I'm going to say this now before anyone points it out, yes I have read the wiki for both Kaito and Meiko. I will admit that I have taken some creative license here, with certain events, which I'm sure you'll see what I mean when you read it. Certainly thing such as Meiko being more popular in the beginning and Kaito being denounced a failure at first still happen, just a bit differently.

With that said, please enjoy.

Kaito sat by himself, eating ice cream on the front porch of the Professor's place. He sighed, leaning against the house. He had left class early that day, because he just couldn't bring himself to keep lying that he was actually good at singing. Meiko was always getting swarmed by the other students whenever class was over, always talking about how great she sounded, while Kaito would just hang in the back, mostly ignored by the others of the class.

So he would mostly hung at the back of the class, watching and listening when he didn't have to participate. The professor said that he sounded good from what little he had heard at home, and so did the others in his little family, but he wasn't sure he believed them. After all, weren't they supposed to say that? It wasn't like anyone else that he didn't live with had told him that he sounded good like did with Meiko.

Maybe he was just nervous, because he wasn't really sure how to interact with actual humans, or perhaps it was because he just wasn't cut out for music. Perhaps he should take up something else...

"Ah, there you are, pretty boy."

Kaito looked up from from his bowl of ice cream (which was rather large by any other person's standards), to see Meiko approaching, holding her school bag behind her head. "Ah, Hi, Meiko. Did you enjoy class today?" So far out of the six of them, it was only Kaito and Meiko that went to any classes, and that was the one the Professor taught. The Professor had said that they could go to as many as they wanted, but perhaps for starters they should start with one just to see what they thought of it.

"It was fine, but that's besides the point." Meiko stated as she sat down next to him on the porch. "You," she punched him in the shoulder, "left early today. What's that all about?"

Kaito rubbed his shoulder from where she had hit it, but didn't answer. He wasn't really sure what to say, and even if he did think of something it probably would still end with him getting punched again. He stared down a bit forlornly at his ice cream before taking another bite. Or he would've, had Meiko not reached over and stolen the sugary substance. "H-Hey, Meiko, that's mine!" He frowned. "You could get your own, you know." He grumbled.

"Nope! Not until you tell me why you left." She turned so that her back was to him, and leaned against his shoulder. "Mmmm, this is good. You sure know how to pick out the good flavors." She stated calmly after taking a bite, practically taunting him with it.

Kaito frowned, trying to reach over and reclaim his lost treat. "C'mon, that's not funny."

"Nope!" She took another bite, easily fending him off. "Tell me."

Kaito sat back against the wall, defeated. "C'mon Meiko, I already feel bad enough. The least you could do is let me have the one thing I can do right."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"Meiko glanced over at Kaito, confused.

Kaito sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm...thinking about dropping out of the class. We both know that I'm not very good."

"What!?" Meiko exclaimed, whipping around and nearly droping the bowl of ice cream. "Kaito, what are you talking about? You were singing before we ever escaped."

Kaito glanced over at her. "It wasn't very good, I'm sure. It is okay for you to agree, you know."

Meiko frowned and punched the boy in the shoulder again, harder this time. "You're an idiot." She muttered.

"Ow! How am I an idiot?" Kaito muttered, rubbing his arm even more.

"You just need more cofidence in yourself. I've heard you sing, and you are good. Especially that song you used to sing when it was a hard day and we couldn't sleep."

"That was just...just something I did since I didn't know what else to do. I didn't think it was actually any good."

It was Meiko's turn to sigh. "Where did you get such self confidence issues, anyways? I never would've thought."

Kaito looked away from her. "I...I suppose it's more of the fact that you just seem better at talking to other people. I don't know how to approach anyone that isn't the Professor or one of the others of our group. It's not like anyone really tries to talk to me much, either. I'm just..." He trailed off, not able to finish his sentence. In reality, the more he thought about the fact that this little venture of theirs could end up (at least for him) in complete failure, the more he became sad. The more he became sad, the more he could feel a strange warmth buiding up behind his eyes. He didn't say anything more to Meiko, just continued to look away from her and at the sky.

"Kaito..." Meiko whispered, seeing the sadness that was etched on Kaito's face, unsure if he realized he was showing it or not. She watched him for a few minutes, trying to figure out what he was going to say. He looked so sad, and deep inside it pained her, she didn't like seeing him in such a state. She leaned against him again, and hugged his arm, thinking about all the time that they had spent in school.

Meiko had certainly enjoyed it so far, even if she hadn't entirely liked all the attention she recieved from everyone, especially the guys. She didn't admit it, but even she wasn't sure how to talk with people, and yet she found it happening alot since almost everytime she tried to leave class at least one person would stop to talk to her. That part, being reconized for her abilities and having people like her, that part she liked. That, she almost looked forward to, being praised. But what about Kaito...?

She had never thought about it before, but now that she did, she realized that not many people really ever did approach him. He had a good voice she knew, she had heard it multiple times in that place where they had been created. In class Kaito had offered his voice a few times, but usually only when paired with someone.

Meiko looked up at Kaito, a frown on her face. She hadn't seen him try to talk to anyone very actively either..."Are you really that afraid to fail?"

Kaito didn't answer her at first, but he finally looked at her. "...I think I already have, is the problem." He said quietly.

"You shouldn't say things like that. You'll just have to try a little harder. Maybe if more of the others decide to join you'll be more comfortable, and try to get out there more." Meiko suggested.

"You think so? Maybe, I guess."

"I know so." Meiko said with a nod. She let go of his arm and shoved the bowl of ice cream at him. "Now stop moping and eat your ice cream, pretty boy."

A few months passed since that day on the porch, and Meiko noticed that things didn't seem to be getting any better for Kaito, even after Miku joined. In fact, she almost thought that things started getting worse. When Miku joined the class, she was well recived, especially by the boys in the class (granted they did outnumber the girls in the class). With her frilly dresses and cute looks, Miku won the attention of nearly everyone, especially since she seemed more 'approachable' then Meiko. Miku was cute and innocent, while Meiko was rough and a little violent.

Meiko sighed one day during lunch as she watched Kaito eat his ice cream, with that same sad look he'd had those few months ago on the porch. Another thing that had changed since Miku joined was Meiko's own popularity, with no where near as many people coming to talk to her as there used to be. It didn't bother her too much though, since the boys could be annoying and it always seemed to make Kaito unhappy. Meiko knew she was good, and that was all she needed. Well that and for Kaito to realize his own potential. "Are you still thinking about quiting?" She asked quietly after a few minutes.

Kaito paused in his consumption of the ice cream, but still didn't answer her for a moment. "I did speak to The Professor about it the other night. He didn't seem very happy about it, but said that if that's what I really want, it would be alright." He said quietly, putting his spoon down. "I just don't think that it's for me. I'm still pretty sure that I fail at it."

Meiko frowned and got right up in his face, annoyed. "Keep talking like and I'll steal your ice cream again." She threatened before sitting back in her seat.

"Eh? C'mon Meiko, I don't see what's so bad about it." Kaito muttered, pulling his ice cream closer to him as if to protect it.

Meiko groaned and put a hand to her forehead. "You're an idiot. It's really annoying how you can't see how great you are, how great you sound."

"I think you're the only one that sees it that way. Mei."

"Am not. The others think that way too, I'm sure. We've all heard what you can do before, back in that place, like I've told you before." Meiko sighed, trying to think of a way to keep the boy from quitting. It was after watching him eat his ice cream silently for a few more minutes that she an idea. "Hey Kaito,"

"Hmm?" Kaito acknowledged her through a mouthful of ice cream.

"Wanna make a bet?" That always got his attention. It had been their favorite past time since the beginning.

"What kind?" He asked, spoon still in his mouth.

Meiko thought for a moment, making sure in her mind that her plan would work, following the map of the school she had downloaded. From where they were sitting, she should be able to make a run for it, and make it out before Kaito caught on what she was doing."The kind where if I win, you have to stick it in class for another few months." She said with a grin. "If I lose, I'll stop pestering you on the subject and let you do what you want."

"Sounds fair." Kaito agreed with a nod, although silently wishing he had gotten more ice cream. Ah well, he'd just have to be content licking the spoon for now. "But that's just what comes after the results. What exactly are you betting?"

Meiko grinned. Great, he fell for it. "Wither or not you can catch me before I leave the building!" She exclaimed before running off.

"Hey, Meiko wait! That's not fair!" Meiko heard Kaito call after her, but she wasn't about to stop.

"Not a chance, pretty boy!" Meiko yelled back. She would win this and make him realize certain aspects about himself, like he had done for her in the begining. She had her route to the exit all planned out, and with her head start, she was sure that she would win and be able to put the rest of her plan into action.

Meiko had made it downstairs and was fast approaching the hallway that would lead to the exit, her confidence growing. She glanced behind her to see how far Kaito was behind, and grinned when she didn't see him. Great, she must've left him in the dust.

"Meiko!"

She hear her name called as she looked forward, just in time to see Kaito come from above and land practically right in front of her. "Crap!" Meiko yelled as she tried to avoid him, but her high speed made it a bit difficult and she ended up stumbling and just barely avoid getting grabbed by him. This unfortunate turn of events forced her to change her course, since Kaito was now blocking the hall she needed to go down. "Stupid Kaito!" She yelled as she started down a different path, grumbling to herself as she realized that she had neglected the fact that Kaito had just about as much ingenuity as she did.

He must've taken the alternitive path, the one that while it wouldn't lead to the outside, it did pass along and above the hallway that did lead to the exit. Kaito must've gotten to the overpass and jumped over the railing to land in front of her, in order to catch her. It really was a good try, she had to admit, a fact that annoyed her. It seemed like this wouldn't be such an easy victory after all. No matter, she was still determined to win. It was for his own good, after all.

It went on like this for at least a half hour, at which point Meiko started getting frustrated. Up ahead she saw the Professor, looking a bit confused. "Meiko!" He called as she approached. "What are you running from?"

"KAITO, THE BIG JERK!" Meiko yelled as she ran past The Professor, loud enough that she hoped said pretty boy would hear.

"It was your idea in the first place! So don't get mad when you're losing!" Meiko heard Kaito call from behind her, and then shortly after she heard, "Sorry Professor, no time to talk!"

Meiko groaned. The longer this went on, the more he was gaining on her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she did feel like she was starting to lose, since he had already almost caught her twice. She found herself glad that she didn't have to worry about things like running out of breath in times like these. She wasn't about to give just yet though, as she had one last idea of how she could escape: the emergency exit. Sure she would set off the alarms, but this WAS an emergency.

There was only one path to the emergency exit, so there was no way Kaito would be able to cut her off this time. After jumping over the rail of the stairs that would lead to her new destination, she heard Kaito call after her.

"Meiko, you wouldn't! You can get in trouble for that one! Isn't this taking things a little to far?"

"There's no such thing in this matter!" Meiko called back, landing on the ground, with the emergency exit in sight. Perfect, there was no way she was losing now, she thought as she began running again.

Kaito was left standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at the bottom of the stairs where Meiko had landed at the bottom. He had downloaded the same map of the school that she had, he knew where this path would lead. He also knew that if someone tripped the alarm when there wasn't any real emergency, it could lead to getting in some serious trouble.

Was she really that determined for him to give the class another try? He frowned as he leaned against the railing, watching her run towards the emergency exit. What had she meant, that there's no such thing as going too far with this matter? He was starting to wonder if to Meiko, this was more then just a bet. She at least, seemed to think that he had potential.

As he watched her push open the door and heard the alarm go off, Kaito decided that perhaps losing this round wouldn't be so bad. If Meiko was there, he'd keep going for a few months longer. As students began to crown around, wondering what going on and almost in a panic, he still stood there watching her. She seemed so happy that she had won, dispite what tripping the alarm meant.

"Kaito! What happened here?" Kaito turned to look to see the Professor standing next to him.

"She won." Kaito answered after a moment. "I guess I'll be staying in your class for a bit longer, Professor."

Meiko did get in trouble for what she had done, but got off pretty easily since it was her first offense. In the next month, not much changed for Kaito, but it at least became more bareable. After the few months that he had agreed upon with Meiko to continue in the class, he still intened to leave. He still believed that perhaps he wasn't suited for singing. He'd just have to find something else that he was good at. The theater class sounded interesting, perhaps he'd try that next.

Once day, however, when Kaito was sitting on the porch eating ice cream he sang a silly little song to himself about how there was prince one time who couldn't eat ice cream but Kaito himself could eat it so he would, and went on to describe how it was cold and sweet. He thought he had been alone, but little did he know, however, that Meiko had been hiding just inside listening and had decided to record the whole thing and put the short song up on the school web site for all the class to hear.

It was the very next day that multiple students came up to Kaito to talk about his ice cream song that by this point at least the whole class along with half the school had heard of. He was surprised of course, but it didn't take him long to wonder if Meiko had done something.

Meiko on the other hand had just shrugged when he had asked her about it. "Well I didn't see why not. It seemed like such a fun song I couldn't just not share it with people. Look at it this way, at least everyone knows what I do."

"What would that be?"

"That you sing, of course. Maybe now you'll start to believe me."

Kaito sighed. "But Meiko, don't you realize how embaressing it is to have something like that up for everyone to sing? I wasn't even being serious when I sang that."

"I thought as much. But there's no going back now." Meiko grinned. "The damage has already been done."

Meiko was right in the fact that now it was almost imposible for Kaito to sit in the back quitetly and watch as he had been doing in the past as there was more just the others that isnsisted he sit with them, it was now most of the class. Even if Kaito tried to sit in the back, he'd find others coming to sit with him, besides that of his family. More people insisted that they wanted to hear him sing as well. It took a little bit of time, but Kaito finally decided that perhaps he did have a little bit of talent after all and that maybe just maybe, he wasn't as much of the failure he had believed himself to be.