DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vocaloid. Yay.
Chapter 11
Miku's POV:
Tap, tap, tap.
As I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate, my hands rapidly tapped out an ominous sounding rhythm in my lap. The entire house was dark; the only light came from the tiny lamp on top of the piano. Although my breaths were steady and even, my heart raced with anticipation at what I had heard and seen that day.
I was wandering around outside, glancing the shop windows I passed. Moving along noisily, the cars whizzed past me, many at a time.
"Rin! RIN!" a boy's shrill voice pierced through the boisterous atmosphere. I looked up, startled, and started to sprint toward the source of the sound. Rin…Kagene-san…no, it couldn't be!
As I rounded the corner, I saw what had happened. A teenage girl was sprawled out on the sidewalk. People crowded around her, asking if she was alright. One boy stood out in particular, trembling with anxiety. Nearby, a white car stood idle next to the sidewalk.
The girl, the boy, the car…a feeling of déjà vu crept over me, sending chills down my spine.
But there was no blood this time…
Slowly opening my eyes, I lifted my hands to the piano and started to play. My fingers automatically pressed down on the keys, and I swayed slightly. From my heart, a mournful melody travelled through my entire body and came out of my fingertips, forming the sound that was known as "music." But my mind was somewhere else, fixated on something that had happened to me in the past…
It was a chilly day that covered the sky with sober clouds, filled the place with merciless fog, and blew down people's backs with ominous breezes. Cars raced past the people on the sidewalks, filling the cold air with noises.
Honk! Honk!
A small, white car whizzed past all the others, earning many dirty looks from drivers. The driver of that car, a young man with dark blue hair, ignored them and continued to drive dangerously fast.
Behind him, a five-year-old girl sobbed miserably into her hands. Her arms and legs were covered with scratches and bruises. Loose, teal hair tumbled down her back and cascaded onto the floor.
Next to the man, a brown-haired woman squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Glancing first at her husband, then into the rearview mirror, she worriedly asked, "Where is he right now?"
"Maybe…we lost him?" the man suggested hopefully.
She shook her head and frowned. "There's no way Meito would be outsmarted so easily. Maybe he's just trying to get our guard down."
"Where should we go, then?"
The woman turned her head and looked sadly at her daughter, who was now bawling at the top of her lungs.
"…"
"…"
The man was just about to break the silence and say something optimistic to cheer up his wife, when something caught his eye in the mirror. Something terrifying. Instinctively, he lifted his eyes off the road and looked behind him, face paling in horror…
CRASH! CRASH! After a moment of silence, came the sound of a child crying. "…RIN!"
With a start, I realized that my hands were back in my lap; the piece was over. Sighing, I stood up from the piano bench and glanced around the dark, empty room. In the hallway, a clock ticked forlornly into the silence. I was the only person at home; IA was at a baseball match and her parents were with her.
Gently closing the piano lid, I slowly stood up and sighed in resignation. Mind whirling at what I was about to do, I went to the bedroom I shared with IA and wrote a short note, telling her where I would be if I wasn't around when she got back. Then, I left the house.
It was dark by the time I reached my old home. It was the same as before; old, shabby, and dirty. I walked quietly up to the front door, and looked at the filthy welcome mat on the ground. I saw one pair of shoes: a pair of red high-heels. Mom was home, Dad was out. Perfect.
I raised my hand, ready to knock, and then stopped myself.
Why am I doing this? I asked myself.
To get answers. A small but stubborn voice replied confidently.
The flashback I had earlier? It was a memory from my past. The brown-haired woman was my Mom. But…in the memory, she seemed to care about me. How strange.
But even stranger: her husband…was not the same man I knew as "Dad." I was absolutely sure that the blue-haired man who drove that car was not the same person as the crazy drunkard who wounded me and drove me out of my home. But…who else could he be, then?
Taking a deep breath, I rapped sharply on the wood with my knuckles. Knock, knock, knock. Moments later, panicked footsteps scurried forward and the door was flung wide open.
"Meito! I didn't know you would be back so early-"
Crossing my arms, I tilted my head haughtily and cut her off with an icy stare.
"…"
"…"
In a millisecond, Mom's expression was a flurry of changing emotions. At first, a peculiar expression flitted across her face briefly. Was it…relief? No, it couldn't be…
After a tense moment, her face was a stone, as cold as ice again. I involuntarily let a shudder run down my back. Although she never hurt me the way "Dad" did, she still scorned and neglected me. Speaking of which, he was the reason I decided to visit. To search for answers…
"…What are you still doing here? I thought you had a new home." Mom said. I thought I was imagining it, but her voice seemed to be almost…softer than usual. Strangely, she didn't seem to be acting as hostile as usual. Then again, I wouldn't know; my mother barely talked to me.
My mouth twitched downward. "You owe me some answers. I have the right to know the truth."
Her eyes widened in alarm.
Mom ripped her gaze away from mine, and turned her face away. In a movement that was so fast that I could barely see it, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." Then, she slammed the door in my face.
Climbing up the side of the house was the easy part. Wiggling in through the window…not so much. After many failed attempts, I finally managed to force the window open and tumbled in, panting like a dog.
On the other side of the room, I saw my mother look up in shock. Slowly standing up, I walked up to her. She was sitting in a chair, so I towered over her threateningly.
"You will tell me the truth, NOW!" I snapped.
Gaping like a fish out of water, Mom stared at me incredulously. When she was just about to retort, something in my eyes must have made her change her mind.
I waited for her to say something. It was coming, I knew…
"…Mi…Miku…Miku, I'm so sorry!" She suddenly blurted out. With a start, I realized that she was crying.
For a moment, I wanted to comfort her, to hug her, but then I forced myself to snap out of it.
"Who is my real dad? What happened ten years ago? Why have you been lying to me all this time? How could you?!" I demanded, tears involuntarily sliding down my cheeks.
Hanging down her head so I couldn't see her eyes, she whispered, "It was when…"
It was when...*drum roll*...it was, well. It happened years and years ago. When it happened, it involved...*drum roll*...I-It was so sad...*drum roll*
DEAD END: CLIFFHANGER. XD
Wow, I can't believe how much I'm enjoying making fun of my own story! Hahahaha.
Please review, everyone, and stay tuned for Chapter 12! Thank you!
~Rikasa