Like I said before, as much as I want to update my fanfics, I need to be wary of school too. Unfortunately for me, school took up so much time the past few weekends. But with snow cancelling school, I was able to finally work on this. *phew*
Thank you Rinkashima, pallapal, PandaPuppet, and everyone else for all your support! I really appreciated how much you enjoy this, and I hope I can continue to make this enjoyable for you all.
Here it is, the next chapter~
If only she didn't have an injured ankle, Miku would be able to practice. Until it was cured, Miku had been only watching her teammates practice and had went to their games to cheer them on. By early June, she became tired of watching them, feeling less motivated thanks to her injury, and she decided to simply go home after school one day.
She noticed her walking pace was slower than usual. If anything, it felt as if she had to put more force into walking. She didn't understand why. Before, she would walk at a quick pace with no problems. All of a sudden, walking was beginning to become a chore. Slowly, her pace became slower.
On the day she decided to simply go home, she chose to take the public bus and have it drop her off at her home. Normally, she'd just walk straight home, but seeing that walking was making her tired, she'd rather take a ride instead. As she walked down the street, she saw the bus already at its stop. Wanting to catch it, Miku picked up her pace and decided to jog there, even if it cost her more energy.
She didn't make it very far, as her footing failed her, exactly like it did that one April day. Just like that day, her arms did not break her fall.
"Are you okay!?"
As Miku winced in pain, a mature, feminine voice called out to her, and Miku heard footprints run towards her.
"Mama! Mama! Come out!" She then heard a child's voice cry out for the attention of her mother. "A girl fell right outside!"
Afterwards, Miku felt an arm on her body, and Miku was helped up. Then Miku opened her eyes as another figure came to her.
"Oh my!" This woman spoke as she saw Miku, and she ran to the side of Miku that wasn't held. With her arms around two people, Miku was helped inside a building, walking past a young girl with princess pink hair in low pigtails.
"Mama, she's bleeding!" The little girl cried out.
"I know," her mother, one of the two helping Miku inside a shop, spoke to her daughter. "I'll tend to her wounds. Now, go help mama and get the first aid kit." Nodding, the child ran into the back of the shop. Walking past the aisles, the woman, presumably the owner, left Miku with the other person who the former still didn't glance at, and she returned with a chair. "Please sit," she commanded. "I'll take care of your injury."
Miku was helped into a chair, and finally, she saw them. A girl in the same school as Miku, wearing the school uniform, but with a different color ribbon, a yellow one, indicating she is a junior, and her violet hair was tied into low pigtails, the same style the child's hair was worn in. She walked away as the owner returned with a kit. With a slender body, a nice buxom, and long pink hair that fell to her waist, she took out napkins and alcohol, and she began to clean the blood off Miku's face.
"You'll be better in no time, dear," the woman soothed Miku, and as she cleaned her chin with one hand, she used her other hand to wipe the dry tears away from Miku's eye.
"I have your school bag," the upperclassman returned, holding two bags, one belonging to Miku and one that is her own. "But you shouldn't run when your ankle hurts, but I understand. You were trying to catch the bus, right?"
"I was," Miku finally spoke, barely in a whisper.
"Also, you seem to be unable to walk properly," the girl spoke again.
"You can't walk properly?" The woman gasped. "How about you wait here until your parent or guardian picks you up?"
"I couldn't do that," Miku stuttered, blushing a little at the woman's sudden generosity.
"But I insist," she spoke next. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt again. I don't even want you to leave now. I rather call your mother right now and tell her to pick you up."
"You don't have to," Miku tried to reassure the woman that she's alright.
"It's fine," the woman told Miku pleasantly. "You can sit here, I can make her some nice cupcakes, and my daughter can keep you company when she comes back from school." For a few seconds, Miku stared at the woman in awe, and then she regained her composure.
"Thank you," she smiled.
As the day ends, Kokone walks out of her classroom, following Miki and Gumi as they discuss their plans for the day. At last, the weekend arrives. The trio walks down the hallways in a cheerful mood when Kokone feels a hand grab her arm. Turning around, she met the sweet blue eyes she met last week.
"Can I hang out with you, Kokone-chan?" Rin asks, holding her grip on Kokone's arm. Eyes widening in surprise, Kokone turns to her friends, only to see they didn't notice Kokone is no longer behind them.
"Sure," Kokone answers, knowing her friends will text her, asking where she has gone. "Will you be okay, Kagamine-san?" she asks.
"Call me Rin," the blonde girl tells her. "And I'm fine. I don't care if people tell my brother that I'm with you."
"That's good," Kokone releases a small smile, feeling happy to make a new friend. Even more, she became friends with a girl who is suffering the same fate she once suffered.
"Come with me," Rin orders, pulling Kokone with her. "I need to get my stuff." The two walk down the hallways as they reach Rin's classroom. As they go by, Kokone noticed a few students staring at the two.
"Isn't that Hatsune-san with Kagamine Len's sister?"
"What are they doing together?"
Entering the classroom, Rin finally releases her grip on Kokone's arm, and she reaches her desk near the center of the classroom. As Rin gathers all her belongings, Kokone takes out her phone and sees a text message from Gumi.
'Are you coming?'
- Gumi
Kokone's fingers press the buttons, giving a clear answer.
'I'm sorry. Something sudden came up. I'll hang out with you and Miki next week.'
She puts her phone back in her bag when Rin closes her bag. Ready to go, Rin walks to Kokone.
"Let's go!" Rin cheers, and she leads the way, with Kokone following her. They only took two steps out of the classroom when a familiar face stands in front of them.
"Rin, what are you doing?" He asks coldly, and then he saw Kokone behind his sister. "They weren't joking. You really are with her," he comments in a tone laced in a bitter flavor. "You know what she did to me on the first day of school."
"And you know it was an accident," Rin speaks back to her brother. "If you can't let go of the small things like that, you'll never be able to accept what's coming for you," she retorts, and Kokone realizes how much truth is in Rin's words. As long as Len can't let go of the past like this, how can he accept his disease? "Move," Rin commands, and grabbing Kokone's arm again, she broke through the crowd of Len's friends. As Kokone walks past him, their eyes meet. Cold bitter blue orbs stares daggers at sweet pink ones. Piko and Lui stares at the two girls in shock. Galaco and her friends are left in awe.
"Poor Len!" Galaco screeches. "To have such a terrible sister like her, hanging out with that troubled girl!"
"I'm sorry about him."
Rin apologizes as the two take a seat on the ground next to the tree, the same place they had first met the previous week.
"It's fine," Kokone tells her. "But you're right. He's really taking things too far."
"Exactly!" Rin exclaims. "And he thinks it's okay to do these kind of things just because he's popular! But…" Rin pauses, beginning to get stuck in her thoughts. "Would he really stay that way?"
With a sigh. Kokone answers. "I doubt it."
"I mean, won't anyone be understanding of the situation?" Rin asks.
Kokone shrugs. "No one was understanding of my sister's situation."
Suddenly, Rin remembers what she read in the book. "There was Megurine Luka and Yuzuki Yukari."
Hearing the names, Kokone begins to remember them. Ten years ago, Miku would wait for her mother to pick her up while she was in the shop owned by Luka. Yukari, who attended the same school, kept Miku company.
"We should go see them," Kokone suggests an idea. Rin turns to her in surprise.
"Can we? I'd love to meet them! They sound like really nice people!" Rin exclaims, wanting to meet the people who helped Miku during the tough times of her life.
"I hope I remember where the shop is at," Kokone comments as she stands up. Up on her two feet, Kokone looks at the school and spots a student walking by. Shoulder length pink hair that curls at the end, tied by a hair clip, and the school uniform complimenting her figure, she walks by with grace. As she stares, Kokone's eyes widen in recognition.
"Megurine Mizki!"
Kokone cries out the name of her childhood friend. The girl stops walking and turns her head to the source of the voice. Spotting Kokone, she stares, her eyes recognizing the brown haired girl.
"Hatsune Kokone?"
"I see," Mizki says as she takes Kokone and Rin to the shop where her mother works at. "Rin's brother as the same illness."
"That's why I've been reading about Miku," Rin explains. "My mother still doesn't want to tell Len, even though the doctors are urging her to do so."
"It's a tough situation," Mizki murmurs. "It's been so long since I last saw you, Kokone. My mother and Yukari will be pleased to see you. They've been wondering how you have been since your sister's passing."
"I'm sorry for not visiting the past few years," Kokone apologizes. "Ever since my sister became bedridden, my only focus was to see her every day and take care of her."
"I understand," Mizki turns and smiles at her. "Here it is," she gestures to the shop in front of them. Entering the building, Kokone and Rin saw the shelfs occupied by mugs, cups, and plates.
"They are all so pretty," Rin admires the items as she walks by.
"This place hasn't changed since I last came here," Kokone comments.
"Mom!" Mizki yells. "Guess who is here!" The three reach the register where a woman with long hair stands. Looking up, the woman stares in awe when her eyes fall on Kokone.
"Kokone, is that you?" she asks in surprise. "My gosh, you have grown up so much!" She exclaims, leaving the register to trap Kokone in her embrace. "How old are you now? Fifteen? Sixteen? And I see you're in highschool now, wearing the same uniform as Mizki! When I last saw you, you were still a young child!" Finally releasing Kokone, Luka examines her further. "You grew up to be beautiful like your sister," she whispers, and Kokone couldn't help but blush slightly.
"Ms. Megurine, are you okay?" A voice cries from the kitchen behind Luka. Another woman steps out, and seeing Kokone, she gasps. "Is that Miku's little sister? The little girl who would come here with her mother and play with Mizki as children?"
"Yes, it's little Kokone, Yukari!" Luka answers with a warm hearted smile.
"Mom, you're being embarrassing," Mizki sighs, though her smile never left her face. "You're behaving like this in front of Kokone's friend."
"It's okay," Rin whispers.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Luka begins to apologize and faces Rin. "I'm Megurine Luka, the owner of the store." She turns and points at her employee. "That's Yukari. She's been working for me for years."
"I'm Kagamine Rin," she introduces herself. "I'm a friend of Kokone's, and I've been reading about Hatsune Miku. My brother has the same disease."
"Is that so?" Luka's eyes widen. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Please have a seat," Luka tells Rin, taking her to the back of the room, seating her to a family table. Kokone and Mizki follows. "I'll make some tea for her. Yukari, please take care of the register," Luka commands as she goes into the kitchen.
"Your mother is really as nice as Miku describes her to be," Rin whispers to Mizki when they took their seats at the table.
"I know she is," Mizki smiles. Luka returns with tea for the girls. They drink the delicious joy made by Luka as she sits down.
"How is your brother right now?" She asks. "Did the illness just started."
Rin nods. "He is starting to trip on his own feet. I saw him fall during his basketball games."
"I see," Luka sighs.
Rin puts her cup down. "You were really nice to Miku during this stage, and I'm sure Kokone is grateful to you guys for it, but," Rin pauses before she continues. "Could you help me out too? This is really hard, and it's going to get worse. I don't want to see my brother get worse, especially knowing there's no…"
Tears are begging to slip out of her eyes, but Rin holds back. Luka understands immediately what Rin is saying.
"You are more than welcome to come here anytime."
Rin gives a meek smile, and Kokone puts her arm around her.
"It will be okay," she whispers. "I'm here for you."
Miku-nee
I visited Luka, Yukari, and Mizki today with Rin. I also met Luka's other daughter when she came home. I don't know if you met her because she was born several years after your last visit to the shop.
Rin and I had fun, talking to them, not only about you and Len, but about life in general. Even so, Rin is still left carrying heavy weight, but it seems a bit of it was removed when she met Luka.
Luka is very understanding and thoughtful. She owns a shop and takes care of everything, including her two daughters, as her husband is working abroad. She hasn't changed at all the past ten years.
I should visit her as much as I can.
AN: Let it snow~ let it snow~ let it snow~ I encounter a lot of people who forget it's still winter and wonder why it's snowing in March when it should be all sunshines and weather gradually getting warmer. People don't seem to remember how unpredictable March is. Anyways, feel free to review, and thank you for reading!
