Hear My Song!
Chapter III
Love and Melody
"I'm so beat, I might turn into a zombie any moment…" Miku nearly dropped dead on her bed. It was such a pain to work part-time, go to school, study, and work with Luka. If only the number of hours of each day would increase as well, not just her work.
Luka really gave her no breaks. And the producer was even worse. All of a sudden, it was not just "Magnet" but two singles. Miku was questioning their decision to let her sing a song alone, but they said it would be just an extra—which didn't help to motivate her at all.
Luka's song was "Just Be Friends," and Miku was supposed to write her own lyrics. Luka said that it was a test for her abilities in the business. But how was she supposed to find the time to come up with lyrics? Thank God Luka helped her out with things, like driving her home, from work, to the studio and back. It helped a lot. Luka also went shopping with her, although in disguise. People would go into an uproar if they saw Luka Megurine casually shopping with a high school student.
Neru and Haku knew by now that Miku was working with Luka. While Haku had been a bit excited, Neru was her usual bitchy self, although she was pretty quiet whenever Luka was around. Maybe she didn't want Luka to get a bad impression of her, but it was Neru they were talking about…
Since Neru and Haku were kind of dependent on Miku making meals (as neither could cook anything beside instant noodles), Miku's staying at Luka's place overnight was out of the question. And the woman was also pretty stubborn about seeing Miku more often than at work, so it led to the current disaster. Luka was, on her free days, staying at Miku's place.
"Miku, where do I put the salad?" Luka yelled from the kitchen. Miku wished that Luka could at least cook. But that was a wishful dream.
"That's for dinner!" Miku yelled back. "We're having steak today. Did you forget?" Miku saw the one positive thing that came with shopping with Luka—she didn't have to pay for her extra groceries, and since Luka liked to eat meat, the Hatsune household was making an extra profit by letting the songstress decide on and pay for the meals.
Luka was still not used to dealing with Haku. She also suspected that Neru secretly doted on Haku and that neither had told Miku. They seemed to be rather closely related, so two cousins sleeping with each other was probably not something she should confront Miku with in the current situation. Not to mention that it was just a hunch. Luka didn't have any evidence.
Miku had expected Neru to make a big scene when she had told Neru that she was seeing someone, and she expected an even bigger scene when that someone turned out to be Luka. It would've been impossible to keep it a secret anyway, with Luka coming over so often. But she took it surprisingly easily, saying that it was her own business who she dated, but she shouldn't come back and cry her heart out after Luka dumped her.
It was lucky that Miku had pretty good grades. Even if, due to the pressure from all the work, she didn't study as much and her grades dropped a little bit, it wouldn't be too bad. Still, Miku was thinking about quitting her part-time job. Luka chipped in with a bit of her money and that helped. Maybe that too was the reason that Neru was so…welcoming in her own way.
Someone knocked on the door. Looking up, Miku saw it was just Neru. Princess was probably going to ask when dinner was ready. Not even bothering to sit up or move, Miku waved with her hand that Neru could come in, and so she did.
"How serious are you about her?" Neru was never someone who beat around the bush or had any decency in asking Miku personal questions.
"I don't know yet. I like her, and it's fun…well, most of the time it is…to be with her and work with her. But why do you suddenly care? You've never been interested in my friends before." Miku gave her cousin a questioning look. It didn't really matter if Neru paid any interest or not, but since she'd gone and asked, Miku would at least reply. Neru was her family, after all.
"Being friends and dating someone is different. And this is Luka Megurine we're talking about. If someone finds out, you're going to be lynched." Neru didn't seem to be bothered by that idea. Or at least she wasn't showing it.
"I was thinking you'd ask me about being a lesbian and stuff, and not that." Miku wasn't holding back either. Discussions between her and Neru were really straightforward and blunt. They simply didn't go anywhere if discussions weren't held like that.
"Well…that's your thing. I can sort of understand you there. Guys are all jerks and assholes." Neru rolled her eyes and sighed. Miku had always wondered if Neru had had some jerk as boyfriend in the past, but she always dodged the question when it came to her romantic life.
"I'm old enough to deal with this on my own. But thanks for caring." Miku rolled over and looked straight up at her cousin, who was standing right next to her bed. She had "that" look on her face, that one look Miku rarely ever saw. Neru was smiling.
"Just don't screw up with her. Luka's a beauty. She's bound to have a ton of people going after her." Neru left and stopped at the door frame. "Now, if you would stop lying around and help Luka make dinner…" Back to the princess attitude.
Miku took a deep breath and forced herself up. She was relieved that she had at least already taken care of her homework, so she dragged herself to the kitchen. Luka was already there, making a huge mess while wearing a very cute apron. The woman looked good in anything, but letting her handle food was just suicidal.
"Give me that." Miku took a large knife from Luka and started cutting vegetables. Miku had always thought that such people didn't exist in real life, and only in anime and manga, but Luka truly was one of those people who could blow up pots and stuff.
Luka had already accepted her fate that she wasn't allowed to cook. Thanks to her occupation, Luka often ate in either restaurants or takeout food from shops. Miku stressed the fact that she blew up one pot way too much, though.
"Tomorrow is Saturday. No school, no work. I was thinking of taking a trip to the Kusatsu Hot Springs. I thought a bit of relaxing could be nice for you."
"You want to go to Gunma?!" Miku groaned, thinking about how long it would take to go there. It wasn't that far, but…she wasn't really happy with the idea of going there. But it was already out of her control. When Luka said she was thinking about it, then she really meant that she would drag Miku along no matter what and that it was already decided and planned.
Miku guessed that Neru had a sixth sense for this sort of thing, since she suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "You're going to the Kusatsu Hot Springs? Really?" She didn't look very happy for some reason, though. Miku had figured she would try and beg Luka to take her along too, but…
"I'm going there on request to write a review for a magazine, and taking Haku with me. It'll be good for her." Neru pointed towards the woman at the table.
Miku sighed heavily. Not only was Luka going to drag her all the way to Gunma, but Neru would also be there. That was far from relaxing. Maybe it would be easier to just lock herself up and spend a quiet weekend in her apartment. There was that one book she had been wanting to read…
"Which inn are you staying at?" Luka took the hint from Miku and lured Neru out of the kitchen.
"Kouakan Inn. Mostly regulars there. Where are you staying?" Neru hoped Miku would be staying in a different place. She wanted to spend some time with Haku alone.
"Ekinariya Inn." Luka didn't go into any specifics. She was a bit maniacal about hot springs and knew the name of the inn Neru was staying in. The place she had in mind for herself and Miku was triple the price for each night.
"So we're not in the same place. Miku!" Neru started to shout and Miku took a peek outside the kitchen. "Do your homework before you go anywhere. And take the trash out." Neru was as bossy as ever, Miku thought. That woman would never get a boyfriend if she continued to behave like a princess.
"So you're okay with me taking Miku there?" Luka was asking just in case. Miku was still a minor and Neru was her legal guardian.
"I don't care. I'm not gonna be at home anyway. But don't expect me to pay for her room," Neru snapped at Luka and got back to her cellphone, sitting down on the table.
Luka didn't like Neru's attitude too much, but she wasn't the type to pry into others' family matters. At least, not if the person in question still had the right to make some decisions for Miku. She went back into the kitchen, where Miku was working diligently with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Does your manager know about this little trip of yours?" Miku sent a well-knowing look in the direction of the songstress. Luka was just the type to do things without telling him and then get into trouble later. But she had come to like that aspect of her sometimes.
"Actually, he does. We argued for over an hour. I have to work double Monday and Tuesday because of it. I won't be able to come and get you." Luka hugged Miku from behind and made overly sad sounds. Miku couldn't help but smile and be a little amused.
"I'm proud of you." Miku threw the cut vegetables into a pan and put some oil on them. "If you let go of me, I could make dinner."
Luka let go and sat down on the workspace on the other side of the kitchen. She looked at Miku from behind. Luka had the impression that Miku would make a good housewife one day. Gritting her teeth in agony, she threw that thought out the window. If Miku was gonna be anyone's housewife, then it would be hers, and hers alone.
"The inn we're staying at is a really nice one. They only have six rooms and each room has a private garden and bathroom. There's also a large cypress bath. Too bad we can only stay one night." Luka was in a happy mood. The new songs were coming along quickly. If everything went well and the critics liked "Magnet," they would even get the chance to make a PV for it.
"How much did you pay for it?" Miku often thought about the economic value of things, and Luka really seemed to know no bounds or to hold back when it came to such things. One day she would be impoverished because of her inability to manage her finances.
"Something like fifty-three thousand yen." Luka said it like that was absolutely nothing.
Miku was so taken back that she cut her finger. Shaking her hand in pain and dropping the knife, Miku hissed and cursed. She suddenly stopped when Luka grabbed Miku's wrist and lifted said finger to her lips, gently sucking on it.
Miku was used to her antics and even sharing her bed with Luka, but this act brought a massive blush in her face. She forgot about the pain almost instantly and looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was spying on them. The pain was already gone, but Luka didn't stop. Instead, she came closer, finally letting go of Miku, but now pushing her against the cupboard.
She was a bit taller than Miku. Luka leaned over her, laying both arms around Miku's shoulders and getting close enough for a kiss. Luka didn't really mind if anyone saw her kissing Miku, but the embarrassed girl before her really did.
Closing her eyes as she always did to escape the captivating gaze of Luka's eyes, Miku let herself be kissed. She could still taste her own blood, but not much. Luka's lips always had a gentle and delicate taste of fruit to them. Giving in a little bit more, the smaller girl laid both her arms around Luka's waist.
The kiss intensified when Luka put more force behind her kiss and nudged Miku's lips with her tongue. Miku almost fell for it and opened her eyes. Whenever she looked into Luka's eyes this close up, her resolve and resistance melted away in seconds. She pushed Luka gently but sternly away, still a little red in the face.
"Let me make dinner first." Grabbing a band-aid from a nearby drawer, Miku put it on the cut that had already stopped bleeding and got back to making dinner. She knew that Luka would allow her no quiet minute now. "Go talk to Haku or Neru." Miku pointed to the exit of the kitchen and gave Luka a determined look.
With an overly disappointed look and sigh, Luka nodded. "Yes, yes."
Neru was lying on the ground next to the table, using her cellphone and grinning with a rather sinister expression. Haku was just leaning on the table, waiting for dinner. Luka only knew a bit about Haku, but according to Miku, she had an alcohol problem.
Luka sat down next to the white-haired woman and gave her a closer look. She was really good-looking, but apparently didn't care much for her appearance. Her hair was wild, and she wore really simple clothes. But her features were nice—especially those sad red eyes. It was a mystery why such a good-looking woman could let herself go.
"Is there…something you want?" Haku had noticed Luka's staring and moved a little bit away.
"I was just wondering what you were doing before you became unemployed." Luka had not heard much from Miku. The girl seemed a bit reluctant to tell others about her NEET cousin.
"Singing…" Haku whispered, and looked at the table. She really didn't want to talk to Luka about it. Luka was everything she wanted to be. Successful, high self-esteem, and on the verge of becoming extremely famous.
"What agency did you work for?" Luka was either really slow to realize when people didn't want to talk about something or just ignored such hints.
"Caffeine Music." Things she didn't want to remember came back up to Haku. The disappointment when she finally released her first single, the harsh critics, the spam on her blog…Haku was on the verge of crying, tears in her eyes.
Luka was about to ask more when suddenly two legs and a rather short skirt blocked her vision. Neru had stood up and was standing between Haku and Luka, arms crossed, her cellphone left on the ground and rather looking angry.
"Hey. I don't give a shit if you're a star or a god, but if you're acting like a bitch towards Haku just because you're a little successful, I'm going to throw you out. Leave her alone." Neru said it as brutally as possible, and Luka was actually a bit intimidated. She stood up.
Haku had started silently crying, and Neru knelt beside her, patting her head. It was such an odd image. Neru, the small, flat-chested and mean girl was actually comforting the tall, well-endowed, shy and depressed Haku.
Luka returned to the kitchen. Miku gave her a strange look. "What did you do to make Haku cry? Neru really hates it when someone does that." She was already frying the vegetables, but it didn't look like it was going to be a happy dinnertime.
"I just asked her what she did before she was unemployed." Luka shrugged and seemed a little bit concerned. "I didn't know she would cry. What in the world happened to make her that way?"
"I'll tell you later. If you're going to be around more, you should know, I guess." Miku was suddenly no longer in a good mood. Looking at the contents of the frying pan and listening to the sound of tears coming from the living room, Miku decided it'd be better for Luka to go before Neru turned her bad mood on her.
"I think it's better if we eat out or at your place tonight. I'll come right when I finish dinner. Wait for me in your car." Miku saw the disappointed look on the songstress's face and sighed. "Please?"
Luka really was disappointed, but couldn't help it. Even if she hadn't intended to, she had made Haku cry and Neru angry.
"Okay. I'll wait in my car." Luka came closer for a second and kissed Miku on the cheek. "Don't let me wait too long." Luka left the kitchen and avoided the harsh glare of Neru, who was still comforting Haku, on her way into Miku's room. Grabbing her purse and keys, Luka left without a word.
Out of the apartment, Luka hit her forehead with her hand. Why had she have to fuck up now? The mood had been really nice, but now…
It was cold outside, and the fact that she wasn't dressed for this weather was just adding to her temper. Sitting in her car, Luka hit the instruments.
After a long and loud honk, Luka leaned back in her seat. Why the blazes did she have such a big mouth? It wasn't really Haku's fault that things went this way. Annoyed with herself, Luka closed her eyes and turned up the heat inside the car. It was freezing.
Alone with her thoughts, Luka spent almost fifteen minutes alone until the door of Miku's apartment opened and the green-haired girl came down. Luka wasn't expecting her to carry luggage, so she wondered what was in the big bag that Miku was holding.
Going around the car, Miku put her bag in the back and then finally opened the passenger seat door and sat down. "Neru was really angry. She's the type to calm down if she's left alone, so it's best you don't show your face for a couple of days." Miku seemed more annoyed with her cousin than anyone else, but Luka didn't really want to say anything for fear of making everything worse.
Luka started the engine and drove them away, heading towards her own place. "We're not really dressed to go anywhere nice, but I know a nice noodle stand," Miku said, and explained to Luka where to drive.
The stand was empty around this time of the night and Luka and Miku just ordered miso ramen. After a few minutes of silence, Miku put down her chopsticks and sighed. "Haku was, when I was still little, in the same business you are. A small agency called Caffeine Music picked her up after she graduated from college. Things looked really good. She had a blog, some promotions and they released a single. We don't really know why, but the sales were horrendous. There was a lot of harassment against her, telling her how much she sucked and that kind of stuff. Haku took all of it really badly and started drinking and got more and more depressed. Caffeine Music went out of business, and Haku's career was ruined. That was a little over a year ago." Miku picked up her chopsticks and continued to eat.
Luka really felt terrible. She had a big mouth and often went after something if she wanted to know about it, but she wasn't cruel. If she had known that story, she never would've asked the poor woman. She really felt sorry for her and for bringing it back up.
"Haku knows you didn't have bad intentions. But she's…well, you saw her. She's a nice person, so Neru and I can't leave her alone, despite the problems she causes sometimes." Miku took a big sip from her bowl.
Luka concentrated on her dish and ate in silence. She was an only child and no longer had any relatives. She could imagine too well that Miku and Neru were concerned about their cousin. Finishing up her dish, Luka stared into the empty bowl. She'd really fucked up there.
Miku could see how bad Luka felt. It didn't hurt her to feel like this once a while, but it really was a pitiful thing to look at. She against Luka on the wooden bench and smiled to herself. She would've been really angry if Luka hadn't shown some remorse.
"It's okay if you feel sorry for her. But don't pity her. Haku really doesn't want that, and neither do I. She is not as good at singing as you, but she has her own charms. I want her to sing again one day." Miku was getting a bit cold and moved closer to the woman next to her.
"Maybe I can do something. I want to make it up to her." Luka laid an arm around her partner and smiled a little. "The great Luka will not let this sit on her." She looked at Miku, leaned down a bit, and kissed her on the cheek. "Should I drive you back?"
"No. I've got some clothes in the bag I brought with me. Neru said I should just stay at your place tonight, since I was going to be gone tomorrow anyway," Miku replied in a small voice and exhaled heavily, her breath showing in the cold air. "Let's go to your place. I want to take a shower."
Miku waited in the car while Luka paid their bill. When she returned to the car, Miku thought about the woman next to her. She was a bit obnoxious, loudmouthed, demanding, and all in all a big tease and too curious. But she, too, had a really caring side and was a romantic. And she didn't hold back, she actually said what she felt out loud.
Lately, Miku could feel her heart beating faster whenever Luka came close. Was she really this attracted to her? Had she fallen in love with Luka? Spending their days together, and despite everything that could go wrong, they liked every moment with each other…
Looking beside her at the face of the woman that drove the car, Miku showed a gentle and happy smile. Luka kept one of her hands on the clutch. Almost as if by reflex, Miku laid her own hand on top of Luka's, her own fingers slowly reaching in the gaps between Luka's.
Luka didn't dare look to the side. She was driving much too fast for that. But she smiled happily and her expression relaxed quite a bit.
It was dark outside when they finally got to Luka's place. Miku walked arm in arm with Luka. There no was reason for her to do so beside wanting to.
Luka had some trouble finding her keys. After all, her eyes were constantly on Miku, and that wasn't likely to change for the rest of the evening. After finally opening the door, they went into the warm apartment. Luka always left the heater on. She disliked a cold apartment when she came home.
"I'm going to the bathroom," Miku said, and finally let go of Luka. She left her bag right at the entrance and Luka picked it up. She couldn't resist taking a peek. Miku had picked a few of her best clothes to go out. Even if it was only to relax at the hot springs. Did she want to look good for Luka?
Luka carried the bag in her bedroom and dropped on the bed. Things had really gotten out of hand. Didn't she have just a crush on Miku a little while ago? And now, she was feeling so happy just about being together with her. How had her feelings changed this fast? Did she like Miku that much? She didn't have to think about it. Luka blushed as she arrived at her answer. She was already in love with Miku.
Maybe that was why they could sing "Magnet" so well. Because their feelings were mutual. They really were in love with each other.
Despite how the evening had started…Luka was risking just a bit more today. She undressed in her room, down to nothing but a towel, and then she slowly walked to the bathroom. She could hear the sound of water gushing. Miku was already under the shower.
When she tried the door, she found that it wasn't locked. Her heart was beating in her throat, hard and fast. Noticing only now that she was drooling, Luka quickly got rid of it with her towel. And with a sinister and wide grin, Luka quietly opened the door and slipped in. Miku was behind the glass wall of the shower.
She dropped her towel on the same stool Miku had thrown her clothes on, then sneaked closer. Thank God Luka's shower was loud and the door was easy to open. Stepping in, Luka let the door fall closed behind her.
Miku rarely wore her hair down. In a surprise attack, Luka laid both her arms around the waist of the green-haired girl and pulled her toward herself.
Miku didn't react like Luka hoped she would. She had wanted to give her a little scare, make her all fidgety and surprised. But instead, the girl just leaned back. The water was now gushing on Luka too, and her long pink hair was almost glued to her back.
"I didn't forget to lock the door," Miku said in a quiet voice so that Luka almost couldn't hear. "I left it open." Miku knew Luka well enough to anticipate her "surprise." Turning around, not breaking the embrace, Miku leaned against Luka.
When Miku one of her fingers over Luka's stomach, the woman hissed. She was really ticklish. Moving up, she soon reached Luka's breasts. Miku was a little envious of her. She pulled Luka back with her, leaning against the wall. The water gave her skin a nice shine and Miku could feel that she was getting more than just a little excited.
Luka was not the type to let Miku take the lead. Leaning forward, her own breasts rubbed against Miku's, making the smaller girl gasp in surprise. Luka then lifted the chin of the now blushing girl a bit and started to kiss her. First her lips, then her ears, and finally her neck.
She could feel Miku getting more excited. Her nipples were getting hard. Luka backed away just enough to get one hand between their bodies and ran one hand over Miku's chest. Gently massaging her breasts, she made the girl blush in a fierce red.
"Luka…wait…" Miku gasped and broke out of another kiss. "Let's…continue in bed…" Miku wanted this as much as Luka did, but she didn't want their first time to be in the shower, nor did she have big demands like a candle-filled room. Normal was best.
Luka backed up a step. This wasn't leaving her unaffected either. She wanted Miku now, and her body was showing that. Luka grabbed Miku and suddenly carried her out of the shower like a princess. Not even bothering to grab a towel or turn off the water, Luka carried the embarrassed girl to her bed.
Letting her down, Miku quickly disappeared under the thick blanket. Luka followed. The warmth of their bodies heated up the bed quickly. Miku was lying down, watching straight into Luka's face, who knelt above her. Slowly leaning down, Luka kissed Miku passionately, and this time, it was the younger girl who poked the lips of her partner with her tongue.
~~~ Hear My Song! ~~~
Miku was still in her partner's arms when she woke up. She wasn't cold, but she was feeling a little bit uncomfortable, sleeping naked for the first time. Remembering the night before made her turn red a little bit. Luka was right there, hugging her from behind.
She looked at the clock on the little drawer next to the bed and she saw it was only about nine in the morning. That was okay, for a Saturday.
Luka's hair tickled her back. Trying to get away just a little bit, the woman opened her eyes and yawned a sleepy "Mornin'," in Miku's direction. Miku lifted herself up and crawled towards Luka, just to kiss her on the cheek.
Miku spotted her bag of clothes from the bed and pulled one of the blankets with her, wrapping it around herself, and went to get the bag. Luka rolled once over and kept lying on her stomach, barely following Miku with her eyes.
"What time is it…?" Luka yawned again and pulled the blanket a little tighter around herself.
"Almost nine. Get up, sleepyhead. You still haven't told me anything about when we're actually going to Gunma." Miku pulled a a knee-length jean skirt and a yellow top from her bag. Her underwear was still in the bathroom and…oh God.
They had forgotten to turn off the water. That'd be really costly. Miku made her way to the bathroom and found the shower still running. Turning it off, she grabbed her underwear and Luka's towel. It actually smelled a bit like her. Passing by the big mirror, Miku nearly had a seizure.
Her hair was a total mess. A catastrophic mess. If only she didn't have such long hair! This would take forever to fix. With a somewhat disappointed expression, Miku dressed right there in the bathroom. A good five minutes later, when she got back to the bedroom, Miku found Luka sound asleep.
"Wake up!" Miku shouted and Luka reacted like a snail that shrank back into its house. "Get…up!" Miku pulled on the blanket and Luka pulled back. The songstress had the advantage, but Miku didn't give up. Gathering all her strength, Miku pulled one mighty last time and Luka almost fell out of bed along with the blanket.
"Why…?" Luka covered herself from the cold and crawled to the edge of the bed. "Meanie…" Luka slowly got up, not minding the least that she was walking around naked. She even made a little play out of it and teased Miku by being extra slow in picking out clothes and doing a few unnecessary movements.
Miku kept her mouth forcefully shut with her hand. Luka's hair was just as messy as her own. It would take hours to fix this. Miku looked for a comb and finally found a heavily used one. Luka always had to look good, so that was no surprise.
"Your hair is a mess. But mine probably doesn't look any better." Luka sighed and confirmed as much by leaning forward and letting her hair hang down over her head. "I don't regret doing it like that one bit…but why the hell does hair always turn out like this?" Luka still remembered the last moment.
Miku was right below her, panting heavily and gasping, her body pressed right against Luka's. They had just climaxed together and Luka had just told Miku the three magic words: "I love you."
Miku responded with a deep, passionate kiss, laying her arms around Luka, whispering back. "I love you too."
Both of them had felt it for some time, but they had finally said it like that. Miku was still a little shy about it, but she didn't pretend to not have liked it. Luka had never acted shy anyway, so not much changed.
"I'll do yours, you do mine?" Luka had finally finished dressing. She was wearing a long red skirt and a black top with a mostly open back. Sitting down on the bed right behind Miku, she took the comb from her hands.
"Sometimes I wonder if I should just go for a short cut like Gum." Miku knew that Luka didn't like her rival much, but it was just hair. "Do you think that'd look good on me?" Miku didn't move, since Luka was already combing her hair.
"I like your long hair. It fits nicely together with mine. I don't think a short cut would look good on you." Luka also had one other reason to say so. She really adored smelling Miku's hair when they slept together in the same bed. And last night, she had really enjoyed playing with it.
"Well, if you say so, I guess I'll keep it." Miku pulled her legs closer and wrapped both her arms around them, resting her head on her knees while Luka combed and fixed her hair.
"It takes about two hours to get to Gunma, a bit longer if we take the car, but I don't like the train. Check-in is at two, so we have plenty of time." Luka was still a bit sleepy and yawned almost twice while talking to Miku.
"Luka…next time you want to sleep with me…don't surprise me in the shower. We left the water on. It ran the whole night." Miku had to smile and giggle while saying so. She loved Luka and was not afraid of saying or proving it.
"That's gonna show on the bill…" Luka lamented and acted very depressed until she too had to giggle. She stopped combing for a moment, then she laid both arms around Miku's shoulders and kissed her ear, then her neck. "But you liked it…"
"Did I ever deny that?" Miku smiled happily. It was the right decision to give going out with Luka a try. When she thought about how much she would have missed…she had never been sure that she was a lesbian, but last night had made that pretty clear. "Get on with the combing. I still want to eat something before we leave for Gunma. I'm happy to go there with you, after all."
Luka sulked a bit but let go of Miku and continued combing. Just enjoying the quiet atmosphere of being together, the two spent most of their morning fixing each other's hair. Miku couldn't find her hair ties no matter how much she looked, so she just let it go and went out with her hair down.
It was after twelve when they finally got in Luka's car. It was perfect weather. Sunny, not too windy and almost no clouds. It was rare for that time of the year. Luka and Miku were both anticipating the trip like little kids. Their first lovestruck overnight trip somewhere.
~~~ Hear My Song! ~~~
"I can't believe I had to ask you of all people. What a waste." Meiko looked out the window. The scenery flew past her. The train was fast, so they would be in Gunma in a little over a hour from now. She still cursed herself for overlooking that little detail until yesterday. There was no way to get a decent man out of nowhere, and the only one she could ask on that short notice…was him.
Kaito felt a little threatened by Meiko's glare. He was still wondering how he managed to get a date with her. She had just shown up at his place, waved two coupon things in front of his face, and said something about Gunma. The next thing he knew, he was in her car and on the way to the train station.
"You still haven't told me where we're going." Kaito didn't really know what to say. Meiko had been a bit touchy, more so than usual today, and she was oddly quiet. Quiet towards him, at least.
"Gunma, Kusatsu Hot Springs." Meiko rummaged through her handbag and found the coupons she had in her hand earlier. Kaito took them and looked them over. They were for the most expensive inn in the area. One night free stay, two meals included, only applicable for a couple.
Kaito read twice more to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. A couple? Could he finally have hit the jackpot? But his dreams quickly vanished into thin air when Meiko grabbed the coupons and pointed to a little note at the bottom.
Kaito read it out loud. "One man and one woman, all you can eat and drink buffet." With his head hanging, he suddenly knew why he was being pulled along. All you can drink was most likely also including sake and other alcohol. So he was just the token to get her in.
"I won those in the raffle of the supermarket I shop at. Nobody else had time." Meiko pulled a small flask out of her bag. Now that Kaito thought about it, he had neither his wallet nor his cellphone or even clothes to change with him.
"But what's done is done. As long as you don't keep me from drinking, this will be fun." Her mood seemed to get much better now that she had taken a sip of whatever was in the pocket flask. "Want some?" She handed the flask over to Kaito. The guy reluctantly took a sip and broke out into a coughing fit.
"What…what is this?!" Kaito handed the flask back to Meiko and suddenly felt sick. He was no big drinker and whatever was in that flask…it was likely strong enough to power a rocket.
"Just something I made. You don't like it?" Meiko didn't really care either way. Not even her boss was able to appreciate the taste of this one.
"Way too hard for me." Kaito was still the same old direct guy he always was.
"They'll have something lighter at the inn, I guess. I hope they won't serve just weak trash." She took another sip. By now a little shade of red was showing up in Meiko's face. It was too bad this bottle was the last of this batch.
"You're amazing, being able to drink that stuff. I feel a bit dizzy after just trying it. Your liver must be made of steel," Kaito said, and immediately felt the consequences of his words.
Meiko didn't appreciate when people told her she drank too hard. Kicking his leg, Meiko made herself comfortable on the opposing side of the bench. She was wearing a dangerously short red skirt and a fitted top. Kaito knew that was her uniform from her job. The long brown boots were a nice match.
"Peek and it'll be the last thing you see," Meiko said without looking, and closed her eyes, taking a nap until they arrived.
Kaito whispered to himself, trying not to anger Meiko any more than he already had. "Such misfortune…"
~~~ Hear My Song! ~~~
Miku was so scared that she was about to faint. Some moron had passed Luka, kept tempo and started a battle. Now they were speeding at way over the limit on the highway, and Miku was holding on so tightly to the seat that nothing could get her off of it.
"That ass…eat my dust!" Luka drove at an unimaginable speed into a corner and left the highway, going over a mountain pass. She would not lose to some runaway jerk! As expected, he followed right after her. She had driven this pass quite a few times and she was running.
The car behind them was a 4WD Lan Evo. He was keeping up with Luka but was losing out on the curves. Luka pulled the clutch and sped away into a hairpin, letting the car drift with singing tires. The Lan Evo followed her, but her FD had the advantage now.
There was no way she'd lose now, not with Miku watching. She had participated in street runs before her work had gotten to be too much, and Erico had found out about it. This was nothing! Stepping on the accelerator and nearly over-speeding, Luka did a sharp turn in the next corner and stepped fully on the accelerator, leaving the Lan Evo behind her.
She was getting a lot of distance between them on the straightaway and took a sharp left turn on the next corner. The Lan Evo had vanished from her rear mirror. Ha! She could still do it. Using the coming up straightaway, Luka pulled the car around, stepped on the accelerator, and passed the Lan Evo with high speed, showing the arrogant prick her middle finger and tongue as she passed.
It didn't even take her five minutes to get back to the highway. Luka was now in a good mood and put on some music. She was still speeding, but not as much as before, and slowly calming down. It was risky to do this at noon, and usually she would have ignored the guy in the Lan Evo, but she wanted to show off in front of Miku.
"I thought I was gonna die…" Miku was pale and gasping in her seat. She could barely hear her own thoughts over the booming techno sound. "Faster go raising hell, harder go raising hell."
"That was awesome. I can still do it, yeah!" Luka was celebrating and yelling. Shooting over the highway at at least twenty miles too fast, Luka saw the sign for the exit she needed right ahead.
Slowing down to human speeds, Luka took the exit and left the highway again. Miku finally let go of the seat and rubbed her knuckles, still a little pale. She had never seen anyone drive like that, much less when she was in the car.
"Please don't do that again, Luka. I thought I was a goner." Miku took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. Despite the scariness of it, she admired Luka's driving skill. "But you're really an amazing driver. That guy totally ate your dust."
Luka seemed to burst from self-esteem now. Smiling happily, she put on the navigation system and waited for it to calculate the route to the hotel. From the look of it, the hotel was twenty minutes from the highway to the inn.
"I used to run in street races. I was a member of the Shining Suns. There was no one that could beat me in a hill climb. There's still a lot of money in my car from those times," Luka told her partner as she turned down the volume of the music. Taking the next corner, Miku opened the window and took a deep breath. They had kept the windows closed on the highway because of the speed but Luka couldn't drive like that here.
"It's nice here. I can't wait to see what the inn looks like." Miku had never been to Gunma before. It was quite different from Tokyo, but she had expected as much. Halfway leaning on the door, Miku enjoyed the fresh air and the wind. Her hair flew in the wind and it gave her a fairy-like appearance. Luka had to try hard not to look too much and concentrate on the road.
Roughly a quarter of an hour later, Luka finally parked her car and pulled the keys out of the ignition. The inn was fantastic, a very quiet and tranquil place that seemed perfect to relax. There was a big red sun umbrella in the front. It looked really expensive, even from the outside.
"Come on, Miku." Luka was already a few steps ahead and had turned around. Luka really looked like a celebrity like that.
Miku followed after. Walking side by side, they entered the inn. Miku was so busy looking at every corner of the lobby that Luka had already checked in for both of them and even had to grab Miku's wrist to get her away.
"This place is gorgeous, Luka." Miku was still looking around. She had a very curious and easily amazed side to her when it came to places such as this. It made Luka giggle a bit.
"Wait until you see the room. Oh, and I used your name to sign us in. Luka and Miku Hatsune. I really didn't want to leave my name there. I want to relax, and not deal with fans here," Luka said casually and ignored Miku's slightly annoyed face. At least she could have asked her before she did things like that.
Luka opened the door to their room with a special key and Miku was stunned after stepping in. The room was not just large, it was big. Miku had never seen a room of this size in a hotel. Miku had to actually count the mats. The rooms were spread over fourteen tatami mats. The sleeping room was so big, four people could have easily slept in there.
The room was nicely decorated and there were even cushioned chairs next to the low table. Miku's eyes shone just looking around. And they were going to sleep here? Miku almost couldn't believe it. After a wink from Luka, Miku found the bath. There was enough room for four people, and they had their own garden view. The bath was linked to their room, so they had it all to themselves.
Luka had already casually thrown her bag into a corner of the sleeping room and made herself comfortable at the table. There were a few welcome dishes, and since neither of them had had any breakfast, Luka was already munching away when Miku joined her.
"This place is amazing. I almost feel bad for staying here at your expense," Miku said, picking up her chopsticks. Since most of the people in her household liked western food, she wasn't too good with them, but at least she w as better than Luka, who ignored all table manners and stuffed herself.
"If you feel bad, you can repay me with sex later," Luka said, her mouth full of food. She took a large gulp and continued to munch away. Looking at her, it seemed like the most natural thing for her to say.
Miku gave her a shocked look which quickly changed into a harsh glare. "What are you, an old man? Pervert." Miku looked all over the room, except in Luka's direction.
Stopping in her brutal assault of the dishes, Luka started to laugh at Miku's antics. "I was just joking, stupid. I invited you, and I have enough money to do this every now and then. Don't you worry about such a thing." Luka stood up and sat down next to Miku, leaning in for a kiss. But instead of kissing her, Miku picked a piece of rice from Luka's cheek with her tongue.
"You really have no manners at all, you know that?" Miku smiled and quickly forgave her partner. "But I guess that can be one of your charms, too."
Luka leaned back, a little disappointed that she had gotten no kiss but at least satisfied and full. Now, what to do? Taking a bath right after dinner was not really her thing, but maybe she'd best ask Miku before doing anything.
"What do you want to do now? We're here to relax, so we can do anything. We can take a bath anytime, or we could check the area. Or we could…" Luka licked her lips suggestively.
"I want you to help me with the words for my song." Miku knew that probably wasn't much in the way of relaxing, but she had to get it done soon. And the sooner, the better. Even though the agency said to come up with lyrics on her own, that was just asking too much.
"I'm really not supposed to help you there, but I guess I can make an exception." Luka smiled and hid her disappointment that Miku hadn't gone for her last suggestion. Pulling a sketch block from her bag, Luka looked around for a pen and finally found one.
"I already have a general idea of the song, but I need to work on the details," Miku said. She lay down on her stomach, next to Luka, who was holding the pen. "The title of the song is 'Love is War.' Yes, I thought about you with that one." Miku smiled and watched Luka blush a little.
~~~ Hear My Song! ~~~
"Finally here!" Meiko stretched, standing just outside the train station. Kaito, looking a little bit desperate and forgotten, stood behind her, still worried about what might happen if Meiko took him along on her drinking spree. But he'd get to spend time with her and even share a room. He was suddenly miles closer to having an actual date with her than ever before.
"Let's get moving. It's already past three. I don't wanna be late for check-in." Meiko waved and left, stomping ahead with a bright wide smile that resembled a somewhat demonic grin. Kaito wondered if the poor inn staff knew what it was in for.
Kaito was still slightly worried that he had no wallet, cellphone, or change with him. He had gotten a little lucky when he found out that the inn offered yukata for use by their guests for free. At least he wouldn't have to wear the same clothes after the bath.
Keeping up with Meiko, however, proved to be rather difficult. The woman was quick on her feet and Kaito had to almost jog next to her. But he had good stamina, so it worked out fine in the end. It took them a whole ten minutes of nearly running and silence, followed by panting from the sprint.
Kaito's wristwatch read three-thirty. They must've broken some sort of record by going this fast. Meiko pulled on Kaito's wrist and dragged him inside. Both of them signed in, each with their full name, and they were handed the keys for the room and the bath.
"This is really a expensive place, that they have baths directly linked to the rooms." Kaito was quite astonished and followed Meiko, who seemed eager to get to her room.
"I'll use the bath first." Meiko turned around, just before she opened the door to their room. "No peeking." She had a really dangerous look in her eyes that made it pretty clear something unspeakable would happen if he did peek.
"I'm not that low. Can't say I wouldn't enjoy looking at you naked, though—" Meiko stepped on his foot. That guy really had some nerve. She blushed deep red and repeated her warning once more. This time, Kaito only nodded with a pain-filled expression.
With complete disregard for the room, Meiko looked for the sake and found it in a drawer. Her boots were already flying across the room when she was halfway to the bath, and her top followed shortly afterward. Kaito had to force himself to look away.
"Hard not to peek if she's undressing in the middle of the room." He did get a glimpse of her chest from the corner of his eye before she vanished in the bathroom.
Kaito collected the discarded clothes and put them together. He was not the most tidy guy on earth, but Meiko lacked all sense of order, apparently. He had never seen her place, but based on what he'd just seen, he was now kind of afraid of seeing it one day.
Checking around the room, he found that there was no dividing wall in the sleeping room. Well, Meiko probably wouldn't mind that much. The room was really high grade. There were even welcome dishes on the table. Kaito was not a big eater, but he was kind of hungry from all the running.
He wondered what he should do now. He was alone with Meiko in a really expensive hotel, and she was probably going to drag him along to drink or spend all day in the bath, drinking. Just as he was thinking that, the bathroom door opened, a lot of steam rose in the main room, followed by a completely naked Meiko, who was already staggering and nearly falling down. The empty sake bottle was at her feet.
Kaito could feel his blood pressure rising into heights never reached before. He forced himself hard to turn around and say, as loud as he could without actually shouting, "T-towel…"
Meiko took a look down and quickly vanished back in the bathroom, only to appear back outside with a long towel wrapped around herself.
Kaito was still suffering from the rush of blood to his head because Meiko had wrapped the towel nowhere near high enough. More than half of her breasts were exposed and Kaito's eyes were following the jiggling up and down all the way from the bathroom to the sake bar. She was still going to drink more?!
Kaito took a deep breath. He could have used a cold—very cold—shower right now. And on top of that, he congratulated himself for coming on this trip. He had heard in the lobby that there was a large cypress bath too, though. And he was feeling kinda sweaty. In many ways.
But first he would simply lie down and take a nap. Being on tour with Meiko was really stressful. Lying on his back and staring very intently at the ceiling, Kaito had to try hard to not think about the naked Meiko…and still wasn't able to stop his thoughts. More than a little excited, he rolled over and closed his eyes. "Sleep…"
~~~ Hear My Song! ~~~
"In the end, you really didn't need my help." Luka lay on her back and yawned. How long had they been at it? The clock said nearly five now. She wanted to go and take a bath already. Now that Miku was done, they could finally spend some quality time together. Miku had blocked her off the whole time while they were working. "Love is War" indeed, Luka thought.
"You were there and told me when something was good and when it wasn't. That helped a lot. Thanks." Miku knelt at the table, finishing writing the last piece of the lyrics. Leaning down, she gave Luka a little reward: a kiss on the forehead. "I want to see the big cypress bath once. Please?"
Miku was in a good mood, and since she owed Luka for helping her out, she was actually appealing to her good persona. Well, there had to be some good and selfless part in there. Somewhere.
"I don't care, as long as we get to bathe. There's probably nobody in the big bath anyway, so…" Luka moved a finger seductively over her lips and then touched Miku's.
Miku snapped after the finger, but Luka pulled it away. With a huge grin, Miku grabbed the keys, leaving everything as it was, and waited at the door. "Are you coming?"
"Not yet," Luka said in an overly breathy voice, and Miku rolled her eyes.
"Your bad sense of humor never fails to amaze me, Luka." Miku took Luka's hand and their fingers intertwined just like they always walked around holding hands. Nobody here knew them. Luka was here under a fake name and Miku had her hair down. Unless they met someone they knew directly then…
Luka stood open-mouthed in the hallway. That couldn't possibly be…
"Kaito!" she yelled, and the man at the other end of the hallway turned around, looking confused, pointing at himself with his finger.
The guy quickly came over. Miku was a bit nervous about it, since Luka refused to let go of her hand and instead pulled her even closer. She seemed really intent on making it clear that they were a couple now. The last time Kaito had seen them together was a while ago.
"What are you two doing here? Lovers' trip?" He didn't smile knowingly or anything. It was a serious question. But Miku only knew that because she had experienced first-hand how direct and honest this guy was.
"Exactly. But that brings me to what are you doing here. I didn't think you could afford such a place." Luka finally let go of Miku's hand, whose heartbeat was going at an alarming rate. Luka had casually admitted that they were together…well, just in front of Kaito.
"Meiko burst into my place earlier today, yelling something about Kusatsu Hot Springs and coupons and dragged me along. I was on a train to Gunma before I knew what was going on. She's probably still drinking in our room." Kaito seemed torn between pleased and afraid while he told his little story.
With a swift movement, Luka laid her arm around Miku's waist and pulled her close. They really did look like a couple now; it was unmistakable. Miku had stopped minding after she remembered that Kaito was the least likely person to ever tell anyone. He was a really nice guy despite his personality.
Leaning slightly against Luka, Miku finally got some words out. "So you're here with Meiko? That's nice, isn't it? Good luck." Miku made it no secret that she was rooting for the nice guy to get the girl he had been after for years now.
"I need a miracle, and not luck, but thank you. I was on my way to grab dinner. Where are you two going?" Kaito's stomach growled as if to enforce said statement.
"The cypress bath." Luka looked for a second at Miku with a really seductive look, and Kaito instantly got the hint. He showed a big smile and took a step back, ready to go.
"Have fun. I've already been there. It's really nice. See you later, maybe." Kaito didn't wait for a reply and quickly vanished around the corner.
"You were so nervous when he showed up, I was a bit worried you might faint on the spot." Luka teased the smaller girl and started giggling when Miku acted like she was sulking. Luka still had her arm around her and they walked to the bath as they were.
The bath was really big—one large basin and one small one. The whole room was cypress styled. The ground was so clean and pure that it reflected the image of the rocks outside, which were visible through the window. Several large lamps were at the sides of the room. It wasn't a mixed bath, which relieved Miku a little.
Undressing was slightly unpleasant. Luka watched her so intently, Miku felt like she was doing a striptease. She quickly threw a towel at Luka and quickly undressed, then Miku went ahead in the bath and into the large basin.
Luka took her time walking over and Miku's eyes followed instinctively every step. The woman was walking with long steps on purpose, making her breasts jiggle a bit. Miku felt again a little envious. Looking down and touching her own chest, she felt confident that it was a nice size, but…
Luka joined Miku in the water and quickly approached her from behind, stopping just inches away. Sitting there, Luka pulled Miku into her lap and leaned on her from behind. "Don't worry, I like them as they are," Luka whispered in Miku's ear, and let two of her fingers move over the nicely-shaped breasts of the green-haired girl.
Miku said nothing and blushed a little. She felt happy over that compliment because she knew Luka would never lie to her about it. And she also felt a little aroused with Luka's chest pressing on her back.
The pink-haired woman had both her arms around Miku's waist and rested her head on her shoulder. Miku took one of her hands and started to kiss it slowly. She didn't want to have sex with Luka here, but exchanging caresses was something she liked.
"You're such a romantic, Miku," Luka whispered in the girl's ear and kissed her neck gently. Miku really enjoyed this kind of thing. Freeing herself slowly from Luka, Miku turned around and moved onto Luka's lap, her arms around Luka's neck to support herself.
"You're beautiful as you are, Miku." She made the girl on her lap smile again and earned herself a passionate kiss. Luka's hands moved slowly over Miku's back. Even though she got quite excited when her breasts rubbed against Miku's, she didn't want to go any further than this. Sex wasn't everything.
A few passionate kisses later, Miku let go of Luka and stood up. She was gasping for air. Despite all the singing she had been doing lately, she still couldn't keep up with Luka. "Let's go back. I'm feeling kinda dizzy." Miku wasn't sure if it was from the heat of the water or from her lover.
Luka quietly followed, both of them grabbing their towels and clothes. If they were quick, they could make it to their room without being seen. Wrapping the towels around themselves, Luka watching Miku a bit too intently again, they peeked out the door. Nobody was there. They were probably all eating.
Moving quickly but not quite running, both of them arrived at their room gasping for air. Luka opened the door and they slipped in. Dropping the wet towel, Luka grabbed Miku and pulled her close for a sudden but passionate deep kiss.
Miku returned the kiss just as fiercely, but then stopped. "Let's continue this later in our own bath…" She wanted to try doing it with Luka in the hot water. Her face was a deep shade of red, much the same as Luka, who was surprised that Miku had suggested it.
She gave Miku a quick kiss on her nose, then the older woman grabbed her towel and started drying her hair. "I don't think I've ever told you, but I really like your eyes. You always close them when we kiss, though. It's such a shame." Picking out some clothes from her bag with the towel on her head, she found Miku doing the same, with the towel wrapped around her as she pulled a hairdryer from her bag.
"It's more romantic that way. And we've only been together for a while. Give me some time to get used to it." Miku showed Luka a pleading smile, and the songstress accepted with a happy grin. She couldn't really object when she was being so honest.
"The food here is nice, but I want to go out while we have the chance. There's a nice German restaurant around the corner." Luka pulled a really beautiful long blue dress from her suitcase and held it up. "Does this look good on me?"
Miku seemed to think for a bit and then made an annoyed face. "So good that I'm going to be jealous if you wear it," she said, looking through her own things with a little more effort. She finally found the same dress she had worn when she had first gone out with Luka.
"If you're going to wear that, then I need to watch out, or you'll steal all the attention for yourself," Luka teased. She grabbed Miku's hairdryer and looked for a power socket. She found one near the door to the sleeping room. Her dress laid out over her suitcase, Miku sat down next to Luka and enjoyed some of the warm wind while drying her hair manually with a towel.
Miku helped Luka to do her hair, and while she herself was busy getting in her dress and shoes, the pink-haired woman put on some light makeup. "Want me to put some on you? You don't need it, though, because you're the type to naturally look good."
"I don't really like wearing makeup. But you could help me with my hair. I can't seem to get it as nicely done as you did this morning." Miku sat down in front of Luka and handed her a comb.
A good ten minutes later, they had finished dressing up and were all ready to go out. Taking the keys, Luka made sure they hadn't forgotten anything. She also promised herself to watch exactly how much Miku drank. The evening was to go on after they got back.
"Ready to go?" Luka stood in the door frame and extended her hand to Miku. She wanted to go the same way they had gone earlier to the bath. Miku took her hand, and when the door behind them fell shut, Luka had already laid her arm around Miku's waist.
"Are you nervous?" Luka was curious.
"No. Not at all. You're with me, after all." Miku smiled happily and laid her own arm around Luka's waist.
~~~ End of Chapter III ~~~