I laid there lazily on my bed with my iPad out as I half-heartedly scrolled through a few dozen memes... sorted by new, for the third time. I sighed, locked my device and tossed it aside, stared blankly through the tinted glass windows — nothing... just a surfeit of erect skyscrapers in the distance, cluttered with tar and smoke and speeding cars. I was bored once more... and nothing would get me out of it.

...Or so I thought.

"Len!" I heard Rin's damned shout as she barged into my room, wearing on her that impatient face. "Get changed!" She demanded, "someone's coming over."

Someone?

"What do you mean?"

She groaned, rolled her eyes in annoyance, "A new Vocaloid."

I nodded, "right," no need to get so moody about it, jeez.

And with that, she turned and left. I sighed once more, A new Vocaloid, huh?, I pondered on the thought, what would they be like? Maybe I can get to be friends with them before—

"You done?" Rin nagged, impatience in her tone, "He's going to be here any second."

"What?! No! Would it have killed you to tell me sooner?"

"Just!" She paused in her anger, "get it done!"

"All right, alright, geez,"

I grabbed my official attire, third in the pile on the floor and quickly changed into it, savouring my solitude while I still could make it last.

...

I closed my eyes.

Then three harsh knocks came through the door. I groaned quietly, would she ever wait for a second?

And the answer is obviously no.

I got to my door, opened it and saw her; and only then did I make out the three layers of make-up... on top of her usual two. Surely that's excessive.

"Here," she coerced laconically, handed me a few small containers and brushes.

I took them. Then felt the urge to just dump them. I had no intention of wearing any of those, especially not for good reason. And honestly, she looked better without any of those... or at least, without too much of those.

"Be there in 5!" She demanded before running off, not even waiting for my reaction nor reply. I sighed, placed the little containers on my table and left, walking to the entrance hall.

When I had arrived, everyone else were already there, waiting as they chattered on the possibilities of what the new boy would be like.

"Hopefully nothing like that Len," snickered Meiko, nudging Rin in her awful attempt to joke.

"Surely not," Miku replied, "Master told me he was quite enthusiastic about this."

Well, he would. With all the acting that goes on.

And I'm going to be honest here. Had I not been dragged into this stuff by Rin... had I just been another normal boy... I likely would have been the same.

"Guys, he's here!" Rin announced. Immediately, all the attention was brought to the two large wooden doors up front. Once the blinding effect of the sun's rays had gone, I could see the figure standing there, on the entrance. It left me agape; shocked, speechless. The boy wearing the navy choir coat over his usual button-up shirt—was Oliver.

Our eyes locked for a quick second, and in that second I saw the flurry of emotions within him: happiness, excitement, and... anger. Oliver broke it off and looked to the others, who were all praising him, congratulating him for his becoming a Vocaloid... with his cute little smile on his now more-matured face.

"Welcome," Rin grinned, "What's your name?"

"O-Oliver," he replied, his shyness still evident in his reaction as he held his arms close in reflex.

All the other Vocaloids aww'd when they saw this, praising him with their curses,

"He's adorable, he'll do great,"

"The fangirls are gonna love him,"

"right? Such a shota."

Oliver took a glance at me, and frowned when he saw I wasn't smiling for him.

Then Rin clapped her hand, shocked the poor boy, "Don't worry about him, Oliver," she told him in a cheery whisper, "he's never happy. That selfish—"

Yeah, right.

But that wasn't what annoyed me. I had long gotten used to my sister's scorning. What annoyed me then was that Oliver smiled at her words... he had intently nodded in agreement.

Why?

An unconscious tear trailed down my left eye, but I couldn't wipe it away, the stupefying effect of his arrival held me there still. Then I saw once more: his smiles, his shy laughter as they talked. My heart ached—longed for him to come to me once more—for us to be together once more... but he felt so... so far away now...

Another tear fell. Now it was my right eye. I shook my head, dashed back to my room, slammed the door shut and cried myself on my bed. "H-He..." I wept, jerked my breathing as I struggled to unclench my pained heart, "He's..." I curled up and engulfed myself under my thin white blanket...

maybe he was just being polite to Rin...?

—I'll try to talk to him later...

If he would even talk to me after that...