A/N: My story seems so pathetic compared to all the other authors'. But that's expected for a newbie, ne? Anyway, here's when the story really starts! Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Vocaloid! I can't even speak Japanese!
Summary: Memories: They hold the very things we love and the very things we despise. Well, for this girl, Rin Kagamine, her memories are the link, the link that ties everyone and everything, including this story together. First part of the Memories Series! RinxLen
Chapter 1: Broken
(Rin's POV)
"CLASH!"
I let out an exasperated sigh before I trudge over to the scene of the crime. Just as I expected, I see the same gray coat, the color of melancholy, of the same stray cat that lingers in my shabby little apartment every morning. I tiredly pet his head before watching him scurry away to unknown places far from my apartment, leaving me alone to clean up his mess.
Personally, I don't mind the little stray because even though he may cause a ruckus time and time again and doesn't even stay to watch the aftermath, he still provides good company. After all, besides him, the closest thing I have to acquaintances is my landlord, Teto. Even though Teto can engage in conversation for hours, you can't help but long for a little change. That's why I don't mind the cat's company. He provides a change from the exuberant Teto. So as I bend down to look at the damage, I smile to myself knowingly, thanking the cat for its daily visits.
What I see before me, the object the cat has mistaken for its prey, is a picture frame holding a somewhat weary picture of six kids, running around an aging maple tree without a care in the world. There are vivid decorations beyond the tree, signifying festivities soon to be celebrated. "The Hanabi Festival" I whisper to myself as if I were explaining the picture to another.
I take a closer look at the picture, totally in a trance by it, ignoring the shattered glass on the floor. As I further inspect it beyond the creases and contours the broken glass made, I see familiar faces of the kids depicted in the picture all laughing in their fun and games.
Len Kagamine. The mop of golden blond hair strikes out along with his breathtakingly boyish smile. He is running, indulging in the whims of childhood as a normal 6 year old would do. Wearing a simple green T shirt and loose shorts, he appears truly ecstatic, excited for the festivities.
Kaito Shion. The boy next to Len, same age, same mop of unruly hair, only this time in a shade on sapphire blue. Instead of looking like a ray of sunshine like Len, instead the boy has a look of pure terror on his face as if he was being chased by a predator.
Meiko Sakime. She could be considered as Kaito's "predator" the entity Kaito is running from, which is wise considering how she looks. A scowl is etched on her face and pure rage was radiating off of her, her chocolate hair blazing, making her an opponent to fear. She is running after Kaito and Len, getting ready to beat them to a pulp for most likely an idiotic comment leaked from Kaito's mouth.
Luka Megurine. The other girl in the picture, sitting serenely on the maple tree. Her posture and smile are poised, making it difficult to believe at that time, the girl was just six. Her flowwing pink hair is tied in an intricate braid, further implying her maturity.
Gakupo Kamui. The boy sitting across from Luka. He is wearing his long violet hair, exotic for a boy, in a loose ponytail as he chats lie leisurely with Luka. His carefree nature is expressed through the way he sits, sprawled on the floor, contrasting him with the poised Luka. But judging from the familiarity, the two have known each other for a while.
Rin Kagamine. Her flaxen hair reflects in the sun giving her a sense of joy. Her aquamarine eyes glow happily, showing the girl's innocence. And her smile is one of pure joy radiating perfectly the feeling of jubilee the holidays bring. She is the final girl in the picture, the girl who is supposed to be me.
Even thought that girl in the picture is a perfect replica of myself 10 years ago, I fail to spot a similarity between her and myself, my current self. Her flaxen hair shines in the sun yet mine always fail to glow. Her eyes are an aquamarine doorway to pure innocence yet all that can be seen in my eyes are a mix of gray and blue resembling a stormy sea of melancholy. And her smile is considered happiness personified, yet my own looks weary, looking happy enough to fool others of my disposition, yet not happy enough to fool myself.
My appearance is more like the appearance of that girl after being washed away and battered by the forces of the harsh reality. And for that reason, I can relate more to the broken frame rather my old self. Both of us are just shells of the wholesome beings that preceded us after being crushed by our destroyers, in the frame's case, the cat, and in my case, reality. Both of us also have difficulty fulfilling the roles we were given. For the frame, it is difficult to see the happiness of the scene past the broken creases of the glass, the job the frame was tasked for. For me, it is difficult to carry on living life, the task humans were assigned. Both of us are broken and as you can see, life is hard when you are broken.
As I was stuck reminiscing on the past in a trance like state, time flew by. A shrill warning from Teto brought me crashing back to reality.
"Rinners! You'll be late, hun!"
Immediately, I dropped the frame, not bothering to pick up the broken pieces. I swiftly put on my uniform, not bothering to put much else. I hear that girls obsess constantly on what they wear, but what point is there for me to? I have no one to meet. So I just stick to the basic white long sleeved blazer, navy coat, blue knee length plaid skirt, navy stockings, the matching blue tie, Mary Jane's, and my signature white bow.
After a farewell towards Teto, I was off to my school, the prestigious Seicho High School. It's a pretty great school considering that my town is in the countryside of Japan. Right now, I'm at the start of my second trimester of my first year of high school. As I take a look at the bare trees shivering through the December air, I think back to the Hanabi Festival.
The Hanabi Festival just passed by this September and since our second and third years take care of the event, right now the school is still going through the aftermath. Third and second years, along with the teachers, are still relishing the moment, while us first years are already preparing for the next festival. You see, this festival is extremely important to our minute town. During the legendary festival, people from all over Japan gather to our town just for the legendary festivities. The fireworks, the parade, the stalls: the people just love it. And the citizens of Kaizo need the festival. It brings over a fourth of the town's profits and need it to keep the town running. The festival is so important that there are classes devoted on preparing for it.
So while my train of thought travels freely yet again, I find myself in front of the school gates. I immediately prepare for what comes next, the inevitable, to come. As the gates open to let me in, I can't help but comparing the school gates as the gate to hell. As usual, I am faced with a barrage of glares coming from my fellow students, but in response, I give a feeble smile to show respect.
"Good Morni-" I start to mutter but am cut off. It's right then I see her, past the sea of glares and rumors floating about. Her distinctive gold hair adorned in a singular ponytail. Her uniform accesorized to the maximum to show her superiority. Her figure, so fit and perfect, boys would die for her. Neru Akita.
"Why do you even bother to talk to us?" Neru spits out as if she is disgusted by the fact she is talking to me, Rin Kagamine, the girl hated by everyone.
"I'm sorry, Akita-san. I'll take my leave," I manage to get the statement out, turning my head down, before being cut off again this time by a snowball made by the fresh snow on our feet. Soon, more and more snowballs head my way while I am stuck paralyzed as the whole student body torments me.
I look up just as I see Neru wipe her hands of snow concealing the fact that she threw the first that would start this chain reaction. "Oops," Neru giggles as she turns her back to me. More snowballs head my way as I am unable to do a thing besides watch Neru's retreating form.
Five other silhouettes join her figure. With my vision blurred by the snow, I have a hard time recognizing them but when I do, nostalgia and a sense of familiarity surges through me as I recognize their faces. His boyish smile. Her chocolate locks. His mop of blue hair. Her intricate pink braid. His loose violet ponytail.
Despite the piercing snowballs, I offer a smile of welcoming to them only achieving snickers and smirks in response. And even though right now they are mocking me, laughing at me, joining in my tormenting, I can't help but remember that photo and the good memories in it where the six of us were all laughing together at all of our fun and games. But I guess my torment is their new fun and games, their source of enjoyment, that causes them to laugh merrily. And as long as they continue to laugh, I am willing to oblige to the torment just so I can see them radiating with happiness, happiness I stole years ago. It only serves as my punishment to what I had done to them before that caused them to turn from me and lose their mirth they had as children. So as long as that mirth resurfaces with the sight of me in pain, I am willing to please them even if it comes to my expense.
So as the snowballs cease as classes are soon to start, I still offer them my smile. And as they walk away, completely ignoring me, my smile never falters. It's only when they are out of sight that I start to break down once again. Tears fall off my face and I felt as if I was suffocating. I lay crouched on the floor until I have enough sense to continue. I have a hard time getting but that is expected. Because as I said before, life is hard when you are broken. Well, life is even harder when you are broken with no chance of getting fixed.
A/N: Well there it was, my first real chapter. Tell me anything I can do to improve my story and please R&R. Tooooooootles~
P.S. By the way, I just want to clear up that I am using the Japanese school system. There are only three years of high school and Rin is in her first. It also has three trimesters which take place during the year with the first starting in April. Right now, Rin is in her second trimester which is between September and December. Wrote this just to make things clear!