Len kept on looking at Fukase. He was not usually this silent. Since last night after he went to take the bottle, Fukase's mind seemed to wander off for no reason. Today was Len's and Fukase's turn to do grocery shopping. Len sat with Fukase when they stopped for a break before returning home, drinking the hot chocolate they bought at Seven Eleven. Len took the chance to ask him. The street was silent, perfect for a private chat.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Hm? Why wouldn't I be?" He suddenly spoke like he used to after he sipped the chocolate.

"I don't know, you're just... too silent. What happened to being noisy?"

"Can't I be a little less talkative for a while?"

"Oh, come on. Don't lie to me. I know you like you're my own brother. You can't hide anything from me."

Len knew Fukaae far too well. Fukase was out of options. He decided to make something up to cover himself. "This might sound embarrassing, but I met this girl when I was on the train..."

"Nope, I'm out. I'm not really good at this if you even ask me." Len held his arms up.

Fukase breathed in relief. He succesfully took Len out of his zone of interest. Len won't even bother to ask anymore. On one side he felt guilty to Len for not telling, but he promised Miku not to tell. He can't help but apologize.

"Kagamine... I'm sorry."

"For what? Involving me in your love story? I'm fine." Len threw his empty cup in the rubbish bin. "Come on, let's go home."

They arranged the grocery as soon as they arrived home. Len glanced here and there, but he couldn't seem to find Miku around. Len's jii-san came from the living room to wash his hands in the sink.

"Jii-san, do you know where Miku is?"

"Hm? She said she was going out to do something."

" 'Something?' "

Not long after, they could hear someone entering the house.

"Oh, it must be her." Len's ojii-san said.

It was. Miku entered with a smile on her face. She didn't seem to bring anything, and Len didn't want to ask where she went. He didn't want to sound like an over-protective boyfriend when he wasn't one.

"I'm home!"

All of them gathered at the living room for afternoon tea and snacks near the sunken fireplace. Len made a fresh kettle of steaming crysanthemum tea while Miku brought out the red bean desert that Len didn't even know when she made it. It was freezing cold outside, the local news saying it reached a minus 10 degrees. Luckily everyone was back home before the yesterday-predicted snowstorm happened. The television previewed the preparations of the upcoming winter festival in three days time.

"Oh, that reminds me. Dear, have you prepared anything yet?" Len's obaa-san asked.

The three of them had their eyes open. Fukase gave Len a sideways stare. Miku and Len glanced at each other.

"Baa-san, am I... part of this too?" Fukase asked for confirmation.

"Well of course! Since you are here, why not you join what the two of them have prepared!"

"But Kagamineー"

"Yes baa-san, we uh... already know what we'll do."

"Oh, I'm expecting great things from the three of you."

"Could you, excuse us for a minute, baasan?" Miku stood up and took Len with her outside the end of the hallway. "Are you insane?"

"What? What did I do?" Len blinked in surprise.

Miku held her forehead and shook her head. "Y―"

"Let me guess, you didn't prepare anything, haven't you?" Fukaae folded his arms as he walked towards the both of them.

"Oh, please. Is that how you think of me all the time? I have an idea, and I'm sure the both of you are familiar with it."

Both of Miku and Fukase held their chins in silence as they gave a thought after Len explained his idea.

"Kagamine, wouldn't that be a little too mainstream?"

"Actually, it wouldn't be. If we put our soul to it, I think people can relate and appreciate what we do," commented Miku.

"You have a point..."

"So are you guys in?" asked Len.

"You bet we do."

The night grew colder, and the snowstorm grew fiercer. Len and the others could hear the roaring wind and the sounds of clattering objects outside. The heater failed to heat their bodies to normal temperatures they had to resort to wearing layers of clothes and blankets. Everyone remained quite as they drank their cup of tea. All of them decided to sleep in the living room for precaution. They sat on their futons, watching the television for updates on the snowstorm.

Len's eyes trailed towards Miku on the opposite side of the kotatsu with his grandparents. Miku's attention wasn't towards the television. She was looking at who knows what downwards at the tatami floor. She looked dazed, almost in a trance. Her hand suddenly moved to her head. She looked like she was in serious thought, so Len decided to not bother her. Len was beginning to really suspect that she didn't tell him the real reason she came here, and it made him worry sick. She looked like she doesn't have any problem. Closing her eyes, Miku took a breath and opened them back, looking into Len's direction. Their eyes met, Len giving a silly smile in embarrassment. Miku laughed silently and waved in return.

"Okay I think it's about time all of us go to sleep." Fukase stood up and turned off the television and turned off the lights as well.

"Good night." Everyone said good night to each other and went to bed ー except Len.

Len stared absent-mindedly at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep, not because he didn't want to. A lot of things seemed to be in his mind, but he couldn't think about a single thing straight. It all crammed in his tiny brain he couldn't sort it out. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes when something came to mind his eyes shot open. He wondered why Fukase stayed until now when Miku already got better. Len shrugged it off and tried to go back to sleep, closing his eyes. Dark shadows played in the darkness of his eyelids. Len had this nauseating gut feeling that tugged his heart. He was tired. He couldn't take any of it anymore. He forced his brain to sleep in the end.

N.B Hohohoho I'm tuning everything down a little. Stay tuned for next week!