By the time I stir, I realize I'm in a hospital bed. I'm dizzy, and my sight is blurry. The silver-haired woman is standing over me.

"Are you okay? How do you feel?" She asks me.

I touch my heart. "Oh; just fine!" I glare at her. "Fucking peachy."

She sighs, "I am Doctor Haku Yowane, and I understand how you feel."

It takes all of my strength to keep from spitting in her eye. "No you don't!" I bark. "No, you don't understand what it feels like to have your best friend, a very friendly woman, and your first love be killed! How could you possibly understand what it feels like to kill innocent people?"

Dr. Yowane sighs and lifts up a side of her labcoat. Underneath, there is the marking for the VocalUtau Defense Force stitched to her shirt. "I believe this explains itself," she folds her labcoat back over the stitching.

I lay there aghast. Who cares? I think. It's just a stupid marking. I did it at a younger age than her.

I lay there in spite for a while before she sits me up and takes the IV out of my arm. Instantly, I feel more wide awake. I look down at my body, expecting scars, but all I see is my normal, freckly skin. I rub my hands down my arms. "Uhm, what? Why aren't there any scars?" I ask.

"We performed a special surgery on you," Dr. Yowane says, as if this explained everything.

I nod as if I understand. "Okay…"

,,,

"LENKA!" I yell, as I run into my stylist's arms once we hit our landing.

"Rinny~!" She yells and embraces me. Her arms are so warm. She's in a pink sweater and blue bootcut jeans. Her brown Mary Jane's click together in excitement. "I'm so happy you are okay!" She pauses to tap a blue pen against her mouth. "Now what should we put you in for the Victor's Celebration?"

My stomach drops. The Victor's Celebration… I would stand in front of the Capital and hold a trophy above my head. I would then go to the separate districts and attend the funerals of the children lost victim to the Hunger Games.

I must have had a pretty pained look on my face, because Lenka stopped her pondering and shook my shoulders.

"Hey, I know this must be very difficult for you, a young woman of fourteen." She pauses again. "But you must live for now!"

I nod and put on a fake smile, "Oh! I was just in adolescence! Just continue with your work, Lenka. I'll be totally fine!"

Lenka raises an eyebrow at me, but pulls out a sketch pad and starts doodling the design for my outfit.

I sit in the chair across from her and rest my chin on my hands. I let my eyes wander out the window. For a split second, I feel a name I haven't spoken for a long time cross my lips, so softly that even I doubted I had said it, but I did.

Len.

Lenka looked up from her work. "Hm? Did you just say something, Rin?" She asked, placing her pen diagonally on her design.

I look away from the window and face her. "I was just thinking about my baby brother, is all…" I say, and face the window once more.

She looks at me for a while longer and says, "He's still sleeping. He's due to wake up any day, though."

"Can I go see him?" I say in a voice that is barely audible.

Lenka started her design again. "Now that," she paused to blow on an ink blot on her paper, "I do not have the authority to answer."

I bite my lip and then say, "Then who does?"

Lenka looks up again and stares at me for a bit. "I do not know. All I know is that you are to stay here in this building until I am told otherwise."

"I want to see my brother, Lenka!" I cry out. I immediately cover my mouth. I shouted at Lenka, who had absolutely no reason to be yelled at.

The shock on Lenka's face is enough to make me want to rub lemon juice in my eyes. She looks down, sighs loudly, and then stands up from her desk.

I wince. "Uh, I'm, uh, really sorry, Lenka. I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, you must be very upset. I don't blame you, I would be too, if I was in your place, Rilane." She walks over to me and ruffles my hair. "Don't beat yourself up."

And just like that, I'm crying. Once again, I have been forgiven for something I shouldn't have been forgiven for. This time, I don't try to hide my tears; I'll show the world that I'm a mess.

Lenka wraps me in her arms and sways me back and forth.

,,,

"And… done!" Lenka throws down her blue pen and holds up her drawing of a very short, strapless dress.

I wince when I see it. "My God, Lenka, could you have been any more provocative?" I ask, noting the slits in the sides, right under where my chest would be.

She smirks and flips the paper over. "Yup," she says happily.

The drawing is of the back of the dress… well, really, there is no back of the dress, except to cover my butt.

"Lenka," I gulp. "This is skin tight!"

Lenka smiles and giddily says, "I know, right?"

I'm about to object, but then suddenly, a door slams open and a large man walks in.

Lenka's smile disappears, and she immediately drops to her knees, shaking uncontrollably.

"Lenka, what's the matter?" I ask her.

She shushes me, and pushes my head down, until I too, am on my knees.

"Ow! Lenka?"

"Shush!"

"Are you Rilane Kagamine?" The man asks me.

I look up. "Who are you?"

The man looks taken aback. "I am President Tonio. Your leader."

"P-President Tonio?" I look down. I'd only seen him in books at school. He looked so different in real life.

The president nodded. "Yes, now if you would be so kind as to answer my before question, I would be ever so grateful."

I stand up. "I am Rilane Kagamine, of District 12." I put two fingers to my forehead in a salute.

President Tonio nods, and extends his hand. "Follow me."

I take his hand, and let him lead me into a room.

And in that room was my unconscious little twin brother:

Len.