Author's note: here is a new chapter! i want to thank everyone for supporting me! thx!


I opened the door and stepped in the dining hall. I slacked my jaws as soon as I had a good look around.

Exotic white tables were placed in rows of 4 down to the other side of the room. Four sets of high classed chairs surrounded each one. Candles illuminated the room, hanging on ceilings and off walls like actual light bulbs. Classic music was played by an orchestra on stage. This was nothing like an ordinary boarding school dining hall. It was more of like five star hotels for celebrities to enjoy their dinner.

I anxiously took another step. Some girls dressed in elegant dresses glanced up and muttered within their little group. A wave of self-conscious hit me. Feeling quite left out due to my school uniform, my vision stayed on the glassy floor.

Luckily, the colour pink caught my attention. With the familiar hair and face, I knew it was Luka. She was sitting alone on the table furthest to the corner, wearing the same school uniform as me.

I rushed to her side. "Hi Luka, can I sit here?"

"Sure," she replied.

I settled down on the chair that was across hers.

She smiled warmly. "So are you getting used this school?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm slowly getting used to the fact that the dining hall is so luxurious and fancy."

She laughed. "Well, this place is sometimes used as a ball room that is held every year."

"Ball room?" My teal eyes widened.

She nodded. "The students here invite a boy to attend the ball with them. Everyone wears a formal dress and it's a special time for people to strengthen the bond between couples. For some girls, they think it's a great opportunity to steal boyfriends from others."

"Oh I see… do we have to attend the ball?" I asked.

"Well… yes. It's compulsory."

"Do we have to ask a boy to come with us?"

"Yes." Luka said.

My heart sank. I was not looking forward to that ball. "Was there a ball last year?"

She nodded. I perked up in interest. "Was Kaiko wearing a dress?"

"Yes."

I laughed inside. I wondered if he shaved his hairy leg when he went to attend the ball. It would be hilarious if he didn't. I'd pay a thousand to see him wearing it. "So did she look funny?"

"No, she was actually the most beautiful girl there." Luka admitted.

I banged my head against the table. Dang it! I forgot about the fact that he was attractive… in a girl's way. If I had remembered clearly, when he appeared in front of me half naked, his legs were bare and so smooth. Ugh… that wasn't fair.

"Hey are you alright?" she asked.

I sat up straight and smiled. "Yeah I'm fine. Anyway, who did you invite last year to the ball?"

Luka blushed deep red. She twiddled her with her fingers and steam puffed out of her ears. "W-well… h-he w-was t-tall… a-and h-he h-has a big b-brother –"

"What's his name?" I leaned forward.

"Ah… h-his n-name i-is…" She blushed even more. "T-this is so embarrassing!"

"Come on! Please tell me!" I grinned.

Luka stared down at the empty plate in front of her. "H-his name is Gakup–"

A loud clanging of class pierced through the room. Everyone looked up. A chubby bold man with a black suit hobbled up the small stairs to the stage. It took a while before he finally stood in front of the microphone and did his speech. He wore tinny round glasses and a large black beard grew from his chin. He looked kind of like Santa Claus, but with black beard and bold head.

"Hello students, I'm the principal of Vocaloid High School. Dinner shall start soon. But before that, I'll like to make some announcements." He looked down at something which I presumed was a note reminder. "A small school contest will be held in two weeks. Those who want to participate in it will need to sign up before the end of the week. The prize is yet to be determined. It can be a solo or a group performance. I encourage students to have a go," he announced. "Well enjoy dinner!"

With a snap of his stubby fingers, the entrance door burst open. Butlers with trolleys hurried through the room, walking to specific tables. A purple-haired guy who looked only a few years older than us greeted us.

"Good day, my ladies. I am Gakupo who will be serving you this year. Please look after me." He winked. Luka flinched and I almost wanted to puke. "Today is tomato soup, boneless fish with vegetables and ice cream with mango pudding."

He placed the dishes on the table and bowed once more. "Please enjoy your meals. Good bye Miss Hatsune," he glanced up to Luka, "and Miss Megurine."

"Y-you may leave now." She turned away, her ears slightly pink. Gakupo hid a smile and left with the trolley.

I watched as he disappeared through the door. Then my gaze returned to Luka. "How does he know our names?"

"The butlers here are expected to know every single girls name here." Her voice came out dry and weak.

"Oh ok…" I looked down at the food in front of me. "Wow! These look so delicious!" I picked up the fork. "I'm going to chow down now!"

Luka picked up hers. "I'm hungry as well."

We ate our dinner. The soup was delicious. The fish was so irresistible that words could not describe it. Tears rolled down my cheeks. It was my first time eating something this delicious. When I was home with my mum, we ate nothing but plain rice every day. It was a good thing I could get into this school through scholarship.

While I was about to eating the mango pudding, I overheard a bunch of girls whispering among their table.

"Is that Luka over there?" a brown haired girl murmured.

"I think it is, Miki. Isn't she the girl who fell in love with a butler?" A girl with a yellow ponytail asked.

I sneaked a peek at Luka. She bit her lips, her knuckles white from gripping on the fork.

"Who was that butler's name again, Neru?" The brown haired girl, Miki, edged closer to the other girl.

"It was… I think Gakupo!" Neru said.

I dropped the fork on the ground. Luka tightened her grip. Luka liked that purple-haired butler? The butler who just served us then?

A fluro-pinked hair girl with two curls hanging from the side of her head sighed. "Miki, Neru, don't you find that that disgusting? Who would love such a lowly servant?"

"Yeah… who would love such a low person? And poor new transferred girl over there. She has to sit near someone who fell in love with filth." Miki shot me sympathetic looks. Tears were on the edge of rolling down Luka's cheeks.

"Poor thing… I hope she won't become like Luka." Neru muttered, "Luka doesn't deserve to be the student council –"

I banged my fist against the table and snapped my head around to the bunch of girls. They flinched, staring at me in horror as I made my way towards them. I stopped in front of Neru. She gulped, a drop of sweat trickled down her cheeks.

"W-what d-do you want?"

I plastered a fake smile on my face."Are you Neru?"

"Yeah…" Neru leaned back.

"Well Neru," I plastered a smile on my lips, "will you shut the hell up and get lost? I find that gossiping of yours extremely irritating."

"How dare you say that?" Miki sneered. "Just when we were feeling sorry for you and thinking of giving you a chance of leaving that girl who fell in love with a trash, how humiliating."

"I don't need pity and invitation from stupid people." I growled.

The pinked hair girl flared her nostrils. "How dare you call us stupid!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Those who think they are better than others are truly idiots. What's wrong with falling in love with someone?"

Neru stood up, her eyes meeting mine. "You don't get it? Luka fell in with a butler. She is a maiden from a very rich family. Doesn't she bring shame into her family? Butlers are like servants."

Luka bit her lip. "Miku, let's don't fight. She is right after all. I'm nothing but a burden to my family." She stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go back to the table and eat."

"No Luka, they are wrong. You're not a burden. It's just that some people don't understand what love really means." I squeezed her hand. Her eyes slightly widened. "So what if she falls in love with a butler?" I turned back to the girls. "So what if someone falls in love with a pig or cow? There is nothing wrong with love. It's a wonderful feeling that should be celebrated when you feel it. Those who have not experienced it will never understand it."

"So you experienced love before?" Miki snorted. "Pathetic girl, you're probably like Luka, falling in love with a poor human."

She was right. The boy I fell in love with was a heartless, unfaithful person. He was a coward. I remembered the time when we played in the park and found a lady bug. He was freaking out and jumped 10 metres in the air. But that didn't stop me from loving him. I loved his warmth, his comfort, and his smile that was contagious. I didn't regret falling in love with him. I only regret not expressing my feeling, and hating him for suddenly leaving me.

I don't want someone going through the same pain as I did –the pain of not being able to end up with the person. I don't want Luka be heart broken and leave Gakupo when he was still there, in her reach. No one deserved that horrible feeling. She deserved better. She deserved happiness.

"So what if I fell in love? I didn't regret it. I'll tell you, one day, you'll meet the soul mate, and you won't care if he is ugly or short. You won't care if he is poor and rich. You won't care about his bad points. You'll be only focusing on his good points, his warm smile and the love you feel for him. One day, you'll find someone like that, and…" my eyes bore into Neru's, "one day, you won't care about status or what so ever. You will only want him by your side, and that will make you happy forever."

Luka sniffed and wiped her eyes. "T-thank you Miku…"

Neru's lips quivered. She gritted her teeth. "You jerk… don't talk to me like you know everything!" She raised her hand.

Luka gasped. Miki and the pin haired girl all flinched back, shocked by the thoughtless action of her friend. Neru made a swinging action, deliberately wanting to slap my face. I clenched my hand into a ball of fist, waiting for the pain come. Her hand smacked towards me. It drew closer and closer…

…It was stopped by another firm hand.

Luka and the girls gasped. I looked up. It was him.

"Now now… Neru, didn't I tell you violence is inappropriate for ladies?" Kaito purred.

Neru frowned. "Why are you stopping me Kaiko? Are you on her side?"

His piercing blue eyes flickered to mine, causing me to gulp. Then it went back to hers. "No, of course not, I'm just here because I have a proposal to make."

"What proposal?" Neru and I both inquired.

He nodded. "The school contest is two weeks away, am I correct?"

Luka and I exchanged glances. "Yes, and?"

"Instead of taking out your anger here, instead, why don't you guys compete with each other in the school contest? It doesn't matter what place you get. You only need to get a place better than each other to win. If you win, the other person will have to apologise and do one thing that you would like them to do." He smiled. "Isn't that a better fight?"

Neru, Miki and the pink haired girl nodded with each other.

"Alright, then let's settle our fight in the school contest. We'll win and make you, Miku apologise and become our servant for the rest of your high school life." Miki glared and jabbed a finger against my chest. "Be prepared, we'll make sure you regret your words!"

They sneered and followed each other out of the hall. I raised an eyebrow while Luka squeezed my arm.

"I'm sorry Miku, b-because of me, y-you –"

"It's alright Luka." I smiled. "It was not because of you, alright? It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."

She nodded obediently. Kaito let a sigh escaped his lips and he turned away, shaking his head.

I called out his name, "Kaiko!"

He stopped. "What?"

I hesitated. "Thanks…" I said. "Thanks for stopping that slap for me."

"Wow, Miku," he gaped his mouth, "I never thought in a thousand years would you actually thank me."

I tossed my head, hiding my trembling mouth. "I-I just don't want to be indebted to a person."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, consider it as a reward for standing up for your friend."

A small smile curved up on my lips as he walked away. I patted Luka's shoulders and stared up the ceiling as the candle lights created shadows which danced on the walls. After tonight, there will be a lot of work and things happening. There might be more arguments with those girls, even though I wanted to be friendly to everyone. But I knew I was going to be alright; after all, what could be worse than being in the same room as boy?