Miku: Yay! Luka nee-chan is narrating again!
Luka: M-Miku-san, I'm nervous enough as it is…!
Haku: *slaps Luka on the back* Knock it off, you'll do fine and you know it! Now give 'em the disclaimer.
Luka: O-Okay… *Ahem!* E-Elise-sensei does not own Vocaloid… she just writes stories about us. *bows* Enjoy!
"You're late!" Haku scolded as I entered the MV room. "Let's get you out of that uniform, and fast!"
"S-Sorry, Haku-sensei!" I apologized. I had ended up staying at school a little later than I had intended, and as a result I wound up being late for the first day of work on my first music video, or MV.
Stumbling into the dressing room, I was surprised to see the outfit that was laid out for me. It was the outfit I wore for my audition: a white summer dress, black boots and a flower crown. "Sensei, this is…!"
"I know," Haku replied, cutting me off. "We liked the outfit so much, we thought we'd make another one for the MV. Now let's get you all prepped up, okay?"
After a while of changing clothes and applying make-up, I was escorted back to the studio by Haku. "You'll meet your co-star in just a few minutes. Not gonna lie, they picked a cute one for ya!" she said with a wink.
"What?!" I exclaimed, my cheeks flaring. "Sensei, I have a hard time talking to cute guys!"
"Well, what else did you expect?" the silver-haired woman retorted. "C'mon, there's nothing to be nervous about. You'll just be working together for a few days, a week tops, and that'll be that! Unless something crazy happens that we haven't anticipated…"
It's like she has no concept of fear, I thought with a sigh. I had already read the script: the MV was for my song "Just Be Friends," so I knew that I would have to have a male co-star, but I had kinda been trying to block out the idea. Now that it was time to meet him, I was already fidgeting. I knew I would have to hold hands with this person I just met, and even wrap my arms around him in a couple of scenes… I was blushing just thinking about it!
"Yowase-san, he's ready!" someone called.
"Excellent! Bring him in," Haku ordered, and a minute later, a young man walked into the studio. "Megurine-san, meet Chusei Namikawa."
"Nice to meet you," the young man said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to working with you." He had short black hair and dark eyes, and he was wearing a white t-shirt, a black jacket, black pants and black shoes. I had to admit, he was kind of attractive.
Trying not to appear nervous, I gave a small smile in return. "Um… I'm looking forward to working with you, too," I replied, although I think I spoke a little too quickly.
"Okay Megurine-san, Namikawa-san, let's start rehearsal," the director called to us.
"Coming!" Chusei called back before turning to me and gesturing to the set. "Shall we?" With a nod, I followed him, trying to mentally prepare myself.
…
Rehearsal went surprisingly well, although I was having trouble generating tears on cue. After we decided to break for the day, Chusei caught up to me. "Trouble with the tears?"
"Oh, uh… kind of," I muttered, not looking him in the eye. "Y-You're pretty good at it."
"It's not too tough, really," he said, walking alongside me. "What I do is think of something so sad that I can't help but cry."
"Like what?" I asked, suddenly getting curious.
"Well… for me, I think of the ending of Titanic," he admitted sheepishly. "It's one of the few movies that have made me cry."
My eyes widened in surprise. "You've seen Titanic?! That's one of my favorites!"
"Really?!" Chusei replied excitedly. "So you like American films?"
Nodding, I answered, "They're pretty interesting. I've actually learned some of my English from watching them."
"Oh, you watch them with subtitles, right?" he asked. "That's good, cuz the dubs are so badly done it's not even funny."
I couldn't help but laugh a little at that remark. I was actually having an easier time talking to him than I first thought, which was good considering we were co-workers now.
We continued talking as we walked out to the lobby, and he even gave me permission to use his first name. "Well, I'd better get going," I said to Chusei. "But I really enjoyed talking to you."
"Wait! Before you go…" Chusei said, stopping me. I looked at him, waiting for what he had to say. "Um, I enjoy working with you and talking with you… And you're very pretty," he added, his cheeks flushed and his hand scratching the back of his head.
My cheeks also flushed at the compliment. "Th-Thank you, Chusei-san."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Taking a deep breath, Chusei straightened up and looked me directly in the eye. "Megurine-san, I really like you. Will you go out with me?"
I was too stunned to say anything, and I felt my whole face turn red. This man I had just met today was confessing to me?! How was I supposed to respond to that?!
Noticing that I couldn't answer, Chusei continued, "Heh, I guess that was a little sudden, huh? Don't worry, I'll give you some time to think about it. See you tomorrow!" And with one last wave, he left the lobby.
I just stood there for a few minutes, trying to take it in. While I had received confessions before, I would usually reject them, not feeling ready for a relationship. Also, it was always a student confessing to me, and Chusei… I didn't even ask how old he was! He was easier to talk to than most guys and was certainly attractive, but still… could I really date him?
Finally snapping out of my stupor, I dashed out of the lobby and straight across the street, not slowing down until I reached my apartment, 203. I pulled out my cellphone and with shaking hands called Lily. "Hey, could you come over? I need to talk to you."
"Eh? It's eight o'clock at night, Luka-chan," Lily's voice complained. "Why can't you say it over the phone?"
"It involves a guy," I answered simply, knowing that that was sure to get her attention.
There was a short pause, and then she replied, "I'll sneak out. Where'd you say you lived now?"
After telling her the address, I went downstairs to meet with Lily, knowing that the man at the desk would not let her in easily, considering several celebrities lived in the building.
Later, I finally saw my blonde-haired friend running up to the apartment building. For some reason, she had her schoolbag and was carrying a backpack on her back. "Hey, so what's going on?" she asked eagerly in-between pants, out of breath from running.
"I'll tell you in a minute, let's get to my apartment first," I said, grabbing her hand and leading her up the stairs.
The instant Lily set foot in my apartment, her eyes widened. "Wow! This is so cool!" she exclaimed, quickly removing her sneakers before flopping down on the couch. "Comfiest couch ever! Do you really have this whole place to yourself?!"
"Pretty much," I answered with a chuckle. After making some tea, I told Lily what happened.
"EEEHH?! Someone confessed to you and you didn't answer?!" she shouted before I quickly covered her mouth.
"Shush! We are in an apartment building, you know!" I quickly reminded her. After removing my hand, I told her, "Well, I didn't know what to say. I mean, students I can handle, but someone I just met?"
"Is he cute?" the blonde asked.
Pulling out my cellphone, I showed her a picture I took of Chusei. "See for yourself."
"Ooh, not bad!" Lily commented. "Okay, so he's a co-worker, and you just met him. Any other lame excuses to say 'no'?"
"They're not lame!" I protested. "I just… Well, I can actually talk to this one."
"Get out!" my friend exclaimed. "Okay, that's a good sign. Usually, you can't look a guy in the eye."
"Yeah, but…" I sighed before continuing. "Chusei-san seems nice, I just don't know if I'm really ready for a relationship yet."
"You haven't been ready for a long time, Luka-chan," Lily said, lying back on the couch. "I'd say go for it! By the way, uh… can I stay over tonight? The old lady's being a pain again."
That explains why she had her schoolbag and backpack, I thought to myself. "Oh, alright."
"Yay! I love you, Luka-chan!" Lily exclaimed, sitting up and giving me a tight hug.
"Ha ha, love you too," I laughed. "Oh, and don't tell anyone about Chusei-san, okay?"
"You know me!" Lily said with a grin.
Once we had settled down, however, I still felt conflicted about Chusei. Should I really try to date him like Lily said?
…
The next morning, I opened the door to go to school when I saw Miku standing there. "Luka nee-chan, is it true? Your co-star confessed to you?!"
"M-Miku-san! Who told you that?!" I asked, startled by her presence and that she knew about Chusei.
"Lily-sempai," the teal-haired girl answered simply.
"Darn you, Lily-san," I muttered, giving myself a facepalm. I should've known better than to trust the school gossip guru with that secret.
"You know me! Relax, I only told her," Lily reassured me as she joined us. "Morning, Miku-chan!"
"Morning, sempai!" Miku greeted. As the three of us walked to the bus stop, Miku grilled me for details about Chusei Namikawa.
…
Finally, after a long day at school, I slowly walked out of the building. I really didn't want to go to Crypton Records that day… I knew Chusei would be there, likely expecting an answer to his confession. But I had thought about it all day, and I still didn't know how to answer him!
Without realizing it, I had tuned everything else out and as I was crossing the street, I didn't even notice a car coming right at me until a horn honked at me! Scared, I closed my eyes… but it never hit me.
Whatever happened, it was fast, and it took me a few seconds before I realized that someone was carrying me bridal-style. I opened my eyes and looked up to see a familiar purple-haired man. "*Phew* That was a close call. Are you alright, Megurine-dono?"
Kamui-san! "Y-Yes," I answered, my face turning red from his gaze… as well as our position. "Um, you can put me down now."
"Ah, my apologies," Gakupo said before gently setting me down. Once again, he was wearing a hakama, but luckily he didn't have his sword this time. "You really should pay more attention."
"Sorry, I just… I have a lot on my mind," I answered lamely, glancing off to the side and clutching my schoolbag.
Gakupo was quiet for a second, but then he smiled and asked, "Do you wish to talk about it?"
We started walking, and I told him about Chusei's confession. When I was done, Gakupo tapped his chin in thought. "I see… answering a confession one way or the other is often a tough decision. Here's a question for you: how do you feel about him?"
"Um, well…" I thought about it for a second. "He-He seems nice, and I can talk to him easily, unlike with most other guys…" I paused for a second when I realized that I was actually talking normally with Gakupo. It seemed like I found another man I could easily talk to. Interesting…
"Okay, but that doesn't answer the question," the older man said. "What I mean is do you like him as a potential boyfriend or just as a friend?"
I stopped in my tracks at the question. Of course! For some reason, I hadn't considered that aspect. Gakupo waited patiently while I thought until finally, I answered, "I… I like him as a friend."
Smiling, Gakupo said, "Well, there's your answer! In a situation like this, ultimately it's your own feelings that matter. You should always be honest about them, even if it ends up hurting the other person. And if he doesn't respect your feelings, then he doesn't deserve you either way."
"Kamui-san…" I muttered, amazed at the wisdom in his words. "Thank you. I think I know what to do now."
"Glad I could help," the older man said. "Ah, we're at the bus stop. You have to go to work, right?"
Nodding, I was about to get on the bus when I remembered something. "Oh! I just remembered that I didn't thank you for saving me earlier. Thank you very much!" I said with a bow.
Gakupo reached out and patted my head. "You're very welcome, Megurine-dono. Now you better go, I don't want to make you late again!"
"Okay! Bye, Kamui-san!" I said before I ran onto the bus. My cheeks were still warm, and I could swear I had a silly smile on my face. Gakupo's touch was really comforting, and he was utterly gorgeous. I liked how he even spoke like a samurai, using an honorific like "-dono" when addressing me. Maybe the reason I didn't like Chusei more than as a friend was because… I quickly shook my head, trying to clear it before I got to Crypton Records.
When I arrived, I rushed to the MV studio as fast as I could. "Am I late again?"
Haku and Chusei both turned to face me, the man's face lighting up when he saw me. "Actually, you're just barely on time, kiddo," the silverette said, rapping my forehead with her knuckles. "Okay, clothes, make-up, let's go! Chop-chop!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Chusei and I said at the same time, each of us heading for our respective dressing rooms.
After a while of somewhat-awkward rehearsing, we were allowed a ten-minute break. Chusei immediately approached me. "Is everything alright, Megurine-san? You were spacing out a bit."
"Um, well actually…" I shuffled my feet a little, suddenly feeling nervous again. "I-I wanted to talk to you about, um, yesterday."
"Oh, I get it," the man said. "I guess a sudden confession like that would throw you off a bit. I'm sorry, I sometimes act before I think."
"No, that's okay and I'm flattered you feel that way about me, but um…" Finally, I took a deep breath and bowed as I gave him my answer. "I'm sorry… I can't return your feelings. I like you, but just as a friend."
Chusei didn't say anything at first, apparently stunned by the rejection. Finally, he smiled and replied, "…Okay, I understand. I'm fine just being friends."
This surprised me a little. "Really?"
"Really," he answered. "Honestly, that confession was kinda done at the spur of the moment. I do find you attractive, I really do, but I should've taken your feelings into consideration and I apologize. So… friends again?" He held out his hand.
Smiling a rather relieved smile back at him, I accepted his hand and we shook. "Friends." It felt so good to have that weight off my shoulders.
Suddenly, Haku dashed back into the studio, startling both of us. "Megurine-san! Why didn't you tell me… uh, bad timing?"
"What?" I responded instinctively before realizing my hand was still holding Chusei's. "Oh! No, we're good," I said as we both quickly pulled our hands back.
"Uh-huh. Anyway, why didn't you tell me you almost got run over?!" Haku shouted, her arms folded.
"What?! You didn't get hurt, did you?" Chusei asked with a concerned expression.
"N-No, I'm fine… but Haku-sensei, who told you that?" I asked, my face red once again.
"Something called the news," Haku answered. "And some hot guy saved you?! No wonder you've been spacing out! Let me know if something like that happens again, alright?"
"Okay, I will!" I answered quickly, not about to tell her the real reason I was spacing out that day.
"You think you can still rehearse?" Chusei asked.
Nodding, I replied, "Yes, I'm fine. I can keep going."
Haku let out a loud sigh. "Young people these days… an old lady like me just can't keep up," she muttered before drinking from a small flask.
"You're not that old, Haku-sensei!" I told her. "And you really shouldn't drink on the job."
"Can't help it, alcohol helps me relax," she replied, to which Chusei rolled his eyes.
"So, about this hot guy…" the man started with a teasing smile.
"Long story," I muttered, cutting him off.
When the break was finished, I performed much better during rehearsal much to everyone's relief. Chusei and I worked hard until it was finally time to finish up for the day.
Just as I was about to leave, Chusei walked up to me. "Hey, mind if I walk you home?"
"I guess not, but I live just across the street," I told him.
"You misunderstand," he reassured. "The reason I'm asking is I just took a look outside, and there are quite a few reporters waiting to question you about that incident."
Uh-oh, I thought, shaking my head. I guess I should've expected this. "That would be nice. Thanks, Chusei-san." I think I'm going to like having a male friend.
As I prepared to face the reporters, I thought of the purple-haired samurai who had saved me earlier that day. It's just possible that I had really developed feelings towards Gakupo… and if that's the case, when I'm ready to confess, I sincerely hope he'll return my affections. I smiled at the prospect before stepping out the door, ready for anything.
Next time…
Rin: Miku-nee, you've been spending a lot of time with Kaito-san, huh?
Miku: Well, kind of. Something keeps coming up, and Meiko-san's usually involved.
Rin: Whoa! You don't think Meiko-san likes Kaito-san, do you?
Miku: Ehh?! If that's true, how am I supposed to tell him how I feel?!
Next time: Track 11 – Love Is War
Author's note: I'd like to thank CatGirlSLP of deviantArt for coming up with "Chusei" for Luka's co-star! ^^