For the people who thought the starting chapter was too dark, I can assure you that this one will be decently light-hearted. Don't get used to it though, this is going to be a very serious story. This chapter is only to give everyone time to relax.

It had been over ten years since that horrifying day. Rin and Len were just two innocent kids, they didn't deserve to lose their parents at such a young age. Luckily for them, they had a nice little life recovery. They had no jobs, no way to survive, a teenage girl and her baby brother weren't suppose to be doing well in those circumstances. Thankfully for them, a married couple that one of the cops knew agreed to take care of the siblings. They didn't adopt them because the couple wasn't old enough treat like Rin like a daughter. Even though she was significantly younger than them, she wasn't younger enough to the point of being a believable daughter to them. Instead of adopting, they just agreed to let them live with them until they get jobs. It was just a simple act of kindness from this couple.

Rin and Len had a wonderful decade in their new house. They still had eachother, and they got along with both of their new friends very well. This couple always wanted children but couldn't due to the wife's unfortunate medical condition that Rin and Len weren't allowed to know about. The couple and the siblings became the closest of friends.

Len, now in his late teens, was watching a band concert on TV with his dear sister.

"They're such an amazing band." Len was loving it.

"Not really my prefered genre, but I'm glad you're having a great time." Rin told him.

Suddenly, the man and woman who've let the siblings live with them for so long arrived in the room.

"How is it Rin and Len!" The man greeted them.

"I'm hearing an awesome song Kaito." Len answered him.

"How awesome?" Kaito asked.

"It's too edgy for my taste." Rin replied.

"Exactly the type of music I'd expect Len to like." The wife said.

"It's certainly unique, what do you think of it Meiko?" Kaito asked his wife.

"I'm liking it," Meiko answered "obviously nowhere to the extent of how much Len loves it, but it certainly has a nice beat to it."

Less than half an hour later, the concert was over.

"Well, that certainly got better at the end." Rin was happy that she ended up enjoying the concert as it progressed.

"Agreed,," Kaito said "but anyway, I can't wait for Christmas next week."

"It's going to be an amazing Christmas." Len said.

"Uh... there's something we need to tell you two." Meiko said.

"Is it about a birthday gift?" Len got excited.

"Well, about that..." Kaito was just as nervous to inform them as Meiko was.

"Yeah, our birthday is coming a while after Christmas, I'm stoked." Rin said.

"Well, uh... you see..." Kaito was prepared to tell them "we... we... we-" Meiko then cuts him off.

"We won't be there for your birthday." Meiko finally told them.

"What? That's not fair!" Len was upset.

"I'm sure you guys have your reasons, but you owe us an explanation." Rin was curious.

"We're invited to a party, it's from a childhood friend back when me and Meiko were kids." Kaito said.

"He lives in a different prefecture, we're leaving immediately after Christmas and it'll take us days to get back." Meiko elaborated.

"Sorry, we just can't be there for your birthday this year." Kaito finished.

"Well, you'll just have to spend loads of time with me after you return to make it up." Len smiled.

"That's the spirit." Kaito was delighted to see Len's reaction.

"I'm gonna miss you guys." Rin said.

"I hope you two have the most amazing birthday possible together." Meiko said.

The four of them continued their emotional exchange, it sucks that Rin and Len have to spend their birthday alone, but they're still together.

The day was 27th December, the birthday of the two siblings. Kaito and Meiko left the house the day before at 26th December, after they had a lovely Christmas night with the siblings. The two have to celebrate their birthday on their own now. It was okay though, as long as they had eachother, it was all they needed. They were ready to celebrate. Despite not being twins, and having a seven year age gap, Rin and Len weirdly were born on the same day. It was an awkward feeling sharing a birthday with a sibling who wasn't your age, but it was one of the reasons that the two got along as well as they did. It was time for Rin to turn 27 and for Len to turn 20.

That night, they were alone and were having loads of fun.

"Happy 27th birthday Rin!" Len wished her.

"Happy 20th birthday to you too Len." Rin wished him back.

"Twenty sounds like such a magical number." Len said.

"Isn't it obvious why? You're finally an adult Len, I'm so happy." Rin had been with her baby brother his whole life, knowing that he's legally an adult now was overwhelming for her.

"It's not a big deal." Len smiled, he didn't thought much of it.

"Not a big deal? I've been waiting for this moment since you grew taller than me last year." Rin told him.

"I'm not that much taller than you, it's not even noticeable." Len replied.

Len was right, he was 5'5" while Rin was 5'4". Not a big difference and it was hardly noticeable, but ever since Len outgrew Rin's height she has gotten so excited for his future. He was her little brother and Rin looked forward to everything important surrounding him.

"Well it matters to me!" Rin said "Now, before we start stuffing ourselves with that amazing cake, let's do our traditional arm-wrestling match."

"Sure, why not?" Len agreed.

Ever since Rin's 15th and Len's 8th birthday. They've had a tradition of having an arm-wrestling match every birthday. It started out as just regular game for them the first time they did it, but they just kept doing it every year to the point it became a birthday tradition for them. That's just the way they liked it on their birthday. As of right now, the score was 12-0 in Rin's favour, she has beaten Len everytime. To simply put, Len just couldn't beat her in arm-wrestling. The first time they did it, it felt obvious because he was just a kid, but Rin has remained very consistently stronger than Len throughout the years. Maybe this was finally the day? Maybe today he will finally beat her? Who knows...

"I believe in you, maybe today's the day you finally succeed." Rin said as she sat down on her chair.

"I'm pretty determined, but I won't underestimate you one bit." Len said as he sat down.

"Neither should you." Rin said.

The two of them put their arms on the table and locked hands. It was intense, the two of them started sweating hard. Len was giving Rin a much harder time than he has ever before. He came close the last few years, but never has he made Rin struggle this hard. Both of their arms were getting fatigued after a few minutes. In the end, Rin proved to be tougher and put Len's arm down to win again.

"AH!" Len's arm felt pretty hurt after being slammed on the table so hard.

"I'm sorry! Was it too hard." Rin felt genuinely concerned for his arm.

"It's nothing, congrats on being 13-0 now." Len smiled.

"I won again, this doesn't feel satisfying at all." Rin felt pretty bummed about winning, she genuinely wanted him to finally win.

"I don't see what you mean." Len wasn't bothered in the slightest, Rin has always been his hero and he was used to losing to her.

"It's nothing, let's have cake now." Rin said.

Even though she was still stronger than him, their strength gap was definitely much closer now than years ago. Still, Rin was really rooting for him this time and was a bit upset beating him again.

They opened the cake from the box. The cake looked breathtaking, the chocolate and vanilla combination was mouthwatering.

"Let's start!" Rin said, she tasted it and loved it.

"Kaito and Meiko would've loved this." Len said.

"I'm sure they're having their own share of great meals in the party, but you're right, they'd love this." Rin said.

The two of the spent a really long time devouring the cake, it made their night awesome.

What a strange chapter. It's nothing like the rest of the story I have planned. Regardless, I had fun writing it.