I am aware this is not Friday. I suddenly realized that I will be traveling on the next two Fridays and I won't have access to my computer. Plus it feels like forever and a half between Monday and Friday. So now I'm updating on Mondays and Thursdays until Christmas. Then my schedule just blows up or something.
Ok, I promise this isn't KaitoxMiku. Rin just likes to think that. Miku blushes because she's just awkward like that sometimes. I find it funny.
The next day, Miku, Rin, and Len, along with the other Vocaloids and Utauloids of the week, found themselves in Meiko's own room. Meiko began her speech.
"This is going to be a little bit shorter than yesterday, but we have an activity to do at the end. You're all going to sing your first song with anyone else you choose."
Excited students whispered to each other, but were silenced quickly by Meiko, who continued. "Part of being a singer is knowing that no matter what you sing, and no matter what reputations you gain in the public, you shouldn't be worried about it changing who you are supposed to be. Your job as a programmed robot is to give people what they want, while you get the fun of singing it beautifully."
"Every month, any new Vocaloids and Utauloids are asked to all sing the same song. It changes every month, but the concept is still the same: getting used to singing with a partner and putting your emotions into the song. This month's song is about a forbidden relationship, but don't let that affect who you want to sing with."
"You can sing with a roommate, a friend, a teacher, a Utauloid, a Vocaloid, basically anyone. Just come up to the sign-up sheet, make sure your partner has agreed with you, and write your names down. You'll spend the rest of the day taking turns recording. Here's the song," she said, holding up sheets of paper stapled together.
Students filed up to get one, resuming conversations with their friends. Rin and Len appeared to have agreed to be partners, which drew stares from some. Miku couldn't figure out why until she remembered Rin and Len didn't have a real relationship status. "Why would they judge my best friends about that? Meiko just told us not to do that!" though Miku, beginning to feel protective of her 'siblings.'
She walked up to Meiko. "Do you think I could sing with Luka?" Miku asked hopefully.
"Mm-hm," consented Meiko, "It looks like you're the first to ask for her. Just write your names here and go tell Luka. She won't mind, don't worry. She loves singing with new Vocaloids and Utauloids."
Miku grabbed two sheets with the song on it, and told Len and Rin where she was going. The two nodded and Miku made her way to Luka's room. When Miku knocked, Luka opened the door with a smile.
"I was hoping someone would want to sing with me," she said happily. "Luckily for you, I know exactly where the recording room, so we can be the first in there. Follow me," said Luka, and Miku moved to the side to let Luka pass.
They sat down together in the room and read over the music. Miku found that, like the map in her room, she could memorize the whole thing word for word after reading it only once. "Benefits to being a robot," she thought to herself.
Luka got up and tore the last piece of paper, containing the instrumental notes, away from the rest of the papers, and inserted it into a machine. "OK," she said, "when I press this button, the music will start. You know your cues." Miku nodded and Luka pressed a button on the machine.
Singing the song was exhilarating. Miku loved her voice blended with the music and Luka's. After she was done, she exited and found herself surrounded by the other students, waiting for their turn. Some of them congratulated her, and she wondered if they could hear her.
She tried to find Rin and Len, but couldn't. So, she instead waited outside the recording room, out of the way of the rest of the Vocaloids and Utauloids waiting to go in. She figured out that you could in fact hear every person sing, and enjoyed listening to each duet.
There seemed to be about 10 or so pairs of singers, so Miku figured she could wait around and listen to Rin and Len sing. Eventually, she heard them. She was shocked. They sounded so mature, and so real, like they meant every word of the song. Miku wondered if she had sounded that convincing.
She stood on her tip-toes, trying to see Rin and Len come out. They did, and she rushed up to them smiling. They returned the smile, and told her she didn't have to wait for them; they wanted to talk to some of their friends. Miku knew they were more social than she, so she went back to her room to read.
In about an hour, she heard the door open. She looked up from her book casually, expecting to see Rin and Len's smiling faces. Instead, they looked downcast and ready to cry. Miku immediately jumped up and ran to them.
"What's wrong?" she asked quickly.
"Some people mocked us," Len said sadly.
Miku, still not satisfied with that answer, looked to Rin. "Who? Why? When?" she asked desperately. Rin looked unsure about what she was about to say, and then shrugged.
"I don't want to say who..." Rin started, "But some people were wondering if we were twins, boyfriend-girlfriends, or mirror images, and the song somehow convinced them that we were twins and were attracted to each other, which they say is weird and gross," Rin said as she started crying. "Now they don't want to talk to us. I don't know who we are! I just want to be Len's best friend," she finished.
Miku was a little bit surprised. Rin and Len didn't seem like the type of people to get their feelings hurt that easily. "Well, I guess everyone has a topic they're uncomfortable about," she decided.
Miku bent down a little bit so she could look straight at Rin and Len, instead of looking down at them. "Listen, guys, they're just jealous because you were so convincing when you sang. I heard you, you both sounded amazing."
Rin and Len seemed to cheer up a little bit at this, and Miku thought for a moment.
"Personality is way different than portrayal," Miku continued. "Remember, Kaito said that people don't think about the fact that we have emotions outside of singing. So they give us songs with a variety of emotions and feelings and connections, and it's all fake. Your personality is what I love about you, OK?"
Rin and Len smiled and nodded, back to their normal, energetic selves. "For being so hurt while ago, they sure do bounce back quickly," Miku thought with a smile, "I guess they just need to be reassureds ometimes."
Happy that she had made her roommates feel better, she walked forward to go to bed. She gasped when she saw a couple of papers sitting on her bed. Completely forgetting Rin and Len, she rushed forward to see if they were what she thought they were.
"Hey Rin! Len! Look! I already have a song! Someone must have liked my singing!" Miku was beside herself with excitement. She knew that the only job a Vocaloid had was to sing songs, but she felt like she had just earned the whole world.
Rin beamed. "Good job Older Sister! I can't wait until I get some music too!" Then she got a mischievous look on her face. "Why don't you go tell Kaito?" she asked sweetly.
Miku gave a fake glare in Rin's direction. She still had to admit to herself that she did desperately want to tell Kaito, so she started to rush out the door. She stopped, and looked at Rin and Len. "Do you want to come too?" she asked.
"Of course," Len said, and Miku was surprised at the tone of his voice. He sounded more mature, and she wondered if he was purposely trying to make his voice deeper. She hoped he wouldn't keep being this self-conscious about himself.
The three stepped outside their room, and Miku knocked on the next door over. This time Kaito opened the door, and suddenly Miku forgot why her song was so important. Thankfully, Rin was just as proud of it as Miku.
"Guess what Kaito? My sister already got a song! She's going to be super popular, right? Everyone will wish they were her," Rin boasted. Miku tried not to feel proud, but Rin's words made her feel like she was really important. Miku couldn't suppress a smile.
Kaito looked from Rin to Miku. "Is that so?" he asked, with the smile on his face that Miku had begun to love. "Well, do you want to come in my room and show me what you get to sing?" he invited, stepping to the side so they could enter.
Now that they were facing the window-wall, Miku realized the sun was starting to set. However, she didn't want to pass up a chance with Kaito and she decided it would be good to reenforce the fact that not everyone thought Rin and Len were 'weird and gross.'
She walked passed Kaito and waited for him to enter the room. Gakupo was reading on his bed, and gave her a small smile when she entered before returning to his book.
"Oh, Miku," Kaito said as he walked past her to his bed, "I have something to help you...focus," he finished, smiling. He walked back to her holding a little clock. "This can sit next to your bed. If you set the alarm, you'll never wake up later than you want to," he explained.
Miku didn't know whether to laugh or to thank Kaito. She decided it would seem rude if she laughed, so she thanked him and Kaito began explaining how it worked. Rin and Len watched intently as he pressed buttons and changed the numbers.
They eventually found themselves seated around the little white table, and the night sped on, Kaito and Rin proving to have similar personalities; sometimes the conversation got so lively that Gakupo had to put down his book and listen, amused at their boastful bantering. Miku and Len joined in occasionally, but most of the time they only mocked what Rin and Kaito would say between themselves.
Miku had unconsciously started hugging her alarm clock close to her. Kaito noticed, and without missing a beat in his conversation with Rin, drew Miku into the conversation as well.
"Hey Rin," he said, pretending like he was pointing out an interesting fact, "Miku seems to really love that alarm clock.
Rin caught on to the game and smiled. "Oh, I think she just likes the person who gave it to her." Miku tried to defend herself but Rin just kept talking.
"I mean, I bet a lot of the new Vocaloids and Utauloids know now, everyone saw the way she blushed when you tapped her on the shoulder in class," said Rin, smiling with almost and evil look to her.
Miku's cheeks were deep red by now, but even Len, who was most supportive of Miku, was laughing. "Yeah, I saw that too," he agreed. Miku turned and glared at him, and he tried to stifle his laughter.
Miku sighed and gave in. "Ah, I guess the secret's out now. Everyone knows I'm head over heels for Kaito." Miku looked sarcastically at Kaito, trying her best to make it clear she was joking. This just made Len and Rin laugh more.
Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the apparent snores of Gakupo. "Wow, he snores loudly," whispered Rin. Len slapped her on the arm, and she gave him a look as if to ask 'what was that for?'
Trying to make up for Rin's blunt comment, Miku stood and motioned for the twins to get up too. "I guess we lost track of time," she said quietly, "even though I had this clock with me the whole time." She held it out at arm's length, pretending to be disgusted with it.
Kaito understood Miku had really wanted an excuse to leave, so he went to the door and opened it for them, politely bowing to Rin as if she were the queen. She giggled, and exited the room, followed by Len and finally Miku, who stopped at the doorway.
"Ah, sorry for the rowdiness of Rin," she said, "And for the implications about...well, you know..." Miku stopped and sighed.
"Rin's fine," Kaito replied with a wave of his hand. "She's so much fun; I love her," he continued. Then Kaito got that mischievous grin that Miku had seen on Rin's face. "Of course, not as much as I love-" Miku cut him off with a quick glare. Kaito put his hands up in mock surrender. "OK, fine. Good night," he said with mock stiffness.
Miku sighed again and left the room, hearing Kaito say behind her, "Some girls just can't handle a little embarrassment for the sake of a good time." Miku rolled her eyes. She entered her own room and collapsed on her bed.
"Great," she thought. "Of course I just left my song in Kaito's room."
In case you're wondering, the 'audition' song was Magnet. I never actually name a song in the story, but if I'm thinking of a specific one I usually give some pretty obvious hints as to what it is. I'm not actually a fan of Magnet, but I'm not unreasonably against it and I felt like it was a good idea here to introduce Rin and Len's uncomfortableness with being pinned down as having one relationship or another because they sang so well and then being mocked for it. (Thus the chapter title.)
Last thing: I totally felt like Miku did when she got her first song when I got my first review for this story :3