Work Text:
"Miku, have you found Kaito yet?"
"Nope, not yet."
The streets of the SEKAI were quieter than usual, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows over the concrete walls layered with graffiti. The faint sound of music echoed somewhere in the distance, blending with laughter and chatter from people passing by.
Miku and Luka walked side by side, glancing left and right as if Kaito might suddenly appear around the corner. They had been searching for him for a while now, far longer than either of them wanted to admit.
But why were they so desperate to find him?
It all started earlier that day, back at Crase Cafe.
The cafe was warm and calm, filled with the comforting aroma of coffee and freshly washed dishes. Meiko stood behind the counter, carefully wiping plates and cups before stacking them neatly in the cabinet. Miku sat on one of the stools, holding her coffee with both hands, while Luka leaned back slightly, sipping her lemon soda.
"I'm glad those two are getting along again," Luka said, her tone relaxed. "Rin and Len, I mean."
Miku giggled softly. "Yeah. It's nice seeing them like that."
Meiko chuckled as she finished drying the last plate. "Well… I do get where they’re coming from," she said casually, closing the cabinet door.
She paused for a moment, then added, almost as an afterthought-
"I do have a partner, after all."
Silence.
"Meiko's partner…?"
Miku and Luka said it at the exact same time.
They froze, then slowly turned to look at each other. Without another word, the two leaned closer and began whispering, careful enough that Meiko wouldn't hear.
"Meiko's partner is obviously going to be me~," Luka whispered confidently.
"Huh…?" Miku frowned, clearly unimpressed. "It's obviously me. I've been with her in this SEKAI the longest. Longer than you." She took a small sip of her coffee before adding, "Plus, I actually help out at the cafe. Unlike someone..."
Luka blinked, caught off guard. "…B-But I'm closer to her in age!"
"So what?" Miku replied calmly. "That doesn't matter. She can still choose me." She shrugged. "Besides, she doesn't even have an age."
Their whispering continued, growing slightly more intense-
"…What are you two talking about?"
Both of them jumped.
Meiko stood right in front of them, arms crossed, eyebrow raised. The two exchanged another glance, then nodded, as if coming to a silent agreement.
"U-um, Meiko…" Miku started carefully, nudging Luka with her elbow.
Luka took the hint. "The 'partner' you mentioned earlier… who is it?"
Meiko blinked, genuinely surprised. "…You two seriously don't know?"
Her reaction alone was enough to make their minds race.
"Could it be…" Luka whispered again, eyes widening. "Is it Kaito?"
Miku hesitated, then nodded slowly. "It's possible… but it still feels kind of unbelievable."
"Why?" Luka asked.
"Well…:" Miku lowered her voice again. "He's always stealing food from her fridge, but-"
Before Meiko could say another word, both Miku and Luka bolted out of the cafe.
Meiko could only stare after them, dumbfounded. "…I really wonder what's gotten into them."
And now, here they were... searching for Kaito, determined to confirm their suspicions.
After walking around for what felt like forever, both of them finally slowed to a stop.
"…Maybe we should just give up," Luka muttered.
Just then-
"Miku! Luka! Nice to see you here~!"
They both turned around instantly.
There he was, Kaito. Walking toward them with his usual relaxed smile, DJ equipment slung casually over his shoulder. He looked like he had just finished practicing with Rin and Len.
"Kaito! Perfect timing!" Luka exclaimed, rushing toward him with Miku right behind her.
"E-ehh??" Kaito blinked. "What's going on?"
"We have a question for you," Miku said, her tone unusually serious.
"H-huh…?" Kaito scratched the back of his head. "Hey, slow down! What happened?"
The two exchanged another look.
"…You're Meiko's partner, right?" Luka blurted out.
Kaito froze.
The smile on his face faltered, just slightly.
"…Where did that come from?” he asked, laughing awkwardly.
"So it is you?" Miku pressed.
Kaito looked away, eyes drifting toward the pavement. "…Partner’s kind of a strong word, isn't it?"
"That’s not a "no,'" Luka pointed out.
He sighed. "…I guess you could say that."
Their eyes widened.
Kaito continued, voice quieter now. "We just… work together a lot. She relies on me. I rely on her." He shrugged. "It's nothing special."
Miku stared at him for a moment. "You made a song just for her, though."
Kaito stiffened.
"…You knew about that?"
Luka smiled knowingly. "So it was for her."
Kaito let out a small laugh, rubbing his neck. "I just wanted to give her something different. Something that was… mine."
Miku smiled softly.
"…That is special, Kaito."
Kaito didn’t reply. But the faint smile that tugged at his lips said enough.
Somewhere, back at the cafe, Meiko sneezed, completely unaware that her "partner" had just been exposed.