Miku was shocked. That was the word for it. Completely and utterly shocked.
"So, Kaito's in love with you?!" Miku demanded, still trying to process what she had been told.
"Kaito's in love with Kagine Lin," Len corrected, "That's the point. I want the chance to take him on a date and explain everything to him. I owe him that, at least. He's helped me so much."
Miku felt her own heart fall into her gut. This situation was ridiculous. Well, most of the situations she ended up involved in were.
"But-" Miku tried to organize her chaotic thoughts, "That doesn't make any sense. Love at first sight? Kaito has always been a bit of a romantic, but… Just…" She really didn't have any words to use that would describe how her thoughts were running. Kaito had a crush on Lin, who was actually Len, who was a boy, but Kaito obviously didn't know that, because Miku knew he liked girls…
Gah. Screw logic.
"It's weird, I know. But I really just need the chance to tell him," Len said, avoiding Miku's quizzical eyes.
"Why can't you just tell him as a boy?" Miku demanded.
Len actually blushed as he muttered the next sentence. "I have more confidence dressed as a girl."
Miku didn't laugh. Normally, that kind of thing would make her laugh. But not then.
"Len, that's…" Miku trailed off, finding nothing to say. She didn't even realize she had used his first name.
"I know. I feel so horrible," Len murmured, "Kaito's such a nice person, and I feel like I've really hurt him. I don't want to give him anymore false hope."
Miku thought that this was actually kind of a mature decision. Granted, Len had waited a long time to face his problem, but he didn't seem to be denying his part or trying to run away. Then again, this was Kagamine Len she was think of, so what did she know?
"Okay," Miku sighed, "Now that you've told me why you want a date with Kaito, I'm a bit more willing to help you. At least, I don't think you have a stupid reason." And it's obvious he feels bad, so I'm not even going to get angry. Even if he is a complete moron.
"Thanks, Mi-chan. I'm glad," Len raised his head to smile warmly at her. His eyes had been fixed firmly on her carpet before this action, and Miku nodded once to show she understood him. His situation. How he felt. All of it.
"So, how do you want to get a date with him? Because, honestly, you could just call him up right now," Miku suggested.
"Th-that would be suspicious! Besides, he has both my number and your number, so whose phone would we use?" Len stuttered. Miku rolled her eyes, though he had a point.
"We could just arrange for a chance meeting. I'm sure Kaito would just ask you out in a case like that. Honestly, you could've done that without me," Miku muttered. Len had to admit she was right, too. But there was one thing he hadn't told her.
"Kaito told me a lot about you, both when you were together and after you broke up. I guess… I just wanted to make sure you couldn't hurt Kaito," Len bit his lip at the confession, "But I guess I just felt like I need someone to help me, make sure I didn't run away from what I should do. When I ran into you, I just took the opportunity. It's not like I intentionally searched for you."
Miku eyed the blond oddly. Suddenly, he didn't seem quite so threatening or terrible to be around. At least, he seemed to understand how Kaito worked. "Well, we can both agree Kaito's too damn nice for his own good. Now, let's get to work. Arranging an accidental meeting will be easy enough. I just have to call him up and-"
"But he might think you have something to do with it if you do that! What if he gets mad?" Len interrupted. The point was valid.
Miku shook her head. "Kaito never gets mad at me. But… He might if we end up breaking his heart."
Len turned red, and pulled his knees p to his chest, even though he was still seated on Miku's desk chair. "Now I feel worse. Thanks."
"Oh, I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind. Quit acting like a wimp," Miku snapped, then soften her tone a bit, "How about we go bug Mikuo for some tea? I'm sure it will make you feel better to relax and drink something warm."
Len nodded in agreement, unwinding his arms from around his knees and standing up, following Miku out of her room and down the stairs. He couldn't help the next words that escaped his lips.
"Thank you, Miku. You're… Actually very helpful. I'm so grateful," he whispered, and instantly wanted to die yet again. It was so embarrassing to admit he might actually need someone else, especially someone like Miku. Even though the two were finally starting to warm up to one another, Len didn't think they had enough in common to be friends. Maybe just "friendly". That's all he could hope for.
Wait, what? Hope? For some sort of relationship between them? For friendship and cooperation? That was absurd. And he knew it.
"Um, you're welcome," Miku replied, confused.
The two entered the kitchen, where Mikuo and Piko were seated at the table, a teapot and four cups placed on the dark, wooden surface.
"Figured you'd come down soon enough for tea," Mikuo smirked in amusement.
"Well, thank you very much, Nii-san," Miku told him as sarcastically as she could. The siblings shot matching smiles to each other and laughed. Piko and Len watched this exchange silently.
"I didn't know girls' talk lasted so long," Piko stated, sipping his tea delicately.
"They last as long as girls want them to," Mikuo replied, receiving a flick to the forehead from Miku as she reached over the two boys to get her tea. She handed Len his cup, which was still warm and steaming. He wrapped his hand around the cup, letting his palms and fingers soak up the warmth.
"Thank you, Mikuo-san," Len told the boy, smiling delicately at his elder.
"No problem," Mikuo waved away his thanks with an equally gentle smile.
"It's nice to see you getting along so well again," Miku told her brother and the silver-haired Piko, "You two interact a lot less lately."
"Blame him," Mikuo smirked as he brought his own cup to his mouth, "He's the one who never visits."
"True," Piko admitted.
"Well, in any case, Piko needs to be here more. You used to come over for dinner every day," Mikuo sighed as he remembered the days his little sister and her friend did everything together. They fit so well, the ever-confident and bubbly Miku dragging shy Piko with her wherever she felt they needed to be, and wherever they needed to be tended to involve mud or paint or something just as messy. He liked those two better back when Piko hadn't been so cold-hearted, back when Miku smiled so much more. Ah, well. They seemed happy enough now.
Once again, the line "if only he knew" fits quite well, doesn't it?
"As long as you don't let Miku cook ever again. Ever. I'm not kidding," Piko warned. They all laughed; even Piko smirked a bit. Len didn't find it at all surprisingly that Miku couldn't cook.
"Only Mikuo cooks," Miku reassured her friend, smiling brightly.
Only Mikuo cooks. Did that mean their parents don't? Len wondered. Well, come to think of it, I've never seen their parents. Do they live alone? There's no way teenagers can afford a house like this.
He didn't feel like asking at the moment. The question would probably break the happy mood in the room, and Len didn't want that. Seeing Miku smile… It was nice.
Len's face burned as he realized what he had been thinking. His thoughts focused on Miku far too much for his liking lately.
"Good," Piko told them, and Miku rolled her eyes.
"Are you staying for dinner, Piko?" Mikuo asked, "It's about time for me to start it."
Len glanced at the clock and noticed how late it was getting. Almost 5:30. He should be getting home.
"I guess," Piko shrugged.
"Excuse me," Len gulped down the last of his tea, and the liquid burned a bit as it went down, "But I have to leave. My sister might get worried."
"Oh, that's right. You have a sister. I keep forgetting," Miku said, "Say hi to her for me, will you?"
"Alright. Goodbye, Miku, Mikuo-san, Utatane-san," Len told them all, making his way to the front hall to slip his coat and shoes back on. In a last effort of mild stupidity and trust, he slid Miku's phone from his pocket and placed it on a plant stand that sat beside the front door. There was nowhere else to put it, really, and the object was basically useless as a hostage now. Besides, Len felt confident Miku would help him now, especially if he showed he trusted her. Which he did. To a certain extent. Later, the pig-tailed beauty would find the phone and smile ever so slightly. But she would never admit it to anyone. Especially not Len.
Len left quietly, and decided not to call his chauffeur. Walking home was alright. It gave him a chance to think.
As he set off, his thoughts turned to Miku. He didn't know what it was about her that made her so important to him. It was clear he liked her, at least a bit. No, not like that. But he appreciated her and he liked her company. She was pretty and fiery, with a temper that sometimes annoyed Len to no end. But the way she had acted when she had heard his story…
She was so kind and understanding. Sure, there had been a few comments that hadn't been, but that was the most kindness she had shown him yet. It goes to show even the angriest and most unhappy person can be genuinely kind to someone who needs it, whether they actually like that person or not. Yes, Miku was kind, Len decided. It was just a side of herself that she didn't use too often. Maybe she just didn't need to use it. Maybe she liked being angry—No, Len didn't think that was the case. She was confusing, that was for sure. He wanted to know what made her tick, and what this secret she had was. He hoped she would be the one to tell him; after all, he had just revealed an important secret to her. But he knew that, whatever her secret was, he couldn't hate her for it. He just knew it.
/
Miku found herself in a good mood the next day. Maybe it was because of her unspoken truce with Len, but something had eased the tension she felt. She was glad; being so stressed was doing horrible things to her sleep patterns.
Miku cheerfully greeted both Teto and Gumi as she came into the classroom the next day. The girls exchanged looks as Miku hummed her favorite tune, preparing her supplies for class. Pencils? Check. Textbooks? Check. She had all her notebooks, her lunch, everything she needed.
"Hatsune-san?" Gumi asked tentatively.
"Yes, Megpoid-san?" Miku waited patiently for the girl to ask what it was she wanted.
"You seem… Cheerful. Did something happen?" Gumi blinked large, inquisitive eyes at the pig-tailed girl. Miku laughed brightly.
"Oh, nothing important. I guess I'm just in a good mood," Miku replied in the sort of voice that made angels envious.
Teto let loose a squeal of joy. "Oh, I know why you're so happy! Does it have something to do with love?"
If Miku had been drinking something, she would've gagged. She blinked rapidly as her attention was diverted to Teto.
"N-no!" Miku exclaimed, her stammer as real as real can be.
"Ah, see, Goomi-oomi?! She blushed! It's love!" Teto swooned teasingly, her hands placed delicately over her heart, "Don't worry, Hatsune-san! We'll support you no matter what!"
Gumi couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "Oh, Teto-chan. Don't embarrass her. If she wants to tell us, she will."
Megpoid Megumi, you are a godsend, Miku thought as Teto pouted. Gumi gave her an apologetic smile.
"Go ruining my fun," Teto muttered, "I'll return the favor." Teto sighed dramatically before turning away from the two girls. She left and went to her own desk, where Lily proceeded to poke her repeatedly in the back with her pencil. Gumi said a farewell to Miku and went to her seat as well.
Was I really acting so odd? Miku asked herself, Don't I ever act happy? I smile a lot. I make sure to laugh. What's so weird about me being happy?
She couldn't really answer these questions. She didn't even know why she was happy. It was just a good day, she supposed. Yeah, that must've been it.