Vocaloid: You Don't Know Me!

by QuantumIronics

Since being put into care aged 10, 14-year-old Miyako has built up a hard shell around her, which prevents her from showing her true feelings. That is, until new boy Len Kagamine begins to turn everything upside down, and after a shocking confession from a close friend, Miyako begins to wonder whether she can trust her own heart, let alone anyone elses...

6. Chapter 6

Hey, again, people. Nice to see you again. If you don't mind, I'm gonna say RIGHT now that I will most likely NOT live up to my previous almost-five-thousand-word chapter, so don't be disappointed if I don't get there. I'll try to get to around 2.5-3K words each time, but if I slip, don't kill meeeeeeeeeeeeeee D: Especially not you, Emma. Yeah, I'm talking to you.

On the subject of Emma (x-ChibiRinny-x - check out her stories, they're awesome), I'd just like to say, from the bottom of my heart...HAI. I hope you're greatful for that enormous amount of generosity, because you probably won't get it again for a while c: Kidding, love you Em :D

I left you on a whopper of a cliffhanger last time, didn't I? Like I said last time (if you bothered to read the A/N at the end in which I was pretty ecstatic after looking at my word count), this chapter will mainly be flashbacks of Miyako's childhood, starring her mother and father (whose names I will need to remember later on; they're featured in my profile and my internet's being a noob, so I'll tell you later, haha. They'll mostly just be called Mom and Dad in this chapter, anyway), and her adorable little brother, Taiki, who I'm sure you'll love within about a second. Anyway, moving on to the actual story. Hope you like Chapter 6!

Disclaimer: I don't own...do we REALLY need to go through this? BTW: Lenny's still mine, and always will be. Kthx :D

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~Chapter Six: Flashbacks~

~Miyako's POV~

Len looks so angry that I'm honestly considering chucking cold water on him to cool him down. Nice one, Miyako, the sane yet annoying part of my brain tells me. Shut up, I reply, and thankfully it does. I bite my lip, still watching Len. His hands are cool on my burning cheeks, but his own face is flaming. He suddenly takes away his hands, and leans forward and rests his forehead against mine, sighing.

"Is that why you were in care?" he asks me gently, his eyes still gazing into mine.

"Yes," I reply quietly.

"How come you're here now?"

"I ran away," I tell him.

"Why?"

"I was gonna kill myself if I had to stay in there any longer," I say seriously. Len stiffens up. I absentmindedly peek at my wrist, where a thick sports band covers the thin white scar that runs across it. Never again. Len notices it as well, and gently moves the sports band. He swallows hard when he sees the scar. Then he draws his forehead away and looks up at me again.

"Promise me you won't do that again," he says, his voice cracking. "Please."

"I don't kn-"

"Please. I don't know what I'll do if you get hurt. Promise me." My eyes widen. Why does he care so much? Since when? Sheesh, so many questions, so many answers I need to find.

"I-I promise," I stutter.

"So.." Len begins, trying to find something to say.

"I guess now I should tell you about how this happened, huh?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"I don't. I'll tell you about another story...don't blame me if you have nightmares about it." I try to lighten the mood slightly, so the story doesn't seem so scary, but I'm holding in the tears. Len sighs and nods.

"Tell me," he says to me, sitting on the mattress beside me again. He keeps hold of one of my hands, and I squeeze it gratefully.

"Do you mind if I tell you about...m-my brother, first?" I ask in a barely audible voice. Len nods gently and holds my hand tight.

Well, here goes.

~Time Skip - The Night Miyako's Brother Died (The Italics Indicate That Miyako Is Narrating The Story As A Flash Back)~

"Mimi.." Taiki, my little brother, lisps. I pick him up and settle him on my shoulders. I may be only little, but Taiki's tiny for his age, and it's easy to carry him. Especially now that he's so skinny.

"Taiki.." I say, mimicking his tone playfully. He giggles, but then is serious.

"I'm hungry," he whines. I can feel his ribcage as I carry him.

"Let's see if Mom and Dad have left some food for us," I suggest, although I know they probably haven't, knowing them. I take Taiki into the kitchen, clattering around with pots and pans, looking for food. My own stomach is rumbling. Eventually I find a slice of bread that's only a little hard. I tear it in half, giving Taiki the bigger part. He needs it more than I do, for sure.

"MIYAKO! TAIKI!" a voice thunders from the door of our tiny flat, and I whirl on my heel to see my mom and dad walking into the kitchen after us. From the way they are carrying themselves, they are very, very drunk, and most likely very, very violent. I quickly get Taiki down from my shoulders.

"Go and put on your PJs on, Taiki," I tell him, and he nods dutifully and runs off to the small bathroom. I turn back to my parents.

"Well? What are you staring at?" my dad snarls, slapping me hard across the face. I stagger a little, clutching my cheek, but I don't cry. No matter how much my parents slap you around, you do not cry. It'll make it way worse. I just stare right back at him. "Get to bed."

"Yes, Dad," I say, walking off. "I'll just go to check Taiki's in bed properly first." I head to the door, but my dad slams the heel of his hand into the doorframe. His red face is inches from my pale one.

"Never mind your brother!" he growls. "Just get to bed and get to sleep, now!" I nod and head off sharpish to my own room, sneaking a glance into Taiki's as I pass it. He blinks his huge brown eyes at me. I just nod and tell him silently to be good and do exactly as Mom and Dad say, and he nods and gives me an adorably cute dimply smile. I smile back, take a deep breath, and go into my room.

I quickly change into the oversized T-shirt I wear as pyjamas and slide under the thin, ratty covers. I hear Mom and Dad conversing drunkenly. Then I hear Dad speaking to Taiki on his own. Mom comes into my room, a somewhat sly smile on her face.

"Hey, sweetie," she slurs. Of my two parents, my mom is the least violent, but one wrong word and she can turn downright evil.

"Hi, Mom," I say as politely as I can. She comes over me to stroke my hair. Her hands are a little clumsy, but eventually they find the dark locks.

"How was your day?"

Lonely. Dark. Cold. Annoyingly quiet, apart from me and Taiki. "Fine. Yours?"

"Oh, it was great, sweetie. The new guy at work is so cute, and he's so sweet to me. I'm meeting him tomorrow night," she says dreamily.

"What about Dad?" I whisper, and my mom slaps me hard across the same cheek that my dad did. I still don't cry. I'm used to this. Too used to it.

"You are not to tell Daddy anything, are we clear?" Mom snarls. I nod coldly, once, and her face softens as if nothing has happened. She strokes my face gently, and I wince as she touches my now red cheek. This earns me another slap, a harder one. Oh, yeah, another rule. Don't ever flinch. "Do not flinch when I'm talking to you! Do you understand, you stupid girl?" She yanks me up by the shoulders and shakes me back and forth, hard, so that the room rocks back and forth like a swing.

"Yes, Mom," I say quietly, and she nods. She leans down to kiss my cheek, and her breath smells stale and of wine. Then she stands up.

"Good night, darling. Sweet dreams," she says, turning off the light so I'm almost in pitch darkness, apart from the moon shining through the thin, ripped curtains on my window. I lie awake for a while, listening to the hum of Dad and Taiki's voices in the other room. I'm about to drift into sleep when...

BANG!

I jolt upright and jump out of bed, running out of my room and down to Taiki's. When I burst in I see that my Dad had just slammed his fist into my brother's face. Taiki is bleeding, but he holds his tears in. My dad's face is purple, and very close to Taiki's.

"What did you just say?!" he yells. He doesn't seem to have noticed me yet.

"N-nothing, Daddy," Taiki whispers. Dad punches him again, in the chest, and Taiki begins to wheeze, his asthma becomming a bigger problem. Crap, where's his inhaler?

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, TAIKI? TELL ME!" Dad shouts. Taiki whimpers.

"I j-just said, it was a good thing that bread was l-lying around...Mimi and I were s-starving!" he says, and Dad turns and sees me standing there. He stands up and begins to walk towards me, fist clenched and face distorted. Taiki sees me too, and he suddenly yells at me. "RUN, MIMI!" I shake my head, mouth open, and step back as Dad continues to walk towards me. At the last minute, he turns to Taiki.

"I'll deal with you first," Dad smiles, and grabs Taiki, pulling him hard out of his bed. I try to move, but I'm rooted to the spot. Dad drops Taiki on his back on the ground and begins to punch him repeatedly in the face and chest. Bruises and cuts are immediately showing up, and Taiki screams.

"Please, Daddy, no more!" he screeches, and I'm suddenly taken over by a flood of anger so strong, it cancels out all the fear. I step forward and try to pull Dad off Taiki, but he spins and catches me in the temple with his fist, sending me flying into the wall. There is a deafening thud as I hit it. Dad continues to beat Taiki. His cries pierce me like a dagger, spearing me in place. Suddenly, Dad picks Taiki up by the ankles, dangling him in the air. Taiki wriggles around, but Dad is too strong. He smiles, and it's the most evil thing I've ever seen. Oh, God. I know what he's gonna do. No. No, no, no!

"NO, DAD!" I scream, but Dad is already spinning, and all I can do is watch as my brother's head gets closer and closer to the wall.

"Mimi?" Taiki asks in a terrified voice, his brown eyes shimmering with tears. I reach out for him, but his head connects with the brick wall and I close my eyes tight as I hear...

CRACK! Drip. Drip. Drip.

I open my eyes slowly, and they rest on the now motionless body of my little brother. My dad is breathing heavily, blood on his fingers. My brother's blood. Taiki's blood. So much blood. In that one second, I decide that I hate my father more than anything in the entire universe, and I am ready to kill him. But suddenly, I am yanked to my feet by none other than my mother. She smiles sweetly. Then she begins to punch my head in. My dad abandons Taiki's body and takes off his belt.

"Turn her around," he growls at my mother, and she obliges, shoving me to my knees. "Take off your shirt." I stay where I am for a few seconds, and my dad whacks me across the leg wih the belt, the sheer shock of it enough to bring tears to my eyes. And then there's the pain. Oh, God, the pain. It hurts so much, but Dad's not finished. "TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT!" I do what he says, holding my crumpled shirt to my chest. He raises the belt and begins to pound my bare back with it, over and over until it begins to bleed. I let out a scream as my dad slams the buckle of the belt right onto my spine. I continue to scream, and my Dad doesn't change his tactics, deciding that he can't do much worse short of killing me.

That's all I want now. I just want to join Taiki. To see his adorable little face and hear his laugh again. Please, God, if you exist, get me out of here. My dad continues to beat me, and the pain is excruciating.

"Make it stop," I whisper, gritting my teeth against the everlasting pain. I feel my strength failing me, and I just pray. Please, please, please, make this end.

BAM!

I flinch. There's a pounding in my head, and an ongoing noise that's making it worse. Am I dead? No, wait...that sounds like...a siren? A police siren?!

"Stop right there!" A man's voice says, and the pain stops. I hear my mother's tortured cries, but I don't care anymore. I look up to see a kind faced woman with red hair in a paramedic's uniform staring down at me, concerned. She examines my back, her face becoming increasingly worried. From the corner of my eye, I see my mom and dad being handcuffed, questioned by a stern looking police officer with brown hair. The pass he wears tels me his name is Meito.

"Piko! Mikuo! Get your butts over here!" the woman calls loudly. "You're gonna be okay, honey, don't worry.." she tells me softly , and I just nod silently. She turns me around to face the wall and begins to bandage my back. I wince, and then freeze, expecting a slap or something, but nothing comes. Then, satisfied, the nurse allows me to put on my shirt again. "What's your name?"

"M-Miyako," I say, still stunned.

"I'm Nurse Miki," the kind woman says. Suddenly, two tallish men, one with pretty much white hair, one with teal, come running towards us.

"Yes, Miki?" the white haired one says.

"Get Miyako here onto a stretcher. Make sure she's on her front." The two men nod, and the woman smiles at me encouragingly. "Go with those two." I nod, and unexpectedly hug her. She freezes, surprised, but then she hugs me back. "Go on," she tells me. "I'm right behind you." I walk slowly over to the two men, who take my hands and lift me into the back of a huge luminous yellow van.

"Hey, Miyako, right? I'm Piko. Would you lay down over there for us?" the white one says gently, smiling at me kindly. The other one, Mikuo, helps me onto the soft bed, and I lie down, waiting. After a few minutes, Miki gets into the ambulance with us, and it begins to move as she closes the doors behind her. She points to me, raising her eyebrows to make it a question, and I give her a smile.

"I'm Mikuo," the other guy says in a quiet voice, and I smile at him too. The journey is relatively short, and I'm soon wheeled into an enormous white building with men and women in white coats like lab coats and blue long shirts. Some of them look at me in concern, while others smile encouragingly and wave at me. I wave back at a few of them, shyly.

"Alright, what do we have here, Nurse Miki?" a tall doctor with short blonde hair (A/N: No, it's not Carlisle Cullen ^^) asks. Miki quietly explains to him, and his eyes flicker with shock He turns to me and smiles. He's pretty good looking, and only in his late twenties. "I'm Doctor Rinto."

"Miyako," I say. Rinto smiles again and holds out his hand. I take it, shaking nervously. "Nice to meet you."

"And you too. Now, let's see what we have here, shall we?" He gestures to the clean, white hospital bed, and I hesitantly lie on my front. Gently, he removes the neat bandages from Nurse Miku on my back and examines the wounds. "Well...unfortunately, I think this is going to scar...other than that..." Rinto softly checks the rest of me over. Scar? Oh, Lord. "...I think you'll be fine! You don't have to stay here or anything. I'll just give you some painkillers and cream for the wounds, but as long as you keep them clean and bandaged, you'll be fine!" I smile at his kindness and cheerful nature.

Miki smiles at me from across the room, but her smile fades as a shortish woman with pixie cut blue hair enters the room to talk to her and Doctor Rinto away from me. I don't hear much at all, so I decide to just wait. Piko, one of the paramedics, comes over to me and ruffles my hair.

"Hey, Miyako!" he says, but his smile looks slightly forced. He holds up his hand and I high five it. "What's up?"

"What are they talking about?" I ask, pointing at the adults conversing in hushed tones.

"Oh, nothing for you to worry about!" Piko says cheerfully. We talk about random stuff for a while, but then Miki comes over, her face clouded.

"M-Miyako?" she says quietly.

"Yes?"

"Well, you know your parents have been arrested, right?" Miki says gently. Arrested? Well...I guess they had it coming. "They haven't had a trial yet, but they will be behind bars for the foreseeable future, so we need to find a place for you to stay meanwhile." I look up at her, confused. "I-I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm afraid you're going to have to stay in a children's home for a while, until we can find someone to take care of you properly. There's a very lovely home not far from here, and you'll meet lots of nice people there!"

A home?

"I've got a home," I say quietly.

"Yes, but you can't live in there for much longer anyway, as it's literally falling down. It's not safe, okay?" she says to me, concerned.

"Well...okay." Miki beams at me, and offers me her hand. I take it, standing up.

"We'll have to find you a place to sleep for tonight. You must be tired."

"Yeah...what time is it?" I ask.

"Almost 10pm. We'll sort a more permanent situation in the morning, okay?"

"Okay." I let out a yawn, and Miki smiles and takes my hand, leading me into a quieter ward with only a few other children in it, already peacefully asleep. She pulls back the sheets of a bed right by the window and helps me into it. When I'm comfortable, she strokes my hair gently, and I feel tears coming to my eyes at her kindness. I suddenly sit up and kiss her soft cheek. She smiles, surprised at first, but then she hugs me softly, kisses my forehead, and steps away from my bed.

"Good night, sweetie," she whispers.

"Good night, Miki," I reply, closing my eyes. I hear the soft click as she turns the light above my bed off, and then she walks out, closing the door behind her and leaving me alone with my thoughts. What was going to happen to me now? Where am I going to live? I don't have enough time to ponder over this, as I'm so tired, I fall asleep almost immediately under the soft glow of the moon.

~Time Skip - Back To Now~

When I finish speaking, Len is staring at me with an unfathomable expression on his face, which has become very pale. His eyes look haunted. I shrug.

"And that's how I came to be put in care," I whisper. Len puts his arm around me and holds me close. I can feel the warmth coming off his body, feel his shoulders go up and down as he takes a deep breath.

"I...I don't know what to say," he murmurs.

"Me neither."

"I'm sorry about your brother."

"Taiki was a good little kid," I say, sighing as I visualise his adorable, chubby little face, his big brown eyes, his cute laugh, his mop of dark curls. I look out of the practically shattered window at the darkening sky.

~Random POV Swap To Len~

"So you got put into care?" I ask. Miyako nods coldly.

"Yes. I was ten when they first put me into the home. Most of the other kids had hopeless, abusing parents just like me. We had a lot in common, but I preferred to stay on my own. I didn't come down for dinner often. The home itself wasn't actually so bad, but I hid myself in my room for most of the time, so I wasn't aware of what was going on. There was this girl...Kaiko, her name was...she used to bring me food from dinner that she'd smuggle past the careworkers and staff...she was pretty much the only friend I had. We had fun together." Miyako smiles, remembering.

"What happened to her?"

"Nothing. She got fostered by this couple. She told me she'd write, and she did, for a while, but then her parents stopped her talking to me anymore and we lost touch. I haven't talked to her since."

"You were left alone?"

"People started to tease me. It got so bad that I..." She rubs the scar on her wrist, and my throat goes tight for a second. "I guess no one cared about a stupid little girl." I do, I think. More than you know. We are both silent for a few moments. Then Miyako sighs gently. "You'd best be getting back home. It's getting late. I don't want you to get into trouble for staying out too late." I think for a moment. Mom and Dad will get a little mad if I'm out too late, and they'll be lecturing me for hours on why it's not safe, but now I've heard part of Miyako's story, I can't possibly compare.

~Random POV Change Back To Miyako (it may be getting annoying, but it's necessary for this scene :D)~

Len looks outside at the dark, star embellished sky. Suddenly, he breathes in a big gulp of air.

"Mimi, look!" he whispers. I turn my head to the sky, and gasp as the trail of bright light passes across the sky. A shooting star. A miracle.

"A shooting star," I breathe.

"Make a wish," Len tells me, watching my face.

"Wishes don't come true."

"Sure they do, if you believe." I look at him for second, then nod and close my eyes, silently wishing. I wish...my thoughs are interrupted by a sudden sensation, something warm, soft, and sweet, and I open my eyes to see Len's face very close to mine. His lips are pressing onto my own, and his eyes are staring deep into mine, as if he can see right into my soul. What the?! I suddenly find myself kissing him back. Then, realising what I'm doing, I break away from him, shocked at myself.

"What the hell was that?!" I splutter.

"I'm sorry," Len whispers, and I can tell that he isn't as sorry as he says. "I couldn't resist for any longer."

"O-Okay," I stutter, breaking the gaze.

"I'll go now," Len says, standing up and walking towards the window.

"Hey," I say, standing up. Len turns round, but before he can speak, I'm kissing him. We kiss for a while, but then we break apart, smiling shyly. My cheeks are bright red, but for once I don't care.

"See you Sunday," Len whispers.

"See ya," I say. He hugs me quickly, kisses me again, and then clambers out of the window and down onto the grass below. He waves up at me, and then runs, vaulting the fence and practically skipping down the road. Just before he turns the corner, he jumps and punches the air, laughing.

Well, it's official. Despite my earlier comments to Rin and Kaito, Len Kagamine is pretty freakin' adorable.

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How long were you waiting for that scene, people? Especially you, Emma. Hope this made you happy :) I think I have about 3.6K of words for this one, so it's pretty good. Not as long as previously, but hey, it's still awesome for me. Basically, I didn't wanna include when Miyako's dad abuses her, since we've already had that type of scene, and believe it or not, there's more important things to move on with! Haha :D

I don't have long as I can't find my charger, and my battery's about to die, so farewell to all of you. Much luff :)

- Kitty Kat, away~!