Now that she was here, standing in front of the teal-haired girl that had invaded her mind for the last week, Luka had no idea what to do. All of her courage had slowly dwindled away as soon as those embarrassing words left her mouth, her face now matching perfectly with her hair. Nervously wringing her hands, the pinkette pulled back into her shell, her shoulders pulling closer to her body as she tried to make herself as small as possible.
"You don't have to apologize, silly." Grinning brightly, Miku playfully booped the taller girl on the nose, laughing as Luka's eyes crossed to stare at where the tealette had pressed her finger. Grabbing a hold of the shut-in's wrist, the pop-idol began dragging Luka down the road, the pink-haired girl stumbling slightly at the sudden movement.
"C'mon. I'm getting hungry and I know this great little restaurant just a couple of blocks from here." Panic shot down Luka's spine as the teal-haired girl pulled her down the street, her mind clouding over as dread started creeping into her thoughts.
Her free hand gripped the hem of her hoodie roughly, keenly aware of how under-dressed she was in comparison to the stylish pop-idol in front of her. Luka was worried that she was going to embarrass the teal-haired girl if she was caught in public with such a ratty-looking girl as herself. Nevermind the fact that she had not showered that day and slept in the very same clothes she was wearing right now.
Her heartbeat thrummed loudly in her ear at every step that took the pinkette further and further away from the safety of her home, her eyes clenching shut as she tried to block out the visual stimulation to help settle the rising panic building within.
Luka tried to quell the screams in her head by focusing on the soft, delicate hand wrapped around her wrist, how firmly yet gently Miku held onto her. It gave her an unexpected feeling of comfort that helped calm her mind enough to keep her anxiety attack at bay. For now, at least.
Miku happily dragged the hapless girl toward her favorite restaurant, blissfully unaware of her companion's mental state, so excited to finally share it with the pinkette after a week of disappointment and pining to notice the girls rising tension. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she declared this to be her lucky day after finally being reunited with the cute pink-haired girl she met all those days ago.
Something about the shy pinkette had pulled the rising pop star in as if gravity itself had shifted toward Luka with Miku being the only one to be caught in her orbit. And frankly, she didn't care, as her short time with the pink-haired girl had caused her heart to flip-flop and soar like nothing in her life had ever done before. Even if it was only just a little crush, Miku still wanted to see where this meeting could possibly lead.
"And here we are!" Letting go of Luka's wrist, immediately missing the gentle warmth it provided, Miku dramatically pointed toward a fairly nondescript looking restaurant, a beaming smile plastered on her face as she spread her arms out wide in excitement. "I'm a regular here so they'll get us a good seat. C'mon, c'mon."
Bouncing behind the stupefied girl, Miku began playfully pushing the pinkette into the restaurant, her joyful giggles drowning out Luka's feeble protests.
A soft ding announced the pair's entrance as they stepped into the tealette's favorite restaurant, Luka's blue eyes frantically darting across the building's interior, her heart hammering loudly in her chest as she took in the myriad amount of people packed within.
Pretty much every table in the restaurant was occupied, loud chatter ringing painfully in her ear like gunfire, the pinkette uncomfortably aware of every single person and their location in the building. So many people. Too many. Loud. So very loud.
Pressing one of her palms against her ear, Luka tried to drown out as many of the voices that she could, the pinkette not wanting to ruin this moment with the pop idol, it possibly being her only chance at making a friend. Taking deep breaths, the social recluse tried her best to quell the rising panic in her chest. She had to be strong. She couldn't lose this.
"Ah, Hatsune-san! Welcome back!" A large man with a well-kept mustache, his long hair pulled into a dirty ponytail, approached the twin-tailed with open arms, his mouth pulled into a joyous smile. "Got a nice spot for you near the back. Come, come."
"Thanks, Taro-san!" Grabbing a hold of Luka's wrist once more, the pinkette's heartbeat skyrocketing dramatically, the shut-in was pulled into the back of the restaurant, her eyes clenched shut as they passed by the other patron's tables, hoping to avoid their disgusted stares. She didn't want to ruin Miku's image, to tarnish it with her lowly presence.
Her fingers itched to pull her hood over her head, to block out the world until nothing but the silence in her mind remained. Too much. It was too much. She needed to get out. She needed to get out NOW!
"Luka-chan?" Snapping her eyes open, Luka stared into the worried gaze of the twin-tailed girl, Miku's teal orbs shining with worry. Noticing that they had arrived at their table, Miku already seated at the other end, the pink-haired girl could feel an embarrassed blush cover her cheeks. Quickly taking a seat, Luka lowered her gaze immediately, afraid to see the disappointed look on Miku's face.
"Hey, are you ok?" A now much too familiar warmth covered her hand, Luka's fingers nervously scratching on the wooden surface of the table, the pink-haired girl unaware that she had been doing it to begin with. Luka could feel a wave of shame fill her body, the chatter of the crowd seemingly rising in volume in her mind, their imaginary taunts and jeers piercing her heart painfully.
Ripping her hand free from Miku's gentle grip, the tealette letting out a small gasp of surprise at the unexpected move, Luka pressed her hands firmly against her ears, her head aching from the pressure she was putting upon herself. Quick, shallow breaths fired out of her mouth at a rapid pace, her pounding heartbeat painfully stinging her head as she tried to block out the world.
This was the worst possible scenario Luka could think of coming to life. Here, in a lovely restaurant with a famous pop idol, one who had treated her so kindly and who Luka hoped might even become her friend, and she was suffering from an anxiety attack. She hated herself, she hated her life, she hated how unfair everything was.
Painful tears stung the corners of her eyes, small droplets splashing noiselessly onto the table's surface, her pink hair obscuring her features. Luka regretted leaving her house that day. Even if she ended up alone for the rest of her life, at least she would not feel this horrible shame, she would not have ruined Miku's day. She would not be feeling this pain. Sometimes, being numb was the better option.
A soft, but firm hand on her arm pulled the pink-haired girl momentarily out of her spiral, feeling the person tug gently on her arm, indicating it wanted her to stand up. Placing her hands shakily against the table, Luka lifted herself onto trembling legs, letting the person guide her away from the table and through the restaurant.
Through the haze in her mind, Luka could just barely register Miku asking the man she had talked to earlier if they could use the back exit, the tealette's voice thick with concern and haste. The pinkette assumed he gave them the ok as she was gently escorted down an empty hallway and through a heavy metal door, her blue eyes staring distantly at the ground beneath her feet, the pair stepping quickly into the narrow alleyway.
The humidity of the outside world washed over Luka's body the second they passed the threshold of the exit way, the shaded alley only marginally cooler as it stood within the shadow of the multi-story complex next door, before she was pulled along onto the main street, the sun stinging her eyes momentarily as they adjusted to the light.
"Things are going to be ok." Miku soft voice cut through the fog in her mind momentarily, the pop idol's arm wrapped securely around her shoulder, guiding the despondent pinkette toward an unknown location. The social recluse kept her gaze locked firmly on her feet, watching them take step by step without any conscious effort on her part, relying solely on the teal-haired girl to move her forward.
After an unknown amount of time, Luka's mind unable to function properly as she fought to keep herself from shutting off completely, the sun's harsh rays were replaced by a gentle shade, the blinding light subdued to a soft glow. Lifting her head, the gentle breeze rolling through the city cooling her sweat covered brow, Luka examined her surroundings through cloudy eyes.
Miku had led them to a secluded park within the town's business district, a miniature oasis of green in a sea of corporate gray, the trees providing the area with some much-needed shade from the blazing sun above. A wooden bench, its surface lightly worn from years of use, stood before them, Miku ushering her to take a seat before plopping down next to her.
The pair sat like that for several minutes, Luka's head hung low as she kept her eyes downcast, trying to block out as much of the world around her as possible except for the teal-haired girl by her side, taking comfort in the fact that she had not abandoned her as soon as she could.
They sat like that for what felt like ages to the pink-haired girl, her breathing slowly coming under her control, Miku chiming in with occasional words of comfort and running soothing circles over her back. The pop idol did not push Luka to open up, simply gauging the pink-haired girl's reaction, giving her the space and time she needed to gather herself.
As the minutes rolled by, Miku and Luka slowly began sliding closer and closer to each other, the pink-haired girl's erratic breathing eventually evening out until she was back to a normal state. Resting up against the pop idol's side, her head placed comfortably onto the shorter girl's shoulder as Miku ran her fingers through Luka's long hair, the pink-haired girl couldn't help the relaxed sigh that passed her lips. At that moment, Luka felt a sense of peace and comfort she had not felt in a long, long time.
"If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you." Luka stiffened slightly at the teal-haired girl's sudden words, a slight bit of panic rising in her chest at the prospect of having to relive what she just went through. A gentle but firm hand on her temple pulled Luka out of her dread spiral, Miku softly rubbing her thumb across the side of her head.
"If you don't want to, that's ok too. Whatever you are comfortable with." Luka's heartbeat sped up at those simple, yet impactful, words, just knowing someone was there for her, not pushing her to talk about her pain, put her usually worried mind at ease.
"I'm sorry." Burrowing her face into the pop-idols shoulder, the teal-colored hair tickling her cheeks as it enveloped her, Luka grabbed a hold of the girl's blouse, her usual shyness forgotten as she pressed closer into Miku's side. "I messed everything up."
"No, you didn't. Everything is fine." Luka was surprised by the twin-tailed girl's steadfast denial of her words, the blunt honesty managing to bring a small smile to the pinkette's lips. This girl couldn't be real. No one has ever been this nice to her.
It brought Luka immense amounts of joy to know that Miku, famous pop star Miku, was such a kind and caring person, especially to someone as messed up as her. She hadn't left. Hadn't been scared away when she found out just how screwed up she was. Luka felt like her heart could burst at any moment.
"We can always make it up another time. Somewhere where you would feel more comfortable." Simply nodding her head into Miku's shoulder, a light dusting of pink on her cheeks, Luka's smile only widened as she softly closed her eyes, trying to enjoy this moment a little bit longer.
The sun was hanging low in the sky, bathing the city in a soft orange hue, when Luka and Miku decided it was time to head home, the pair walking down the empty street at a languid pace, simply enjoying each others company for as long as possible.
After Luka had sufficiently calmed down, the pinkette reluctantly removing herself from the girls side with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, the two of them sat on that park bench for several hours longer, Miku only momentarily excusing herself to buy the two of them some Vegetable Juice. With a sheepish smile, Miku explained it was her favorite drink ever since she was a kid after Luka gave her a quizzical stare, the drink not usually a very popular choice amongst their age group.
Sipping on their drinks, Luka wincing occasionally at the bitter taste on her tongue, the two talked for hours and hours, about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other's company, trying to learn as much as possible about each other as quickly as possible. A wide smile was plastered on the social recluse's face the whole time, truly enjoying finally having someone to talk to.
"I really like spending time with you." The pink-haired girl was pulled from her joyful reminiscing by Miku's sudden exclamation as the pair turned down onto Luka's street, the familiar two-story house coming into view.
"I..I enjoy spending time with you t-too, Miku-c-chan." Luka's face broke out in a dark red blush as she stuttered out the cutesy honorific, the twin-tailed idol having harassed her for several minutes until Luka agreed to refer to her by her first name. It took several extra minutes until she finally got her to use the -chan.
Walking up to her front gate, the black bars symbolizing her self-made prison much to aptly for her comfort, Luka turned to her shorter companion with a heavy heart, knowing she was returning to her life of isolation once more.
"W-well, this is my home." Shaking her head at how stupid she was, Luka remembering that Miku had been here before, the pink-haired girl gave the pop-idol a thankful smile. "Thank you for hanging out with me and helping me out."
"It's no problem, really! I had fun." Miku's infectious smile caused the pinkette to sport one of her own, causing the tightness in her chest to lighten slightly, knowing that even if it was just for today, Luka had been happy. Maybe one day, she can be again.
"Umm, I should go. I didn't tell my mom that I was going out today." Pushing open the front gate, it's hinges creaking softly from lack of maintenance, Luka took her first back into isolation, steeling herself for the inevitable emotional crash she would suffer once she was back in her room.
"Wait!" Jumping in fright at the sound exclamation, the pink-haired girl turned wide-eyed to the girl behind her, Miku's hand stretched out as if trying to stop her.
"I want to exchange phone numbers!" Miku pulled an expensive-looking smartphone, brightly colored with little trinkets dangling underneath it, from her pocket, pointing the screen toward the bewildered girl. "That way we can talk more and make plans to hang out again. We still need to make up for earlier!"
Luka stood dumbfounded for several seconds, staring unblinkingly at the cheerful tealette as she fumbled in her sweater pocket for her phone, unlocking the screen with shaking fingers. Loading the Line app, Luka held her phone out slowly, Miku excitedly holding her's close to the pink-haired girls, the unfamiliar ping of contacts being exchanged ringing like music in her ear.
"Yay! I'll text you later, ok?! I have an album signing tomorrow so I need to go. Bye, Luka-chan!"
Turning gracefully on her heel, blouse ruffling gently with her movements, Miku gave her new friend a cheerful wave before running down the street, quickly disappearing from sight down one of the side streets.
Luka stared at where the exuberant idol had disappeared for several seconds before lowering her head, her unblinking eyes fixed on the single name on her contact list as an ecstatic smile covered her face, tears of joy prickling at the corner of her blue orbs:
~Miku-chan~
A/N: Friendship has been established!
So, so, sorry for the long wait again. This is my fault for juggling too many stories at once and I apologize. Finding inspiration for this story can be hard at times while working on two other stories and all I can do is try and do better next time.
Things aren't immediately going to be easy for Luka, even if she has found someone who is more willing to accept her for who she is, the road to recovery being a long and difficult one. But Luka has taken her first step towards healing and that is sometimes the hardest one.
Thank you to every single person for giving this story a chance and I hope to be back much quicker next time.