A/N: hey, my friends! :D I cannot tell you how big the smile is on my face every time I see someone who reviews/favorites/alerts! ^_^ really, you guys make my day!
here's the next chapter for ya! just so you know, remember how I said there are currently three story-lines going on? now there's four: pre-summer vacation (last day of school), post-summer vacation and pre-accident, post-accident pre-therapy, and now post-accident post-therapy. there will be a fifth, by the way, but that's way later…
there might be a sixth, which would be background on how Rin and Len meet; if you'd like me to write that… but I need to know you guys would want that, so be sure to review or PM me! the input my fans (if I could call you guys that?) I received is great appreciated and will be taken into consideration! if you have any ideas for anything just leave a review or PM! I'll be sure to give you credit too.
I've noticed my chapters becoming longer and longer, as I get more comfortable with writing them. :) I have the basic storyline planned out and a few key scenes, but most of this is actually improvisation ^_^' but I find I write best that way. I'm also tying up a few loose ends from previous chapters in this chapter.
there also is a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic reference in there, hehe. love the show and if any of my fellow Pega-sisters and maybe even Bronies like the mini references, I might add more~ hehe. who says Rin and Len aren't fans of the show? my crazy ideas...
oh, and they live in California… forgot to mention that. and now I did, lawlz.
in reply to anonymous reviewer Hyan: thanks! I'm glad you like it! :D here's the link to the Append version of Hello, Again: http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=zFSDccCijGw
well, enough of my notes, here's the next chapter. be warned, it's filled with fluffiness~! hehe.
"How's it going with your father?" Len asked as they walked home from school. They just finished their last day of school until summer break, so they were still in their uniforms.
"Let's see… Still hates me. Wishes I never existed. What else is new?" Rin said sarcastically.
"Hey, Rin," he sped up his pace to be in front and turned to face her. "It's okay. No need to hide your feelings away behind fallacious remarks."
She chuckled, "Len, you know me too well, don't you?"
"I try," he muttered.
"What was that?" she asked incredulity.
"Nothing!" he squeaked as he slowed to walk next to her again.
"Fine, then, Len," she smirked but her face fell again. "So, yup, still hates me."
"It's been rough, hasn't it?" Len said empathetically.
Rin's face dropped even further. "Yeah."
"Three years in a week, right?"
She nodded and came to a standstill. A few steps forward, Len noticed. Rin's shoulders hunched over slightly. She hugged her arms.
"Oh, Rin…" he walked back adjacent to her. She sniffled.
"Len…" she gazed into his eyes, filled with sorrow, before looking down at the ground. There, a few small dark circles appeared next to her feet. Her voice cracked. "It wasn't fair… It wasn't fair."
He placed his right hand on her left arm and lifted her head up with a single finger from his other hand. She averted her eyes from his own understanding ones. She gasped as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug, but she did the same. His chin rested on top of her head.
"Rin… please know, whether things happen for a reason or just because, but even though things change and people leave our lives…" he breathed deeply and continued. "Please know… I will always be here for you. No matter what."
"Len…" she murmured happily. She buried her face into his chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. His steady heartbeat calmed her.
Len darted to his house, breathing heavily and heart racing. Walking through the unlocked door–thanks to Teto–he advanced towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge and found the box of cookies his mom made yesterday. He lifted the lid on the cardboard box and the pleasant smell of orange quickly flowed from the it.
"Mmmm… reminds me of Rin's perfume," Len sighed and licked his lips happily without thinking. When he did realize what he did, he could feel his face become warmer and shook his head. "No, no… can't say things like that…"
After closing the package, he found a thin canvas bag in the closet and placed it inside.
"Oi, Len. What's taking so long?" Miku called through the front door, startling Len.
"Be out, in a second," he answered. Dashing upstairs again, he entered his room and crouched to reach under his bed. Pulling out a brown shoe box, he smiled. He opened the lid and picked up two small black velvet boxes. The smile never left his face as he placed them inside of the bag.
Racing downstairs again, he tripped on the rug. Miku and Teto heard the commotion and stepped inside.
"Len, you okay?" Teto asked.
"No, I mean, yes. You guys stay outside!"
Miku scoffed. "I don't even know why you're so keen on keeping us out, but whatever."
Picking himself up off the floor, he brushed his clothes off and found the canvas bag, which had flown quite a distance from the site of his stumble. His eyes widened when he noticed one of the small boxes wasn't in it.
"Hey, Len. What's this?" Teto asked. Len looked up and noticed her holding the missing box.
Before Teto could wrap her fingers around it to open it, Len zoomed over at lightening speed to snatch it back from her.
"Hey! I was just wondering…" Teto said sadly.
"What's so special about the box, Len?" Miku cocked an eyebrow.
"Eh," he laughed nervously. "Nothing, really…" He shoved the box back into the bag. "Let's go."
"Oh, fine…" Miku sighed and rolled her eyes as they began walking.
"Which way to the hospital?" Teto asked, skipping along.
"It's a bit of a walk, but down First street," Len pointed north.
"Alrighty, let's go!" Miku smiled. "You got the cookies right?"
"You are not even allowed to hold this bag on our way there… and you know why, Miku?" Len teased.
"Because you care about my diet?" Miku smirked.
"Because you will eat them all by the time we've walked one block," Len shook his head.
"Hey! But… it is true…" Miku agreed. "Well, let's go!"
It was late in the afternoon. Len sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. Ding. An email notification popped up.
"Eh, who could this be from?" Len muttered to himself as he opened the link.
"LEN!" a video message screamed at him, causing him to nearly fall back out of his chair. "Is Rin alright? Miku sent me a message saying she's in the hospital! Video chat me right away when you get this message!"
"Oh, right… I haven't told Gumi yet…" Len realized. Clicking on the video chat window, he called Gumi.
"Oh, thank goodness, Len!" Gumi's face popped up on the screen. Her green hair was slightly frizzy. From the lighting outside, he could tell it was nighttime.
"Were you asleep?" Len asked, noticing her tired composure.
Gumi yawned. "Rin never told you I'm in New York? Come on, jet lag from California isn't too fun… I've been here for a week and half and I'm still not used to it."
"So about Rin…" Len continued to explain what happened to Rin, Gumi's eyes wide during the whole conversation.
"What about therapies? I mean, don't they have those?" Gumi asked, her voice filled with worry.
"Yeah, but her dad's disappeared. We had a small... argument at the hospital and once they questioned and then released him, we haven't heard from him since," Len said with disdain.
"So Miku's there... but Teto's not back from vacation yet, right?"
"No, she's still in Arizona and her family's making them take a break from technology for some retreat thing. I heard Neru and Nero were there too; remember them from middle school? I bet those two are absolutely lost without their cell phones… Teto still doesn't know about Rin."
"I wish I could be there…" Gumi continued. "Wait, aren't Neru and Nero Miku's cousins?"
"Yeah, except they don't get along too well. Neru and Teto are friends though. I heard that Ted was interested in Neru, actually… gah, focus! Really, Gumi, you can get off track so easily…"
"Me! What are you… well, actually you're right," she laughed but squinted her eyes. "You seem to be hiding something though, Len. Even through this computer webcam's terrible quality, something's off with you. I've known you for nearly as long as Rin has…"
"Uh, no, nothing…" he lied, scratching the back of his neck.
"Even if I didn't know you, that was a pretty terrible try at hiding a lie," Gumi said in a monotone voice. "Did Rin ever tell you what I asked her to do the day she came over to your house two weeks ago?"
"Uh… yeah… she did… sort of… not really... but... yes..."
"Aw, come on Len… I'm still not used to the controls! What does B do again?" Rin complained. She and Len were playing the puzzle game he had bought. Rin was still a little nervous, even though Len's invitation over at his house was purely innocent sounding. But that was exactly it… it was innocent sounding. Sometimes she didn't know what to expect from him.
"Oh, Rin… you'll get the hang of it… now place the cube on the button," he smiled.
"Which button?" she shrieked.
Len laughed. "Rin, calm down. There's no rush. The button behind you."
"Oh, uh, right…"
Len looked over at Rin, who was focused on the TV screen. Her expression was filled with determination. He noticed her furrowed brow and slight squint of her blue eyes. Her blonde hair caressing her face in a try at framing her beauty. She–
"Len, earth to Len!" Rin was waving a hand in front of his face. "Play the game and stop staring at me, weirdo."
Len's cheeks turned a bright shade of red and he looked away to face the large screen again. They were able to beat at least eight levels until getting bored and a little bit tired from thinking.
"Eh, let's get something to eat. You allowed to order pizza when no one's home?" she asked.
"Yeah. Hawaiian?" Len suggested.
"Oh, yes! My favorite! But I thought you didn't like pineapple much?"
"I can always pick it off…"
"If you're sure, then okay. I'll go grab our phones. Left 'em on the kitchen counter, right?"
"Uh, yeah," Len nodded as her shut off the screen and game.
Rin skipped off into the kitchen, which was adjacent to the living room, Len watching her the entire time. He smiled.
When Rin stepped out the kitchen, both their phones in hand, she eyed Len with a questioning look. "Okay, spill it. Do I have something on my face? You keep looking at me!"
Len felt his face become even warmer. He looked away, embarrassed. "Uh, no, Rin-chan…"
"Then why do you keep look…" her voice trailed off as she realized something, her face turned a bright shade of red, mirroring Len's. "Oh," she whispered softly.
The two stared in silence at each other. Eternities seemed to pass before Rin decided to break the tension. "I'm gonna call for pizza now…"
She stepped back into the kitchen, turning the corner of the opening and slouching against the wall. Oh, I'm an idiot… I am idiot… baka… and idiot… such a derp… like Derpy Bubbles…
"Muffins…" Rin mumbled, rolling her eyes at her own stupidity. She looked at the phone's in her hand. She was about to open her own to dial the local pizza joint's number but noticed Len's phone light up. Oooh… a text from Neru. I wonder why… oh, I shouldn't be opening people's texts! But I can always mark it as 'unread,' so, what the hey.
Rin flipped open the phone. "so, Len. hw's t gng w/ Rin? lst niht, u soundd u wr prtty srius abt askig hr."
Rin gasped at the message, staring at it in disbelief. Ask me what? Ask. Me. What? I knew he didn't invite me over here innocently! He's a fourteen-year-old boy for crying out loud! He's… thinking about things now… She shuddered at the thought and gasped in realization. That's why he's staring at me! Oh, I'm so stupid! But… if he did try anything… would I not...
Suddenly she heard his voice from the living room. "Yes, a large Hawaiian pizza, please. Extra cheese packets in the box too. No. No pepper flakes, just extra cheese packets. Okay. Twenty minutes, correct? See you then, thank you, ma'am."
She heard a small echoey click. "Rin, I forgot. The home phone was right next to us," he laughed, as he talked loud enough for her to hear him clearly. "The pizza'll be here soon. No worries. It's on me."
"Oh, I bet there's something else you want on y–" Rin was cut off from mumbling when she noticed him step into the kitchen.
"Oh, and Rin. I asked for extra cheese packets since you always seem to hog–" he looked down at the phone's in her hand.
"Len, it's not as bad as you think!" she cringed at the reaction she knew was soon to come. She was used to being hit for bad things she'd done by her father.
"Have you been reading my text messages?" Len stared blankly at Rin's hands.
"Umm… yes," she looked down at her bare feet.
"Oh, well…" he muttered. "It's alright… but just don't do it again."
Rin's eyes widened. He didn't get mad? Every boy or man I know would… would go livid over that… he just said 'okay?'
"If you want to know what Neru was talking about, she was asking me if I had asked you yet if you would like to go shopping for some summer clothes with me. I never seem to have a good sense of style and you're amazing at clothes, better than Miku actually, so…" he looked at Rin hopefully.
"Oh, uh, sure, Len. I'd be happy to," she smiled. Did he just make that up on the spot?
"Oh, you're doubting me. Do you want to see the text message?" he held the phone up to her to be able to read. It confirmed his words.
"I never doubt you, Len," she said simply, smiling at the still blushing face of her friend.
The front door of Rin's apartment unlocked and opened. Nurse Luka was brushing Rin's short hair on the couch, both sitting cross-legged, while watching TV. Luka, dressed in a simple white cotton dress, leaned against the armrest with Rin in front of her. Rin wore a dark green blouse and jean shorts.
"Hello, Luka," Len said cheerfully. He set down the grocery bag and small duffle bag he carried. He wore a cotton long-sleeved button down with yellow and black plaid board shorts.
"Oh, good afternoon, Len. It sure is a hot and humid July day, isn't it?" Luka looked up and then nodded, mouthing something to Len.
Len caught whatever signal Luka was trying to send. "So Rin, how does going to the pier sound to you?"
Rin's, who was looking directly at Len the entire time, face brightened up at the joyful smile from Len.
"Oh, looks like she wants to," Luka confirmed.
"Yup!" Len walked over to the couch, sitting cross-legged in front of her. "Would you like to go swimming too? It would be very good for you. I've heard you've gotten much better at walking now."
Luka nodded. "Yes, she has and it's only been two weeks since the therapy started. She's made excellent progress with pretty much everything."
Rin's smile never faded during the conversation.
"You'll need to get her dressed then, Luka," Len continued. "Would you like me to go find her clothes?"
Rin's face turned a shade of red, which Len noticed. "Er, or maybe you can…"
Luka laughed. "I would be embarrassed too, Rin."
Len looked at Luka strangely. "How do you know what she's feeling without looking at her face, Nurse Luka?"
"You two are like mirrors, you know that? When one feels something, the other reacts," Luka explained.
Both Rin and Len looked at each other, turning a shade of pink. "Is it really that obvious?" Len whispered.
"I told you when I first meet you, Len. You both show how much you care for each other." She continued brushing Rin's hair.
Len averted his eyes for a moment, but when a hand placed itself upon is shoulder, he looked back at Rin in surprise.
"Oh, now, look at that," Luka murmured, a tone of surprise was also present in her voice. However she did, Luka noticed they wanted to be alone together, she stood up to find Rin's bathing suit and sundress.
"Rin…" Len stared directly into Rin's eyes, which were half-lidded in a display of contentment. A shadow of sorrow was evident but no one could mistake the pure blissfulness mixed with love. He reached for her hand placed on his shoulder and held it in both of his.
Even though Rin could not express her current state of emotion, Len could read it. "Rin, we'll make it work."
Even though the statement was vague, it was not unclear. Len could see Rin's face brighten up even more. He reached to brush her bangs out of her face.
"Oh, you don't have your hair clips in," he realized. He reached for the four white hair clips and the brush sitting on the coffee table next to them. With his right hand holding the brush, he swept her bangs to their proper places and clipped them into place.
"There we go. I'm not too bad at hair styling, am I?" he asked as he held up a mirror.
"I always found it strange how our last names are the same… and Kagami… it means mirror in Japanese…" he mused. "What's the chance of that? Fate… Destiny…?" He shook his head, trying to hide his blushing face. He set the brush and mirror down.
He gazed directly into her eyes and began to softly sing. "Smiling together. We'll be together," Len smiled.
"Konna gojisei dakarakoso waratte mirai e to arukou. Smiling together…" he picked up her hand, holding it between both his hands.
"Ichibyou goto ni sekai no dokoka de. Hito ga shini yuki hito ga umare yuku. Ichirin-bana ga kareru yori mo hayaku. Hito wa kawaite hito wo motometeru… Katachi aru mono hodo ni kantan ni moroku kowareteku kara. Oooh... How to love? Mada wakaranai… Nara konna no wa dou? Ima sugu dare ni datte dekiru yo…"
Len noticed Luka had walked into the room, Rin's clothes in hand, at the last verse he sang. Blushing, he stopped singing. "Uh…"
"No, continue, please," Luka smiled encouragingly.
"Um… okay… Smiling together…" he began again, still a bit embarrassed. His eyes widened when Luka joined in and knew every word.
"We'll be together. Konna gojisei dakarakoso waratte mirai e to arukou… Smiling together. We'll be together. Donna arasoi datte kotoba ja naku kokoro de kanjitara. Smiling together…"
"How did you…?" he wondered.
"Miku told me you meet Lily. I used to go to school with her. We sang at talent shows together," Luka explained, walking up to stand in front of the couch. "When we graduated, she got a big contract deal with a music company. They offered me one too, but I declined. I wanted to pursue a career in nursing, so here I am now."
"Oh, wow. I would've never guessed… you are a very nice singer, though. Were you the one who sang Toeto?" Len asked. Rin noticeably flinched at the word but still continued looking at Len.
"Yes, in fact, we were. Did she tell you about that?" Except, Luka wasn't talking about Lily. She looked directly at Rin during the last question.
"No, Lily did," Len answered. He looked back at Rin, smiling. "And no worries, Rin. It doesn't matter if you told me or not."
How did he know? Rin thought. How does he know everything I feel? Is Luka right? Do we really mirror each other that much? I do always feel a bit… stronger around him.
"Well, Rin, let's get you dressed and then I can drive you two over to the beach, 'kay? Don't want it getting too late," Luka said with an undertone tone of worry. She started walking over to Rin, who began to stand up, along with Len, but wobbled a bit.
"Whoa, Rin. You all right?" Len grabbed her hand to help her balance. She smiled and nodded once.
"Hm, you really seem to be making quite a bit of progress!" Len said cheerfully.
Luka smiled. Oh, he doesn't even know…
A/N: how'd ya like it? and even longer chapter, well, slightly longer, but still more words! XD so sorry for not updating for awhile! T-T and school hasn't even started yet! it will on tuesday, though, so I'm getting this out while I still have time to write!
I'm so very happy about the reviews and stuff I'm getting from everyone! thank you MusicIsJenn and Blu-adorer16 for adding this fic to your alert list! I'll hopefully update on weekends or whenever I have time, so thanks for bearing with me, everyone. :) I like to make the chapters as good as possible without rushing them, and quality takes time! ^_^
**edit** oh, and if you're a fan of Animal Crossing, Mario, or Sonic go and read my dear friend Misty's new fic she just posted! :D just go to my profile (well, our profile, as we share the account) and check it out! ^_^ (and review too! it'll make her happy :) reviews make everyone happy!)
I don't think I have anything else to say now, except please review! :D I need your input on if you want a backstory to Rin and Len's first meeting, and even you just wanna say "loved this chapter" or something simple like that, then that's cool too! :D
until next time, my dear readers!
TTFN!
-Celeste