"Hey, Kagamine! I'm talking to you!"
Fukase touched Len's shoulder, his voice made Len return to life with a gasp as if he came to after being saved from drowning.
"Whoa, easy..." Fukase flinched at Len's reaction.
Len doubled over and knelt on the floor, looking down towards his reflection in the department store tile. Something was wrong, but he didn't remember what happened.
"For God's sake, Kagamine. Are you alright?" Fukase hurried over to help Len stand up.
"I'm... alright... Let's just get that heater and go home. I think I need a rest."
Len left Fukase and walked alone outside the department store, sitting at the bench by the entrance. He looked around warily. He was expecting something to happen, but he didn't even know what he was supposed to expect. The department store was almost empty. People already hurried home for christmas eve. Len sighed. He felt like every part of his body was drained of energy. He never felt so tired before. All he wanted to do was rest.
"Hey, come on. We'll have to bring this home by ourselves. Luckily they are so generous as to let us borrow this trolley― are you sure you're alright?" Fukase folded his arms and looked curiously towards Len.
"I said I'm tired, Fu."
"You didn't even do anything energy-draining a few moments ago! Are you sure you're not hiding something from me?"
"I... don't know... I just... can't remember... I just want to go home and rest."
"Fine. Let's just hurry."
Fukase sighed and pushed the trolley in front of him, Len following from behind. They remained silent the entire trip. Fukase felt awkward. He started to wonder if it was because of the girl who looked like Miku. Well, many people can look the same in this world. Some people said that there are 7 people in this world who looked like yourself. By the time Fukase finished thinking, both him and Len saw Len's ojii-san pacing restlessly in front of the entrance to their house.
"Jii-san, what are you―"
"Oh, there you both are. Hurry, come in. There's something you should see."
Len's ojii-san furrowed his eyebrows, his face clearly troubled as he rushed to them and dragged them inside. He stopped them in the hallway before the living room.
"Listen. I don't know how this happened, but she looks alive like any of us are. Your obaa-san and I― we don't know what to do. It's just―"
"Jii-san, what are you talking about?"
Len's ojii-san took a deep breath. "Look." He slid the door open slightly where Len and Fukase could slightly see through the small aperture. Scanning, they saw Len's obaa-san drinking in silence with someone opposite her. It was Miku.
Len's eyes went wide. His body shook. He backed away in shock, leaning against the wall. Pain surged through his head as a high-pitched ringing overwhelmed his ears he thought he was going to be deaf. He held his head with both hands and went down on his knees. He remembered now. And it made him sick.
"Hey! What is wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself, Kagamine!"
"Ugh..."
Len shook his head to try to come to his senses. He looked to where Miku was. The high-pitched ringing dissipated. Apparently he made such a commotion Miku and Len's obaa-san went to where Len and the others were.
"Len dear!" Len's obaa-san said in surprise.
"Len! Are you okay?" Miku spoke.
Len's body jolted. It was really Miku. It was the voice he missed. The voice he wanted to hear, the face he wanted to see, the person whose lips he wanted to kiss. But somehow he was not feeling any of those.
"M―Miku...?"
Miku reached to give him a hug, but Len unconsciously backed away from her. Len could see the look of question in her eyes.
"L―Len..."
"I―I'm sorry. I need to be alone."
Without looking back, Len went to his room and locked himself up. He lied down on his bed, looking straight towards the ceiling. He knew he was supposed to be happy, but no emotion surged when he saw Miku. He thought maybe it was because of the shock. Len shook his head and covered his eyes with his arm. His mind was empty he tired himself to sleep.
Miku was left at a loss when Len suddenly left like that. Fukase tried to convince him that maybe he was just tired.
"Okay then..." Miku said in disappointment.
Miku can't help but wonder as to why he backed away when she wanted to hug him. His eyes, she could sense that he was afraid. But of who? Her? Why would he?
"Dear...?" Len's obaa-san's voice shook her.
"Oh, I'm sorry baa-san. What did you say?"
"We were asking if it would be fine for you to tell us what happened. Or do you want to rest for a while?"
"Oh, no. It's alright."
Len's grandparents and Fukase gathered to hear her story.
"I don't know... I was in this dark place. I can hear whispers. Someone trying to call me. Then came this red light. Those whispers said to reach for it. I didn't know what to do. I was unconscious but my body moved by itself, reaching for the light. Then I woke up at the stage where I... died..."
Miku couldn't help but choke at the end. There was a lump in her throat. Tears cascased down her weary face as she recalled the moment she exhaled her last breath. Everything was so vivid. She cried out in sobs.
"Oh dear, we are so sorry!" Len's obaa-san went near Miku and embraced her in her arms, patting her back till she slept in tears.
Miku woke up after having a nightmare where she died repeatedly. Her body quaked. The thought of dying traumatised her to the point where she became afraid of it. She then remembered that she haas brain cancer. To her surprise, her head was not in pain anymore. She decided to get some fresh air outside. She went towards the backyard and sat on the swing swinging aimlessly when she heard the back door open. It was Len. He sat by her and swung silently together with her.
"... I'm sorry..." Len's fingers flinched when Miku's hand held his.
"Hey, at least I'm alive. Right?"
"Miku..."
Miku hugged Len. Miku hugged him tight as if she would never let go of him anymore. Len wanted to hug her so bad. His arms reached weakly for her back, but he felt no warmth like the first time when Miku hugged her. Len didn't feel any emotion. What he felt for Miku wasn't there. It was as black as the night sky. It was that moment that he realized that he was devoid of any feelings. The love for Miku was in him no more.
So this is what it means to lose a soul...Author's Note: I'm back from the dead! and back with a boring piece! (lol jk). I left this chapter halfway off I couldn't remember what the original idea was. I'm trying. Life is hard. Hi there!
