AN: Okay, so as you probably already know, this story is currently on hold. To be honest, it feels kinda awkward to do this since it's been about a month since I logged onto ... Anyways, the only reason why I'm doing this, is because I've kind of got a lot going on with my life at the moment... I've been *extremely* ignorant with my schoolwork and my parents have confiscated my computer... And I don't think they're planning on giving it back anytime soon... So I have to do all my writing/editing on my phone now, and that doesn't really work out too good... Anyway I'm really sorry! I didn't want to, but I don't really have a choice now... I have posted a preview for anyone who's interested... Anyway, without further ado...

Chapter 3 - PREVIEW

Over the next few days, my life went through the same schedule. Almost every day had the same routine as the day prior. Luka would always wake me up early in the morning, and make me wear a dress that was always too fancy for my taste. I would go to meet Len and spend the day with him. He would always act resolutely the same, always smirking and always speaking a voice of determined sweetness. Sometimes, I couldn't help but try to imagine what went through Len's mind. What sort of thoughts filled his waking hours? What dreams came to him at night? Why did he always behave the way he did? I just didn't understand. At night, thoughts of Kaito always haunted me. The masked man would always climb through my window, and present me with a blue rose. I don't know why I never order the guards after him, why I never stop him and question him about his identity. Maybe it's because I don't care about anything anymore. I hardly had any sleep nowadays, and when I did, my dreams were in utter disarray. They were filled with images of mine and Kaito's childhood, entangled with images of our forceful separation. I would usually up in the middle of the night, screaming, weeping and begging thin air to release Kaito. I knew now that the girl I used to be was now dead. No, I don't mean I was a lifeless corpse, never to move or breathe again. I mean that the happy, optimistic girl named Miku Hatsune was now gone forever, damaged well beyond repair. She had been replaced by a brittle, quiet introvert, whose smile was one of the rarest things to be seen. She had transformed over the past several months, which was way too fast in my opinion, into the unsmiling young woman that I was. She seemed to exist only in a far off galaxy, a place in which Kaito was still by her side. But now she had deteriorated completely, and was trapped in a world where she was all alone. Yes, she was dead. Dead to the world. Dead to myself.

"Mikuuuuu…. Wakey-wakey…" Luka's familiar voice rang through the silence and reached my ears, snapping me back to reality. Without awaiting her consent, I immediately arose out of bed, and walked swiftly over to the wardrobe. I gestured to it, signalling for her to choose an outfit for me. These actions seemed to surprise her, as I was usually more talkative. But she understood my intention, and approached me. I was still resolutely silent, so Luka attempted to make a conversation with me.

"So... You're going to meet Len again today." She began. I just responded with a simple "Mmm" and said nothing more. Luka tried again.

"So, um... It's your birthday tomorrow. Are you excited?

"Yeah..."

"What gifts to you want to get?"

"I don't know..." I muttered. Luka seemed to run out of ideas after that, and that just seemed to intensify the awkward air between us. I just stood there, still and uncommunicative as a mannequin, as Luka dressed me up. She finally decided to make me wear a crimson dress with golden patterns down there front as she insisted it "suited me". I personally disagreed, but I didn't object. Luka led me down to the hall where I had first met Len, and where I would meet him again today. As usual, he acknowledged me with his trademark seductive smile and his greeting of "Good morning, my darling." . I just responded with a simple nod, as I feared I would betray the emotions I was keeping bottled inside me if I spoke. Len started to lead me to the gardens, as usual, and attempted to make a conversation with me. I just have him very simple answers such as "yes" and "okay" and avoided direct eye contact. The reason why I was acting like this was because I felt so exposed. Len seemed to know everything about how my mind worked, what sort of thoughts filled my head, what responses he could expect from me. However, I could hardly fathom what went through mindmind. I found him utterly unpredictable. And I hated that. I despised how he could foresee every single one of my actions, while I practically knew nothing about how he was programmed. So I was determined remain as closed and secluded as I could. After a while of walking, we finally arrived at the gardens. Len began to talk to me about our wedding plans, about what dress I would be wearing, about where it would be, smirking all throughout.

"It certainly would be wonderful if we could get married in the Yellow Kingdom, wouldn't it, my love?"

"Yes, I suppose it would be." I mumbled in response. Then, Len changed the subject.

"I have something for you, darling." Len reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small box. I gaped as he opened the box and revealed what was inside. Out was a ring, made out of pure gold, decorated with a... sapphire blue rose.

"It's your wedding ring." Len announced, smirking. Suddenly, I felt an unfamiliar new feeling forming me. It burned inside of me, filling me with adrenaline. It ran through my veins and filled every inch of me. It took me a while to fathom what this feeling was. Then I realised. It was anger. Pure resentment and fury. I was infuriated at Len for this. I knew now that my suspicions had been confirmed. Len was the so called "stranger" who had been sneaking into my room every night. And I knew perfectly well why. He was mocking me, trying to rub in the fact that I was utterly his, and that there was nothing I could do about it, whether I liked it or not. And I hated him for it.

AN: It's still really unprofessional, as it's still in the process of being written/edited so yeah... But anyway, hope you like!