So, it's been over a year since I last uploaded a chapter, and 4 years since I began writing this story. Despite my constant promises that I'll eventually finish writing it, it's starting to look more and more like I just don't have the capacity for it. But, I know how awful it is to not know how a story ends, so for all the faithful readers who've stuck with me this far, I'll write an outline of what was supposed to happen in the remainder of the story.

Chapter 16 brought the Kagamine arc to its close, with the events of the summer training camp. Next up would've been a small rewind to the start of summer, to see what happened with Miku while the twins were gone. She starts working on her graduation album, using the school's new Kira Kira Kaion system to find a partner to work with. She pairs up with a certain 'Aisu Kurimu' who doesn't have too many songs to their name but the lyrics they've uploaded immediately catch her fancy. For the first week, they just message each other online, but they befriend each other very easily like that and it all goes smoothly. Then, it becomes necessary for them to meet up to work on the songs. That's when Miku finds out that this Aisu Kurimu is actually Kaito! (haha big surprise there) Turns out that Kaito stayed behind for summer vacation after all, because his friend cancelled the trip on him at the last minute. They switch to hanging out at the Megurine house to work. As she goes over more and more, eventually it turns into sleepovers after the work is done, like their usual hangouts with their friend group (watching movies, playing games, etc), except it's just the two of them this time. There would've been lots of cute and fluffy shenanigans here: teaching her how to ride a bike, Miku needing to borrow Kaito's clothes because she spilt something on herself, accidentally falling asleep on the couch together and waking up cuddled together the next morning (can y'all tell I have a huuuuuuuge soft spot for this type of trope? I have a whole other series of oneshots and yet I can't help but want to write another scene like that) and Kaito asking if he can touch Miku's hair, making dinner together, basically living the pseudo-married life.

After Rin and Len come back, all four of them go to a summer festival, but after a while they split up (even Kaito can tell that there's something going on with those two). The mood is real nice between Kaito and Miku, it almost turns into a confession, but they both kind of chicken out.

Then, Luka also comes back (sorry, nothing really happens on her trip with Gakupo) in time for Miku's birthday, and they all have a party on the beach. Miku realizes that the group dynamic they have right now is for the best, that it's a good thing she didn't confess her feelings to Kaito that night. On their way back, an unexpected guests awaits in front of the Megurine house: Meiko.

Meiko's the 'childhood friend' Kaito would've gone to visit (and Miku's heard some about her through their discussions over summer break, she could sense that they were close). She announces that she'll be living with Kaito and Luka from now on, joining them at the Academy as a second year. Now, I'm not really sure what kind of personality she would've had, because I needed her to be on the same wavelength as Kaito so Miku would feel some guilt over snatching him away from her, but I also wanted her to have a hidden 'mean' side. In retrospect, that would've been kind of a sloppy way to use Meiko as a plot device, but oh well.

There would've been concerts and events in the autumn semester, Miku being torn over her feelings for Kaito, she wants to keep her distance from him with Meiko's appearance, but they have to work together and stuff and she does genuinely like him as a friend. For Halloween, Luka throws a huge American-style party, and circumstances lead to everyone getting drunk off their asses. I'm multishipping trash, so, party shenanigans would've involved Spin the Bottle and kisses for almost everyone, exceeeeept Miku and Kaito. (Plus, it would be Miku's first kiss, she'd get Luka, she'd fret over Luka cheating on Gakupo, but he'd be fine with it and even say 'take a picture for me, dear' to Luka, because bisexual!Luka would be awesome.)

As winter rolls around, Miku knits a scarf, and actually /this/ idea was at the very core of the story that had me start writing in the first place, so it's extremely ironic that I never got so far along... Anyways, it's a nice, long, blue scarf and Kaito takes an immense liking to it. So much that one day he just takes it from her and refuses to give it back and parades in it basically all the time. Miku's efforts at distancing herself from him are failing miserably, they've all got roles in the upcoming play, Alice in Musicland. After the play goes down and it's a huge success, she's with Kaito in a classroom and tries to get her scarf back from him again. Cute antics happen, and they either kiss or just /almost/ do. At any rate, Miku leaves the scarf with him.

They all celebrate the twins' birthday and Christmas and New Year's together, there's a distinct sense of awkwardness between Miku and Kaito. Meiko may or may not try to get inbetween them somehow? But then that would backfire on her, damaging her friendship with Kaito.

Spring and graduation draws ever nearer, Miku and Luka hard at work with finishing their albums. Miku also has to decide what to do about her feelings towards Kaito. At this point, she can't really deny it anymore. To be honest, I never got around to deciding if Miku would get her happy ending with Kaito or not... They'd definitely have one last heartfelt discussing (beneath blooming cherry blossoms, haha), but I'm not sure if there'd be an actual confession from either one of them, it would've depended a lot on how the events leading up to it actually played out. There's the bitter side of me that says reality is harsh and sometimes things just dont work out that way. But there's the hopeless romantic side of me that says at least fiction should have a happy ending. I guess you could say both endings exist as parallel universes. Heck, I might've written out both a Good End and a Bad End. So, um, even though I said at the start that I'll tell you all how the story ends, this isn't a very definite end to it, huh? Sorry.

As a bonus, here's a short scene I half-wrote out, in all its unedited glory, but it would be too much of a shame if the world never got to see it. It would take place sometime after Meiko shows up and Miku's feeling all gloomy, so she turns to Len for comfort. When I say unedited, I mean /really/ unedited (and very self-indulgent, actually).

"Please, just let me hug you like this for a bit."
"Don't you mean you need to be on the receiving end of it?"
"No. I give the hugs, not get them. That'd go against the law of Miku nature."
"If you insist... Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Do you ever regret... that day?"
"Which da-... Ooohhh. Why are you asking me that now?" You're already happily together with Rin-chan.
"Just wondering. So, do you?"
"Well, sometimes, a little, I guess. But it's not that simple... Before the summer break, it was awful to see you in such a horrible condition. It made me wonder if it would've been different had I replied something else, if I could've saved you from all that suffering by going along with it... And now that I see you with Rin-chan, as the incarnation of... such a very true love and pure happiness, I don't feel guilty anymore. I suppose it's one of those things that gain meaning with time? Actually, I think you'd have dumped me to be with her anyways."
"Heeey! I'm not... Wait, you're probably right. Sorry, go on."
"So ultimately, I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Because I love the both of you like my family. And I can keep loving you forever as my siblings. Romances are so fragile; they can disappear all too easily. Sure, the gain is greater, and so is the loss. But losing you is out of the question; you're too precious for me to allow that. Oh, of course, the love is different between you and Rin-chan."
"Miku-chan..."
"No, you don't need to say anything. Just let me hug you."
"Okay. But can I ask something else?"
"Yeah, fine."
"Hypothetically speaking, do you think a three-way relationship could ever be functional?"
"Society normally tends to call that 'cheating', I believe. But uuhhh... good question. I never really thought about it before. It'd probably be very difficult, to keep the balance; it's already quite a task with two people... And I don't think either of you could handle sharing the other one. You're two halves of a whole: there's no place for a third there."
"It's not about us, I said 'hypothetically'..."
"Pff, a 'hypothetical question' is never really hypothetical nowadays. I told you already, it's the best for me if I can love you two as my dear siblings. Sorry to disappoint, but your fantasy of having two girlfriends and seeing live, hot yuri action won't be coming true."
"Sheesh! Who do you take me for? That's not my main concern... You are. The family love goes both ways. You're important to us, too."
"Yeah, I know. Thank you."
"Can I ask one more question?"
"What now?"
"Sucks to be stuck in the friend zone, huh?"
"That's coming from 'Mr. Ew-kissing-is-gross' who now starts and ends every single day in his girlfriend's mouth?"
"Heeey! That's so not true. And what does your comment have to do with my comment anyway?"
"Not much. I just wanted to tease you with it and now seemed like a good opportunity to do so."
"It could have been you, you know. You only have yourself to blame for missing out on me."
"Yeeeaaah, I don't think I'm missing out on too much there... Really, it's better that things stayed the way they were."

So, that's that. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read my story up until this point, left a comment, favourited it, etc. Maybe one day, I'll return and write out this story how it would've deserved to be, but for now, this is the end.