Discordant Harmonies: A Teto X Miku story.

Chapter Thirteen: Unwelcome Surprises

Kaito leaned against the wall in the lounge area of the Vocaloid headquarters, a steaming cup of coffee in his hands as he stared out of the window. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow across the skyline, and he took a moment to appreciate the peace before the chaos of Moon and Miku’s first performance together took over. He was both excited and anxious about the upcoming show—there was a lot riding on it, especially with Meiko still behind bars.

Suddenly, the door swung open with a loud bang, causing Kaito to nearly spill his coffee. He spun around, his heart racing, prepared to defend himself against what he thought was an intruder.

"Whoa, hold it right there!" he shouted, instinctively putting his drink down and assuming a defensive stance.

Before him stood a tall figure with vibrant red hair, wearing a casual outfit. Fukase blinked, hands raised in mock surrender. "Easy there, Kaito! It’s just me!"

Kaito let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, his posture relaxing. "Fukase? You scared me half to death!"

Gumi, who had been sitting at a nearby table, laughed as she walked over. "Nice entrance, Fukase. You should have seen Kaito’s face."

"Yeah, well, maybe I should have knocked," Fukase replied, still chuckling. "But where’s the fun in that?"

Gumi gave him a playful shove. "Just don’t sneak up on us like that again. We’ve had enough surprises for one week."

Fukase shrugged, an easy grin on his face. "Can’t help it if I’m naturally stealthy." He glanced around the room. "So, what’s going on? I heard about the big show with Moon and Miku. You guys are really going all out, huh?"

"Yeah," Gumi replied, her excitement evident. "You should come! It’ll be fun, even if you’re not performing anymore."

Kaito shot her a quick look. "Are you sure that’s a good idea? We don’t want to distract from the show."

Gumi waved her hand dismissively. "It’s fine! Fukase’s a part of this family, and we’d love to have him there. Plus, the more support for Miku, the better."

Fukase’s smile faltered for just a moment, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face. "I appreciate it, but I don’t want to be a distraction. You guys should focus on the performance."

"Come on," Kaito urged, "we could use all the positive energy we can get, especially with everything that’s happened lately."

"Yeah! Besides," Gumi added, her enthusiasm contagious, "it’ll be fun! You can cheer on Moon and Miku, and who knows, maybe the crowd will want to see you back on stage eventually."

Fukase looked between them, his grin returning but not quite reaching his eyes. "Alright, alright, you’ve convinced me. I’ll come to support you guys."

Kaito nodded, relieved. "Great! It’ll be good to see everyone come together again."

The atmosphere lightened as they discussed plans for the show, Gumi detailing the decorations and special effects they had in mind. Kaito felt a sense of normalcy returning, even if it was just for a little while.

But as the conversation continued, Fukase remained quietly observant, a shadow of concern crossing his features when he thought no one was looking. The way he kept glancing at the door made Kaito uneasy.

"Everything okay, Fukase?" Kaito asked, his instinct kicking in again. "You seem… off."

Fukase straightened up, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about how things have changed, you know? We used to perform together all the time."

Gumi nodded, her expression softening. "I miss those days too. But you’re still part of this, even if you’re not on stage. We’re all in this together."

Just then, the door swung open again, and a small gust of wind rushed into the room. Kaito instinctively turned to see who it was, but his gut tightened when he noticed Fukase’s demeanor shift again, the warmth in his eyes replaced by something colder and more calculating.

"Hey, is everyone here?" a voice called from the doorway. It was Luka, bright and cheerful as always, but Kaito could have sworn he caught a glimpse of discomfort on Fukase’s face before he masked it with a smile.

"Yeah, we were just talking about the upcoming show!" Gumi replied, her cheerfulness undeterred.

As Luka joined them, Kaito couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. He glanced at Fukase again, whose expression seemed almost predatory as he observed Luka.

"Right," Fukase said, his voice a little too casual. "A show. Should be interesting."

As they began discussing the details of the performance, Kaito couldn’t help but notice the subtle tension in the air. Something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. As the conversation flowed, Fukase’s gaze drifted to the window, and Kaito caught him mouthing something under his breath. It was too quiet for anyone else to hear, but Kaito could have sworn he saw Fukase’s lips form a single word: soon.

Kaito’s heart raced. What was going on? Why did it feel like they were on the edge of something dark and dangerous? He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts, but they lingered like a heavy fog.

As they continued to plan, Kaito made a silent vow to keep an eye on Fukase. The last thing they needed was another threat, especially one that seemed to be hiding in plain sight...