Chapter Text
Teto collapsed onto her sofa, eyes sunken and muscles sore. Another day, another tiring rehearsal session. Why did she even sign up for this? She remembered the excitement and joy at being able to join a bigger company, oh how much of a fool she was.
Her house felt empty, almost monochrome in colour. The place had once been so full of pinks and reds, now a dull gray and white. There was nothing left here to give any more colour, nothing other than the old TV sat on a table that she once used to adore.
She yearned for even a splash of pink, red, blue or even yellow, she just needed colour. She used to love a cartoon when she was younger, one full of vibrant shades and full of cheerful music. Maybe she could find that channel again… but no. Last she heard, that show had been losing its popularity, she wouldn't be surprised if it was cancelled.
But… It's worth a try. And so she turned on the TV.
Miku had been so confused when the giant black screen had turned on, nobody had watched her show anymore so who turned it on?
The other side of the screen showed an eerily empty living room, devoid of all whimsy. She pressed her face closer to the screen, trying to find the person who had turned on her dying show.
Looking closer, she saw a young woman with wings and a tail slumped on the couch. She seemed unhealthily skinny, her arms far too thin for an adult.
If it were any other person, Miku would have assumed it was an accident. But this time, she recognised that woman. It was that girl, her little star who would always watch her show even when her popularity was dying. She remembered her name as Teto.
“Teto?” She called out, testing the waters to see whether the girl was stable.
“Huh? Miku…?” The redhead slowly sat up, wide eyes staring at the TV screen.
“It really is you, my little star!” the show host shouted in glee, it really was her! She could never have forgotten those rosy red drills. “But tell me, you look quite gloomy, any reason as to why?”
“I-I, no, I shouldn't be relying on you. I am a full grown adult, I can handle things myself,” Teto grimaced, eyes wandering around the room. Her wings twitched with poorly hidden anxiety, showing her discomfort.
“Oh? You have to know that it's good to rely on others once in a while!” Miku jumped up, the background behind her turning into a vivid red. “It's not good to bottle everything up,” a bottle appeared in her hand before it filled up with water and exploded.
The cartoonish nonsense brought a few goggles out of the woman before her smile turned down again. “I don't want to do this anymore…” Teto buried her face into her knees, a few tears slipping past her tightly shut eyes. “I don't want to have to work for the agency anymore… all they do is watch me all the time and make snappy remarks, “oh Teto you're getting a little chubby” or “oh Teto you should lose some weight” as if I'm not thin enough,” she scoffed.
“You really are too skinny Teto, where did all your body mass go?”
“Down the toilet.”
Oh. Oh dear. She did not like the implications of that.
“I may not know much about idol groups but can't you terminate the contract?” Miku tilted her head, curious as to why the girl hadn't done so earlier.
“I have too many fans out there, Miku. If I terminate the contract, I'll disappoint them…” right, being an idol, Teto most likely had a large fan base. As nice as it was to know that Teto cared about her fans, it was holding her back.
“Is staying what you want,though?”
“...” She stared at the TV screen, unmoving. “I'm not sure,”
“I cannot decide what makes you happy, little star. However, I know you can figure it out,” Miku leaned on the screen, the static clinging onto her skin and clothes. It felt kind of ticklish, kind of like a bunch of ants crawling on her.
…Okay that was not the best description.
“Are you really sure I can let go like that?” Teto walked up to the TV, pressing her hand to Miku's smaller animated one.
“I'm sure you can, my dear fan!” she made a heart over her head, smiling at the giggles it brought out of Teto. She seemed to be in a better mood now, thinking about that made Miku's heart warm up. “And I'll be by your side from here on,”
“Thank you, Miku,” Teto pressed her forehead to the screen. Miku heard the static crackle before it disappeared completely.
“To new beginnings!”
Extra
“Teto this is the third basket of baguettes you've bought this week,” Miku watched with crossed hands as Teto walked into the house with a basket of baguettes in her clutch.
“Yeah yeah, you said you wanted me to get some more weight though,” Teto took a bite out of one baguette, setting the basket on the table.
“Yeah I did, not this way,” Miku leaned closer to the screen separating her from the real world. “How many are there anyway?” She counted seven sticks of bread. “Seven? I knew you liked baguettes but not this much!” Miku gawked at the idol, disbelief coating her expression.
“Well, I told you,” The chimera's tail flicked, mischief evident on her face. “I'm gonna go shower, as much as I like the smell of bakery, I don't like it sticking to me,” Teto waved at the TV as she ascended the stairs to her room.
“Oh Teto…” Miku shook her head, letting out an exasperated sigh. “What am I supposed to do with you?” She reached off screen and pulled out a leek, taking a bite out of the vegetable. She's eaten like, six of them this week. She scoffed at the number, she wasn't much better after all.
“God I feel like a hypocrite,” she took another bite out of the leek.