Len woke up with Miku sleeping in his arms. Len stroked her head, but it made her wake up instead.

"Hey, good morning."

Miku rubbed her swollen eyes and looked at Len, with a smile. Len stroked her cheek with his thumbs.

"Len, Iー"

Len kissed her before she could say anything else. He didn't want to hear it anymore. He didn't want her to apologize to him over and over. Tears ran down Miku's cheeks, clutching Len's back as he kissed her. Releasing her lips, Len brushed away her tears with his thumbs.

"Miku, I meant what I said yesterday. I'll always be by your side no matter what. Everything will be okay, for whatever is happening. I promise." Len moved Miku's hand and placed it to where his heart was. "Can you feel it? It beats for you and only you alone. Nothing could take you away from me."

Miku placed her ears on Len's chest. She could hear his heart beat rapidly. She closed her eyes and took a breath before going back up again. "Come on, it's almost noon. Everyone must be searching for us."

Len held Miku's hand and walked together to the kitchen where they saw Fukaae preparing Lunch. Fukase turned around as he heard them coming, holding the frying pan in his right hand.

"About time, Kagamine. How long are you gonna make me do your chores?" Fukase rolled his eyes.

"Haha... I'm sorry, Fu." Miku let go of Len's hand and nodded to him that she'll be fine, heading to the living room. "Here, let me help you with that."

Fukase handed over the frying pan and leaned on the counter, folding his arms whilst eyeing Len curiously. Len felt he was being stared at, so he turned to Fukase.

"What are you giving me that look for?"

"Nah, just wondering why you went to her room in the middle of the night."

"Do you mind? Keep it down!" Len whispered.

"Oh come on, Kagamine. Haven't you realized? Jii-san and baa-san already knew."

"W―What now?" The frying pan almost fell from Len's hands when he heard what Fukase said.

"Nevermind that. What's going on exactly between you two? I thought you fought yesterday. Now you're holding her hand like there was nobody else in the world."

"It's, uh... complicated." Len dropped the grilled salmon on an empty plate.

"So what you mean exactly is that you don't know."

"...She didn't say what she felt to me though. I told her how I felt about her. That I wanted her. But there's this some kind of... wall between me and her. And it's preventing her from reaching me. I just can't put my finger on it..."

"Well you both look fine now. That's the only thing that matters, right?"

"I... guess."

"Hey, no guessing. You must trust yourself. Be confident in every thing you do. If you don't trust yourself, then how could she even trust you?"

"It took you both a while. Jii-san and baa-san are starving because of the both of you."

Miku's voice startled them as she came in the kitchen with Len's grandparents, taking their seats.

"Kagamine took a while cooking those salmon."

"GーI, uh... got lost in my thoughts. Sorry, heheh..."

"Enough the both of you. Come, otherwise the food's going to get cold." Len's obaa-san shook her head.

All of them ate in silence, but only Len and Miku didn't realise that Len's grandparents and Fukase were sending eye signals. They were planning to ask both Miku and Len directly, but it didn't go so well. As no one was brave enough to speak, Len's ojii-san voiced himself out.

"Len, son?"

"Yes, jii-san, what is it?"

"Me and your baasan observed that you and Miku got a little close." Len and Miku simultaneously stopped eating and looked at Len's grandparents. "Are the both of you seeing each other?"

Miku splurted the water that she half drank. "No!" Both Len and Miku replied in a loud voice it surprised the others.

Len looked at Miku. "Ga―ah, I mean, we uh..." Miku gave Len a look that said she trusted him, and it made Len feel confident in himself. He looked back to his grandparents. "We're not going out, yet. We're in the middle of getting to know each other. But Miku, she... she's someone special to me."

Fukaae's eyes widened at the sudden confession. Miku gave Len a smile as her thanks.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, jii-san, baa-san."

"Len, we were not asking because we want to scold the both of you for not letting us know. We just want you to know that we support you in everything you do," said Len's jii-san.

"We are happy as long as you're happy. Your happiness is the only thing that matters dear."

"Jii-san... Baa-san... Thank you."

"Oh well, the salmon's gonna get cold if we keep on talking like this."

Len and Miku went out after they had lunch. The weather was perfect for a walk to the hill. The sun was out, and little to no snow was falling. They sat under the cherry tree, leaning their back against the huge tree trunk.

"You know," Len started. "I used to be bullied a lot back in high school. I got so tired of it I thought that if I avoided people, they wouldn't even bother to notice and bully me. No one would even know you exist."

"That's why you don't want to make any friends in college..."

Len nodded. "But, I don't know... it feels so much different with you. Much different than being friends with Fu."

"Maybe because he's a guy...?"

"And here I thought he's a girl."

"I was just kidding!" Miku laughed. She went silent, seeming to be deep in thought before she spoke again. "Len, this might sound weird, but... what would you do if I were to die tomorrow? Or any other day in the future."

Miku's question made Len uneasy he turned to face her with a frown on his face. "What? Miku, why would you ask that?"

"Well, I mean, I want to live long, but I'm just... curious." Miku gave a smile.

"I definitely wouldn't let you die so easily if that's gonna happen."

Len was surprised when tears suddenly ran down Miku's cheeks.

"Hey, why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?"

"N―No, I'm just... happy." Miku wiped her tears with her sleeves, but then Len wiped them off with his hands.

"You cry a lot on happy stuff."

"Yeah... I guess I do. Oh, and Len. About what you said..."

"Hm? Said about what?"

"This morning, when you said that you meant what you said."

"Oh... that..." Len suddenly felt embarrassed. He didn't feel as brave as he was when he first said it.

"I might not say it, not because I don't want to admit my feelings or anything... I just don't express my feelings a lot with words. I act my feelings out. W―What I mean is―"

Len held his finger before Miku's lips. "I know... I know... You don't have to say it if you don't want to, but I know. And don't say anything about dying anymore. The thought of you dying makes my heart break." Len held Miku's hand.

Miku nodded in reply with a smile, wiping the last of her tears away.

"Now, come on. It's getting dark here, let's go home."

Len and Fukaae were watching televison with his grandparents in the living room. Miku was cleaning the kitchen after they ate dinner. Len was about to drink his glass of iced lemon tea when he realized it was empty. Standing up, Fukase stopped him.

"I'll get it," he said.

Closing the sliding door behind him, Fukase saw Miku washing the dishes as he went to open the refrigerator. Closing the refrigerator door close, he took out one bottle of iced lemon tea when he saw Miku kneeling on the ground, clutching her head while grimacing in silent pain. Shocked, Fukase put the bottle on the table and went down to help Miku. He was sushed by Miku before he said a thing. He whispered instead.

"Hatsune-san! Are you okay?"

"I'm... fine..." Miku struggled to stand up, declining Fukase's offer to help her stand.

"No, you are not fine. I'm going to call the ambulance and tell the others."

Fukase stood up and went in the direction of the living room, but Miku grabbed hold of his pants.

"No, please, don't tell them. Especially to Len."

"But you need serious medical care right now!"

"Please, I beg you. I have my medicine. I will be fine." Miku finally managed to stand up with all the strength she could muster and took a seat, massaging her head. Fukase took a seat next to her.

"Hatsune-san, this is not the time to be hiding things, especially when it looks as serious as this."

"I'm begging you, Fukase. Please don't tell anyone."

"What if they found out? You know more than anyone that this would be a strong slap in the face for Kagamine if he found out."

"I can handle it. So please, I'm begging you again not to tell anyone. Pretend this never happened."

"Just tell me one thing. How long has this been, Hatsune san?"

Miku hesitated before answering. "Long enough."

There was more than shock in Fukase's face. He didn't want to ask anymore. Miku was as stubborn as a rock. She would keep on insisting if Fukase kept on wanting to tell them. It wasn't even a bargain to begin with. His heart was heavy, but what could he do?

"All right, I won't. But please, Hatsune-san. It won't do you any good if you keep hiding this. Someone will bound to find out anytime― and stay strong like you always do." Fukase went back to the living room with the bottle in his hands, giving a worried glance at Miku.

"I don't have that much time left for 'any good' ..."

N.B. I'm sorry if the story development is really slow. Please bear with me. Explorations'll end soon.