Discordant Harmonies: A Teto X Miku story.

Chapter Seven: Judgment Day

The courtroom was cold and sterile, filled with an uncomfortable silence that made every small sound echo against the walls. Meiko sat at the defendant’s table, her usually confident demeanor replaced by a heavy stillness. Her head hung low, and her eyes were shadowed by regret, the events of the past few days weighing heavily on her shoulders. The air was thick with tension as the judge prepared to deliver the verdict.

Teto sat in the gallery, her hands folded tightly in her lap. She hadn’t wanted this, but after the attack, there had been no avoiding it. Even though Meiko had been drunk, the law was the law. Assault was assault, and there had to be consequences. But still, sitting there and watching the trial unfold, Teto felt a strange hollowness in her chest. She hadn’t wanted to see it come to this.

On the other side of the courtroom, Miku sat with Rin and Len, their expressions grim. Miku’s teal eyes were downcast, her mind swirling with guilt and helplessness. She couldn’t believe this was happening—to Meiko, of all people. They had been through so much together, and now, one drunken mistake had brought them to this point.

The judge’s voice broke the heavy silence. “After reviewing the evidence and hearing the testimony, it is clear that the defendant, Meiko, did engage in an unprovoked physical assault against Kasane Teto. While the court acknowledges the defendant’s state of intoxication at the time, this does not excuse the violence that occurred.”

Teto winced, hearing it all laid out so plainly. The whole incident still felt surreal—like a dream, or rather, a nightmare. And now, it was ending in the harsh light of reality.

The judge’s voice remained steady, cold, and impersonal. “Therefore, the court finds the defendant guilty of assault. Given the circumstances, the sentence is 93 days in prison, to be served immediately.”

The gavel slammed down, sealing the verdict. A ripple of reaction spread through the courtroom, but Teto barely heard it. She sat frozen, the reality of the situation sinking in. Meiko—one of the original Vocaloids, a legend in her own right—was going to prison. And it was because of her.

Across the room, Miku’s breath caught in her throat. Her chest tightened as she heard the sentence, and she had to fight back the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. She looked at Meiko, her friend, the one who had always been there, always supported her. Now, Meiko sat with her head bowed, her hands trembling slightly in her lap.

Miku bit her lip, guilt gnawing at her from the inside. She hadn’t sent Meiko to fight Teto—she would never have asked that of her. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so consumed by her rivalry with Teto, if she hadn’t vented her frustrations so openly, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe Meiko wouldn’t have felt the need to defend her so recklessly.

The courtroom began to empty as the bailiffs approached Meiko, preparing to take her into custody. Miku stood up slowly, her heart heavy, and glanced over at Rin and Len. Rin’s eyes were wide with worry, while Len’s face was set in a frown. None of them knew what to say.

Meiko turned her head slightly as the bailiffs placed handcuffs around her wrists. She looked over at Miku, a faint, sad smile playing on her lips. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed, her voice barely a whisper.

Miku swallowed hard, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She wanted to say something, to tell Meiko that it wasn’t her fault, that everything would be okay. But the words caught in her throat. What could she possibly say that would make this right?

As Meiko was led out of the courtroom, her footsteps heavy and slow, Miku felt a deep ache settle in her chest. She had never imagined things could get this bad. Meiko was always so strong, so in control. Seeing her like this—defeated, broken—it was almost too much to bear.

Rin gently placed a hand on Miku’s arm. “Miku… we should go.”

Miku nodded numbly, unable to tear her eyes away from the door Meiko had just passed through. She knew that Meiko had brought this on herself, but that didn’t make it any easier. One of her closest friends had been taken away, and it was all because of a rivalry that had spiraled out of control.

As they made their way out of the courthouse, Miku felt the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. She had lost her thunder to Teto, and now, she had lost something much more precious—her friend.

Standing in the sunlight outside, Miku wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a chill despite the warmth of the day. “I never wanted this,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “I just… I just wanted to be on top again.”

Rin and Len stood beside her, silent, offering quiet support but knowing there were no words that could fix what had happened.

Miku looked up at the sky, her teal hair catching in the wind, her heart heavy with the knowledge that things would never be the same. She had been so focused on beating Teto, on regaining her place in the spotlight, that she hadn’t noticed the cost.

And now, with Meiko in prison and the guilt weighing down on her, Miku wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to climb back to the top again.