Hello! This project is a little out of my normal sphere for Vocaloid writing, but when I was invited to write for the Vocalostalgia zine, I couldn't say no! Since I've been writing for this fandom for so long, I had to participate somehow to celebrate the 20th anniversary. It's an amazing zine with plenty of awesome artists and authors, I definitely recommend you check it out! The zine is out now!

So here's my take on the central theme: 'nostalgia', as the name of the zine suggests. I hope you like it!

This was beta-read by the amazing Cant_Catch_Rabbit.


It was late when the Crypton idols made it to the restaurant. Not so late that the establishment was on the verge of closing, but the night wasn't quite young anymore. Still, it was with energy and cheer that the group of six walked through the front doors of the building. They greeted the hostess who awaited them, then followed her to their table, far in the back of the room, away from all the windows.

It was, in every way, a grand establishment. Gold was the decorative color of choice, adorning most details from the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the art in the crown molding, down the pillars that stretched all the way to the floor, going by the accents on tables, the booths, corners of the chairs, all the way to the tessellated tiling, of which some of the stones were gold-plated. Even the cutlery shone with a faint golden hue, rich like honey. The rest, and the bulk of the color in the room, was that of dark wood, far easier on the eye, bringing a much quieter atmosphere to the space. The cushions of the chairs and booths were red, soft, and plush, promising comfort in this den of wealth and luxury.

"It's nice to be back," Meiko breathed as she got settled in the booth, in the far right corner. Kaito sat across from her, and to her side was Rin, then Len. Miku sat at Kaito's side, and Luka filled the last free space next to her. Meiko went on, saying, "Every time, I look forward to this place."

"It's probably one of my favorite traditions," Kaito agreed, taking in the room, his elbows on the table.

Rin copied him, but she also leaned her head on her hands, eyeing the other tables. "It's always so deserted, though. It sucks that we always dine here on our own."

"Are you kidding me?" her brother asked. "After a concert, it's a relief to have some peace and quiet."

"I guess that's true..."

"And some freedom from the press," Luka added. She looked at ease, almost at home in the restaurant, the colors of her outfit matching the room to an uncanny degree. "For once we don't have to worry about being photographed, interviewed..."

"It's the calm after, and before the storm," Kaito finished for her.

"Isn't that right, Miku?" Meiko said with a chuckle.

Miku looked to be half-asleep, almost slumped in the booth, head nodding off to the side. She blinked awake at the sound of her name, then smiled sheepishly. "Ah, yeah. It's nice to relax."

Kaito chuckled and patted her on the back. "You worked hard tonight. You deserve to wind down a bit. Take it easy, okay?"

"I will. Thank you."

"So, what are we all ordering this time?" Rin asked.

The menus were brought moments after she asked the question, and though they each took a moment going over the options, the truth was that they had all long decided what to order before they'd arrived. Kaito would take something hearty, like a steak with a side of potatoes, just so he could use it as an excuse to have a huge helping of dessert thereafter. Meiko would oversee drinks and would usually go for a mushroom-based pasta. Rin would have orange duck, while Len would be happy with lemon chicken if there was deep-fried banana as dessert. Luka would take the assorted sushi platter, and Miku would sate her appetite with a huge bowl of vegetable soup.

To complement their meals, Meiko chose a bottle of sake that evening, and once their orders were settled and communicated, they got comfortable once again, feeling themselves unwind after the hard work of the concert.

"I don't know how you keep it up for so long," Meiko told Miku, who continued to look like she was on the brink of falling asleep. "You had, what, twenty songs? I do two and I'm exhausted."

"I suppose I'm used to it," Miku said with a half-shrug. "I'd love to share the time with you all more, though. Less weight on my shoulders."

"Maybe one day," Luka said. "But you're the world's number one idol right now."

"So I'd better play the part!" Miku said with a laugh. "I'll be fine. I just need to rest."

"You used to do solo shows too though, didn't you Meiko?" Rin asked. "Back when you were Crypton's only Vocaloid."

"They were few and far between, but I remember them being harrowing," Meiko said, her eyes drifting to a faraway point only she saw. "But I was younger then. It felt easier."

"Did you used to come here on your own then, too?" Len asked.

"I did, actually."

"That's how this started," Kaito said with a grin. "After I joined, and after our first show together, she brought me here."

The twins sat up straight. "Oh! Is that why we do this now? Because you randomly decided to come here?"

Meiko shrugged. "It didn't feel so trivial at the time. The concert gave me a decent bump in pay—you know, nothing like we get today—so I figured I could treat myself. I wound up here because it was the only place that was still open so late. I saw people dining and decided to simply ask for a table. And I got one, just for me. Nobody even recognized me back then."

Rin's eyes misted. "Aww."

"Eating alone is so sad," Len added.

"It wasn't so bad," Meiko assured them. "I had less to worry about. No press, no requests for autographs. I could just come here and eat. It was a bit lonesome, sure, but I'd just done my first concert! That was huge, for me. And I think I could tell that I was on the brink of something big. So it felt important to cap it off with something memorable as well, instead of just going home to sleep."

Kaito nodded. "I remember when you first brought me here. You promised me it would be worth it, even though I felt like I was going to pass out."

"Was it worth it?" Miku asked.

"Very. We were still barely more than aspiring stars, though. We had a table for two in the corner, just right there," he said, pointing. Everybody turned to look, except for Meiko, who smiled fondly. "And even though people surrounded us, they had no idea who we were. We were totally anonymous, despite having just given a show to a few hundred people." He laughed. "I remember. Once I started eating, I realized how hungry I was, and even after the main course I just couldn't stop. Had my first ever sundae here and I've been hooked ever since."

"I still can't believe that isn't the official origin story to you loving ice cream," Meiko said with a laugh.

"Neither can I. Of course, our being able to eat here undisturbed changed when Miku joined us," he said, gently ruffling the tealette's hair.

Miku laughed and gently batted his arm away. "I'm sorry, I can't help it!"

"You mean that's when you started reserving the whole restaurant to yourselves?" Luka asked.

Meiko considered her question for a moment. "Well, not right away. We didn't think it would be a big deal. We'd just had our first concert with the three of us, and it was massive! It sold out within seconds, but even then, we didn't think going out afterward would be a problem."

Miku sighed. "We could barely eat. Everybody recognized me."

"What can we say? You're a star," Meiko said warmly.

"Lesson learned very quickly, though," Kaito said. "Once the twins joined us, which wasn't that long after, we knew to book far in advance and make sure that we were far from the public eye."

"Ooh, so the whole empty room thing started with us," Rin said, eyes wide.

"I can only imagine what a difference that makes," Luka said, eyes on the rest of the space. "This place is large enough for a hundred people."

"Oh yeah. The difference is massive," Miku agreed. "We can actually talk, which is a huge plus."

"I kind of figured it's always been this way," Rin mumbled. "You three seemed so used to coming here, sitting in the silence."

"While in truth, it was perhaps only my second or third time here," Miku admitted with a shrug. "But yes, the habit of coming here was cemented at least, that's for sure."

"And then you joined us!" Kaito said to Luka.

"The belated addition," the pink-haired woman said with a slight shrug.

"Nonsense. Sure, you were a year or so after the twins, but you're part of the team now!" Meiko assured her. "And look at us now! How many times have we all been here?"

Rin blew a raspberry while Len frowned in concentration as he tried to count.

"I can count a dozen times off the top of my head," Luka said. "It's been a few years now."

Len nodded. "Feels like decades. We've been here so many times, after so many concerts."

"I've definitely lost track," Miku muttered.

Their food was brought to them then, and they stared at their meals wide-eyed, mouths watering, waiting for each plate to be delivered before they could hungrily dig in. When the last dish was placed on the table, each muttered a variation of "itadakimasu," "bon appétit," or "enjoy" before hungrily attacking their meals.

After such hard work, food was a welcome relief and comfort. Their appetite was even further stimulated by the quality of the dishes, always superb and beyond compare, among the best food they'd ever had, the same as it had been every time they'd been there. While Kaito cut this steak, the knife slicing through the meat like it was warm butter, Luka delicately ate her sushi with chopsticks, Meiko was swirling her pasta around her fork, and Miku was blowing on her soup. The twins had never outgrown their energetic selves and were the most energetic in their onslaught, devouring their duck and chicken almost before anybody could blink.

Before long, Luka commented between bites, "I must confess, knowing that you all had established habits like this one was a comfort."

Meiko was the first to answer, asking, "How so?"

"Home can be defined by the rituals you have. Where you can establish habits means there's repetition that can happen, which means comfort, which means, in turn, a sense of safety. Of home. Knowing that you could all create this sense of home among yourselves was, as a newcomer, deeply reassuring," she said with a smile. "I was just out of my quote-unquote 'normal' life, flung into stardom, joining people I'd only ever seen on TV. I had no idea who you truly were. And I was a fresh face, intruding in on an established group. I had no idea how I would be treated. But this, among all the other little habits you all formed together, was comforting. It was... Yes, it was very quickly like home to me, too."

"Aww." Kaito reached over Miku to give Luka's shoulder a soft squeeze. "You were more than welcome to join us, you know. No matter how long it took for you to find us."

"Plus, what is one year compared to all the years we spent together?" Meiko asked.

"You're right," Miku said. "We've all spent so much time together, all these concerts and routines and habits, we've made a life as the six of us."

"It's like we're a family," Len said.

"Oh, stop! I'm gonna cry!" Rin whimpered, and she sounded like she meant it.

Meiko laughed. "I know we've been doing this for years now, but let's not take this, or each other, for granted. You are like family to me. And I can't wait to spend a whole bunch more years with you all."

Kaito sighed wistfully. "I wonder how much longer we'll be stars for?"

"Don't get me thinking about that," Rin said between bites of her duck. "It's so depressing."

"Well, I hope it'll be for a long time," Luka said, picking up the next piece of sushi. "The more we can do this, the happier I'll be."

"I agree," Miku said, beaming. "I know it's tough work, and I know that it's exhausting at times, but it's so worth it. I wish I could do this forever."

Kaito chuckled and raised his glass. "To forever, then."

"To forever," Meiko echoed him.

They raised their glasses together, meeting in the center with a small chorus of clinks. Then they all drank, some with more moderation than others.

"I know nothing can last forever, not really," Len muttered as he put his glass down. "But I feel like as long as we've all got each other, as long as we can keep this up and make it worth it, then it'll feel like forever."

"That's what counts, doesn't it?" Meiko asked. "We're making memories, singing songs, and creating moments that won't ever die."

"And our memories will be carried on by the lives of billions," Luka added. "In a sense, this will last forever, if not in a literal way. We won't ever die. And the concept of 'us' won't ever die, either."

"Oh no! Here I go again!" Rin sniffled.

Len patted her back comfortingly. "It's okay. We can grapple with our metaphorical immortality another time."

"Don't think about it too hard," Kaito said with a laugh. "We're here to have fun, remember? To have a good time as a reward for all our hard work."

Meiko grinned. "Yeah. So chin up, kids."

"And it'll be dessert time soon!" Kaito added, rubbing his hands together. "That's always something to look forward to!"

The rest of the table laughed, Meiko gently elbowing him. "You've barely even finished your main course."

"Well, it's good to look forward to things," he shot back with a grin. "And I'm looking forward to dessert!"

"And for everything that happens thereafter," Luka said. "Dessert, the next songs, the next albums..."

"The next interviews, the next shows," Miku added.

"More costumes, more producers, more art!" Rin exclaimed.

"And all the projects and creativity that comes with!" Len finished with a flourish.

"We have a lot to look forward to," Meiko conceded with a grin. "Fine, kids. What are you all having for dessert?"

The table cheered, and while they all debated what they would have, Len stubbornly declaring he would have his preferred deep-fried banana or nothing at all, Meiko watched with a smile.

"We've come a long way," Kaito whispered to her. "Ever since it was just the two of us. Since it was just you."

She nodded, her attention still on the younger idols, who flagged down the waitress for the desserts menu. "We have."

"I'm proud of what you started."

"Thank you. I'm proud of how far we've come."

"Good. You deserve to be."

She chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "I can only take so much praise, you fool. What do you really want to say?"

He shrugged. "Nothing more, nothing less. It's been a while since we looked back. We're so busy, constantly moving forward. It's good to see where we began. To keep track of how far we go."

She considered him for a moment before nodding, resting her chin on her palm, her elbow on the table. "Sometimes I'm sure I knew, back then, that I— that we would be big someday. But other times I'm wondering how certain I could have possibly been. I went from singing to a few hundred people to being part of a group singing for thousands, if not millions. I mean...how could I have seen that coming? How could I possibly?"

Kaito's smile waned. "Something on your mind?"

"It's just..." She chuckled, but it was a little sorrowful. "Looking back, it seems so unlikely that we could have come this far. I—"

"What are we talking about?" Rin asked.

The two oldest idols turned towards the other half of the table, finding all their attention on the duo.

"Oh," Meiko waved it away. "Nothing. Sad thoughts."

Kaito countered, "Not so sad. What's sad about not having anticipated a miracle?"

"Nothing, inherently. But you chose the right word: it is a miracle that we're all here. Even more so that we're all still here. Every year we're keeping it up, we're going further, growing bigger, reaching more and more ears. It's amazing. And, to a certain extent, horrifically unlikely. What were the odds?"

"Well, it helps that we're cute," Rin said with a wide grin.

"And cool!" Len added.

"And beautiful," Rin said, turning her attention to her co-stars. "And handsome, too."

Luka laughed. "I probably would have said it was because we're good at what we do."

"That, too!" the blonde girl said with a vigorous nod.

"And our hard work," Miku contributed. "Not a day goes by that we're idle."

"I suppose that's all true," Meiko said, wistfully. "Did you all order desserts?"

The younger idols gave a thumbs-up.

"Good."

"See? We had a lot going for us," Kaito assured her.

"And we still do," Luka chimed in from the other end of the table. "By all accounts, all odds were in our favor."

Meiko smiled, relaxing. "You're right."

"And even if we somehow beat some incredible odds, even if we shouldn't have come so far, so what?" Len asked. "We're here, aren't we? This is our today. This is our right now, right here in this restaurant, celebrating another concert well performed. Nothing can take this from us!"

"Wow, Len. Didn't know you had this kind of speech in you," Rin muttered.

Len groaned. "And just like that, you ruined it."

"No, you're right." Meiko said, leaning back in her seat. "Right now, we're here."

"We were yesterday, too. I mean, perhaps not in this restaurant," Miku said with a sheepish grin.

"And we'll be here tomorrow too," Luka said.

Right then, the desserts were served. Meiko always skipped hers, but Kaito got his sundae, Len his deep-fried banana, Rin got a huge scoop of orange-flavored ice cream, Miku got a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and Luka settled on a little glass of grappa. When the last dish was placed and the waitress left again, but before the twins could even pick up their spoons, Kaito lifted his glass of sake once more.

"Then, I propose we cheer again. To yesterday, to today, and to tomorrow."

Once again, the glasses all clinked as they met above the table in a joyous toast.