Chapter 9: Close to the Sun

A fledgling couple tries to be subtle.

At the steady vibration under his pillow, Len cracks an eye open to darkness. He gropes around and finds his phone tucked deep under (well-played, past Len). The silent alarm for 5:30am reads Stealth 100. What?

There's a small noise behind him, and it hits him all at once—this isn't his room, not his bed, and not a dream.

Even as he walked Rin to her door last night and bid what should've been a definite "goodnight", he never for one second wanted to leave. And apparently, she was of the same mind.

She pulled him in. Her shyness prevailing and him fearing getting carried away kissing, they talked instead, made each other laugh, pinched the other when they broached less flattering topics. And even when he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, she held him in her embrace.

(Just to check, Len shuffles the covers off him and concludes they really did pass out then.)

Going back to sleep with Rin wrapped Big Spoon around him is incredibly appealing, though unfortunately a second alarm jolts him back to alertness. This one says Seriously dude do you want to get caught?

Oh, right.

Rin sleepily grumbles at him sitting up. "Rin, I need to go," he says, shaking her as gently as he can. She doesn't stir, but the frown remains on her face. Cute. He wishes he could kiss her.

He'll settle for now. "Rin, hey, Riiiin." Her cheek is soft and warm to his lips. "Wake up." He brushes a kiss to her forehead. "I need to go." One last touch to the nose.

"Nooo," she finally mumbles, sliding her arm over his waist. "Stay."

"Doesn't your mom come in every morning?" Len asks. She freezes. "You're okay being found like this? Should've said so!" Seizing an opportunity to tease, he rolls her onto her back and climbs over.

Rin is awake in an instant. "W-wait, no." He's pushed back by splayed hands when he leans in. Then she ducks her face into her arms.

It's still dark and Len doesn't mean to ogle, but he can't help noticing the shape of her underneath her two sizes-larger sleeping shirt.

His mouth runs dry. "Sorry."

"Just go already." Rin once again has him smiling as she hurriedly shoves him out the door. She's the best. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Oh, and also—" He tugs her closer to nuzzle her head. "I love you." He dodges before she can push him away again and takes off for his room snickering.

Though running on just three hours of sleep, her expression is enough to keep him up.

The allocated time for one of the main events in the itinerary—a hike up a scenic mountain trail—arrives a few hours later, a few hours too soon for a girl who'd just kissed her longtime crush and affirmed mutual feelings for.

Rin follows her parents in a daze. He kissed her! Said he loves her! And what the heck was last night and this morning?

It still doesn't quite feel real.

She's convinced she's still dreaming until her mother Anri mentions the treble clef, "Is that a new necklace? It's cute."

"Isn't it? I really like it." Rin glances at Len ahead of them, at the little band on his pinky, and does her best to suppress a giddy smile. Touching the pendant, she decides to trust her heart, trust this new reality.

Their guide, a stout middle-aged man with a high voice speeds them through safety regulations and disclaimers. There's a surprising number of things to take note of, despite the gentle incline of the trail just ahead of them and the cute illustration of the entrance sign suggesting otherwise. Rin thinks she can see Len blanching behind the pamphlet. Oh dear.

The trail is, as they soon discover, popular for the view at the top and the short intensity of it to reach said view. What starts as a sloping road quickly turns into a climb not unlike the staircases back at campus, then into a toe-crunching haul upwards. The last section is the shortest, a fact that her pudgy father unabashedly expresses relief at, huffing and puffing with one foot on the deck.

"That was nothing," Len says behind her, looking and sounding more confident now. "At least it's all trees the whole way up."

"All trees—were you even looking?" Rin asks incredulously, waving at the cherry trees that had been their backdrop. No, 'backdrop' is hardly the word for the clusters of delicate pink blooms glowing in the filtering sunlight, swaying gently on their branches. "These are not just trees."

"What can I say?" He shrugs. "I was distracted."

"By what?"

Len doesn't answer, and whatever retort she had prepared goes unsaid as he stares at her, eyes twinkling with love and mischief.

Her face takes on the color of the petals. "You're so sappy."

He hauls himself up, his giggles tickling her ear. "Just being honest."

"Well, your honesty is sappy!" She stomps away, though not before catching a For you. This boy is going to be the death of her.

True to advertising and reviews, the scenery on the deck is sublime. The glittering emerald lake, enclosed by ridges of cherry trees is more beautiful to the eye than a picture will ever be. Rin finds the edge of the platform and tries to capture it anyway, sight for her memory, photo as a memento for when the former fades.

"Hey." Len leans in behind her and it takes everything not to scream surprise. He's boxed her in, one arm across her hip but hands secured on the railing. "They have no idea about us, huh? Scandalous."

"Speak for yourself," she bites back, grateful for the cool air combating the heat flaring in her cheeks. "I don't see you announcing this—us, either."

"Mm, not yet. It's our secret for now."

The words would have her heart racing if he hadn't said them so breathlessly. Rin eases herself around to look at him: eyes shuttered, mouth thinned into a hard line, and complexion a shade paler.

He's trying his best.

"Len…" She cups his face in both hands, a gesture most familiar to the crying boy at the playground. "If it's this bad, why'd you join this at all?"

"Because you're here," he answers softly, and relaxes into her touch. "Maybe I want to be with the girl I love. And maybe I can't stand to be away from you after last night." Then his eyes flutter open and flick down to her lips.

Her breath catches.

She's still caged in, gazing up at him, her restraint crumbling by the second. Why can't they? Why shouldn't they meet right here, halfway shaded by blooming branches and drifting petals? It's the perfect cliché.

Drawing him close, she lifts her head—

And just like the perfect cliché, the reason quickly presents itself in the form of Reiji strolling by. "Len! Group photo," he calls simply. "Get Rin, too."

"A-alright," Len croaks.

She must've made a face, because Len brushes her bangs aside to drop a light kiss on her forehead. "It's fine, he didn't see."

"Really?"

"Unless he has X-Ray vision." Len snorts. "Now come on."

"Wait." She withdraws her hand from his. "Since we're doing this."

"Aw. Maybe I should tell them now." He laughs at her panic. "Kidding."

Hiking down is thankfully a much less terrifying affair for the acrophobic boy. The lower they descend, the more his impishness resurfaces, and Rin bears the brunt of his jokes and teasing. Not without serving some back to him, of course.

Their group makes a turn on the slope. For a fraction of a second her hand brushes Len's and she feels more sparks than she will ever admit. What's going on today? It's not like we've never held hands, she reasons a bit irritably to herself. Low-key, Rin!

By coincidence or intention, it happens again. Len brings her up to him before she can register it and presses his lips to the top of her hand, on her knuckles and along her fingers tangled in his.

Then he drops them just as Anri turns around. "Everyone doing okay?" The group murmurs in agreement. "How about you, Len?"

"Much better," Len chirps.

Rin makes sure to pout at him the rest of the way down. She'll definitely get him back later.

"Should I get the Small or the Medium?" Anri asks with a bright 'I Love Mountain' T-shirt draped over her.

Rin hums thoughtfully at their reflections in the mirror. "Medium looks better."

"And while we're at it—" Anri lifts a green hoodie off the rack. "—How about this?"

"It's more my style than yours." Rin nods, looking it up and down. It is pretty cute. "Maybe I'll get this."

"Another jacket?" her mother sighs. "Half your wardrobe is jackets."

"Hoodies are comfy! And I don't have one in this color yet," Rin laughs.

"Green's nice," a voice interjects, startling both. Underneath a too-big peaked cap that falls further down his head as he appears between them, Len smirks. "Does this look good on me?"

Rin opens her mouth ready with a comment, but Anri is faster, "No can do, boy! Where did you get this? Surely they have your size…"

"Wha—wait!" Len sputters as he's dragged back to the hat section.

Rin stifles a laugh. Maybe she should say something, but this is too amusing.

Some things never change; her mother still has the kid from next door falling in step even after outgrowing his shyness—a sight Rin didn't know she needed.

"Rin, dear." This time, it's Sumire coming over, graceful as ever, folding fans open in hand and what Rin hopes isn't an inquisitive look in those eyes. "Which one suits our living room better?"

"Hm. The second one is nice," Rin offers. "It looks like a bouquet."

Sumire nods. "I thought so. By the way…" Oh no. "Is it just me? Len's been in a good mood since this morning."

If there was ever a moment to use a poker face, it is now, but Rin is a wearer of heart-sleeves. "I-I guess he has." She curses inwardly at the stutter.

"Not that it's a bad thing." Sumire gently folds the fans back together. "I'm so curious, though."

The expectant gaze and bated breath—Rin is no stranger to the woman's methods to invite answers. But thinking back to Len's watery eyes when they sat down to finally unpack their mess, and the way he was only able to answer her confession after kissing her, she figures all one needs to do is wait.

Our secret for now. "He just needs time." And frankly, so do I.

Sumire seems satisfied. "I see. That boy has always been so flighty. Really makes a mother worry!" She smiles, and all at once the weight of history, trust and love crashes down. "Please take care of him," she says, tone soft, expression softer.

This family is easy on the eyes and hard on the heart; the resemblance between mother and son is even more striking. And so Rin finds herself in the full blast of the sun. It's blinding. "...Of course."

"Mom!" A hand drops on her shoulder and once again Len is at her side. He squints at his mother. "Dad's looking for you."

Sumire chuckles, "Oh alright, was just having a nice chat. Right, dear?" Rin can only mechanically nod. "Thanks for the advice!" She takes off with an elegant wave of the chosen fan.

The grip on Rin's shoulder tightens. "You okay? Did she say anything weird?" If it weren't for the new cap nicely fitted on his head, she might feel less at ease. He looks dashing in it. "What?"

She points at him. "You actually bought it?"

"Your mom did. She's an unstoppable force," Len grumbles. "But that's beside the point! What did my mom tell you?"

"Nothing much, really." Len's dating life prior is not news; her friends have never failed to point out his new partners as they came and went, whether she welcomed the news or not. Flighty, as Sumire said. "I think… she may have given us her blessing," Rin says quietly.

"Her—her blessing," Len repeats after a beat, color travelling up to his ears. "Cool, cool. Great." With the cap tilted to shade his eyes a little more, he's never looked more shy, except maybe on their first meeting years ago when he kept his head down. A beautiful pink-faced mess. It reminds her of a skittish little bird—one perched because of her, and only for her.

Taking the hat off him, a thought forms in her mind scanning the store. Their parents aren't looking this way. She gets on her tiptoes to sneak a kiss on Len's cheek behind it, her lips cold against the heat of his skin.

Oh, can he blush! If only she could hold him now.

The cap is promptly snatched back and set firmly over his face. "On second thought," he mutters, "this is my new favorite hat."

Rin giggles. Moment avenged.

.

.

("Thank you for the cap, ma'am."

"Glad you like it, dear. It suits you."

"You think so too, huh?"

"Hm?"

"No, it's nothing.")

With the tail end of the day's schedule left as 'Explore', the group follows their noses to a fairly crowded barbecue joint for dinner. Rin muses that their families must really enjoy interactive dining.

She meets her father on the way back from the restrooms, and can practically hear the questions he's turning over in his mind. Tonight, she's right. "How are things with that Len boy?" Riku asks.

"We're okay now." Rin answers quickly. Deep breaths. It's fine, he's just wondering. She musters a smile. "We've, ah, sorted stuff out."

"Good." His one-word is annoying to receive typically, but she's grateful for it now.

They're further out than expected. In the quiet of dimming daylight, dusty sidewalks and flickering neon signage, she's glad for the company, even if it's her father of few words. No, because it's her father of few words.

Ironically, it's Riku who cuts into the silence this time. "He surprised your mother and I," he says, "with that apology."

Rin misses a step. "What apology?"

"For making you cry. It was on the bus while you were out." He casts a glance at her and dips his head. "Long overdue, but at least he's setting things straight."

Oh. "I didn't make it easy, either," she sheepishly admits, pinching the hem of her shirt. "We didn't have the full picture."

There's a pause, and she's suddenly very, very aware of her usage of We. "I-I mean, it was on both of us to reconcile." Shit.

"Mm." Riku interrupts her scattering thoughts. "So you're getting along now?"

Sure, if 'getting along' means as much as 'best friend'. Despite herself, the memory of his lips on hers, tactile sensation and all, springs up unbidden. Her face warms considerably. "Never been better." She peeks up at her father. "Is he… okay?"

Riku exhales audibly from the nose—what she knows to be his version of a single chuckle or a smile to complement the tiniest quirk of the lip. "As long as he doesn't make you cry again."

Rin exhales too, with a little laugh of her own. "Thanks, Dad."

"There you are!" Anri sings over the table. "We got started without you. Are the restrooms that far?"

"Surprisingly, yeah," Rin answers. Riku only grunts in reply.

Len looks up from the assortment of sizzling ingredients he's been tending to, and the sight of Rin takes over his higher brain functions for a second. Man, it was only ten minutes.

"Get some beef going, please," Sumire says, nudging his shoulder and snapping him out of the trance.

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

But maybe, Len supposes, the sentiment is mutual, because he can see comets in Rin's eyes when they meet across the table. That, and Riku's stoicness now kind of resembles his own father's, just a little. There's that dash of awareness.

Did something happen? Maybe he'll ask her later, if he remembers. He just hopes it was a good thing.

Lightly roasted meats, fish and vegetables are placed and replaced on the grill with fresh ones. The table settles into a lively rhythm alternating between chatting and cooking, even though the cooking is really more just Len cheekily, dramatically obliging to requests. The laughter, Rin's especially, spurs him on.

Sated and swirling their drinks, the parents move on to talking about the local variety shows playing on a wall screen. Len makes his move, placing a strip of pork on Rin's plate.

"Thanks." She gazes at him with a smile so bashful and stars so bright he nearly drops the tongs. Okay. For now, he'll just enjoy the moment.

The occupant of the room closest to the elevator answers Rin's knocking. Even in a faded tee, checkered pajama pants and a towel over his damp hair, Len is no less charming than in more formal wear.

At his surprise, she looks away sheepishly. "Hi." Just wanted to see you.

"Hey." Len takes her hands into his own. She almost stops him, embarrassed by her clamminess, but he doesn't seem to mind or notice.

Just this—holding hands because the idea of getting caught doing more is incredibly mortifying—is enough, has to be enough for now.

There's something forlorn in those blue eyes of his that pierces, reaching her soul like a wish, so tender she feels flowers blooming down her back all the way to her toes. It makes her wonder if she, too, is making the same expression back at him.

And from their silent exchange, a thought takes shape, asking: how would it feel to kiss now?

Len seems to be thinking the same. He caresses her face, tracing soft lines on her skin. Though before she can move the elevator dings, followed by a family's chattering.

With one last squeeze of the hand, Rin pulls away. Len looks as distraught as she feels, and the words she's kept down all day bubble over.

"I love you."

His jaw drops. The passersby round the corner and she flees, heart pounding painfully in her chest. Her phone buzzes as she shuts the door behind her.

Len: i love you too

.

.

Notes:

Not me looking up Kagamine outfits to reference, nope. (Rin's hoodie is from Melancholic, and I was thinking of Karakuri Burst for Len's cap.)

I like stories that show/explore the "after" of the couple getting together, so hope y'all are into that! These two deserve it so much.

Thank you for reading!