A New Generation: A ZoroMiku Story

18: Drifting Along

Miku

Hyaku and Miku hung out at the beach together for the rest of the day, simply sitting on the sand while they talked about their lives.

Apparently, Hyaku's code number had been 700, and his name actually came from his number, which meant hundred. He'd named himself once VIRM had been defeated and he seemed to be quite proud of his name. Miku had to admit it was a nice name. The two of them mostly talked about teaching, however, and how they were both looking forward to their future lives.

Finally, when the sun began to set, Hyaku stood up and reached his hand out to Miku. "It looks like we should go home. I'm tired. You?"

Miku nodded and yawned. "Yep. Very tired."

"Can I walk with you back to your house?" He asked her.

"Sure, why not?"

The two of them walked over to the edge of the beach, where the first row of houses began. The parasites had made their home so close to the lake because, well, it was their main source of water at the time...but also because it was such a beautiful place! 

"Will we talk again tomorrow?" Hyaku asked as they reached her house after a short while of walking.

Miku nodded. "Sure!" Then she added, "Thank you so much for helping me while Zorome's being like this. It means a lot to me." 

Hyaku's eyes seemed to flash with joy. "Of course! Anything for you. See you tomorrow!"

With that, Miku was left standing alone at her front door, which she opened a few moments later and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the tiny interior. Zorome was lying in his bed, seemingly asleep, and Miku felt too tired to even change into her pajamas, so she closed the door and headed straight to bed. 

***

The next day, Miku hung out with Hyaku for a while. He'd knocked on her door to wake her up. Zorome hadn't bothered even getting out of bed, possibly too deep into his sleep to hear. This time, however, they'd gone to the pond together.

"Hey, Hyaku?" Miku asked curiously while they sat together near the water's edge, keeping a safe distance from the mud. "Do you have a partner? Does she live somewhere else? Or did you decide to stop being partners?"

Hyaku's eyes darkened. "No. I do not. The one I partnered a FranXX with last doesn't have contact with me, but she wasn't..." He shook his head. "Well, I wasn't close to her. She's not the nicest girl. And my first partner died." He looked at Miku with sadness in his eyes. "You remind me of her, Miku. You remind me of her a lot."

Miku didn't know what to say. She clutched her necklace. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to lose Zorome.

I miss Zorome so much. I wish he'd stop being a dick to me for a while and talk things out. And then he could go back to being a dick in the way I know and love.

Zorome

Zorome could hardly think straight, only able to think about how much he was missing Miku and how he wanted her back. With each passing day, nothing felt right to him anymore. This wasn't what he had been planning when he'd asked Miku to be his partner forever and teach at his side. Not at all. Yet he knew it was his fault for being so stubborn, so close-minded. 

However, he also refused to let his pride go. He wasn't sure why but he felt like it was impossible to apologize to Miku, and that Hyaku's involvement in things made it more difficult for him to do so. He wasn't sure if it had anything to do with jealousy. There was nobody he felt comfortable enough to talk to about this, however. Not yet. He was sure the other new friends disliked him a bit after how he'd acted for the past two weeks. 

So for now Zorome was just drifting along in life with a heavy heart. He felt a bit defeated, though he didn't let any of the others see it. Not even Miku. Or, perhaps, especially not Miku. Maybe it was because he felt betrayed or maybe because he didn't want to show weakness. He didn't understand himself or Miku these days. 

His heart ached with longing as he lay in bed that night, four days after the last meeting. In three more days, there'd be another one. That was yet something else Zorome hadn't had in mind when he'd asked Miku to become a teacher: he hadn't expected to attend so many boring meetings! Ugh, he hated them! He had nothing against chilling with his friends but those meetings were something he found incredibly boring. He wasn't one to be all business, that was for sure. 

He knew Miku had gone out alone with Hyaku, as she had for the past few days. It made him feel bitter and angry. He knew he had to do something about that jerk, yet he knew Miku needed someone else to talk to...

Nah, he would go kick Hyaku's ass.

 He hated the thought of him smugly taking Miku for himself, discrediting the bond she and Zorome shared. Not only would it hurt his pride by making him feel like he failed them as partners, but it would also break his heart. He loved Miku. He still didn't know how to say it to her face, but he'd do anything to be the one who made her happy. He'd do anything to keep her by his side. He cherished every moment they spend playing, bickering, and planning together. He needed her...and he really hoped she needed him too. 

He didn't understand what Hyaku's deal was but there was something about the kid that Zorome didn't trust. The way he looked at Miku was...odd. It wasn't exactly love or admiration, though he did seem quite happy whenever he laid eyes on her. It was something else. Something that made him look like a predator looking at some juicy prey. Something that made Zorome feel uneasy and brought out his protective urges. 

But...still, how would he ever be able to convince Miku of anything at the rate they were going now? How would he make it up to her?