I-I updated early for once… ; u ;
Chapter Six: Piko
"Miku Hatsune…?" I stared at the girl with long teal hair in disbelief.
Why is she helping me…?
"Just let me take care of things, okay?" She winked and returned her attention to the opposing team.
"What the hell, Hatsune? You can't do that! You're not even-!"
I didn't understand it… Why would she help me? We had never talked to each other face to face before- this was the first time. Did she have some sort of ulterior motive-?
"Shut up." A sudden growl from the front interrupted my train of thoughts. What surprised me the most was that it came from, none other than, Miku Hatsune.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The sound of the ticking clock echoed throughout the room. The nurse was absent from the office and so, Miku- in place of the nurse- treated my swollen wrist.
"There- all better!" Miku smiled at me as she finished tying the knot to keep the bandage in place. I examined my bandaged wrist, eyeing the slightly visible bump caused by the volleyball, wincing at the thought of dark and purplish bruise. "Rin-chan," Miku broke me out of my concentration, "have you been getting bullied lately…?" I was shocked, not because she was so straightforward, but because there was actual concern in her words.
"Why… Why are you so concern with me…?" She was Len's friend, not mine- and yet she not only defended me in my time of need, but she also helped bandage my injury, and on top of it all, she was now concerned for my wellbeing- why?
"Why? Because… You're interesting…" Miku mumbled, becoming shy all of a sudden.
"E-Excuse me?"
"I want to be friends with you." Miku stretched out her hand toward me, waiting for me to shake it. She had a serious expression on her face as well. I couldn't help, but let out a snicker or two. Eventually, I broke out into full laughter.
This person… I was wrong, she has no ulterior motive. She's so honest and straightforward… How could such a person exist?
"Rin-chan…?" Miku said, reminding me of her presence.
"S-Sorry…" I managed to say, but broke out into another laughing fit.
"Does that mean no…?" Miku's expression became a confused one.
"N-No…! Not at all! Yes, absolutely," I took her hand and shook it.
Miku's smile immediately returned, "Please call me Miku then-! Wait, more importantly, are you okay? Have you been getting bullied recently?" Miku's smile was replaced with a serious expression.
"Ahah… No, not at all."
I wasn't necessarily being bullied…
"Ah… Okay. But if anything happens, please don't hesitate to come to me! Oh yeah, let's exchange phone numbers!"
Miku and I proceeded to exchange our contact information with one and another, complimenting each other's cell phone strap and what not.
"Rin-chan, you can go ahead of me. I'll stay behind and clean up."
"Mmm. Okay." I gathered my things and proceeded out of the nurse's office.
Miku didn't need to know about what's happened. She's a nice girl. She doesn't need to be involved in my plans with Len.
"You're getting too close with them." I stopped, hearing Piko's voice.
"What do you mean?" I turned around to see him coming down from the staircase I just passed.
"Neru Akita, Miku Hatsune, and Mikuo Hatsune- you need to watch out for them. You're straying from what we originally planned. Don't forget your target is Len Kagamine."
"I know what I'm doing, Piko! So don't interfere in my business!" I suddenly shouted, not thinking beforehand.
What have I just done…?
"I hope you haven't forgotten… Lily comes home soon. Get your act together, Rin Kagamine!" Before I had a chance to apologize, Piko stormed off. I started after him, but stopped when I felt something under my foot.
I looked down to see a small notepad on the floor. Piko must have dropped it. Curiosity had gotten the best of me and I slowly flipped open the notepad. I immediately regretted it afterwards though because I fell speechless as I flipped through each page.
[GAKUPO'S P.O.V.]
"What? Got nothing to say, Utatane? Come on, why don't you get on your knees and beg for us to spare you?"
"Enough." I stood up from my position and approach Utatane. The others around him scattered away. "Scared?"
"Of you? Hell no, samurai freak." He spat his words out, chuckling like a maniac to himself.
"You're still resisting even though you already retain so many injuries? What are you- a masochist?" I slammed my fist into his stomach, but still he did not even grunt nor did he scream. Instead, he only gave me the same hateful glare that he had been giving me all along.
[RIN'S P.O.V.]
I stared at the scene before me in complete hysteria. Delinquents, a dozen of them probably, surrounded the school roof. Piko had lain on the floor, bloodied and bruised. He did not make a move. My eyes shifted to his attacker, Gakupo who carried a practice bamboo sword- most likely from the school's kendo club.
"People like you disgust me… Apparently, harming Lily wasn't enough for you! You and your mother actually had the gall to go after my family too!" Gakupo shouted, enraged.
"It wasn't my intention to harm anyone…" I could hear Piko mumble out barely.
"BULLSHIT!" Gakupo raised his weapon, preparing to attack again.
"Stop!" Without thinking, I ran in front of Piko, halting Gakupo's action.
"Who the hell…? Wait… You're Kaito's friend, Rin Kagamine… Get out of the way." Gakupo remained unfazed.
"No." I managed to choke out.
I was frightened. I could feel the cold sweat begin to form on my forehead. I really wanted to run away and leave Piko behind. So why didn't I? Was it because I had a kind heart? No, I'm not that sort of person.
"Kagamine, just leave before you regret it! This doesn't have anything to do with you!" I could hear Piko say weakly.
"Sh-Shut up… This would look extremely lame if I just decided to leave after I came to save you…" I muttered out randomly.
Gakupo must have grown impatient because the next thing I knew, Gakupo hit the floor with his weapon, creating a sharp 'WHACK!' sound.
"If you two are done talking… I think I'll be continuing where I left off-!"
"Will you now?" A familiar voice entered into our conversation, interrupting Gakupo. I glanced over to the door.
"Luka…" Gakupo spoke softly.
Indeed, it was Megurine-sensei. I was just as shocked at her arrival.
"You disappoint me, Kamui-san." Megurine-sensei's heels clacked against the surface of the roof, highlighting the boldness of her presence as she made her way over.
"Leave…" Gakupo said, signaling for the group of delinquents to disperse. He did not make the effort to look them in the eyes, only turning his head slightly toward them. His gaze was continuously fixated on Megurine-sensei.
As commanded, the delinquents left the scene in an orderly manner, making sure not to cross Megurine-sensei's path nor make eye contact. It was as if they knew there was something between the two, Gakupo and Megurine-sensei.
"Kagamine-san," Megurine-sensei gazed over at me with a warm expression. "Please take your friend to the infirmary."
I did as I was told and pulled Piko up, supporting him with his arm slung over onto my shoulder. We left the scene, in the same manner as those delinquents- without looking back, without making eye contact, and definitely without questioning either two.
Neither Piko nor I dare speak to each other as the nurse treated his injuries. Our gazes avoided each other. Awkwardness filled the room.
"There, all done. Please wait here while I go phone your parent." The nurse left the scene.
In an attempt to start a conversation, I held out Piko's notepad and in an instant, he grabbed it from my hands, holding it protectively.
"Did you look inside?" Piko finally spoke out.
"Yes."
I didn't lie. Or more so, I couldn't lie- no, not after reading through it.
"It's dangerous- borrowing all that money from a loan shark. Was that why you were working at Meiko's-?"
"Shut up! Jeez, you don't know anything!" Piko shouted. His voice was hoarse and shaky. He was crying.
"Then please enlighten me." I glared at Piko.
"Fine! You want to know so badly? My mother was whoring herself out for money to pay off my dad's debt! When dad died, she married Lily's father, when he died, she married Gakupo's father!"
"You and Lily… Aren't related…?" I asked.
I was an idiot. Out of all the things he said, this was what I chose to respond to. I was being so insensitive.
"No, we're not."
"Then Gakupo is your step-brother-"
"Don't be a fool. His father divorced my mother right after he found out."
I didn't know why. Was it because I truly pitied Piko? Was it because I felt that I was obligated as a human being to comfort him? I didn't know why, but I hugged him.
"What are you doing?"
"It's called hugging. Since you're my partner in crime, I guess I'm obligated to comfort you."
"Thank you." Piko managed to say after a period of silence. His words weren't forced, not like last time.
[LEN'S P.O.V.]
"Rin?" I approached her as she exited the school's gate. We started our way home. "You're out late today. I was waiting for you at the library today too. How come you never showed up?"
To my surprise, she didn't respond in the rash manner I expected her to.
"Sorry." Her voice was soft and her expression was calm.
Did I hear her correctly? Did she just apologize to me- me of all people?
"Oh right!" I whipped out two admission tickets to the theme park. "Let's go." I gave her my best smile.
Rin took one of the tickets from me and examined it. "UTAU Land? Ah, this is for tomorrow. Wait- aren't you supposed to be studying? The make-ups for the midterms are soon, aren't they?"
"I'll be fine. Besides, I need a break." I chuckled.
It was a lie. I wasn't fine at all. The only things that I had learned were the topics we covered yesterday. But even so, I really wanted to go there with Rin.
After a long moment of contemplation, Rin finally spoke. "Alright."
I could feel my inner-self punching the air and jumping in joy. Rin said yes. She said yes- to me. Hah, in your face, Kaito.
"I'll meet you outside of the theme park at 10 o'clock then." Rin said.
"Wait, we're not going together?"
"I have some things to take care of beforehand. Well then, later." She waved.
Rin was about to turn right to the intersection when I caught glimpse of what looked to be blood on the sleeve of her uniform. I immediately took her hand, stopping her. At the same moment, I realized her wrist was bandaged.
"Wait! Rin… You have blood on your sleeve… And your wrist it's…" I paused, fearing that what I thought may be true. "Don't tell me that you got into a fight…" My voice became a low whisper.
It then dawned upon me as to why she never came to the library.
"Was this why you never showed up…? Who was it?" I gave her a serious expression.
Rin only stared at me with a blank expression. "Don't worry. It wasn't anything like that." She looked over to her bandaged wrist, holding it gently. "This was an accident during P.E. and as for the blood… Well, it's not mine."
The blood wasn't Rin's? Dozens of other possibilities entered my imagination.
"Listen, I'm tired, okay? So I'm going." Rin said. She left before I had the chance to question her any further.
[RIN'S P.O.V.]
I entered my room and collapsed onto my bed in exhaustion. I was nice to Len- Len of all people!
I pulled out the admission ticket he had given me, examining it once again. Piko was right. I was straying from our plan. I have to work fast.
A sudden beeping interrupted my thoughts. It was my cell phone. I got up and pulled it out of bag to read the text message:
Lily just came home.
Not much of Len/Rin in this chapter, but I thought Piko deserved his own chapter at least so he would have a chance to explain himself a bit. I'm a bit unsure about RIS's genre now since most of my recent chapters aren't really focusing on comedy. It's currently 1:56 A.M. right now and I have school in the morning. Why am I still up- especially when I have a very, VERY sore back and neck at the moment? ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS GOOD NIGHT. = u =;;