A/N: I'm back after a long leave of absence. I've been falling back into the Vocaloid fandom recently and I decided to write a revamped version of a fanfic that I published on DeviantArt several years ago. It was called "A hollow romance". I wasn't happy with the original so I've changed it a lot. The general idea is the same though. I know this focuses on an unusual pairing but I hope that there are still people who will enjoy it. This fanfic also contains a lot of smut, just so you are aware. Your feedback is certainly appreciated!
He came upon her by complete accident.
It was one of those muggy summer days. The air vibrated with heat and the sound of cicadas was nearly deafening. Most sensible people kept to the inside of their cool air-conditioned homes, but not him. He just had to get out of the house. Undoubtedly, it had been a mistake. It wasn't long before his clothes clung to his body like a second skin and he felt the dehydration to setting in.
He ended up in a park, grateful for the shade that the lush trees provided as he walked along the paved path. That's where he found her. She sat on a bench by a pond, her knees pulled up to her chest, her blouse dotted with tears. His shadow swept over her and she quickly turned her head to look at him. For a second, he saw the look of hope upon her face, but it fell instantly once she recognized who he was.
"Oh… it's you", she grumbled. Kagamine Rin put her feet onto the ground and looked back to the pond. "What are you doing here?"
Akaito had met her a few times before. He wouldn't go as far as to say that he knew her, at most they were aquatinted. However, he had noticed the way she looked at his brother. That pathetic, yearning expression that Kaito was too daft to notice. Or maybe he just wasn't interested? Rin was quite a bit younger than he was after all. How old was she again? He made a quick calculation in his head. She must be 20, going in 21 at this point. It didn't looked like she'd grown a lot over the years, at least not where it counted.
"I'm just out for a walk", he replied. "Nice to see that you're doing well."
"Please go away", she said, turning her head back to the pond. He stood still for a moment, deliberating the situation. He couldn't bring himself to leave her here all alone. He wouldn't consider himself a very compassionate person, but that didn't mean he was heartless.
"I don't think you should stay here", he said. "It will get dark soon and you shouldn't really be out here on your own. What if some creep recognizes you? I'm assuming you don't want to get kidnapped."
She turned her head again, her red-rimmed blue eyes swimming with tears. She inhaled shakily and a tear fell from her lashes, rolling down the trail on her cheek. She sniveled and wiped it off with the back of her hand.
"I know but… I can't go home right now." She mumbled. "Can't I come with you?"
"I'm sorry?"
She rose of the bench and straightened the creases in her skirt. She came towards him and Akaito automatically took a step back. What had he gotten himself into now?
"Come one, I don't have have anywhere else to go. I promise I won't stick around for long just for a few hours, okay?" She implored, putting her palms together and lowering her head.
"Eh, no. Sorry, can't do that", he said firmly. "I'm going back home, and so should you."
Rin pursed her lips and looked thoroughly displeased. Akaito could tell she was used to getting her way. If he were anyone else he would probably have found her attempts to persuade him rather adorable, but he wouldn't be strung along so easily.
"Listen princess, you'll have to find a more gullible guy if you want a couch to crash on." He paused, rethinking what he'd just said. "Actually, scratch that. Just go home. You shouldn't be going anywhere with any strange men."
"But you're not a strange man. You're Kaito's brother", she countered. "And don't call me princess, I don't like being patronized. Also, if you don't take me with you I'll just stay here and maybe get kidnapped. Is that what you want?"
She raised her chin and he raised his eyebrows. Well played, he thought and sighed, admitting his defeat.
"Okay, fine then. You can come to my place for a bit. But no more than a couple of hours, is that clear?"
She nodded avidly. Her tears seemed to have vanished in an instant. He was definitely going to regret this.
—
The sun was beginning to set when they arrived at Akaito's house. Everything shimmered with in a golden orange light as he ushered Rin into the hallway and closed the door behind her. The house was small but modern in convenient sort of way. He didn't care much for decorations or useless trinkets, but he made sure to keep everything neat and clean. It was comfortable enough, even if it wasn't very homey.
"Sorry to intrude", Rin mumbled to herself as she took off her shoes. She looked around with wide-eyed curiosity, quickly making her way into the combined kitchen and living room area. Akaito followed suit, feeling both a little uneasy and annoyed over the events that had transpired. He had't gone out in search for a stray girl but here she was nonetheless, plopping herself onto his couch without any given invitation.
"This is nice", she said, nodding contentedly. "A bit plain but nice. Our house is kind of chaotic. Do you have a girlfriend?"
"If I had I wouldn't have let you come with me", Akaito muttered. He dropped down at the other end of the couch and brought a hand to his forehead. He felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. Rin pointed toward the electric guitar he had standing by the wall.
"I've smashed one of those. A few of them, actually. It's pretty fun."
Akaito rubbed his temple and sighed. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm just making conversation. You should try it."
Rin turned and looked at him expectantly. He exhaled through his nose and lowered his brow. If conversation was what she wanted then he would deliver.
"Alright. Let's make conversation. What were you doing crying by yourself in the park?"
Her body tensed immediately and her gaze darted away.
"That's not… I… I don't want to talk about that."
"It wouldn't have something to do with my brother perhaps? Do you have a crush or him or something?" He wondered. She jolted and stared at him.
"How did you know?"
"Well, it's fairly obvious from the way you follow him around like a lovesick puppy. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed it himself."
She tugged at the hem of her skirt. Although she looked embarrassed, she was suddenly much calmer and seemed to be gathering her thoughts. Akaito waited until she spoke.
"No matter what I do, he doesn't seem to notice", she said softly. "I've been in love with him for years, ever since I was a teenager. I know he probably still sees me as a child, b-but I'm grown up now! If he would just hurry up and notice how I feel about him… we might have a chance."
"Kaito is too much of an idiot to notice any subtle hints", Akaito explained matter-of-factly. "If you want any chance with him you're going to have to be aggressive. If you just wait around for him to notice your feelings then you're going to be waiting forever."
"I can be aggressive!" she exclaimed and stood up, straightening her back with a sense of determination. Akaito snorted a laugh. Something about her swiftly changing temperament was just too funny.
"What? You don't believe that can be aggressive?" She said sullenly, glowering at him.
"Well, it's kind of hard to imagine", he chuckled. "You don't really have much of a sex appeal."
Rin's face reddened and she looked down, addressing her own underdeveloped figure. She was still petite, her hips narrow and her chest rather flat. She crossed her arms self-consciously, her eyes flashing with anger.
"I will make eat your words", she growled. He gave her a wry grin in response. This was getting significantly more amusing than he could have hoped for.
"Uh-huh. And how are you going to do that?"
She lowered her hands to her hips, cocking her head to the side as she regarded him. Then, without warning, she strolled over to him and dropped herself onto his lap. Akaito froze, the smug grin dying on his face. Now straddling him, Rin snaked her arms around his neck and leaned in closed to his ear, her breath falling hot on his skin.
"You know", she murmured, "despite how I look, there are quite a lot of people who think I have sex appeal. You should see some of the things my fans write about me online. But maybe I'm just not your type? I'm sure you think you wouldn't get turned on by someone like me?"
She leaned back a little, looking at him through half-lidded eyes, a sweet smile curling the corners of her mouth. Akaito felt his heart thumping loudly as she ran her fingers through the back of his hair, her other hand sliding down his stomach. He was painfully aware of how her hips hovered just above his own, his mind racing to erase all the indecent imagery that had appeared out of nowhere. He clenched his jaw, placed his hands on her hips and — with an immense mental effort — pushed her away from him.
"Okay", he hissed, holding her back. "You win."
He couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved. Shrugging, she stepped off him and sat back onto the couch. He didn't even have to look at her to tell that she was gloating. He took a couple of very deep breaths in order to calm down, feeling humiliated by his own reaction to her little stunt. The headache was getting worse.
"Hey, do you have anything to eat? I'm hungry", Rin said and Akaito groaned, leaning his head in his hands.
"What did I do the deserve this? You invade my private space in all manner of ways and now you want to eat my food? Are you expecting me to cook for you as well?"
"That's not necessary", Rin answered cheerfully. "Just some toast or instant noodles would be fine. I'm not picky."
"Go look in the cupboards. See if you can find some painkillers for me as well. They should be there somewhere."
He waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen, still cradling his head. Rin got up from the coach and went to scour through the cupboards for a while. He heard the clink of glass and the running water as she turned on the tap.
"Here you go", she said, putting a glass of water and a box of painkillers on the coffee table. "There are no noodles and the bread is moldy."
Akaito downed two pills along with a gulp of water and put the glass back onto the table a little harder than he intended.
"Of course it is", he said tiredly. "I guess we're going to the convenience store."
"Hold on a second."
Rin came up to him again, a hand sweeping his back his backs as she rested her forehead against his.
"What are you doing now?" He asked, too weary to protest.
"I'm just checking if you have a fever. Are you feeling cold at all?"
"No, not really."
She stepped back. "Yeah, you don't seem to have a fever… but you are a little pale."
"I'm a redhead, it's genetic", he answered and he heaved himself out of the couch.
"Are you drinking enough water? You should really make sure to stay hydrated when it's this hot outside."
"What are you, my mother?"
He turned his back to her and ambled into the hallway. Rin followed right behind him, so light on her feet she barely made a sound. He looked down at her over his shoulder and she met his gaze with hesitance, seemingly worried that she had irked him. His face softened and she relaxed in response. They put on their shoes and left the house, heading to the convenience store.
—
They came back with a bucketload of food. Akaito had attempted to pay but Rin had wormed in front of him at the register and beat him to it. This vexed him for some reason, but he didn't mention it afterwards and neither did she. He figured she must have a fair amount of money at her disposal, being famous and all that. The cashier, a girl who looked to be in high school still, had fumbled with the money and stuttered as she spoke to Rin. She was probably a fan. Rin had pretended like she didn't notice how starstruck the girl was, acting as polite and gracious as ever. Meanwhile, the cashier had completely ignored Akaito. Not in a deliberate way but more like he was just invisible to her. His ego had taken some serious damage from that.
"Do you always go out like that?" he asked once they were in the kitchen, referring to the the signature ribbon on Rin's head.
"No, I just didn't plan to go out today", she answered distractedly. She was searching through the bags of groceries for something. "Otherwise I tend to wear a disguise, at least when I'm out alone."
"A disguise? What kind of disguise?"
She was on the floor now, groceries spread out all around her. He raised an eyebrow in amusement as she grew more and more frustrated.
"Oh, you know. The regular stuff. Baseball cap, mask, sunglasses. Sometimes I skip it but then I don't wear my ribbon, it's too conspicuous… Where is it? Where did I put it?"
"Is this what your looking for?" he asked, holding up the bottle of orange juice and dangling it before her. She lunged at him and he raised his arm so that it was far out of her reach. She tried to jump for it but her efforts were in vain.
"Give it to me!" she demanded, her open hand stretched out toward him. He narrowed his eyes at her and jeered. Actually, she was kind of cute when she was angry. It made him want to work her up, push her buttons, see what would happen…
"Say please like a good little girl and I might let you have it", he crooned. She was seething now, her body taught and trembling. She was about to open her mouth and retort but he held up a finger in front of her.
"Ah! You better not say something mean now or I won't give to you."
Her face burned with humiliation and she gritted her teeth. Even so, she swallowed her pride, nearly biting her tongue as she forced the word out from between her lips.
"Please?"
"Please… what?" he coaxed, his voice smooth and low as he drew near her.
She stepped backwards and her back nudged the kitchen counter. There was a shift in her expression, her eyes widening, her lips parting ever so slightly. But she wasn't scared. She was anticipant, watching him with bated breath. He saw then and there what he could do to her — no, what she'd let him to her, what she wanted him to do her. He hooked a finger under her chin, titling her head up to lock eyes with her.,He reckoned he wouldn't mind being a replacement for his brother for a bit… not if he could have her at his mercy.
"A-Akaito?" Rin said quietly. "What are you… doing?"
He placed the orange juice on the counter behind her, putting his hands on either side of her as he slid one of his legs between her thighs. She gasped and gripped the edge of the counter, her small chest heaving beneath the blouse. He moved his leg, his knee brushing against the fabric of her underwear and she moaned softly. He replaced his knee with his hand and started rubbing her through the thin layer of cotton.
"Say Rin-chan", he murmured as he watched her squirm and buck her hips. "Would you like me to help you out a little? Scratch your itch, if you know what I mean? If you want to, you could even pretend I'm him."
She whimpered and grabbed onto his wrist, preventing him from removing his hand. He took that as a yes and lead her upstairs to his bedroom. He lifted her onto his bed and climbed on top of her, allowing a moment to take in the sight of her. Her flat chest aside, he supposed she did have her charm. She lay there all vulnerable and flushed, just waiting for him to put his hands on her. He hoped he still remembered how to do this.
He unzipped her skirt and yanked it off, appreciating how cute she was even down to the orange-striped panties. He brought slid his fingers in under the hem and slowly pulled them down her legs. The exposure made her avert her gaze with embarrassment, but she took his hand and proceeded to guide him towards her sex and he gave her what she wanted. He stroked and teased and rubbed her until she began to make little noises of delight, arching her back and pressing against his hand. She gave him a needy look, and Akaito, sensing how close she was getting, moved his fingers more intently, determined to bring her to the brink. Finally, she yelped, legs twitching and toes curling as the wave of pleasure went through her. She fell back onto the sheets, breathing roughly as she curled up and wrapped her arms around herself.
There was a box of paper napkins on Akaito's bedside table. He took one and used it to clean his fingers. Rin gazed up at him, her expression dazed and her eyelids growing heavy. He climbed off the bed and went over to his closet to get a blanket. When he turned back to the bed, Rin was already fast asleep. He draped the blanket over her body and instinctively brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her face. She looked so defenseless when she slept. It reminded him of how she'd looked when I found her in the park. Of course, he knew very well who she had mistaken him for when she first saw him. She feigned toughness, she feigned allure, but in the end of the day she was as naive and foolish as a little girl. The poor thing was just so desperate to be loved. He pitied her, he really did. But that wasn't going to stop him from taking advantage of her.
—
Akaito was feeling pleased with himself. He hadn't planned any of this, but now that he thought about it, everything had turned out pretty perfectly. Rin was still sleeping. In the meantime, he'd packed away the groceries and made a bowl of instant noodles for himself. He'd also spent some time thinking about Rin's relationship with his brother. There was no guarantee that Kaito harbored the same feelings for her as she did for him. But he definitely cared about her. They had known each other for a long time, they worked together, they lived in the same house, and Kaito had a reliable tendency to be rather soft-hearted. Even if he had no romantic feelings for her, one could assume that he considered her part of his family. A sweet, innocent little sister, if you will. He would most likely be upset if he knew she'd come into harm's way.
Akaito looked at his phone, at the picture of Rin sleeping on his bed. Her blonde hair was ruffled, the blouse had ridden up to just below her chest and her cheeks were faintly pink. The blanket was covering her lower body but her appearance was suggestive nonetheless. He hesitated a moment, the image of her tugging at his heartstrings (again, he wasn't heartless). Even so, he pushed the doubts aside and sent the photo to Kaito. He waited, leaning back with an easy grin. Three minutes before the call came. He has already turned the phone on mute in anticipation. To be sure that he wouldn't wake the sleeping beauty, he went outside and stood by the front door as he answered.
"What did you do?"
Kaito rarely ever got angry. It took a lot for him to even raise his voice. But he was furious now. Akaito had to fight hard to keep his smugness from getting too obvious.
"What might you be referring to, dear brother?"
"Don't play dumb. What did you do to Rin-chan?"
Akaito's grin grew as he leaned against the wall of the house. He recalled her, the way she had given in to her desires, warm and wet to his touch. He wished Kaito had been able to see that.
"Nothing she didn't want me to do, I promise. She practically begged me for it."
"Shut up. Don't talk about her like that", Kaito growled. "What's going on with you? Why would you do something like this to her?"
"You know she's not a kid anymore right? She's perfectly capable of making her own choices", Akaito said. "She was actually the one who wanted to come home with me. I had no ulterior motives."
This was true. Akaito didn't have any intentions to do anything to Rin when he brought her to his house. It was only after she had come onto him that he'd been able to see her in a different light. Even then, he hadn't seduced her to spite Kaito. He begrudgingly admitted that his urges had gotten the best of him there. But he was nothing if not opportunistic.
"You're right", Kaito said. Akaito blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"She has every right to be with whoever she wants to. I can't control that. But that doesn't explain why you sent that photo to me. If you're doing this to upset me for whatever reason then please stop. Rin-chan hadn't done anything to you. Don't be cruel to her."
Akaito faltered. "For whatever reason"? Did that idiot really not know what he'd done?
"Like I said, I didn't plan this", he hissed. Then he paused, smirked, and continued more softly. "Actually, I send that photo to you as a favor. I thought you might like it."
Kaito fell silent, his breath catching in his throat.
"Oh, so you do have feelings for her after all. How cute." Akaito said mockingly. "You know, I think I'll be keeping her for a bit if you don't mind. I kind of like her. She's… entertaining."
And with that, he ended the call. He stuffed the phone into the pocket of his jeans and went inside again. He collapsed onto the couch and congratulated himself for a job well down. He heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. It seemed like the sleeping beauty had awakened. Rin walked into the living room a few moments later.
"Hi", she said. She was fully dressed but her hair was still a little messy.
"Hey", he responded. "Do you… want something to eat?"
She nodded. He got up and followed her into the kitchen area, showing her where he'd stowed away all the groceries so she could have her pick. She crouched on the floor for a while and stared into the cupboard, looking like she was working up the courage to say something. He stood next to her and waited patiently.
"Thank you for… you know, covering me up", she mumbled, her eyes fixed on the non-perishables as if she was addressing them instead of him. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the blush that spread across her face. What a weirdly specific thing to be embarrassed about.
"No worries", he said, clearing his throat. He suddenly felt a bit sheepish.
Rin pulled a bag of bread out of the cupboard and headed to the toaster, loading it with two slices. She went to the fridge next, pulling out a packet of butter and the bottle of orange juice. Upon seeing the juice, she blushed again. Akaito had to force himself to look away. Why the hell was he blushing too?
He busied himself with finding a plate, a knife and a glass for her. He placed them all on the counter before heading back to the couch. Rin joined him shortly after. He nodded to her toast, desperate to find something to talk about.
"You just eat it plain like that?"
Rin perked, raising a finger at him as if she was giving him a lecture.
"If you don't understand the simple perfection of plain buttered toast, then you are a peasant."
She grinned widely and bit into the toast. He couldn't help but to grin back. He settled back and watched her devour her the two pieces of toast with ease before drinking the the glass of juice in one go.
"Thanks for the meal!" she chirped, dazzling him with another smiled. Then she turned her head and seemed to realize how dark it had gotten outside. She frowned worriedly.
"What time is it?"
"About 10 pm", Akaito answered. "You slept for some time."
"Crap, I have to get back home!" Rin exclaimed. She shot out of the couch and hurried to the hallway. Akaito followed her and watched as she fumbled to tie the laces of her sneakers.
"Do you even know the way back from here in the dark?" He wondered. "It's not exactly safe for you to go alone either… Maybe I should go with you?"
"No need", Rin muttered. "Meiko-nee gave me lessons in self-defense. I'll be fine."
"Being independent is one thing, being stupid is another. I'm coming with you, at least halfway"
She sulked but didn't argue as she finished tying her laces. Akaito slipped into his own shoes and they went outside. Rin tried to get ahead while he was locking the door but he caught up to her without much effort. They walked side by side through the empty streets. The air was cooler now and easier to breathe, but it was still terribly humid.
"I hate summer", Akaito said. Rin titled her head curiously.
"You do? How come?"
"It's just the weather. It's so hot and humid. It gives me headaches."
"You're not drinking enough water."
He looked down at her, his eyebrows twitching with annoyance. She looked back at him and stuck out her tongue. God, she already knew how to get on his nerves. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they arrived at a railroad crossing and Rin came to a stop.
"I know where we are. I can go on my own from here", she said confidently. Akaito surveyed the area quickly. There was plenty of lighting around them and they appeared to be alone. It seemed safe enough, but he couldn't shake the feeling of unrest in the pit of his stomach.
"Okay then. Just promise me you won't get killed on the way home", he muttered. "I really don't want to be the last person to see you alive."
"Japan is one of the safest countries in the world", she answered. "I'll be okay. I promise."
They looked at each other for a moment, both of them at loss for words.
"Can I… come by again?" Rin asked at last. Akaito shrugged.
"Sure. Why not?"
She smiled timidly in response, waving goodbye before she turned her back to him and walked over the crossing. He kept his eyes on her silhouette as it flickered through the streetlights on the other side, slowly getting further and further away. Once he could no longer see her, he turned around and started to walk back home.