Chapter Twenty-Seven

-Rin-

As my bare feet stride across the glistening white sand, speckled with tiny fragments of shells, the waves lap up across them. The water is surprisingly warm. Too bad Gumi, Miku, and Luka are all missing out on this. I look up toward the sizzling sun to see Len splashing through the shallow water across the shore.

"Len!" I call, shielding my eyes with my hand. He looks up at me, his azure eyes matching the ocean perfectly. "Hey!" I say, my feet sinking into the soft white sand as I make my way across the shore and into the water.

The warm, salty blue water splashes up against my ankles as I draw deeper, only for me to realize that Len's not so deep either. I squint as I see… No, that can't be right. Who is that? A green-haired little kid with the cutest little bucktooth comes out from behind Len, swinging his arms and bringing the water up with him. He giggles and hops around, playing in the water joyfully. Aw…

"Len!" I call again, waving my arms as I tread through the ocean at a quicker pace. This time, he looks up at me through his shaggy blonde hair. I can't help but break into a smile as I reach him. "Who's this?" I ask, bending down to match the height of the younger child. He stops and looks up at me with curious eyes.

"This is Ryuto," Len answers with a chuckle.

"Hey!" I grin at the kid. "What's up?"

"This is my sister, Rin," Len introduces me, pointing to me with his thumb. This is my sister, Rin… For some reason, that still doesn't sound right… I guess I just have to get used to it. By the faintly troubled expression on Len's face, I can tell his thoughts are identical to mine.

"Ryuto!" A voice abruptly calls across the beach. The three of us turn around to see a tall woman waving to us, matching his lively green hair. I smile as she approaches us holding a golden-colored towel. Hmm. She looks a bit like Gumi to me. "Hi," she smiles warmly toward Len and me. She then looks down at Ryuto with a sad look on her face. "I'm afraid it's time to go," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder, "We have to pick up your sister from her soccer game."

"Aww man," Ryuto wails, stomping in the sand.

"Say bye to your friends," the mother reminds him, once again glancing at us with a friendly smile.

"Bye, Len! Bye Rin!" Ryuto calls, his waving arms soaring over his head as he rushes out of the water. His mother follows, keeping her warm smile as she heaves the towel farther up into her grasp.

"Aww, he was so adorable," I giggle, once they're out of earshot. "I didn't know you were good with kids," I say. He shrugs.

"Me neither," he says nonchalantly. "For some reason, I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you," he sighs, looking up into the blue sky. I take a moment to think. But… why? Maybe… it's me too…

"Yeah," I agree, "Same here." I tilt my head enthusiastically, snapping his attention away from the sky. "Hey, how about we go a little deeper? I mean, the little kid is gone," I point out. Len's face suddenly contorts up into a frown.

"No! I uh… like it here," he says hurriedly, his eyes widening. I relax my eyebrows, biting my lip.

"Why? Don't you want to swim?" I ask.

"N-No way! Plus, uh…" he stammers, "Isn't it nice just walking up here?" he asks, his contorted expression growing tighter.

"Come on Len," I say, grabbing his hand and tugging him out into the deeper water. "Why don't you want to go into the actual water?" I ask, rolling my eyes. He struggles to release his sweaty hand from my grasp.

"N-No! Rin! Please, no!" he whines, suddenly yanking his hand free as fear takes over his wrinkled blue eyes. "Like, actually, don't!" he says softly when I remain silent.

"Why not? You're not… afraid, are you?" I ask with a tilt of my head, my short golden hair shadowing my eyes. Because that would be stupid, I add in my head, we're sixteen, Len. Grow up.

"No!" he says. I shoot him a look. "Okay, fine. I just… I just don't know how to swim, okay?" he asks, his quivering voice dropping. "Please don't tell anyone!" he interrupts quickly, stopping me from opening my mouth by placing a shaking finger over my lips. "Okay?" he asks, his voice now soft. Now he's acting like a little kid.

"L-" I start. I watch intensely as his turquoise eyes begin to fall into the wobbly rhythm of his perspiring hands. "Okay. I… I won't tell anyone," I say. I feel so… offended… that he actually had to ask me not to tell anyone… But then again, really, why should I feel offended? He knows from sharing sixteen years with me that I can't keep my mouth shut for anyone, but why do I feel so bad now…?

"Thank you, Rin," he says, letting out a breath that steadies his shaking body. "But, um…" he falters, forcing his eyes on mine, clearly intimidated by… Why does he look so scared? I already said I wouldn't tell anyone! "C-Can you uh…" he starts limply. It's not long before I begin to focus on his intensifying breaths as they grow heavier and heavier. In and out…. Is there a chance that he does this too?

"Can I what?" I ask, yet it comes out sounding harsher than I intended it to. His eyes widen as he begins shaking his head.

"Nothing, okay, Rin?" he sighs, "You couldn't help me anyway."

"What do you mean?" I ask nearly silently. The more he goes on, the more he offends me… why? "I'll definitely help you! You're my brother! Of course!" I say.

"Oh, so that's why you'll help me," he says, looking up to the sky in annoyance and tapping his forehead, "Because I'm your brother," he adds slowly, this time being the one to shoot me a look.

"L-Len, that's not what I-"

"So you wouldn't have helped me anyway?" he cuts me off harshly. I draw in a sharp gasp of salty air as his words sting me- hard. "You mean, literally five days ago you wouldn't have helped me?" he points out with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Len! Stop! Please!" I say, pathetically tugging his arm down. My unblinking rough eyes rest on his throat as he swallows.

"I just wanted to know how to swim, Rin," he says limply, his eyes falling down to the shallow water below.

"Come on. I'll help you," I say suddenly. He looks up at me in shock. "I promise," I add before he can object. He sighs and nods. "But the first step," I hum, tugging at his arm gently, "Is to go further out into water that's a little deeper than this, Len."

"I'm not sure if that's a-"

"Come on, Len," I say playfully. "You've got to learn how to do this. I'm going to help you, okay?" I ask, my tone falling to be a bit more serious.

"Since when-?"

"Len, shush!" I silence him with a laugh.

"Fine," he huffs, not even noticing that the water is already past his knees. Soon, it's up to his thighs… and then his waist.

"See," I point out, coming to a stop, "You're doing just fine," I entice him. I cup my hand, getting a handful of salt water and flicking it at his chest. He chuckles.

"Alright, fine," he shrugs, "So it's not that bad." As his eyes dart shyly to the water below, I notice… a scar… scratching up the side of his waist. He then pulls his black swim trunks up to cover it. I open my mouth to say something, but then I stop. It's not nice to point out things like this… but what kind of scar is that? It's huge! Instead, I change the conversation.

"So, why didn't you know how to swim in the first place?" I ask lightly.

"I-I'd… rather not talk about it," he answers quietly, with a dismissive toss of his wrist.

"Hey, Len," I say, waiting for his eyes to meet mine, "Don't forget I'm your sister and your friend. You shouldn't be afraid to talk to me sometimes," I offer with a persuading warm-hearted smile.

"You're right," he agrees. "So… my parents…" he starts, "Oh, I'm really not good at these kinds of things. How do I even put this?" he asks. I wait patiently for him to go on. "My parents… are kind of… um… they hate me," he sighs.

"Well, don't every teenager's parents hate them?" I laugh, poking him in the shoulder playfully. He doesn't laugh back.

"Yeah, but it's kind of hard growing up assuming that every kid's parents abuse them, Rin," he says seriously. I take a silent breath in and out as his heavy words sink in.

"You mean… my… a-aunt and uncle are like that?" I ask, trying to find the right position to place them in. Remember, Len and I are legally cousins now, we were just born as twins… Gah! This whole thing is just too confusing!

"You don't get it, Rin," Len shrugs dejectedly, "I mean, why do you think you've never met them before?"

"Oh, that's… that's right," I say, pushing my fingers together in thought, "Rei and Rui wouldn't have wanted me to meet Rinto and Lenka for fear that I might get hurt or something," I mumble. Using their names doesn't make anything easier.

"Sorry… that I just kind of… dumped that on you so suddenly," Len says.

"No, don't be. It's not nearly as bad as me starting this whole thing, right?" I chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Right?" I falter, looking down. Just give it up already. It can't even get more awkward than it already is.

Suddenly, I feel a pair of soft lips brushing up against mine as strands of even softer golden hair lightly touch my face. Len… he's… kissing me… It's so… I return the kiss, wrapping my hands around his neck. Different… Why am I letting this happen? What happened to simple rules? Waiting for more, I close my eyes as he pushes up against me for a second time, his fingers running through my silky, thin hair and across my cheek. We both breathlessly pull back as his eyes widen.

"Rin… I am so, so, sorry…" he starts, placing a hand on the side of his forehead, "I didn't- I shouldn't have- I just-" he stammers, his entire face growing red.

"Len, why?" I manage to breathe out. "What were you thinking?" I ask. What was I thinking? Why didn't I pull away sooner?

"I dunno…" he sighs, "I wasn't thinking. Just please… don't be mad, okay?" he splutters. I sigh even louder, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I'm not sure if I'm mad or if I'm…" I start, digging through my already racing thoughts for any word other than 'happy'. "Or if I'm… anything else!" I hiss. He lets out a breath, his Carolina blue eyes sinking to a dull periwinkle.

"I'm sorry, just…"

"I'm not mad," I say quietly, my shaky monotone voice cutting him off. "I'm not mad," I repeat again, this time with more strength. In and out… In and out… "If anything, this is more my fault," I say in between forced breaths. In and out… In and out. In and out. "Not the fact that you kissed me, but the fact that it's a problem," I clarify when he doesn't say anything. In and out. Inandout. Inandout. Inandout! Inandout! INANDOUT!

"Rin, you're hyperventilating!" Len says quickly, straightening out my trembling shoulders. "Rin! I'm sorry. Just look at me okay?" he asks, tilting my chin up and looking into my eyes. "Just breathe slowly, and only when I tell you to," he instructs me seriously, his fingers running down to my shoulder. "Breathe in…" he utters, his eyes focused on mine. I draw in a long, deep breath. "Breathe out…" The sound of all the air in me being let out undulates as Len steadies me again. "Breathe in…" he says again. I take in another deep breath. Why is he doing this? "Breathe out…" he whispers, his eyes softening. I let it out, but this time my breath is smooth and steady. "Are you okay?" he asks, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear with his free hand.

"I'm fine," I sigh.

"Good," he smiles, giving my shoulder a squeeze and letting go.

"Why did you…" I start quietly.

"It's just always something that my older sister Lily used to do to me when my breathing would get out of control. It always helped, but now I guess I've learned to do it myself since she's gone now," he shrugs.

"W-Where is she?" I ask worriedly, pictures of my aunt and uncle flashing through my head. Please don't say-

"She's away in college. Somewhere in Massachusetts," he says, not meeting my eyes.

"Oh," I sigh of relief as we begin walking back to the shore. "Harvard?" I ask with a tilt of my head. He nods quickly. "Impressive," I say. "Hey, what about swimming?" I ask as the water around my moving feet grows shallower.

"Maybe we can do that another day," he says, a light smile brushing across his face.

"Good idea," I agree, finding my hand tangled into his as the sun seems to shine even brighter. "Maybe another day…"

Ahh! Sorry, I didn't exactly, erm, know how to end this chapter... But I did! :)

So, Lenny-chan and Rinny-chan finally kissed.
I think you can tell who comes next after this.
Do you see the pattern? It grows and grows.
I think Luka's left with that evil Gakupo.

*Snickers*

Eating: Nothing
Drinking: Nothing
Doing: Publishing (my life is so boring, I know)
Homework: UMM, YES.
Listening to: My brother trying to play guitar
Quote time: "Maybe another day..." - Rin

*Yawns* I should probably go eat something now...

Thanks for reading! WOAH, stop whatever you're doing and REVIEW. Yes, I'm talking to you. What? Don't just stare at me like that. STOP. Just, go review. I like reviews. They make me happy. PLEASE review. Stop reading this.

I know you're still reading this.

Y'know what? You really know how to annoy an author. Bye.

I said BYE!