Of Pride and Pain

~Saturday, 11:30 P.M.~

~Len's Bedroom~

"No…"

Len muttered in his sleep.

"Stop it… don't hurt…"

He tossed and turned, sweating.

"Wait-"

"LEEEEEEEEEEEN!"

"Holy crap!" Len jolted up in bed. He swung his feet off the edge and ran to his sister's room. He flung open the door. "Rin? What's wrong?"

Rin sat up in bed, holding her head. "Ugh… I have an effing headache… I feel like crap…" She suddenly gagged.

Len quickly grabbed the garbage and held it under Rin's mouth. She puked, and Len rubbed her back soothingly.

Rin coughed. "Oh, damnit. I must've caught something from that Hatsune girl. God! I hate h-" She hurled into the trash can.

"Calm down, Rin," Len said gently. "You're only going to make it worse."

"Ugh, you're right." Rin took the trashcan and sighed.

"Here, I'll get a bucket, towel, and tissue. Medicine, too," Len said, walking out. In the kitchen, he grabbed what he needed and looked through the med cabinet. To his dismay, what he needed had run out.

Len brought everything to Rin. He placed the wet towel on his sister's head and handed her the bucket. "There. I have to go get some more medicine, so, I'll be right back."

"Len, it's too late," Rin said drowsily.

"No, it's not," Len said. "Just stay there. I'll be quick."

"Not like I'm going anywhere…" Rin said faintly.

Len walked out of his house and locked the front door, then placed the keys in his pocket. It was dark, but Len kept the image of his sick sister stuck in his mind, and hurried to the pharmacy.

He wasn't sure if it was still open, but, due to extreme luck, perhaps, it was still open and just about to close. He went inside and bought what he needed. He thanked the pharmacist and walked out, carefully carrying his merchandise.

As he crossed the street, he heard a voice.

"Damnit. I'm so tired…"

Meiko slumped against the wall of a surrounding building. She was wearing a greasy apron over some fast food uniform. In her hand, she held a bottle of beer.

Len knew it was none of his business, but Meiko wasn't at the legal age to drink. "Meiko-san."

Meiko looked at Len, startled. "Kagamine-kun? What are you doing here?" She wasn't as hostile, probably because Rin wasn't there.

Len walked over to Meiko. "Buying some medicine," he said, holding up his bag. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Drinking?"

Meiko ran a hand through her hair. "I know, I know… I shouldn't be." She smashed the bottle to the ground. "I've just be so… stressed lately…" She laughed coldly. "Why am I telling you this? You should be the least to care, with what your parents did…"

Len cocked his head slightly. "Huh? What'd they do?" he asked, confused.

Meiko stared at him. "You don't know," she said disbelievingly and hiccupped. "You really don't know."

"Yeah, I swear!" Len answered.

Meiko grimaced. "So dense…" She sat on the ground. "Awhile back, my parents used to work for your parents at that, y'know, high-maintenance company."

Len nodded. That's where all their money came from.

"Anyway, your parents decided to sack my parents," she said, waving a hand. "Decided they weren't needed." She shook her head. "Since then, my parents haven't been able to hold down a job. Not a single one. That's why-" She pointed to her clothing. "I've been doing multiple side jobs like this. Fast food worker. Sign holder for advertisements. Those kind of shitty jobs."

Len didn't know what to say. "Meiko-san, I-"

"No, stop," Meiko said, holding up a hand. "I don't need your pity. I know you're being genuine," she said, standing up, "but I don't want to hear it from you."

Len nodded. "Gomen."

Meiko sighed, and turned away, walking back inside the fast food place. However, she stopped before closing the door, and said, "… Kagamine-kun, thanks. Y'know… for listening and all." Then, she shut the door.

Len sighed, and rubbed his head. "Those damned idiots," he said, cursing his parents. No wonder Meiko was so bitter toward them, especially Rin.

As he walked home, he felt like crap. He decided, somehow, he would help out Meiko…

~With Rin~

"A-ACHOO!"

Rin blew into a tissue, exaggerating her sneeze. "Ugh, I hate this…" she muttered, throwing the tissue into the garbage.

The door to her room suddenly opened and her brother walked in, holding a glass of water and medicine.

Rin's expression immediately softened. "Arigato, Len," she said softly, taking the items from him.

Len faked a smile. "Anything for my princess." He glanced away. "Rin, I'm going to get some sleep. Just yell if you need anything," he said faintly, walking back out.

Rin stared at her brother's back, a bit worried. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. She smiled softly. "He's done enough…"

Len literally fell onto his bed and placed a hand on his head. Everything swirled around his head; Rin, his recurring dream, Meiko's problems, and… Miku.

It eventually became too much for him, and he fell asleep, his hand touching the scar on his forehead…

~Monday~

By the time school resumed, Rin was feeling better, and this was due to Len taking good care of her. Monday morning, the twins walked to their school. Rin stretched. "Oh, thank god, I feel better. Now I can properly deal with-"

Len sighed. "Rin, just give it up, okay?" he said, feeling still a bit like crap from what Meiko told him.

Rin turned to her brother. "Are you okay, Len?" she asked. "Lately, you've seemed a lot more stressed and irritated. Is it because of that Hatsune girl?" She turned away. "I don't see what's so great about her-"

"God, Rin, it's not all about you!"

Rin turned to Len, eyes wide. "Len-"

Len looked back, his face red. "R-Rin, I- I don't mean-"

Rin got a cold look on her face. "Well, look who's being a bitch now."

Len couldn't take it. He threw his hands in the air. "Holy crap, you did it again!"

"Did what?"

"Stop being so ignorant," Len said angrily. "You know the way you act! You act, you act like a-"

"A bitch?" Rin cried. "Len, you know that I can't help it! I've been raised that way ever since I was a kid! You, of all people, should know!"

"Don't give me that damned excuse!"

"It's not an excuse, it's truth! Why are you doing this?" She lowered her gaze, tears spilling out of her eyes. "You know. You know… The only person I have is… you."

Len came to his senses. He reached for Rin.

"Stop it!" Rin slapped his hand away. "Don't you dare touch me!" she cried, running away.

Len let his hand fall to his side as he watched his sister run. He buried his face in his hands. "Damnit, damnit… I'm so sorry, Rin…"

~With Rin~

Rin stormed inside her school, barreling past anyone in her way. She covered her face as she walked, shivering and sniffling. "Len, why'd you have to do that?" she cried quietly, feeling like a little kid again. As she was about to round a corner, she caught sight of blue hair. She pressed her back against the wall, saying softly, "Oh, Kaito!" She dried her eyes and smoothed out her clothing.

She started to say, "Kaito-"

"Kaito-kun, good morning!"

Rin pressed herself again against the wall again, slightly surprised. "No way, is that…?"

She saw the green head of Hatsune Miku.

"Hey, Miku-chan, what's up?" Kaito asked.

"Nothing much," Miku answered happily.

There was a pause, and Rin saw Kaito take something out of his bag. "Uh, M-Miku," he stuttered. "I… it's just we had these flowers from Canada and I wanted to…"

Miku blushed, then giggled. "Oh my, this is embarrassing!" She took the flower from Kaito.

It was beautiful, its greens petals dyed a deep red at the tips. There was a simple pink bow tied around the stem.

Rin couldn't help the jealously that boiled up in her…

"How beautiful!" Miku said, smelling it. "Oh, it smells really nice, too! Thanks so much!"

Kaito scratched the back of his head, blushing slightly. "Huh? Yeah, yeah, uh huh. Uh, no problem…"

Miku cocked her head slightly. She put a finger to her lips then placed the finger on Kaito's own lips.

Rin felt something pang in her chest. She bit her lip so hard blood started to flow. She took one, two, three, trembling steps back before completely turning around and running. Again.

Miku heard the sound of footsteps. She turned her head. "Huh? Who was that?"

"… hmm?" Kaito answered, in a daze.

Miku shook her head, laughing. "Come on," she said, tugging on his arm. "Let's get to class."

They entered their classroom just before the bell rang…

…and saw Kagamine Len at his desk, looking sick and tired, while the rest of the class whispered, pointing to the empty desk beside his…


Okay, I'll be honest, I felt bad for Rin while writing this DX

I liked writing the part with Kaito and Miku. Even though I'm not a huge fan of them as a couple, I thought it was cute X3

Anyways~ thanks so much for reading!