Chapter 5: Breaking Apart

After a month, everyone was there for each other. No one was kept away, their knowledge and care for each other grew unlike it has before.

MEIKO was helping Neru with cleaning, washing dishes, and cooking, in which she taught her how to cook the basics.

Miku was recovering well, and Kagamine never felt happier with her there.

Even Kaito started showing up out of his room for breakfast and dinner. He was still quiet, but no one could ask for more having his presence there with them too.

Unfortunately, there was one who wasn't as willing as the others.

Megurine Luka, she started back when the music industry launched the New Deal. The New Deal was a program of the music industry in the search for young talent, to be introduced and to make new hit singles. Majority of the singers introduced were considered "one-hit wonders." Making only one hit that sparked instant fame and popularity. Many of the companies, both independent and commercial, had many artists to spare.

Luka managed to get on board to one of the fastest growing companies, Crypton Future Media. She was believed to be too mature to be considered for the role, but her voice amazed them unlike any other participants. Her tone was soft yet had a dark and sophisticated atmosphere.

They discussed among themselves and had brought her in for a more professional recording. They were astonished. Her voice was going to help bring more of a balanced voice cast, so they had her signed in as an officially announced voice for Crypton.

Before she was introduced, she was shown, and was publicized to many artists for more engagement. This style had brought something special, and made others feel almost too envious. Luka, feeling the attention brought to her, felt she had owned the world with her voice. All the others, jealous, and only hoped to have a voice like her's.

MEIKO was her agent and voice coach, like she had for Miku and Kagamine. Luka believed she could have handled everything on her own, but MEIKO insisted, considering she was a veteran of the music industry. With MEIKO stepping in, treated Luka equally as the others, and if not for interfering, she would have gotten more. As so Luka thought.

She felt that MEIKO took away her chances of receiving more, she could have gotten her own place, and been more engaged in the industry itself. However, none of it was presumed to happen, according to MEIKO. Instead, she was just like the other two before her, and was nothing more.

Luka hardly showed up, even though it was urgent, she wasn't likely to follow suit. MEIKO received a call from her manager, and they said they needed her to return for brief meetings about all the happenings around the Complex.

MEIKO announced it to everyone about it, and they were all willing to help with tasks necessary for the Complex. Luka barely managed to show up and was furious that they somehow always wanted her. She never spoke about it but knew that MEIKO would ask for her assistance like before.

MEIKO arrived in one of the main meeting rooms, held in the center of Crypton Future Media. It was a standard table, all surrounded by twenty-three seats. Ten on each of the sides of the length, and two on the north width, and only one on the south width.

MEIKO sat at the one seat, as all the others were taken by various directors, roboticists, business associates, and the head of the Yamaha Industries, with at the side of him, the co-founder of Crypton. Unfortunately for him, being the only one who was born and raised in Yoshida, while the others are foreigners of the West Colonies.

"Thank you for joining us." A man sitting across from her said. "Let's get started."

They went over the course of Miku's sudden disappearances, making a slight downward slope of the generated interest. A way for them to be known of recent trends, and engagement of the people. These things can only last as long as people are satisfied with what they produce. They will only supply if there is a demand, which was one of the reasons Kaito and MEIKO would have been terminated from their contracts as the public demanded fresher faces, young to adolescence, and something very easily handled, hence the New Deal. On the positive side, which they mentioned, they are still the highest and most valuable producers of the music industry. But, due to recent events, there was no explanation as to why it has dropped, due to Miku's absence. It was a status meant to be maintained.

"What has become of Miku?"

"She had to take leave." MEIKO answered. "She was sick and needed treatment."

"We had sent her in for treatment, but she refused. Why?"

"She thought it was just something she could easily take a day or two to recover from, but it was much more severe than we thought." MEIKO continued.

"Is she better now?"

"Yes."

"Miku, our most cherished and beloved. Without her, we would have no success, and under these circumstances, we have been losing interest of the people, our shareholders, and other parties to help promote her going any further. If I may ask, how did she suddenly recover?"

"She needed more mentorship, I helped as much as I could, and she is well."

"What was her condition?"

"Exhaustion... being overworked...?"

The entire table laughed.

"Meiko, I'm afraid if these times were to continue as they are, then we might as well have Miku under our watch, instead."

"That won't be necessary..." MEIKO interrupted.

They looked at her.

"She is recovered now, there shouldn't be any more trouble brought to you, or the company..." MEIKO assured the table.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." MEIKO reassured the table.

They discussed whether to believe in MEIKO's words.

"Meiko, we have until now the reasons for her recovery were of a certain medical facility... care to weigh in on the whereabouts?"

"I only used the resources provided by the industry... no outside resources as part of our agreement." MEIKO implied.

"Interesting... because we have one key witness toward who may be responsible."

They showed her a person who was there at the time. One of the Crypton security patrol officers. He was present when Miku first had her incident. The one key that they had on additional resources was the file brought to them after Miku was returned from the source.

"The file reads, Yoshida Medical Facility, a document signed and dated by the doctor that goes by the name, Momone Momo."

MEIKO was silent.

"We have belief that Momo, an outside source, was one of the main ones involved in helping Miku recover. And we know she was independently working on identifying her condition, however, it read nothing."

"Nothing?" MEIKO questioned.

"None, not even a diagnosis or an evaluation of her physical state."

"Well, then that means she's well?" MEIKO asked with a slight chuckle.

"I'm afraid things are more complicated than that. As it read nothing was wrong with her, but the condition of Miku was, in your case, needed work, and after a week or so, suddenly recovered? What we need to know is... what was her condition? Why did she need time off? Why was Miku outsourced to Momo? And... What was done about it? None of your reports in your files mentioned such events."

MEIKO was silent and was unsure of how to explain such events.

It was another late night, and all but Luka was in the living room. She was a set on the couch, looking as glum as she was before. MEIKO sighed and knew what was coming.

"Another late night?" Luka asked quietly.

"Apparently so..." MEIKO sighed.

"Why?" Luka angrily continued.

"Why do you need to know?" MEIKO countered.

"Because... from what I've heard from the others... you quit." Luka said.

"Quit?! Quit, what?"

"Drinking, having late nights, out to the bar. You never cared so much before, but why now?!"

"I wasn't out drinking... I was on important business that I have to take care of!"

"Oh really?! Like what?! What could they possibly want you for?!"

"I am still your manager, not only for you, but for everyone here!"

"Yeah?! Well, I never asked you to be my manager!"

"Luka, stop... why now?"

"Because, if I had my way, we wouldn't have to deal with this!"

"What is it that bothers you, I ask very little of you?"

"I don't like having to babysit, they are old enough to fend for themselves!"

"They do not! You have no idea what it's like for them! They never had to do anything on their own, they were practically born out of the industry! They can't do normal things like everyone else!"

"Oh yeah, what about Neru? She has no reason for being here!"

"She does all the work around here! Your privileged ass isn't going to do what she does!"

"I wouldn't have to if I had been on my own!"

"You really think you're all that, huh?"

"I know so!"

"Oh yeah? Why didn't they say anything since then?"

"Because you already took it all away from me! You ruined every chance I had to grow! I could have been out of this place, instead of being treated like everyone else!"

"No, because you are just like everyone else in the industry! They're not going to spend extra time or money on you!"

"They would have if I was on my own!"

"You think it's that easy? Even if you were independent, they would have lent you to me regardless!"

"Bullshit!"

"It's true! Like I said, it's a business, they don't actually care about you! They want to make the most out of all of us, then throw us out!"

"Just because they've thrown you out!"

"No, it's because I'm the one keeping all of you in the industry! They can easily replace you all if things aren't turning out the way they want it! I'm in charge of that! If they grow tired of you, then that's the industry's choice, not mine!"

"You think you know everything!"

"I do. It's not about passion, or growing in the industry anymore... It's about trends, self-satisfaction, and easy money... no one is in this in the long run!"

"Well, you certainly aren't helping!"

"I'm the reason they haven't suggested throwing us out by now... it's a trend we have to constantly maintain and above... you on your own... it would have been too costly, and you would have faced termination a lot sooner!"

"That's bullshit, and you know it!"

"You're replaceable! As am I, as anyone!"

"Oh yeah, you're old, wasted... I'm still the hottest artist they have, and still have the best voice in this entire complex!"

"For how long?"

"As long as I want to!"

"I'm just doing my job, and I suggest you do your's. That's all I ask!" MEIKO concluded.

"Taking care of them isn't my fucking job!" Luka added.

"That's all you would be doing if you weren't in the music industry!" MEIKO yelled back.

Luka was angrily silenced.

MEIKO turned away, and slowly walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

In the other rooms, Miku, Kagamine, and Kaito were awake and heard the argument that went on in the living room. Kagamine was a bit frightened, and curled up further in bed, as well as putting on earbuds to listen to something else. Miku did the same, the fact that things have been going so well, it's started to feel like none of it ever happened.

There was another creak at the door, and Neru appeared. She had just got off from work, and she saw Luka standing at the end of the hallway, staring at the floor. Neru didn't want to get involved and tried to make her way to her bedroom. However, as she passed Luka, there was a tinge of rage under the breath.

"Where were you?!" Luka angrily asked.

"I had work?" Neru said softly.

"Work?!"

"I told you all yesterday, I had a swing shift."

"What's swing?!"

"Afternoons?"

"So, that's your excuse for getting out of the Complex?!"

"I told you already... I told everyone!"

"Just shut up!" Luka grunted, as she marched down to her bedroom.

"The hell?!" Neru questioned. "Dumb bitch!" Neru walked down the same hall to her bedroom on the opposite side. She climbed into bed almost immediately. There were no updates on Haku, but it didn't matter. All that was in her mind was the sweet sensation of closing her eyes from the rest of the world.

That same night, Miku felt a familiar chill running down her spine. With the things she overheard got her thinking of what it would be like without any of them later down the line. All alone and helpless.

It was that same feeling of that hopelessness she had when she was attacked by that being of white with the crimson eyes. It haunted her, but it was weaker. Hopefully, she thought, things will look up.

At this rate, even their music would be tainted, and it might even cause them to lose each other. Thrown out like garbage, even if they decide just to keep her and only her, the other's might not be so lucky.

"You think they care about you?" The entity would ask.

"Who?" Miku answered back.

"There's a reason why I'm here, but what about you?"

"I just want to make music... I wanna have friends... I wanna have a family..."

"You are setting yourself up to be disappointed. In the end, what really matters is how far are you willing to go, how much are you willing to go through to have it. You can't have both!"

"No… I can try."

The entity laughed. You care too much for those who don't.