Chapter 2. Parents and Children

Meiko: Are you that new vocaloid everybody talking about?

Miku: Y-yes…

Meiko: Ha, so shy! She will never get ahead of me!

Kaito: Hey, don't say that! She looks cute, and her voice cannot be bad either. Will you sing for me?

Miku: Okay...

POV Kaito

It is warm, so warm... I do not remember when was the last time that temperature higher than 0 degrees made me feeling so nice; usually I get irritated and want to stuff myself with ice. Now I only want to hold this warm and nice thing, cuddle and never ever wake up...

"Hey, Kaitoо,"

Somebody's annoying voice is trying to reach me in my slumber.

"Каito"

It is even nearer now. I wince and turn to the other side trying not to wake up. After a moment of struggle, somebody has left; I can hear the light steps on the smooth floor. The nice warmth is gone too.

The switch flicks and this horrible unnatural light biting my eyes… I moan and curse, and then finally sit up in the bed, hands covering my face. Suddenly I feel dizzy. Why is it so hot in here..?

"Finally woke up?"

Well, I recognize this voice even now when I am far from feeling well. Kamui, Gakupo, vocaloid, who I kindly share my room with, at this very moment is mercilessly trying to wake me up. Jerk, that is.

"I think somebody is going to live in an ice-cold room forever," I answer sourly, rubbing my forehead.

Now those black spots are gone and I can finally see things normally. I observe my roommate intently. Haha, his morning face is even worse than mine.

"Okay, I am so scared! Give me a break." He shrugs his shoulders and starts dressing, obviously not believing my threats anymore. I can barely make myself crawl out of bed, and then look around for my clothes, meanwhile thinking over the plan of revenge.

"Hmm?"

Man, what is it with him again?

Gakupo is standing nearby the wall and checking my calendar; he looks amused. Has anyone ever told him it is not appropriate to touch other people's things without asking?

"Why today's date is crossed out?"

Wait... is today that day already..? Good news, huh, one after another.

"Today is the day when I would very much like to run off from the center, the farther the better," I explain him gloomily, knowing that I will not be able to. Not because we are rarely given permission to leave the building. It is all because of this stupid hope.

Gakupo smirks looking at the sculls I drew all around the number in the calendar. Great, isn't it? Parents come today when I already feel so down; can it be worse than this?

During breakfast I keep silent, only sometimes my peripheral vision sensor catches sympathetic glances from my so-called family. I, like a rotten apple, waste the morning, which is supposed to be happier than usual; instead, my dull face spoils the whole mood. As bad, as it might be I have to admit I enjoyed the attention at some point.

Then I notice Miku's eyes piercing me and decide to leave without saying my usual comments on her hairstyle. As soon as the door closes behind me (today I try not to slam it), dead silence falls in the dining room.

"Look, Gakupo-kun," Miku suddenly starts; it seems she wants to clear things fast. Nobody is even trying to check if I have really left or still standing nearby the door.

"Today the parents of six main vocaloids come with a regular visit. Well, actually, they all are supposed to come, but… Some of them prefer to avoid that."

Again, there is this awkward silence in the room; I even hold my breath, I do not want to show even a small sign that I am still here.

"Mine doesn't come very often either, but I don't really care," unusually calm Meiko. "Kaito is different. He remembers. He remembers everything."

"Means?" It's obvious Kamui fails to get it.

I believe they could be going on like this forever, all silent and gloomy, if not for the twins who do not have either ability or wish to think for a long time.

"We've told you already!" Rin snorts, I bet now she is exchanging glances with her reflection. "He is our old geezer!"

I think Gakupo is completely lost now, even though Rin's words cause suppressed giggles.

They often say that we, vocaloids, will always be inferior to humans, or that we are just boring machines and so on, but I don't know any human even remotely as cute and funny as this little Ms Poisonous Tongue.

xxx

Perhaps, if Kamui did not stare at me weirdly as if I was a psycho, it would have been more fun. Even though I have to admit that, his sudden quietness had some good points. I mean he did not say a word when I set the room temperature ten degrees lower.

I was so absorbed rewriting the notes that I totally missed Gakupo starting conversation.

"Well you turned out to be much warmer than I thought."

In a couple of minutes, having realized that he was ignored, irritated Gakupo made a tsk sound and snapped fingers, trying to get my attention.

"You are quite hot, for a piece of ice," he repeats, happy that I got distracted from my song and look at him.

For a second I frown, puzzled, I don't understand what he means, then shrug indifferently and write a few more fast notes.

"I cannot feel cold the same way you can, that's why I hate talking about it," I mumble.

" Hmm... Gotcha"

It's good that you get it. Hope you won't bother me anymore.

"I understand you want to feel this frigging cold so much..." I glance at him crossly. Oh year, sure, he understands! "But if I hug you, it may help: because I am about to get frozen stiff in this room."

What kind of trick is that to ask for a cuddle? Hey, get away from me! I have to move back as he is getting closer and closer to me.

"You are not a girl," I get annoyed when my back is finally pressed against the bed's edge.

"Male or female – who cares, it's not like we are going to have vocaloid babies anyway."

Well, he has a point. We all are useless in this matter. Only wouldn't it be too boring without girls at all? And does it mean I have to hug Kamui just because of that? No way in hell.

It seems like Gakupo noticed my sullen look and took offense; he took a grip like an octopus on its prey. I try to fight back with all I could, but now he is holding me so tight from behind and my rage cools down fast. I can only squint angrily and think in panic – to whom in the research center I should complain.

"Even so, I prefer girls… Now, get off me already!" That Internet Co., Ltd., their researchers are totally nuts if they have done it on purpose, I mean developing this kind of behavior system for a vocaloid is totally crazy!

"Well okay, you feel no excitement around guys, what's wrong if I just warm myself?" Wha..? Oh, what kind of fabulous logic is that... Didn't I say – no hugs!

I try again to escape, but it is not so easy to get away from this firm grip. He is just locking me down like a pro wrestler. Who even taught him all of these? The angry report I write in my mind to his research center has long exceeded all the limits. Trying to calm down and think I take a deep breath. He relaxes thinking maybe I gave up, and full of conceit, rests his chin on top of my head, still holding me tight.

"Is it really so unpleasant?" His does sound a bit offended. Ah, yes, he must be terribly cold, I realize, but the thought slips out of my mind. "I understand very little now, but you know I believe..."

"Shut up," I try to sound as friendly as I can.

"There you go again! Is it so difficult… Ouch!"

I hit him hard, so he falls on the floor heavily, making lots of noise and grasping his chin. I, too hold my head, and wiser now turn my pain sensor down fast.

"I told you to shut up. You haven't bit your tongue, have you?" I ask him, feeling bad, that was too sarcastic even for me.

He waits until the pain is completely gone; looking at me with his eyes narrowed and face unreadable he jumps up. He looks so threatening that I can only give a fake smile and think of ways to retreat. Sadly, none of them appeared to be executable, so in a couple of seconds I lay face down pressed against the floor. This vocaloid seems to have fighting basics installed in his system as well.

"It did hurt!" He complained to me flinching lightly from cold. Then he grabbed my wrists a bit differently, more comfortable for him and it felt as if he started turning his head around searching for the a/c remote.

This is getting more and more awkward. Hope it will not occur to anybody to drop in right now. And, as usual, the door is not locked.

"You tell me where the remote is, and I let you go," he offers a compromise. I wish he could see me sneer. This monster on my back is so heavy I can barely breathe, forget about answering.

He still waited for my reply a bit, and then sighed either disappointedly or knowingly.

"You just free my hands, man," he smirked, and I could only hear clothes rustling.

What did he mean "free"? In panic, I struggle to sit up at least a bit.

"Hey, Kaito, get out!" A Holy Crypton-sent voice of Meiko. Kamui jumps, reluctantly gets off from me and crawls back with a pained expression on his face.

Only after massaging my hurting wrists and glancing at Gakupo (he only blinked innocently in reply), I unenthusiastically went to open the door.

"I came to pick you, guys, I know how you "love" these meetings," Meiko stares at Kamui who is still sitting on the floor. "His daddy is already here."

"Oh, people who come on time do exist," I'm genuinely surprised, remembering busy schedules of celebrities and from the corner of my eye watching Gakupo's reaction. Looks like he doesn't give a damn, in this case as well.

As soon as Kamui was the last one to leave the room, the lights automatically went off. It would be stupid to go back now to spend the morning alone with music notes as usual, since I have already stepped out, so still irritated I followed Gakupo walking beside Meiko. Just a minute later, I realize we cannot just quietly walk anywhere together.

"Bullying youngsters again, are we?" she sounds so amiable. I know the real Meiko though.

"What do you mean, again?" I roll my eyes and ask her gloomily. Maybe to her it looked as if I started the fight.

She only shook her head smiling mysteriously. Quiet, Kaito, you have to cool down.

"Well, the Kagamine twins, you are always giving them a thick ear…" she sighed thoughtfully, but it sounded funny. "Always for a reason, though, I don't argue the point."

"Just leave me alone," I wave away her words.

Gakupo, who is still walking in front of us, snorts, barely audible.

"It is just that you never upgrade, so your attitude is getting worse and worse…" I stop for a second; I let Meiko pass a bit forward, and then nudge her towards the door. All the humans are already there.

"What's wrong?" I'm scared, onee chan, please go first?

Having experimented for a long time, I found out that she loses interest in teasing her companions if you just ignore her. Therefore, I did. I slid into the room and hid behind someone where I could lean on the wall. Unnoticed I watched people coming one after another.

Miku is making all kind of funny and cute gestures while telling Saki excitedly about her adventures. Rin and Len are together with similar naughty looking Asami, it looks like they are making plans to conquer the world. In the back corner, Meiko is talking quietly about something with her same name mother. So peaceful. Even Gakupo is calmly listening to his father's words and nodding, trying to keep the conversation. The only one absent is the one who I was waiting for. Maybe one day he will come, too?

"Kaito, are you waiting for anyone?"

Oh well. It was useless to think that this guy would just pass by.

"Well, no, just standing here," I sigh and turn, looking at all smiling Gakupo. Honestly, his brain must be seriously damaged somewhere… Then it just clicked in my mind. The idea is actually worth checking.

I grab his hand and drag him to the research center. It is luckily not far away from here and at this time, there is always someone working. Just like Meiko, he stops asking useless questions when he realizes I am not going to answer them. I notice a woman in the white uniform with a Crypton badge and call her. I am lucky – she is the special researcher who takes care of Meiko and me.

"Oh, Kai-chan, it's been a long time," she says adjusting her glasses, and then turns to my companion. "Hmm? Now, who are you?"

"Gackpoid, our new vocaloid, he came only yesterday."

"Ah, you are Gaku-chan, then. I am Yumi. Are you not feeling well again?" She asked me with a suspiciously cheerful glint in her eyes. It seems she understood everything already: why I rushed to take the new vocaloid here and why exactly to her. She kept on playing along though.

"No, no, I am all right, it is just…" I tried to say something in defense.

"You have problems with your health?" Gakupo makes big eyes, jumping in conversation. I wince. It is not something he is supposed to know about.

"Everything is just perfect, honestly. It is him who needs to be taken care of." I point at Gakupo, now he looks a bit frustrated. It was smooth enough, I mean drawing attention from myself.

"You think, he's developed some distortions? Well, it would be absolutely normal. He is the first vocaloid in his enterprise."

Yumi grabs Gakupo's neck and firmly leads him to the laboratory. I am ordered to wait outside. I obediently sit down on the floor nearby the closed door.

Health problems, oh well… They started working on Meiko and me at the same time, but I ended up being out much later. So she became the first Japanese vocaloid, and that's why she turned out not so well. The first step is the hardest they say. As I was told later, they planned to make her jolly and a bit playful (at this moment I remembered Miku), but there turned up some error and she could not feel anything at all. She could sing, that's it. It was risky but they took it and reprogrammed her. Actually, vocaloids are not supposed to appear as rough copies, which are corrected later; it is almost like with humans. That's why maybe, reprogramming made cute Meiko unapproachable and sometimes even rude. Well, but thanks to that experience they developed Miku without any errors.

"Kai-cha-an, wake up!"

I jump. I was not sleeping!

"All in all Gaku-chan is fine, but there is one thing they screwed up." She tells me, sitting down next to me. "They overdosed with the concept of gratitude, so to say."

"Gratitude?" I raise my eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, kind of. Let's say, someone gives you an apple, you feel just thankful, don't you?" I nod. "While Gaku-chan takes a liking to that person. This kind of silly error."

Now it all fit together. If I knew what it'd cost me, I would have turned on the a/c at its warmest and settled in the kitchen, nearby the freezer. Now I have to carry the can as a price for being too nice. As usual.

I sigh defeated.

"Can you correct it somehow?" I ask without hope knowing the answer already.

"Well, system reprogramming and resetting may cause irreversible changes in behavior and performance." Yumi reels off habitually as if reading quotes from specification guide. Then she gives me a lollipop. "You want?"

"Okay," I take the candy. It's not ice cream, but still.

"Here, you have too, Gaku-chan," Yumi gave a lollipop to him as well. "Sending all those papers to his company requesting system reprogramming would be so much pain... I bet they will not be able to manage it all by themselves."

Gakupo looked at the candy first. Then, at Yumi. And then, with a happy smile he turned to her trying to give a hug. I could not help but glare, he even shuddered. I hope he was scared, at least a bit.

"Oh, how cute, Kai-chan. Are you jealous?" Yumi is trying to be sarcastic.

I think I am going to kill someone. The woman left wishing me happy love life and when Gakupo tried to hug me too, she clearly giggled. You damn eggplant; you will never, ever find the damn remote!