The Girl in the Ward

I just finished typing up the very first chapter of my long awaited new story, Puppy Mill, a few seconds ago. Seeing as it will be posted by tomorrow (hopefully), and this chapter should be uploaded hopefully a day later, two days later, or on Saturday (December 15th, 2012), I'm going to ask you to please go check it out.

You may be surprised; in a sense, it's sort of similar to this story, but way different in the atmosphere. While this story is kind of light and fluffy, Puppy Mill is the exact opposite: Dark, creepy, the kind of story that makes you think. There's a reason it's in my Darker than Death series! ^w^

I really like it, though. In a few chapters, it may even become my favorite story. That's how confident I am in it. I am sure this will be perfect for me, and the ideas are just flowing.

... ACHOO!

For those who follow my other stories, you may have heard that I caught myself a nice cold. (Damn Canadian weather... OTL) I caught my cold on Thursday, December 6th. It is now December 12th, 2012, and I am still very sick. There are currently... five kleenexes in my little garbage bin since I came up at 9:00 pm. ... ... ... Six. I feel like I've used up a whole box or two during this week of ew.

I don't get how all that snot can fit in a person's nose... bleh. My nose is all red and puffy, and it's starting to get all irritated; I keep wiping it with the back of my hand. At least my throat is feeling better, as well as my tummy, and I no longer have a fever! Hooray! I still feel like crap, though...

But... back to TGW... I do think it's about time for Rin to wake up... don't you? Good~!

For those of you who were rooting for Mikuo x Rin, I may make an alternate Rin x Mikuo ending for you, once I finish the main TGW storyline. So don't go away now!

By the way, this is the 10th chapter! Hooray! We currently have approximately 135 reviews, and I am extremely proud of how far I've come. I can't wait to see how many reviews I'll have when this story finally ends, and how many of you stuck with me all throughout! I hope you've all enjoyed this story so far! ^w^ I thank you all for your support!

Now... Len, you creep. Are you ready for your true love to awake from her slumber?

Len: ... Zzzzzzzzz...

-.o" Seriously...? You're sleeping too? Totally ruins it... Kiyo-san, go kick him out.

Kiyoteru: *grins* Roger that! Heh heh heh...

Enjoy, my magic unicorns of lurve~!

Anonymous Reviews:

Guest: (Or you could not leave Teto alone and... *drumroll* Pair her up with Yuuma! Jk, kinda. They might be able to console each other or whatever. Who knows what this will end in!)
Mm... XD I don't think so. After all, they've never even met... But good idea, anyway. XD ... Maybe I'll just kill Teto off. Heh heh heh...

Milkywayy: D: Uh-oh... Don't die, please! Rin x Len-ness will come along sooner or later... I promise!

Guest: (Wow best chapter I think it was a great idea to have Mikuo and Lin get together.)
^w^Why, thank you~! I'm glad you thought so~! Most of the Mikuo x Rin fans didn't think so... ):

JOJO: Haha, yeah, they make a pretty cute family, don't they~?

Chapter 10 - Four Years Missing

Kiyoteru sighed, smoothing out his doctor's coat as he walked down the white halls.

Why were so many of the patients insistent on loading him with work? Couldn't they just hold in their urges to murder each other for at least a day?!

At least Ruko was doing somewhat better... Though she still lashed out on the people around her, the number of attacks was starting to decrease.

But would that be enough?

After all... Meiko Sakine had also been improving slightly.

Though still violent, her attacks were slowly becoming less frequent.

Perhaps the difference between them was their personalities...

Ruko had begun to open up and show regret, fear, sadness... especially guilt. Meiko had never shown any of those signs; she always assumed she was right, and that was that. Of course she wasn't at fault!

So Meiko was sent away to a real hospital, where they'd perform the EOO operation (1) on her.

Would Ruko be next?

But he couldn't worry about that now; he had another patient to worry about at the moment.

He opened the door of the room said patient was residing, slipping his card key back into his pocket.

When he glanced up, though...

"What? How on earth do you even get in here?!"

As always, Len was sitting on a chair beside Rin Kagene's hospital bed.

He didn't answer or even look his way. Instead, he remained motionless, his head resting on the mattress.

"Hello?"

Still no answer.

He came up closer, and realized the blonde boy's eyes were closed. Ah... he was asleep.

Kiyoteru smiled to himself. It wasn't surprising, really. Considering how often he found Len here, the boy must have been too worried to sleep for the last few nights.

After 5 days of Rin remaining completely motionless, he too was slightly concerned. It was almost like she'd fallen into a mini-coma.

Which shouldn't be normal.

She'd been knocked unconscious due to lack of air, but she should have woken up later that afternoon, the next day at the latest. But now, it'd been 5 days... what exactly was wrong with her?

There was a large bump on the back of her head... had she suffered a concussion? Very possible... but it couldn't be very serious from hitting her head against the ground. After all, she couldn't have been hit very hard...

Maybe...?

His eyes widened.

Could someone be drugging her?

He shook Len's body until the small blonde roused from his sleep. "... Mm...?"

"Out. Now." Kiyoteru ordered.

"But-"

"Now!" Kiyoteru yelled, pointing at the door.

Perhaps Len could hear the panic in Kiyoteru's voice. His eyes widened, and he walked out the door, pausing to glance back behind him. "I'll wait outside."

With that, the door was shut, and Kiyoteru went searching for his box of disposable gloves.

Once he had them pulled on, he grabbed a sanitized needle from the counter, and came closer to the frail girl on the bed (2).

He paused, glancing at the heart monitor. It beeped every second, the pattern going sharply up, then down, in the way it was supposed to. Normally.

Just in case, though, he'd detach her from her IV, in case she was being drugged. That was the most obvious place to inject such a thing.

He wrapped a section of her arm in a black material, then wrapped another about half a foot higher. Then, he plunged the needle into her pale arm, and withdrew some of her blood.

He unwrapped the material from her arm, and transferred the blood into a small glass vial to examine.

"..." He glanced back at the girl on the bed. "Are you going to be okay?"

Of course, he received no answer, and only sighed.

However, her breathing could be heard, if one tried hard enough to listen. That in itself was reassuring enough.

An hour later, his tests came out negative.

All of them.

Not a single drug was in her system.

Then why...?

He shook his head. Maybe the answer would come once he woke her up...

He approached her side, and bent down to his knees.

How to wake a crazy teenage girl up without causing her too much panic...? Hmm...

"Rin?" he whispered, and immediately felt pathetic. If she'd been able to hear him, she would have woken up days ago... there'd been enough commotion in this room for that.

He blew a breath into her ear, to see if she'd react at all. When he looked, her right brow was only slightly furrowed... very slightly, and almost unnoticeable. But she was still somehow conscious in her bodily shell.

He'd never had to wake a patient before... they'd always woken themselves up. So... what could he do?

Simple; professional or not, he'd wake her up the same way he'd wake up any other sleeping teenager.

He reached down to the small cooler in the corner of the room, and pulled out a cold bottle of water. Smiling to himself, he unscrewed the lid... and dumped all its contents on the sleeping girl.

I sit up in bed, spluttering and wiping the water out of my eyes.

"Ma tante! Il ne fallait pas faire quelque chose de tellement... mouillé." I speak in French. "J'allais me réveiller dans quelques minutes quand même..."

I finally look up... and don't see Aunt Haku anywhere. Instead, an Asian man with black rimmed glasses stares at me in confusion.

I blink. "Ma tante Haku...?"

"Rin... are you... talking French?"

I squint at him. "... Who are you...?"

He seems surprised, and not in a good way. "I-It's me... Kiyo-san! Don't you remember me...?"

"..." I search through my memory, trying to fit a name and a face to a past. "...Where exactly... do I know you from...?"

His mouth falls open, and for a moment, he seems to go into shock.

Then, he stands up to his feet without a word, and walks to the door, quiet as a ghost.

"Len... you can come in now." I hear him say. "But... there's something you should know. She's a little... ... well... something happened."

What? What happened?!

I glance around me. I'm in... a hospital.

Oh god...! No way...! That woman... That lady must have tried to kill me! After all, she believed me to be evil, dirty, a living sin... she might have thought it best to rid the world of such an ugly being.

But what about Aunt Haku, who stood in front of me to shield from her? Is Aunt Haku here too?!

The door opens again, and a boy around my age appears.

His cerulean-blue eyes are clouded with worry, dark shadows beneath them, as if he's been having trouble sleeping.

His blond hair is messy, but pulled into a small ponytail on the back of his head.

He's cute... but I don't like boys.

His eyes widen as they see me, cerulean turning a hopeful ocean color. "Rin...!"

He runs up and squeezes me to his chest in a hug, and I blush. Who is this person?! What on earth is wrong with him?!

I push him away, although my puny fists don't really do much. He pulls away more from surprise that I'm rejecting him than of force, it seems.

"... Please get off me..." I mutter.

The boy blinks, and I notice his eyes are damp, teary. Come to think of it, his eyes seemed to water as soon as he saw me... "Rin...?"

"Why are you saying my name?!"

"Rin..." his brows furrow. "A-Are you... angry at me?"

I make a face, and inch back a little. "Who the hell are you?!"

His expression then... you would have thought I'd shot him. Horrified, he backed away from me. "I-It's me... Len...!"

I shake my head, and roll my eyes at him. Whatever. "Do you know what room Haku Honne would be in?" I ask the Asian doctor. "Would I be allowed to visit her?"

The boy - Len - stares back in forth between us, from me, to the doctor, to me again, and to the doctor again. "Is this... real?"

The doctor hesitated, then nods. "I... I think it is."

"... Did you not even listen to my question?" I ask, a little irritation growing into my voice.

"... No way..." Back to me, those blue orbs stare. "Rin... you really don't remember me?"

"Oh, quit it..." I say. "It's not like I haven't heard this one before... 'Don't you remember me from hell'? Terribly overused."

Len's eyes darken in confirmation, and he slowly backs out of the room. Once he reaches the doorway, he turns around, and runs. (3)

"..." I turn back to the doctor. "Sir, you never answered my question."

He clears his throat awkwardly. "U-Um... Haku Honne, you said?"

"Yes... What room is she in?"

"... That's your aunt, correct?"

"Yes."

"... How old are you, Rin?"

"Eleve- (4)" I glanced down at myself, at my longer fingers, my longer legs, and most of all, the two small bumps on my chest. "... I don't know."

"... Do you remember what year it is?" The doctor asked.

"What kind of a stupid question is that?!" I ask, annoyed. "Whatever trick you're pulling, I'm not falling for it!"

"... I think... you may have forgotten the last 4 years of your life." he says slowly.

"... Yeah right." Unbelievable. Even the doctors think it's fun to tease me.

"I'm not tricking you." He stares straight into my eyes, and though his dark brown eyes seem truthful, I know better than to just trust them.

"Really? Then why not have Aunt Haku come here, and tell me herself how old I am, what I've missed, hm?" I can't believe how stupid their taunts have been getting, lately.

"Rin..." he says slowly, and pulls off his glasses to clean them off. Stalling. Plotting his next move. "... Your aunt Haku is dead."

"Ha!" A very nice play; an excuse to not bring in Auntie Haku to save me, along with a hidden suggestion to kill myself to join her. Very nicely done...! "Nice try!"

"I'm not tricking you, Rin!" he repeats.

"Do you know how many times I've been told that?" I ask. "'No, I'm not going to trick you...!' I've stopped falling for that a while ago."

"I can go find a death certificate for you as proof, if you'd like!" The doctor insists, his tone a little louder. Realizing his attempt to scare me was failing.

"What wonders you can do with Photoshop nowadays!" I exclaim. "If only I had the-"

I suddenly gasp. Because, for just a split second... something had flashed in my head.

'Death of Rumored Cursed Girl's Guardian!'

A title on a newspaper.

I remember feeling angry at that article. So angry, even, that I'd tried to find the writer's apartment, to tell him just what I thought of it.
I remember giving up, and sobbing on my knees when I couldn't find him. Overwhelmed with my own grief.

Grief of... what, though?

I am the 'cursed girl'. Haku is my guardian. But of course she isn't dead. There have to be plenty of cursed girls in this world!

"..." The doctor pushes his glasses back up on his nose. "You... You should rest a little. I'll... just... go."

And with that, he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

... Len... Kiyoteru... Some place in my brain is saying the names ring a bell. But I don't recognize them at all.
Although they seemed to know me... I can't think of any place I may have seen them before.

And... what's with this...?

I stretch out my arm, to see how far it will go.

This was definitely not what I looked like before I went to bed. I wonder... is there a mirror here somewhere? I'm curious... What does my face look like?

I try to get out of bed, but there's some strange tube keeping me attached to a monitor. What the...? I pull down the collar of my hospital gown, and find a strange suction cup over my right breast, where my heart should be.

Frankly, I'm more surprised at the fact that I actually have breasts.

I tear it off, and jump as the monitor begins shrieking out a single note. "Ow...!" Covering my left ear, I reach around the table where the monitor sits, find the plug, and pull it out.

The shrieking dies out. 'Thank god...'

I resume my search for a mirror. Perhaps in one of those drawers...?

The first drawer I try is locked.

The second is filled with band aids and wrapping.

The third, with hygienal care, such as deodorant, toothpaste, and- dare I even mention it -tampons. Ew.

Then, I turn, and see a spoon on the counter.

I reach for it, and hold it up in front of me. The image is distorted... but it will do.

I really haven't changed all that much, have I? I still look like me, which is a relief; after all, I don't feel like me, and I'm caught in a world where I'm not the real Rin Kagene.

I have the same blue eyes, the same choppy blond hair, the small nose, the pale skin... although I do look slightly more mature, somehow...

I don't like it here.

I've decided that now.

This is only a nightmare, where people look like me, where doctors are Asian, where Auntie Haku is dead, where everything is thwarted.

It's not real.

That's all I need to do.

I climb back into the bed, and try to relax.

It's just a dream, after all...

A very, very tiring dream... where all goes round and round, in the magical land of Wonderland.

A dream about people... doing... something... what was it? Searching for the last page of the story? But it was ripped out, wasn't it? Who stole it?

'Mitsuketa...~! (5)'

Oh... you did it. The lead actress... the Villager's Girl. Well? What shall you do with the key in your hands? Will you save us? Or will this just be another Bad End Night?

'Ma Tante...!'

Why are you crying? You're dressed in black, and those people are there beside you. You recognize them, don't you? After all, they are your grandparents...

'Ne me touche pas!'

Ah, but these are the grandparents from your mother's side; they won't hurt you! Of course they won't!

'C'est à nous de te prendre bien soin.' The lady says. Didn't they have names? Yes, they did... but you only ever called them 'Grandpapa' and 'Grandmaman'.

So it's true, isn't it? After all, her coffin is right there... why not dare take a peek? Prove what you've been avoiding; that she no longer exists. Now's your chance to find out, is it not?

No! No, no, no! She can't be...

There was a car.

Oh, so you do remember now, do you?

The man in the blue suit told me there was a car. But I never saw it happen.

A mouse runs through the maze, desperately trying to lose the cat at its tail. It finally reaches a dead end, and backs away from the slowly approaching white cat.

Mm... that cat was getting hungry. He was glad lunch had decided to stop running away.

'She's... dead.'

My eyes fly open, and for a moment, all I can bear to look at is that white ceiling over top of me. Yes... ignore all the people around me. Just relax...

"She's... dead...!" But you already knew this, didn't you?

"Rin...?"

Oh... he's back. The boy with the blond hair brought friends.

There's another boy around my age staring at me with just as much worry, with messy teal hair and elfish ears.

A girl with long pink hair and blue eyes.

Another girl with long teal pigtails, who doesn't seem as openly distressed at the others.

A boy with long purple hair in a ponytail. He looks so much older and mature than me...

And then last, there is one fourth boy with dark blue hair, and sapphire eyes.

They all surround me, as if I'm some kind of experiment. What do they want...?!

"Rin... do you know who any of us are?" 'Len' asks.

I look around at each of them. "... You look familiar." I point to the long teal-haired girl. I can't tell why, but somehow, I feel I've known her. Somehow.

Len takes a step back, and they all stare at the girl.

"... Me?" she asks in disbelief. "... Why me?"

"What do you remember about her?" the teal-haired boy asks.

I blink. Suddenly, my vision starts to get blurry. "... I'm tired..." I yawn.

"Rin...!" the teal-haired boy whimpers, but the girl with the pink hair stops him.

"Rin, what do you remember about Miku?" she asks. "Anything?"

I turn to stare at 'Miku'. "... I know her..." I simply say. I had to concentrate on keeping my eyes open, and my mind was growing dizzy.

"Do you have any idea where you are?" the boy with the purple hair asks.

"Do you know how old you are?"

"Don't you remember me?"

"Rin?"

"Rin!"

All these voices... They're giving me a headache. Ignoring my fatigue, as well as the pounding in my head, I shoot my arm out and squeeze my hand around fabric, yanking it towards me.

The teal-haired boy falls forward, pulled by my grip on his shirt.

"Mikuo, is she dead?" I ask, a bit of a hiss in my voice.

His eyes widen. "M-My name...!"

"Haku Honne!" I yell. "Is she dead?!"

"... You mean your aunt...?"

"YES!"

"..." He swallows, and slides his eyes to the side. "Well... from what you told me before... Didn't she die when you were eleven?"

I let go of him, my eyes widened in horror. 'N-No...' My hands are shaking furiously now, but I'm not angry or cold. I'm... ... empty.

There's really no other way to describe it: I feel empty.

"Y-You remembered my name..." the boy repeats. I notice Len glaring at him, and wonder why. Do they not get along? But it's only a fleeting thought. My curiosity has been drained for now.

"I don't know who you are." I answer, my lids drooping once more. 'She's dead...'

"But you just said my name a few seconds ago!" he insists.

I glance around at the other people, and they all nod, their faces as surprised as Mikuo's.

Mikuo... "Mikuo...?"

They all gasp, and suddenly, much like Len had done earlier, Mikuo collapses over me and wraps me into a hug.

Do they not learn?

"Please... get... off me!" I shove his chest. He looks disappointed and hurt as he pulls away. "That was a lucky guess; I don't know you, so please, don't touch me!"

He glances over at Len, who winces, and nods. "... Okay."

"I'm extremely tired, and I'd like to get some sleep, if you don't mind. (6)" I say, stretching out my arms.

For a moment, no one moves, and I consider repeating myself in a sterner voice. Then, slowly, the purple-haired boy closes his gaping mouth, and leaves the room.

Luka stares after him, and follows.

The boy with the dark blue hair glances back at me, then takes his turn.

Len, Mikuo, and Miku stay there, and watch me.

"We... We should go." Miku says awkwardly, elbowing Mikuo in the ribs.

"Ow- Hey!"

She sends a cool-as-ice look his way. "Don't you think it's time to go?" she asks, smiling at him through clenched teeth.

"Miku, I-"

She nods her head towards Len, which Len raises a brow to. "Mikuo, we should go."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Mikuo!" Her volume is almost at a yell now. Again, she slides her eyes over at Len, as if this should provide enough reason.

"I don't care!" Mikuo spat. Hm. Somehow, he understood what she was talking about, even though I'm still blank about it. "She's not your girlfriend yet, so lay off!"

What? Girlfriend?! I don't have a boyfriend! I don't even like boys, for that matter! I don't even really like girls!

"I'm allowed to freaking talk to her..." Mikuo mumbles.

Miku's jaw sets, but she doesn't object.

I still don't understand why she's so angry. I may have wanted them all to leave, but why is she only ordering Mikuo out? Why is Len apparently allowed to stay?

"You're... different." I say to her.

She looks around, as if wondering who I'm talking to. "... Me?"

"Miku..." I try it again. It feels familiar, but... "... I must be thinking of the wrong person. Sorry."

"Oh." She almost sounds disappointed.

"You seem very different from each other..." I say thoughtfully. "I mean... I don't know who exactly I'm thinking of... but she's nicer. You know, gentler."

She bites the inside of her cheek. "..." Without saying another word, she spins on her heel, and walks out of the room. Speed-walks, really.

The two boys watch her go.

"... What did I do?" I ask, truly confused.

"... Do you really not remember me?" Mikuo says.

I sigh. Seriously? Thanks for completely ignoring my question. And I already answered that about, what, 6, 7 times already? "No, I don't 'remember' you. I don't know who the hell you are, and I'm tired. Please go."

He almost looks depressed. He gloomily escapes the room, leaving Len and I alone.

"... Do you want me to try and explain things to you?" Len finally asks.

"Explain what?" I snap. "This is just some weird dream. When I wake up, I'll be in my room, up in the attic, and I'll forget all about this."

"... You tried to commit suicide." He says quickly.

"... What?"

"You tried to commit suicide." He repeats. "You cut your wrists, and nearly died from loss of blood. Then, you came here. This is the Vancouver Mental Institution."

"You mean... a ward...?"

"Exactly." He nods. "A mental ward. There was a misunderstanding, though, and you were put into our room, Mikuo and I's, instead of a girl's room."

I blink. What the hell...?

"You didn't like me at first. But I found you interesting. Different." He admits. "You got me to tell you how I ended up here. You were... exactly like you are right now. Cold, suspicious of everyone, withdrawn... And anything I said that seemed too personal to you would make you blow up emotionally."

"At one point, you told me it seemed like I didn't want anyone getting close to me. Like I was putting up walls between me and everyone around myself." He chuckles. "It was hard not to laugh. I could have said the same about you."

And yet, he says I'm exactly as I was then. He's being quite insulting, really. First, he calls me cold and withdrawn, and now, he says it seems like I put walls between myself and other people. Thanks.

"At some times, I'd wonder if you were bi-polar. You'd start off all cheerful, and then end up yelling at me. We yelled at each other quite a bit, actually..." He trailed off thoughtfully.

It was almost like he was repeating those fake memories to himself more than to me.

"Then your dad came to visit." He smiles to himself. "I have no idea why, exactly, but you told Gumi to bring me with you."

Gumi? Who's Gumi? The name sounds familiar...

"I think that's when I first really noticed you changing. You were friendlier to people. Teto helped out a lot with that, too. You got along really well with her..." he drifts off in a way that makes me wonder who she is- or was.

"Who's Teto?" I ask.

"A friend of yours." He shakes his head. "Not important."

Hmm... That name also rings a bell. "Did... she... have red hair?" I ask, uncertain.

He blinks. "It's... hot pink. But yes, it's close enough. Why, do you think you-"

"Remember her?" I finish for him. "No, not really. I'm probably thinking of someone else again. I think I just had a dream about someone with the same name. That's all."

"..." He hesitates.

"It was after that when Mikuo told you what he did to get here. And..." He pauses, as if trying to arrange the words in his head. "You two kind of... uh... hit it off."

I frowned. "Hit what off?"

"... Became boyfriend and girlfriend." He finally says, avoiding my gaze and blushing slightly.

"... Me and Mikuo?!" I ask, stupefied, then quickly realize my grammar mistake. "Mikuo and I?!"

Len nods.

"... No way. You're..." I shake my head. "No way."

The ghost of a smile appears on his lips. "I felt the same way."

"... And... what happened?" I asked.

"I thought you were too tired?" Len remarks teasingly.

I glare at him. "I am. I'm simply being patient."

"..." He stares at me, in a way that also faintly rings a bell. His azure blue eyes bore into my own, and it almost feels like he's reading my thoughts.

It makes me shiver.

Finally, he sighs. "That's enough for now, I think. You should get some rest. Maybe then you'll remember some more."

"If I sleep now, I'll wake up in my bed, and I'll forget all about this weird dream!" Rin protests. "While I'm here, I'd might as well find out how this weird story ends."

"..." He hesitates again. "I fell for you. I was too late. He's already claimed you."

"... Fell for me...?"

He ignores me. "I tried." He laughs. "I still tried. I came so close, too... You were almost mine. But then, you left for art, and..."

"Ooh, let me guess; never came back?" I ask sarcastically. "Very cliché."

"Your friend Teto tried to kill you."

"Very dramatic."

"You almost died!"

"Truly tragic."

"Rin...!" He runs his hand through his hair. "You really don't remember any of this?"

I shake my head. "You've never told me this fairy tale before, Mr. Len. How could I remember?"

"..." He clenches his fist. "This isn't just a fairy tale, Rin..."

"Isn't it? So you admit it's a lie?"

"I'm not ly-"

"Well if it's not the truth, it's a lie, and I don't appreciate liars."

He beats the bed's hard green mattress with his fist. "God, damnit!" he yells out to himself. "I'm in love with you, Rin! This is freaking reality, and I'm in love with you. This isn't a freaking dream, or a lie!"

"You're lying. No one in their right mind would love me." I say, but I'm not feeling quite as confident as I sound. Why is he suddenly saying he loves me...?! I don't even know him!"

"I love you." He says, staring at me in that same, strange way. "Mikuo loved you. Our friends love you. Even Teto loves you. And even if we aren't all in our 'right minds'- we're in a mental ward after all -I think that should be enough for you. I love you, Rin..."

It almost sounds like he's begging me for something. But for what? To tell him I love him too? I don't even know him!

"I don't believe you." I repeat, my face as stern as ever.

"... Fine." He finally says. He starts to get up, but then remembers something.

He leans towards me, trying to cup my chin in his hand; not to use force on me, or to kiss me, but rather, to make sure I look him in the eye.

I flinch, though, before he has a chance to really touch me. A mixed expression crosses his face, and he dully lowers his had back into place. "Good night."

"... Good night." I say, and watch him leave the room.

Finally, I close my eyes, and am swallowed into a sea of dreams.

Well.

That sure was unexpected, don't you think?

If not for you... well, you could say you saw it coming, or something, but I sure didn't. I'm not even kidding- it was one of those split decision things. All of a sudden, I thought, 'Hey... OH MY GOD, LET'S HAVE RIN LOSE HER MEMORIES!' I had quite a few paths I could have gone down... Like that drug path. I actually spent a good 15 minutes or so thinking of possible culprits, but then decided against it.

Rin doesn't have enough people who hate her in this story. XD She's too nice. ... Most of the time.

Question of the Chapter: Do you think Rin will ever truly regain her memories, and return to the way she was?

Question of the Chapter: If all the characters in this story got stranded on an isolated island, who do you think would survive? You can pick more than one person. Who would die first?

I'm curious about what people will say for the second... XD I'm not quite sure who I'd say myself~! Hmm... maybe Kaito and Miku would survive. Gakupo would die first. Why? ... Because he doesn't have much of a personality in the story anyway, so... yep.

Gakupo: D':

Heh heh... Sorry Gaku-nii~!

Anywho... oh yeah, I'm planning on having some sort of Q&A at the end of this story. I'm still not sure when it will be ending, but I've decided to start collecting questions now. You can ask things like...
-How old are you?
-Were you always planning on having it end up Rin x Len?
-Why did you choose Teto to be the yandere one?
-Why wasn't Meiko there much?
-Where did you get the idea for this story?
-Etc, etc.

Anything, really. Please do~!

Ladeeda...~!

Funny; I started this on the 12th of December. It is now the 20th. I spent 8 days writing this... ^w^" Heh heh... I have an excuse, though. I started Puppy Mill Ch.2 somewhere between that, finished it, and posted it. Yep.

SYNCHRONICITY PART 3 IS OUT.

I was in tears. Seriously. My dad got annoyed. Oh... and now he's denying it . XD Okay, dad...

It is absolutely beautiful. Just... wow. Absolutely stunning. It makes me want to write a Synchronicity story... but god knows how many will appear now that the 3rd part is out. -_-"

I think it was worth the 2 year wait for it. (I only waited 2 years instead of 3. I became a Vocaloid fan in August 2011.) It really was wonderful, despite Rin, Len, Kaito, Meiko, Teto, AND Gakupo dying. XD And Neru. Can't forget poor Neru...!

Speaking of 2011... soon, it will be my 2 year FFN member mark~! I believe my anniversary is February 26th... I think. It was near the end of February. QwQ I can't believe I've actually worked for two years now on this stuff... this is so wonderful...!

Anyway... congratulations everyone for making it to the 10th chapter with me! I love you all so much, my heart could burst!

I mean it. Each and every one of you; I couldn't have made it this far without you.

Naty17

(1) A hint at a story I'm working on... It may not become an actual fanfiction... I'm thinking of perhaps turning it into my first real novel. Of course, it is very probable it will be rejected, so... it's based off Heartbreak Headlines, by Gumi Megpoid (composer: Nem, Art: tama). So... we'll see how it goes. :3 Wish me luck~! Because I don't want anyone to steal my idea, I cannot tell you what EOO stands for... sorry!

(2) Oh my, how that sounds perverted~! ^w^

(3) This was actually a spur of the moment thing, Rin's loss of memory. I figured it would reduce the awkwardness between her and Mikuo, but cause more drama for Len and Rin. I'm not sure how it's working out for me, though... I mean, yes, it's fine, but... I find it was somewhat below my own expectations.

(4) Heh heh... I only just realized something recently. In chapter 2, I originally said Haku died when Rin was 11. (Hence the cut-off 'Eleven' when she was asked her age.) In chapter 3, though, it changed to 9. (o.0) And then, I think it was last chapter, I made it sound like she was 5 when Haku died. OTL I have to remember to keep checking up on my ages...

(5) "Mitsuketa~!" A true Vocaloid should recognize this line; it means 'Found it'.

(6) That's my real self complaining. It's only 11:36 pm, but I'm so tired...!

Here's a challenge: Let's see if we can make it to 20 again this time! You have for the last few times, so it shouldn't be all that hard, but... you know.

Please Review~!