I am SO sorry this came out so late. School has sucked for a long while and will continue to suck until the summertime. In fact, I only had enough time because weather is getting weirder and weirder.
Despite that difficulty, I'm going to try to update at least once a month.
So without further ado… chapter 3!
And remember, I'm always helpful to whatever criticisms you all have for this composition.
The rest of the school day feels like an entire eternity spent in hell for Rin.
You probably already know that Hell has been a big topic in her mind for hours. She's spent time wondering if Len is burning in the same lake of fire her father is probably burning all of his skin in or freezing up in the sky, where her former best friend, Luka, was.
Luka.
The name tasted too bitter for her to say, as if Rin didn't deserve to even say her name in private, even if it'd be softly whispered to herself while walking in the hallways or be said in her own bedroom. She tries to ignore her thoughts on her, but her attempt fails, and the subject of "Luka" takes part of one of the many topics jumbled in her mind.
What also stayed like sizzling hot glue in her mind were these questions.
Once Rin had started questioning herself about her life choices, her questions soon led to big and bigger tangents.
How did Miku convince her to get out of the bathroom stall?
I only got out there so that Miku would stop bothering me, right? Her incessant whining is so stressful that everyone around her is forced to obey before their ears bleed. I can simultaneously understand why she's class president and still wonder how my classmates voted for someone as dumb as she was.
How did she herself manage to finish most of the schoolwork given to her?
Since when did I actually try to do work in class? And when did I actually get good grades on most of them? What's wrong with me and my work ethic?
How did she endure the regular pitying looks from her classmates and her teacher?
Since when did I care what they thought? I can barely stand any of those vapid people! The only people I'd try to impress is...Luka and ...Len.
And how in the world did she manage to lose two best friends in one lifetime?
If reincarnation was a thing, I probably would have disappointed more people in one lifetime than those who've had multiple.
Reflecting over these questions again and again, she barely registers the sound of the familiar school bell ringing at the end of the day, and is undoubtedly the last student to exit the classroom. She barely dodges an attempt by the teacher, a nice woman who goes by the name of Ms. Yomane, to comfort and soothe her and trails behind the large crowds of students that make up the packed hallways and stairways.
It takes a long while-perhaps seven minutes-before the crowds start to dissipate, even outside of the high school, where the buses are loading. Rin sighs in relief before starting her fifteen minute journey home.
While she's trudging home without him, she spots a crow on a budding plum blossom tree.
Instantly,as if her mind was a VHS player, it rewinds to a clear and very distinct memory and clicks play.
It was one of their recent weekly Friday movie nights at Len's house, during the glacial mess that is January. Surrounded by a sofa cushion-made pillow fort made in the basement, the two friends were covered by a fleece blanket, courtesy of Len's mother, with just a giant bowl of microwavable popcorn separating them. Scattered wrappers and pieces of M&M's and skittles covered some of the carpet they were sitting on.
They were watching (more like trying not to cringe) some generic fantasy movie. At that point in time, the generic main protagonist was attempting to confess to his shockingly beautiful but also generic love interest after school under the school's legendary cherry blossoms tree, as generic dramatic orchestral music played in the background.
Nevertheless, it was pure concentrated bliss for Rin, as she (obviously) felt blessed by Len's presence.
Suddenly the screen was still, with no sound coming out of the generic main protagonist's mouth.
Rin immediately turned to her left, where she saw that Len had used the tv remote to pause the movie.
Although unexpected, Rin wasn't too concerned as she had gotten used to Len's occasional impetuous behavior.
"What is it, Len?" She asked, slightly tilting her head to the right.
"I know this is a silly nit-pick here but I'm seriously tired of how lazy and uninspired directors know only one way to use crows in movies. Crows flying near the protagonist, which imply darkness and/or despair is such a tired cliche," Len responded as he sighed.
"Well, maybe you will be the one to eradicate such tired clichés, you fricking art prodigy."
Rin had jokingly punched him in the right arm after her reply.
"Of course, a director needs his actors and actresses in order for work to truly make an impact," He had looked at Rin as if he was about to ask something very important.
"No can do. You know I'm primarily a singer, secondarily an engineer," She had said back, gesticulating in mock disapproval.
"Who says you can't change careers? Plus, you are a good liar whenever we play BS."
Rin shook her head. She may have been good, but Len himself was the best liar she had ever met, managing to win at least 85% of the countless games they've played. However, she wasn't going to let him have any satisfaction.
"It's just because you just suck at the game period," answered Rin in response to his compliment.
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
Their banter went on for three minutes until Len grudgingly resumed the movie.
And despite the terrible movie, all was perfect in Len's house. Perhaps a bit too perfect in Rin's mind.
Then her mind fast forwards to the present and she continues on trudging back home, wishing to feel like a girl in a movie.
But she doesn't go directly home.
Instead, she finds herself at the front porch of Len's house. Rin knows it's a bad idea, visiting his house during the same day she found out about his death. She could possibly get a meltdown during the middle of a visit and cry and cry for hours.
Her right index finger finds itself pressing the familiar doorbell regardless.
Ding-Dong.
Rin can hear-no, FEEL-Len's mother sprint towards the door, her footsteps as loud and heavy as a horse being hurried by its impatient rider and also his beloved master .
"RIN!"
Len's mother, known around the community as the part of the "World's Personable and Affable", along with the unofficial title as "World's Biggest Hugger" hugs her furiously. Rin hugs back, almost twice as furiously, and lets herself melts into her arms, like a chocolate bar left on the sidewalk a hot summer day, taking in the most solace and comfort she's had all day.
After perhaps five minutes, they finally separate, both slightly more confident about their futures without...him.
"Oh Rin! Thank you so much for coming back here it means a lot!" The older woman vocalizes with glee and pure, unfiltered happiness.
"You too, Mrs. Kagamine," Rin replies back, a tint of awkwardness found in her small voice.
"Rin, always call me Lily from now on."
Mrs. Kagamine lets her hand rest for a second on Rin's shoulder before being delicately put away.
Lily walks back to the front door and holds it open. She uses common hand gestures for Rin to enter the house. Unable to decline, Rin decides to take off her black leather shoes for school and comes inside.
Once Rin has entered the living room, Lily locks the front door at once, a harsh sound coming out. Rin flinches at Lily's habit. Despite her warm personality, Lily had always been the type of person to be wary of almost all unfamiliar people who take the time to wait at her doorstep, especially in today's world. It was a wonder how she managed to have been a part of Len's world.
For what seemed an hour rather than a second, Rin deeply observed the contents of his house, from the numerous picture frames containing a short summary of Len's childhood in the colorful living room with lots of splashes of banana yellow to the old sofa Rin and Len had regularly sat there to handle their B.S. card games, still unchanged and unmoved.
Then Lily starts to talk rapidly.
And when Lily Kagamine starts to talk rapidly, it's like letting loose a big avalanche; you can't ever stop the overload of information and emotions Lily is letting out. It's not like the woman was often a neurotic mess; rather, she took in tragedies better than most. It was out of character to be so stressed, though one couldn't blame her for a dead son.
"I've been at home all day trying to call everyone-relatives, distant relatives, family friends, and coworkers about it. Everyone's been taking the news really hard. And the worst part about it is that I...I..."
Mrs. Kagamine starts to breathe heavily while gesticulating with her hands wildly. Rin immediately comes over to Lily's right side in order to attempt comforting, even without a vague plan.
"Lily, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. Take some deep breaths," Rin says for encouragement. Surprisingly, Lily took it seriously and started to breathe in deeply.
"There you go. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out," Rin suggests, with the older woman calming down every five seconds.
"Do you want a glass of water?" Rin asks. Lily nods her head, her face still slightly red but not as furiously red as before
Wow. I guess observing Miku countlessly comfort many heart-broken girls has rubbed off, Rin can't help but think to herself.
Before Rin can walk to the kitchen, the front door slowly creaks before it opens completely. Lily flashes a sharp glance to the assumed stranger, before softening her look towards him. That "stranger" is known as Mr. Kagamine: husband to his dear wife Lily Matsuda Kagamine, father to his only son-now deceased-...Len Kagamine.
One of the pooh-bahs of several engineering firms around the district, he earned hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from his job. Instead of opting for a larger home, he decided to use the money for his son, saving up enough for Len's college tuition, with the leftovers used to help Len fund his hobbies.
Despite remembering these facts about him, Rin makes a big effort not to look at him in total distaste. She still had not changed her childhood's perception of him: a snobbish, mean man Len had for a father who often ignored Rin whenever possible.
Especially he looked so much like Len, Mr. Kagamine being a model adult version of his son, his confidence and business intelligence being two traits that Len unfortunately wouldn't be able to model in the near future.
One major factor that played in a role in shaping her perception oh him was Len telling her all sorts of stories of him throughout the ages-whether it be the weird and bizarre parts to his personality, his seemingly constant disapproval of Len's art pursuits, every time he was being a snob and his rarely shown agreeable side to his personality.
Both Rin and Len had always watched the man in interest and deeply took in his presence whenever he spared enough time to linger around their company, almost like a butterfly fluttering around a random flower among millions of other beautiful flowers for a fleeting second.
He kisses his wife before briefly conversing with her quietly. They're so quiet that Rin can only hear snippets of their conversation.
She manages to hear the words "Rin", "visit", "Len's death", "calling", and "water" before they abruptly part from their discussion.
Mr. Kagamine is the one to clear his throat and speak first.
"Why don't we all sit down to talk?" He suggests.
"That's not a bad idea, Nero. Let's all sit," Lily agrees.
All of them sit on the sofa, waiting for someone to break the silence for the second time. Once again, it's Nero who breaks it.
"So I'm guessing today's been pretty rough for all of us," he comments.
"Yeah, it's been pretty weird without hanging out with Len," Rin remarks, which surprises herself.
Since when did I ever talk to Mr. Kagamine? Rin thought.
"I remember Len would get on my nerves just so he could make some art," he replies with a rueful smile.
"I wish I could see some of his work before the funeral," Rin instantly responds and sighs afterward.
"Why don't you go and visit his room?" Lily suggests.
Before Rin can interject, Mr. Kagamine whispers in Lily's ears. Her face scrunches up into worry before dissipating into something that can be distinguished as elated happiness.
"I have an even better idea," says Nero.
"Catch," he says right before lightly throwing a pair of silver keys for Rin to catch.
"That's the key to the attic. Let's hope you don't take too long in there," he remarks, a glint in his eyes.
Rin's eyes widen in simultaneous shock, sadness, and happiness. She stands in the same spot for a minute until something inside of her seems to snap, and she's running up the familiar stairs that lead up to a soon-to-be unlocked attic.
The key Len and she plotted to steal away for years now in her hands.