A/N: Heyy. Sorry this chapter is so short…I usually find them going on and on, but… D: There isn't really anything happening in this chapter, but it needs to happen for the next story to seem more naturally timed. IDK WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT LOL. Think of this as the lackluster chapter before the better ones. It's something like a bridge we all have to cross, but don't really want to. CHAPTER 3 WILL BE A LOT BETTER AS A SORT OF COMPENSATION. :
Oh, by the way, I forgot to add the disclaimer for the last chapter. Eheh. None of the Vocaloids belong to me.
Len woke up to the sound of a train running far away. Sitting up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he yawned and gazed at the clock beside his bed. The analog clock showed that it was 8:50am, barely anywhere near the time he had planned to wake up on a Friday. He ambled down the corridor, thinking of checking up on Rin before collapsing back into a mini coma. He had planned to share a room with her (for various reasons—sex isn't the most important thing, you know) but she refused, thinking that her disease will spread to him.
Len had reasoned then, scoffing, "But if it could happen, it would have happened long ago, bozo."
"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Rin cried, flailing her arms. "I don't want to risk it..! Speaking of which, you should lessen the time spent near me, I don't want to spread it to you."
He had taken a banana from the fruit bowl and threw it at her head then, but nevertheless, he respected her decision. He hoped that she'd let him move to the same room with her though. He wanted to be near her every day.
He opened the door and poked his head in, to see the bed already made, and the curtains drawn, depicting a slightly cloudy sky. The maple tree's branches were bare at this time of the year, and the place where they lived was rather out of reach for society. They were surrounded by sparse forests, and seeing as the leaves of those trees have all shed, it was just stretches of bare trees all around.
Len scratched his head, sleep still clouding his mind. "She must be in the toilet." Dragging himself to the bathroom, he knocked on the door, but it swung open slowly, revealing an empty, lighted washroom. Suddenly, his internal alarm was wailing, and adrenaline kicked in. "Rin!" He called out with an edge on his voice. No answer came, and he started opening all the doors on the second level. His slender, blonde, precious love was nowhere to be found. Running down and almost tripping down the stairs, he was met with the delicious scent of melting sugar. Nonplussed, he went down the remaining of the stairs warily.
"Good morning, Len~" Rin sang sweetly from the kitchen when she heard him descend the stairs. Len stared at her, dressed in a frilly white apron they bought 3 days ago. He stuttered, bewildered. "D-Didn't you hear me call your name just now?" She looked up from a box, shaking her head. "No, I didn't. What's the matter?" He sighed, relieved, shaking away any thoughts about her going out by herself and meeting up with a mishap halfway.
"What are you doing?" He asked her. He winced when he saw the mess on the kitchen counters. Rin grinned and said, "I'm making breakfast for you, in return for the orange pudding. I read this recipe when I was using your computer yesterday." Len smiled, a little apprehensive. The last time she cooked, she made fried noodles. It would have been rather good except for the fact that she used sugar instead of salt.
"Well, at least it smells good this time." Len muttered as he took a seat at the table. The room was warm and toasty, and he felt a little sleepy. Minutes past, and he heard a triumphant squeal from the kitchen.
"I did it!" Rin cried as she turned to face Len, her cheeks flushed, a look of joy on her face. He giggled at her cuteness and laced his hands behind his head, waiting for the surprise. She shuffled to the table, setting down a plate before Len.
Holy cow, it sure looked delectable—caramelized bananas on pancakes. Len picked up the fork and started digging in. Rin sat down beside him; full of anticipation, as she waited for the final verdict. Scrutinizing his face, her face fell when he grimaced.
"Is…is it terrible?" Flustered, Rin's hands flew to her face. Len closed his eyes and continued to chew slowly, nodding. Silence settled in the room, and the only sound was the crackling of the embers in the fireplace.
Len was curious as to why Rin was not doing or saying anything at all. He peeked at her with one eye. She was tearing..! Oh god, he was a monster! Now it was his turn to be flustered. "Rin, Rin! I was teasing you, it's delicious. How could I ever dislike anything you make for me?" Len cried, waving his hands in front of her face.
Rin sniffled and pouted. "You idiot..! I'm never cooking for you again!" she snapped, her face pink. "I put my heart into making that for you, you stupid banana!" Len grabbed his chest in pain. Darn, he felt as though he had just killed off the whole species of bananas. He was about to apologize to her when he caught sight of her face.
It was too adorable..! He wanted to guffaw at her attempts at being angry make her look like an angry kitten, but he remembered that the road roller was in the shed, so he held it in.
"You're so precious when you're angry," Len smirked.
Rin attacked his head, squealing incoherent words in anger, presumably about stupid bananas. Chuckling, Len removed her hands from his cheeks and hugged her. They remained like this for a while, breathing in sync and listening to the pleasant crackling in the fireplace. Rin snuggled into Len's neck, and he stroked her hair. He wished that this moment would last for all eternity, so that they wouldn't have to face what was waiting ahead for them.
"I love you, Rin." He whispered in her ear with a pang of pain in his heart, glancing down at her. She smiled, her long lashes blinking in acknowledgement. Their fingers interlocking tenderly, she tightened her grip on his hand and sighed in contentment. That was enough for him.
"…it's snowing." Len said casually, staring out of the window, at snowflakes descending from the dreary sky.
A/N: Ahah, the only important thing here was actually the snow. I'm such a loser. Stick around for chapter 3; I'm typing it right now, actually. :3
