Chapter Seven.

Len was finally beginning to acknowledge that Autumn was quickly morphing into Winter. He was walking to school with Rin by his side, and the twins were walking in silence. They were wearing one glove each, as Rin had forgotten her own pair, and Len had kindly given her one. Rin had firstly said that that was stupid; they'd both have one cold hand. However, she had taken the glove.

Winter did not interest Len as much as Autumn. Autumn was his favourite season of all. Memories of Autumn were strung together with red, golden and orange string; jumping in leaves and watching hazy sunsets. Autumn was an unpredictable season, and Len enjoyed it.

"Here's your glove," Rin said as they got to the school gates. She plopped the item into his palm, and left him to join her friends, without a goodbye or even a smile. Len took this as a bad sign. On good days, Rin would tease him at the school gates, maybe ever ruffle his hair. She would say goodbye and find Miku.

On bad days, she would leave without him, without a goodbye, in a world of her own - almost ignorant to his existence.

"Hey Len!"

The blonde haired boy turned to see his old friend Piko grinning at him. Piko was a positive, silver haired ball of energy in Len's opinion. He knew Piko almost as well as he knew himself. Piko and Len were quiet and smart, although, sometimes Piko was a little crazy.

"Hey Piko," Len greeted cheerfully, smiling at his friend. They did their super special handshake, which involved smashing their fists together and jazz hands, before joining with a group of their peers, who they were generally friendly with. Across the yard, Len could see Rin and Miku, holding hands casually whilst talking. Len didn't understand why girls got so touchy-feely with each other. He had never imagined that Luka would be one of those touchy-feels girls at their age.

In fact, Len had decided that it wasn't girls in general who were touchy-feely. It was Miku Hatsune. She was bright and bubbly; hugging everybody and smiling and being generally happy. Len wondered whether he and Rin had chosen similar types of friends due to the fact they were twins. Piko and Miku disagreed - sometimes aggressively- but the two were very alike, give or take a few traits.

Everything was going like it always did. The boys and girls of the school were all just waiting for the bell to go. After that, they could all happily follow their timetables until the relief of home-time eventually came.

That was, until Mikuo arrived.

Mikuo Hatsune was generally, a nice enough guy. Sometimes, however, he got over arrogant and cocky, despite not being the most popular boy around. He spotted Len and Piko and went over to them.

"Hello Mikuo," Len and Piko greeted their teal-haired friend. Len was a little wary of Mikuo that day. He was hoping that he wouldn't bring up the matter of his sister.

"Hello lads," Mikuo replied, with a tiny smirk on his face. Len cringed internally, already guessing what Mikuo was going to talk about. "So, Len. Your sister, huh?"

Piko glanced at Len. Piko and Miku were practically part of the Kagamine family, and they all defended each other fiercely.

"Yes, my sister," Len replied coolly.

"Did you do the maths homework Len?" Piko asked urgently, although, the maths homework was not in for another two days. "How about you Mikuo?"

"Did you hear she asked me out?" Mikuo continued, ignoring Piko.

"Of course I did." Mikuo's line of conversation was beginning to irritate Len. Where was he going with this? "She is my sister, after all," Len said, almost warning Mikuo not to continue.

"I'm so glad I didn't get myself into that car crash. She's a little pig headed isn't she? God knows what type of girlfriend she'd be," Mikuo said, still with that tiny smirk.

"Mikuo, shut up," Piko muttered, eyeing Len. The blonde haired boy's calm face was betrayed by the anger in his eyes, and the way his jaw had set tightly.

"Well, it's true, isn't it Piko? You know it too, don't you Len? I've heard she's pretty dumb, too. I wouldn't go out with her even if you payed me." Mikuo could see Len's hands clenching into fists. Sometimes, winding up people was ridiculously enjoyable.

"How about you shut up?" Len asked, using the palms of his hands to shove Mikuo. He had puffed out his chest and stood straight, so that he was just about as tall as Mikuo. "Anyone who talks about a girl like that doesn't deserve one."

"No need to get touchy, Lenny," Mikuo taunted, using Len's tactic of standing up straight. He grinned down at Len. "Your sister is a grim bitch."

Something snapped with Len. Piko tried to grab onto his best friend's shoulders to restrain him, but it wasn't any good. Len had already lost his temper.

"Shut up!" Len roared, attracting the attention of the other boys. As Len rushed for Mikuo, they crowded around the three, watching the fight break loose.

Mikuo and Len grappled with each other. That tiny smirk had slipped off Mikuo's face; he was actually quite surprised that Len had lost his temper and gone for him. Len's arms slipped around Mikuo's neck, and he pushed the teal haired boy to the ground.

The crowd were chanting now. Fight! Fight! Fight! The audience around Len and Mikuo was growing.

"Don't you speak like that again, you pathetic dick!" Len was towering above Mikuo, who was bringing himself upwards. "You didn't deserve her at all, and I hope you die alone!"

Mikuo, now thoroughly annoyed, stood up, taking hold of Len's shirt, picking him off the ground so they were nose to nose.

"Temper, temper," the teal haired boy growled. Before he knew what was happening, Len had punched him full on in the cheek, surprised by his own violence. Mikuo dropped his attacker, holding the side of his face.

Before any more violence could break loose, a teacher had wiggled their way through the crowd. He took a tight hold of both Len and Mikuo's arms, looking at them sternly.

"You can come with me," he said, dragging them away.

Len looked up, and all he could see were Rin and Miku's horrified expressions as both he and Mikuo were taken away. His twin looked so disappointed.

"You didn't need to punch him," Rin muttered.

"You didn't even hear what he said," Len countered. They were walking home now, and both of them were in sour moods. Len was wearing both his gloves.

"Yes well, now all the teachers think you're a right little turd." Rin hadn't even looked at him for the rest of the day. When she saw him, her eyes trailed away to look some place else.

"You're not being fair at all," Len argued. His hands were shoved deeply in his pockets, and he wasn't pleased at all. It had turned out to be a real rubbish day. "Mikuo deserved everything he got. I think you should hate him."

"Well I don't. All my hate is directed at you at the moment."

Her comment cut like a blade. Len didn't say a word. He quickened his pace, walking a step ahead of his sister.

"You didn't even tell me what the headmaster said," Rin said.

He ignored her. He couldn't be bothered with her injustice. Mikuo had smirked at him after he'd been in to see the headmaster, and everybody had stared when he came late into his first period lesson. It just wasn't fair.

"Luka would understand," Len murmured to himself, not loud enough to hear. "Piko understood okay, too."

"What was that, Len?" Rin asked, although, her tone was cold and taunting.

"You're acting like a brat. Maybe I should have just agreed with Mikuo. He was probably right," Len snarled. Later on, when he was in bed that night, he would regret those words, just as Rin would regret hers.

Rin didn't reply. That comment had hurt her. She wasn't impressed by Len's punches, or his sulky attitude. He was just aggravating her, like a bad skin rash.

The rest of the walk home was walked in silence, and when they did get home, the pair just dumped their bags on the floor and went to do their own business. Rin retreated to her room, whereas Len visited the kitchen and then the living room.

About fifteen minutes later, Rin came downstairs.

"I'm going for hockey practice," she called, already half way out the door. "I'll see you later."

And then, Len was left alone. He knew that eventually Luka would be coming round, but that just made his stomach churn. Had she got his letter? He was in a foul mood anyway; he didn't want her to see him like this.

Yet, just ten minutes later, Luka let herself in.

"Len? Rin?" She asked, noticing how silent the house was. She wandered into the living room, and found Len inside, sitting by himself. "Where's Rin?" Luka sat down on the couch, smiling at Len.

"Hockey, or something."

"Are you okay?"

"Mikuo was being a prat today."

"I see," Luka said, looking down for a moment. "What happened?" She could already see where this was going.

Len perked up, ready to tell his story. "So I come in to school, and me and Piko are doing A-okay, yeah? And then Mikuo comes up with this stupid, cocky look on his face, and he's going on about Rin. He definitely knew he was annoying me. So he calls her a, 'grim bitch,' and I just kind of lost it. How rude is that?"

"Very rude," Luka agreed, nodding her head. She had not forgotten the foul mouths of the school yard. Just about everybody had sworn.

"So I lost my temper, you see," Len admitted sheepishly, looking to the floor. "I floored him. But he got up, and picked me up, and I….well, I punched him."

"Oh, Len!" Luka frowned, surprised by Len's violence. "You didn't?"

Len nodded. "Uh-hm. I had to go and see the Headmaster, who was being really unfair about it. He said, 'Yes, Len, I agree that Mikuo words were uncalled for, but I will never permit violence in my school.' Piko agreed with me; he understood."

Luka sighed. "I know Len. But you shouldn't have punched him, or 'floored' him for that matter."

Len nodded, sighing internally. He must have seemed like such a child!

"Enough about me," Len said, smiling weakly at Luka. "What's been going on with you?"

Of course, eventually, talk turned to the letter. Len could spot the girlish smile on Luka's face, and the vague way she talked about that letter. Maybe things were looking up.

Except for the fact that he was still pretty annoyed with the day's events.

"Who do you think sent it?" Len asked casually, although his heart was thumping; reverberating in his ears. "Any ideas?"

"No, not really," Luka admitted. She didn't feel like a very good detective. "I thought maybe Gakupo had sent it for a joke. Kaito obviously loves Meiko. The only other men I really know are Meito, Akaito and Dell. But I don't really know them that well at all. I mean, not well enough for them to….like me like that. "

The colour drained from Len's face. He had had a bad day. He was annoyed and bitter. Meito. Akaito. And Dell. Really? How could his work, his brave, brave letter, possibly have been sent from Meito. Akaito. Or Dell?

"Are you alright Len?"

"No, no, I'm not," Len responded weakly. "You see, there's the girl I really like. But she keeps looking in all the wrong places and can't see what's right under her nose."

Luka's looked surprised. "You never told me you liked somebody before."

Len groaned, rolling his head backwards for a second. "Are you joking?"

"No?" Luka asked uncertainly. Why was he acting so strange?

"Right. Under. Her. Nose," Len said, standing up in front of Luka. "Luka."

"You could just tell me her name," Luka reasoned, looking up at Len. She looked so innocent. "Is it Miku?"

Len ignored her question, bending down a little, so they were face to face. He smiled at her fondly. He felt so impulsive and spontaneous. He was amazed with himself. He could smell her citrus scent and he could see every detail of her face. She was so beautiful.

"You're so oblivious." Len smiled shyly at her, finding that his normal personality drowning his sudden urge to tell her. Len suddenly blinked, taking a step away from her. "Of course I like Miku," he lied, hoping that he could recover this.

Luka was staring at him. She had thought that he was going to say her name then. She had been sure. God, wouldn't that be weird? Little Len Kagamine falling in love with her?

They stared at each other, both of them smiling weakly.

God, she's figured it out!

God, I thought he was going to say me then! How weird would that be? Jesus!

"I knew it all along," Luka said, smiling a little wider. Neither of them broke the eye contact.

His eyes were flecked with teal. He had grown into his body these last few years.

Her eyes were so icy. An ice princess in a far away land, surrounded by snow.

"Hahaha," Len laughed uneasily. "Maybe you're not oblivious at all! Hahaha! We just need to work out who that letter was from!"

"Yeah!" Luka agreed, laughing along with him, with that same unease and awkwardness. That had been so weird. Why did she think that he had liked her like that? That was absurd! Ridiculous! He was just messing around with her, of course. "Hahaha!"

Len felt like he had dodged one bullet, but been hit by another. He had no chance with her now.

The pair sat in flustered laughter, thinking their own secret thoughts. Len had practically told her!

If only they knew.

AN: A close call for Len! This has been the longest chapter so far, so I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you for these reviews, alerts and favourites, and I hope you continue you like this story!:-)