled as she approached Katelynn. "The rest of you should make sure the friends make it to the party on time," she said as she held her arm. "Good toys are always on time."
The group nodded as Lily Lovebraids opened the door with one of her braids before the duo entered. Michelle looked at the group. "Well, you heard her; let's get to searching," she said, which made the others nod before most of them walked around the area.