A/N: Updating is proving to be hard with all my homework... But I'll do my best. :)
This chapter's a bit sad... And maybe a bit OOC... but everyone has their moods, right?
"Ello, Kuo!"
Mikuo turned over in bed and covered his head with his blanket.
"Miku's so cool! Her song topped the charts again!" Akaito tugged at Mikuo's blanket."Get up! They're celebrating it! It's a party! Hey, Kuo, let's go!"
Mikuo held on to his blanket as if he'd die if he let go.
"Kuo?" The tugging stopped.
Mikuo peeped out from under the blanket. "Please leave me alone."
"Why? Are you sick?" Akaito leaned in. Fiery red eyes met quiet teal ones.
"Sort of."
Akaito stood up straight. "I'd better go get-"
"No, I'm fine. Just... depressed." Mikuo sighed.
"Why?"
Mikuo winced. "I know I sound selfish saying this, but it's because Miku's song topped the charts yet again." Silence reigned for a while until Akaito broke it.
"I know... right...?" Akaito's voice trembled. "Sometimes I think about Kaito like that too." He sniffed. "You and I... we did our best... we put all our efforts into it, but then... we got outshone. Again and again. Sometimes I wonder if we're really there at all..."
"Hey, don't cry." Mikuo got up. He rubbed Akaito's back gently. "Don't cry..."
"I... I'm not crying! Wuwalalaba!" Akaito quickly put a hand over his mouth in embarrassment.
Mikuo didn't mind the nonsensical word. "Yes, you are."
Akaito sniffled as a tear rolled down his cheek. "So... so what!" He wiped the tear away, looked at Mikuo, then started laughing.
Mikuo laughed, too.
Both of them understood. It felt good to have a companion when you're feeling down.
"Tell you what," Mikuo said, half laughing, "We're envious of their achievements, right?"
Akaito nodded. "Yeah, so?"
"So we make them envious of us." Before Akaito could question anything, Mikuo explained, "We make them envious of our friendship. Our duets. We can't surpass them alone, but, together, we're far stronger than any one of them. How's it sound?"
Akaito's eyes gleamed. "Sounds like a plan."
"... It's not one," Mikuo said to Akaito's grinning face.