Long time no update again, my internet has been really dodgy these past few days...

But anywho, here's the second to last chapter. There'll be on emore after this and a bonus chapter (yay!) and that will be that.

Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me so far, as I've never EVER completed a full story before, and it's nice when you know people are enjoying what you are writing! So thank you very much! *bows*

As always, Vocaloid (c) Yamaha... though I wish Len belonged to me.

The Schoolgirl and the End of Another Day

Len sighed as he kicked open the door to his overly large house, with a quietly-sleeping Rin in his arms. Honestly. She fell asleep so easily. He thought a bit more as he walked up the stairs, the lights automatically turning on. Perhaps she was just tired. Len smiled.

Again, he kicked open the door to his room, trying not to be too loud in case his dear sister woke up. He laid her on his bed and pulled the duvet over her gently rising and falling shoulders. She was so cute when she slept, with that happy little expression painted on her face. Like an angel.

With a groan, the blond boy trundled back out of the dark room, closing the door carefully behind him, and down the staircase. First, he went into the front room and let out an even bigger groan at the mess in front of him. Food packets and crumbs littered the area and cushions were strewn everywhere; scraps of paper piled up in corners and blotches of dirt and… other red stuff. Better clean up then.

Especially that red, Len added to himself. He groaned again.

With a sigh of resignation, he set himself to work. It wasn't all bad – he had found his long-lost GameBoy under the sofa and a handful of other things he thought he had lost forever. And as soon as the front room was tidy, he moved onto the next room.

...

Rin woke up with a yawn. Stretching her arms, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and rolled out of the bed. She looked around, but could barely recognise the room she was in. Soon, it dawned upon her again. It had been a hectic night and past day; it felt like it had gone on forever. She gave a tired smile.

Walking down the stairs, with a blanket around her, she went into the front room. It was… awfully tidy. Almost unnaturally tidy. Especially for a boy's house, she thought to herself with a laugh. Next, she tried looking for the kitchen and had to try several different rooms and doors before she found it… and Len with it as a bonus.

He was sat on the small dining table, his head in his arms, leaning on the polished glass surface. Rin went a bit closer, about to nudge him on the shoulder, when she realised he was fast asleep. His blond shock of hair was a mess and his clothes were dusty. Rin smiled to herself again. She took off the blanket she had brought downstairs with her and pulled it over Len's gently dozing figure. Suddenly, she caught a sweet aroma in the air. On the kitchen table, near the hob, was a plate of steaming breakfast… coincidentally, her favourite foods too.

...

And so the days passed. Rin went to school on a daily basis and Len taking time off to finish some assignments which had piled up. He always returned late at night or in the early hours of morning with fresh cuts or bruises, and he'd always tidy up a bit and, in the mornings, make breakfast for his dear sister. Rin heard all this from his room upstairs, which she had temporarily stayed in. Len had insisted he'd be alright sleeping on the sofa or something.

And, over time, things got better. Rin and Miku's friendship was restored and they were, once again, chatting and gossiping as if nothing had ever happened. One day, Miku had asked, "So how're things going on with you and your boyfriend? Honestly, you don't even bother staying with me anymore."

Only then, did Rin realise that she had not explained the situation to her best friend. With a laugh, she shook her head and had replied, "I'll… no. Rather, we'll explain it all later." It turned out that it was only Rin who did the explaining, as Len had blatantly refused to talk to the 'heartless girl who wanted to lock him out in the cold, pouring rain'. Rid had sighed at that. Were those two never going to make up?

One night, when Len had a day off, Rin cuddled up to him on the sofa. She felt him awkwardly tense up for a split second before relaxing again. For a few minutes, they watched the TV in silence together, before Rin broke the ice.

"You never told me how you bribed your Master Shion."

There was a brief pause, then, "Ice cream. He likes that stuff."

Rin laughed. She laid her head on Len's arm and clung on to it with her gentle hands.

There was another pause before the boy continued talking, "He's a big softie really, Master. Just play cute and you can get past him real easy."

"What about playing cute at the café?" teased Rin.

"Oh, that?" Len used his free arm to reach across and finger his twin's soft blonde hair. "The café belongs to Miss Luka, Master Shion's girl… friend. She's nice and all, letting me work there, but she always gets me to act like this and that. Apparently it gets more customers." The boy looked into Rin's eyes as if searching for some sort of proof that it did get more customers. He sighed. "I don't really understand. But I guess it's better than being doomed to a fate of selling ice cream all day."

Rin laughed, and he joined in. She snuggled up to him even more and Len hugged her back… rather awkwardly. Rin supposed he wasn't too used to hugs and stuff like that.

"You're really warm y'know," complimented Len in a whisper.

Rin nodded, "Why did you decide to take me back?"

Such an inevitable question, but Len was prepared to answer it, "Because… I realised that I've been missing some things all my life. I was missing you. And you're the only one who can teach me all the other things I've been missing."

"What do you mean?"

"Y'know. Stuff. Things like care and kindness and generosity… and love. I want to know what it feels like to love a sister."

"But you didn't know that I was your sister until father said so."

"…That's not the point," grumbled Len bluntly. Still, he couldn't help but grin.

Rin simply nodded again and, with a smile, slipped into the world of dreams again. She managed to mutter, "You're cute when you sleep."

"Well," whispered Len, kissing her on the forehead, "you're cuter."