Chapter 9 is finally here :)

Disclaimer: I do not own VOCALOID! They all belong to their repsected owners!

Chapter Nine:

A Broken Promise

~RIN~

"Rin, what did brother want from you anyways?" Rei asked me while we took a break from all the dancing.

"Nothing Rei…He didn't even know that he was dancing with me had it not been for my usual manner that revealed me."

"Are you sure Rin?"

"Why does it concern you Rei?" I asked him curiously. Rei turned pensive for a moment before shaking his head as if erasing some thoughts.

"Never mind…Let's just enjoy this evening then, shall we?" He smiled while getting up and offering me his hand. I took it reluctantly, wondering why he quickly avoided the conversation.

Knowing Rei, he'd refuse to leave his questions unanswered.

"Rei…Is something bothering you lately?" I asked while we danced. Rei wasn't talking and almost as if deep in thought. Did I anger him again?

"Rei…Are you mad?" I added taking him by surprise.

"Whatever do you mean Rin? I'm not mad…just worried that's all."

"Well then, what's making you worry?" I asked. I was glad at that he wasn't mad but it made me uneasy that he was worried about something.

"Sorry for making you worry all the time Rin."

"It's alright Rei…but please, at the very least; don't push yourself away when you need help. You're making me look useless you know." I smiled. Rei smiled back and nodded.

"Okay Rin, the next time I need help I'll tell you."

"Then that settles everything Rei. So instead of sulking around, lighten up and enjoy the ball…Okay?" I added while patting him on the shoulder. It was kind of a hard pat since he almost fell over much to his annoyance.

"Now you've done it Rin!"

"Hahaha! See you're finally lightening up Rei." I laughed while running off. A lot of people were looking at us like we were two children playing around in the park but I didn't care.

Seeing him this happy was alright for me.

~LEN~

Who would've thought that the ones causing the noise were them.

"It seems Rin and Rei are having a great time Len." Miku whispered to me. I could only give her a slight nod since I really didn't have the mood right now. It was weird for me to be feeling so upset when everyone around me is enjoying the night.

I wonder why I feel so upset tonight.

"Len you're spacing out again." Miku called out waving her hand in front of my face.

"Was I?" I wondered aloud. Miku sighed and nodded. Was I making her worry again?

"Len you're hiding something from me…Don' lie because I can clearly see it on your face."

"Sorry Miku…I'm just not in the mood tonight." I could only say. This feeling was too confusing, I couldn't understand it. Miku frowned at my answer and quickly looked away to hide her face.

"Why aren't you in the mood Len? We planned this ball so well that I was sure not one moment would ruin our time…You even said yourself that this would be the best night of our lives. So why aren't you enjoying it Len?"

"Miku I-," Before I could even finish what I had to say, Miku quickly got up and left. She was mad and as usual it was my entire fault…

Why am I always making this worse for the both of us lately?

"Miku! Where are you?" I called out but no one answered. She wasn't in her usual hiding place which was the gazebo which only meant one thing - She didn't want to be disturbed.

"Brother?" I turned around and found Rei looking at me and as usual beside him was none other than Rin.

"What do you want Rei?"

"You seem to be looking for someone brother, do you need some assistance?" He asked. I wanted to say no and leave but I needed all the help I could find if I were to locate Miku.

"Yes I am looking for someone…by any chance did you see Miku anywhere?" Much to my disappointment though, both of them shook their heads in reply.

"But we can look for her if we split up right…We can cover more ground that way." Rin suggested.

"Very well, we'll meet up at the conservatory if we're done searching then." I added before we split up.

Miku…Where are you?

~MIKU~

Stupid Len.

The night was so perfect and then out of the blue he's suddenly not in the mood and sulks like a spoiled child. Just what is wrong with him?

"This night was supposed to be special for us…Why did Len have to ruin it?" I sniffled. The stars in the conservatory were supposed to make me smile but tonight not even one star was out to cheer me up.

"Miku?" I flinched and looked up to find Rei looking at me.

"Rei-Rei-Kun."

"Seriously…stop it with that nickname." He replied slightly irritated. How on earth did he find me?

"I was about to wait for Nii-sama and Rin to meet me when I happened to notice a glimpse of your hair from the conservatory's balcony. It surprised me that neither Rin nor brother saw you."

"Please don't tell Len where I am…" I begged. Rei could only sigh and sat next to me.

"Did you and brother have a fight?" He asked and I nodded. Was it even worth it to tell him my problem? He might not even care about it and tell me off to Len.

"Don't worry Miku…I won't tell." He smiled setting me at ease. I told him what I could, hoping somehow he had answers to them. Rei listened to me and not once did his face show any slight of boredom. When I was finally done, Rei nodded his head and sighed.

"You know Miku; brother was really concerned when you ran off. You should go talk to him and tell him what you feel."

"Would he even listen to me Rei? He was so preoccupied lately that I was worried he wouldn't even listen to what I had to say at all." I confessed and to my surprise Rei laughed.

"Miku, if it's you… Brother will surely listen."

"You mean it?" I asked and he nodded.

"He loves you Miku, don't forget that. No matter what happens he'd do anything to protect that smile of yours." I blushed scarlet at his reply.

"Thanks Rei and as a way of thanks I'll stop calling you Rei-Rei-kun." Again he flinched at the nickname making me giggle. Thanks to Rei, I managed to gather my courage and confront Len.

"Rei…can you tell Len I'll meet him here." I said before Rei was about to take his leave.

"You sure about this?" Rei asked and I nodded. Courage Miku…as what Rei said, Len would definitely listen to you.

"Very well Miku, I'll go find him and tell you where you are." He replied and left me. As soon as he was gone, I got up from my seat and walked to the balcony's end and breathed in the warm air.

Would Rei be able to find Len for me?

I didn't know how long I waited but finally Len appeared from the door of the balcony.

"You're late Len." I pouted.

"Sorry Miku…" Len replied. Soon after he said that, silence engulfed us. Somehow that courage I was trying to store seemed to drain away. Maybe I shouldn't have had Rei look for him because right now, neither of us had the courage to talk it out.

"Listen Len I-,"

"I'm so sorry for a while back Miku." Len cut in and then in embarrassment that he cut me off, he quickly looked away.

"I should be sorry too Len…For running off and making you worry and all."

"You shouldn't be sorry at all; it was my fault for making you worry and then ruining the good mood of the ball." He said and then turned to face me with those blue eyes that showed sincerity in his word.

"Remember that promise you made to me Len?" I asked.

"Of course I did, I'd never forget that."

"Really? Prove it to me then." I dared. That promise was made long ago so I had a feeling he might've forgotten it- to my surprise, Len grinned and then pointed up at the empty sky and said in a low whisper;

"When the stars aren't there to cheer you up or when the world turns against you… no matter what I swear I will protect you and stay by your side!"

"Forever?" I asked a hint of doubt in my voice.

"Forever" Len said with a smile.

Just as he said those words, the clouds suddenly drifted away to reveal a million stars shining down on us.

~RIN~

New words may hide it but it was still the same promise…

"Same promise but to a different person…" I whispered to myself as I watched their figure huddled together in a happy embrace. I should never have followed Len in here- This is what happens when curiosity gets the best of you.

Like they said; 'Curiosity killed the cat.'

"I guess promises were made to be forgotten- well for me that is." I laughed to myself as tears escaped my eyes. Crying and laughing? I must be losing my mind. It was probably to be expected that Len would forget our promise. It was made long before his promise to Lady Miku…and besides, he couldn't keep two of the same promises to two people.

-Flashback-

-Seven years ago-

"Len stop it!" I tried to stop them from fighting but the look in Len's eyes made me too scared to do so.

"Really Rin? You're so weak, relying on the rich to protect you." Yukio taunted as he lifted Len by the collar and tossed him aside like a rag doll.

"Yukio stop it! You promised you wouldn't hurt him." I begged as I tried to grab him by the arm to avoid him from hitting Len.

"Step aside Rin or I'll hit you first." Yukio shouted trying to shake me off.

"Hit me all you want! I won't let you hurt Len again." I shouted angrily.

"Fine then, you asked for it!" Yukio slammed me to the wall and started hitting me. It was painful I had to admit but I didn't want him to hurt Len. Just thinking Len getting hurt like this if I hadn't stepped in was too painful for me to imagine.

"Rin!" I heard Len shout after that was the sound of wood snapping into two. Yukio stopped hitting and I opened my eyes to find him collapsed on the ground. He wasn't hurt but just unconscious from the hit so I was glad that Len wouldn't be scolded about hurting an orphan.

"You know Rin you should leave this orphanage… You're always getting bullied it makes me angry." Len said as he looked at the unconscious body of Yukio.

"I have nowhere else to go Len…Besides; I'm used to him hitting me." I admitted wiping the blood trickling down my head. Len quickly took out his handkerchief and tied it around my head.

"Sorry for not being able to protect you Rin- Sorry for being so weak and watch you suffer." Len apologized again and again.

"You don't have to be sorry Len- like I said; I'll protect you no matter what." I smiled. Len returned the smile but looked away and towards the distant clouds.

"I'll change that promise Rin- When I'm old enough… I'll come back and take you away from this dreaded world. I'll take you to a world where no one can hurt you and where you'll always be happy."

"No matter what I swear I will protect you and stay by your side!" He added and made a pinkie swear with me.

"Forever?" I wondered aloud.

"Forever." He said with a smile

-End-

He kept that promise and sent me to Miku…his fiancée. I enjoyed my life in Claridan but there were times I wished we went back to the days when we were still in Valice.

The old times when we were still so close.

By the time I moved in to Claridan, Len always came to visit me and Miku. The days where all three of us enjoyed the time running about and laughing like children. But as it wore on to years my conversations with Len dwindled into nothing more but hellos and goodbyes.

Then soon…His promise to me was completely forgotten.

"Forever protecting me and staying by my side?" I wondered to myself as I left them to their own world.

Those words he said to me were nothing to me now but empty promises…

Here we go with chapter 9! Man I cried so much when I typed this chapter.

I'm such a cruel writer making Rin suffer like this…

Please R&R! I'll do my best to update faster and give Rin her deserved happy ending :)

-xXGemini14Xx-