"Do you really love theater, or do you just like being the star?"
"Don't I get a third choice?"
Humming with thought, Miku asked, "Or are you just stupid?"
"That's the one." Len answered.
The entire group spent the weekend at Miku's home. Miku and Len were sitting on the couch as they rehearsed their scenes together, an activity that would have been pretty enjoyable had Len been somewhat of a decent actor. Rin, Nero, and CUL competed in Mario Kart and helped themselves to the snacks Mrs. VY brought for them. IA, Yukari, and Lapis sat by the coffee table and cut out the pictures in magazines for Yukari's new collage. It was a relaxing day for the group. Except for Miku. It was a stressful situation.
"You seriously suck at acting!" she shouted at the blond.
"Anything else you want to tell me?" the boy challenged.
"Yes, you sing high notes better than a girl."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"Not very much a good thing either, when you think about it. It's almost like you never hit puberty or you lack in male harmones."
"Thanks for that, Nero."
"Anytime Len."
"You know what really sucks," Rin began as her avatars began circling the field for a victory lap while CUL and Nero battled for second place, "is Neru got the role of your character's best friend. You would have to be an extremely good actress to convince the audience that you can actually tolerate her."
"Yeah, that's gonna be tough," Miku sighed as she threw her head back.
Setting down her scissors, Lapis stood and resettled herself between the arm of the couch and Miku. She wrapped her slim arms around Miku's waist, buried her head in Miku's mint green hair, and said, "It's going to be okay. Yukari and I volunteered to work with costumes so we will be extra cautious in case Neru tries to sabotage your outfits."
"Thanks for cheering me up, Lapis," Miku smiled as she pat Lapis on the head, causing the bluette to giggle.
Shifting her glare off of the two, CUL added, "And IA and I have been cast as extras so we should have an easy time keeping an eye on you."
"Wait," Nero raised an eyebrow. "How did you get cast as an extra? You didn't audition or anything."
"I have my methods," CUL said as she selected her characters for the next race. "Lets give Rainbow Road a shot next, okay Rin?"
"Righty," the blonde said before telling Miku, "And since I look so much like my dear brother I had no trouble whatsoever talking Mr. Leon into allowing me to be Len's understudy. If for some reason Banana Boy can't preform I will be the one taking his place."
"But, Len's and my characters are each other's love interest . . . ," Miku trailed off. It was awkward enough playing the character who would end up with Len's, but having to pretend to be in love with Rin . . .
"Come on," Rin flashed Miku a wide grin, "you know if you were into girls you would be head over heels in love with me."
Len choked on the lemonade he was drinking and to keep from spitting it out.
A deep scarlet forming on her cheeks, Miku replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure~," Rin sang. "We'll go with that."
"Anyway," Len tried, "Nero, I didn't hear you say anything about the play."
His eyes trained on the television screen, Nero responded, "I'm going to be keeping a close eye on my psychotic twin, that's what I'm gonna do."
"You two aren't very close, are you?" Miku observed, but the grave look on Nero's face told her that such was a wrong thing to say. Rin immediately sensed her best guy friend's sudden mood shift and paused the race before he could get even further behind.
"We were close when we were younger," Nero told the story slowly, "but then something inside of Neru changed. She became somewhat possessive, and she bullied others for no real reason. I swear she used to be the sweetest when we were kids, but for some reason she's not that person any more.
"What really severed our relationship was when I saw Neru picked on a girl in our class during recess. I called Neru out for it, told the teacher, and even went as far as to befriend the girl my sister picked on. Neru went as far as to make me choose between the girl and herself."
"And she's never forgiven him since," Rin quietly finished for Nero. The fifth grader didn't believe that his sister was actually serious when she made the threat, so when Nero had spent the recess after that and the recess after that with Rin it had really surprised and hurt him when Neru had told him that she was not his twin any more. He never understood what he did wrong. All Nero did was be nice to Rin and become her best friend when Neru had been mean to her. There was nothing wrong with that, wasn't there?
So that explains why Neru dislikes Rin and anyone who calls Rin their friend so much Miku thought. She couldn't say she understood, but in a way she now felt sorry for Neru. Putting herself in ten-year-old Neru's shoes, Miku could see how Neru must have felt that Nero was picking some other girl over his own twin. Not that it gives any of Neru's actions any justice, but the information was still the kind Miku could not ignore.
"I hope you kids like brownies!" Mrs. VY exclaimed as she walked into the room, tray of deserts in hand. Noticing the glum look on everyone's faces she questioned, "Who died?"
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"Say, my beloved best friend in the entire world."
Miku snapped her eyes away from the book she was reading as she and Rin walked to government class that Monday and took a deep breath. When Rin adressed Miku that way she knew the blonde was up to something. "Yes, my energetic little friend?" Miku returned.
"Okay," Rin stopped in front of Miku, causing the girl to also halt. The students who had been following behind the two gave the girls dirty looks as they passed them. "What's with the stink eye?!" Rin shouted after them. "There's more than enough room to go around!"
"Maybe they don't appreciate our stopping in the middle of the halls," Miku suggested as she slipped her novel - one her Literature teacher had assigned the class to read and write a report on - into her teal backpack.
"They'll get over it," Rin waved, "but that's not important. What I wanna ask you is, what are you doing for Christmas?"
"Oh? Uh . . . ," Miku began to chew on her lip as she tried to recall any plans her parents might have made. When the results turned up empty, Miku replied, "Sleep in, open presents, and spend the rest of the day marathoning Christmas specials."
Raising an eyebrow, Rin asked, "So no big family dinner? No visiting relatives? No playing in the snow?"
"Uh, not really," Miku answered. "Mom can't cook, and if you were at my house during Thanksgiving you would know that."
"Yeah, thanks for inviting me."
"I was not going to put you through that kind of torture, Rin, so cut out the sarcasm. Besides, I have no relatives. My mom is an only child, and my grandparents are dead. Yeah, Yuma has family, but they live in Canada."
"Why does your step-father's family live in Canada?"
"Maybe the same reason you live in America. Or why Germans live in Germany. Or Brits in the UK. Or Japanese in Japan."
"Okay, I get it, but still," Rin persisted, "no playing in the snow?!"
"It's going to snow here," Miku argued as she looked out the window, "eventually." Rin snorted. It was already December, and not a single snow flake to be seen. Usually snow fell in the area, albeit not enough to shovel one's driveway. However, the year Miku got to live in another part of the world that actually had snow the stupid weather decided to be too hot. It was borderline freezing, but still too warm for snow. For all Miku knew, this could just be another Christmas without snow.
"By the way," Miku came out of her thoughts and returned her attention to her best friend of four months - not that Miku believed four months was as long as you needed to know a person before you can call them your best friend, but Rin had insisted on the title - and asked, "Why do my holiday plans concern you so much anyway? You're going to the mountains, so you won't even be here during Christmas."
There it was. That impish grin on Rin's face that told you trouble was coming and warned you to turn around and flee. "Well, my dear Miku," Rin answered with a purr, "I wanted to tell you that you are invited to join my family as we go to said mountains."
It took Miku a moment too long to understand what Rin had said. "Are you serious?" she finally asked.
"Have you ever known me to lie?" was how Rin answered. "Okay, don't answer that, but why would I make this up?"
"But my parents-"
"Already know." Giggling at the look on Miku's face, the blonde said, "I suggested the idea to my parents during Thanksgiving break. They liked the idea, told your mom about it, and viola! You're spending Christmas with your family and your best friend and her family."
"I . . . I don't understand," Miku whispered. Was Rin for real? Not that there was any doubt in Miku's mind about Rin's integrity, but the scenario was just too unbelievable for the teen. She knew the holiday vacation spot for the Kagamine family was where she had lived five years prior, but never once had she allowed herself to dream of returning. Would the place still be as magical during the winter months as she remembered? How much has the place changed since she'd been there?
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Rin asked. "My mom called your mom and asked her if she would be interested in coming with us for family vacation. Your mom agreed wholeheartedly to the idea and, from my understanding, began making preparations. You're supposed to fly with us the Saturday after exams."
Slowly but surely, the words Rin had spoken began to process inside of Miku's head. "Why?" Miku asked. "Why would you do this for me?"
She had half expected Rin to grin in her signature, mischievous way, but instead the blonde smiled kindly and answered, "You're a great friend, Miku, and a really amazing person. I know you try to hide it, but I can see how lonely you are deep down. I hate seeing you like that. I want to make up for all the lousy years you had because you never had any real friends because . . . because I understand what you're going through."
The confession threw Miku off. Rin, the loud and overly confident troublemaker, understood the loneliness Miku felt? "Rin . . . ?" Miku spoke the name but could not find the words to say.
With a effortless shrug, Rin explained, "Don't get me wrong, I love the girls an awful lot, but they don't really understand me. I used to be the shy kid in the back of the class. Since I'm a tomboy none of the other girls wanted to play with me. Not that I was all that lonesome, I got along with the boys all right, but I wouldn't say any of them were my friends. Of course that's what started the bullying, and from none other than Neru Akita of course.
"She bullied me a bit in elementary, as you already know, and naturally she picked on me for always playing with boys. When fifth grade rolled around . . . Well, you know the story. I always knew Neru had a twin brother, like me, but it wasn't until she was picking on me that day did Nero and I actually begin to talk. He was super shy and very quiet, but so was I at the time so it was something we could relate to with the other. It wasn't long after that he and I became best friends.
"I met IA and Yukari a year after that, and CUL and I became tight in middle school. Lapis joined our little club when she moved here at the start of freshman year. The five of us have always been good friends, but none of them knows what it feels like to be the odd woman out. Okay, except maybe Lapis, but she hasn't seemed uncomfortable or anything for a long time. The point is none of them knows what it feels like to be a part but at the same time feel like a foreigner. Me for the inability to connect with other girls when I was younger, and you for never being in a single place long enough to feel as if you could ever be a part."
The last sentence made Miku feel as if her heart had stopped beating in her chest. Rin really did know Miku better than she thought. When Rin had told Miku on her first day that she was going to be Miku's new best friend the teen originally thought it was because the blonde pitied her for starting a new school on her senior year, but now Miku knew Rin said what she did because, without ever truly talking to her, Rin could see the stand offish nature that resided inside of Miku. There was a mutual understanding between them the whole time, and Rin had always known it. As well as she hid it, Rin at times felt like an oddball around their friends. Not that Rin was different, but she had difficulty feeling as if she truly belonged.
With a small, cracking voice, Rin said as tears slid down her cheeks, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but you are the best girlfriend I've ever had."
Miku couldn't take it anymore. It took less than a second for Miku to wrap her arms around the blonde and pull her close. "You are the best girlfriend I've ever had, too," Miku said as she blinked back the building tears. "My life would really stink right now if not for you. You are the greatest and most amazing girl I have ever met."
"Well, I am pretty awesome," Rin said in an attempt to lighten the mood, going as far as to chuckle at her own joke.
"Yes you are," Miku said. Breaking the hug, Miku held Rin arm's length away and said, "We need to clean up. We're already late for Government."
"At least we will make an entrance," Rin smiled as she whipped away her oncoming tears.
The two girls continued to travel down the now empty halls, their hands finding each other and fingers interlacing. "Rin," Miku said to her friend.
"Hmm?" Rin hummed, her gaze shifting to the other girl.
"I love you," Miku smiled as she kept her gaze transfixed ahead, her hand squeezing the fingers of the girl she adored as a sister.
Returning the squeeze, Rin sweetly replied, "I love you too."
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"Ow. Ow. OW!"
"CUL, maybe you should leave the sowing to me."
"Nuh-uh. I got this. Sonova-!"
Lapis sighed and shook her head as the red head began sucking on her pricked finger. "Perhaps you should have gone with IA to buy supplies while Yukari stayed behind to sow with me." After Miku had her measurements taken and went home to pack for her trip with her family and the Kagamines, IA and Yukari left to go from store to store in search of lacking materials while CUL and Lapis stayed at Lapis's house to work on what they could.
"You trying to get rid of me?" CUL asked over the finger in her mouth.
"More like trying to keep you from stabbing your fingers every two seconds." Lapis didn't know what to do. CUL offered to help sow the costumes for the play, but the red head was bound to sow her fingers to the material before she actually got the hang of sowing on a single button. Not to mention CUL was an excessive bleeder so if Lapis didn't think of something soon all the costumes were going to be ruined by CUL's pricked fingers. "Maybe you should cut the sleeves off of that sweater," Lapis suggested. "We really need a sweater vest, but sadly plain old sweaters are all we can find."
"I thought one of the supplies IA and Yukari were getting is scissors," CUL said, removing her bleeding finger from her mouth.
"That's right," Lapis said in defeat. She needed to get CUL away from the sowing needles and fast. "Want to watch Charlie Brown?"
"Don't we have work to do?"
"It can wait until IA and Yukari get back."
"So just you and me?"
"Yep."
After a moment of consideration, CUL carelessly tossed the clothing aside and exclaimed, "I'm in! I hate sowing anyway."
"Oh thank goodness," Lapis breathed in relief. She didn't know what to do with CUL half of the time.
"Where's the DVD?!" CUL called from the other room.
"I'll get it," Lapis replied as she rose to her feet and stalked to the DVD shelf.
"Just for the record," CUL grinned as Lapis searched for the Christmas special, "this isn't a date."
"Wha-?!" Lapis jumped back and stared at the red head, all the while her own face slowly changed to a shade of bright red. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," Lapis poured as she took her eyes off of her friend.
"Sure you don't," CUL chuckled before leaving to set up the television.
I just don't get her sometimes Lapis mused as she found the Charlie Brown Christmas special and moved to help CUL get the show started.
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Long story short, the trip to the airport and the actual boarding of the plane was stressful the adults and teens both. Miku was so out of it that morning that she almost wore her bra on the outside, and Rin was falling in and out of sleep in the lobby as the adults checked in. After two hours spent waiting - Miku and Len playing with their own pack of Pokémon cards to pass the time - they finally boarded. The sleep deprived Rin was seated by the aisle, but instead of celebrating her place next to Miku and Len she passed out the moment she sat down.
"Did she not sleep at all last night?" Miku asked as she took her seat beside Rin, Len assigned in the chair next to her. It was almost like a Miku sandwich with Kagamine bread, Miku thought but didn't say.
"She barely slept through finals," Len answered as he made himself comfy in the window seat. "Something about 'saving the semester.'"
"With grades like hers she really had to hit the books to make up for the rest of the semester," Miku noted.
"True," Len nodded, "and after adding our leaving the weekend after as the cherry on top anyone can't blame her for dozing off in the middle of an airport."
"Is she a heavy sleeper?"
"Rin? The girl who can sleep through a rock concert? Nah."
"Hey, Len?" Miku began after a moment of silence. When Len met her in the eyes she asked, "Can we switch seats? I want to look out the window."
"No."
"Well why not?"
"Because we were assigned these seats," Len answered. "If this plane goes down and all of us die the forensic officers are going to identify our remains by the seats we were assigned. Sorry, but if I die I don't want my femur to be labelled as yours."
"You're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you?"
"Only the warmest," Len grinned. Miku huffed as she crossed her arms. "We haven't taken off yet. If I notice something worth seeing I will tell you about it."
"Hmmm," Miku hummed, "promise?"
"Promise," Len responded. A nod was the only response Miku gave him. "Say, Miku?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you nervous about returning to the mountains?" Len asked.
"A little," Miku answered as she uncrossed her arms, "but also excited. Who knows how different the town is from five years ago? It's the same place, but at the same time it's not. It could be a week full of adventure and nostalgia for me."
After five minutes of silence and the promise of the plane taking off in ten minutes, Len began, "Hey, Miku?"
"Yeah," Miku frowned when she saw how hard Len's eyes were. "Why do you look so serious?"
Chuckling, Len replied, "I just wanted to ask . . . When we get there, do you wanna build a snowman?"
"That movie is overrated," Miku laughed.
"Fine," Len tried, "how about snowball fights and snow angles, for old time's sake?"
"Well," Miku pretended to think about it. "If you insist." Looking over her shoulder to see an unconscious Rin by her side and both of their parents not too far behind Miku said, "You know eventually we're going to have to tell them that you and I met in the mountains when we were twelve."
"How, exactly, do you plan on doing that?" Len asked.
"I don't know, but if the opportunity presents itself I might take it," Miku answered.
Neither spoke after that. With nothing more to say, Miku picked up her book while Len played one of his handheld video games. Rin awoke a couple hours later and tried to converse with her friend and brother. When conversation proved futile Rin pulled out her phone and suggested she and Miku watch a movie she had downloaded, choosing to ignore Len as Rin's headphones didn't have a third ear bud. The boy responded by playing another movie on his own phone.
"Say, you guys," Miku began when the credits of her and Rin's film began to role an hour and a half later, "Wanna go into town tomorrow?"
"Sure," Rin smiled, "but Len and I have to be back by evening to pick up our aunt, uncle, and Cousin Lenka at the airport."
"One afternoon is all I need," Miku replied. Noticing that Len hadn't heard her over his ear buds, Miku pulled one out and asked, "Rin and I are going into town tomorrow. Wanna come with?"
"Of course," Len answered as if Miku didn't have to ask. "Know what you want to do?"
Smirking, Miku said, "I know exactly what I want to do. Just you wait."
Author's Note: The thing about Rin-Chan came out of nowhere. I wasn't planning on it, it just happened. Isn't it weird how the characters I write never cease to surprise me?
B.A.G-Gomez: Rin-Chan wasn't absent minded, she was dead focused. The poor girl just wanted her French fries! :P
PopCandyStar: Why, that's horrible! D: Some people. . . . I hope you're better now, and thank you so much! It really made my day when you told me that I made yours. :) I now present the continuation.
Black White and Superstitious: Haha, I don't like profanity so I will drop a "zippity do da" if I have to. XD Aww, thank you for the welcome! Can I hug you? I mean, it's okay if not because hugs make you uncomfortable; I can stand a respectable distance away and just smile.
Animeniac4ever: Aww, thank you so much! I'm really glad you like my story. :D
The Super Twins: I replied to your review in PM so other than this waste of space you don't get a response. XP
Awesome D. T: Wait, did you tackle hug me or tackle me to the floor? O-o Hahaha, well I kind of ship MikuXRin too so if you want to not slip into love for the pairing as well you better turn away now or else you will be exposed to constant innocent and fluffy shojo ai of MikuXRin. :P Don't worry, we will be getting plenty more of the girls! I've been considering giving them their own romances so this is probably going to get interesting. *smiles evilly*
Xx-Ikaros-xX: Thank you! And I think everyone loves the only sisterly love Rin-Chan shows Len-Kun. :P
So yeah, nothing to say here. See you guys!
-Ray
