Gomen, everyone, it's not that I started a new story because I've lost hope in my old one. It's more like, I've lost confidence in my writing and I needed a distraction. Please enjoy, and review!

Disclaimer: Ayumi9696 does not own Vocaloid, so on and so forth. Now read her crap and review to boost her pitiful self-esteem.

Ayumi9696: Oh, shut up.

The invitation came around lunch.

Len remebered walking up to the house to see his stepmother greeting a stout little man dressed in silks, not the cotton shirt and breeches his neighbours wore on weekdays. On the driveway, a carriage waited, decorated in gold and black; the colors of the royals.

He raised his eyebrows, gripping the basket in his hands tightly. A message from the palace?

Maybe it wasn't bad news, judging by how Kiku's eyes sparkled; more with joy and anticipation, rather than forced calm. The man, a messenger, handed her something, an object that fit snugly in her palm so that he couldn't see what it was.

With a bob of his ridiculous hat, the messenger boarded his ride; leaving Kiku standing in the doorway, a strangely happy expression on her face. An expression similar to the one she wore whenever anybody mentioned the yearly Winter Feast, in Len's opinion. Drool began forming at the corner of her mouth as she continued her daydreaming.

The blonde sighed. She was acting much worse than Winter Feast behaviour, and someone needed to bring her back to reality before she hurt herself.

"Kiku!" he shouted, nearing her. "Oi, Kiku!"

Automatically, she scowled, her blood-red eyes flashing in a way that would send chills down anyone's spine. "Calling me Mama wouldn't hurt," she reprimanded him, closing the door behind them.

"And eating Rinto's cooking wouldn't hurt me either, only end my life."

She poked him in the side, shaking her head. "Did you at least get my fin-fins?"

"They're called fish."

"Hey, Leon calls them fin-fins too!"

"That's because he's a Mama's boy."

"I wouldn't mind Kaa-san."

He didn't reply, setting the groceries on the table. It was an old arguement, the one they were having. Kiku insisted he call her something maternal, he refused. After all, he'd grown up calling her 'Kiku', and old habits died hard.

"So who was Sir Frilly Pants just now?" he asked casually, hoping to change the subject. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Winter Feast look, some drool part of the package.

"A letter, an invitation to a ball!" she exclaimed, twirling around the kitchen. "We've been invited!"

"Whose been invited to where?" They turned to see Leon at the doorway, grinning mischeivously. Rinto sood behind him.

"A ball, a ball, Leo," Kiku sang, clasping his hands in hers. "His Majesty has invited us to the ball!"

"Mama, why are you so happy?" Leon laughed, while they spun through the room.

She stopped and took the letter out of her pocket, then looked at each of her sons. "Does anyone want to read it?"

"I'll do it." Rinto accepted the letter from his mother before tearing it open. With a dramatic flourish, he began to read.

"By decree of His Majesty, King Piko Regius IV, a ball will be held in honor of his most beloved daughter, Princess Momo, in which a marriage candidate will be chosen for the princess. Carriages will be sent out to escort all guests to the palace at 8 o'clock sharp. Punctuality is much appreciated." He squinted at the piece of paper. "It's in a week's time!"

"We'll have to hurry then!" She took Rinto's hand, and the three of them danced in celebration. Why shouldn't they be happy? After all, it wasn't every day they were invited to such a grand occasion, not to mention they had the oppurtunity of becoming royalty!

Yes, who wouldn't celebrate when receiving such glad tidings?

Me, Len thought to himself, picking up the letter his stepbrother had dropped. His eyes drank in the words on the page, the three simple sentences that had his family laughing and dancing merrily in their little kitchen.

"I'm not going."

The silence that followed was deafening. He'd prefer a scolding, or a frown at least, over this frozen shock. They merely stood there, rooted to the spot, surprise clear in their eyes.

"Len-kun?" His voice was pronounced in a voice barely above a whisper. He stared at the person who had spoken, his sole guardian. She stared back with a hope that felt, pitiful to him, because he knew he would have to crush it.

"I just don't feel like doing all those formalities, mingling and all that, alright?" he lied, turning around so that he no longer faced them. "Please, I want to be alone."

~.~

They didn't stop him; he hadn't been expecting them to. He wished a little he could belong in that family, that oh-so kind family. Then, they could go to the King's ball together and he could call Kiku 'Kaa-san', maybe.

If only...

He shook his head, refusing to elaborate the thought. A long sigh was exhaled.

"I wish I could go to the ball without them." If he did, he knew they wouldn't object. At the same time, he knew he wouldn't be able to handle the all-consuming guilt that might follow-

"A wish has been made!" a voice announced, resounding through the room. Len sat up on his bed, as white puffs of smoke swirled to form a cloud the size of a person. A boot stepped out from the make-shift cloud, and he found himself gazing into a piercing pair of cerulean eyes.

"I am the fairy that will steal your heart, Kagaine Rin!" the girl before him declared. "And I will grant your wish."

Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if it was too short. REVIEW!