Miku-

Heaving a sigh, I removed the bulky headphones from my ears. I always felt spent after these sorts of recording sessions- the ones that always preceded some sort of major stage performance. It wasn't that I was nervous, oh no. Those butterflies everyone talks about when going on stage have long-since deserted me. It was what I had just done. My managers refer to it as a sort of insurance policy, should I stumble at the starting line. But to me, it only makes me feel like a liar. And the big grin and thumbs up from Meiko from the other side of the glass didn't settle my guilt.

Lip syncing is frowned upon in all forms of music, and I personally would never do such a thing. But there will be times where I'll be overcome with a cold, or a malfunction will happen. And if something should go wrong, there is a firm belief at Crypton that the show must go on, no matter what it takes to make sure of that. So that's why I was in my studio, singing the set that had been chosen for me for the upcoming performance with… whoever AHS had picked- I personally had blocked out the name in steadfast defiance. If something happened to my voice before the concert, we had a backup plan, and I'd have to stand on stage, smile and mouth nothing but lies.

I love my fans- sometimes more than I can ever bear. So doing something like that to them- deceiving them- hurts me.

Of course, the fact I'd just laid down a track of nothing but lies was only swept up into a bigger monster storm of feelings concerning a certain pink-haired angel. Several times, Meiko had asked over the intercom if something was wrong, and each time I shrugged it off and told her it was nothing. Yeah, nothing- just heaping lies on top of lies, don't mind me. Every time she asked, I just happened to be thinking of the smile Luka had given me, and the way my heart would skip a beat looking at it and even simply thinking of it.

This was crazy; I'd only known her a day… And what was happening? I couldn't give a name to the way I felt about her as much as I could give a name to all my symptoms: pounding heart, nervous lip biting, crippling confusion, heated cheeks, heaping frustration and a giant helping of drifting, uncontrollable thoughts. I'd be focusing on the song I was singing, and the next, I'd remember how brilliantly Luka's eyes looked- deep, deep blue, like the ocean…

A cup of tea was waiting for me when I exited the studio in the lounge connected to it, as well as Meiko, who had already begun to drink her own cup. It was the cheap, store brand kind we keep in the break room, but my sore throat and I appreciated the offering of a nice, warm cup of watery lemon tea more than anything, especially after having knocked back the last gulps of lukewarm bottled water several songs ago.

Meiko, like Kaito, is a former idol of the Crypton Company who stuck around long after they stopped making stage appearances to groom those who came after them. I respect Meiko a bit more than I do Kaito, though, possibly because she treats me like an adult- unlike Kaito, who constantly talks down to me like I'm still a child. She's kind and motherly, and there's no one in the company who has anything negative to say about her. Meiko is definitely the type of woman I want to become later in life, unhindered by her visible signs of aging and holding herself as if she were still idol royalty with a masterful, welcoming smile on her face. She's like an old, wise sage from movies, with countless things to teach and boundless wisdom.

"You seemed a little distracted today." Meiko remarked once I'd taken a hearty gulp of my tea. I didn't know where she'd managed to get it, but I could taste the syrupy sweetness of honey in my cup. "I know you and Iroha aren't on the greatest of terms, but I doubt every act AHS employs is as… catty."

"It's not that…" I muttered, setting down my tea and leaning back in my chair. "It's… a little personal, actually." Meiko, seeming much more interested now, leaned in and rested her chin in her palm, giving me a curious smile with a slight cock of an eyebrow. She was going to pry, I knew she was.

"Personal, huh? Well, why don't you tell mama-Meiko all about it?" She asked with a grin. "I may not look it, but I've been around the block a few times. I doubt there's a problem you're facing that I haven't already known." She playfully pointed at her light wrinkles. I was silent, unsure if I should unload my problem on her. "I promise I'll keep it a secret."

Meiko's promises are iron clad, and a part of me desperately wanted to tell someone about my problem before it drove me insane, so I picked up my tea and took another long sip before sharing my secret with Meiko… well, not exactly. I managed to pussy foot my way around it as best I could. For the life of me, I couldn't actually come out and say that there was a girl who was making me feel horribly confused about my feelings.

"You know… the new song I've been recording?" I began.

"You mean 'Magnet'?" Meiko questioned, to which I lightly nodded. "If it's about finding a girl who will sing it with you, you don't have to worry. Crypton is making sure they'll find someone who's perfect for the part." This time I shook my head, earning a confused expression from Meiko, who wordlessly dared me to continue explaining.

"It's… the song itself, actually…" I spoke slowly, devising my lie on the spot. "I've never really dealt with the- um… subject matter of the piece. I've sung about love and all that, but not forbidden love." I caught myself clutching at my skirt- a telling nervous habit- and quickly let the fabric go and instead clenched at the air. "Is something like that… natural? I mean, are people going to hate it because it's about, you know… girls falling in love?" By the end of it all, my cheeks were warm and all I could do was look down at the half-empty cup of tea in my hands.

"Hmm…" Meiko mumbled. I could feel her all-seeing eyes studying me, undressing my story and uncovering the truth hiding behind it. "The idea of two girls falling in love doesn't strike me as being bad, personally. Falling in love is a natural part of life, and who it is you fall in love with is only a formality. So I'd say falling in love with another girl is very natural." She reached over and gently patted me on the head. "And I'm sure no matter what the song is, people will love it because they're favorite idol is singing it."

It was a nice assurance, but I wasn't really worried about the last part. It wasn't the song I was worried about as much as my own feelings. Were they really natural, like Meiko said? I still couldn't help but be unsure, even after Meiko's words. But I gave her a thankful smile, turning on my idol charm as best I could, and thanked her.

Meiko thought it was normal… but did Luka? Did I?

Luka-

Kiyoteru used to be a real nerd, a year ahead of me in high school. Son to the owners of our town's one, tiny computer repair shop, everyone really expected greatness out of him. His parents would always gab about what a smart boy he was, and how he'd go on to take over the family business once he was through with college… but here he was, now sitting across from me at a fancy café, looking nothing like himself. They say the city changes you, but I'd never imagine it had that kind of power. Our waitress gawked, blushed and curtsied, the staff of the café asked him to sign something and for pictures, and passersby pointed and stared. This was Kiyoteru, right? Nerdy, studious, shy Kiyoteru? Could-never-get-a-date Kiyoteru?

"What happened to you?" I finally blurted out in an almost jealous gasp. The table shook as I moved, and the ice cubes in our water clinked noisily. Frantically, I tried to recompose myself, pushing my hair behind my ear and clearing my throat in embarrassment. The young man who used to be Kiyoteru only chuckled, which did nothing to help me at all.

"Is it really that bad?" He asked with a laugh, probably just to get a rise out of me- which he was successful in doing. I stuttered and stammered before I realized he was teasing me.

"You just look really different, that's all…" I explained, taking a long sip of my water to try and calm my nerves. "And your parents told everyone you got accepted into a really elite university. Excuse me for saying so, but you look nothing like someone who goes somewhere like that."

"They would tell everyone that- they're just trying to save face." Kiyoteru shrugged and sighed. "Thing is, I really took a good look at myself during my final year of school. I'd lived my entire life studying and making my parents proud, but I realized that really wasn't what I wanted. So once I graduated, I took every penny I'd earned and took the first train out here."

"And now you're a rock star?" I asked jokingly.

"More or less. I made it into a local band here that needed a lead singer: Ice Mountain. I've ridden that wave ever since." Kiyoteru smiled proudly, like he would when he made top of his class or repaired a seemingly unfixable computer. I, myself, still couldn't wrap my head around any of what he was saying. "We actually were just signed by AHS, so I'm really kind of glad I came here."

"What?" I gasped, envy in my voice. "You got signed?"

"Yes indeed- we even have a concert coming up. They want us out there was soon as possible…" Kiyoteru looked overwhelmingly proud, smiling to himself with his head held loftily high- he might as well have been accepting the keys to the city the way he was talking. But once he looked down at me from his high horse, he quickly lost the demeanor. Overwhelmingly jealous, I'd taken to staring at my water that part of me really wanted to hurl at his face. It had been pretty ill-thought, but I'd still been rejected that day, and rather painfully so (I recalled the word "nobody" had even been used) and here was Kiyoteru, practically bragging about his new deal with a major record company. He was the kid with the shiny new gadget, and I didn't even have the cheap knockoff.

"So… what are you doing here, Luka? You've graduated by now, so I assume you go to college here?" He asked, uneasiness in his voice. He must not have bragged about his exploits to many people, seeing as it sounded like he himself was realizing how far he'd taken it.

"Not… exactly." I muttered, eyes still on my water. "I guess you could say me and you aren't that different. I came here so I could try my hand at becoming an idol… yeah, it's not going so well." It took all of my willpower not to hold the fact I was living with Hatsune Miku over his head to try and gain leverage. Instead I bit my lip and stuck to the more tragic side of the story.

"Ha, an idol? You do seem like the type." Kiyoteru joked before I threw him a withering gaze. He defensively threw his hands up and backtracked. "I mean, you look like someone who would be an idol, that's what I mean!"

"Well, looks are one thing- actually getting work is another." I sighed. "It's only happened once, but rejection hurts a lot more than I thought it would."

"I know the feeling." Kiyoteru leaned back in his chair, the both of us now looking in opposite directions, not sure of what to say to one another. He was feeling bad for having rubbed his success in my face, and I was feeling overwhelmingly jealous that someone like Kiyoteru- nerdy, reclusive Kiyoteru- had achieved the dream that I wanted. I know it's bad to covet things other people have, but I desperately wanted the fame he'd somehow managed to get that sounded like it had just fallen in his lap. All that had fallen in mine was a key to Miku's apartment, and that was only derailing me.

"H-Hey, why don't I do you a favor?" Kiyoteru finally managed to speak. "I'm not sure if AHS is looking for any more talent, but I can put in a good word for you, if you want." I wanted to be modest and turn down his offer like a mature, self-reliant adult, but I was already taking advantage of someone else's kindness- I might as well not stop there.

"Would you?" I asked eagerly, leaning over the table. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble… I really could use all the help I can get."

"Hey, it's no problem at all. It's the least I could do for an old schoolmate." Kiyoteru grinned. "So why don't we drink to-" Before he had even finished, I'd already begun to get up, and looked back at him with an apologetic look on my face. He looked a bit disheartened, and I regretted having gotten up so soon –I didn't expect him to try and make the meeting some sort of celebration. We both chuckled nervously, and I rubbed the back of my head.

"Sorry, I'd love to stay… but I have some errands to run, I just remembered." I explained, shifting about nervously. Part of that was true- I finally decided that moment that I'd make diner for Miku as a way to share the good news with her and to just welcome her home to fulfill the dreams of the obsessive side of me who wanted to pretend to be Miku's doting housewife. Part of me… for some reason, I just didn't want Kiyoteru getting close. Musical acquaintances, old school friends- that was fine. I wasn't up for wanting to be anything other than that. "Thank you so much for all of this, though. I really do owe you."

"You don't owe me a thing, just do your best out there. I know how harsh the world of idols can be." Kiyoteru assured me, seeming a touch disheveled despite his words.

"Where exactly do you live, anyway? It's pretty expensive to live in the city." He quickly added before I left. With a grin, I finally decided to rub my current living situation in his face despite my not wanting to before. I'd made myself out to be a struggling, hopeful idol enough, I wanted something to tell him with my head held just as high as he had held his.

"Oh, I'm living with a roommate right now. Her name's Hatsune Miku."

Miku-

Sometimes I'm surprised I'm not addicted to drugs. I have such horrible defenses against peer pressure, all it takes are a nice "please" or two and I'll give in. Such was the case when I finished with work and I was confronted by Kagamine Rin and Len, the two twin, tween idols employed by Crypton. I'm not even that old, but the two of them have such boundless energy I start feeling like a crotchety older woman complaining about those "crazy kids". We were signed by the company around the same time, and went through initiation together, and before I even knew it, they were hanging around me every chance they got- or, in this case, asking me to join them for dinner.

"I really shouldn't." I told them at first. We were in the lobby, and I was mere steps away from the exit, but they'd managed to catch me before I had my chance to escape. "I need to get home I… have company over." The two of them eyed me suspiciously, even though I wasn't lying at all. How was I supposed to explain I was housing a girl I'd picked up off the street?

"I'm sure they'll forgive you if you're a little late!" Rin rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, just blame it on work. That's what we tell our parents." Len mischievously grinned, elbowing Rin. "It's a foolproof excuse- works every time." I continued to give broken protests, but the two of them were already starting to herd me to the exit. Maybe it was just how young and innocent they seemed that made my body not want to tell them no- even though I knew all too well that, yes, they were young, but their fame robbed them of their innocence a long time ago.

"Just a quick bite- we'll be in and out!" Rin finally promised me, a sleek, silver car pulling up in front of us the moment we reached the curb. "You won't even be missed, I promise!" She grabbed at my arm and lightly tugged, like she was a child asking for her parent to buy her something sweet. I could feel Len doing the same thing, imitating his sister as if it would convince me- and it did. Heaving a sigh, I gave in, shaking my head in defeat.

"Fine, just one, quick meal, then I really need to get home." I groaned, followed by light cheers from the two of them as the car door was opened for us. They pulled and pushed me in, as if they were expecting me to try and make a break for it at the last second.

"Who do you have over, anyway?" Rin asked, giving me a suspicious look. "I mean, if can't be family. Not even your own parents visit you." Part of me didn't want to answer her, partially for the sharp, stinging remark about my parents. The other part simply wasn't sure what to say. What exactly was Luka to me? I couldn't gather words, and when I tried, it led to me lightly blushing, and I hoped the darkness around us masked the fact.

"…Just a friend." I half-muttered, looking out the tinted window. "She's… a friend."

Luka-

Miku was late- I'd tried to give it an excuse for so long but, after sitting in the dark for what seemed like an eternity, I finally began to wonder where she was. I couldn't help but feel pathetic I'd waited up for her so long, and for how long I expected her to come home any moment. I should have expected that, though, Miku was an idol, after all. She'd probably been called away to a party, or gotten a last-minute gig somewhere. I shouldn't have felt so sad I was sitting in the kitchen alone, or hurt she hadn't made an attempt to get a hold of me at all. To me, she was so much, but to her, I was just a roommate.

Nothing but a roommate. Maybe a friend, but not anything like I was treating it.

I sighed and finally lifted myself from my seat, peering into the dark to the doorway once more, hoping she would walk in that moment. But all there was, was silence and darkness, no sound of her door clicking open or the flooding of light cast from the hallway outside. Feeling like a fool, I shook my head, trudging further into the apartment into her living room.

She'd given me a key to her apartment, not her heart. She'd opened her doors to me, not her arms. I felt dumb for even getting so excited about it all. My stay here only became official, our relationship itself hadn't changed: one-sided, at least from my end. I tried to laugh it off, like it didn't really bother me, but it did. I felt unimaginable things for Miku, and one little grain of kindness had gotten me more worked up than she knew.

"Miku…" I sighed, resting my hand over my heart as I looked to my side. I'd wandered into the corridor that led to both our rooms, and I cast my gaze into the darkened hallway to her sleeping quarters. My heart skipped a beat, and I took a single step in the direction of Miku's room. Gasping, I took it back, questioning what I was doing. Was I really going to trespass into my goddesses room? It seemed like a sanctuary that I could only enter when invited but… Miku didn't seem to be returning any time soon.

Just a peak- just one, little look-see. Then I'd leave and retire to my room!

Just a peak, naturally, became much more than just a simple, quick look. The moment I opened the doors to Miku's room and stepped inside, I might as well have locked myself in, because there was no way I was simply going to step back out. I felt a touch bad for intruding, but I wanted to experience as much of Miku as I could without overstepping my bounds and offending her. Standing in her room and taking in her scent that lingered all around me would be enough to keep me from doing such a thing.

Her room was decorated simply- organized and clean. Her furniture was white with teal trim, all of the pieces matching one another. I ran my hand along the smooth surface of her dresser, staring back at the smiling faces of photographs she displayed. School friends, familiar celebrities, staff of Crypton- they all stood beside Miku, looking proud of her. Oddly enough, her parents were oddly absent among the pictures- nowhere were they holding their daughter proudly, smiling along with their child who had achieved so much.

I dared to open one drawer of her dresser, joking to myself that I'd find underwear… and much to my shock I actually did. Neatly folded and stored were Miku's panties- stripped, polka-dotted, pure white- and I gawked down at them like a true, drooling pervert. Before I could go as far as to take a pair out of the drawer, I slammed it shut and took a step back, smoothing my hair back and taking a cleansing breath. God, what was I doing? I had half the mind to finally leave, having disgusted myself with the lengths I could have gone.

However, I turned to her bed- a mattress draped in silver and teal sheets on a fanciful, white metal frame. This was the place where she slept away her cares and worries- the place she dreamed. Miku's essence probably clung to those sheets the most. I drifted to her bed, resting my hands on the silky fabric. My mind dared me to be greedy, just this once. I longed to curl up in the same place my goddess slept- where she began and ended all her days.

'Just for a little while.' I told myself sternly as I mounted the bed. 'I won't stay here long…'

Miku-

There was no denying I was drunk, no matter how much I thought to myself that I was fine. I could hardly stand in the elevator as I rode to my floor, and I couldn't decide whether I wanted to curl up in my bed, or in front of my toilet. The numbness of the drinking I'd done with Rin and Len was starting to wane, leaving me with a weak, nauseous feeling that left me stumbling and slack-jawed.

Being an idol can be dangerous to your health sometimes, especially when you really have a hard time telling people no. One after another, people offered to buy me and the others drinks, and I'd happily accept, no matter how difficult it became to form words. The party was eventually broken up by our handlers (who I was surprised had even followed us to the bar) who didn't want any of the faces of their company making drunken fools of themselves. Somewhere between Rin starting to take off her shirt and Len being led away by a gaggle of older women, we were whisked away, sheltered once again by the harsher glares of the limelight.

I stumbled all the way to my room like I was walking around in the dark, and inserting my extra key into the lock became a lot more complex than it usually was- like I was playing a game of darts rather than just trying to unlock the door to my apartment. And only when I stumbled in did I remember the person I'd originally had tried to drink away the confusing thoughts of.

My entire apartment had the scent of home cooking wafting through it. Never once had my living space felt so… homely. The smell almost seemed to welcome me home all by itself, stretching out from the darkness to embrace me in the stead of whoever had made what smelled so good. Dropping my belongings haphazardly in the entryway I wandered ungracefully to the kitchen to find a home-cooked meal waiting for me in my microwave and a note on the counter. It was so simple, only a few lines, and signed with a smiley face, but just reading it left a lump in my throat.

Luka… Luka had prepared this meal for me (a simple meal- curry with a side of grilled leeks- but one that seemed lovingly prepared, especially in the case of the leeks) and probably waited for me to return. And here I was, stomach full of fancy restaurant food and alcohol, stumbling back in the ungodly hours of the morning. I wanted desperately to stuff my face, but my churning insides wouldn't allow me to, no matter how bad I felt. I simply stood, hunched over the note, not sure of my tears I felt building up were from being drunk, or legitimately touched.

I needed sleep- I needed it badly. I needed to sleep away what chaotic feelings were snowballing in my brain before they caused me to act inappropriately. Already, I wanted to go and wake Luka and sob how sorry I was. I wanted her to hold me and I wanted to kiss…

'No!' I thought, shaking my head and pushed myself away from the counter. I wouldn't allow myself to do such a thing and risk something so precious as Luka's companionship. For so long, I reached out to my fans, only being able to imagine I could actually touch them. And then came along Luka, the very personification of what I wanted… maybe I'd let my pent up loneliness grow so large it was morphing into feelings of romance. Maybe I was just really drunk. I thought of every possible excuse as I slowly made my way to my room.

But, had I left my bedroom door open? I couldn't quite recall, but upon further inspection, it seemed I hadn't- a surprise intruder had simply left it ajar.

There, sleeping soundly, was Luka, curled up in a slight ball on my bed. Her long, pink hair spread out along the now messy sheets in elegant waves, catching just the right amount of moonlight as it poured over the edge of the bed. Her expression was the very definition of peaceful and her lips were parted slightly, just enough that I could hear her breathing.

An angel had fallen asleep on my bed, and despite how tired and dizzy I was, I couldn't bring myself to be angry or even the slightest bit bothered.

I drew near, gently resting my hands on the bed, threading my fingers through locks of Luka's hair that I could reach. Did I dare reach out and caress her sleeping form? Should I have shook her awake and drank in her embarrassment? Could I have just left her alone? I could have done all of those things, but I didn't. Instead I leaned forward, making sure not to be too quick as I drew closer and closer to Luka's lips. Part of me cried for me to stop, but in my current state, something else drove me as I gently pressed my lips against hers.

"Hrrmm…" Luka quietly mumbled, and I sharply drew back in response and stumbled backward. My cheeks immediately flared up as I considered and criticized what I'd done. If she had been jostled awake by the light, affectionate gesture, I wouldn't have known, seeing as I peeled out of room with a surprising amount of skill considering how I was still quite drunk.

What had I done… why in the world had I even done it!? Sliding down against the door I had shut on my way out, I sank to the floor and touched my lips with quivering hands. Was this how I felt about Luka? Was it wrong of me to even feel this way? Oh god, if she even knew…

Huddled on the floor, an embarrassed, shocked, drunken mess, I grudgingly accepted what I didn't want to even consider: I had a crush on Luka.