Dreams
Chapter 16: Suspicion
Gakupo looked unusually cheerful ever since that morning. He had that large beam spread across his face and he greeted everyone he met along the hallway. He looked so gentle, friendly and trimmed. Not that he was a messy and not an affable person, he was just behaving the extreme sides of his usual self and he had made everyone shiver at the sight of him.
"Kamui, you look happy today. What's up?" Miku asked with hint of suspicion in her voice. "Let me guess. It got to do with Luka Megurine."
"Bingo!" Gakupo shouted gleefully and ruffled Miku's hair. "Hatsune is always spot on!"
Groaning in displeasure, Miku rolled her eyes and brushed his hand away.
Kaito shook his head with a chuckle and said, "Gakupo is taking part in the modelling audition and his audition is this Friday night, the first day."
Miku jumped up in surprise. "Ah! That means..."
"My Lulu will be there!" Gakupo interrupted her with his arms in the air.
Rin's head sprang up upon hearing that and she gaped at Gakupo. Did he just say that the famous model Luka Megurine would be present on the first day of the audition? That was so cool!
Meiko put on a face of disgust and muttered, "Lu... lu..."
"That's so cool! Be sure to take her autograph! Get one for me too!" Miku squealed.
Gakupo smugged. "Don't worry, Hatsune. Actually, I wanted to join the audition because of her. I even negotiated with the staff there and then she offered me the first day. Isn't that great? I can get to see Luka. Imagine if I can take a photo with her, I will definitely put it as my wallpaper."
"And everyone will call you an obsessed stalker," Meiko remarked.
"Don't be so bad, Meiko. It's a rare opportunity which many people are dying for," Miku said and looked at Rin who was staring at Gakupo with wide eyes. "Rin... I... I understand how you feel... You are not allowed to take part in this audition, right?"
Rin flinched and looked at Miku. Rin opened her mouth trying to say something but she immediately shut it. She was not sure if she should tell them too. Maybe she should, because Gakupo would be there as well. What was there to lie to her friends?
"I'm... taking part in this too," she spoke in a soft voice and looked down to avoid their gazes. "The audition... first day..."
"Wha... what? First day? Same as me?" Gakupo looked at Rin excitedly. "That is so fantastic! We can stalk Luka together!"
As Gakupo began to chatter about his absolute plan on how to grab Luka's attention, the other three friends stared at Rin, looking very flabbergasted. Everyone remained silent, except for the excited man who was blabbering away about his idol.
After awhile, Meiko was the first to talk, "April Fool's Day is over, Rin."
"I know how badly you wanted to be a model, but you've to face the reality. Being a lawyer is not bad too," Miku added worriedly.
Kaito nodded and said, "Kagamine, get a grip of yourself."
Rin groaned. After she had told them the truth, her friends' responses were discouraging. They sounded as if they did not even believe a single word she had said. She sighed and looked at her textbook.
"Rin, we're sorry, but your parents definitely don't allow you to do this type of thing. So... it sounds kind of impossible for you to go for the audition," Meiko explained and scratched her head awkwardly. "Is it really true that you... have signed up for it?"
"Yes," Rin sighed again.
There was silence. Everyone's jaws was hanging wide open, even Gakupo stopped talking and gawked at Rin as well.
"Look, I'm serious. Don't give me that look. I feel like I've just said a load of crappy stuffs," Rin grunted.
"Well, aren't you? I mean, your parents! They should have done something to stop you, shouldn't they? You know how against they are about this matter and then they suddenly allow you to take part in that audition!" Miku gasped dramatically. "It's like the goodness of all goodness!"
Rin shivered and mumbled, "What kind of phrase is that?"
Meiko leaned forward and began to bombard Rin with questions, "Anyway, what did your parents say? Why did they allow you? How did you manage to convince them in the first place? And..."
"Hey, hey, hey, chill!" Rin interjected with a frown. "My parents have decided to let me go for the audition but that doesn't mean they're no longer against it. Within three months, I've to prove to them that I can turn this dream of mine into reality. Then, they will allow me to pursue further as a model."
Her friends stared at her, then looked at one each other with wide eyes.
"That's..."
"Kind of..."
"Great?"
"Yay! Kagamine and I can see Luka together!"
And everyone's face fell, except for that ardent fan of Luka Megurine who had just said that.
-:-:-:-
"So, what are you planning to do in the audition? Like showing your talents and other stuffs."
Rin shrugged upon hearing Gakupo's question. How was she supposed to know what kind of talents she possessed? Even Len could not answer her this question too! Maybe he did answer, but he did not want to say it out loud to her. What was wrong with her inner talent? Why couldn't Len just spill the truth? Unknown to herself, she was already gritting her teeth at the thought of it.
"Kagamine?" Gakupo called out to her again and waved his hand right in front of her face. "Hello?"
Rin blinked and turned to look at Gakupo. "Ye... yes?"
He sighed and asked again, "What are you going to do in the audition?"
"I..." She paused. "I don't know. What about you?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and replied, "Hmm... since my sole purpose isn't really about becoming a model, I think I will just... sing?"
"Your singing is great. You'll definitely pass," Rin mumbled as she leaned her whole body against a pillar. "But I don't know what I'm going to do there, even though I really look forward to it."
The two of them just stood at the cab stand silently. While Rin was still moaning about her lack of talents, Gakupo was in deep thought. He was humming softly to himself, rubbing his cleanly-shaved chin and keeping his eyes close. Just then, he snapped his fingers and turned to look at Rin.
"Kagamine, I know what you can do!" he exclaimed. "Just be yourself."
Arching her left eyebrow, she faced Gakupo and gave him a questioning look. "Be myself? Like... how?"
"Do something which shows that you really do have a passion for modelling. I remember you did say that you liked to do poses in the past. Maybe... you can use that."
"Isn't that boring? Anyone can pose too," Rin shot back and pouted angrily. "Maybe I'm not fit to be a model at all. I can just die and rot now."
"You're so pessimistic."
Remaining silent, Rin just stared hopelessly into space until a cab arrived. After saying his farewell, Gakupo boarded it and left Rin alone in the cab stand. She guessed she had to ask Len for his honest opinion when she returned. He had to tell her or else, he would have to...
"Ka... Kagamine."
Startled by a sudden voice, Rin turned her head to the side and saw Kaito dragging his bike, which was finally found in the hands of some unknown thief, towards the stand. He stopped right in front of her and gave her a small smile.
He began, "Did you see Gakupo? I heard that Gakupo was waiting for the cab."
"Kamui just left. Why?"
"I've something to pass to him, but it's not that important." Kaito chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck to hide his awkwardness. "Kagamine... are you... waiting... for a cab as well? If you want, I can gi... give you... a... a ride."
Rin frowned at the way he stuttered. He was always like that when he was with her, stammering and asking her for a ride were the only things he could talk about when they were alone together. But when he was with others, he sounded so natural and less bashful. It felt like he wanted to be close with her but was scared to do so. Was she that scary to be with?
"I don't mind," Rin answered. "Thank you."
Kaito's eyes widened for a second before he started to beam happily. Rin had finally accepted his ride. He sat on the rider seat and patted the small passenger seat at the back, signalling her to sit on it. Rin sat down and wrapped her arms around Kaito's waist. When she did that, Kaito's face turned red, even his ears turned a little pinkish as well. He immediately closed his eyes, slowly breathed in and out, and kept calling himself to calm down in his head. What made his heart pound harder was when Rin's arms shifted a little to a comfortable position, brushing her arms against his waist.
"Shion, let's... what's wrong?" She noticed his pink ears and tried to take a closer look at his face so she leaned forward. "Your ears are pink."
Kaito lowered his head to hide his face from her. Judging her worried voice, he could picture her anxious face, looking straight at him as she spoke. For the love of God, why did Rin has to be so cute, even in his so-called imagination?
"Shion, if you're not well, you don't have to force yourself..."
Upon hearing that, his head sprang up and he quickly interrupted her, "No, I'm fine. I'll take you home. Where do you live?"
"That... can I show you the directions? I don't really know the name of the district quite well," Rin replied with a weak laugh.
Kaito arched his eyebows. Well, that was strange. For a person whom he had thought to have been living there for more than fifteen years of her life, it was too weird not to know the name of the district where she lived. Putting that thought aside, he stepped on the pedal and started the journey.
"Sure then."
-:-:-:-
Right at this moment, he then realised the true reason for her to 'forget' the area of her residence. As she got off his bicycle, he scanned the familiar looking buildings. If he was not wrong...
"Thank you for the ride, Shion," Rin said and bowed to him politely.
He immediately turned to her with a smile and asked, "You're welcome. But... is this where you really live?"
Her body stiffened.
"Why? Of course... I mean, I'm temporary staying here," her voice quivered and she started laughing weakly, trying to hide her anxiety.
Well, that was obvious.
"Len lives here."
She nodded frantically and blurted, "Yeah, I know. I'm staying with hi..."
Her eyes widened as she immediately closed her mouth. She saw how Kaito's smile vanished right on the spot and his face was replaced with a frown within a split second. What was she going to do? Kaito might get the wrong idea.
She fidgeted uncomfortably and looked at her watch. "Ah... I got to go now. Thanks again and goodbye!"
With that, she scurried off into an old building while he just stared at her diminishing silhouette in suspicion.
Could someone really tell him what was going on?
Hi guys, thanks for reading up to Chapter 16.
Next, I would like to thank those who had reviewed Chapter 15. Thanks for all those encouragements. Hope to hear more from you again! :D
Here are the reviewers:
- DarkestThingInTheLight
- LucyHeartfilia125
- 12domba
- seraphim. 159
- Gruesome Deaths
Lastly, I would also like to thank those who had story alerted and favourited this story.
Preview of the next chapter:
Chapter 17: The Girl in Purple Dress
She looked down with tears welling up in her eyes and muttered, "My mother said... if a boy and a girl see those birds in pairs, the boy and the girl will get along with each other. If they catch the birds, they will be together forever."
Len's face fell upon hearing that and he said, "You're in your cheesy mode again."
She blushed and retorted, "Well, what's wrong with being cheesy? I just thought that... if we catch the two birds, we can be together forever."
"Stupid," Len mumbled and looked away, trying to hide his faint blush. "We don't have to catch them just to be together forever. What counts is actually our hearts."
"Our hearts?"
"Yeah. If we truly want to be together forever, we will make it happen even without charms," Len answered as he lowered his head even more, desperately trying to hide his flushed face from her. "If you want to be..."
"Then, do you truly want to be with me?"
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