This, Autumn, and DotC are being updated at the same time *cheers* Thanks so much PandaPuppet for reviewing! Of course I will always stick to this story. If this is untouched for awhile, it means real life got in the way. Speaking of which (and saying this in DotC and Autumn as well),

So I'm actually trying to do as much as I can the rest of the month and the next month. Once I start school again, who knows what my schedule would be like orz Last year was just awful as I barely had anytime to work on fanfic (plus my laptop continuously broke down), so I really hope this following year won't be as bad as last year's. However, just in case it is to happen again, I'm doing as much as I can during the summer break.

On to the story~

It had been very boring for her, and Miku was unable to fight. She sat in bed, and just continued to ponder to pass the time. A few days prior, she had been checked into the hospital, shortly after an unusual fall outside her home. After a series of tests, and then several hours in rehab, Miku sat in her room, bored of what she could do. Dr. Camui recommended she'd sleep, but Miku wasn't in a tired state.

When the door slowly opened, Miku turned to see who was coming to visit. At first, it appeared to be nothing. Then in the next few seconds, a bouquet of petals of multiple colors was present. Miku couldn't stop the grin that showed on her face. The door opened more, and came the face of Miku's youngest sister.

"Kokone!"

The little girl entered the room, followed by her brother and his two friends.

"Kyo, you came with your friends too!" Miku smiled.

"I got you some toys you can play with, Miku-nee," Kyo told her happily, handing a bag to her.

"I got some manga for you in case you get bored and want to read," Yu said next, taking out several comics and placing them on the bed.

"Here's some cake, Kyo's nee-sama," Wil told her with a smile.

"That looks so yummy!" Miku expressed her happiness, staring at the cake in awe. "You didn't have to do this for me."

"But we wanted to," Yu smiled shyly. "Actually, we can kind of relate to Kyo a bit."

"Eh?"

"My dad died of cancer when I was very little," Wil informed her.

"And my sister passed last year from this illness," Yu revealed next.

"So Kyo told us about you, and we wanted to do what we can to make you both happy," Wil admitted.

"Oh my, you really didn't have to." There was no way Miku could hold back from tearing up a bit, hearing what they told her. "You two are amazing!"

As the day continued, Wil and Yu had to leave, but Kyo and Kokone remained in the hospital, keeping Miku company.

"You have great friends, Kyo," Miku whispered, lying down on bed, though both children heard her. Kyo couldn't hide the smile growing on his face. Before he could thank her, Meiko opened the door.

"Kyo, Kokone, we have to go home now. Say goodbye to your sister."

The two children bid farewell to Miku as Meiko leaves a goodnight kiss. As she slept, Miku felt reassured, knowing her brother has friends who were willing to help him.

"Len is taking Galaco out on her birthday."

Rin and Kokone have just walked out of the hospital, and they decide to walk around down the city when Rin decides to reveal information her brother would never want Kokone to know about.

"What? How? Why?" Kokone begins to ask the questions of how it even happened.

"Galaco came to visit him in rehab," Rin begins to explain the event. "And Len started apologizing to her because he had wanted to take her out on her birthday. His rehab therapist and Dr. Camui overheard and decided Len should have a day off and go out with Galaco instead."

"And she agreed to this?" Kokone asks.

"Actually," Rin begins to answer. "She didn't look thrilled at all when the guys' faces were turned away, but when they looked at her, she smiled as if it wasn't a problem."

"Oh dear lord," Kokone sighs. "Galaco is playing with his heart. Unbelievable."

"I tried to tell mom about it, but Len had already told her, and she looked so happy," Rin informs her.

"How about Len? Did you tell him?" Kokone asks next.

"After mom left, I finally told Len that Galaco doesn't want to go with him, and…"

"And…"

"Saying he was mad is a bit of an understatement," Rin answers. "He started calling me mean names, saying I was the worst sister because I'm hanging out with people like you, and then he kicked me out of his hospital room."

"That boy," Kokone sighs again. "What's the deal with him and holding on to petty grudges?"

"It's probably because of our dad," Rin answers. "We should sit down," she tells her, as the two girls come towards a bench. As they take their seats, Rin sighs, recalling her past.

"When Len and I were children, we lived with both our mom and dad. I was mommy's girl, and Len was daddy's boy," Rin recalls her childhood, narrating it to Kokone. "But one day, when we were six years old, our dad moved out of the house. Obviously, Len didn't take it well and blamed our mom for dad leaving because it was her who kicked him out of the house. Eventually, mom and dad had a divorce, and Len resented mom for it."

"I see," Kokone comments. "But there was the reason for the divorce though, wasn't there?"

"There was," Rin answers. "Four years ago, our dad was arrested."

"What?" Kokone eyes widen in shock.

"Our mom tried to keep the information hidden from us, but it got on the news and made publicity, so eventually, Len and I found out. It turned out that he had blackmailed several high school girls into doing favors for him."

"Horrible!" Kokone cries out. "Why did he do that?"

"He did it after our mom kicked him out and separated from him. Len and I overheard our mom being interviewed by a cop who asked about our dad, and we heard her explain to him that the reason she forced our dad to leave was because he was cheating on her with multiple women." Kokone gasps upon hearing her, but Rin continues. "Both Len and I were shocked with the news, but it damaged Len much more than it had damaged me, since as children, he did everything with our dad while I did everything with my mom."

"I see," Kokone sighs, feeling sympathetic about Len.

"Throughout middle school, Len found it harder to let go of the small things, and then eventually, he began to bully students who ticked him off, even if it was accidental," Rin continues to reveal the past. "All the kids Len picked on resented me because I'm his twin sister. As a result, I spent less and less time with him and his friends. By the time high school started, I was glad to have been placed in a separate class from all of his friends."

"I see," Kokone mutters. "Len is really hurting now," she sighs. "Did your mother tell him yet."

Rin shakes her head. "Dr. Camui and Lapis keep insisting she does, but my mom is still holding it off, saying she's not ready and such."

"But waiting until he's on his deathbed is worse," Kokone points out. "My brother Kyo's friend, Yu, told me this back in my first year of middle school. When he was little, he had an older sister, and they were very close. Neither of them knew his sister was dying of a disease because their parents wouldn't say anything to them. It was when she was on her deathbed, crying to play with Yu when their parents finally admitted she was going to die." Kokone sighs. "Yu told me, in his own words, his sister began to beg her parents to take her back in time, because there were so many things she had wanted to do with him. She begged her parents to cure her, but when they revealed there was no cure, she cried, saying she didn't want to die over and over."

"Poor girl," Rin whispers. Soon, her phone rings. Picking it up, Rin converses with the caller. "Yeah, I'll come home now," Rin says before hanging up. "My mom wants me home. She's going to take me out to eat."

"Okay," Kokone comments. "Have fun." At that point, the two girls bid farewell, and they both start heading to their homes, both fearing for Len.

Kokone wakes up to see a message from Miki, asking her to take care of the school turtles in her place as she has fallen ill, and Gumi is out of the city for several days. Having nothing better to do, Kokone dresses herself up in a simple pink frilled shirt and jean shorts before departing from her home. Reaching the school building, Kokone begins to tend to Miki's summer job of cleaning the tanks.

It had only taken an hour at most, but Kokone is almost done with her job. With one last tank to clean, she checks her phone and sees it's almost noon. Kokone begins to plan in her head to eat at a nearby diner. Around the same time, students watching or attending the basketball practice begin to leave the building.

"Are you really going to go out with him today?"

Kokone remembers that voice.

"I don't know."

She also recognizes that one too.

"Galaco, you should call off the date. I mean, you don't want to be miserable on your birthday."

"I know. I don't want to have to raise a sick boy for the rest of my life."

The two girls are walking further away, while Kokone's eyes widen. When she stands turns around, Galaco and Nana are already on their way out of school grounds.

Miku-nee...

This is very bad.

I need to tell Len before he leaves.

AN: This isn't pretty :S So thanks for reading!