One day later, and I looked as good as new. Looks can be highly deceiving, though. My head throbbed. My limbs ached. I felt like nauseous constantly . Everything was shitty. I had been hoping a good night's sleep after suffering through dinner would've helped settle some of the pain at the very least. But hopes don't often come true.

Piko, on the other hand, knocked briefly on my door, before sauntering into my room with a wicked grin plastered on his face. Nothing good could come from this, I was sure.

"Hello, Kagamine~!" He sing-songed, glancing over me almost predatorily. I tensed, quickly racking my brain for a solution as to why he was acting so peculiar. However, I came up empty handed. "How are you on this delightful morning?"

Piko then made his way to my side, and I watched as he brought his hand back, before slapping me against the back, harshly. To anyone else, it would've looked like a friendly pat on the back, but the stabbing sensation I felt told me it was anything but friendly. I let out a hiss of pain, growling out a hostile "I hate you, Piko!"

The silverette snickered at my words, before jeering "Good. Because I loathe you too, Kagamine. It's nice to know we're on the same page."

All I could do was glare, as I watched him smirk, and stretch out his limbs, before he began heading toward the stairs, making his way to the kitchen. Both of us were on breakfast duty today, unfortunately. Which meant Piko and I would have to prepare Master's typical meal of a spanish omelet, bacon slices, and fresh squeezed orange juice, before delivering it to the jailkeeper himself.

Begrudgingly, I rose from my bed, and started following after the silver menace. I was surprised to find him not going downstairs, but rather leaning against his bedroom door.

"Did you forget that breakfast duty is downstairs, Utatane?" I questioned lowly, not wanting to deal with any more crap this morning.

Once more I was met with the same Cheshire grin I'd received earlier, and I just watched as he wagged his pointer finger at me in a condescending manner.

"No, no. I know perfectly well where the kitchen is, seeing as I wasn't the idiot that almost short circuited themselves yesterday." he chirped, clearly up to something. "But the other thing that happened yesterday, is that I saved your ass, and you owe me a favor. I won't make you wait, I'll be collecting it today. So, guess who gets to make Master's breakfast all by himself this morning~?"

"What!?" I cried, refusing to believe I'd heard him correctly. "You're joking, right!? I can barely move my arms today, and you're expecting me to handle his entire breakfast!?"

My outburst was met with a cold, calculating look.

"You don't want to do it, then? I guess I'll have to tell Master about your little escape attempt yesterday, and how you even set up a ladder so you could get in and out freely."

"I didn't put the ladder there!" I cried out in disbelief. He was blackmailing me!

"Ah, then how did it get there? Surely, if I tell Master it's there, he won't think I was the one who put it there." He explained calmly, knowing he'd won this battle.

I remained silent for a few moments, knowing there was no other option but to comply.

"Fine. I'll do it myself." I muttered out quietly, disgusted with how this morning was turning out.

"Somehow I knew you'd see things my way, banana brain. Have fun with the cooking~! I'm going back to bed."

I growled softly at the remark. "Fuck you, Piko."

He laughed loudly at that, and I couldn't help but overhear him reply with a smug "You wish you could." as he slipped back inside his room to sleep.

Today, I learned that Utatane Piko was no hero. He was the devil himself.

x-X-x-X-x-X-x

Cooking was hell, but I managed to get through it somehow. Regardless, the moment I was able to flop back down into my bed was absolutely magical. I was still livid with the bullshit Piko had pulled on me this morning. But at least I knew he wouldn't make me do anything worse as a favor to him.

After a while of just relaxing on my bed, I found that my thoughts wandered to yesterday. I'd failed my objective. Maybe I could still go through with it, though. I'd just have to try again, or find someone to ask what love is. The latter would certainly be easier. But then the problem became who to ask. All the older Vocaloids were out, as their loyalty to Master was enormous, and they'd definitely tattle on me. On the other hand, younger Vocaloids like Yuki and Ryuuto were out too, seeing as they were clearly too young to know. Rin and her friends weren't going to be any help either, seeing as they hardly ever went outside, and they'd have no way of learning how humans acted when they were in love. So who did that leave to ask?

I cringed as I realized something. Piko would know. The ladder was practically a confession that he snuck off to the outside world all the time. There was no way he'd be able to avoid learning what something like love was out there. I wanted to avoid the demon at all costs, but if he had the answers I so desperately craved, I knew I was going to have to ask him.

Piko is kind of an ass. I love him so much.-A