A/N: Just a quick content warning for near the end of this chapter. Though it's not necessarily entirely forceful on the character in question's part, there is still the theme of fear/regret regarding their actions. If you wish to skip over the scene in particular, please do so. :)

…

Chapter Seven: Inevitable Regrets

...

I'm lying on my back in my bedroom, awake at an inconceivable time, the only light sources being one from the small lamp… and one from a phone. It's at least 2am by now, but I can't put the phone down. I'm holding it in front of me, resting it on top of my chest while using two thumbs to tap away at the screen. The light spilling forward from the screen doesn't seem too bright to me; it hasn't caused my brother to wake up, at the very least. I started texting Kaito a couple hours ago. He sent a text to me first at around midnight, saying he couldn't sleep because he keeps reliving the excitement of our first date – and he's too overwhelmed with anticipation to see me again on Monday. I'd be lying if I told him I didn't kind of feel the same way.

Ever since that time, we've just been sending each other funny little messages and pictures. I don't even realise how late it's become, since we always find new things to tell each other through text. I've been chewing on my lower lip in an attempt to keep my mouth shut, so that my giggles don't disturb anyone in the house. I mean, I don't care if I wake my brother up. But if Mother and Father find out I'm still awake at this hour, they'll most likely freak out and confiscate my phone.

'We really should sleep soon. Gotta get up for school nice and early!' I tap out those words, taking a couple moments and then sending it to Kaito. We have to be fully refreshed for our performance tomorrow. It's not until after school, but we're probably going to be spending the entire day in the main assembly hall, practicing our butts off.

About a minute later, Kaito's reply comes through. 'Yeah, sucks. All I wanna do is talk with you.'

Aw, he's so cute. Smiling like an idiot at my phone screen, I answer. 'Plenty of time for that tomorrow. I don't wanna get caught on my phone so late anyway.'

'Aha, I understand. It's no problem for me but I'm pretty tired now.'

'Okay. See ya tomorrow. Night.~'

'Goodnight, princess.'

Resisting the urge to squeal with happiness, I roll onto my side and turn my phone screen off. I reach over to my bedside table and place my phone on top of the wooden surface. I let out a small, satisfied sigh, snuggling up under the covers and then attempting to fall asleep. Even though my eyes are closed and I'm fairly sleepy, my mind won't be quiet. There's so many things on my mind; it takes me a long time to finally get to sleep. And, unsurprisingly, the first dream I fall into is that same old repetitive fairy-tale.

…

[Len Kagamine's P.O.V]

Getting involved with Luka Megurine was quite possibly the worst mistake so far in my life. I was still fairly young at the time, so naturally, nothing was able to compare. But even after all that had happened, this was still ranked at the top as the worst. The day Luka Megurine transferred into our school, I was quite apathetic about the whole situation. My sister and Meiko were eager to meet a new student – eager to have someone else join our friendship circle. I couldn't care any less; I was content with the number of friends I already had. But, being as hyper and ecstatic as she was, Meiko tried hard to pull this new girl into our group.

According to Rin, this new girl seemed like trouble, and wasn't worth trying to convince. She was, in my sister's words, 'just like the others'. I knew exactly what she meant, and part of me was relieved to hear the news. So, I knew I had to stay out of this new girl's way. It only took the rest of the school day for Luka to fit into her own group of friends. At that point in time, the three cronies were more commonly referred to as 'the three witches'. They were just as mean as ever, and Luka fit right in – but somehow, she was crowned as their queen, and became leader in no time. Perhaps she was the fiercest of all witches.

I had done well to avoid this new girl for quite some time. A whole week passed by before she acknowledged my existence. I was barely aware of her existence myself; I didn't care what she got up to, as long as she stayed away from us all. However, on the day she formally introduced herself to me, I was alone. My sister was at home, sick from a mild cold. Meiko and Miku were elsewhere together; Kaito and Piko said they had to study during our lesson break times.

I didn't mind being alone, of course. I've always been indifferent when it came to feelings of loneliness. But on that day, I wish someone was there beside me, to put Luka off from coming up to me. I was minding my own business, really, sat at a small table inside the school's cafeteria. It was lunch time, and since I was alone, I had tuned out all surrounding sound. So, when I was brought back to reality by a repeating voice, I was just a little bit irritated.

When I blinked and looked up at the one who was repeating my name, I saw that newly transferred student with long pink hair. Her deep blue eyes were staring right into my soul, in an expectant manner. Rin told me to just ignore her, but it seemed as though she wouldn't accept any ignorance I showed. Giving a sigh at last, I spoke as little as possible. "Yeah?"

"Mind if I sit here…?" She spoke quietly, strangely requesting to join me at the small table.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, wondering how to respond to such a forward request. As much as I wanted to follow Rin's orders to not speak to the new girl, I couldn't bring myself to answer rudely. After all, this girl hadn't done anything wrong, at least not yet. So, any anger I threw at her would be unjustified and simply rude. Giving a shrug, I told her she could sit.

Luka sat down rather stiffly, and I got the feeling she was uncomfortable, or she at least felt shy, perhaps. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and folding one leg over the other, she gave a sincere smile before talking. "I hope you don't mind me being here, so suddenly. I've just seen you around, and you seem so… mysterious. I really would like to get to know you better."

A lot of girls told me I was 'mysterious'. I didn't understand how they came to such a conclusion. I just kept to myself, only said what was necessary, and got on with my days. It wasn't like I always had a serious face on. I messed about just as much as my friends did. Although every part of me was screaming, telling me to make Luka move away, I foolishly did not listen. This was my only chance of an escape. "I see… So, what d'you want to know?"

Those conversations started off as mostly friendly. It seemed like she just wanted to be my friend, but even I caught on quickly that those weren't her true intentions. But by the time I realised what she wanted from me, even I was too far gone. Luka and I met up mainly in secret, so we could avoid the judgemental eyes of our friends, and we talked for hours and hours after school, in a place only we knew of. Looking back on those days, I never could have guessed how far things would escalate at the time.

I knew it was wrong of me to slowly let myself fall for Luka Megurine, of all people. But a couple months prior to meeting her, I had started to feel the harsh effects of a thing called adolescence. Mother and Father – mainly Father – explained the basics of it to me, and what may or may not happen during those long, painful years. I was never one of those kids who developed crushes easily, compared to my sensitive sister. But when my feelings first came, they hit hard. Like a direct slap to the face, only it was as though someone was continually slapping me. Over and over, I fell deeper for someone I should not have fallen for. She would never love me. And so, I needed a distraction, and fast.

It didn't take long for me to make my first move on Luka. After a mere two weeks of talking and getting to know each other on a personal level, we found ourselves experiencing our first rush of pure lust and curiosity. We didn't do that much, of course, but it was overwhelming and amazing at the time.

My tongue crossed hers again, and again. My face was flushed a dark red, and so was hers. I could feel the heat and the tension grow rather strong, as Luka teasingly tugged and gripped at my short locks of hair with her fingers. We were sitting together – or rather, one of us sat on top of the other, pressed against the wall – in our favourite secluded spot. Pretty cliché, but a treehouse in Luka's garden. There were makeshift wooden doors blocking entry, and an opaque sort of cloth hung from the window. Basically, no gaps for anyone to look through and catch us teenagers at the height of curiosity.

We could only manage a couple minutes at a time, so once more, I pulled my hungry lips from hers. I ran my fingers through her long pink hair, a hazy look in our eyes as we gazed at each other. Luka pulled her fingers from my hair at the back of my head, and then she wrapped her arms around my neck. We were both breathing heavily, trying to catch our breaths so we could satisfy our lust some more. Even though I knew this was wrong, and my heart didn't want anything to do with this girl. If the girl I loved discovered us, she would surely despise me.

We looked into each other's eyes wordlessly for a short while, but I could only see an empty lust reflected in her blue orbs. This was nothing more than a temporary hook-up for the both of us. Even so, we wanted to make the most of the time we had. Since I still had to catch my breath, I settled for pressing my lips against Luka's neck, eagerly nipping at her skin with my teeth.

"Oh…" A small, surprised gasp passed the female's lips, and I could feel her lowering her hands to grip loosely at my back. "Len… Could you stop for a second?"

Without hesitating or needing to be told twice, I respected her request to pause, and so I pulled my lips from her skin. I leaned backwards slightly, looking at her with a sort of blank expression. "What's wrong?"

She sighed softly, leaning her back properly against the treehouse wall. "This is just a game to you, right? You don't really like me?"

That was a tough question to answer. I was fairly certain I wasn't in love with her. But I still felt something a little strong for her. Despite that, this could have been a trick question to trap me. I gave an indecisive shrug. "Would it make a difference if I said 'yes' or 'no'?"

"…Hmm," she mumbled, lowering her glance for a little while. As though thoroughly contemplating my question. She returned her eyes to me, a confident expression crossing her features. I merely watched her actions in silence, wondering along with her, wanting to know what she would say. "It would. I want more than this game. Please…"

I sighed, a hint of frustration mixed in. I should have seen this coming, as well. Sorry, pinkie, but there's someone I gotta hold out for. "I can't do that," I said, trying not to sound too harsh. But it was no use. There were already tears in her eyes. Jesus, I really couldn't do this. "Hey, look. You shouldn't be crying over me."

"Idiot… you're an idiot…!" She hissed these words out, pulling her arms from my body. I didn't know if she was scolding herself or me. She was weak. With the little strength she had left, she shoved me away from her, clearly wanting me to leave. That push didn't do much by itself, but I would respect her wishes again. Standing up from that corner of the treehouse, I took a couple steps back, giving her some much needed space.

"You want me to be honest? I only did this to distract myself." I ended up speaking before thinking, and before I knew it, the words were already out of my control. I laughed nervously when Luka looked like she was about to jump up and slap me. I saw that fire in her eyes, but I sensed her control. "Hey, I didn't think you'd be into me, anyway."

"Neither did I…" Luka weakly whispered, her voice sort of raspy, as if she were on the verge of tears. She sniffled once, lifted a hand to one of her eyes and shook her head. "So, you wanted to 'distract yourself'? Who… who could possibly be better than me…?!" She demanded in such a self-centred manner, that it made me feel a bit nauseous. That ego was staggering; it was awful.

I just gave a shrug. I had never told anyone – why would I start with her? "You don't know her."

"You're saying that to make me feel better," she bluntly responded, letting a bitter chuckle pass her lips. Well, yes, that wasn't necessarily a lie. Too bad she was smart, at least in that one instance. She continued pouring effort into whining for a while after, but eventually, she gave up and demanded that I left her alone. That statement itself was rather ironic, considering she still pestered me for a week or two once that day passed.

I was finally freed from the clutches of her jealousy and desire to have me all to herself. She openly pestered me, right in front of my sister and my other friends. It was painful, to say the least, to act like I had no idea why she was so interested in me. She really had no shame. But since I rejected her continuously, she gave up, thankfully. Though our secret only lasted a month in total, I still fully regretted betraying the one I truly held feelings for. I had basically cheated on the one I loved, even if she never found out about it. That strong guilt always ate away at me – it faded with time, but was always there, in the back of my mind.

I noticed that Luka's behaviour changed after our secret meetings were broken off. That was when the true queen of bullying was born, and she buried her true self deep down inside her heart. And as I later found out, my idiotic sister also got drawn in by that bully. My poor, naïve sister was given a glimpse at the true personality hidden within Luka, and she wanted more. If only I knew, I could have-… No, that was no good. Rin didn't know about my secret meetings with Luka. So, it was only natural that I wouldn't know a thing about her one-sided crush – until the day she was rejected.

It was inevitable that I ended up despising Luka ever since she messed with the both of us. I was even more annoyed at the fact that she hurt my sister, and that anger was shown through my irrational action of beating the crap out of that pink-haired witch. But I swore to myself from then on, I would always hate Luka, even after she left school. Even if she came back some day, I would still despise her. But I also made another promise to myself.

I would never let Rin find out the truth.

…

[Rin Kagamine's P.O.V]

For once, I feel excited about waking up early and heading to school. I've finally regained a sense of anticipation and excitement, and my days feel so much more refreshing overall. It's only been two days since my first real date, but I really have made the most of it. And since I feel so much energy bubbling up inside me, it causes me to lose track of time, just like when I was on my date. The school day practically breezes by; the time I spend perfecting my acting passes in the blink of an eye. Before I know it, it's around 3pm, and Miki has dismissed us for a short while to get some air outside.

I'm unable to spend some more time with Kaito before the performance tonight – Meiko is eager to drag me away and outside for our break from practicing. I don't really mind, though, so I go along with her happily. We head towards the school's field outside, but stop just short to where the benches are located. I'm sure Meiko and I would normally mess around on the field at a time like this, but we both really are tired from so much practicing. Miki had really pushed us today, since it's the day of the show.

I let out a long sigh, plopping myself down onto the bench beside Meiko. At first, the two of us have a conversation about today – how it has been tough, but tonight will be worth it. Meiko's role as a party jester, or something like that, doesn't sound particularly tough to nail. But since this is Meiko Sakine, she wants to over-do her role and make it 100% perfect. I'm just hoping she doesn't go full improv on the stage tonight, honestly. I don't want her embarrassing herself in front of the entire school.

But soon, that inevitable question comes from Meiko's mouth. "Sooo… What's the deal with you and Kaito, Rinny? You've been extra close today, and I'm no fool! I can recognise it."

I can't help but just laugh as a reaction. I expected that question to come up sooner or later, of course. But the fact that Meiko picks up on it so late, is so very typical of that innocent dork I know and love. "Well… We kinda went on a date, on Saturday." I give a shrug in a casual manner, stating it clearly.

Meiko looks completely shocked. It seems as though she never once thought Kaito and I would be a match. "E-Eh?! I'm happy for you, Rinny – really! B-But… you and… Kaito?!" she shrieks, seemingly unable to wrap her head around it.

"Mhmm," I nod in response. "I didn't expect it either, but… I thought I might as well live a little. He really is sweet, you know? And we had the best time."

"Uwah! I wanna hear everything, Rinny. Please tell me!" Meiko eagerly requests, her eyes lighting up. She won't calm down until her curiosity is sated, so I begin to tell her what Kaito and I did together on that day. She's particularly impressed by my choice of café for lunch, as she nods frantically in approval while listening to my words. She ends up being jealous of how Kaito and I spent all that time chasing ducks away from the pond; she says that she wished to at least see something like that.

Once I finish explaining the events of my date with Kaito, Meiko's smile fades into that of a more sincere, warm one. There are rare moments when she's calm, and it's a bit weird to see coming from her. But she seems to approve of what I told her. "Mm… You really got lucky, Rinny. You deserve that happiness." Her tone is still as sweet and bubbly as ever, but she's finally a lot calmer. But she must have noticed the slight frown pulling at my lips, one thing I can't control when she speaks of happiness. "…But there must be something else on your mind."

I let out a quiet sigh, glancing down to my lap. I can't bring myself to make eye contact. I shouldn't be letting this affect me so much, anyway. Stupid Len… Why can't I just get him out of my mind? I have so much more joy in my life now, but no matter what, it's like I'm not satisfied. I can't get that jerk brother of mine out of my head. "Yeah, it's just… Just my stupid brother."

I can hear Meiko let out a sympathetic sigh. "You two have never got along well, have you?"

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Way to point out the obvious. I bite my tongue, swallowing my snappy momentary feelings, and say something softer. "Yep. He's been even weirder than usual this past week, though. Promise not to mention this to him or Kaito?"

Meiko giggles softly, and when I lift my head up to meet her eyes, I can see that loyalty shining in the reflection of her eyes. I know I can trust her. "Of course, Rinny."

Taking in a deep breath to compose myself, so I don't end up close to crying or anything, I begin. I tell her everything that's happened these past few days between Len and I. From the first strangest encounter, to the last on Friday at school. I spend quite a long time explaining the events and then venting my feelings about them. But it feels unbelievably good to get those heavy emotions off my chest, and I know I can completely put my faith into her. After all, Meiko is my best friend, and I know she would never judge me for anything I said or did.

And so, we talk. We talk for a long time, exchanging theories and such on why my brother has acted so strangely. Meiko tries to rationalise the events, just as I tried to, but in the end, she reached a wall as well. She genuinely ends up stumped, after I deny any possibilities she brings up regarding Len's behaviour. We've been talking deeply for around half an hour at this point, and ultimately, we're both left feeling empty and as though nothing has been resolved. At the very least, Meiko offers supportive words in regard to how all this has left me feeling. I at least feel a bit less upset than before.

Eventually, a silence falls between us, as we're left to our thoughts for a bit. There's a bit of an unsettling chill in the air, which sends a shiver down my spine. It's summer, so I hadn't expected it to feel so cold all of a sudden. The dramatic part of me wants to call this a 'bad omen', but realistically, it's probably just an off-day for the sun.

"We should probably get back inside." I speak up in a low voice, not wanting to entirely break the peaceful silence. If we're not back soon, I think Miki will have our heads. The performance starts at 5pm, but she'll want us to do at least one run-through backstage.

"Mm, that's right. Try not to worry about everything, okay, Rinny?" Meiko grins brightly at me, offering words of encouragement before standing up from the bench. She rests her hands against her hips, trailing her eyes down slightly to look at me. "I'm sure it'll all be okay. Besides, you should focus on tonight. Focus on giving the best performance of your life!"

I mentioned to Meiko that acting on-stage with Len, Luka and her other friends isn't going to be exactly ideal. But she told me not to focus on those people, and instead, look forward to the scenes with my good friends, and think of the joy it'll bring me in the end. It's pretty solid advice, and I can take it to heart easily now. "Yeah…" I hop up from the bench not long after Meiko, and together, we take a slow walk back towards the school building. I guess this is the moment of truth, huh? I really hope I don't crack under pressure, after everything that's happened. What could possibly go wrong?

…

[Len Kagamine's P.O.V]

A little while ago, Meiko and Rin went off somewhere together, probably to catch a break and some fresh air. I, on the other hand, just stayed put and repeated my lines in my head for a bit. I don't really need a break; tonight will be a piece of cake. I feel slightly anxious about my upcoming scenes with my sister. I hope there's no strong tension between us, especially considering how annoyed she is at me right now. She has every right to be mad at me. And truthfully, I'm glad my methods are working. As much as it pains me, there are serious reasons as to why we should be driven apart. It'll be better for both of us in the long run. That's why I hope tonight is a sort of farewell, and after we act on-stage together, we'll drift apart.

I'm sitting a few rows down in the seats that have been prepared in the assembly hall for tonight. Two rows in front of me, I can see the backs of both Kaito and Piko. I narrow my eyes at Kaito's back, irritated by his very presence. It's funny. I can't make my mind up. I definitely despise Kaito for his recent actions, that's for sure. I want to drive Rin away from Kaito, but at the same time, I should be allowing her to date him all she wants. I'm constantly flipping between protecting my sister, and pushing her away. I have no idea how to handle these feelings. There's a more complex reason as to why I act the way I do, as to why I always flip my emotions. But if I explain that to her, she will never understand.

"Ah, it's no fair, I wanted to win that bet…!"

"…Hmm?" I raise a brow, perking my head up as I hear something that may be of interest. That voice is Piko's. I know I shouldn't care about whatever they discuss in their spare time, but this could possibly contain some dirt on that Kaito. Even when they first joined our friendship circle, I never had been all that fond of the two – Kaito in particular. Something about his attitude just kind of struck me as too perfect, therefore, fake. It was only a hunch, but the feeling stuck. So, now I'm essentially being nosey to prove my hunch.

"Even if you moved in sooner than I did, there's no way you would win." Kaito speaks now, and I have to admit, this really does sound intriguing. "Besides, you're right. She really is desperate."

She? Don't tell me they're talking about-…

"So, you got Rin to go around to your house already? Maaan, that sure does sound desperate."

I fucking knew it. My teeth begin to clench uncontrollably, as do my fists, out of a swift burning fury. I can't believe what I'm hearing. I had only been bluffing to Rin earlier, due to the hunch I've always held about Kaito. But to hear that it's actually true… He's just stringing her along, and probably with extremely sick intentions. Just the thought of it makes my stomach turn.

"Right? She's so obsessed with finding 'true love' or whatever, it's actually kinda funny," comes Kaito's arrogant voice, followed by an even more irritating laugh. I'm forcing myself with extreme self-control to stay seated, and not go over to knock this manipulative bastard out. Oh, how I'd love to put him in hospital right now. "One date, and she was all mine. I'm sure I'll score some bases tonight."

Piko snickers at Kaito's words, as if they mean nothing. How can they just objectify my sister like this…? How can they treat her like she doesn't have feelings? "You gotta let me know if you hit it off with her. After all, she's still an open target if you don't meet the goals of the bet, dude."

An open target…? How dare they! Oh, man, I need to warn my sister. But will she even listen to me? Will she believe me if I tell her what these two have been plotting? At that moment, I curse myself harshly for foolishly making Rin hate me. Because now it's my fault if she gets into trouble later. It's my fault if she willingly gives herself up to someone she's went on one date with. I sit there, frantically trying to think of a solution. Damn it… Maybe I could go to Meiko before the play starts. That's right! Meiko is Rin's best friend. I'm sure if Rin hears it from Meiko, then she'll have to believe it.

I sit there, anxiously awaiting Rin's return from outside with her best friend. I have to do it in a way that doesn't draw any suspicion – if my sister sees me privately talking with Meiko, I'm sure she'll instantly doubt anything that's given back to her. Ah, fuck it, who cares if she's suspicious of us talking? This is my only chance to protect her! After what feels like forever, I catch sight of Rin and Meiko returning to the assembly hall. Taking in a breath, I call Meiko's name.

Both Meiko and Rin stop in their tracks, but only Meiko turns around to face me with curious eyes. My sister won't even look at me. This hurts so much more than I first anticipated. I let out a sigh, before gesturing for Meiko to come over to me. She turns to look at Rin, and probably after gaining approval, she makes her way to where I'm seated.

"Lenny…" Meiko says, in a saddened tone. Her eyes aren't as full of excitement and sparkles like they usually are. Fuck… Did Rin tell her about what I've done? I deserve it, obviously, but that makes this so much harder. "You know Rinny is really upset, right?" She speaks in a sort of whisper, and her broken heart is visible through her tone.

"I know. I fucked up. But this isn't about me. I don't want Rin to forgive me… I just want you to warn her about something," I speak as bluntly as I can, making it clear my own feelings aren't the most important in this situation.

Meiko sighs, and appears to be reluctant to listen. She's silent for a short moment, before giving in and listening to me. "I'll do what I can."

"I know this sounds ridiculous, and like a lie, after everything I said. But Rin really is in danger. You can't let her go around to Kaito's house tonight." I speak, acknowledging that this may sound like another pessimistic lie. Even so, my tone is as serious as it can be, and I'm sure my eyes are reflecting my true intentions. "I heard Kaito and Piko talking about some kind of bet, to presumably see who can sleep with Rin first."

A light groan passes Meiko's lips as soon as I say this. That reaction alone is enough for me to know she absolutely doesn't believe me. "Lenny… A bet? Come on. Rinny told me everything – including what you said to her about Kaito. I don't know why you don't want them to date, but making things like this up is just-"

"Why would I lie about something like that?" Unable to stop myself, I interrupt Meiko's words with a panicked shout. I'm growing more and more scared at the thought of Rin and Meiko doubting what I say. I know I fucked up, so just move on and listen to what I'm saying, damn it. "Kaito intends to coerce Rin into sleeping with him tonight. She can't just jump into something like that! Even if I am lying about that bet, it's still extremely irrational."

It's hard to make out what Meiko must be feeling, as her expression is blank. Maybe she's trying to process everything I'm telling her. She has to believe me, damn it. "I'm sorry. I trust Rinny more right now. I don't know what to think of you, after all you've done…" She finally says those words, and any sliver of hope I held has been crushed to pieces. I feel my heart sink when I hear those words… And I'm too weak to stop Meiko from walking away.

That sick, twisted bastard is going to sleep with Rin and then throw her away like an unwanted doll. He's going to steal her first kiss tonight, as well. I lift my glance up slowly, watching as Rin and Meiko head off to behind the stage. After seeing that she's really gone and she won't be coming back as the same, innocent sister… I hang my head low in defeat, and wait for this awful night to come to an end.

…

[Rin Kagamine's P.O.V]

It's finally almost show-time! I can't believe it, but I'm actually excited. Well, perhaps this is just hysteria disguised as excitement – but who cares? I feel such a rush, one I haven't felt in a long time. The drama club members are currently standing backstage, awaiting the start of the play. There's only ten minutes to go until the play begins. Right now, the headmaster of our school is on-stage, giving a generic 'thank you' speech, and talking about otherwise irrelevant things. I'm itching with excitement; I wish that he'd hurry up.

Mother and Father will be here tonight, too. I hope they'll finally see me as a responsible daughter, one who can step up to a challenge and execute it perfectly. Rather than seeing me as a daughter who's irresponsible, who appears to be lazy and lacks enthusiasm in my approach to school. Sure, this is only a school play, but this takes up a lot of effort to get right. So, I really hope to make them proud tonight. Plus, I'll be able to show off the fact that I've gotten over my irrational fear of crowds.

"Rin…?"

I can hear an all too familiar voice beside me. Letting out a quiet sigh, I keep my glance forward, even though I can feel a presence to my left. "What?" I ask, in a harsh tone.

"Good luck out there. I know you'll be amazing." My brother offers me words of encouragement, but I can't even begin to accept them. Meiko told me exactly what kind of story Len tried to cook up a couple hours ago. A bet? I'm in danger if I go to Kaito's house? What a load of shit.

I scoff lightly, not bothering to answer Len. Sure, I might be acting petty and stubborn. But I'm not going to let everything he's done slide. He probably realises that, because I can see Len moving away out of the corner of my eye. I shake my head, and focus once more. To distract my mind, I decide to observe the brilliant costumes Miki brought in for us.

I've already taken a glance at most of them, but I might as well take this time to fully admire the blatant effort that went into making these. It's a little hard to see full detail, as the backstage lighting is kind of dim. But there are all sorts of outfits… Kaito's in particular is a traditional prince's outfit; a dark, sort of silky and glistening yukata kimono, with specific patterns embroidered across the back and shoulders. Meiko is in some sort of funny-looking, yet actually rather cute jester's dress, and Piko's matches with hers. Miku is in a beautiful Chinese-styled dress, and the colour just matches her teal hair, which she has tied back into a bun.

All my friends look fantastic. There's my dress, and while it's very pretty, I don't think I can compare it and say mine looks the best. The theme of my dress is the same as Miku's, as we're 'rival princesses' in this play. Except mine is a shining gold colour, which runs down to cover my ankles, and the see-through golden shawl hanging from my shoulders has a cute flower pattern etched onto it. I've also made an effort to make my hairstyle a bit more 'princess'-looking, but there's not much I can do with it in the first place.

And at last, the curtains are closed, marking the beginning of our performance. The headmaster had announced that his speech was over, and he probably went off stage to take a seat. When the curtains close, we quickly set up the first scene – Kaito, Piko, Meiko and Luka place several props down onto the stage. Once they're done in an unbelievably quick time, the students required for the opening scene head onto the stage, which ends up being me, Luka, Gumi, Lily, and SeeU.

The curtains rise, and it truly begins. The story of this play is as follows.

…

It begins with a princess being scolded by her mother, and then mocked by her three siblings. The mother is a strict woman, queen of a beautiful kingdom, and ultimately decides that one of her daughters isn't eligible to gain the freedom a princess should. And so, she takes matter into her own hands, punishing the princess and forcing her to do every possible chore around the palace. The queen thinks this will teach her daughter to take her role as a princess much more seriously, but no matter how hard this princess works, her mother never praises her or appreciates her. Nor do the princess's three older sisters.

It moves on to show that one of the sisters – this role belonging to Gumi – is only going along with the other two, so that she doesn't get bullied either. She feels deep guilt for not protecting her younger sister, but in the end, there is nothing she can do. She also does not want to be punished by the queen herself. The young princess knows this, so she urges her caring sister to move on and forget about her pain.

On a particularly cold night, the princess is resting against the balcony outside her bedroom. She glances to the night sky, yearnful for a better life, even if only for a single night. She pledges to do absolutely anything in return; she just wants to experience being a true princess for one night. She feels twice the pain of heartache on this night, knowing her family has been invited to attend a ball in a neighbouring kingdom. She has not been allowed to attend alongside them – but she has always wanted to go to a ball and even fall in love with a prince there.

Luck had been on her side on that fateful night. As though someone heard her cries, the presence of something magical yet ultimately chill-inducing has been summoned by her side. Before the princess has a chance to scream in terror at the unexpected presence of someone, who absolutely shouldn't be there, they speak. There stands a tall male, one whose identity is completely concealed. He wears a dark suit, accompanied by a glittering, dark red mask over his eyes and nose. The princess is bewildered, and rendered speechless. Even more so, when the male states his purpose and offers a deal.

He introduces himself as a 'fairy godmother' of sorts, and claims he can make anyone's wish come true if they desire it strongly enough. He states that he has heard her sadness, and he wants to grant her wish. Though reluctant at first, the princess accepts his helping hand. With a click of his fingers, a light sparkle surrounds her, and though she feels no difference in herself, he reassures her that the wish has been granted and no one will stand in her way at the ball tonight. However, he says one final thing, only after the wish has been granted.

'In order to give one a night to live life to the fullest… Another's night must be crushed, and this must be their final ball for all eternity, so that balance may be restored.'

Only then, the princess realises what truly must be done by the time the effects of the wish wear off. But she cannot protest; in the blink of an eye, that male is no longer there. She realises there's nothing she can do. This is the price she must pay for selfishly demanding a night to be a true princess, and so, she must end the life of the prince she dreamed of falling in love with. She travels to the neighbouring kingdom, and attends the ball with confidence, wanting to make the most of her time with her true love.

The wish really has been granted. As the princess slowly moves her way across the vast hall, weaving through the crowd of guests, something supernatural pulls the prince and princess together. He is currently dancing with another princess, one who has been picked by the kingdom's queen and king to marry their son. However, as soon as he locks eyes with the princess of the neighbouring kingdom, he stops in his tracks and releases his fiancée's hands. The spell has taken effect, and he's drawn towards the princess, which causes the former fiancée to explode with rage.

Such anger and whispers of disgust do not reach the two brought together by cursed magic. The prince wordlessly takes hold of her hands, and locking eyes with love-struck gazes, they begin to twirl and dance majestically across the hall. Time stands still for the princess – for the longest time, she forgets about the cruel conditions of her wish, and she loses herself entirely in their wonderful dance. Soon, the clock draws closer and closer to that ever so typical midnight; the deadline for the conditions of the curse to be met. If the princess does not take the life of the prince, her true love, then she will lose her own life automatically, so that balance is restored one way or another.

The princess requests that the two of them head up to a balcony, for a few, final moments of privacy. Buried deep into a hardly visible pocket – which had been sewn in place after the curse was cast – is a sharp knife. She carefully slides it out, gripping it firmly in one palm while the prince is admiring the outside view. She shifts her hand behind her back, obscuring the view of such a weapon. She glances wordlessly at the prince, and pushing herself to gain courage, she takes the initiative and surprises him with a deeply passionate kiss. He rests a warm palm against her cheek, returning such a breath-taking kiss without hesitation.

However… Not long after… His outfit starts to become stained with something red, and at quite a fast pace. The princess pulls away from the kiss, and retracts her hand from the prince's stomach. She draws back the knife, looking at her true love with apologetic eyes, as crimson fluid begins to flow out from his mouth and down his chin. Even though he's been betrayed, and his killer is right in front of his eyes, he whispers out 'I love you', and falls to his knees.

…

I sigh deeply, after giving the best performance I possibly could. I feel overwhelmed with emotions after such a rollercoaster of a play. It had been nothing less than a huge success. The applause we all received was pretty shocking, but we modestly accepted that we did a great job. I set myself down onto a bench, catching my breath inside the gym class changing room. We had been instructed to change in and out of costume here, considering there's nowhere else appropriate to do so. Disregarding any other overwhelming feelings after finishing the play, I can't help but constantly replay that kiss scene in my head. Even though it had been on-stage, it truly did feel magical between Kaito and I. That passion and spark really was there, and I loved every second of it.

I decide to stand up after a few moments of thinking to myself. I begin to change out of my costume, idly chatting with Meiko beside me as we pull our school uniforms back on. Even though Meiko's part had been minor, I still really enjoyed how she portrayed her character. Everyone performed flawlessly in the end – though I have to admit, I didn't feel too comfortable acting on-stage with Len. I'm kind of glad that our only scene together was when he granted the princess's wish.

Once I finish changing back into my school uniform, I say my goodbyes to Meiko and Miku, then head out of the changing room. Kaito and I previously agreed to meet outside the school gates, so that's where I'm headed. I'm kind of excited to spend a few hours at his house tonight – it'll give us an opportunity to talk about the play, and really go over our feelings for each other, as well as talk about where our relationship is heading. Well, alright, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. I just can't wait!

Kaito and I meet up outside the school gates, just as planned, and we begin to take a slow walk over to his house. For the majority of the time we spend walking together, we talk non-stop about the play and how well it went overall. We share the same opinion, pretty much, and we go on about how amazing it turned out, and how incredibly fun it had been. We also talked about how fun it had been to act on-stage together, and hopefully we'll get more chances in the future to do so, now that we have more club members. Eventually, I find that we're approaching Kaito's house, and I start to grow a little bit nervous.

It's just sunk in that this is my first time at a boy's house. I mean, technically I've been invited to Piko's house and even Kaito's house before this. But this time, it's my first time at the house of a boy I'm dating. It feels completely different compared to the other times I've been here. I'm going to try and enjoy tonight as much as I can, though. So, I push any negative thoughts from my mind, concentrating hard enough and blocking them out altogether. After all, I don't want to end up hearing my brother's nagging thoughts at some point.

Kaito unlocks the door to his house, and we both enter together. Stepping into the familiar house, and feeling the warmth of the heater hitting me, I let out a sort of shaky sigh. I push my shoes off from my feet and set them down beside his, before turning and giving a light smile.

"Hey, how about we chill out together for a bit, first? Before I make a start on dinner," Kaito suggests, giving a soft smile to me in return.

I shrug my shoulders, not really bothered how we spend our time. Besides, due to nerves and the butterflies in my stomach, I can barely feel any hunger. I should spend some time with Kaito before eating, so that I can calm myself down. "Sure. Got any games in your room, or anything like that?"

He shakes his head, an apologetic smile pulling at his lips. "Sorry… But I'm sure we can find something to talk about." I give a simple nod in agreement. So much has happened today; I'm sure we can definitely talk about a lot of different things. And so, Kaito and I make our way up the stairs together, walk a short distance through the hall, and end up at his bedroom door. He allows me to push the door open and step in first – I do so, but rather anxiously. I suppose that feeling is only a natural reaction.

I take a few steps into the room, waiting for Kaito to follow after me. Once he does, he casually makes his way towards his bed and sets himself down onto the edge. I suppose I should sit down with him, right? Swallowing lightly to push down any irrational nerves, I slowly trail my way over to Kaito's bed to sit next to him. A light blush stains my cheeks when I sit a short space apart from him, and the atmosphere is suddenly rather intense between us. There's silence for quite some time.

"…I hope you don't think this is too forward, but…" Kaito softly speaks up, breaking the silence. I lift my eyes up to bravely make eye contact, waiting for him to speak again after he reluctantly pauses. "You're so beautiful, Rin."

My eyes widen slightly at Kaito's sincere comment. I can feel the warmth on my cheeks grow a bit more, and in that instant, the entire room feels rather hot. My heart starts to pound a little faster in my chest, too. That look in his eyes is making me feel… completely secure. Safe. Like I can trust him with anything. And his words are so gentle, so pure. "Kaito…" I'm left speechless. I can only manage to utter his name, in a breathless murmur.

"I feel so lucky to be dating you…" he continues, his eyes slipping shut for a moment, in what I presume to be appreciation or something similar to that. No matter what it is, I still feel like he's slowly winning my heart. With each honest, heart-melting compliment he gives me, I feel my heart giving in more and more to him. "I just can't believe you picked someone like me, you know?"

"Shh… that's enough…" I can't take it any longer. Hushing him, I swiftly lean in closer to his face. Not giving him a moment to respond, I'm taken over by these feelings swelling in my chest. They overflow, and I press my lips against Kaito's, before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close to me in a passionate embrace. All these emotions I'm feeling are barely making any sense. All I know is that I want to kiss Kaito, and let him know how much I appreciate him.

For a short while, Kaito and I remain joined at the lips, and I greatly enjoy the feeling of bliss from the embrace. I don't regret giving away my first kiss to him. It just feels right, and everything we've done together so far hasn't been forced. So, this is a way to essentially thank him. Unable to handle doing this for long, I slowly pull my lips from his and make an attempt to catch my breath. I look into his eyes for a moment, but suddenly, I can see him lean in towards my neck.

I can't help but gasp softly at the new sensation, which had come out of nowhere. I can feel Kaito's lips gently pressing against the side of my neck, and he trails light kisses up and down the skin. I let out a shaky breath, surprised at how pleasant it ends up feeling, and how it makes me all the more embarrassed and weak. Slowly, I raise a hand to grip at his shoulder, in order to support myself and feel more secure. "K-Kaito…" I stutter those words out, before biting down on my lower lip. This sensation does feel nice, but… I wouldn't say it's quite right.

"Hmm…?" He curiously hums in a low tone, momentarily taking his lips from the side of my neck. I find myself unable to say anything. I can't shake this strange feeling. And since I don't explicitly state that something is nagging at me, Kaito once again presses his lips to my neck – this time, a little bit rougher out of presumably passion.

It does feel nice. I guess I'm just not used to it yet. But the more he trails his kisses along my skin, moving from the side of my neck to under my chin, the more it ends up feeling normal. I lightly close my eyes, instinctively tilting my head back just a bit, giving him room to move some more. It feels extremely blissful for the next minute or so, and I almost find myself slipping away from reality… But something quickly brings me back.

My eyes dart open, because I can feel a strange presence a bit lower down on my body. I trace my eyes down, hoping Kaito doesn't notice just yet. And to my disbelief, what I expected truly is happening. Kaito's hand is pressed against my right breast, his fingers lightly squeezing the area to sort of grip it and attempt to make me feel 'better'. Disgusted and shocked at such forward behaviour, I try to speak up, but my words get caught in my throat. "K-Kaito, that's…"

"Mm…?" Kaito pulls away from my neck, and slides his grabby hand down from my breast, resting his palm against my waist. He still has that seem so-called 'loving' look in his eyes. But after realising that he only has one thing in mind, I start to feel cold all over. "It's nice, isn't it?"

My mouth opens wide, as if to say something… But I can't. This is far too soon for my liking. I can barely begin to comprehend what on earth he thinks he's doing. It seems like he thinks this is a normal progression between those who date. God… That hasn't even crossed my mind. Not once. Even though I've wanted to experience this eventually, I don't want to rush into it…! While I think in a panic, my expression probably matches the tone inside my mind.

"Hey… It's okay, calm down. It doesn't feel bad, I promise." Kaito speaks in a reassuring tone, but I feel the complete opposite of reassured at this point. He thinks he can get his way with me. Fuck, what have I done? Have I really been that naïve? I thought he truly appreciated me. He does, right? Let this be a simple misunderstanding. I'm snapped out of thought, feeling Kaito trail his hand up from my waist, back down, and repeat it a few times, as though he's trying to get me to calm down.

"Kaito…!" I finally find my voice, growling harshly at him, but not as loudly as I wanted to. He looks at me with confused eyes, as if I'm the one in the wrong. I'm not in the wrong, am I? Fuck, I feel so helpless – I don't know what to think. "I don't know what gave you the idea that I came here to… for… ugh, for those reasons…!" I speak in a tone that expresses nothing but pure disgust.

"Hey. I just assumed you'd want someone to give you some love, considering the number of times you've been rejected." He speaks in a casual manner, something that makes me nauseous. He's treating this as if it's no big deal. The sweet, sincere Kaito from before is gone. The one I felt I could trust, and the one who was innocent, who'd never lay a hand on me like this. But once the realisation that it's all an act slaps me in the face…

I quickly free myself from Kaito's hands, pulling my body away to reject him and jump up from the bed. I take a couple steps back to distance myself from him, and by now, the panic in my eyes is probably painfully clear. My heart is pounding faster in my chest, but not for the same reason as earlier. No… I'm scared. Scared of what Kaito has become, of his intentions from the beginning with me, and of the mess I've so foolishly gotten myself into.

"…you honestly think you have the right to reject me? After all the times you've been rejected by everyone else?" This time, when Kaito speaks, his voice is a lot more sinister and colder. I shuffle backwards one step out of instinct and worry, clutching my hands against my chest. "Let's be honest. You're never going to find anyone else. This is the most love you'll ever get in your life, isn't it?"

I feel like I'm going to throw up at any moment. I can't believe my ears – is this really happening? Please, let this be a dream. I continue to stare at him with all the courage I can muster, but I don't know what to say in response to him. "No… That's not…" I try to deny his words, but deep down, I know he's right. Even so, I absolutely mustn't give into him. I can't jump back into his arms.

"So, come on… I know you're desperate for it. You must be, by now…" Kaito narrows his eyes at me, and his coldness pierces deep into my heart. I can't prepare myself for his next statement. "…Whore."

As soon as I hear that disgusting, derogatory term, I'm fighting back hot tears. Tears which sting my eyes and blur my vision. I face the reality… This isn't a dream. I can't turn back time. Kaito definitely just called me a whore. And I can't hold back the tears any longer. I can't give him the satisfaction of arguing back. Even though he could easily chase after me, I have to take the risk of running and leaving this house. I blink away the first lot of tears, and taking in a deep breath, I turn as quickly as I possibly can on my heels. I turn and run right out of that room, not stopping for a single moment to check if Kaito is behind me.

I dash down the stairs, fearing for my safety, and since I'm in such a panicked state, I don't even stop to grab my shoes which I left near the front door. I grab the door handle, pushing it down and hurriedly flinging the door itself open. Barefooted, I begin to sprint in the first direction I think of. I don't even know if I'm running the right way, but since my mind has been consumed by dread, I can no longer think logically. And so, I run for quite some time down an unfamiliar street, until I feel like I'm far enough away from that house.

I slow down after a few minutes, stopping in my tracks entirely. I feel like I've avoided danger, but now that my mind can relax, I'm slapped with a harsh realisation. I lean over, pressing my palms tightly against my thighs while breathing heavily. I'm exhausted. I'm confused. I have no idea where I am, no idea what to do about what just happened. While leaning over, I take in a deep breath, desperately swallowing down the urge to throw up right then and there. It's not that late at this point, but the surrounding street is almost pitch black. I slowly stand up straight, starting to hyperventilate from the added fear of the darkness closing in around me. I clutch my hands against my chest once more, helplessly looking around.

There are no houses in sight. I must be nearing a path towards a field or something like that, because I can't locate a single bit of light. After standing around terrified for a couple of minutes, I suddenly remember that I previously slid my phone into my pocket before changing into my costume for the play. Gasping sharply at this memory, I immediately dig my hand into my pocket and pray that it has some battery life.

I switch the screen on, and miraculously, it has about 30% life remaining. Trying my best to calm my breathing and control my tremoring hands, I tap hard against the screen and make a phone call. I should have taken his advice from the start. I should have listened to his warnings. I should never have rushed into this…! I press the phone to my ear, hoping and hoping that he'll pick up and won't ignore me. The dial tone plays for longer than it should, and I start to become less hopeful about him answering. Just as I'm about to give up, I hear his voice.

"Hello?" It's as cold and judgemental as always, but it fills me with relief.

"L-Len… I'm so sorry. Please come help me."

…