Here's the next chapter! I'm trying something new, I'm responding to your reviews!

Azure-Blue-15- Hi, it's okay! You've been following this story from the start, I really appreciate it! And I understand the pain of lack of Wi-Fi. Once, I went a whole week without it and I almost died! And I'm okay, I just tripped and my wrist was the one to take the blow. It's healing now but I'm okay! I'm glad you love Rinto, he'll have a big part later on. And that's an interesting idea… That would have been a great twist.

Okay! I have an announcement at the end, so make sure to read it! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Vocaloids.

Rin's POV

"So, Rin-chan, who's your boyfriend?" Gumi asked, her eyes sparkling like Miku's.

I groaned in dismay. "He's not my boyfriend." I replied, a slight blush on my cheeks.

"Eh?! Really?! But he's so cute!" Gumi gushed. "He looks like you! You could be twins!"

I gave her a weird look, questioning her sanity right now. "Twins?" I asked and she nodded. "Yeah! But if you don't like it, then you guys can be…mirror images!" She exclaimed, eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Mirror images? Gumi, are you feeling okay? Did you have a lot of sugar this morning?" I questioned, stretching as the dancers began to leave the stage.

Gumi pouted. "I'm just saying it's a bit unusual for you to have guy friends."

"And why is that?"

"Well, you always turn the poor guys that ask you out and you rarely hang out with boys. I think the only ones you talk to are Kaito and Rinto." Gumi explained, her answer sounding very similar to what people have been telling me.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay but I still don't see your point."

Gumi patted my head. "Oh, my dear, young girl. Y-"

"Young? I'm older than you." I pointed out, amused by her motherly behavior. Gumi is fifteen-years old, almost the same age as me.

She gave me an exasperated look. "Geez, let me finish." She whined. "Okay, my dear, old girl. I'm just saying that if you do have a boyfriend, it's okay. I won't judge you. Try to open up."

"I don't have a boyfriend." I repeated.

Gumi smiled. "Fine. You don't have one. But if you ever did get one, know that it's okay to say it. You can trust me and release all your feelings. I'm here for you." She assured, her green eyes revealing that soft side of her personality. Gumi might be very outgoing, loud, crazy and many more things but she can also be very sensitive and timid when it comes to her true emotions.

I grinned. "Gumi, that was very beautiful."

She beamed, standing as straight as she could. "Thanks!"

"Okay, everyone to your places. Rin, center please!" Lily ordered, coming up on stage to talk to me.

Lily is my choreographer. She's got blonde hair that reaches down to her waist and blue eyes. She's really pretty and a lot of people think that we're related because we look so similar. But she's not, although I do consider her as family. She's helped me a lot and it may seem like she's very scary but the truth is that Lily is kind of like Miku. She can be very childish and immature at times, it's funny.

"Rin, you're going to start with Kokoro. The dance is a bit different from last time, you'll have a costume change in between the song." Lily informed me, a big piece of cloth in her hand. "Here. The plan is to have you wear like some cloak, looking lost and unsure."

"And then?" I asked as I grabbed the cloth and placed it around my shoulders.

"Well, you're going to twirl around and the crew backstage will be waiting, pulling the cloak and revealing your append outfit!" Lily exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight.

I blinked. "Append outfit? What's that?" I asked, completely clueless about what she was talking about.

Lily frowned, a sigh escaping her lips. "You haven't heard about your append outfit?" I shook my head which caused her to groan. "Rin, you have a new outfit."

My eyes lit up. "I do? That's great! Can I see it?"

Lily smiled. "You can do that later. But for now, let's rehearse. Okay, Rin. The dance should be simple. Now, follow me." Lily instructed, snapping her fingers which cued the music. Here we go…

"Oh, God. I'm tired." I laid on the stage, my hair pulled back in a ponytail in an attempt to feel less warm.

Like I said, Lily's fun but she's strict. She'll make you do the whole dance again if you even manage to make one small mistake. It helps me learn and it also helps me sweat which I'm not very fond of.

"I'm gonna die." Miku said, sitting down as she fanned herself with a piece of paper. "It's not even my concert, why did I do so much?" She asked, her pigtails wrapped in side buns.

I laughed. Miku got here like thirty minutes after I did. She's helping me open up the show and with the big finale. I like being up on stage with her because it makes me feel more secured and it's way more fun. She's manages to get everyone dancing with her. There's just no way you can hate this girl.

"Well, Lily-san had us do Shake It! And Viva Happy like five times each." I replied, grabbing the bottle of water that one of the staff members was offering me. "You know her, the dance has to be perfect."

Miku groaned. "Ugh… Life is so complicated… I don't know how Gumi can handle it."

I nodded, glancing at the green-haired girl who was still high on energy. Gumi will sing occasionally with me but she's almost always in every dance. She's a very talented dancer that rarely gets tired.

"Hey! Guys, that was really...long." Rinto said as he walked up on stage, Len and Lenka following behind. Rinto got here a while ago and I assumed he was done with whatever he went to do.

"Thanks." I replied as I stood up and turned to Lenka. "Did you enjoy it?" She nodded happily, her blue eyes shining with excitement. I giggled, patting her head before taking another drink of water.

"The whole thing looked amazing." Len said as I placed the bottle down, using my free hand to wipe away the remaining drops of water near my mouth.

"Thank you. I just hope this concert goes well." I looked over at Luka who was approaching us which made me remember the big news. "Luka! Can I see my append outfit?" I asked, jumping a bit at the thought of a new signature outfit. I really need a change. I love the old one but variety never hurts, right?

Luka shook her head. "Nope. Not today. You'll see it tomorrow." She smiled, amused by the pout on my face. "Come on. Go pick up your things and rest. You're done for the day."

I nodded, rushing to the dressing room and getting my bag, desperately wanting a shower.

When I came back, Rinto was already leading Len and Lenka outside. I smiled at how well they got along with Rinto. I turned back and waved to everyone. "Good job, guys! Thank you for your hard work today!"

"Good job, Rin!" They all replied in unison, already a habit for us to say this after any rehearsal.

"Bye!" I yelled before running out the door. The slight breeze felt nice against my warm face, cooling me a bit.

I got into the car and placed my seatbelt on, ready to head home.

The car ride was quiet, the radio was the only thing that filled up the silence. I glanced over at Rinto and noticed how pale he was. Was he always like this? I don't recall seeing him that colorless…

"What's wrong, Rin?" Rinto must have sensed my gaze on him and not wanting to cause any further arguments, I shook my head. "No, everything's fine." I lied. Everything was not fine! How can things be fine when your brother is hiding something and he refuses to tell you? I'm not being too dramatic about, am I? I mean, Rinto and I always took care of each other ever since our parents died. It's natural for me to be concerned about his secret… I just want to protect him like how he's protected me all this time…

"Rin?"

I jumped slightly at the voice, pushing away my thoughts and focusing on the person who spoke. "Yes?"

Rinto glanced at me quickly, his eyes trying to focus on the road and me at the same time. "You were spacing out. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, concerned about me.

I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm fine. I was just thinking." That's not a complete lie… I was thinking. Thinking about the secret that Rinto is hiding from me. Ugh! This is torture! We've always told each other everything, there were no lies or secrets between us. What happened? What changed?

Len's POV

When we got home, Rin went straight to the bathroom, stopping at her room to pick up clean clothes. I stayed in the living room with Lenka, thinking about what happened. Rin came out cheerful and during the car ride, she changed. That lively spirit of hers was replaced by a gloomy atmosphere. Even when she spoke to Rinto, there was some sadness in her voice.

"You alright, Len?" Rinto asked me as he sat down on the couch next to me.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, thank you." I replied, watching as he turned on the TV. "Hey, Len. Can I ask you something?" Rinto asked, startling me a bit. I nodded. "You've always watched over Lenka, right?" I nodded again. "How do you do it?"

I blinked, confused by his question. "What do you mean?"

Rinto removed his attention from the screen and placed it all on me. "It can't be easy, can it? Taking care of another when you yourself need protection as well… It's hard, isn't it?"

I looked down at my hands, knowing very well what he meant. These small hands are the ones who held Lenka when she was cold or scared. These bruised and cut hands are the ones who suffered from harsh winters and hot summers. These hands are the ones who try very hard each day to bring happiness and peace to Lenka. I don't want her to suffer. I want her to have a normal life. But how can I accomplish that selfish request when I'm too weak to even protect myself?

Rinto's right. I wish to be a knight but I need one for myself. I'm a human. I'm not immune to pain… But it's funny how we wish to protect others from suffering when we can't prevent ourselves from the harsh pain that the world might throw at us.

Yeah, I know how that feels…

"It's not easy. It will never be. But, we'll keep trying our best, right?" Rinto said, a sad and regretful smile on his face.

I bit my lip, wondering why he was asking something like this. "Yeah, we'll try our best." I whispered, glancing at Lenka who had fallen asleep on the couch. I'll try my best to protect that innocent smile…

"You know, we're kinda on the same boat. We both lost our parents and we're here, trying with all our effort to protect our sisters." He said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let's keep up the good work, okay?"

I blinked, surprised by his cheerful smile. I nodded, my eyes casting down to the floor. "You're pretty strong, Rinto."

"Eh?"

"From what I've seen, you've managed to always have a smile on your face. Rin really seems to depend on you." I said, not knowing where I was going with this. "You've done an amazing job at taking care of her." I looked up, waiting to see his reaction.

Rinto stared at me before a big smile appeared on his face. "Aww, thanks. You've also done a wonderful job with Lenka. She's very sweet. I only wish for Rin to be that kind and calm." He joked, his blue eyes sparkling as he spoke of his sister. "She can be really loud and annoying at some times. But I'm not complaining. I'm really glad she's this full of life after losing our parents. I was worried she would be depressed but thankfully, she turned out okay."

I looked at the floor, my mind trying to picture a depressed Rin. The image of the sad blonde from today in the car came to mind. And for some strange reason, my chest started hurting. It felt weird. It was as if her pain...was my pain. It was like I was trying to share her pain, not wanting her to be carrying it all on her own…

"It's hard losing your family. I didn't want to believe it at first. I was scared. I didn't know what would happen… I felt lost." I told him, my memories going back to that day when our house burned down. I was just clutching Lenka's hand, praying and begging that the whole thing was just a nightmare.

It was. But it wasn't one of those where you can wake up from. It was a real nightmare in my life. My parents… They were gone… I couldn't do anything but just watch as the red flames engulfed every part of the house. I didn't want to watch anymore, I took Lenka and ran away, hoping to run away from reality.

Back then, I still thought my parents had survived but after a few days out in the streets, I realized they were gone. They were really gone. I would never see them again. I would never hear my mother play her beloved violin again. I would never hear the voice of my father again. I would never get to feel their warmth again. They were gone… Gone from my life and the world.

"I was absolutely devastated but there was one thing that kept me going. Lenka. She was still pretty young and I knew she would feel even worst than me. I had to continue with my life and I had to really take the role of Lenka's big brother." I continued, my eyes softening as they landed on Lenka's sleeping form. "She doesn't know how cruel the world can be. I don't want her to see it. I… I just wish to prevent any more tears from falling from her eyes." My eyes were getting watery and I quickly wiped them before I started crying, apologizing to Rinto for getting too emotional.

"It's okay. I know the pain as well. Rin's smile is something precious. It's something I wish to protect. Like you said, the world out there is harsh. I don't want her to encounter that anymore." Rinto said, his blue eyes getting distant. "I wish for her to be happy and until the day I die, I'll keep doing my best to make that possible." He let out a sigh, a playful smile on his face. "Ah, we're such good brothers…" He joked and I laughed a bit, a small smile forming on my lips.

"Guys! I'm hungry! What should I make for dinner?" Rin asked as she entered the room, her hair pulled up in a bun. Rinto placed a hand on his stomach. "I'm fine with anything, all I need is food." He answered which made Rin giggle. "Then, go ahead and eat your cereal, since you do make it so special." She replied, sticking out her tongue at Rinto before turning to me. "Do you have any requests, Len-kun?"

I shook my head. "Anything is fine, thank you."

"What did I say about thanking me?" Rin reminded me, hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at me playfully. "Sorry." I bowed my head, embarrassed that I forget her only condition.

"It's fine. I'll make… Chicken and dumplings!" She announced before heading to the kitchen. I smiled slightly at how enthusiastic she was. I can see why Rinto wishes to protect that smile… I would too…

Ah, it's done! I want to thank everyone who reads this and for all the people following this story! Now, I'm getting emotional…

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I would appreciate it if you gave me your comments. I really like reading them and they help me stay motivated.

Hopefully, I don't take too long to update but things are pretty stressful right now and I'm excited because my birthday's coming up! It's still a few weeks from here but I just get nostalgic, thinking I'm turning old...

Oh, I said I had an announcement. I do. This is the last chapter where things aren't too depressing. From now on, the rest of the chapters should have more pain and heartache, I mean, this is a RinxLen story… There should be a lot of tears and suffering.

Please review! Until next time!