If I was not here, I would be dirt-caked on the streets, crouched down next to my little tin can and praying that someone would decide to be generous today. I would have gone home with my money clenched to my side and hear one of my best friend's gruesome and cringing coughing fits well into the night, being unable to do anything to help him. Stumbling down this extravagant hall with heeled shoes and a clean face, feeling for the first time in my life the slightest bit beautiful, I thought maybe I was in the nuthouse somewhere and all of this was merely a delusion.

"When we get to the ballroom, stop making that face like you've never been in a great House before," Rin told me as we hastened down a golden staircase. "And try not to walk around too much in those heels, you'll make a spectacle of yourself."

"Got it," I replied.

"Do not dance with anyone. I doubt anyone will ask you because no one knows who you are, but just in case. Do not speak to anyone unless spoken to and bow to anyone who looks like they own more than one summer home."

"Okay. How would I be able to know that is the case?"

"For someone with no formal education, you speak quite well. You should be okay with mingling conversation, but try not to draw it out. Many people from the city are here. I doubt they will recognize you, but do be careful." She never answered my question.

The upper floors had looked abandoned, almost ghostly from lack of use. When we arrived on the main floor, the air in my lungs was knocked out of me from witnessing the number of people. Everyone, even by uptown standards, were lavish and held their heads up high with a kind of flagrant pride I could never achieve. Rin fit right in.

"This is where I leave you," she told me at the ballroom doors. "Remember all I told you and do not under any circumstances reveal who you really are. Bye-bye!" Her blue dress and golden hair were lost in the crowd behind me.

Staggering breath in, staggering breath out. With great hesitation, I placed my hand on the cool brass handles of the grand double doors and pushed them open.

Inside was an even more fantastical display of how the other side of society lived their lives. Gold, everywhere. Grandiose people in a grandiose display, all moving with strained perfection like actors in a play. A man bumped into me from behind. I forgot I was blocking the door. I scurried deeper into the chasm of marble and lace.

Disappointedly, there was no food. Gakupo would certainly kill me. There was, however, quite a bit of white wine being ushered around on silver trays by sharply dressed footmen with absolute neutrality fixed on their faces. One of them glided next to me and offered a glass. I accepted.

Two violinists, a cellist, and a pianist played in the corner beautiful tunes I felt like I had heard before, maybe from someone playing a music box on the streets. Couples twirled around the center of the room with precision and hardened politeness.

One woman in particular seemed to be the eye candy of all the men and envy of all the women. Her glistening pink hair curled at her waist and her delicate face was forever masked in perfect bliss. Whenever a song ended, she bowed respectively to her partner and a new one appeared at her side in seconds. I beamed in admiration; she seemed like the exact opposite of me.

"Mayu?"

My body grew rigid and cold. Eyes darting to the source of the voice, they rested on the elegant Miku Hatsune, head cocked to the side and befuddlement straining her features.

"H-hi," I said lamely.

"What are you doing here? Where did you get those clothes?" she asked.

"Well, that's a good question. I've still been trying to wrap my head around it myself."

Another figure strut up beside Miku. "Hello, darling. Who is your friend, here?"

"Kaito, sweetie," Miku replied warmly. "This is just an old childhood friend of mine. Her father is a lawyer, and they moved overseas several years ago."

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Taro," I greeted a bit too loudly.

"The pleasure is mine," Kaito responded, never taking his eyes off of me. I resisted the urge to punch him in the gut.

It was common knowledge that Miku's husband was quite frankly, an asshole. He had unfaithfulness down to an art, spending little to no time at home and instead fraternizing with young, gorgeous girls who only needed a handful of flattering words to invite him to their beds. Disgusting, disgusting! No one ever talked about it around Miku, but she knew. If she wasn't so head over heels for Kaito, she would have left him long ago.

"Oh, is that Tomas over there? Let's say 'hello' to him, shall we?" Miku pulled at his hand to bring him away from me.

"Sure. We will talk again later, what was your name again?" Kaito asked.

"Yes, let's talk again. Bye."

Miku dragged him away before he pressed further, thank God. When they made it to this "Tomas" person, she turned toward me and mouthed, "You better explain later." I fully intended to.

Now it was back to standing awkwardly with a half-full glass of champagne in hand. Everyone was just so elegant and interesting. I could just watch for hours. Rin came in not long after I did, some handsome bachelor as her escort. Her decorous manner said enjoyment but the underlying look on her face said gut-wrenching boredom.

A shaky and high-pitched male voice from behind caused me to jump. "Do you know the Taros?"

I turned to my left, and my heart almost split in two. At first I thought it was Rin, that golden hair and those cyan eyes, but no, it was definitely a boy. A rather cute boy, although a bit short. He wore a standard vest and suit just like every other man here and looked very much like one of those people who owned two summer homes.

I curtsied quite tensely and replied, "I am an old friend of Mrs. Taro, but I only just met Mr. Taro."

"I see."

"Are you perhaps...Len Kagamine?" I asked. Crap! What honorific do I use? Crap, crap, crap. His Lordship? Sir? Those seem a bit much, considering he's only one year older than me.

Len did not seem to notice. "Yes! It's nice to meet you..."

Shoot, he's asking for my name. "It's nice to meet you, too."

He shook off the blatant denial. "Have we met before? I feel like we've met before."

"That is unlikely, but nothing is impossible."

"You should be okay with mingling, but try not to draw it out." Rin would slaughter me if she knew I was talking with her brother, but for some reason I did not want this conversation to end just yet.