Hatchi

(Chapter Eight)

(Sorry I took so long to update, I guess I'm in a real writing slump here Thanks again to my boyfriend who came up with nearly all of this…. Gomenasai )

On the plane to the next big city, the Kagamine's talked quietly. It was a six hour flight from New York to Seattle, Washington so the two had lots of time to talk. After a while, Len got out his notebook and began to write a couple rhymed lines that didn't make much sense. Rin peered on the paper and gave a smile.

"That's really good, I don't understand them though," She commented and looked back out the window.

"Thanks, I don't really get them either. That's how all my songs start though, a few lines with no rhyme or reason to them in the least," Len answered her, erasing the lines on account of low self-confidence. It wasn't until then he realized he'd mentioned he wrote songs. His face heated up and he prayed she hadn't caught that part.

"Songs?" Rin asked, turning back towards him. "I didn't know you wrote songs. May I see?"

Len grimaced, knowing that every song in the book was about her. If she saw any of them, things would be awkward. And they were doing so well, lately, he couldn't risk that. But he knew she would be offended if he said no.

"Why don't I write you a song, right now?" He asked her, the light bulb clicking on in his mind. Rin would have to love that!

"Right now? For me?" Rin whispered, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear the offer. "Yes, oh yes please!"

"I really want to become a princess, not those characters you have in your mind. Every girl has this wish. Please come for me, my prince." Len sang softly, glancing at Rin with an embarrassed smile. "That sounds good, should I write more?"

Rin stared open-mouthed at him. She wasn't sure which she was most in awe of, the song or his voice! She'd never even heard him sing without the heavy auto-tune that made them vocaloids. He sounded really good.

"Oh," She finally answered. "It's, I love it!"

Len smiled and began writing in his battered notebook, Rin craning her neck to read. Every so often he'd hum a couple lines, or tell her to sing a serious of words. But mostly it was quiet. He concentrated on the words, tapping into his inner princess to write out a little girl's fantasy life of royalty.

"You know, when I was a girl, I actually did want to be a princess," Rin thought out-loud, looking over at Len who looked at her back.

"I know, you told me the first day we met," He replied and went back to working.

"I did? Why?" Rin asked, surprised and blushing that he'd remember something from so long ago.

"You asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said I wasn't sure. I asked you and you said you wanted to try everything once. Then you laughed and told me a silly story of when you were little and dreamed of being a princess. It was quite cute," Len answered with a smile at the memory. He hadn't thought of it for a while, but he realized how fond of it he was. He didn't seem to notice Rin's widened eyes at his long speech. She said nothing more, se he again bent his head and finished the song. Without a word, he slid it over to her, and watched her bright blue gems for eyes go left and right as she read the words he'd written.

"Len," Rin finally spoke for what seemed like hours to the boy. "You have a talent, I really love it! I want to ask Mr. Toshiro if I can perform it next concert!"

Len gave her a look of alarm.

"It's not that good! Don't ask him, he'll laugh!" He begged her, biting his lower lip from nerves. She rolled her eyes and patted his shoulder, giving him a feeling of electricity where her had was.

"It's good, and if he says no… he says no. I won't even tell him who wrote it," Rin promised, ripping out the page and pocketing it. Len decided he was glad there wasn't something written on the back. "Please?"

"Fine," He sighed, rolling his own eyes. His heart dropped in disappointment when Rin removed her hand from his shoulder, but was pleasantly surprised when she awkwardly threw her arms around him in a hug, though it wasn't easy on a plane. He smiled and pretended to shrug her off. Even after she'd pulled away and started reading her book, he continued smiling. Nothing in this day could go wrong.

Until it did go wrong.

Rin's day after the plane had been stressful. Her room had been switched with a bitchy business woman, she dropped her suitcase in the elevator and was mortified when a hot teen American boy helped her pick up her underclothes, and it only got worse from there. Mr. Toshiro rejected the song Len wrote. She couldn't even find Len after she got her room straightened out. Deciding that what she needed was a good cry in the bath, she retreated from the lobby back to her room. Taped on the door, was a note in bright orange paper. Len's hand-writing was scrawled over it, inviting for her to join him in New York, and included was a little map to where he was waiting. Rin smiled, her stress fading away easily. Len always had that effect on her. Grabbing the note and map, Rin rushed down two flights of stairs and out the large front doors.

Len was waiting three blocks away in a little park café, looking out the window into the dusk. He'd made the decision to clear things up with Rin once and for all. Try to explain his more-then-friends feelings for her and how he just wanted to be with her. Forget Miku. She was nothing compared to the perfect, peppy Rin Kagamine.

"Tonight is the night," He whispered, trying to calm his nerves. He glanced out again and saw her coming up to the door. In excitement he stood up and waved. She waved back and made her way over, sliding into the vinyl booth.

"You will not believe my time at the hotel," She complained immediately, and Len got the full run-down of her bad day. Even though he tried to hide it, his heart dropped a little when she said his song had been rejected.

"But you know what?" She whispered, leaning across the table as if someone were listening. "I'm going to sing it anyway. Next concert, I will."

Len rolled his eyes, but was secretly pleased with her plan. They spent the next 45 minutes joking and laughing, teasing and talking. They got so loud though, the waitress kicked them out so they headed over to the swing-set. As they walked, Len got up his courage.

"Rin," He began slowly. "You know that you're my closest friend, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Rin answered, giving him a puzzled look as she used her heels to move the swing from side to side. A group of younger kids played on the money bars a little ways away, their high pitched laughter making her smile. "I guess that you're my best friend, too."

Len smiled, hoping she didn't notice his blush. He took a breath; this is where he would confess his love. Now. Right now.

RING! RING! RING!

"Better get that…" Rin prompted with a guarded expression. The ringtone for Hatsune Miku blared from his pocket, and Len gave out a few silent curses. Did she always have this bad of timing?

"Yeah, hello?" He answered, not realizing how irritable he sounded. "No, not until Friday, we have three… No. I don't think so but- Oh yeah I understand. Yeah, really, that'd be great! I miss you too. Can't wait. Mhm, love you, bye."

He clicked end and turned back to Rin, ready to begin where he'd left off. He was surprised to see tears glistening in her blue eyes.

"Rin? Did something happen?" Len asked, worried and confused. He started to reach out for her, but she smacked his hand away and stood up angrily.

"Mhm! Love you! Bye!" She snapped, mimicking his talk with Miku. With an evil look, she turned away before he could notice the tear sliding down her cheek. She took off walking towards the road, tears blurring her vision. Storming across the walkway on the highway, she didn't even notice the taxi bus coming right at her.

"Rin, stop!" Len screamed, chasing after her full speed. He had noticed the bus. His long legs took him over the distance quickly, but not quickly enough. He heard the sickening thud as the headlights collided with Rin's body and she was flung sideways. He took one last flying step forward before she crashed into him, sending them both back onto the concrete of the sidewalk. Len felt a painful snap in his wrist and arm as he tried to break their fall, and with a glance at Rin he realized she was un-conscious. The pain was taking over his arm and he couldn't move it without calling out in pain. He lay there, the weight of Rin on top of him, until he heard the ringing of the sirens in the near distance.

The rest was a blur to him. Someone picked Rin off him and loaded her onto an ambulance. He was loaded into one himself, and there was lots of people asking him questions. He tried to answer, but his voice sounded funny. It was too high. Someone stepped into his focus and tried to tell him he was in shock. It didn't register. All he could hear were Rin's anger words, all he could see was her terrified face as the bus come towards her. All he could think about was how he hadn't been there. Hadn't been there to save her.