Fateful Encounters

~After Class~

"Stand! Bow!"

The students all stood and bowed.

Gakupo looked at the board. "Test next week, but you should know that. Dismissed!"

The majority of the students started to walk out, but a few did straggle behind, gathering their things.

Rin stood with Kaito near the windows, talking enthusiastically. "… there's a really nice place near here where we could hang out," Rin was saying.

Kaito smiled. "You could show me around? Great," he said.

"Of course," Rin giggled. "It must be a lot different here."

Kaito nodded. "Could you give me a second? I have to talk to teacher- err, or, rather, sensei."

"Sure," Rin nodded. "I have to talk to my brother anyway."

She walked over to where Len was. "Hey, Kaito and I are going to the park near here."

Len smiled. "Oh, you obviously have no plot up your sleeve."

"How could you tell?" Rin said sarcastically, leaning on his desk. "I'm just telling you and your big brother complex so you don't get worried."

"Fair enough," Len laughed. "That's okay. I have to go pick up some ingredients for the brioche at the markets. And, I know, you hate the markets."

"Yes, but it's only the filthy, smelly markets you go to. Why do you even go there?"

"The people need money. Anyway, they always give me free samples," Len said triumphantly.

Rin sighed affectionately. "You and your good deeds." She kissed him on the cheek and waved. "That brioche better be baked when I get home!"

"You can count on it," Len said, giving a thumbs-up. He turned and got his things, walking out of the classroom.

Rin, Kaito, and the other students soon walked out too, until it was only Gakupo and Haku left.

"Are you alright, Haku?" Gakupo asked.

"H-hai, sensei," Haku stammered. "I just have to finish writing this paper." She started to scribble furiously.

Gakupo chuckled. "It's alright, Haku. Just close the doors when you leave."

"Hai! Gomenasai…"

"No need to be sorry," Gakupo said, and gave Haku a strange look before slipping out the door.

Haku sighed. "Oh, well," she said to herself. "At least he actually knows my name."

Her cell phone rang, and she picked it up. "Just a text…" she muttered. Her mother had sent her a simple text, saying to go buy some rice. No please or thank you.

Haku sighed even louder. She didn't have enough money to go buy at the decent markets; she'd have to go to the run-down ones.

After putting her phone and her books in her bag, Haku walked out of the classroom and shut the doors.

~At the Markets~

Len walked through the market, looking at every stall. He said hello to everyone he saw. Most were people he knew or had come to known during his multiple visits.

He thought this place was like a home to him. Something he knew Rin would never understand. So, he kept his mouth shut and never told her that he visited more times then he really needed.

Besides, if she knew, she'd probably hose him down and yell at him how dirty he must be.

Len stopped and bought some butter, flour, and eggs from this elderly lady.

"T-thank y-you," the woman said when Len paid her. "O-oh? T-this is too much, son."

"Take it," Len said, smiling, "Please. I insist."

The woman smiled too, showing yellow teeth. "O-oh, dear, t-thank you." She reached behind her, and pulled out an orange. "A-at l-least t-take this."

Len gratefully accepted. "My sister loves oranges. Thank you so much."

"Y-you have a s-sister? S-she must be b-beautiful and as p-polite as you a-are."

Len nodded. "Yes, she is. I'm sure she would thank you know too!"

"W-wonderful. T-take care of her o-okay?"

He smiled in return. "I always will," he said, turning away. "Sayonara!"

The woman waved before tending to her stall.

Len kept walking, looking down at his things and making sure he had everything. "I know we have sugar at home," he muttered to himself. "Butter, flour, eggs… what el-"

Suddenly, he collided with something or someone and fell to the ground, groaning in pain. The eggs cracked and soaked his clothes.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" Len heard a girl say.

He felt someone rubbing his face clean of the egg yolk.

Len slowly opened his eyes and immediately felt a blush fill his face.

A girl with teal hair stood in knelt in front of him, looking very worried and apologetic. Len noticed every detail in her face, from her sky blue eyes to the pink in her cheeks.

However, there was something more… she looked almost… familiar.

He was speechless.

"Sorry! Sorry," she cried. "I wasn't watching where I was going!" She looked at the broken eggs. "I'll buy you new ones, okay?"

Len was about to protest, but the girl was already gone.

She came back only a few seconds later, holding a new carton of eggs. She helped him up and put back his items in his basket. As she handed the basket back, their hands touched.

Len jerked away, blushing even more.

"A-are you hurt?" the girl asked.

"I- no, of course n-not," he stammered in reply. It was hard to hear her over the thumping of his heart.

The girl clapped her hands together, her long pigtails swinging happily. "Oh, that's good! If you're okay, please excuse me!" she said, bowing. "I have to meet my parents."

"Y-yeah, I-I'm fine," Len said. "Fine…" More rapid heartbeats.

The girl giggled. "Okay. Just making sure." She turned around, waving. "Bye!"

Len could only wave in return.

The hard thumping of his heart just wouldn't stop, and the blush wouldn't fade.

Len hit his forehead. "I really need to get some sleep…"

~With Haku~

Haku turned around. She thought she heard Len Kagamine… but that would be silly. Why would he be shopping here, of all places?

"Hey, missy!"

Haku returned her attention to the grouchy man in front of her. She was buying rice from him and she hadn't paid him. "Oh, gomenasai," she apologized softly, handing him the money.

The man counted the money. "What? This isn't enough!"

"O-oh, it's not?" Haku fretted.

"You're 200 yen short! Where's the rest of it?"

"B-but, I thought-"

"No money, no purchase!" he said, grabbing the rice bag out of her hands.

Haku felt tears teeter out of her eyes, but she pushed them back. "I… gomen-"

"Excuse me."

The two turned around.

There was a girl with long teal pigtails standing behind Haku. "Is there a problem?" she asked politely.

"Move along, missy," the man said gruffly. "This is none of your business."

The girl stepped next to Haku and counted out her money. Then, she checked the price of the rice. "Sir, I'm a foreigner here, and I'm not exactly sure how things work, but I know that it's not right to scam people. You were about to do that to my sister, weren't you?"

Haku's eyes widened, but the other girl winked at her.

The man was flabbergasted. "You can't tell me what to do-"

The girl said gently, but sternly, "Our parents are expecting us, and we're running late. Now," she said, taking the bag of rice and giving it to Haku, "if you'll excuse us." She took Haku's hand and pulled her away from the man's stall.

As soon as they were far enough, the girl turned to Haku, smiling. "Wait right here, please," she said, jogging away.

Haku stood, not sure what to do. There was a warm feeling in her chest.

Happy.

That was the word.

She was happy. And grateful.

The teal-haired girl came running back. "Hi, sorry. I had to tell my parents I was fine. You know how parents can be."

Haku raised an eyebrow. Her parents would probably care less if she got hit by a truck. "Yes," she lied. "I know."

The girl nodded. "Sorry about earlier, telling him I was your sister."

Haku became flustered. "W-what? No, no! Please, I'm sorry!"

"For what? You did nothing wrong."

"I troubled you, right?"

The girl gave her a funny look, then started laughing.

Haku looked back, confused.

"You're funny," the girl said, still grinning. She extended her hand. "I'm Miku."

Haku shook her hand, still confused, and said, "Um, I'm Haku."

"So, I'd call you… Haku-chan, right?"

"Yes."

Miku rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, I'm new here! I just came here from America."

"Really?" Haku said, surprised. "I'm from America, too."

Miku smiled widely. "Really?" she asked, excited. "Wow! I'm glad I got to meet someone from my home country on my first day! What luck!" She fished out her cell phone. "Can I have your number? It'd be great to talk again."

At first Haku didn't know what to do. Then she stammered, "Y-yes," and got out her own cell phone. She and Miku entered their numbers in each other's phones.

Miku snapped her phone shut. "Thanks so much, Haku-chan! Listen, I've got to go, but I'll text you later, okay?"

"O-ok!" Haku said, determined. "I'll text you back, promise!"

Miku giggled. "You really are funny," she said, walking away. "Hopefully I'll see you soon," she said, waving.

"Bye!" Haku said back, waving. "Bye…"

When she couldn't see Miku's teal head, Haku walked back home in a daze.

It was a miracle that she had gotten to meet someone as wonderful as Miku.

She clutched her cell phone in her hand, with newfound determination to be a good friend to Miku and show her kindness that she herself had been denied.

This was probably my favorite chapter to write ;D

Hope you enjoyed and reviews are appreciated!