Striding by racks after racks, a certain teal haired girl's gaze fell on a particular rack that held green vegetables with bundled sheaths that practically called out to her. Her gaze examined said vegetable in each of its bundle, even from a few feet away she could still scrutinize it meticulously. As she was standing by the vegetable rack, she caught sight of the bundle of leeks that had the perfect size, perfect color and perfect amount. That's it. She was surely taking this.
Immediately plucking the bundle from the rack and placing it in her shopping cart, she turned on her heel with an intent to head to another aisle. However, the moment she swiveled around she was confronted with the sight of a certain cream haired girl whose azure eyes momentarily took in a look of recognition.
A heavy blanket of silence seemingly settled over them as only the occasional tiny squeak and sound of their shopping carts resounded between them. Not a single word had been exchanged after SeeU had vocalized their need to talk. That was until someone of the two girls decided to take a leap of faith and opened her mouth.
"Why Len?"
The words had a sternness laced with it but the moment it came out, SeeU felt like taking it back and internally cringed for her choice of a first question.
"Why not Len?" Miku countered, picking up a carton of cream from a nearby shelf.
"I get it before but now. I thought it was-"
"A fleeting thing?" Miku whipped around, eyes blazing with something she couldn't quite take in. Then she eventually scoffed.
"Len has Rin now," SeeU bluntly said wherein she had been inwardly hesitating to say those words to the teal haired girl for she knew how much it would hurt her. However, she knew the girl had to face it.
Miku scoffed again," Are you telling me that or are you telling yourself that?"
"What?"
"Face it, SeeU, Len's forgotten all about you," She smirked at her snidely," Afterall, that's what bestfriends are for, right?"
"Shame," Miku added with a certain edge in her tone," I once wanted you away from Len. I should've paid more attention to the girl who blended well with the background. How ironic, that now you're in the background and the stupid girl's in the spotlight. The spotlight that was supposed to be mine."
"It's not a contest, Miku."
Miku 'hmphed'", But unlike you, Len would never shrug me aside. He can't."
"It's not shrugging aside, Hatsune."
" Puh-lease. It's too obvious, SeeU. He's breaking routines with you, right? Even now, don't you guys always do grocery together every weekend? And where is he now?" Miku's eyes narrowed," He's with some- some-"
"He's been breaking routines, with you, hadn't he?"
"Back off!" The teal haired diva threw her a dirty look.
SeeU stopped browsing through the canned good section, turning to fully face the agitated girl.
"Hatsune, you and Len are old enough to know what's wrong and right, what can last and what can't," SeeU gave a strained smile,"… what's real and what's not."
"…"
"It's not my place to tell you guys what to do. Because really, it's your lives," SeeU said solemnly.
Then all of a sudden, Miku laughed bitterly," Even after all this time, you're still looking after him when it's Kagene's job now."
SeeU smiled," I'll be going now. I hope this conversation served its purpose."
SeeU started pushing her cart and walking towards the direction where the cashier was. When she had been at a certain distance from the diva, she abruptly turned around to face the teal haired girl.
"And Hatsune, just because you can't say those words to yourself don't go start thinking that you should say those to me instead," She smiled," By the way, sometimes we chase after something for a long time, so long that we're afraid of what would happen if we do stop chasing so we tell ourselves that, that's the only thing we can do and know. But sometimes when we slow down and stop running after something, we can let good things catch up with us."
And with that she left the addressed girl to sink in her words.
SeeU had just been trudging along her usual path home when she noticed a slick black car, in front of a certain house, which certainly was not there that morning. Ambling forward and nearing said house, she couldn't help catch sight of a certain man wearing a red peacoat and black dress pants standing in front of Len's front door, probably waiting for someone to open said door.
"Mr. Kagamine?"
Upon hearing his name, the addressed man swiveled around to see her.
"SeeU?" He smiled warmly," Hello. A wonderful timing you have. I was wondering if Len was home."
"I think Len's not home right now. He's probably with his girlfriend," SeeU replied.
Minutes later, she finds herself sitting across Mr. Kagamine inside her living room a cup of hot tea placed each in front of them. The abrupt guest was silently taking a sip of his tea while the sound of the clock ticking by was the only noise in the abode.
Mr. Kagamine, she thinks and can't help but notice, had the exact same shade of blonde hair as Len. Len probably got that from him but wasn't his mom blonde too? Anyway, the younger Kagamine took after his father, no doubt about that. The one distinct difference they had were their eyes, while Len had mesmerizing cerulean eyes his dad had warm auburn eyes that spoke of wisdom and experience in his years. Not that Mr. Kagamine looked that old, in fact said man looked otherwise. The first time she met him she thought he was Len's older brother. Even now, if someone who didn't know of their connection would look at the two they'd probably think that they were just brothers. Mr. Kagamine also had a warm aura exuding from him and she could see that he loved his son very much regardless of circumstance.
"I didn't know Len had a girlfriend," Mr. Kagamine said, pulling her away from her train of thoughts while he soundlessly placed his teacup back on its coaster.
"Well, he's grown up."
"Yes, they grow up so fast," It could've been her imaginations but it was like there was a sad tinge lacing the man's tone as his eyes momentarily softened," Honestly, I was always expecting you two would be together."
She tried to smile humorously," It's not like that, Mr. Kagamine. And besides, Rin's wonderful."
"She must be if Len is spending so much time with her," He smiled, gaze lingering on the teacup below, fingers absentmindedly tracing the pattern on its porcelain surface," He never goes home anymore."
"He must have had his reasons."
"I just want him to spend Christmas at home this year but he seems as if he wants anything but that," He smiled sadly.
"Is that why you visited?" She asked painstakingly. Karasu Kagamine while being a father, had a company to run and seeing him at an hour where he should be at work would merit a very good reason for it, she thought as she remembered a business magazine that featured said man once.
"Yes, I'd been hoping he'd be home by now."
"Don't worry, I'll tell him as soon as he gets home."
"Thank you, SeeU."
"I'm glad to be of help, Mr. Kagamine."
After finishing their cup of tea and exchanging a few more words, Karasu Kagamine decided it would be best if he gets going. He opted to bid her goodbye but not leaving before he said something that struck something in her.
"SeeU, thank you for looking out for Len after all these time," He had then smiled before he stepped inside his car.
The blonde girl couldn't help but stare at the retreating figure of the car at a distance.
Around 6:05 p.m. , SeeU opted to pay Len a visit, figuring the shota should've been home by then, intent on informing said guy of his dad recently dropping by.
When she walked through the doors she was surprised to see Len lounging on his couch, watching some show on tv, without Rin. It was almost impossible to see the two apart these day. It was like they were joined at the hip.
"Where's tweedle dee?" SeeU asked before she could stop the words, too puzzled at the spectacle.
Len arched a brow at this," Well, hello to you too, SeeU. Rin's with her parents, something about family night."
"Speaking of family," SeeU started, subtly drawling," Your dad dropped by. He wanted to tell you that they were expecting you home this Christmas."
Len stood up from his perch and busied himself with getting water in the kitchen, hiding his expression by turning his back," I'll think about it."
"And you'll never show up, won't you?" SeeU asked, knowing Len when it comes to this.
"Why do I even have to come?" His tone raised a bit," Rin invited me to spend Christmas with her this year."
"And?"
"I accepted."
Flashes of cold winter nights and the two of them spending Christmas together in front of Len's fireplace seemed to momentarily flood her mind as she instantly shook them off.
'Not this year,' she inwardly chides her mind.
"But Len-"
"I'm spending Christmas with Rin this year," Len firmly said.
"Your dad wants you home. You should've seen the look on his face."
If she was anyone the way Len momentarily stiffened would have gone unnoticed by her but not her, she knew Len all too well to not see it. He averted his gaze from her.
"I don't care," There was a subtle strain there as Len spoke it softly.
"Your family misses you, Len," SeeU pressed.
Len merely looked at her and smirked sarcastically," Family. Right."
"Would it kill you to visit home for once?" SeeU furrowed her brows at him, slightly vexed at his stubbornness.
"I don't know, but does the feeling of dying counts? Every time I'm in that place you call "home" I feel like dying," Len suddenly snapped and then…" Rin's my home now."
SeeU mustered everything she had to school her expression to remain neutral and unaffected.
"Okay, Kagamine," She said stiffly," If that's what you want."
Then she just left.
As soon as she arrived home she went straight to her room, unknowingly throwing her bag to her dresser. It accidentally knocks off a certain picture frame on said dresser, making it shatter on the floor. The sound instantly catches her attention and SeeU sees the picture of her and Len on the ground, frame and glasses shattered and broken.
"Face it, SeeU, Len's forgotten all about you," She smirked at her snidely," Afterall, that's what bestfriends are for, right?"
Before she knew it, she finds herself bending down and picking up the pieces.
"Shame," Miku added with a certain edge in her tone," I once wanted you away from Len. I should've paid more attention to the girl who blended well with the background. How ironic, that now you're in the background and the stupid girl's in the spotlight."
She didn't even flinch when she felt a twinge of pain. She just stared at her finger as dark crimson liquid oozed from it.
" Puh-lease. It's too obvious, SeeU. He's breaking routines with you, right? Even now, don't you guys always do grocery together every weekend? And where is he now?" Miku's eyes narrowed," He's with some- some-"
She finds herself letting out a tight smile as she stared at the picture of her and Len wherein she looked at the camera with her eyes faintly wide with surprise and mouth slightly parted. Len was beside her, a hand on her shoulder, tugging her to face the camera while he smiled at the aforementioned camera. He had a rare smile on his face, features devoid of any paint unlike her and he had his bangs tied back
" Rin's my home now."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I AM SO SORRY GUYS! I'M REAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLYYYYYY SORRY FOR FAILING TO UPDATE FOR A LONG TIME. I GOT INTO UNI AND I DON'T LIVE AT HOME RIGHT NOW. I LIVE IN A CONDO IN THE CITY WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE INTERNET CONNECTION AT FIRST. I HAD TO ADJUST TO LIFE AWAY FROM HOME. AND NO, I'M NOT IN COLLEGE, I'M STILL A HIGHSCHOOLER IN UNI BTW. EVERYTHING'S REALLY DIFFERENT AND HECTIC. AND I'M REALLY SO TIRED. I'M SORRY, GUYS. SO BACK TO THE STORY, HOW WAS IT? FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK