The Ballad of Miku and Teto

Chapter 13: Sandwich

Throughout the entire trip, Miku didn't even so much as shed a single tear. She just kept a blank look on her face as we headed off to the private summer resort. No one even brought up the incident, and I'm pretty sure that Teto still had to apologize. But at least the cut healed.

Miku just sat in the back, next to Kaai Yuki, who, in her adorable but kind of annoying accent, blabbered on and on, mostly talking trash on Miku. Miku didn't have anything to say. Meiko's sitting next to Lula and Kaito, already drinking and pressuring him about women.

Gumi, IA, and Mayu sit as a trio, sweetly singing some song I don't recognize, but it's actually pretty good. Oliver's in the back with a weird look on his face like he needs to use the bathroom, and Pico is by himself listening to some music.

As for Len and Teto.... All Teto has done since she sat next to me was go on and on about Len and romance stuff, all loud enough for Miku to hear every single word, which I'm sure was her intention. And then Len shows up.

I'm sitting in the middle, being the third wheel with Len to my left and Teto to my right. Some inconsiderate jerk put on a romantic movie, so now I have to hear the two of them flirt and get mushy-cushy over some film.

I order some popcorn from the lady waling around handing out snacks, but I can't even pop it into my mouth. "Tryna eat here." Nothing.

"Ooh, I thought it was good, too!"Teto... When did sue change so much? She went from cool, Rin-approved slacker to some lame girl " in love." I glare at Len, but of course he doesn't notice. Does she not know of his true intentions? I mean, they aren't bad, but Len's a bigger dumbass than me. His "hotness" doesn't help.

"Resist, Teto!" Sandwiches in between the two lovebirds, I don't get any response. They just sit there talking around me like I'm a ghost. Teto accidentally nudges me I with her shoulder and some of my popcorn falls onto the floor.

"To hell with this!" I leave my seat and head to the vacant one in the back, next to Miku.

"What's wrong?" Dead. Completely dead.

I just sigh. When did my friends change? And so much? Have I really just let it fly past my head? What kind of friend does that make me?

"It's not your fault, Rin."

"Hm?" Why would Miku say something like that? Who's fault would it be but Len's? Ugh... Now there's a churning in my stomach that won't go away. I used Teto's phone to text him, but I guess she got the wrong idea in the most worst way possible. I said that Teto was mine and that he ought to step off....

"It's my fault."

Miku sighs in defeat, ultimately giving up.

"It's not your fault." Ugh, I don't want to give good advice right now. I feel stupid but not in a fun way. I'll try... "It's sort of my fault, but when you look at it, it has to be Len's fault." My good advice has fallen to blaming now, but it's true. If only I could tell Teto.

Miku closes her eyes and doesn't respond. Then I'll have to be the one to explain everything! "You know how we became human, right?"

"Hm."

"But we aren't fully human! We don't even understand yet how human beings live!"

"Like pathetic nothings?"

Are humans like that?"Probably. But you're not nothing! You're everything! You let us become human!"

"Me?" Miku opens her eyes so she stare at me like I'm insane."All I did was boost hate and sales. What good can come from that? "

"The ability to not have to be Cyber all the time! We get to feel offstage, touch things, eat food, slack off!"

"You know we're still living like great celebrities, right?"

That part is true. We're not supposed to let certain things happen, like letting humans other than composers see us, but since their are so many cosplayers these days, we're safe. We also aren't allowed to get any serious injuries, so if Teto did worse to Miku, every single one of us would go back to bring lifeless, singing robots. Maybe except Teto. She's an Utauloids, she can't understand this stuff.

"That's true! Totally true! But we've known Len for a long time, haven't we?"

"You know how much yummy food they got in Osaka? I totally bought dang near the whole city when I was there! One time-"

Kaai Yuki is also a perfect example. I'll explain everything to Teto tonight."I'll tell Teto everything later, so get along well with Yuki until then."

"Len..." Miku seems to have been listening towhat I said. I'll end this feud tonight, the right way!

I shove some popcorn in my face as I stare at the screen, relaxed in my seat.

"So, Yuki, how have you been? Did you enjoy the Hanami?"

"S'okay. The food wasn't as good as what I'm used to, but it was pretty mediocre."

"Mediocre?! Why you-!!"

"Ah, paving the ways to friendship."

Now it's time to get Teto's attention! "Teto! Teto!" I'll be cracking this case in no time at all! All at the resort, ahead.
However, it's going to be a damn hard job if I can't even arouse her attention. But Rin never gives up!