I wasn't expecting to finish this chapter in one day. I was expecting I'd complete half of it today and finish the other half tomorrow. However, I had been in an awful mood regarding personal things that happened, so I used my unhappy mood to finish writing this chapter... which worked out well because... well, you'll see when you read it.

Anyways, I'll repeat what I said in my oneshot since I'm sure not the same people who read this fanfic read my other works: I had been busy with school for the past month. I didn't have time to work on any on my fics because I had to make sure that I was doing well in my classes and passing them. In case anyone didn't check my profile, I returned to tending to my fanfics since Sunday. The semester is finally over, and I passed all my classes. I won't worry about school again until 6/11 for online summer school, but I'll try to manage my classes better so I'm not left overwhelmed like I was the past two weeks.

Thank you all for being very patient with me.

Five days had gone by. Miku rarely left her bed. It wasn't due to how weak she was becoming physically. It wasn't because of how hard it was to walk either.

Miku just didn't have the heart to leave her bed for days.

Meiko decided to not force her daughter to go school after the meeting that occurred nights ago. Kaito requested the children to not disturb her and if anything, to find a way to make her smile. As she had been away in her room for days, her four siblings periodically came to see her. Kyo would tell Miku stories of his daily adventures with his friends. Lapis would lie down with Miku and read a magazine with her. Kiyoteru would clean her room up as well as bringing her food. Kokone would give Miku a drawing she did.

Despite all the comfort she gained from her family, Miku couldn't bring herself to forget the pain she received from that night.

"Am I really that much of a nuisance?"

"Do I ruin everyone's mood?"

Another morning came, and Miku continued to have those thoughts whirl around her head. She didn't bother to get out of bed again, so she remained under her blankets as she heard Lapis climb down and dress herself for school. Miku remained snuggling, and even after Lapis left, Miku couldn't bring herself to leave her bed. She continued to lie down, feeling content with the warmth of her blankets as the chilly weather made the room feel rather cold. Not too long after Lapis left, Miku heard footsteps enter her bedroom.

"Miku?" Meiko spoke. "Do you want to get up?" Very weakly, Miku shook her head. "Alrighty, then at least sit up and greet your guests."

"Huh?"

Miku turned her body to see her mother, only to see three more familiar faces.

"Miku! How are you feeling?" Zunko asked sweetly.

"Miku, we missed you," SeeU admitted.

"I heard what happened," Yukari told her. "Had I known your classmates were acting like this, I would've beaten them up sooner."

"Every...one." As it became increasingly difficult to speak, Miku's response came slower than it would have been.

"You don't need to talk," SeeU spoke up. "Don't force yourself if you don't want to get out of bed now, but I really miss you," she confessed.

"I want to go to school with you again," Zunko admitted.

"It's okay if you have to transfer," Yukari told her. "But before you go, at least walk to school with us once more."

Miku's emotions had been berserk since she first noticed her condition was worsening with no cure in sight. For months, she had been prone to crying far more commonly than before, and as soon as her friends admitted their feelings, she couldn't stop herself from bawling. Meiko wrapped her arms around her, allowing her daughter to shed tears on her shirt.

"Go to school, Miku," Meiko told her lovingly. "Your friends are here to take you."

As soon as the tears stopped flowing, her friends worked together to help Miku dress up for school. Zunko and SeeU had Miku dressed up, and Yukari quickly made lunch with Meiko's help. As soon as Miku was dressed and ready for school, Meiko warmed up her car, giving the four girls a ride to school.

Although it was only a fifteen minute drive, Miku felt it lasted an eternity. Although she enjoyed the warmth of her friends with her, her mind continued to whirl around freely. Perhaps they noticed what had been bothering her, for they all continued to spoke to her. Even through the conversations that felt so lighthearted and sweet, Miku couldn't stop thinking of what were to happen if she returned.

"Oh, she's back…"

"Go away…"

"You're a nuisance!"

"You're not wanted here!"

Her mind swirled with possibilities of rude remarks made towards her or worse, behind her back. Miku couldn't break the dark feelings away up until she reached her school. As soon as they got out of the car, Meiko drove off, but not before thanking Miku's friends for their kindness. Yukari, Zunko, and SeeU remained by Miku's side, helping her with putting her shoes on and taking her upstairs to her class. Yukari departed as soon as they reached the second floor, leaving Zunko and SeeU to take Miku to their classroom. As soon as they reached the door, the class was lively with chatter, but when SeeU opened it and took a step inside with Miku, the chatter ceased.

Eyes were on her. Miku shifted uncomfortably, feeling they were thinking what she expected them to think. It wasn't long until the silence finally broke in the classroom.

"Hatsune-san, I'm sorry."

Miku's head shot back up in surprise, and more voices rose up.

"I'm sorry too."

"I should've told you how I truly felt instead of speaking behind your back!"

"I was being selfish…"

The apologies continued to come forth, and Miku noticed how her classmates were looking downwards, a few of them with tears in their eyes.

"We were being selfish…" One spoke.

"We weren't being considerate on how hard this is for you too."

"It's okay if you don't forgive us."

"I won't complain anymore."

The apologies kept going, and Miku couldn't keep together as tears spilled in her eyes again. Noticing she was going to break again, SeeU pulled Miku in for a hug, allowing the latter to cry freely, tears staining the former's jacket. Miku's tears continued to fall as she felt warmth around her.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by twenty other students, all of them providing their warm regrets to her.

"Kokone-chan, I need to stay home today. Len isn't feeling well and mom needs to work. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kokone stares at her phone while standing in front of her school. She has just received the message from Rin. Her fingers type quickly as she gives her answer.

"If you want, I'll stop by and visit after school. Tell Len to feel better."

'Does Rin know what happened yesterday?' Kokone wonders while placing her phone back in her pocket. She enters the building and opens her shoe locker, taking out her school shoes and taking off the shoes she's wearing. After putting on her school shoes, she kneels down to grab her home shoes, placing them in her locker when she notices an unfamiliar object inside. Her fingers went in, feeling a piece of paper folded up, and she takes it out, unfolding it.

"As soon as you put your stuff away in the classroom, please meet us on the roof"

'Huh?'

Her thoughts on what the note could be about are quickly cut short as her phone vibrates in her pocket. Kokone takes her phone out to read another text from Rin.

"Len says he's not feeling good enough for company today. To be honest, I think something is bothering him… but he won't tell me anything! "

'Of course… he's not going to tell her what happened…' Kokone sighs as she replies to her.

"That's fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

Placing her phone back in her jacket, Kokone goes up to her classroom, ignoring the whispers that come as she went by.

"Did you hear what happened yesterday in that classroom?"

She's aware people were looking at her, but only three questions are on her mind.

"She stood up for him… she said everyone in her class was a hypocrite…"

Who wrote the note to her?

"Len used to bully her. Why is she on his side?"

Why does this mystery person need to see her?

"He's going to die anyways. It's punishment for his bad behavior… why is she defending him?"

What is Len thinking right now?

When she reaches her door, Kokone hears the chatter going on in her classroom. Leisure talks could be heard, talks of how cold the weather is, what quizzes are coming up, clubs to tend to, etc. Kokone doesn't waste time as her hand reaches the handle, and she slides the door open. Almost immediately, the conversations die as everyone notices her walking into the classroom.

No one bothers to utter a single word, or so Kokone first assumes. As she places her back on her desks, she notices the facial reactions of her classmates and quickly read fear in their eyes. Are they perhaps scared to say anything at all? Kokone couldn't be bothered. Placing her school books in her desk, she walks out of the classroom, keeping her jacket on as she'll be going back outside.

Once more, Kokone ignores the whispers of the students, heading straight to the roof. Kokone has never cared about how others saw her, and now isn't the time to care.

Kokone pushes the door open, and waiting for her on the roof are two familiar boys.

"Kokone, Lui and I need to confess something to you," Piko immediately speaks as Kokone arrives.

"First though," Lui speaks next. "Thank you for what you said yesterday."

"You're really brave," Piko says next, not giving Kokone the chance to speak. "When the world is against one person, you're the one to speak up. It's like you don't even care that you're against the world."

"It fine," Kokone answers, her voice slightly quiet. "I've always been against the world on my own. I've been fighting for ten years," she admits, recalling the years of standing up for her dead sister.

"I see. I heard what is happening to Len happened to your sister," Lui comments. "I heard she…" Although he doesn't finish his sentence, Kokone knows what the sentence would end with.

"Kokone, I just want to say," Piko begins to tell her. "It's our fault Len has been giving you a hard time at the beginning of the school year." Kokone's eyes widen in confusion, but she doesn't say anything, allowing him to continue. "After we saw Len beating people up in middle school, we befriended him because we thought it was cool," he sighed. "We weren't the nicest people, and I'll admit that I'm currently ashamed of my actions. When Len snapped at you for that accident on the first day of school, he was actually going to go and apologize to you."

"What?"

"Well, even though Len tends to fight people, he doesn't fight them without a reason. He always keep people away from Rin, not wanting anyone to hurt her. I knew that very well, so Lui and I both thought it would be funny if we told Len that you would be close to Rin if he didn't mess with you. It was just one little lie, and we thought it'd be funny to see him mess with you."

"Yeah," Lui says next. "We never thought you would actually befriend Rin, and when it happened, Len snapped a bit."

"I see," Kokone speaks quietly.

'Everything he did was to protect his sister…'

"Piko," Kokone begins to talk. "Do you know why Len is very protective of her? Rin hasn't told me anything, and I don't want to intrude, but I'm now thinking something… something really bad must have happened…"

"Well," Piko begins to answer. "As far as I know, back in middle school, Len had been attacking people because they were bullying Rin. I don't remember how it all began, but there was a rumor spreading around her, and Len hated the rumors spreading. He actively seeked out every person saying something about her, and as soon as Rin was alone, he kept it that way."

"A rumor?"

The bell rings, and with no words left, the three return inside the building, walking to their class.

Class drags on, and Kokone has no motivation to pay attention. At the same time, it seems like her teacher couldn't look at her in the eyes either after yesterday's incident. Kokone's hand, holding a pencil, creates multiple doodles on her pencil. In her mind, she couldn't stop wondering what happened in the past and why it has driven Len to go through desperate measures to protect his sister. The next many minutes, Kokone continues to ponder, reflecting back to the start of the school year, wondering if there has been any clue to what could happen.

Len tried to harm her during the summer…

Len threatened her to not hurt Rin after she gains his trust…

Rune getting everyone against him…

"She's not getting revenge on him."

Kokone suddenly recalls her words.

"Now that she's learned of his disease, she's using it to destroy him."

As soon as the bell rings, signally the beginning of break time, Kokone quickly rushes out of her chair, running out of the classroom and finding her.

'She knows! She was there!'

She doesn't have to search or run for long as she immediately spots her black, pigtailed hair in the crowd of students.

"Luo-san!"

Hearing her name, Tianyi turns around, and Kokone sees her face change to one of surprise as she stops in front of her.

"I need to talk to you about something," Kokone tells her.

"Oh," Tianyi gives a small smile. "Okay."

With the weather being too cold, the two girls aren't willing to go outside to talk. With not much a choice for where to talk as they desire privacy, they settle for the floor next to the roof doors. Kokone and Tianyi both have their lunch boxes so they can eat while discussing the topic.

"You went to the same middle school as Len and Rin, right?" Kokone asks.

"Yep," Tianyi nods and chews her food.

"Then you know why Len is protecting Rin to the point of harming others?"

"You want to know what happened, huh?" Tianyi asks her. As soon as Kokone nods, Tianyi places her box down on the floor. She sits on her knees in front of Kokone as she looks into her pink eyes.

"This will take a while to explain," Tianyi begins, and Kokone notices her normally sweet voice has become serious. "But I used to be friends with Rin and Len since I first moved here from Hong Kong seven years ago."

"I see," Kokone replies, and she stops speaking, allowing Tianyi to continue.

"When I moved here, Rin was the very first person to speak to me," Tianyi explains. "When my classmates were bullying me for being Chinese, Rin was always by my side, and eventually, I befriend Len and Rune as a result."

"Rune?"

"Yes," Tianyi answers. "We were all best friends in the past. Even though Len had his troubles with his mother because of his parents' divorce, we were all a happy group of friends. I'm sure you learned about what happened to his father." When Kokone nodding, confirming she knows, Tianyi continues. "When the news came, Len broke down. He always looked up to him, and he felt horrible for treating his mother badly. That was when Rune stepped in and became a hero… or so we all thought."

Kokone's eyes widen in curiosity, realizing things had gone downhill afterwards.

"In the last few months of sixth grade, Rune's comfort cheered Len up so much that he eventually fell for her. By the time we graduated from elementary school, Rune and Len became a couple. Naturally, Rin and I were very happy for them as they were our closest friends." Tianyi sighs deeply before continuing. "The first summer break of middle school, I went out shopping for my parents," she continues speaking, and Kokone can tell that Tianyi is not only telling her the events of their past, but also reliving the moment as she narrates her the details. "While shopping, I saw her… I saw Rune kissing a boy, and it wasn't Len."

"What?"

To say she's surprised is an understatement, and the next line Tianyi says drove her further to shock.

"Rune was kissing Rin's boyfriend at the time."

Tianyi sighs before she continues.

"Rune saw me there, and she came to me. 'Don't tell anyone,' she repeatedly told me, and then she came to me with a threat. 'It's my word against yours, and if you dare tell anyone, you're dead.'" Tianyi recites from memory. "I foolishly believed her and never told anyone… that's the biggest mistake I ever made."

At this point, Kokone couldn't say anything or even react. She remains silent, allowing Tianyi to continue.

"The last day of summer break, Rin called me, and she was crying heavily. I didn't know what happened, but she gave me her location, and I ran. I ran, worried about her and hoping it wasn't something terrible… when I found her, she was alone in a huge field with grass reaching up to my thighs. She was hidden in the field, and when I finally found her… her clothes were either torn or lying in the field."

"You mean…"

Kokone couldn't finish her sentence, but Tianyi nods solemnly.

"Rin was taken to the hospital, and her mother was worried. Len wanted to beat up the men who hurt her… Rune didn't come to the hospital to visit. The following day, their mother had contacted the school staff, so they knew what was happening, and it was promised to not tell the students at all. However… a rumor spread about Rin."

'The rumor,' Kokone recalls silently. 'Piko said the same thing.'

"The rumor concerned what happened to Rin, but… it was twisted around. Word spread that Rin paid to make older men happy, if you know what I mean." Tianyi forces a smile before continuing. "Obviously, Len was really mad. The teachers found out too and a few slipped out on what really happened… but you know, teenagers! They just want to hear what they want to hear, and they rather hear a sweet, straight-A student was willing to satisfy older men instead of several guys ganging up on her and taking away her innocence." Another laugh is forced upon her face along with a fake chuckle. "Even better, as soon as the rumors went all over, Rune dumped him."

Kokone notices how much Tianyi is forcing a smile while tightly clutching her skirt. Kokone takes note of Tianyi's knuckles slowly turning whiter as she continues.

"Rune told Len that she couldn't believe that Rin would do all that, acting like she believed the rumors, so she dumped him. The next day, Rune was kissing Rin's boyfriend. He dumped her because he believed the rumors. When Len saw them dating, he realized it all along, but it was too late…"

The time passes in silence, with her unable to say anything. She couldn't mutter a word. Her mind has been left blank.

…

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…

…

…

…

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… Miku-nee…

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…

…

Why do people like Rune exist?

AN: First, I want to say I'm happy I returned to working on my fanfics. I really missed working on my stuff, and I don't know if I mentioned this, but this fanfic is my personal favorite to write out of all my works. Second, thank you for reading!