Chapter 1:

Two Years Later

A blonde head glanced up, lip curling in distaste. "What did you just say?"

Seventeen-year-old Miku Hatsune frowned, placing her hands on her hips and leaning over her shorter friend. "You heard me, Rin," she said. "I'm saying, why don't we go look for him?"

"It," the sixteen-year-old automatically corrected.

"It," Miku conceded. "Whatever. All I'm saying is that if you really think it exists, why haven't you gone out there looking for it?"

Rin shook her head, crossing her arms over her nearly-flat chest. "Maybe because it's really dumb? God, Miku, it'd kill me, too!" She bit her lip, nibbling in a nervous habit. Miku had to be absolutely insane to suggest this.

That, or she didn't believe in it.

Rin didn't blame her. Hell, even if Miku was her best friend, it didn't mean she had to go along with this insane story. For two years, Rin had been telling it. So far, no one trusted her. She supposed it only made sense. Rin thought she'd started to go crazy herself. But, no, she knew what she saw. And she knew she'd see it again. One day.

But she was determined to make that day on her terms.

Scowling, Rin nodded to the seat next to her. "Sit down and shut up," she murmured. Miku merely laughed at her, quite used to this behavior from the younger girl. She sat, as requested, and placed her elbows on the desk in front of her, leaning her face into her upturned palms.

Seeing her friend get comfortable, Rin decided to do the same. She kicked her feet up on her own desk and placed her hands behind her head. Rather the ladylike position, if she did say so herself. She knew she'd get scolded the moment her teacher walked in, but she couldn't bring herself to care that much. Everyday seemed like a drag, anyway. Maybe it was her teenage years catching up on her, maybe it was the trauma of losing her brother so young, maybe she was just another suicidal nutcase.

Or maybe that thing was fucking with her.

She sighed, catching the attention of her friend. Miku gave her a questioning look, but didn't pry, which Rin was thankful for.

She closed her eyes, mind drifting back...

–

"What's the matter, Rinny? Ya scared?"

Rin glared at her twin, his familiar blonde hair swaying in the faint wind and blue eyes glistening with mischievousness. He stood at the entrance of the local woods, hands perched on the wire fence, ready to climb it.

Playfully, she flipped him her middle finger. "Not even close," she answered, sauntering up to him. She gave him a hard shove, taking his place in front of the gate. "Move it, Len. I'm going over."

"That's my girl!" Len cheered, slapping her on her shoulder. Giving the tall trees a weary look (not because she was scared. God, no. That's stupid), she hefted herself up, feet scrambling below her. Finally, she reached the top, and threw her legs over to jump down, legs jarring a bit from impact. She swore lightly, afraid her knee would give out, but it surprisingly held steady. Len thudded beside her a moment later, and the two siblings looked out into the forest silently. Awkardly, Rin fixed her favorite bow set atop her head.

They weren't allowed here. Wild animals were supposed to be here, and usually only hunters could come in the fence legally. The twins didn't care, though. They were always searching for adventure.

Slowly, they began walking.

It was quiet, birds chirping in the tall trees. It was shaded, the setting sun being almost completely shut out by the heavy leaves. It created an eerie setting that Rin wasn't so sure she liked. Not that she'd admit that. Hell no. Len would never let her live it down.

Eventually, as it always does, it became dark. They were already deep within the forest, and Rin was starting to get nervous. What way had they come from? How could they find their way back in the dark.

Len seemed to have no qualms about progressing further, however, so Rin followed him, near obedient. Which was strange, because the girl was anything but.

"It's getting late," she said, finally breaking the silence. "Mom's gonna worry."

"No, she won't."

Rin knew that was probably true.

They came to a spot in a clearing, the only thing in it a large tree, thicker and taller than any around it. At a closer glance, there seemed to be something... carved into it? "What's that?" Len asked, as if his sister knew the answer.

"Hell if I know," she snapped back. Inexplicably, her heart began to race and she began to fidget. Like she was scared—terrified. Of... of something.

Of the tree? No, that was silly.

Grabbing the girl's hand, Len slowly approached the trunk. His hands are sweating, Rin noticed. He was frightened, too. So what were they still doing out here? Shouldn't they leave if they were both uncomfortable?

After what seemed like an eternity of walking, they made it to the center of the meadow, to the big tree. Six distinctive words were carved into its bark.

Don't look or it take you.

"What takes you...?" Len whispered, releasing Rin's hand to touch the words in front of him. His fingers traced the indents until he swore quietly, making Rin jump.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Len stuck his index finger in his mouth with a pout. "Fuckin' splinters."

Rin laughed breathlessly, taking his hand away from his mouth to hold it in both her palms. "C'mon, let's go fix you up," she said, turning them both to leave.

A scream lodged in her throat.

Standing there was a thing. That's the only way she could describe her. A tall thing, with arms that almost reached the ground. It seemed to be wearing a suit, strange attire for gallivanting in the woods, Rin's jumbled brain supplied idiotically, before her gaze locked on its face.

Or lack thereof.

Alas, even without an eyes or a nose or a mouth, even ears, it seemed to be grinning sickeningly.

Rin's mouth opened to shriek, but Len stepped in front of her, placing a protective arm around her waist. "Who are you?" he asked, voice an octave higher than it should be.

He was scared.

When Len was scared, so was Rin.

The creature didn't respond, didn't move. Rin felt a laugh bubble up to her mouth, and she barely contained it, slapping a hand over her lips.

She shifted, grabbing onto Len's shirt with both of her fists. Len glanced down at her, and their eyes met for a brief second.

When the looked back, it was closer.

Finally, Rin did scream. And Len did react. He pushed her in a random direction, yelling at her to runrunrun. So she did.

Only then did she remember the warning.

Don't look or it takes you.

So she closed her eyes, crashing into everything—trees, bushes, Len, fuck, maybe even it, but it didn't matter.

After what had to be hours of running, she slammed head first into the fence.

Tears streamed down her reddened, windblown cheeks, but she took no heed to them, instead curling her fingers around the wire and hauling herself up and over. And then she ran some more, until she reached town.

And she opened her eyes.

Len wasn't there.

He never would be again.

–

"Rin Kagamine."

The girl bolted up, falling sideways and out of her seat. She heard the distinct giggle of her classmates and blushed in mortification. She'd fallen asleep, she realized.

She looked up from her spot on the floor, expecting to find her teacher glaring at her for passing out in class again, but instead she found the deep blue eyes of Detective Gakupo Kamui. He was kneeling in front of her, holding out his badge.

"The fu—"

The bastard didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence, grabbing her by her arms and holding them behind her back. She didn't struggle until she felt cool metal snap over bother her wrists. "What are you—"

He turned her around by her shoulders. She looked to the side, at Miku's shocked face, and then to the front of the room, where her teacher stood with her hands in front of her mouth, and then to her gaping classmates, watching, disturbingly quiet.

Finally, Gakupo spoke. "You're being arrested for the murder of Len Kagamine."