Disclaimer: I do not own vocaloid (Even though it would the most awesomest thing ever if I did)
Note: This is my first story. So I apoligize if it's terrible.
In a small remote village, along a mountain ridge, snow had been falling for months. It was the coldest winter the villagers had experience in several years. The village was filled with many who were poor, but its people content. They had peaceful lives with the people they loved. Rin and Len's lives were no different from the rest. They were one of the poorest people in the village and yet they were the happiest. They had each other and that was more than enough for them.
Rin and Len were huddling together by the fire, trying to keep each other warm, in their run-down hut. The winter breeze passed through the holes in the roof, making the conditions worse for the couple. Rin shuttered and flushed her face from the hearth against Len's large sleeve so that the hard breeze could not reach her. She never did like the cold. Len smiled at her and kept his wife close. He held her soft, cold hand against his chest.
Rin's blonde and short hair was tied back in a small bun, and some strands of her hair were in her face. She wore her simple salmon colored kimono on. Rin was truly beautiful and every day Len had the honor of admiring it, even if she didn't believe it when he told her. Len's own long, luscious, yellow hair was tied back in his usual ponytail, and he wore his everyday garments. He was handsome and heavily built. All those years of hard and enduring farming labor helped him gain strength.
Len lifted Rin's chin up for her to look at him. Both azure eyes stared at each other immensely. Len moves the strands of Rin's yellow hair back and carefully caressed her cheek. Rin loved it when he did that, so she smiled. It was a sign that he cared for her and that she was his forever. She slowly pressed her lips against his. The kiss was short and sweet. Even though it lasted for a few seconds, it had every hint of passion in it. Their lives were perfect together. After the kiss, the couple stayed quiet for a while. They were still looking into each other's eyes. Finally, Len spoke.
"Do you remember when we met first each other?" He asks with a small smile. "It was snowing on that day too."
"How can I forget," She responded. "It was the day you saved my life." Still looking into his eyes, Rin shifts her own eyes to the fire and looks back to when they first saw each other.
The rooster crowed at dawn, marking it the first day of Len's journey to travel to the nearest village. He only needed to take this journey so that he may collect new farming tools. His village was so desolate that the nearest village was about three days away, so Len had to leave early. Len grudgingly wakes up at the sound of the crow. He gets off and the cold breeze was the only thing that greeted him. He looked outside his window and saw that the snow wasn't going to help him on his trip.
The life of a poor farmer wasn't exactly the kind of life he wished to wake up to. Len didn't mind the hard work, he only wished that he wasn't so lonely. He often dreamed of having a companion to share what little he had. Even though Len was poor, he was a handsome, kind, and strong and many women wanted him. Len rejected all of them. When his friends asked about this, Len would simply say that they weren't the one for him. He wanted to find the perfect woman for him, not just some girl that he liked. Len feared that the one didn't exist and that he would forever be alone.
He prepared for his small journey, taking only the essentials for a long trip, and headed off. The trek was hard, and the only way to get to the village was to go over the mountain top. Len didn't mind though, he hardly had a life to go back to anyway. Halfway on his journey, Len sees something unusual ahead. He sees the most beautiful crane he has ever seen and it was ensnared by a rope tied around its leg. It was obviously a hunter's trap. The noble crane had feathers that were snow white and they shimmered like jewels. On the tip of its wings the feathers were dark black. It had a long graceful neck, and what was unusual about this special bird was that its eyes were the color of the sky. It had red bare skin at the crown of its head and black feathers were traced along its neck. The majestic crane was struggling to break free and fly away from the snare. It yearned for its freedom to dance in the sky and travel its endless journey.
It looked at Len for a second and its mesmerizing eyes were pleading to him for his mercy. Len began to feel sympathy to the crane. 'Why would anyone wish to harm such a beautiful creature?' Len thought. He slowly began to make his way to the crane, but it was soon blinded by fear and tries to harm him. Len takes a step back and softly whispers.
"It's okay I'm not going to hurt you," The crane was still unsure about whether or not to trust him. "I only wish to help you." Len soon began to make his way towards the crane, hoping that it will accept his help. The crane studied Len's movement and began to relax. Once he knew that he had earned its trust he came over and untied the rope.
The crane gracefully flew up to the sky and was relieved to have returned to its home. It soon joined a flock of cranes that came by. Before leaving, the crane looked back at Len and he only smiled as he saw the happiness coming from it. The crane returned to its flock and flew away. Leaving Len to focus on his journey and return to his lonely life.
When Len returned from his journey, it was late at night and all Len wanted to do was rest. He tiredly made his way to his room and fell on top of his straw bed. He shut his eyes tightly. Len thought back to the beautiful crane and for some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about it. He started feeling something in his stomach and that wouldn't go away either. There was a sudden knock at the door, and it was so gentle that Len almost didn't hear it.
"Who could be here at this hour at night?" Len asked himself as he got up from his bed. He headed towards the door and kept on pondering who it could be. 'Is it Kaito? Or could it be Luka, or Gakupo?' Len thought. 'I know it's Meiko! She's probably trying to play some sort of trick on me.'
Len slowly opened his door and to his surprise it was a woman dressed in a hooded white cloak that covered her face. He tried to see her underneath the cloak, but he couldn't make well of her face and from what he could tell, her body was slender and her figure was dainty.
"May I help you?" He asks politely. The woman removes the hood gracefully and revealing her porcelain smooth face. Her blonde hair swayed through the cold breeze and her azure eyes stared deeply into his. The feeling in Len's stomach quickly vanished and was replaced with warmth that he never experienced. He never saw such a woman as lovely as her. Soon, he was captivated by her presence and put under her spell. Len knew that he was deep in love with this woman.
"Yes," The strange woman replies. Words could not describe how beautiful her voice is. It was truly unique and it was music to Len's ears. "I have been traveling for awhile to reach this village and I wish to rest. Would it be any trouble if I stay here?"
"Uh," Len was at a loss for words. He tried to find the words to speak to her, but he couldn't manage to say them.
"Oh I'm sorry. I suppose it is rude of me to ask for favors without introducing myself." She said with a smile. Len's heart skipped a beat when he saw her angelic smile. "My name is Rin. What would yours be?"
"My name is Len Kagamine." He was surprised that he didn't stutter and made a fool of himself.
"Well Len, would it be alright if I stay here for the night?" Rin asks.
"Of course," He replied eagerly. "But I'm afraid I do not have enough room for two people. You might as well look for another place to sleep." His hopes were soon despaired when the words came out of his mouth. He looked down at the ground as he waited for her to leave. Instead she just laughed. Len looked up to her face. He never heard anything that was as pleasing to him as her laugh. Len looked confused as she continued to laugh.
"That's alright," she smiled. Len was even more shocked at her reply. He just stared at her dumbfounded. How could anyone wish to stay with him? "I'm sure we can make some room." Rin made her way to the hearth and started a small fire for the two to keep warm. Len followed after her and sat down across from her and the fire. 'What a strange woman.' He thought.
"Have you traveled far?" Len ask, trying to at least have a decent conversation with Rin.
"Yes I have. My home is quite far from this place. It almost takes a month's journey to travel to here." She answered.
"Really? I wonder why a woman, like you, would wish to come here of all places?"
"You certainly do ask many questions about a person's past Len Kagamine."
"Uhh, m-my apologizes. It was very rude of me to ask." He stuttered. Len was embarrassed and his face turned red as scarlet. Rin giggled at his amusing behavior. She simply found his actions were adorable.
"It's alright to be curious Len. That's what makes you human and it's quite a lovable quality of yours." Len blushed at her words. He turned his head so she wouldn't see his face. He tries to change the subject before he made a fool of himself again.
"Can you answer my question from before?" Len asks. She nodded her head yes as he continued to ask her. "Why would you wish to come here if your home is so far away?"
"Actually," Her face started to turn a little bit red. "I came here to thank you Len Kagamine for saving my life." Len was puzzled after she had said that. He was sure that he never seen this woman before in his life. He was positive that Rin was mistaking him for someone else.
"I'm sorry Rin, but I'm afraid that I've never even seen you before." Len said. "You must be mistaking me for someone else. I am sorry that you had traveled all this way for nothing. I will show you the way out." He almost had tears in his eyes. He held them back for fear that Rin may think of him as some sort of creep because of her leaving.
Len was about to stood up to let Rin on her way, but she quickly grabs his hand for him to stop. There was a spark as they touched. Electricity flowed between them and they both felt it. He looked back at her and stared into her beautiful eyes. He suddenly realized that he has seen those eyes before. Len just couldn't figure out where though.
"No Len, I know it was you who saved me." She said with a pleading voice. "I can remember the face of my savior. You rescued me when you were traveling. Remember?"
Len was still confused at what she had said. He moved his eyes to where Rin's hand was holding his and saw white feathers fall from the inside of her sleeve. Not just an ordinary feather though. These feathers were shimmering, like they were some kind of jewels. Len stared at the feathers in disbelief. He looked backed at Rin and instantly knew who she was.
A couple months later, Rin and Len were married. Len knew that it was true love and that nothing would be able to tear them apart. Len had found his perfect woman. But Rin's self-consciousness always made her worry that someday Len would leave her. The couple was still huddled by the fire and the night seems to have gotten colder by the hour.
"I never would have guessed that I would find someone like you." Len held Rin closer to him. Close enough for her to listen to his heart beat. "You're the most amazing woman I have ever met and I couldn't ask for a better wife." He whispered in her ear.
"I am? There's no way I could really be that amazing." Rin said in a sorrow voice. She was always worried that Len would suddenly realize that he was better off without her and that he would leave her with nothing. That was always on the back of her mind.
"How can you say that?" Len looked at her in disbelief. "It's true. You are everything to me."
Rin blushed harder than she ever felt before in her life. How could a man, such as Len, ever wish to be with her? He was handsome, kind, and everything to Rin. 'Len could have been with someone better than me. So why me?' she thought. She didn't believe that she was beautiful. Rin didn't have the curves that most women had in the village or a large bust that men were attracted to. She was petite compared to them. Rin was grateful that she had Len in her life. He was there to hold her when she was hurt and he gave her everything that she needed. Her life was perfect with Len.
Finally spring came, the village was relieved that the cold weather left. The flowers were starting to bloom, the leaves were starting to grow on the trees, and the birds were chirping their sweet tune. Rin was outside her home, admiring her surroundings. She heard the birds enchanting voices that she two wished to join as well. Rin began singing her small song to the birds around her. Len was outside in his fields planting seeds. He heard her voice and on instinct he followed it. Len stood behind Rin, a few feet away from her. Rin was enjoying herself so much that she didn't seem to notice him. He started to listen to her sweet-sounding and melodious voice and he fell in love with her all over again. The birds started to surround Rin as she continued to sing. Len took pleasure at the sight.
"Your voice is so beautiful. I seem to have fallen in love with you all over again" Len told her. Rin turned around and was startled to see Len behind her. After realizing that Len was listening to her and he said that, Rin smiled. She began to blush hard. Those words alone made her happy. "Would you like to sit on the porch and watch the morning?" He offered. She nodded her head 'yes' happily.
Rin sat at the floor of the porch and Len began lay down and rested his head on her lap. Her eyes were looking up at the sky as she watched the birds took their flight. Len's eyes was staring at Rin, admiring her beauty. Rin's mind began to wander as she thought back to what Len had said to her earlier. Was her voice the only reason why Len was with her? She had to know the truth. So she simply asks.
"Len," She looks down at him. "If someday I ever lost my voice, would you still love me then?"
He looked at her, a bit confused to why she would even ask that question. "Of course," Len then smiled back. His large hand softly stroked her cheek as a single tear fell from her eyes. Rin was comforted at his words and she breathes a sigh of relief.
After spring, summer followed. The leaves were fully grown and the sun was finally showing its face. Fruits and vegetables were abundant in Len and Rin's fields and they were ready to be picked. Rin and Len were out collecting them while they were still fresh, hoping that they could get enough money just to get by this year. Rin was on the other side of the field picking the fruits off from the trees and Len was collecting the vegetables. Their day was going along just fine and they couldn't be happier.
All of a sudden, Rin heard a terrible cough and hard thud on the ground. She turned her head only to see Len unconscious on the ground and blood was flowing out of his mouth. In horror, Rin rushed to his side while screaming his name and tears falling out of her eyes. When she reached him, Rin held him in her arms as she tried to wake him. When she realized that he wasn't going to wake she screamed on the top of her lungs for help.
When help finally did arrive, Len was brought inside his home and the village healer, Luka, came at night to check on his condition. Rin was filled with worry and she didn't know what to expect. She waited outside the door of their room, pacing back and forth. Luka came out several hours later. Her face said it all. Rin knew that something was wrong with her husband and her face confirmed it. She moved her hands to cover her face as more tears started to fall from her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Luka said with regret. "But it's not likely that Len is going to survive."
"Please Luka," She begged as she sobbed. "Just tell me what I can do to save him. Anything and I will take any chances!" All she wanted was to save Len's life as he saved her life. Rin would have done any thing in the world, even if it meant putting her own life was in danger.
"Listen to me carefully Rin." She looked at Luka as she tried to calm her tears. "All that he needs is medicine, but even with the medicine the chances of him surviving are small."
"As I said before, I will take any chances." Rin said with determination. "How much is the medicine?"
"The first batch is free." Luka replied as she gave Rin a small bowl filled with herbs. "After this you will have to pay the full price. Make sure he takes it every two nights."
"Thank you." Rin said graciously. She wasn't sure that they could afford to keep buying the medicine, but she had to do something to save Len. Rin escorted Luka out. As they reached the door, Luka stopped.
"I know that you can't afford the medicine and I'm sorry, but I need the money to support my family." Luka held back the tears. She tried to understand how it felt to be in Rin's place. Luka couldn't imagine the thought of watching her husband suffer and not be able to support him.
"That's alright." She said with a small smile. "I understand. Have a good night and send Gakupo my regards."
"I will. Thank you Rin." Luka returned the smile back to Rin and headed to her home.
When she left, Rin went to check on Len. Once she was in the room, she sat down by Len's side. His eyes were close as he was lying down and his skin was very pale. He looked almost dead. Len was finding it difficult to breathe and every breath he took gave him pain. Rin knew that he was in pain and there was little that she could do to save him. She lifted Len up slightly to give him his medicine. He drank it easily and his pain began to decrease a little. A hard cough escaped from his mouth.
Len turned his head to look at Rin. He knew that they couldn't afford for him to be sick. After all, he was the one who did all the hard labor when Rin couldn't do it. In other words, at the moment, Len was a burden to Rin. Guilt soon filled his mind after realizing how hard this will be on her. Eventually, Len lied back down. He soon let his sleep take over him.
Rin stood up and left the room to let him rest. She stood by the door frame as she tried to figure out what could she do to save him. Rin just couldn't let him die. If he died, there would be nothing left for her. She placed a hand on her forehead in distress and tried to think. 'Oh,' Rin thought as more tears came. 'How can I afford the medicine to save him with so little money that we have?'
She turned her head and saw that her loom was in the corner of the room. It was old, barely used, and Rin only used it to make warm blankets for her and Len. It would hurt her hands whenever she used it, one of the worst pains she could ever experience. This was one of the reasons why she rarely used it. A feather started to fall from her sleeve. Rin saw the feather as it fell to the floor. It was normal for her feathers to fall occasionally, but this certain feather gave her an idea. Her feathers could be used to make beautiful tapestries and blankets that no one has ever seen before. She knew that many people would buy her amazing woven items for a reasonable price in her village. Everyone is sure to buy them. At last, Rin had hope that she would find a way to buy the medicine. After everything that had happened, Rin was so tired that she eventually slept on the floor. Surprisingly, the floor was comfortable enough for her to sleep on. The last thought on her mind before she let her sleep take her was that she had to save Len's life.
The next day, Rin did nothing else but weaved. She had to pluck some feathers from her arms so that she would use it for the tapestries and blankets. It was painful every time she started a new one and Rin held back her cries, fearing that Len would hear and stop her. She only pushed through the pain and continued to weave. Len was her life and Rin would have done anything for him. He surely would have done the same for her. 'Wouldn't he?' Rin thought. Rin was almost finished with her work. She just needed one more tapestry and her pain would be done. She looked outside and thought about the leaves. How easy they seem to fall. Almost like Len's life.
"No," she said softly as she finished her last tapestry for the day. "I won't let your life fall like the short-lived autumn leaves!' and banished any thought in her head that Len would not survive. Rin looked at her worked and felt satisfied, but pain filled her arms. She held back the tears that desperately wanted to fall. Rin had to be strong. If not for her, then she had to for Len. She began to wrap her woven items in a bundle
After she was finished, Rin planned to sell them at the market. The market was usually busy so it would be the perfect place for Rin to sell. But before she left the house, she made her way to the bedroom to check up on Len. Only to find him sleeping, she placed a blanket on him and whispered into his ear. "I'll be back soon," as she placed a kiss on his forehead. When Rin came to the market, she found a spot near the entrance and began to set up her blankets and tapestries so people could see their worth. Rin put on an insincere smile as she tried to grab the attention of potential buyers.
A couple was walking down the streets and they both recognized Rin's face. The woman, Miku, had her small arm linked around her husband's, Kaito, strong arm. Miku and Kaito were great friends of Len and Rin. Len had known Kaito since his birth and they both met Miku when Kaito married her. They both stopped to say hello to their friend.
"Hello Rin," Miku said cheerfully. She was always smiling, even if her day was horrible. Her eyes began to gleam as she saw Rin's beautiful blankets and tapestry that she began to gasp. "Are you selling these?"
"Yes I am, Miku." Rin answered. "Would you and Kaito wish to purchase one?"
"Of course we will!" She exclaimed. "Can we Kaito?" Miku turned her head to meet Kaito's eyes as she pleaded.
"Anything for you my love," He replied with a smile. Kaito then looked around and searched for Len. "Is Len here with you?" Rin's smile disappeared as she explained the situation with Len to them.
Miku gasped "How horrible that must be!" She cling Kaito closer to her and wrapping him in a hug. "I can't imagine a world without my beloved Kaito!"
"Yes and I can't imagine a world without my darling Miku!" He clings to her harder as he was tightening the hug. They were both almost killing each other as they were both sobbing. Rin just stared at them with quizzical face. After a short period of crying, they both stopped and looked at Rin.
"How much for a blanket?" They both asked in happy voices that didn't even seem that they were even crying before. Rin looked at the two in disbelief. Only Miku and Kaito would have done this. After a long debate about which blanket to buy, Rin finally sold two blankets to them. Miku and Kaito said their goodbyes to their friend and send her their wishes for Len's life.
When the day was over, Rin nearly sold almost all of her blankets and had enough money for Len's medicine for a couple of days. She was so tired of such an exhausting day and the pain from her hands wasn't helping her at all.
She went over to Luka's home, bought the medicine, and headed straight to her own home. Rin found Len still sleeping the same as she left him. She smiled a little bit as she saw that her Len was safe and sound. The exhaustion overcame her as she fell down and slept next to Len. In the morning, she began to weave again. And she wasn't going to stop. Not until Len was cured and he could live on his life.
The crickets marked the end of summer with their cries. It was autumn and the leaves started to turn into more of a sunset color. Len was responding well to the medicine, but his health hasn't improved. Rin kept her faith that Len will be alright and everything would go back to what it once was. They had support from their friends around them and they were grateful for their help.
It was late at night and Rin was giving Len his medicine. She lifted the bowl of medicine to his lips and watched as he swallowed it down. Len moved his eyes down and stared at Rin's hands. They were so smooth and so soft. He held her small hands while he still stared at them. He wanted to at least remember these gracious hands, in case he did die. Len didn't believe that he was going to live, but kept quiet as he feared that the words would only hurt Rin more.
"You're fingers are so beautiful," He told her while holding her hurting hands. Rin could only smile at his words and she moved her eyes down to Len's firm hands. They were so pale and colder than they were supposed to be.
He started to cough viciously and Rin could only hold him from behind his back. She started to wonder if Len would still be faithful to her if her hands were ruined. After he finished coughing, she simply asks.
"If someday I no longer had these beautiful fingers, would you still love me then?"
"Of course," Len said as he continued to cough. He felt the pain again as he coughed and all he could do was undergo it. He held her hands against his chest. Rin felt his weak heart beating and she began to cry a little as Len's large hands caressed her hurting fingers.
Days and nights, Rin would weave relentlessly and it had gotten so bad that she had to wrap her hands in bandages to stop the bleeding. "Hurry, Hurry" she would tell herself. "I have to buy the medicine, before these feathers are all used up." Rin couldn't think about anything else except her husband's life. She had to save him before the autumn leaves fell down.
It was winter again and the leaves on the tree had all fallen. Len was close to death's door. He already looked like at any moment he would die. Len was always cold, blood was always escaping from his mouth, and he couldn't even move. Rin continued to weave and tried to contain the small piece of hope that Len would miraculously get better.
Her feathers were almost gone from her arms. Rin kept a secret that no one else knew, but Len. So long as she has her feathers, she would have her human form. But if the feathers were all gone, Rin would return back into a crane. Rin wanted the last moments of being human to at least have tried to save Len's life.
As she wove the last blanket, Rin thought to herself again. Rin began to worry that when she did turned back into a crane Len would forget about her and stopped loving her. So she simply asks herself to put her mind at ease
"If someday, I were no longer human would Len still love me?" she said as her voice trembled.
Rin felt that she would never get the answer for her question, before she was about to pluck the last feather. She thought back to the memories that she and Len had shared and how she would always treasured them. The memories of them smiling and laughing together would always be in her heart. Just as she was about to grab the last feather, Rin's face turned to shock as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. They were warm and full of life. Rin recognized them as Len's arms. Tears began to come out of her eyes.
"Of course," he said with a strong smile. "I promised I'd embrace you when you lost your wings. And the crane which had beautifully taken flight that day, I've never forgotten, and I still remember even now." He held her tighter and closer to him. Rin held his arms as tears of joy were coming out of her. "And just like always, I will forever love you."