He believes she doesn't know. She doesn't have a reason to know, and there's no way for her to find out.

She's in the dark.

Oblivious.

That's what he had always thought.

Even now, in fact...

--

That last shoot went well. His singing was perfect, her's was too. Nothing fell over, nothing went wrong. He even decided to wear his glasses for a change, which made Teto all that much happier.

So why did he feel so numb?

Is it because he knows that, despite all the hard work and practice they put into making it, his sister is going to get all the credit for such a great video?

All because of him being who he is.

The director is thanking her at this moment, probably. He doesn't stick around though, he knows he isn't going to be thanked.

Instead, the UTAUloid chose to flee for home, legs picking up speed the more his mind continued to dwell on the thought.

Somehow, he reached the doorstep before his mind even registered that he'd made it home. With shaky fingers, the key turned the lock of the front door, and in he goes.

There's a laptop sitting on the coffee table in the living room, closed and turned off. Part of him is tempted to go turn it on and see what fan letters might say.

But why bother? Most of them are probably for her.

All around him feels like it's slipping into numbness, hand flying to his throat as it suddenly grows dry and painful.

He can't hold it in much longer.

Up the stairs and to his bedroom, it's the perfect place to retreat. Perfect for this. No one's home, no one will hear.

Even so, he locks the door, closes the curtains, turns out the light, all of which is preparation.

Heaving a long, choked sigh, the glasses come off and are folded neatly before being placed onto the side table.

And then, into the bed he falls, the tears finally, finally, allowed to come through. For the longest time, the pink-haired UTAUloid cries silently to himself, tiny mutterings occasionally escaping him.

"I don't want to be the 'second one'...I don't want to be 'just a genderbent'...I-I'm her brother! I'm Ted Kasane! I deserve just as much as she does! Why can't I have it? Why can't I...?"

The answer to that was already formed in his head.

Teto was the one whom was chosen. She was the one who had earned the right to join UTAU. And what had he been? Just a tag-along. Riding along on his sister's success.

She deserved it more than he did, that's all there was to it.

And yet, he knew that it couldn't be completely true.

Their voices bonded them together, fusing them as one person. Only, he'd just been the one whom no one seemed to give a second glance at.

Wiping his eyes furiously, Ted sat up briefly to look at himself in the life size mirror hanging on the wall across the room.

He can see where he gets his traits from easily. Teto's hair color, eye color, even the curl at the end of his ponytail resembled her twin-drill style.

The only thing he had that she didn't seemed to be his need for glasses. Although, no one ever could figure how exactly he gained such poor eyesight.

Even now, his image in the mirror is blurry and darkened. But he sees himself.

A gender bent, carbon copy of 'the diva sweeter than Miku Hatsune'.

Ted's gaze stared down at his wrist, pulling back his glove to look at it. Fine, tan skin...

Bringing his eyes back up to the mirror, it would have been an understatement to say he was tempted. He could break that mirror easily, just with a swing of his fist.

Yes, Ted could picture that very thought in his mind.

He'd curl his fist up and punch it as hard as he could without shattering it into tiny crystals...

He would grab the largest piece...

And stare at the reflection that was contained within it...

Hold it close for a moment...

Pause.

Contemplate.

Before stabbing it into-

"Ted-san!"

Snapping his head up, Ted tore himself away from the gruesome, gory thoughts before giving his eyes a quick wipe and snatching his glasses back up.

"Y-Yes, Teto?" He tries to keep his voice straight, but it falters into a quiver.

"You left...Are you feeling okay?" She asks innocently, cocking her head while standing outside the door.

Off the top of his head, words come flying out. "Yeah! I'm just, um...Not feeling so well today..." He lies, walking to the door while straightening the glasses on his face.

"Oh...Do you wanna sleep?"

Teto backed up when the door opened, looking up to meet her brother's eyes. They appeared full of life, a facade he'd grown well at mastering.

"Nah...Hey, why don't we go eat some French Bread?" Ted suggests, sure that he's convincing her.

She stared for a minute, looking him over for any sign, before the UTAUloid eagerly nodded her head. "Let's go! Let's go right now!" Teto persisted, grabbing either of his gloved hands and running with him sideways before letting one go.

"H-Hey! Wait! Slow down!"

"No! I won't wanna slow down!"

For the longest time, the two went running through the house, Teto dragging her brother along by nearly crushing his hand with her strong grip.

"A-Aren't we going to eat!?" He protested, wriggling around in struggle. The only response Ted gets is a beaming grin showing Teto's cat-like teeth.

When finally her hyperactiveness wore down, Teto collapsed onto the couch, panting hard. Ted sat next to her, huffing and puffing a bit more than herself.

"You...Just did that...To get me out...To play...Didn't you...?" Ted's voice drips with defeat.

"...Maybe..." She giggled beside him before sitting up and leaning her head into his shoulder. A look of surprise hit him, and faded into a small smile.

One of her hands snaked up his neck and into his hair, fingers absentmindedly playing with his long ponytail.

It's hard to deny he likes the feeling, after all, Ted had always enjoyed it when someone brushed or combed his hair. Whether that was another trait from Teto, or simply something of his own, he hadn't figured out.

"Ted-san..." For once, Teto's voice grew firm. "Don't run off next time. Everyone was looking for you cause they wanted us to celebrate finishing it together..."

Her fingers closed around the braid, pulling on it slightly as a punishment. Ted winced at this, but chucked a bit.

Since when had she developed mood swings like these?

"I'm sorry...I'll stay next time..."

"You better, you fool..."

Releasing his hair, she chose instead to wrap her arms around his stomach, leaning a bit further into his side.

Startled by the sudden touch, the older Kasane stared down with confused look for only a moment before returning the 'hug' as it were, arms draped over her shoulders so his hands couch touch her back.

The pair of siblings stayed this way for a long time, before Teto lifted her head to look at him.

His eyes were closed, and for once his smile was wider than it usually was when offset lately.

Teto stretched herself a bit higher until she was at his height, before leaning and whispering into his ear.

"I know what you were thinking. Don't ever think it again."

Ted's eyes snapped open, jaw dropping in shock. "B-But...How did...You couldn't have..."

She just gave him an innocent smile and whispered again. "I'm not going to let you go and do something that stupid, Ted-san. After all, you'd be missed by many, many people..."

His head shook slightly, out of shock or doubt, he wasn't sure.

Frowning to herself, Teto buried herself again in Ted's side and spoke quietly to herself.

"I'd miss you if you ever went away...So I'm gonna make you happy...You'll sing with me and dance with me and you'll be happy because everyone will love you..."

In her mind, she quickly added, "But they'll never love you as much I do..."

--

He believed she didn't know, that no one knew. They didn't have a reason to know, and there was no way they could find out.

She was in the dark.

Oblivious.

That's what he'd always thought.

But not any longer.