Ugh, why does it have to be him?

Why does it have to be Len?

I wouldn't mind anyone else, even Rin would be better than him...

I sighed, laid on my bed in only my boxers as I kept thinking about it, my official clothes in my grip.

Then the dreaded knock came, "are you ready?" asked his cheery... kind...... genuine sounding voice... ugh, stop it! He doesn't like you! I hate him!

I replied a quick, sharp "gimme a sec" as I shuffled to put my clothes on... then I leapt back onto my bed, melting my thoughts onto the soft... comfortable... so soft pillow. I don't want to see him yet...

But then the clock ticked twelve... I have to face him...

I reluctantly brought myself forward, then opened the door to meet his bright expression, oblivious to the consequences of even his own actions.

But, I must keep these feelings to myself... the honne to myself...

"Should we go?"

He nodded with a smile, "If you're ready."

I nodded back, a small unwarranted smile formed on my lips as he turned to the front door.

Ugh... stop it...

I followed him out, watched his form as he walked... it wasn't as stylish nor fancy as the other Vocaloids... it was much more casual, but it still looked...

Ugh... stop it!

It wasn't long before we halted in front of the car that would bring us to the recording site. He smiled, and opened the door for me. I forced a smile back, then climbed on to the driver's rear seat silently... I couldn't say anything, nothing came to mind...

Len sat beside me, and just as he closed the door, the car moved- to which I reacted with a jump and a gasp.

A chuckle came from Len, "you okay there?"

"Y-yeah..." I replied quietly, fidgeting my fingers. Why is he acting so nice?

Then he turned back to the front, resting on the headrest. I stayed there as I watched out the window – if only I could get this annoying seatbelt out of my face – the view of the city: the hundreds of towering architectural masterpieces, all laid out perfectly to the inch from years of city planning. I had seen it twice... thrice before, but it staggered me nonetheless.

Why did Mum and Dad leave the city?

By then the questions in my mind were all whizzing around my head... my head! It was then I looked to Len, and saw he had been sleeping... surely it wouldn't hurt...

I crawled and slid my hands on the chair, then rubbed my forehead, laying my weighted head on his lap... surely this means nothing.

even if it does... then I can tell myself it's just because of this headache...

sounds good...

Then I closed my eyes and nuzzled myself to my comfort... yawning at that very last second before I felt reality fading away to sleep.

＊＊＊

As I laid there on the grass, a hand appeared, ran through my hair with firm, yet comforting strokes, "Oliver," the voice called.

I jolted up back to my seat, sweat breaking on the top right of my head...

What just happened?

I looked around, walls... ladders, sunlight from the back, and Rinto! No... Len... sitting there with a satisfied smile, "C'mon, let's go," he beckoned with a headjerk as he opened the door and got off the car. I sighed and followed him, meeting the strawberry-haired girl just outside the bright-red door.

"Oliver! Nice to meet you!" She smiled with open hands... that contained papers of sheet music and lyrics. Of course, I accepted them, they are why I'm here after all!

The girl opened her door and welcomed us in. I took a quick glance at Len, then entered the room. Everything had been set, from the microphone to the intricacies of its acoustic environment—to fit my singing!

I touched the cool metal handle on the microphone—with trembling fingers...

I'm so excited!

＊＊＊

"One more time!" She demanded again, "The second-last note was off by a quarter semitone, we can't have that in a release."

I looked to Len, who, too, had grown tired of those three words. On my first attempt he had showered me with numerous praises, on my second he kept his smile and gave me many words of encouragement... And on my twenty-fifth, he had merely mouthed a good-willed, "Good luck."

Well, I guess he isn't that bad.

I still don't like him though...

I took another deep breath, then held the now-warm, sticky, icky mic handle, singing the first lyrics of the song for the umpteenth time.

"The bliss that resonates wi-"

"Start again, the recording device was off."

I threw my arms down and groaned quietly. Rolled my eyes. Come on.

＊＊＊

By the time we had finished recording, it was already sundown. I sighed and laid myself down on one of the dark-red couches in the living room. Len had done the same, he may not have had been singing, but bloody hell did he look worn out too.

"Good job," Len shot me a smile and a thumbs-up.

I frowned, "Thanks... it was really... tiring, huh?"

"Yeah, recordings are always like this," he sighed, "They want everything to be perfect for the public."

"I guess..." I drooped my head down on the armrest. Was it really worth it?

Then a loud clap appeared from behind us. "Alright, you two can go home now," she smiled, "looking forward to our next recording, Oliver."

"Y-yeah," I replied, lied, "me too."

Then we left, slept through the car ride again, and when we had arrived back at the HQ...

"How was it?" Rin asked, grinning, "did it go well?"

"Yeah," I told her, "it was a bit... repetitive though."

"You'll get used to it," she merely shrugged, "I personally find it fun."

I nodded and took her word. "O-okay."

"Wanna come to my room and play again tonight?"

"S-sure."