Vocaloid isn't mine.
He was dreading the cold November more than she was. He was dreading when she turned eighteen and took over the throne.
She dreaded it because she shared a birthday with her younger brother, who liked to send messages across the ocean just to tell her he hated her, that he preferred this kingdom over their own, and said he had fallen in love with the princess there - Miku, Neru could recall her name faster than a lightning bolt - and that he wished Neru whatever luck she could find in the love department, if any at all. And then he wrote Happy Birthday.
She hated her very own birthday, she hated her very own existence The green girl had stolen her little brother and in exchange sent her older brother. The green girl had stolen her pride and joy, had stolen what made her happy.
Neru loved her brother more than most anyone, and swore that on the day when their parents shall fall (for which they did, a year later) she would protect him from everything.
But she couldn't protect him from Miku.
Miku was cruel, sending her own family member for a trade, as if to say "here, have this so it doesn't look like I stole from you" because Miku was an angel to everyone.
To everyone but Neru.
.
.
And so is the tale of sorrow, Mikuo likes to say, sarcastically but he does like to say it.
He hates Neru, but he feels sympathy (or is it apathy?) for her, but he cannot feel empathy for her, because he hates her.
And he doesn't know the pain of losing the pride and joy, he only knows the pain of having a sister who does not care for him, parents who hate him.
He is quite jealous of Nero, because he had a sister's love and affection, parents' love and affection, and even now his own family's love and affection.
Yes, he was indeed jealous of Nero.
But even after all of this, he still hates Neru, despite knowing what she's gone through, and he knows that even though she was the king and queen's daughter, she had to learn, she had to train, she had to push her way to the top.
Mikuo was not her slave, was not even her knight or guard, was not a servant. He was her 'friend'.
She trusted him with all her problems that he did not seem to care about, because he hated her more than anything, but she would still talk and go on about how everything perfect was ruined.
But still, she hit him now and then when he teased her, blushed at stupid things he said about her (she called them stupid, but they were really compliments) and just talked like a normal person, not all princess like.
She told him that she now had to think about marriage, because in this day and age she would not be taken seriously, and before she didn't have to worry, because she could've just trained Nero to be king.
Mikuo zones out halfway through, because he already knows this. He tells her of a prince, named Akaito, and has her decide what to do about it.
Maybe when she marries Akaito he can finally convince himself that he really does hate her, because right now all he wants to do is die for telling her that.
He loves her, he loves her not, he loves her.
.
.
In particular, Neru's not interested in Akaito, because, let's face it, he's nice and all, but she only wants her brother back.
Her brother, who just proposed to Miku, who said yes. Her brother, who is now the king of her biggest enemy. Her brother, who she swore to protect her life with.
Mikuo enters her throne room, it's her birthday and she's now the queen, having been crowned a day early. No one liked dealing with Neru on her birthday or after it.
"Happy birthday," he mumbles.
She smiles, if only for a second, "Thank you,"
He nods, and just stands next to her throne, like a guard, but that is what he is not.
She told him he is free to do as he pleases, live in her castle, do whatever, but in return he must treat her as just a friend. Not a princess.
But he knows and she knows that her voice sounds mighty and elegant, like it should be, and she's vain, hoity-toity and rude, like she shouldn't be, but secretly is.
She doesn't like telling him thank you or smiling at him - tsundere, Nero called her - but she has to anyway.
Part of her act, Mikuo likes to think.
"You do not have to stay," and there it is, her high and mighty voice, "I am having a war meeting. It shall be quite boring."
"War meeting? About what?"
"Miku and my brother… have wedded. They have decided to declare war on this kingdom… So, we are expecting them."
He almost wants to say 'Talk like you normally do to me, Neru' and he means in her snappy, asshole tone, where she's hurting him and blushing and just being herself.
He waits throughout the whole war meeting.
.
.
It's the day of the war, the evil bitch (Neru) on her throne, making final adjustments and preparations, Akaito's kingdom helping her out.
Damn, he really shouldn't have told her about Akaito.
Mikuo doesn't care what she says, he's going to fight today for her.
So, he pulls her behind her giant chair and kisses her, gently, passionately.
She's blushing, but there's no hitting and everything is perfect for a moment, just standing behind the chair.
"I love you."
He told her the truth, that he did. He runs to go off and fight, and the queen is left trying to pull herself together.