Author's Note - May 27, 4:36 PM
AARGH! Why did nobody tell me that I was spelling Gakupo's last name wrong? xD I was spelling it Kaumi all this time, but it's actually Kamui. NOBODY TOLD MEEEEEE. I had to go back through every single chapter and correct them all. D:
But anyway, I'm just chillin~ Working on chapter 6 even though I told myself that I was going to wait until after I moved to write it ;~; I just can't stay away from this story. As I write this, it has over 9k words, 699 views, 10 reviews, 4 favorites, and 11 followers. It's easily my most popular fanfiction! Thank you all so much for liking it. c:
Speaking of fanfictions, have you guys seen my new one? It's called [Doppelganger]. Please go check it out! :D
Another thing - I opened a poll on my profile! Please go vote on it!
Author's Note - May 29, 12:48 PM
Ergh. I'm bored. RPing on FeralHeart, writing, and being bored as I skip school. 8D Yay for skipping!
Seriously though, I decided I didn't need to go to school today. That means more time for writing, yippee!
But I'm really, really bored right now. The person I'm RPing with is a slow typer.
Btw, do any of you guys have FH accounts? If you do, friend me and we can RP together! :D I'm animeartist.
Uh, I better get back to writing. I'm almost done with Chapter 6!
Author's Note - June 4, 3:39 PM
ARGH. I'm stuck with no internet until the 6th. D: IT'S TORTUREEEEEEE
I actually haven't worked on this story for a little while, but that's just because the computer just got set up in my new house yesterday.
I'm working on a new original story. I think I'm gonna call it [Junior Year]. I'm posting it on FictionPress. The two main girls, Annabell and Avery, are based off of me and my best friend (respectively). A few other characters are real people from my life, but most aren't. You'll have to wait and see what it's about!
Author's Note - June 6, 9:15 PM
INTERNET! SWEET, JOYOUS INTERNET! :D
I'm just putting this note to say that Chapter 6 is done and I'll be posting it tonight or tomorrow. I guess you'll see. I also posted [Junior Year] and another new story of mine, called [Actress for Life], on FictionPress. Links will be in my profile.
And now for review replies, my lovelies.
Lyric22- Aww, thank you so much! *blushes* That review made me so happy.
ChoccoTsundere- No, it's not done, don't worry xD
BattyCrash- :D
weskergirl1- Thanks! c:
BLOOD WARNING FOR THE ENDING
~*~Act 6: Matryoshka~*~
I go to school the next day – Monday – feeling happier than I have in a really long time. I feel like a character in an anime: running in slow motion, white glowing background, a wide grin and blush spread over my face, sakura blossoms twirling through the air, my hair blowing softly in an imaginary wind –
Okay, that's enough. I think I've been watching too much Tokyo Mew Mew.
As I walk into the school, my bag in my hand and draped over my shoulder like usual, Teto runs to catch up to me. "Gumi-chan!" she cries.
I turn to see her. "Oh, um, hey, Teto," I say uncomfortably.
"Gumi, Ted-niisan went on a date yesterday!"
I freeze. "O-oh? Is that so?" I stammer. "Who – who did he go on this date with?"
Teto tugs on one of her pigtails, making it bounce obnoxiously when she lets go. "I don't know. That's why I was telling you. You're pretty observant, and I wanted to know if you had any guesses who he went with."
"I don't know, I've got to go now. See ya later!" I say quickly.
"Uh, Gumi? Wait!" Teto yells, but I'm already running.
I get to my locker and lean against it. Panting, I press a hand to my chest and close my eyes in relief. "That was close," I mutter to myself.
"What was close?"
I jump at the sound of Rin's cheerful voice. "Hi, Gumi!" she continues, smirking knowingly at me. "How was your date?"
"Shut up!" I hiss, blushing and looking around wildly.
Luka appears beside Rin. "Seriously, though, how was it?" she murmurs, leaning in close to me with that same knowing smile on her face.
I put my hands over my face to hide my blush. "We... uh, we kissed," I whisper, hoping they don't hear me.
But they do, which is made obvious by Rin's loud squeal of excitement.
"Shutup!"I gasp again, removing my hands from my face and slapping them over her mouth.
"S'rry!" she giggles, her voice muffled by my fingers. "'Re jus' so c'te!"
Luka thumps her teasingly upside the head. "Moron," she says affectionately. "Now, come on, you two. We're going to be late for class if we don't –"
She never gets a chance to finish her statement. Her eyes lock on something behind us. They get all big and sparkly, and her cheeks flush with just the right amount of pinkness as she says sweetly, "Good morning!"
I raise an eyebrow at the pinkette, a question on my lips, but it dies when I hear the deep voice reply, "Good morning, Megurine-san." I look over my shoulder to see none other than Hatsune Mikuo, Miku's brother.
She smiles prettily at him, batting her thick black eyelashes flirtatiously. "Just call me Luka-chan, please," she purrs.
He blushes lightly. "Y-yes, Luka-chan."
I groan comically. "When did you two start dating?" I tease.
Mikuo blushes darker. "We, uh, we're not d-dating," he stammers, running a hand through his shaggy teal hair.
Luka puts on a cute pouty face, and I find myself envying her beauty and... perfection. Seriously. Even when she blushes, it tinges her cheeks just the right way. When I blush, my entire face turns bright red, and it's not very attractive.
Mikuo turns his gaze to me curiously. "Why do you have your hands over Kagamine-san's mouth?"
"Oh." I look back at Rin. "Uhh... AAAAH!"
Something warm and wet touches my finger, and I scream and jerk my hand away. "Ew! Rin, that is disgusting! Did you seriously just lick my finger?!" I wipe my hand on my skirt while the blond bursts into hysterical laughter.
Luka chuckles. "Come on, Mikuo-kun. We're going to be late for class," she says and twirls, making her candy-pink hair flow out behind her. She walks away with Mikuo trotting after her like a lost puppy.
I roll my eyes. "That Luka."
Rin smirks. "Well, I better get to class too. See you later, Gumi-chan!~" She runs off.
During lunch period, I sit alone on the roof. Luka and Mikuo are talking and laughing together, Rin is sitting with Kaito and looking like the happiest girl in the world, and Teto is hanging out with Lily and Neru.
I finish my lunch and stand up, stretching. Before I can drop my arms, though, someone hugs me from behind. Thinking it's Gakupo, I spin around and push him off me. "Get off – oh, Ted-kun?"
Ted looks at me in surprise. "Gumi-chan, you okay?"
I blush. "Sorry! I thought you were Kamui-san."
"Did I hear my name?"
I turn back around to see none other than the purple-haired teen walking toward us, a grin on his face. "K – Kamui-san!" I stammer.
"Hello, my darling Gumi," he says, stopping in front of me. "How is my dear girlfriend this lovely day?"
Ted comes to the rescue. He steps around me to stand between me and Gakupo, and I see the cocky smirk on his face when he says, "She's not your girlfriend, Gakupo-san."
Gakupo sneers at him. "You're one to talk, Ted-san. She's not your girlfriend, either, and she never will be."
At this time several people have come to watch, including Miku, Rin, Len, Mikuo, Luka, and Kaito. My eyes widen as I also spot Teto in the crowd. "Ted-kun, maybe you shouldn't –" I start.
"You're wrong again, Gakupo-san." Ted crosses his arms, still smirking. "She is my girlfriend. We went on a date yesterday, and I asked her out."
Gakupo seems at a loss for words.
"Mm, what else? Oh yes, we also kissed."
Gakupo punches him hard in the jaw. Ted falls, and I catch him, dropping to my knees under his weight. "Ted-kun!" I cry.
He winces and gets up slowly. I do too. "Ted-kun, are you okay?!"
"Gumi-chan," he grunts, pushing me away with one hand. "Get out of the way so you don't get –" He's cut off as Gakupo's fist thumps him in the chest, and he staggers backward.
I stumble, and Rin and Luka run forward and grab my arms. "Gumi, stop it! You'll get hurt!" Luka says. I barely hear the words.
"Let go of me!" I yell, fighting my two best friends. Tears stream down my cheeks. "Ted-kun!"
Ted backs away. "Gakupo-san..."
Gakupo kicks my boyfriend in the shin. "You jerk! You took my girlfriend! Do you really think you love her as much as I do?!"
"I'll love her more than you ever will," Ted rasps.
The purple-haired boy's fist clenches tighter, his eyes narrowing with fury. He draws back his arm and aims for Ted's stomach.
"NO!" I sob, breaking free of Rin and Luka. I run forward.
"Gumi-chan! No!" Rin screams. "Get back!"
I skid to a stop in front of Gakupo, my arms out. I see Gakupo's hand, in slow motion, already moving. I feel my lips move, hear myself yell, "STOP!" I see it coming, but I can't stop Gakupo's fist from making contact with my throat.
I choke and fall. Black dots swarm in my vision as pain explodes in my neck. I feel myself being lifted gently. I hear voices. Ted's voice, cursing loudly, cracking. Gakupo stammers something unintelligible that I guess is an apology. Then Ted walks away with me still in his arms.
"You'll be okay, Gumi-chan," he says quietly before I black out.
I open my eyes to see bright lights above me. I squeeze them shut again, moaning and feeling the pain in my neck return anew.
The lights dim, then someone blocks it altogether, and I squint my eyes open to see that it's Rin. Her bright blue eyes sparkle with tears. "Gumi? Y-you're awake. How are you feeling?" Her eyes dart to my neck, then back to my face.
A horrible sound comes softly from my throat when I try to speak. My eyes start to water at the pain.
Rin sniffles and wipes her eyes. "Do you – do you think you can sit up?"
I do so, admittedly with some difficulty, and Rin hands me a clipboard with paper and a pen. Though my hands shake uncontrollably, I manage to write a question and hold it up for Rin to see.
Where am I?
"The nurse's office," she says, blinking rapidly as more tears trickle out of her eyes. "They're – they're sending you back to your dorm soon. You need to rest. Aoki-sensei made an ice pack for you..." She looks around the room distractedly.
Ted-kun is okay?
I write the words and hold the clipboard up again. After locating the ice pack (which was on the table, in plain sight, not two feet from her), Rin looks up and reads it.
She nods. "Yes, he's doing okay," she says, sounding a bit choked up. She wipes her eyes again. "I-I can send him in now, since you're awake."
Please do. I'll be ok. I love you, Rin.
She sobs. "I love you, too." She runs out crying, and a moment later Ted walks in and closes the door behind him.
My eyes burn and the tears run down my cheeks. He walks over, sitting on the side of the bed and opening his arms. I drop the clipboard and pen and hug him, melting into his embrace. Ted-kun.
He pulls back and gently touches my hair. I see a bruise forming on his jaw and lift my hand to let my fingers move lightly over the purplish-black mark. Our eyes meet.
I'm so sorry, I mouth.
"It's okay," he says, trembling. "Gumi-chan... Aoki-sensei wants one person to walk you back to your dorm."
I tilt my head and lean in, pressing my lips to the bruise. Then I pull back and point at him. You.
He blushes lightly, putting an arm around my shoulders. "You'll be okay."
I pick up the pen and clipboard.
As long as you're with me.
Ted cries.
I do, too.
When Aoki-sensei comes back into the room, I cling to Ted's hand tightly, suddenly afraid that she won't let him walk me back to my dorm.
"Gumi-chan, you'll be all right. Your voice won't be damaged as long as you don't use it for the next day or two, and the worst physical damage you'll have is a bruise," Aoki-sensei says in her fluting voice. "Ted-kun, if you'd like to walk Gumi-chan back to her dorm, you're welcome to." She smiles prettily at us.
I exchange a look with Ted. "What about Gakupo-san?" he asks, speaking for both of us.
"Oh, he'll be suspended for a week," she says dismissively.
As she ushers me and Ted out the door, I clutch the ice pack in my hand and think, I wish he were expelled.
By the time I have my voice completely back on Wednesday, I'm glad, because we get a singing project that day for Leon-sensei's class.
"Your assignment, class, is to write a song and record it with your partner. It must be at least two and a half minutes long. This is due on Friday. I will be choosing the partners."
Everyone groans.
"All right, all right, calm down, everyone," he chuckles. "I'll announce your partners now." He takes out two jars and pulls a folded slip of paper out of one. He unfolds it and reads it.
"Kagamine-kun..."
He pulls one out of the other jar.
"... and Kasane-kun."
Len winks at me and mouths, Great chance for me to get to know your boyfriend, eh?
I roll my eyes.
"Utatane-kun and Kasane-chan," he calls out.
Teto and Piko exchange noncommittal glances.
"Megpoid-chan and Hatsune-chan."
Miku-san?! I look over at the tealette, who looks equally stunned. I blink and turn back to Leon-sensei, who continues to read off names until the jars are empty.
"All right, everyone, you may go to your partners and discuss the assignment."
Miku hurries over to me, blushing. "Um, Gumi-san? Hi."
"Hello, Miku-san."
She twirls a strand of her long hair around one of her fingers nervously. "I-I know some hard things have happened to us in the past... b-but I wanted to apologize," she stammers. "I was mean and hurtful. And something I did caused you to be injured." Her eyes move down to the bruises on my neck. "I'm really sorry, Gumi-san. Do you think, maybe... we could be friends?"
I consider it. Friends with Miku-san? Well... that apology seemed sincere. Then I shrug. "Sure, Miku-san. That's fine."
Miku smiles and I realize how pretty she is. "Thank you so much, Gumi-san."
I smile back, suddenly happy to have her as my partner. "No problem. So, when and where do you think we should record our song?"
"Hmm..." She tilts her head, thinking. "Maybe tomorrow night? We could do it in my dorm. I have a recording software on my computer, plus Meiko-chan will be out all night."
"Sure!"
The next night I walk down to Miku's dorm and knock on the door. "Miku-san?"
"Is that yoooooou, Gumi-chan?" I hear her voice through the door. "Come on iiiiiiin!"
I frown and open the door cautiously. Miku is lounging on the floor, a video game controller in one hand and a bottle of sake in the other. Three more bottles are scattered on the floor, and papers and pens are strewn about the room.
"Heeeeey, Gumi-chan!" Miku slurs, grinning lopsidedly at me with half-closed eyes. She moves the bottle to her lips and drinks the rest of it.
My eyes widen, and I step in, closing the door behind me. "Miku-san... uh, are you drunk?"
She drops the bottle and it rolls away. "Nooo... well, maybe," she giggles, while on the TV, her racer crashes into another car, and they both explode into smoke. Miku pays no attention to it.
I sit down by her nervously. "Miku-san, you're drunk," I say. "Um, where did you get all that sake, anyway?"
"Meiko-chan!" Miku drawls, pointing to an open cabinet full of sake bottles. "She... she said I could drink as much as I waaaant!"
I cover my eyes momentarily as I attempt to regain my composure. Right. Meiko-chan drinks. I forgot completely.
"Heeeeey, Gumi-chan. Ya want some?" she says, flopping onto her back and rolling over to grab another bottle.
"No," I say firmly, snatching the bottle from her hand. "And you shouldn't be having any more, either."
"Oh, come oooon!" she slurs, blinking pitifully at me. "Just... just try a sip?"
I stare at the sake bottle in my hand. Should I? I wonder.
"Okay... but just a sip."
"Anone, motto ippai matte choudai! KARINKA? MARINKA? Gen o hajiite! Konna kanjou doushiyou ka? Chotto oshiete kurenai ka? Kando ryoukou 5-2-4! FUROITO? KEROIDO? Ken o hataite! Zenbu zenbu waracchaou ze! Sassato odotte inaku nare! Chu chu chu chu la lu la taiyaiya aa iyattatta! Chu chu chu chu la lu la taiyaiya aa iyattatta!"
Miku and I finish singing and she presses the stop button. We cheer, clink our bottles together, and drink together.
"That was... awesome!" I stammer, grinning widely. "Miku-chan, that song... is the best song ever written."
She takes another drink of her sake. "It totally is, isn't it, Gumi-chan?" she says, breaking into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.
I laugh. "Whaaaaat... what should we call it?"
"How about, Matty, uh, Matryoki, um, whatever that word was?"
"Matryoshka?"
"Yeah!" Miku grins. "That's what we should name it!"
I hold up my bottle. "Cheers!" I yell.
"Cheers!"
Our bottles collide again, but I guess we must have hit them together too hard, because the bottles break and smash all over us. Sake spills over my head, and I feel the glass shards dig into my hands as they tumble to the ground. Miku is laughing uncontrollably, and I see her get up and stumble into the bathroom. I hear her retching into the toilet as my vision starts to break into pieces as warm red liquid flows down my arms.
I throw the glass shards into the air, crying with laughter, and black out.
Songs used in this chapter:
Matryoshka by Miku Hatsune and GUMI