DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vocaloid.

Chapter 3

Rin's POV:

As I walked down the long hallway, students on either side looked at me and whispered. I sighed and started my daily mental countdown.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

"RIN-CHAN! GOOD MORNING!" I saw a flash of pink, and suddenly felt myself being strangled by someone.

"O-oh! Good m-morning, Megurine-san…" I managed to whisper, while choking from my lack of oxygen.

She let go of me and pouted. "That's mean! You should call me Luka-chan by now, since we're best friends and all. Best friends."

I rubbed the back of my neck and mumbled agreement. Then, completely ignoring everyone's ogling stares, we walked down the hall together. W-wait, did she say best friends?!

"Oh my! Your hair looks different today! It's so cute! You're like a little bunny that I want to cuddle to death! Ah! That bow is just perfect! On you, it just…I don't know, it just looks right. It's so fluffy! Yeah, it makes sense! You look like a bunny because you're cute and small and your bow looks like bunny ears. Awesome! I used to have this stuffed rabbit when I was little. A really, really, really, really fluffy one! Just like you! Actually, I had tons of dolls, but the rabbit was my favorite. You remind me of her, Rin! I think that, if you met, you would be great friends! Maybe you're long lost twins? Do you have a twin stuffed animal, Rin?"

"Um…"

"Guess what? Yesterday, Miku ate a leek-cookie! A leek-cookie! She really, really, really likes to eat green onions and leeks, you know-"

"No, I don't know, but thanks."

"-but she also likes to eat cookies. I mean, who doesn't? So I baked a leek cookie! Yay! Now, I plan to make a banana cookie for Len-len! On top of that, I should combine different foods with different types of cookies. Maybe I could make a chocolate chip banana cookie, or a mint-leek cookie, or a snicker doodle eggplant cookie. Even better: I'll bake a combination of all of those, and eat it with tuna fish! What do you think?"

"That's nice."

"Will he like it?"

"If he's like you, yes."

"Yay, I'm so glad you approve of my plan! Maybe we can start a bakery shop together, or something. What will it be called? Luka and Rin's awesome, delicious, splendid, magnificent, fantastic cookies? Oh, but I have to make cookies for my boyfriend, too! Gackupo really, really, really likes to eat eggplants! And I should make something for Neru, too. Well, she doesn't really have a favorite food, but…hmm, what should I do? I mean, she doesn't really prefer any types of food. Any ideas, Rin?"

"I don't know…maybe you could make normal cookies for her?"

There were many people in this world with split personalities. Megurine…no, Luka-chan, was definitely one of them. Usually, while making first impressions and speaking to the public as a proud member of Crypton Club, she was calm and reserved. With her friends, she showed her true self, which was hyper and crazy.

Well, I actually didn't know, since I didn't hang out with her friends. But, since Luka claimed that we were best friends, I guess that meant that her friends were technically my friends, too. Well, at least according to her. Still, I didn't want to take their "friendship" for granted, because in stories, whenever a character did that, something bad would always happen to them.

As the bell rang, Luka said, "See you at lunch, Rin-chan!" and marched away. I smiled, marveling at her cheerfulness. I couldn't wait until lunch, when I could finally eat in some random corner of the school, alone and-wait. Did Luka just say that she was going to see me at lunch?!

RING! I sat back up in my seat and stifled a yawn. Then, I got up and headed to my locker, weaving my way through crowds of other students, to get my lunch box. Just as I slammed the door shut and turned around, I was nearly strangled-for the second time today- by a certain, overenthusiastic friend.

"There you are! It's so crowded, and I was having trouble finding you. Come on, I'm famished! Now, let's go to lunch!" Luka said, and started to half drag, half carry me to wherever she was going.

As we passed other students, they stared so hard that their eyes seemed to pop out.

"Since when did that girl become a friend of a Crypton member?"

"Is she trying to worm her way into the club?"

"No, she isn't! Don't you remember? She's the same girl who rejected the offer to join by Hatsune-sama!"

"Then why is she clinging to Megurine-sama?!"

I dragged my feet so hard that Luka couldn't drag me with her anymore. Coming to a stop, Luka turned around and looked at me quizzically. "Um…what's wrong?"

I looked at my feet and squirmed. "Um…are you sure you want me to eat lunch with you and your friends? Other people will gossip and get mad at me, and you might ruin your reputation…"

For three heartbeats, there was silence.

When I couldn't stand it anymore, I looked up at Luka from the corner of my eye. She. Was. Crying.

"O-oh…Rin-chan! I never knew you were such a sweet, kind girl! To sacrifice your own pleasant luxuries of mid-day dining for your comrade's position in society! That is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life! You are so adorable! I'm DEFINITELY letting you eat lunch with me and my friends now!" Luka grabbed me into a bone-crushing hug.

"You will come eat lunch with us, right?" Her eyes started to fill up with tears again, and her lip quivered. How was her mascara not dripping?

"Um…okay?" I said unsurely.

Instantly, Luka's face lit up with a smile-was she faking her tears?!-and she started to drag me along again.

Luka led me to a part of the school that I've never been before. After many twists and turns, of which I lost count of, we finally started to slow down. The path that we were on was well hidden from view from other spots on the campus, as well as slightly isolated from the rest of the school. It was quieter here, too. We stopped at a brick wall, covered in sweet-smelling flowers and leaves. Luka brushed aside a few long vines, revealing a wooden door underneath. The scene reminded me so strongly of a classic novel I had once read, that I almost burst out laughing.

The door had an ornate brass handle, which Luka gently turned. Click.

"Okay, here we go," Luka said. Opening the door, she stepped inside and drew back the curtain of vines, leaving me no other choice but to follow her in.

With my jaw dropping, I gawked at the place where Crypton members had lunch every day. Luka told me that they also held meetings here during school, about once every week. It was a beautiful garden, surrounded on all sides by brick walls. The walls were completely covered in creeping vines and obscured by many trees and bushes, making the place seem romantic and mysterious, but cheerful at the same time.

There were flowers of all kinds, and some I couldn't even name: roses, daisies, lilies, pansies, irises, chrysanthemums, daffodils, heathers. All of the colors and scents filled the air, like a…perfumed rainbow, or something.

With lush, green grass and a mermaid-shaped fountain gurgling merrily in a corner, the garden looked like the perfect place to have a picnic. In the center of the garden was a patio, and in the center of the patio was a large, circular lunch table. The table was draped in a tablecloth of a cheery orange pattern with delicate swirls, and five people were eating their lunches over it.

"Okay, everyone, listen up! This is Kagene Rin, the newest member of Crypton Club!" Luka announced. I turned my head towards her so fast that I kinked my neck.

"What?! Since when was I a member of Crypton Club?" I squeaked, rubbing my neck.

"Soon…" Luka said ominously.

"But I said that I-"

Ignoring me, Luka pointed at the five seated people and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You guys, hurry up and introduce yourselves to Rin. Now!"

At the seat farthest away from me sat Kagamine Len. His deep blue eyes gazed into my own, making me feel like I was underwater. Hesitantly, he said, "Hi, I'm Kagamine Len, grade ten. I'm the vice president of Crypton Club, and I hope you join…" Both of us were silent for an awkward moment, and then looked away at the same time.

Across from him sat a girl with glossy, blonde hair. Even longer than Luka's, the girl's hair was tied up in a neat but casual side ponytail. Apparently, she was texting on her cell phone while eating. She moved her thumb so rapidly that it was just a blur to me, but I could somehow tell that she never hit the backspace button. The girl finally looked up from her phone and looked me up and down. Her calm, golden eyes reminded me of Kagamine's, and I knew why. "I am Len's older sister, Neru, grade twelve." she said. "I'm also the head of the school robotics and computer programming clubs. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I also hope that you can join Crypton Club."

Two chairs away from Neru sat Kamui, who was muscular and athletic. His long purple hair was tied up in a ponytail, and his posture was relaxed yet vigilant, like a sword fighter. He was Luka's boyfriend, but I thought that his presence was the slightest bit intimidating. "Nice to meet you! My name is Kamui Gackupo, and I'm an eleventh grader. I'm the captain of the soccer team and founder of the fencing club. I like to eat eggplants." Kamui said with a straight face, and then continued eating what looked like a giant eggplant.

Between the Kagamine siblings, Hatsune Miku sat in her seat, dignified and formal like a princess. Her long-sleeved shirt, like always, went from her throat to her fingertips, but, like before, I could see the strange mark beneath her jaw that peeked out from underneath her shirt's collar. It looked like a bruise…

Slowly, the teal-haired girl raised her shrewd gaze to me, and the corners of her mouth twitched upward in a small smile. "You already know me, don't you? Well, I'm happy that you seem to have changed your mind. It looks like Luka really wants you to join our student council, huh?"

"…" Not knowing what to say, I just stood there like an idiot.

"Come on, loosen up a little," Luka chuckled softly, and inclined her head towards the lunch table. Then she marched to the empty seat between Kamui and Neru, sat down, and started to eat. She began chatting with them, but her eyes kept on darting back to me, as is telling me to stop being so shy and make friends with everyone.

Clutching my lunch box to my chest, I kept my head down and shuffled over to the only empty seat left-next to Kagamine Len. I sat down and tried to eat as quietly as I could.

As soon as I finished eating, I looked up, wondering if I should stay or leave. Kagamine blew his golden bangs out of his eyes and smiled shyly.

"So…"

"Yeah…"

"Cool…"

"Right…"

"Are you done eating? Great! NOW WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOU JOINING CRYPTON CLUB!" Luka suddenly stood up and yelled.

"Uh…n-no." I stuttered.

"RIN-CHAN! Why don't you want to join? Are you worried that other people will get jealous? THEN I'LL…I'LL MURDER-"

"Kagene-san, please do join Crypton Club. We really want to be your friends, and with your help, we can support the school better," Kamui cut in.

"Also, if you don't join, Luka might get angry and kidnap you, or something," Neru added mildly, while texting rapidly on her cell phone.

"B-but…I-I don't know-" I stopped talking when someone grabbed my hand and placed a badge in it.

"Like it or not, you're an official member of Crypton Club, starting next week. You had BETTER wear your badge to school, or else…" Luka threatened.

"…"

"…"

"…Whatever," I said, which was responded to by five people cheering noisily.

Please review, everyone, and stay tuned for Chapter 4! Thank you!

~Rikasa