Kaito went off somewhere this morning, I was worrying, but Miku was still sleeping her sorrows away, and Kaito could handle himself…I hope. For now, I was just making sure that Miku wasn't going to fade any more than she already had.
I yawned, I sorely wanted sleep, I lay my head on the table, and then I heard the door swing open, turning my head to the other side I saw, Kaito came back.
"What happened to you," I asked flatly, I really didn't need him to get into trouble now; I took in the slight of his bruised cheek and bleeding lip and what not. How in the world…did he get those injuries anyway, my tired brain was briefly registering?
He stalked past me and took out an aisu from the fridge, then slammed the door close. Then hunkering down, at his room's door frame, he popped the aisu into his mouth. Even in injury aisu is first to remedy bad moods apparently.
"You gonna talk to me or not…" the tone of my voice taking a softer edge, he didn't look good, but judging from what I see, he'll be fine in a couple of days, it was just too bad that I couldn't help him with holographic wounds.
"Am I wrong?" he murmured, "but Miku will fade without Barzini…what should I do…I'm the oniisan…but I can't do anything…" he ended bitterly.
I sat down in front of my vocaloid, our knees almost touching.
I peered into his eyes and said, "Hey. None of it is your fault, but you can't go around, doing what ever you've been doing, or being rude to Yoohyun."
He slid down and rested his head on my lap and looked up, his feet propped up on the door frame.
"But Miku…I can feel her hurt… and Barzini is not understanding the situation…" he said back.
"Barzini has his whole life with Miku, now he just wants time with Yoohyun before she leaves," I tried to explain.
"You don't understand!" he cried out, frustrated with me, "we are programmed to be with our masters, we want, no, we need the attention…Miku especially…she's not used to being rejected, she not used to being alone…" he finished his outburst, "like me..." he whispered under his breath, so soft I almost didn't catch it.
I think my heart was breaking for my dear vocaloid, in some ways he was like me when I was young, never really quite fit in. Then I smiled a reminiscent smile, of course, it was supposed to be that way, our companions were 'made' for us, almost like our other half. Perhaps now, I could see why our vocaloids were always so devoted, to me he was just a program anymore either, the times we shared together were always special.
And then I felt it, his weight, his features, sharper now, like he was…but…it couldn't be, I tentatively touched his hair, then sinking my fingers into it, as the truth sank in as well, he was … real.
"Oh geez…ohmygosh…" I gasped, half wanting to push him off, and half wanting to hug him.
"What," his head snapped up, apparently aware of my distress, and looking for the source of it.
"You're…you're…" I couldn't bring myself to say the words.
He looked down at himself, "Real…" he finished the sentence for me, he didn't look surprised.
My eyes were wide as I looked up at Kaito, "but…you're a hologram…" I trailed off, waiting for an explanation.
He started hesitantly like he wasn't sure how to break the news to me, "I think, my emotions overrode the computer system."
I blinked, not really comprehending.
"Crypton did warn us about it, but no one believed it," he ended, as if his explanation helped.
"Did you believe it?" I asked curiously, I wasn't afraid, just stunned. I took a step towards him, and wrapped my arms around him, he was warm.
"I think…I did," he whispered, and then suddenly he was back to his normal self, as I felt my hands begin to sink into him again.
Stepping away from him, I asked, "So…you become real when you experience extreme emotional stress or something like that?"
"I guess so…" he agreed and answered.
I thought back about the day of auditions, when I was the first to clear the test, and together with Barzini in the room, with that strange man telling us about teaching our vocaloids feelings, emotions. Was this what he meant?
Shaking my head, I put two and two together, "Is that how you got …" the revelation dawned on me.
"You really turned real and tried to punch Barzini…" I whispered, half in awe, half in shock.
"Yea…turns out his taekwondo reflexes were just too fast…" he said with a tinge of regret.
"Wait…so that means Barzini knows…" my mind was fully alert, putting together information.
"I think so…but he was so angry, I don't know if anything registered…"he paused for a second as if remembering something, and then continuing, "…Hannah and Meiko were there too…"
"So…only you, me, Hannah, Meiko and maybe Barzini knows…"
He nodded.
Okay, that was good, I was guessing that since, Crypton didn't tell us anything about this turning real thing, that would mean that it was supposed to be a secret of some sort, so the less people that knew of it the better.
"Kaito-nii…" someone mumbled at the door way.
Miku was standing there fully awake, and staring wide-eyed at the both of us, she was looking at Kaito's bruised face but didn't say anything.
"Miku-chan…" I started, "how long... have you been standing there?"
She cocked her head to the side, "We can become real?" she asked quietly.
Kaito and I looked at each other, unsure as to how to respond to that question.
"Well…" Kaito said hesitantly.
"It's true, what our creator-sama said is true." She said with wonder, then looking lost again, "…will Barzini want me if I'm real?"
Miku was trying so hard to be accepted by Barzini, she was trying so hard to be the best for him, and now finding out that she could really be someone Barzini could hold and touch.
"Barzini doesn't deserve you real if he can't even accept your feelings now," Kaito said coldly, so suddenly that even I was speechless for a few seconds, "you are too precious for that…" he ended simply, pouring all his care, concern and affection towards Miku in that line.
Miku's eyes spilled tears, "so…it's no use?" she questioned childishly.
Well, of course my thoughts were running, that if Miku became real it would probably freak Barzini out and cause their already widening gap to be bigger, Barzini wasn't as…what's the word…um…accepting when deviations from the norm happen right in front of his eyes as compared to me. I mean I like to imagine myself as the calmest person when it came to realising that my vocaloid could become freaking Real (with a capital R) when his emotional circuits tripped. But back to the matter at hand, how in the world was I supposed to put that into words to Miku.
Kaito opened his mouth to speak up, when 'pan pan pan pan meron pan!' rang cheerfully in the air and we all froze.
Picking up my cell phone, I felt Kaito and Miku's eyes on me as I opened my newest text message from Barzini.
Yoohyun has invited the clique to Korea, an exchange programme with SM. It's in two days, so SeeU.
I quickly read the text out loud, and, this was just another problem piled on to the existing ones, by clique he probably meant the whole music project group, that also meant it couldn't be declined, and so if I was going to see a peaceful trip to Korea, we'd better solve this issue first.
"I don't want to go to Korea with that wom-I mean Yoohyun," Kaito corrected himself when I shot him a look.
Then Kaito turned to Miku and said, picking up the conversation from just now, "and Miku, you don't need him…you have us…" Ah, I see what my dear vocaloid was trying to do, if you can't have it then try to forget about it or something along those lines.
Miku didn't look like she understood that, she whispered, her voice trembling, "l-leave Barzini…" that thought obviously had never crossed her mind. She looked at Kaito and said, "Kaito no baka!" and then she ran out of my room. Should I go after her? I decided to text Mai and Luka to help with Miku first.
I sighed, that wasn't really the best way to handle things, but what was said was said.
"She left…" Kaito said, looking a little lost.
And me, I just needed to sit down, for one lack of sleep and fighting vocaloids did not bode well for my energy levels.
There was silence for a while, but not a very nice kind of silence so I spoke addressing the only other person in the room, "that wasn't very wise."
"I know…" he replied solemnly.
"I can't exactly turn down the Korea trip either," it was a statement not a comment.
"I know…" he said again.
"You can't be like this…"
"I can't help it, I never want Miku to feel unwanted…" another statement.
"We have to solve this before the trip…that's 48 hours…" I ventured into the unspoken territory.
"How…" he mumbled, well wasn't that the big question…
I got up from my seat, no matter how tired I was, there were things to be done. "We need to find Miku first," I said, determined.
Xxx
"Did you find her?"
Mai shook his head, resting his hands on his knees, panting. Luka, Mai, Kaito and I were searching the huge campus grounds, in-between lessons and finally just skipping them, for the teal haired vocaloid and it seemed to be pretty much futile. We had already been about two hours into the search, and it was nearing lunchtime. Barzini was still hosting Yoohyun, well he had special permission to miss classes so I guess…
We regrouped at the school's café, and we all ordered chocolate milkshakes and sandwiches.
"Ah…I needed that…So what do we do now?" Mai said, finishing up his sandwich, hands reaching for his PSP, well got to give him some credit for keeping his hands off it for so long already.
"I don't know where else…" Luka sighed; even she was at a loss.
I bit the straw of my milkshake, I don't think she went out of the large school grounds so where was she?
Kaito had a dazed look, his bruise was turning colour already, vocaloids healed faster than humans? He was lost in his own world it seemed, until suddenly he jumped up, and ran toward the dorm block.
I stoned for a while. Dorm block? There was nothing there but our rooms… of course! I shoved my chair back hard, "You guys take a break," I called over my shoulder as I hurried after Kaito. It should have been obvious from the start, where else would Miku go back to but Barzini's room.
Xxx
My hands fumbling as I reached my room door, I roughly slid in the card and pulled it out, jamming the handle down, throwing the card on the table, the cover over the hole in the floor was open already. I slid down with no hesitation, trying to land as lightly as possible. It did feel a little intrusive walking into Barzini's room without his permission, but I guess at times like this…
Sure enough, the two of them were there, only not in the position that I expected them to be in. Miku was sitting in front of Barzini's computer, and Kaito was standing behind her.
Kaito moved when he sensed me come in, "Looks like I was wrong…" he murmured. Still worried, I walked over, and peered at the screen, wondering what it was that they were looking at…
Today, 1:32am
I never meant to hurt anyone. I love that thing I own. I don't even know if I can call Miku 'it' in front of other people. I use that term "she" now. As far as I'm concerned, she's mine and I love her more than anything I have. Yoohyun's coming didn't really help me with this concept. One day, what if Miku becomes real? What would I do? Otthokae?
It was Barzini's personal blog. I'm guessing he fell asleep while writing and forgot to logout, otherwise, there was no way that cautious friend of mine would ever leave his blog open.
"Miku-chan…daijoubu?" I gently shook her. Judging from the links that changed colour when you have clicked on them, I was guessing she had already read all her masters thoughts about her.
"Nicole-sama…" she finally looked up at me.
"And so…" I tilted my head to the side.
"Barzini-sama…wrote so many nice things about me…and all I did was…" she reached out and touched the screen.
"Haiz, so you've always had a place in that guys heart," Kaito said, almost with a cocky attitude.
Miku whipped her head around so fast, I didn't have time to duck when a wall of turquoise enveloped me, "It's Barzini-SAMA!" she glared at Kaito.
"Hai~hai~" he put his hands up defensively, a small smile on his face.
"Puu~" Miku hugged her knees, "arigatou…for taking care of me…" she mumbled, looking down at the floor.
"Glad you're feeling better Miku-chan~" I smiled. She just needed to be secure in her place in Barzini's heart, and now that she had that, perhaps she could live with Yoohyun in peace till the end of our Korea trip.
"Kaito-nii, help me wear my kimono...?" she asked, somewhat shy or reluctant I had no idea.
"Of course, imouto-san," he hugged her, "it was so scary seeing you fade, don't do that again." He scowled.
"Hmph," Miku huffed, as she climbed up to my room, and Kaito followed
Of course, I was happy for Miku for now, but I still had my doubts for what will happen when Barzini found out that his dear Miku could indeed become real.
I turned the laptop back to stand-by and climbed up after them, firing off a message to Luka and Mai that Miku was found.
Xxx
"JAJAN~!" Miku twirled in her newest kimono, the very same one that Barzini bought for her not too long ago.
She looked pretty, honestly almost breathtaking, making me slightly jealous but well, it was beautiful furisode, base colour was pink, patterned asymmetrically, almost plain on one sleeve to fully decorated on the other, the three layered kimono was also beautifully colour co-ordinated at the hems, and the obi, was just a darker shade of pink, with added teal and purple decorations, with the ribbon at the back that Kaito was still helping to arrange a wonderful colour to end off the piece.
"You sure you want to tie the fukura-suzume musubi (puffed-sparrow knot)?" Kaito asked from behind her.
Miku turned to look at the blue haired vocaloid and pouted, "of course!"
Kaito was surprisingly good at doing this sort of things, as well as handling the long long hair of Miku's as well, as he reached for the hair piece.
I clapped my hands, "Miku-chan…kirei~"
"Desho!" she said happily, twirling around.
"So now that you are so prettily dressed, where are you going?" I asked curiously, I mean seriously under all that layers, in the Singapore heat…
She looked solemn as she replied, "I'm going to hold a tea ceremony…Nicole-sama will help me right?"
"Eh…EH!" this was certainly out of the blue, "wait, like a tea ceremony now?"
Miku nodded, "I have…I have to say sorry to Barzini-sama…"
"You want to do a tea ceremony in a furisode!" Kaito almost shouted, shaking his head.
"Why not!" Miku retorted.
Kaito sighed, not like he could do anything after all that effort to put on that elaborate kimono. Honestly an Iromuji (plain coloured) type of kimono would have been more appropriate.
"So…Nicole-sama will help me find Barzini-sama …and Yoohyun-sama?" Miku said in a small voice.
I nodded, "I will call Barzini now."
"Then I'll help you with the preparations," Kaito told Miku, resigned.
Xxx
One hour later…after explaining to Barzini and Yoohyun that they were invited to a tea ceremony, only I didn't tell them by who…
I lent Yoohyun one of my kimonos and, was helping her to tie the ribbon at the back, a simple butterfly knot, everything about Japanese tea ceremonies were simple, Miku was probably the only one to do it in an elaborate furisode.
"Done, shall we go?" I held open the door, I still didn't really know Yoohyun well, but I guess after this tea ceremony we'll see how it goes.
She nodded, Barzini was already waiting outside, all dressed in the men's kimono.
"So…there's a tea ceremony room somewhere here?" Yoohyun asked.
"Yep, it's near the castle-looking structure…" I replied, I assumed Barzini took her there before as her nodded with understanding.
The tea ceremony rooms were free for all only that most people didn't use it because the amount of preparation was enormous and you had to do it properly or risk the anger of the sensei that teaches the Japan culture class if he finds out.
We were already drawing stares by the time we had washed our hands and reached the small garden that was paired with the tea room.
I moved to remove my geta, and waited for Yoohyun and Barzini to do that same.
Kaito slid open the rice paper doors, and motioned for us to enter.
Tradition did dictate that we were supposed to admire the calligraphy by the side of the room, but I guess, we just skipped that step…
"Daebak…" Yoohyun said, looking around excitedly at the medium sized tea room.
We quickly taught Yoohyun the proper seiza position and seated in accordance to prestige that meant Barzini was the first and I was the last, since this ceremony was meant for Barzini.
Then, Miku entered from the other door, she daintily sat down at the host position, in seiza she bowed deeply once to Barzini. Barzini's eyes widen, obviously not expecting that, or maybe Miku-chan was just too pretty in her kimono, he completely missed the cue to bow back.
Then Miku looked up and said, "Gomenasai, Barzini-sama…"
She looked to me, and I smiled encouragingly. Taking another breath she continued, "Miku was selfish, she was jealous of Yoohyun-sama," she paused to nod at Yoohyun, giving her a small bow, "I was scared that you didn't want Miku anymore."
Barzini gave me a questioning glance, but I shrugged at motioned for him to continue listening to Miku.
Looking up, at Barzini, "but Miku won't doubt Barzini-sama anymore…I will try to be more mature from now on." she finished.
I could see the approval in Barzini's eyes, "you look very pretty today Miku," he complemented; he shuffled over the tatami mats and patted Miku on her head.
Miku smiled up at him happily.
Then the door slid open somewhat forcefully, "Oshoukuji junbi owarimashita (The food is ready)," Kaito said formally from the side.
I figured since we were ditching the rules to tea ceremonies, I stepped over to help Kaito with the touch activated trays.
"Did you have to slam it so hard," I whispered to Kaito.
"Well, they were about to hug," he gritted out.
"Haiz…" I shook my head, over-protective as ever.
I could see Yoohyun was really happy about the food, "well, then I think we should eat," I said, clapping my hands twice, I said, "itadakimasu~" My chopsticks breaking into the salmon.
True and true to our abandoning of Japanese tea traditions, Miku just started preparing the tea when we were eating dinner. Kaito rolled up his sleeves and helped as well. I was only crossing my fingers and hoping none would catch us.
Washing all the utensils, Miku measured just the right amount of green tea powder into the bowl and added hot water, using her other hand to hold up her sleeve she whisked the tea using swift motions. The devices were vocaloid activated so whilst they can be performing the motion of brewing tea, in actual fact, it was brewing itself.
"You're really good at this," Yoohyun complemented Miku.
Miku gave another small bow, "arigatou, Yoohyun-sama."
When the tea reached a certain consistency, Miku bowed to each one of us in turn.
"Barzini-sama, dozo," she presented the teacup to him, rotating the cup once he drank, and said, "This is good~ Miku, you need to make my tea for me next time."
"Of course, Barzini-sama!" she said back happily, before serving Yoohyun and finally, me.
Yoohyun and Miku got on quite well throughout the night, and soon we retired to our rooms.
Xxx
I rolled onto my bed after my bath, and watched as Kaito walked into my room.
"Say just curious, but why did you ask Miku if she was sure she wanted to tie the Fukura-suzume musubi?" I asked Kaito.
"Ah…you know furisode is worn by unmarried women in Japan right?" he started off at a tangent.
I nodded in understanding, "uhhuh…"
"Well, traditionally, if you tie that knot with a furisode it indicates that that person was…well…available for marriage…" he trailed off.
I think I wanted to laugh, but all I could manage was a cough, "so…err…"
"Yea…I don't think Barzini-san will know the meaning of that though…" Kaito said.
"Hmm…I see I see…so you okay with Barzini now?" I asked my vocaloid.
He narrowed his eyes, "for now… I shall…observe him…"
I truly laughed now, "you know you sound like Miku's dad or something."
His eyes opened in horror, "I could never be as great as our creators-sama!"
I waved a hand at him, "okay okay, chill chill…I was just saying…"
He stuck out his tongue at me.
Xxx
I woke up the next morning, finally at some sort of peace, cause well, there was no one today to wake me up at abnormally early hours like the past few days. I did some studying, some packing for the trip tomorrow, by the time we came back from our lovely Korean exchange it would be straight in to exams.
The day ran off without a hitch, till a soft knock on my door, opening it I found Miku at my doorstep.
"Wassup?" I asked. She looked much better.
"Well, Barzini-sama and Yoohyun-san went off to get some local goods before we were going to leave tomorrow." She said, with a small smile.
"And?" I prompted, as Kaito handed her a blue sea salt aisu, and we settled down at the table.
"I found a folder on Barzini-sama's computer…" she replied, taking a bite of aisu.
"You sure it's okay to be prodding around Barzini's stuff?" I asked skeptically, I mean it was thanks to his computer that we saved Miku but after that?
"He said that I could use it if I wanted to," Miku defended.
Kaito smirked, and added in a jibe, "I bet he was just guilty leaving you at home…"
Miku ignored him and continued, "and so I found a folder named, 'Songs Composed for Miku'."
"Ohh," now this was interesting.
"But I couldn't open it!" she blurted out.
"Ah…I see…"
"It was password protected," she said, from the sound of it, it looks like she had tried to guess the password but failed.
"Miku-chan~ you can think of it this way, maybe Barzini just wants to give you a surprise or something…" I tried explaining, "so you should be patient…"
"Oh…I'm not very good with bring patient…" she told me.
"Think of it as your bid to become more mature," I nodded at my own words, as if I were saying something wise.
Miku's eyes widened fractionally, and she nodded, "thanks again Nicole-sama!"
Xxx
When she left, Kaito said, "You know Miku treats you as some personal life consultancy agent."
I laughed, and said, "I'm not all that wise you know, and sometimes I think she's quite brave to say sorry and all that."
Kaito came up behind me and rested his chin on my shoulder, hugging me.
"She is isn't she;" he said almost proudly, "wish I could be as brave as her too." He ended thoughtfully.
"Yup," I nodded in agreement, my reflection in the mirroring my actions.
I patted his head, "we should sleep now, 8am flight tomorrow."
He turned, and for a moment his lips touched my cheek, "Oyasumi, Nicole-sama." He whispered.
Wha-what was that for… as I watched him walk to his room.
Xxx
As we boarded that same plane we took to Japan, I buckled my seat belt, thoughts kept running through my head, I just couldn't get last night out of my head, I peeked a glance at Kaito, and he acted normally, just what did that kiss mean? I mean it was nice, but…but…at this point, uwahhh…just what should I think!
Xxx
Andd…I'm done~… haha! Konnichiwa minna~ Arigatou for reading ne~!
Hope this chapter helped with the character development… and for the "*COUGH* romance *COUGH*"… that is to come ~ with more chocolates and ice cream and all sweet things that happen during Christmas…:3…I digress…
And! And! Before I go~
Barzini is a N.I.C.E. person! –grins-
N.I.C.E. person= Noticeably Incredible Caring Encouraging person! :D
Ja Arigatou~ Mata Na Minna~ :3
Barzini: ._.