Title: Another Birthday Past, Another Year Older
Author: Shaariin13
Word Count: 3,333 words (cause Luka's precise like that :DD)
Rating: T for swearing and implications, since I don't know how to rate :P
Disclaimer: I do not own any thing, any place or any one mentioned here, except for my OC, Kairee-chan. Credits ang rights belong to respective owners.
Note: Unbataed; sorry for mistakes
January 30, 2027
Luka groaned once, a hand flying to her pulsing temple. "Ow, my head."
She looked around the bedroom she shared with her husband Gakupo and noticed that the sun was already high in the sky.
Her eyes darted to the digital clock on the bedside table and muttered "Damn! 8 o'clock already?" (No wonder she has a migraine, she overslept)
She scrambled out of bed and hurried downstairs to check if there was anyone (namely her husband and their twin children) left at home besides her. There was no one.
Luka wandered to the dining room and saw a pink rose in a clear crystal vase sitting atop their table. She smiled and approached it. Luka saw a note tucked underneath the vase. She carefully took the folded piece of paper and pried it open. Inside, she saw her husband's unhurried scrawl.
Dear,
There's some breakfast in the fridge; just heat it up.
I'll drop the twins on my way to university.
Love you,
Gakupo
Luka smiled once again, though a little saddened. It seems like her husband forgot what day it is today. Today was her 30th birthday. She sighed. Not even her 12 year old children (Yes, she had kids at 17. At least Gakupo married her the next year!) remembered.
It weirded her out, though, why her alarm clock didn't go off at five that morning; it's never failed her before.
Luka shook her head. "I probably forgot to set it last night," she mumbled to herself. "I was so tired from choir practice; it must have slipped my mind."
She heated the breakfast her husband left (comprising of tuna omelettes, a tuna fillet, and some mixed rice), ate, and washed the dishes.
Afterwards, she went upstairs to take a bath. She was about to walk inside the bathroom when the doorbell suddenly rang.
Who could that be? she asked herself as she left her toiletries and change of clothes on the large bed.
Luka quickly came to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw that it was Tonio, the mailman stationed at their little town.
"Good morning, Tonio. Isn't it a little too late for the mail?" Luka asked as she opened the door to the smiling Tonio.
"Good morning to you, too, Luka-san," Tonio greeted back. He was now rummaging around his huge messenger's bag. "Actually, I've already delivered your mail this morning, but-" he stopped as he seemed to find whatever it was that he was looking for"- this was a late delivery. It couldn't wait until tomorrow, since I received strict instructions that you get it today."
Luka took the package Tonio held out. "Strict instructions, huh? What do you think it is?" she asked the optimistic mailman. He simply shrugged and showed her a clipboard with a pen attached to it.
"Sign here, please," he said as he pointed the line where the receiver must affix their signature. Luka did as she was told. Afterwards, she thanked Tonio, who then bid her a good day, turned back to his bike, and rode away.
As Luka closed the door, she couldn't help herself from examining the parcel in her hand. The stamps looked foreign to her, but she was positive they were Asian; she just wasn't sure from where.
She made her way to the bedroom, and sank onto the large queen-sized bed. She tore off the wrapper and discovered it was actually a book, six inches long, four inches wide, and half an inch thick. The hardbound was in salmon pink, while the binder was a soft lavander. On the spine, the words "The Story Told By Us" were written in black ink, the curly scrawl taking up the whole length. The name of the author wasn't written.
Luka raised a delicate, pink eyebrow. "Who could it be from?" she mumbled to no one in particular.
She opened the book and a note fluttered to her lap. Why do I keep getting notes today? the pinkette asked herself, smiling.
She unfolded the pale blue piece of paper to find handwriting that wasn't familiar to her.
Luka-sensei,
Happy Birthday to you!
I just want to thank you for all the tips and advise you gave to improve my writing. I know I'm a pain sometimes, so- to make up for the grievances I caused you- I'm sending you the VERY FIRST printed copy of my first book. I requested to make this one special, so the color schematics of the cover match your taste (it's supposed to be powder pink and gray). I had to pull a lot of strings just to send it to you from the Philippines all the way there to Japan on the correct date, just to show you I'm sincere. Anyways, I'll wait for your email (your opinion/critique of my book & story on what happened on your birthday :DD), okay?
Happy birthday once again, Luka-sensei!
Lots of love,
Kairee-chan
P.S. Say hello to Gakupo-san, Teto-chan, and Ted-kun for me!
P.P.S I borrowed your's, Gakupo-san's, and your kids' names; sorry 'bout that :P
Luka smiled. "At least someone remembered," she muttered.
Kairee-chan was someone she met online. Luka, who had a Degree for A.B. English, was teaching in highschool, and when she had a lot of free time on her hands, offered Creative Writing lessons online.
The teenager was one of those who chanced on her advertisement, and emailed Luka immediately. She warmed up easily to the younger female, since the latter was eager to learn. And now, Luka's efforts of teaching and extending her thread of patience had paid off: in her hands, she was holding the brainchild of her favorite student.
"I'll read it while soaking at the bath," Luka decided. She picked up her stuff from the bed and stepped into the bathroom. She hung the towel and clothes onto hooks, and approached the tub. She let the hot water flow, and poured her favorite scented oils along, namely rose and lily.
When she was satisfied with the temperature of the water, Luka stripped and stepped onto the tub. She reached to the counter and got the book.
The first page was completely blank, while the second held the title of the book. The third was similar to the previous one, only more detailed, revealing the Author's and Illustrator's names, and behind, all the legal stuff that every book needs to possess. The fourth page was almost empty, except for a dedication.
To Kamui Luka-sensie, the best English Tutor in the world. This one's for you, and your wonderful family, who inspired my characters, and taught me that anything is possible if I work hard enough.
Luka felt her heart flutter with pride and affection. "This girl really knows how to flatter, eh?" Luka chuckled.
She flipped onto the next page, and started reading the prologue. It was about a witch and a wizard, twins Teto and Ted.
Luka smiled. Her children were the leads of the story. She continued reading.
The setting was during the Era of the Great Witch Hunt. It was bad enough that Teto and Ted were practicing witch craft (it wasn't their choice; they were born from one of the strongest wizarding families), but they also participated in one more terrible sin: they were in love with each other, and they never bothered to hide it.
Luka frowned. The idea of her children in an incestuous relationship didn't settle well with her. Even though they were already twelve, they still shared a room and a bed. Luka and Gakupo had tried to separate them a few years before, but the result was pure torture.
They wouldn't come out of their rooms, and if they did, they would be inseparable. They would also throw them pleading, nagging looks. Both wouldn't eat, forgot about hygiene, and reserve themselves in silence. One week of this, and Ted was shipped back to their old room with Teto, and they've been happier since.
Luka sighed. Teto and Ted were close to Kairee-chan. Had the older teenager seen something between the two that Luka or Gakupo hadn't?
Luka flipped a page and continued.
It wasn't long before the wizarding twins were captured and were tied to poles, ready to be burned. Before the flames consumed them, they vowed that, when they were reborn once again, they would never be parted. It also meant that they were to be descendants of two different bloodlines to eliminate conflict.
"Interesting," Luka commented, before closing the book to finish her bath.
When she was clothed, she brought the book down with her to the kitchen to check the fridge for anything she could cook for lunch.
"Out of tuna? Already?" Luka couldn't believe her eyes.
She concluded that she would simply eat out for lunch and go grocery shopping. She changed clothes, opting for a cream turtleneck, tight pants, and sturdy moccasins. She tucked the book inside her bag, wrote a note to Gakupo that she would be out and late in coming home, before grabbing her keys, and out the door.
As she locked up, Luka decided to walk to the town instead, since the weather was fine, the sun was warm, and a good breeze was up.
She went to her favorite café, the Nowhere In Particular. Her friend, Miku, owned it. It was a family business.
She pushed the door, and the familiar peal of the bell rang through the air. She was greeted by said friend with long teal hair.
"Luka!" Miku keened and gave Luka a tight squeeze. Luka smiled. "Tone down on the cheer, Miku! You don't want to drive away your costumers, do you?" Luka teased. "Of course not!" Miku chuckled.
She led Luka to a vacant table and asked her order. "Oh, the usual," Luka said good naturedly. "Coming right up!" Miku waltzed off.
As she waited, Luka got out her book and continued where she left off.
The setting was now the present time. The lead female's name now was, interestingly, Megurine Luka.
The real Luka shook her head, chuckling.
The main story was about Luka going through life; being a model student, dodging admirers, joining a singing group with close friends, and ignoring a purple-haired childhood friend who had been chasing her since age six.
Why did it sound so familiar? Simple; it was Luka's life.
"Silly kid wrote my life story," Luka chortled as she reached the middle of the book.
"What's so funny?" a soprano voice asked behind her. Luka turned around and saw one of her old high school friends mentioned in the book: twenty-eight year old Kagamine Rin, her thirteen year old son, Len, in tow.
"Rin! Good to see you!" as she did a cheek-to-cheek with her kouhai. "Sit down, you two."
The mother and son duo did as they were told.
"Why aren't you at school, Len-kun?" Luka asked the blonde teenager whom she treated as her own nephew.
The boy's mother answered for him. "We got his wisdom teeth pulled out."
"Huh, no wonder he looks pale," Miku suddenly showed up at their table carrying Luka's order: Grilled Tuna with Honey-Mustard Marinade, Tuna Rice, and a huge platter of takkemaki and tuna sashimi.
"The Great Tuna Overload, on the house," Miku laid the tray's contents with a grin on her face.
Luka couldn't believe her ears. "All this tuna for free?" she asked incredulously.
"Yup," Miku agreed. "Happy birthday, Luka!" she greeted before going to accommodate the newly arrived costumers.
Luka was touched. "Aw, you remembered?"
Rin nodded. "Of course; you were always our favorite sempai," she said as she handed Luka two gifts: one was a giant paper bag, while the other was a thin square, both covered in wrapping paper of salmon pink. "From me and Lenners here," the blonde explained.
Luka smiled. "Thank you. Really, I appreciate it."
As she was eating, Luka opened the gifts she received from the Kagamines. The one in the paper bag was from Rin. It held a pink octopus plushie. Luka laughed. She had always been fond of the animal, and she still didn't know why. Len's gift was a CD compilation of her old songs when she was still singing ("He sang the tracks himself; only, he edited his voice so it would sound like a girl's…").
Luka thanked them once again, and proceeded to show the first gift she received that day: the book Kairee-chan sent her.
"The first gift?" Rin asked, shocked. "Didn't Gaku-nii get you anything? What about Teto-chan and Ted-kun?"
Luka shook her head as she brought a piece of sashimi to her lips. "I woke up late. When I got up, they were already gone." she told them after she swallowed. "They did make me breakfast, though; and there was a pink rose on the table."
Rin huffed indignantly. "Still! That's not enough! They probably forgot!"
Luka simply shrugged. Though, she doubted the idea. Her children had been whispering behind her back recently, and when she would look at them, they would act as if they were doing nothing. They had something brewing, and Luka made sure that they would never catch her unawares. What was the purpose of her kunoichi's intuition if she wouldn't listen to it?
"Well, we'll go on ahead," Rin announced after a few minutes. "I have to take Len home now," she motioned to her sleeping son. "The anesthesia's still affecting him; good thing I brought the car."
"Take care, then," Luka counseled.
"Sure thing. Happy birthday again, Luka-nee! Ja ne! " Rin managed to assist her drowsy son outside the café and into the car.
"Want something sweet?" Miku suddenly traipsed down the aisle towards Luka.
"Hmmm… Tea would do," Luka decided. "Thanks."
"Anything for the birthday girl," Miku grinned before leaving.
Luka continued the book.
It was very accurate, from the issue between the then teenage Rin and Len (her son's father)*, Kaito and Meiko's marriage, to Luka ending up with Gakupo with pink-haired twin children in between.
"Here you go," Miku finally arrived with the tea. Luka thanked Miku once again, before the younger woman left to manage the inn.
"But, what's the connection between the prologue and the main story?" Luka wondered.
Luka spent her whole afternoon at Nowhere Inn Particular, reading her book and sipping some tea, trying to find the answer to her question.
Just as it was reaching three o'clock that afternoon, she finally finished the book and found the answer.
"Oh," Luka mumbled, enlightened. "Nice twist," she said, grinning. "Looks like Kairee-chan's book will be a hit."
The pink-haired celebrant checked her watch and saw that she had spent most of her day without doing the task she had meant to do.
As she stood up, Miku approached her. "Leaving already?" she pouted, looking slightly panicky.
Luka chuckled. "I already spent my day here, and you still want me to stay?" She hugged the tealette. "Sorry, Miku. I can't stay any longer; I still need to do some grocery shopping."
Miku blinked, then relaxed. "Oh. Enjoy then!" she cheered, her grin pasting itself back to her face.
"See you, Miku!" Luka said as she walked out the café.
She put the CD Len gave her onto the player she always brought with her and listened to it as she did her shopping.
Luka decided that her favorite was "Just Be Friends". It brought a lot of memories. It was the single that launched her career. Even if the Vocaloids were a group, it didn't stop them from singing solos. It was about a couple who realized they didn't love each other as they did before, and that the most painful choice was the best. Luka wrote it herself, and it was the most cheerful break-up song you would find; she made sure of that.
Luka was tired by the time she reached home. She put the key into the knob and noticed that the door was unlocked. Luka became alert all at once, her ninja instincts kicking into action.
She noiselessly entered the house and left the groceries by the door. From her bag, she got out the kunai that she didn't leave home without (Yes, kunai; she's a ninja, remember?). She stalked to the living room: all clear. She then proceeded to the parlor; still no sign of anything suspicious. Luka was about to go upstairs when, from the corner of her peripheral vision, she noticed a shadow pass through the dining area.
Luka approached the closed door. She placed her ear to the wood and heard scratches and little noises. She was also sure she heard someone shush and the sounds ceased. This confirmed Luka's suspicion that there were people inside the house aside from her.
Luka straightened up and went in front of the door. She took a deep breath, then proceeded to burst open the door.
The lights suddenly went on and she saw that every person she held dear to her heart was staring at her with shocked expressions on their faces.
Luka didn't miss a beat in hiding her kunai, tucking it into her belt.
"Uhm… Happy birthday…?" Gakupo offered hesitantly.
Luka let out the breath she was holding in with a small laugh. Everyone laughed along with her.
The dining room had been decorated with pink balloons; pink and purple stripes dangling from the ceiling. There was a bountiful spread on the long polished mahogany table, with a large cake sitting soberly in the middle.
Her husband and children approached her and encased her in a hug.
"You didn't think we'd forget did you?" her daughter, Teto, asked teasingly.
"Well, kinda," Luka admitted.
Her son, Ted, chuckled before letting go. "Oh, Mother, you lack faith," he said as he put on an expression of mock hurt.
"Actually, we talked everyone in on the plan," Gakupo explained. "We shipped all the tuna to Mei and Kai's place so you'd be forced to leave the house. We didn't actually go to where we said we'd go; we camped out at their place, waiting for you to leave. We even asked Tonio if he could go out of his way and give you Kairee-chan's gift a few hours late, just to make sure you'd leave Miku-chan's place late (she and Rin were in charge of distracting you from coming home early)."
"When you did leave," Ted continued, "we snuck back home and started decorating. We already talked to everyone last week, and they brought all of the food with them!"
"Dad asked the principal to excuse us today, and he gave us permission, and so, here you are, Mother dear; happy birthday!" Teto finished with a clap.
Luka hugged her family. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said, accompanied with kisses and more hugs.
Everyone in the spacious dining room approached and greeted her, and she thanked them all for their effort and well intentions.
The party lasted until midnight, only because the adults wouldn't let up from chatting. The children were scattered all around the house doing one thing: sleeping.
Finally, the last of the visitors (a drunk Meiko and an apologetic Kaito) were showed out the door, the dining room locked (the visitors insisted they help clean up; they reasoned that they helped mess it up, so it was only reasonable that they assist putting it back to rights), Teto and Ted tucked into their bed, and Gakupo and Luka lying down on their own.
"Did you have fun?" Gakupo asked Luka as he held her. She had her back to him, his arm wrapped around her waist. He was nuzzling the back of her head, inhaling the scent of her fragrant hair.
"Absolutely," Luka sighed, snuggling more to her husband's embrace.
He kissed her cheek and settled on his pillow. "Good," he mumbled drowsily. "G'night. Love you."
Luka sighed happily. "I love you, too," she managed to say before succumbing to the Sandman.
Tomorrow promised to be a great day.
* refer to Tears and Raindrops, One Shots and Text Messages Chapters 1 and 5, and Finding It Out, Making It Right
Happy birthday to Megurine Luka! I'm so annoyed that I wasn't able to finish this on time! Hahahahaha! the 3,333 word count was a total coincidence! When I finished typing, I checked with word count how long the story was. Imagine my surprise when I read 3,333 :DD Yeah, so, I don't know how to write fluff! I apologize to anyone who thinks that they weren't sweet with each other enough; this is the first story I've written that th lead characters weren't the Kagamines, so I'm not in my comfort zone. Heck, it's a romance! Romnce is my waterloo; I suck at writing it!
Oh, yeah, if you guys were curious how 'Our Story Told By Us' goes, you could always ask by pressing the Review button and request :DD
Anyway, please, please, please leave a review! It helps me improve my writing, and I seriously want to know your opinions, guys! Thanks and I hope you enjoyed!