Thanks for your continuous support! :) I'm still currently finding new ideas for future chapters to make this story more interesting.

CHAPTER 4 - RIN

Rin had been so disappointed that morning when Len talked to her. It was like all her nightmares and fears coming true when he acted like he wasn't glad to see her again. That afternoon, Rin was ready to go back home and find solitude in her bedroom, staying there until she cried all her tears and disappointment out, but at the last minute Len had invited her to go out with him.

She walked with Len, side by side, on the sidewalk. There were a few clouds in the sky and the sun glared down at them, so Len took off his school coat. A lot of the school girls were walking home in the same way and many swooned when they saw Len in just his white shirt uniform. Rin couldn't blame them, his body was a sight to behold. He looked like he had worked out the past few years. Despite his small frame, his grew broad shoulders and a thin hip, she could see his veins throbbing under his slightly muscular arms that were glistening with sweat. Rin remembered the time when they were young, she was the tallest of the two but now Len was nearly one head taller than her. The blonde girl kept blushing most of the way at the thought of going out with Len, alone, without any adult supervision.

'How's China?' Len asked unexpectedly.

Rin took a few moments too long to register what he had just asked. 'It was okay, I guess. Almost similiar to Japan but with a whole lot more smog.' Len just nodded and Rin decided it was her time to ask him some things. 'How was it here in Japan?'

Len suddenly looked nervous and slipped his hands in his pockets. 'It was never the same after you left,' he admitted. He had a sudden interest in his shoes as he said, 'I was alone at first, but by the time I hit middle school, I was swarming with girls.'

Rin didn't know how to reply to that. Len must've detected her uneasiness and quickly added, 'But I've never forgotten about you, of course.' And the blonde girl flushed redder.

They walked by a few more blocks and the rows of students walking by them lessened until only a few girls trailed behind them. At one time Rin glanced behind her when she thought she had accidentally dropped something and noticed that among those girls was a teal-haired twin-tailed girl. That same girl who had seemed so suspicious to her.

'Okay, we're here,' Len said as they rounded a corner.

Rin stopped in amazement, it had been a long time since she'd been to a shopping avenue and she was amazed at the sight in front of her. Rows of shops lined on both sides of a brick pathway with lanterns dangling from overhead. A few trees sprouted here and there, giving it a more traditional feel. Hawkers called out to advertise their sales and there were even a few fashion buildings like Dios and Adidas. People were crowding the pathway - locals and tourists alike - carrying shopping bags with food in their mouths. The last time she had seen something similiar to this was when her family had a trip to Malaysia two years before.

Len had walked ahead of her and stopped when he realized she wasn't following him. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

'Nothing.' Rin nearly ran to his side.

An amused smile crept on his lips. 'Come on, I'll treat you.'

Rin was so grateful that she didn't know what to say. They passed by a few hawker stalls selling traditional Japanese food. She recognized a few Chinese food that they sold in Malaysia and Singapore, but they didn't seem 'interesting' enough to her. The smoke from the grills some had put up made Rin sweat and she wished she could take out her dark school coat which was getting really uncomfortable by the second. Len's face was also beading with sweat even though his coat was slung over his shoulder.

Finally a familiar scent hit her nostrils. A scent that she hadn't smelled for a really long time. She walked ahead of Len as he was eyeing some delicious-looking riceballs, he called for her to wait for him as he chased after her. Rin weaved through the crowd towards the scent and found herself in front of a stall selling takoyakis. A customer had just left and there was no one else in line.

'You want that?' Len asked as he caught up to her, out of breath.

Rin just eyed the mouth-watering grilled octopus dumplings. Len got the message. He asked for eight of the takoyakis and paid the vendor as he started grilling. Rin couldn't remember how the takoyakis tasted like and the smell made her mouth water. After what seemed like forever, the vendor handed Rin the styrofoam boat with the just-cooked takoyakis and they continued walking alone the avenue. With a toothpick, she poked a ball and ate it whole in one bite, immediately regretting that she hadn't left it to cool or blown it.

Len just laughed at her. 'You're so greedy,' he said.

'Am not!' Rin protested, still with the hot dumpling in her mouth. She started blowing air and finally forced herself to swallow it with tears stinging her eyes. 'That's really hot,' she muttered. 'I think I burned my tongue, probably my teeth too.'

The boy chuckled. 'Why not sprinkle some sugar on it once you get back home? I read about it online that it hurts with the burning.'

'Yeah, I read about it too somewhere,' Rin commented, more interested in selecting her next takoyaki victim.

Right now, she wisely had the patience to cool off her takoyaki by blowing it first. She shoved it in her mouth. The sweetness and saltiness of the takoyaki filled her taste buds, making her want more. Sweet and pleasant memories filled her mind as she remembered the first time she tried this Japanese delicacy. She was in a market wearing a kimono, too young to even remember what was the festival she was attending with her parents. Her mom ordered the dumplings and Rin had begged to try it. Ever since then, every time she came across a takoyaki stall she would beg her parents to buy some for her.

'Rin, you okay?' Len looked at her worriedly and she realized that she stopped walking in the middle of the path. People were swerving out of their way to avoid bumping into them. Rin nodded and continued walking. When she chose her next takoyaki, she carefully blew it and offered it to Len. He looked at it, a bit surprised and opened his mouth and devoured the ball. Rin felt her face blush as she watched him chew on the flavoursome ball. The rest of the way, they shared the remaining takoyakis in between them.

The sun was halfway down the city outline when they reached the front of Rin's home.

'See you tomorrow, Rin,' Len said as he smiled down at her.

Rin gazed up at him. The last time she had gazed at him in that way was eight years ago in her back patio. The orange glow of the sun made his hair look a fiery yellow and his blue eyes looked like kaleidoscopes as they reflected the sun. He had put on his coat again but left it unbuttoned so he looked dashingly amazing.

'Len...' Rin started. A lot of thoughts were crowing her mind. Everything she had planned to say to Len over the past eight years were now utterly useless. He was standing right in front of her at that moment and she hated herself so much that at that time her mind had chosen to stop working. Instead, she unbuttoned the top collar of her coat and loosened the ribbon around her neck. She could swear that Len flushed redder despite the sunlight shining on his face, and his face had a look of uncertainty. When she pulled out her necklace he had given to her when they were kids, he relaxed and smiled gratefully.

'You kept it,' he said, voice nearly breaking. His hands were back in his coat pockets again. He took them out and stuffed his hand into his white shirt and pulled out a similiar pendant dangling on a silver chain - a bass clef with diamond wings.

Rin couldn't hold it in anymore. Her eyes were suddenly streaming with tears and she hugged him. She was shaking uncontrollably and he embraced her in a long hug, his arms curled around her shoulder and his head rested on her head, pushing her dark bow to the side. Rin squeezed him one last time and pulled away. She couldn't believe she had just did that, right in front of her house nevertheless. But as she looked at him once again, he looked like he was on the verge of tears himself. There was a smudge on his shirt where her tears had stained it and she cringed, but Len didn't seem to notice it - or he didn't care.

'See you tomorrow, Len,' Rin replied.