Endless

Why? Why now?

Tick. Tock.

Didn't you trust me?

Tick. Tock.

Why are you being silent?

Ding. Dong.

– don't leave me alone.

Len looked at the ticking clock, his eyes that were painted a beautiful colour of cerulean blue reflecting the luminous gold light of the room as he gazed with disinterest at the circular object. Despite it being a manmade and rather small thing, it held so much importance, allowing humans to at least be able to understand just a tiny bit (if anything, next to none) of a powerful and indescribable concept – time. It's honestly weird how dependent humans came to be on such a tiny object despite ignoring the fact that time is but a word, no one knowing if it really does exist really. But then again, no one knows if we do exist.

The slight ticking sound of the clock reverberated around the room persistently. Never faltering, always going without a goal in mind, it ticked endlessly with the rhythm of the earth's silent singing like a heartbeat of a creature's soul. But Len knew of course, that everything had an end just as how it had a beginning. The ticking would stop when the clock becomes out of order, useless and just… there without a purpose like the human body when it's lifeless.

Sighing as he ran a hand through his sun-kissed, golden strands of hair that was hastily done in a small, little ponytail, he got off his chair with a creak knowing that he had something else to do. The clock reminded him that he needed to go to practice. Otherwise, his Master would kill him for being even a minute late. Besides, he wasn't the type to think so meaningfully in the silence of his humble abode.

Exiting out of his dressing room, he wandered through the hallways filled with panicking staffs of different roles be it an event manager, steward, security officers, instrumentalists or any kind that works in a concert. There were different situations occurring in the room, each at a different pace or intensity.

One example that he could see was an amateur guy being shouted at by the person in charge of equipment as the poor boy dropped the boxes he was holding. Thankfully, there was some kind soul who noticed this and had bent down to pick up the items he dropped.

Len looked away, turning different corners to finally enter through some huge double doors where the others probably were, waiting for him to get started on practice as the producers frantically run around to get things in order and perhaps scream about time while Master demanded more things to be done. And no doubt she would be there. She'd wrap her arms around him joyfully with her usual tight, bear hug that Len thought she'd fit wrestling more than anything, and blabber on about useless things or about pranking the others.

But today was different –

She wasn't there.

At least, he couldn't see her.

.

.

.

"Hey, Len!"

Said boy turned around, taking his mind off searching for the missing blonde girl (which was unusual on her part) and instead, focusing on the teal haired girl that jogged towards him with a cheerful smile and a wave.

"…Miku." The blond acknowledged by nodding in her direction.

Miku simply beamed back, her insanely long ponytails swirling around her as she bit on the spring onion she carried a supply of with her everywhere. It was a form of snack for her and Len honestly found it strange what she loved about it to even eat it raw – not that Len had anything against it. It's just… Spring onions. Freaking spring onions.

Still, those thoughts alone were not enough to keep him at bay to be worried about the missing girl. It's already been well into an hour of practice with Len keeping an eye out for her, thinking that perhaps she was just late but never did she turn up. It was unusual for her to miss a practice for concerts, in fact, she's usually bouncing around and having fun with Miku. Then again, he should've known that she'd never be late, and the fact Miku wasn't with her only added to his worries.

The older girl looked at him curiously, promptly pausing her eating as she took note of the distress in Len's usually calm eyes and the restless aura surrounding him, "Say – what's wrong?" She stared at him worriedly as Len never really was the type to get so distracted. He was the calmest out of the usual duo. She approached him now as everyone was worried for him since, during his performance, he wasn't really into it like usual. She could still remember when he had nearly tripped off the stage which was not a very Len-like thing to do.

Though, she did take note that the reason probably would be the current missing person. Even she was worried about her.

"Ah." Len snapped to reality from her question as he finally realised he was being rude by not paying attention or answering back, "Sorry, it's nothing. Just… Have you seen Rin?"

Ah, so it was because of her.

Miku internally smirked, knowing full well that the boy cared deeply for Rin. She knew of his feelings and how overprotective he was, trying his best not to get jealous whenever Rin and any other male that exists out there do things that Len may consider 'off-limits', even if it is just friendly.

Putting on a thinking pose as she pursed her lips and placing an index finger on her lips, she tried to remember when she had last seen Rin, to help Len out, "Hmm…" she hummed, but to no such luck could she remember seeing Rin in the last hour - oh, but Miku did see her scuffling somewhere in their house earlier, "No, sorry. I last saw her in the hall at home but that was an hour and a half before."

"I see." His eyes seemed to dim as the shine in his eyes disappeared, making his expression unreadable, "I'll go look for her."

He turned around with the intention to leave and only her in her mind. He didn't care if he missed the rest of the practice, Rin was far more important than some silly concert. However, just as he was about to exit the area to look for her, a shout resonated across the whole room, echoing loudly as it filled the large area with a commanding voice.

"Okay, everyone! Time to get into places!"

Len clicked his tongue knowing it was too late. He had lost the chance and no doubt his Master would refuse to let him skip practice even if he hadn't noticed Rin was missing either. His face darkened with fatigue as he reluctantly turned around again to stalk towards the stage to go back to work.

His mind was clouded with worried thoughts about his counterpart, the voices of people around him informing the Master that Rin was missing being drowned out, more prominently Miku's.

Len felt slightly dizzy, his back slouching a bit as he feels a headache coming on.

'Huh...?'

Suddenly, a high pitched static noise rung out from his headphones loudly in his ears, his head instantly growing painful as he clutched his ears in agony as if there was something squeezing his brain so hard, doubling over when his chest started to feel like an invisible force was stabbing his heart multiple times and unable to hear the perturbed cries of his friends as they ran over to him with a hurry; the medical staff arriving on the scene to help him as soon as possible.

He couldn't breathe.

It hurt.

Stop it. It hurts.

Pain flared through his body with sweat running down his face, gritting his teeth to lessen the intense feeling when abruptly, it stopped.

It felt as if…

Something had been cut from him.

.

.

.

He found her in her – no, their – bedroom.

"Rin?"

He immediately notices the girl tense as she flinched from his voice. Just from his voice alone.

The girl turned around to face him with a confused look before relaxing to know that Len wasn't going to come and see her which Len found all too odd. Shaking his head as he heaved his body off the doorway - instead leaning his elbow against it, he casually asks, "Why weren't you at rehearsal for the concert this week?"

The girl stayed silent. This caused Len to raise an eyebrow as usually, Rin would spout out all kinds of excuses thinking that she would get in trouble – and Len always wondered how she came up with the most absurd stories to use as an excuse (who says "I was attacked by chickens", anyway?) but he never questioned it aloud.

"Sorry, I- I didn't feel well." She smiled apologetically, her hands hidden behind her as she tilted her head to show that she was indeed sorry.

But her voice.

It sounded –

– sounded like she was lying.

He gazed at her worriedly, confused as to why she would lie to him of all people.

"Rin…"

"Len, you fret too much." She laughed yet her usually melodic giggles only sounded hollow to his ears. He suspects that she knew what he would ask next, therefore, responding so quickly.

Why… Why does it feel like they're both so near yet so distant?

They were always close to the point that people described their relationship as 'joined at the hip'. That did make sense considering they were each other's' counterpart meaning that they both knew everything about each other and trusted each other, never without the other like right and left. Though Rin was intended to be alone at the earliest concept and is the original of the two, that didn't stop both from becoming popular regardless or depending on others like their lives were at stake.

Silence roamed Len's head as his thoughts went astray. He tried… tried thinking about what Rin liked, what she always did, how she was like... Yet thinking about the memories made it seem like a past time. As if it was merely a dream and he never had a connection with her.

Why?

His eyes glazed over, drifting off and all he could see was her small, pink lips moving.

"-en? Len!"

He snapped out of his gaze, shaking his head as he directed his attention back on Rin who seemed to have stood up and was now closer to him, Len assuming that she had moved while he was in some sort of trance. He glanced upwards to the blonde, "Um…"

"Oh, thank god!" Her blue eyes had a sheen of worry to them, "I was worried since you seemed too silent all of a sudden!" Strangely enough, she had returned to the Rin he knew; the Rin who would send merry little smiles towards him whether it was for a mischievous purpose or not, "I heard from Meiko that you had a panic attack in the concert or something. Mind explaining?"

"I-It's nothing." Len glanced away, trying to rid the feeling of the pain he felt and the weird sensation as if he lost something, "I… It was just something – the pain from practising too much."

Rin's lips turned to a frown, "Are you sure? Maybe you should rest, then?"

"Nah, I'm good – actually, I'm really craving banana split crêpes right now." Len grinned, "Mind making some for me?"

Usually, at this point, he expected Rin to flail around pouting and complaining, saying things like 'you know I can't cook', or anything along the lines of 'you're just being a lazy bum, aren't you?' to which he would respond to saying that he'd just make some for himself instead. (It was just a form to tease Rin, and he probably never would trust her with the kitchen considering the consequences that come with being Kagamine Rin. Trust me, it's not a good thing if it results to a burning kitchen.)

Yet somehow, Rin only smiled at him – a smile that seemed all too melancholy and hollow for his liking–

"Of course,"

.

.

.

"Len! Len! Wait!"

Len was fuming and he could care less if it was any of his friends calling his name or his Master because honestly, he was beyond pissed. He felt like the whole weight of the world was on his shoulders. His movements were rigged and he found it difficult to hear anything else as his mind clouded with turmoil. All he could think of was,

Why?

Prior to the event where Miku was chasing him down, and a week later since Rin had made him banana split crêpes (which was unexpectedly delicious and resulted in no burning kitchens), continuing to cook for him for some strange reason, he was in the Vocaloid building - while Rin went to wherever she's gone - when he was called in by Master for an important talk along with his creators there too.

"A meeting?" Len asked Kaito who only shrugged his shoulders.

"Dunno. They made it sound really urgent," Kaito answered, playing with the ends of his blue scarf with one arm holding a tub of cotton candy ice cream.

"And Rin?"

"Nah, just you, Len."

And with that, the older male left Len to his own.

Curious about what matter may be discussed with him and worrying that perhaps he was in trouble (usually it was Rin), he had walked into their Master's room where he was waiting with other men who seemed to be involved in Vocaloid - he assumed the men were part of the higher ups - or what they were and, instead of bearing bad news about him causing trouble, he was given the worst news to ever receive.

News he thought would never reach his ears.

"Len." Master would speak to him sympathetically as a harsh atmosphere filled the room upon his entrance, "I know you're not prepared but... I do apologise - from now on, you will be performing alone. Rin will no longer perform in future concerts or be released."

At that instant, time felt like it had stopped right there and then.

Blackness veiled over his eyes and he knew that he lost all self-control.

All Len could remember happening after that was a blur of him screaming about Rin never saying anything about that or Rin would never agree, shout at them that he refuses to perform alone and if Rin wasn't performing, then he wasn't either. He also could remember flinging insults at the superiors in rage, ones that he was sure that he would regret in the future.

He must admit, it wasn't professional of him, neither was it the best action but who's to say? He was too engulfed in fury at the fact that he has to perform alone while Rin is getting kicked out. Len can't perform without his counterpart. It's just not the same.

Which brings back to the current situation.

Stomping on the ground as he walked away quickly, he didn't slow down at the distressed call of his name but only walked faster, nearly breaking out into a sprint.

"Len! Please, wait!" Miku wailed and he knew that she had been listening on the meeting, eavesdropping while quietly trying to perhaps figure out his reaction. After all, she was to one who came in and stopped Len from becoming too violent.

Did she know about this, too? After all, she is the number one most popular in their team so naturally, she would be given information from Master because she's also the leader. Did that mean she was hiding this from him, too?

"Please!"

He halted to a stop.

Miku finally caught up to Len, bending down as she places her hands on her knees for balance while huffing immensely from the rather sudden exercise. She glances towards Len through her fringes as sweat ran down her body, her usually free-flowing teal pigtails sticking to her neck and arms like glue as if trying to constrain her from running, from chasing after Len to avoid herself getting involved with him.

"Len-"

"I can't, Miku!" He shouted in an outburst while clenching his fists, surprising Miku of his usual quiet and peaceful demeanour, "I-I just can't! How can I? How can I suddenly be alone and not be with Rin after all this time? I don't want to be alone – I don't want to be without Rin! S-she's practically like my other half! There's no point in performing without her if I'm not with her. S-she's everything that I have… I-I… I just don't want to be alone. I can't do this!"

Soft, fresh tears began to prickle his eyes and even for Miku, she knew that this is serious considering the fact that Len doesn't like to cry in order to avoid the 'crybaby shota' image that they knew he avoided as much as he can. She knew Len depended on Rin just as much as how Rin depended on him like they were both each other's lifeline, and she knew of Len's fear of being alone and losing Rin as well as vice versa.

Both never ever did expect that they would come to a situation like this, and neither did Miku – or Kaito, Meiko and Luka.

Never did they think that the Kagamines would be separated.

Biting her lip with the unsureness of how to comfort someone, particularly someone as sensitive as Len (she was used to comforting Rin instead about her road roller woes - which even then, wasn't serious - and Luka's usually the one comforting) so she decided to pat Len on the head in all the awkward glory she was.

"Len, you won't be alone. You still have us." Miku spoke softly, feeling that Len was all too fragile, just like glass close to fragmentation.

She could very much see how Len and Rin resembled one another so much, usually only crying when it concerns one another and both being afraid to be alone or leaving one another.

"And you still have Rin - even if, she's not performing anymore." When she spoke this sentence, a pang of guilt wavered into her heart as she knew she was lying. But she felt that Len needed it, after all, it would only serve to break his heart even further if she spoke the truth, right?

"You liar."

Miku flinched and immediately retracted to her hand to inspect Len's expression. It was dark and unreadable and she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"There's more to that, isn't it? I don't have Rin, anymore." His face lightened to show an endearingly painful smile as he tried not to let himself break down, that squeezed her heart full of guilt and realising that Len perhaps knew about the fate that was to come between the Kagamines. It made it seem like he'd given up, "We're not actually bound to be together, no?"

She looked down, her emerald eyes glistening with sympathy and regret not daring to look at Len's expression and the way he looked so broken just from hearing that Rin was not performing with him anymore. It was reminding her of an abandoned doll thrown away to the side as its owner grew up to an adult, already tired of the doll she played so much with as a child.

Miku didn't dare think what would happen if she told him the honest truth.

It would definitely break him far worse than how it had affected Miku herself and the others - after that concert practice a week ago when Len had left in a hurry to find Rin and when they fretted over him being in pain earlier. When confronting Master about what just happened to Len and interrogating him, what they told them, it shocked them so deeply to the point they tried their best to contain the secret from Len, assuming that Rin already had known about this.

Still, it… It wouldn't be right.

She needed to tell him.

Strengthening her resolve, she looked at Len with determined eyes.

"Len, I have to tell you something. But after this," she spoke while Len looked at her hopelessly, "Run to her as quickly as you can."

.

.

.

Len ran.

He ran as fast as he could – to reach her, to get to her quickly.

He needed to before the ticking of the clock in his mind stopped.

Otherwise, everything would fall apart for the worse and Len wouldn't be able to pick up those shattered glass pieces without giving up in regret.

Sucking in deep breaths, his sight nothing but a blurry streak of a maze, different things whirled around his mind with his main source of fuel and determination being what Miku had told him. Len was running, not caring about the shouts from passer-by's insulting him for not being careful or the warnings that Len might hurt himself at this rate – he didn't care. He needed to get to her and fast.

He willed his legs faster, to reach the place where he knew she would be as quick as possible, ignoring the painful cramps in his lower torso and the feeling of his legs wanting to give out. There was no way in hell was he going to stop there and then from reaching her, not even the lack of oxygen will stop him.

The image of her smiling so cheerfully and endearingly before and then her hollow smiles as she apologises resurfaces his mind which only strengthened his determination of reaching her whatever it takes.

He'll overcome any obstacle just to reach her.

Before it's too late.

Seeing the site in question becoming bigger with each step he took, he eventually arrived at the place he knew Rin was bound to be in –

- their house.

After all, it was where they lived ever since they were young along with all the others, Miku, Luka, Meiko and Kaito. The place where the six of them spent their entire lives together with Rin and Len being the youngest and taken care of greatly by the other four. No doubt that Rin would have wanted to spend her last few moments in the house.

Panting, Len walked hastily towards the front door as he huffed from running the fastest he had ever run for, and it was much needed now.

Heaving in big breaths to calm his racing heart, he pulled on the door handle – while hesitating a bit – and swung the door open to allow Len to welcome himself in (and closing the door afterwards). It was eerily too quiet in the rather large, white mansion-like building.

No one was there - the others were back in the company building working and he left Miku behind there. There was no sound but the deep breathing of Len as he looks around to try and find where she is.

After looking through the kitchen and the living room, he decided that the best place she would be in would be their bedroom – wait, no, would it count as his only, now? Len shook his head at the thought, frightened that it's bound to happen and deciding to continue his search for his counterpart.

Walking up the stairs and going towards the end of the hallway as his footsteps mimicked the ticking sound of the clock, he stops in front of a yellow door, a cheerful and happy colour that both he and Rin love to death but he knew that the situation beyond this very door would probably lead him to hate the colour.

Gulping, he was about to push the door when he stopped.

'Wait.' He thought, 'Is this a good idea? To… To see Rin now…'

He momentarily panicked, unprepared for what was to happen before the words of Miku came back to his mind and he clenched his hand knowing that he needed to do this, that it wasn't a dream and it could all be too late if he doesn't do so now.

Len took a deep breath to calm himself before he pushed open the door.

"Len."

His eyes met similar blue ones, a reflection of his own except the other was slowly dimming of life while the other became brighter by every second, ignorant towards the other's situation.

"Rin."

Just seeing her smile he felt that he'd crumble into pieces, break down and wish that the world can just swallow him whole. There were so many things he wanted to ask her and he wanted to show her how much he was in pain, to try and get her to understand that he couldn't comprehend why she didn't trust him.

"You knew, didn't you." He whispered in a barely audible and hoarse voice, his eyes trained on the other blonde, "You knew."

Silence filled the air as he watched her fleeting movements. Rin sat up from the bed she had been sitting on as photos of them and the others from all the years they spent together messily fell off her lap, slowly floating on the ground: the picnic day, their first concert, the pranks she made, Christmas, all kinds of different memories. The memories they shared were all right there in picture form, time frozen at their happiest, the people trapped in an endless loop of happiness and oblivious to the pain of the future.

She glanced at Len as she moved towards him almost like a ghost, and he felt his heart ache by her rather lifeless sight.

"Yes, I did." She spoke so softly that Len couldn't make out the words as clearly, but enough to know that she had admitted that she did, "I guess Miku told you, huh."

A shadow cast itself across Len's face as thoughts circled his mind, words just on the tip of his tongue but somehow he was unable to speak them. He was so confused. Confused about everything Miku had told him, from the fact that the static sound and the weird pain in his chest, feeling like he'd lost something, was actually the connection between him and Rin being cut off so that they'd be separate and the fact that Rin was going to leave him.

His life was just too messed up. It was messed up to the point that he couldn't go back. It all shattered so fast right under his nose and yet he was blind to it. Blind to the fact that he was so filled with assurance that they would be together forever, that he didn't notice her slowly slipping away in between his fingers.

"Why…" His usually tender voice shook and Rin can distinctly hear the pain in his voice – the voice that she admires even to this day and would never forget, the voice that she wishes she could be able to hear forever, "Why… Why didn't you tell me?"

Her eyes softened and she stepped forwards, towards him while she notices his eyes clenched shut as he looks down to the floor and the tears falling ever so freely from his beautiful, aquamarine eyes. She reached out to try and touch him but takes it back knowing with all honesty that she could not touch him.

After all, she was already beginning to disappear.

Her hands are starting to turn colourless but she was prepared for it. She had noticed her right-hand flickering from real flesh to nothing but thin air roughly around two weeks ago - she could still remember the despair that tremored her whole body, but she kept quiet knowing that it would break her counterpart's heart. So, she decided to ignore the pain of disappearing and leaving him, opting to give him one last week full of smiles instead.

She can't even touch Len.

Her counterpart, mirror image and her other half of her soul is no longer those.

Instead, she smiled at him with a phantom-like gentle expression, "I didn't want you to cry for the last week."

Len only stayed silent but she knows.

She knows that he's fighting the urge to tell her that it's pointless, that it wasn't a good idea in the first place, but she doesn't say it aloud and chooses to speak instead.

"I'm sorry."

That alone caused Len to snap his head up towards her, a mixture of confusion and anger present in his harsh, cold eyes that were barely full of hope.

"I'm… s-sorry…" She croaked and it was now more evident that she was fighting the urge to cry, "E-even though I promised you… T-that we'd never be separated…. I'm s-sorry…"

By the time, she finished the sentence, Len could see her starting to blubber, her smiling mask eventually falling and Len could remember clearly of when they were little, pinkies wrapped around one another as they promise to always be forever by each other's side while they laughed together without a care in the world being the naive children they were.

"You see," Rin quietly spoke, "I-I'm going to disappear, Len. They only remember you… I'm only 'that girl who's his mirror image' but that's it… It's more like they remember only you and the others, but not me."

He wanted to tell her that she wasn't forgotten, that there were many others who remember her even to this day - like him - and that there were also others who loves her just as much as how her family loves her. However, at this point, Len was angry. Yes, he can feel his heart ache for the crying girl, but… She's leaving. She's leaving him all alone.

An indignant bubble of anger formed in his chest.

"Yes. You did break the promise." Len mumbled, gritting his teeth, "And I'm – I'm frustrated, Rin! Didn't you trust me or even think of me, either? It would've been better if you told me weeks ago – if you'd given me time to prepare for this, for me to be alone – but you didn't! Instead, here I am, despairing over the fact that you're going to be gone, Rin! Didn't you trust me? Was I not reliable enough? Don't you realise how scared I am of losing you, of being alone?"

Rin only looked down, hiccupping as she continues to listen to Len, perceiving that he spoke the truth and that these actions of hers were something that couldn't be undone. She's aware that there isn't enough time left and he knows that she's not staying for long.

He closed his eyes, wiping away the tears the spilt from his eyes incandescently, "T-there were so many things that I wanted to do for you. To take you to that crêpe shop that was just built recently, to take you to different places where we can all be together with Miku, Luka, Kaito and Meiko, to sing more songs for you, to have more adventures with you and looking forward to our birthdays when we can share s-so many presents together and just experience things together! I wanted to make you feel special, to show you how much you meant to me a-and just to be by your side, laughing with each other but... But that's not possible now, is it?" At this point he started to laugh, bearing an expression of hurt that made your heart squeeze and want to comfort him.

But Rin can't comfort him anymore.

Walking towards him and his shaking form, she raises her hands, which Len had started to notice how her hands had begun to fade into nothing but thin air, and wrapped her arms around him. The boy hugs back in response, trying to memorise that sweet smell of her citrusy orange scent, her soft golden hair smooth and silky as he runs his hand through it and the way she fit so perfectly in his arms - he wanted to remember it all. He wanted to never forget, hoping that time would just stop still at this point, his tears falling onto her shoulders.

"Len," She whispered, "Know that I love you, okay. And that I'll be by your side forever, watching you. And I know you'll never forgive me, and I know that there are people like you who remember me and love me for who I am. Len, you may not have done all those things you said, but I know what you've already accomplished and that's that you've always made me feel special, always had been by my side and comforted me whenever... I'm more than satisfied with just that."

She pulls back slightly to press her soft lips against Len's forehead, leaving a burning sensation which Len wished would stay forever but knew that it would eventually be forgotten.

Her eyes softened as she gazes at his pure, innocent face as tears ran down his cheeks, "I'm sorry," she rubs her thumb across his cheek to wipe away the tears - something that she's always done when Len cried in front of her, and her alone.

"R-Rin, don't go." He begged, voice cracking and Rin felt her heart ache, "P-Please... Please don't leave me alone..."

"I… I was planning to leave quietly…" She admitted, "And… I-I'm scared of disappearing since they're deleting all my data, of leaving you alone and I'm not quite sure if it is painful… So, I want to say that I love you, okay, Len. I know I've said it already, but I just wanted to say it... Say it as many times before I go. I love you so much."

Small lights surrounded her, her physical form dusting away into non-existence with Len fully realising that he would not be able to see even her body anymore, the sudden thought hitting hard at his heart and from all the things she said. He only hugged her tighter, desperate to keep her in the world he lived in and refusing to let her go.

"Len, let's play again, okay?"

His eyes turned back to her smiling face, so innocent that Len wondered why they would take such an innocent soul that is of his beloved counterpart. Why they always take those who did nothing yet still make them disappear, taking their lives instead of the one's who are anything but innocent. Noticing that he had finally looked back, she leant down, planting a sweet yet bitter kiss on his lips, forever etching herself onto his brain before finally, she disappears completely and he felt his arms go lighter.

The world around him froze and for the first time, he was alone.

A white bow fluttered down to his hands where he had last held her – the one piece of memory of her that didn't evaporate – the bow that she treasured so much, the bow he gave her on their second birthday of being created, the bow she always wore along with a happy smile.

An anguished cry filled the house, the screams of her name and begging her to come back echoing in the room, never to be responded to.

I didn't even get to say I love you, too.

.

.

.

He drew quick, deep breaths as he bent down, trying to balance himself from the tiring practice he had just finished. Practising for two straight hours… It never changed. His schedule that is.

"Okay, that's a wrap, everyone." His Master declared and clapped his hands, "You can take a break now!"

Len sighed in relief, falling back on his butt to sit down and relax from the tiresome practice. He couldn't wait to end the whole day and just fall back asleep onto his bed – it did help with the sleeping habit of his so he supposes it isn't all that useless.

He then flinched feeling a bitingly chilling temperature hit his cheek, and he gazed his eyes beside him to see Luka with a water bottle and the other three standing beside her, "Here, for you." Luka nudged the bottle against his cheek softly.

"Thanks." Len smiled, grateful for the cool drink that he knows would be refreshing against the heat.

His elders sat beside him as they watched their Master trying to explain to his staff how to do things and what he wanted for the concert to be a success. It was amusing really, it seemed as if nothing had changed and everything was stable again, except it really wasn't.

"It's been more than a year, huh." Miku piped up, her eyes glassy as she watches forlornly. Of course, she'd be sad, she was Rin's best friend yet she couldn't say goodbye to her. Same goes for the others.

"Hn." The blond nodded, remembering their last sayings to one another and the ardent sensation of her kiss on his lips that still lingered, as well as her fruity smell that he'd always miss. He could still feel the arms that wrapped around him as he too wrapped his arms around her petite waist.

Miku continued, "It really doesn't feel the same. I miss her. I miss the days when she used to prank on us, always painting my walls into yellow while making my radio play 'Gekokujou' while you two scream "Green is the enemy" and stealing Kaito's scarf, eating his ice cream boxes or putting them down his back." She giggled fondly of the old days.

"Yeah," Kaito grinned, finding it quite amusing, "Strangely enough, I miss it, too. And the days when she'd physically hurt me, too." He laughed, his usually mature, masculine voice turning childish. He then groaned when Meiko elbowed him.

"You're starting to sound like a masochist." She answered curtly and he only looked down in embarrassment as the others around him laughed wholeheartedly.

"Well – I'm sorry."

"You should be."

"Yeah, you're a danger to children." Luka played along teasingly, "Remember to stay away from Len from now on."

"Oh come on!"

"Rin was right, you're a real masochist."

"Stop it! I'm not! Miku help me!"

While they bickered on about Kaito, Len thought about her. Her ethereal smiles, her pure, melodic voice that captivated his and many other people's hearts and her bright and bubbly personality, never failing to amuse people with her mischievous side. He glanced down at the bow tied securely around his wrist, remembering the times they had together, be it happy or sad.

He could remember after Rin had gone, he had locked himself in both his and Rin's room, refusing to come out or meet anyone, never trusting anymore thinking that it hurts to cherish people because you only lose them in the end. But alas, the others got through to him, and his Master who tried everything to get him back up and alive again.

Len glanced at the ceiling knowing that he'd remember Rin always.

And the ticking of the clock kept going, and it will keep going until finally... It stops.

"It's not Rin and Len anymore, it's just you Len."

25.02.2017

Because the RinLen fandom is dying of FF, I wrote this story though I seriously fail at emotional stories -coughs-

I tried my best.