A/N: I got Writer's block. I got stuck thinking of what to write in this chapter. That explains the long period of inactivity. That explains the crappy and short chapter here. (Is too focused on my other stories) Presenting to your the first arc of the story! (Yeah I separated the plots into arcs)

Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapters (Is too lazy to type)

Chasing Time

Chapter 3: Of loans and sorrow

Rin's POV

I slammed the door shut immediately and removed my shoes, still thinking about the incident that occurred in school today. It was lucky my parents were never home. If they were home, I would love to see how they would scream at me for my horrible attitude just now. It wasn't my fault I was in a bad mood, though. It was Len's fault for being so… so casual with stuff around here! He was acting as if he didn't care if there was any love between the both of us! He was just trying to have his own fun, and he was making use of me to do that!

If there were anything that pissed me off the most, it would have to be guys that act like some big hotshot. Guys that fool around with girls, and guys that would take advantage of a helpless little girl like me. I didn't dislike them; I hated them!

I threw my bag across the couch and literally slammed and connected my foot down with its soft fabric. I admitted I had felt a little disappointed with Len for being such a jerk just now, and yes, I even shed some tears for him! Then I realized that it was not worthwhile to waste my life on him, let alone my precious little emotions. Jerks would always be jerks, no matter how much you cried for over them.

I bounced up and down the couch, not giving a hoot if I would fall and slam my face against the floor, or maybe destroy the couch unknowingly with my foot. I could always get another one, as long as my parents were alive somewhere in this world. I could write to them or email them to send some money over for me to spend. Right now, however, all I needed was some stress-reliever.

"Jerk! He's dumb! I hope he gets dumped by every girl friend he has!" I cursed, my face glowing red from the rage I felt. My blood was practically boiling with my awesome and pure wrath. "… Wait; maybe he has uncountable lots of them! Fine, I hope he has himself some STD's or something! That will teach him not to mess around!"

I urged myself to calm down slowly. My mind was still a little foggy from the anger I have felt, but the cursing and the torturing of my couch made it slightly better now. I could see nothing but black blotches of hatred and red blotches of bloodshed just now. Maybe I should give a call to Miku, and invite her over for a sleepover or something. I should apologize to her for doubting her, too. I even lashed out at her the last time she warned me about Len. Argh.

How could I have not seen that coming? Why was I so stupid?

I hopped down from the couch and landed gracefully and soundlessly on the floor. I eyed the magazines scattered around the table and groaned at how much time I was going to take to arrange them properly. You see, Miku was a complete clean freak, and if she caught me with messy stuff in my house, her eyes would glow red and that was when I would run for my life before I got fried. I could do the arrangement now, since I had nothing better to do.

Knock. Knock.

Okay, so who might that be now? The possibility of the guest outside being Miku was very high right now. She must have heard about the racket I caused in school, and those weird rumors that transpired this morning. Well, it makes things all the more easier for me. I wouldn't have to go around looking for my phone, and ask her to come all the way here since she was already here.

Knock. Knock.

I rushed to the door and swung it wide open with one of my arms placed on my chest. I forced a smile on my face even though I knew I wasn't really delighted right now, even with her company.

I almost screamed and toppled over when I saw that it was Neru instead of my lovely green-haired friend.

She was looking at me through lazy half-lidded eyes, one of her hands placed on the gate of my door. Her lips were slightly cracked and dry, and she was still wearing her school uniform, which would only mean one thing: She came all the way here for some serious business. Just to let you know, Neru didn't like wearing her uniform because she thought it made her look unattractive. Therefore, she would always rush home to change when she was going out somewhere.

"Not very happy to see me, are you, Rin?" She drawled, smirking when I gritted my teeth in annoyance at what she had said.

What was she doing in my house, anyway? She wouldn't know where I stayed, unless somebody in our class had told her about my location. I wouldn't tell her. I didn't want to get harassed everyday, thank you.

"Why are you even here? This is my house, for your information," I growled, glaring at her fiercely. She didn't even flinch or cower away in fear. This proved that I was not very good in reprimanding people. "… So, Why are you here in my apartment? I don't remember inviting you over."

"Look, I didn't say I was coming to your lousy apartment, you smug shrimp," Neru sang, shifting a little to the right. "I was going to somebody else's apartment. I was just popping by to let you know. The guy's just behind me, if you want to know who I am referring to."

Out of curiosity, I tilted my head to look at whoever was behind her. My pupils dilated and my arms fell limply to my sides when I saw that familiar blond teenager leaning against the wall behind her, his arms neatly crossed over his chest. I could imagine Neru's joy in seeing my reaction now; she was clearly coming all the way here to declare that Len was hers, and that I should not be touching what was hers.

Len had his eyes lowered, ignoring my ice-piercing glare. I observed him for a moment, waiting to see if he would at least look at me, but gave up after a few minutes of waiting. Neru was still staring at me, a little amused with how I had reacted. I could hear her snicker softly from beside me, and I decided to ignore her. She wasn't worth my attention.

"Look, stop looking at him. He's now officially my target," she leaned forward and whispered in my ears, and I was trying my best not to lose my cool at this moment and hit her or anything near me. I could be very nice if I was calm and collected, but if I get a little angry with somebody, then I'll be like some soul devouring demon.

She didn't know him yet, did she? Well, perhaps Neru would learn a lesson like me after all of this has passed. For now, though, I would just ignore her lame attempts to make me jealous since I wasn't in the first place, anyway, and try my best to outwit her in this mini battle.

"And why on earth did you have to let me know that piece of dumb information?" I asked, raising my brows in a rather curious manner. She snorted, that smug grin of hers already gone, replaced with a thin displeased frown. I was silently basking in the glory of victory.

"Fine. A loser like you wouldn't understand. You're only after nerds," I heard her mutter before walking off to where Len's apartment stood. If she thought that that particular sentence was going to affect me in some way, be it emotional or physical, then she was wrong. Way too wrong, in fact. Nerds were, after all, better than playboys. That was common sense.

I heard foot steps, and I was so caught up in my own imaginary world that I didn't even notice a slender and tall figure standing in front of me, with his body pressed against the gate. I looked up and noticed how near he was actually from me; I could feel his hot breath, and his stable breathing. Once again, I felt myself looking into those lovely pair of sapphire blue eyes.

"Rin," he said, his breath trickling my cheeks. I looked back down to learn that he was actually squatting halfway down to match my height. "I'm just checking if you were alright."

… Jerk.

"Y-Y-You don't scare me! Not at all! Not even when you're so close!" I yelled, watching him blink several times, his mouth shaped into a small 'o' and observing me with amusement. "I-I-If you're trying to get me to fall in love with you, then I'd suggest you to, uh... Try your tricks somewhere! I will never fall in love with you!"

"We'll see," I heard him say before I eventually ignored him and slammed the door violently and forcefully down to its proper position. My cheeks were tinted red from anger, and possibly embarrassment. I really needed some counseling after this. If I didn't get one fast enough, I might break apart. Not that I hadn't broken apart before…

Len reminded me of him. Argh.

I retraced my steps back to the couch, and sat down. I grabbed the remote controller lying on the armrest and flipped the television open, surfing through the wide variety of channels available for me to watch. I stopped when I was watching one of those 'Just for gags' episodes, conveniently grabbing a bag of potato chips on the table and ripping the package apart.

I dipped my hands into the junk food and started feasting and munching greedily on them. I couldn't eat when I was in a good mood. I munched on everything when I was fuming with rage, like now. It was time to put on some weight for my skinny ribs, anyway.

I couldn't concentrate on anything right now. I was too angry to even think about anything!

Ring. Ring.

No. Not now… Not again! Not the phone. It had better not be that Neru calling, or I would probably flare up and stomp up to where she was right now to destroy that cell phone of hers. I stretched my arm and reached for my cell phone lying on top of the large masses of magazines, and pressed on the green button even before I looked at the caller ID.

"Hello and what do you want?" I growled into the phone, hoping that it was just some stupid prank calls. Beats that Neru, anyway. Best if it was Miku.

"You had better get the money ready, kid! We'll be here to collect it tomorrow! If you don't have the money, we'll help ourselves to your house or maybe your furniture!" I blinked and placed the phone closer to my ear, trying to confirm that what I was hearing was right.

After a few minutes of the anonymous' constant yelling in the phone, I decided that I didn't even have a slightest clue to what they were even babbling about, and I gave them a short and sweet response to their nonstop chattering:

"I think you got the wrong number."

There was a long period of silence in which the both of us didn't even speak. I could hear tons of voices from the other side, though, and I was almost sure that they weren't referring or directed to me.

"The record here is right, miss. Your family owes us fifty thousand dollars. Your phone's given here in the list. Unless you're saying I'm blind," A different voice said, this time a little more composed than the last. "… Then I would suggest you not to play dumb and hand the money over by tomorrow, or you'll get ready to live in the streets!"

What in the world was he talking about? I didn't owe him any money! I didn't even borrow fifty thousand dollars from anyone! Why would I borrow that much, when I myself don't earn that much? That would be akin to sending myself to my grave!

"I didn't owe you guys any money! Where did that fifty thousand come from?"

"Look," The voice snarled, a little dark and threatening. "Your parents were the ones who borrowed from us, kid. Your phone is here, so we have the rights to ask you for payment! They didn't hand theirs over to us, so we could only contact you. Now get ready to hand the money over! I'll be at your place tomorrow night."

I heard a click from the phone, and I immediately tossed the phone on the couch.

I clenched my fists, my head bowed in shame, and my eyes narrowed in anger. There were mixed emotions playing in my heart; Sorrow, hurt, hatred, frightened, hatred, hatred…

No, wait. They had to be lying. There were cases of people lying on the phone to get what they wanted, right? For all I know, they might be a bunch of con-men trying to deceive and force me into paying a debt they made up. My parents couldn't have possibly borrowed that large sum of money, then handed MY number to those crooks! They wouldn't leave me with such a huge responsibility…

There were a few ways I could find out about the truth. I could wait for tomorrow to come to clarify my doubts, or I could just give and hand the money to them over… Wait, I could also call my parents to check with them about all of this nonsense. Yeah, that had to be the best way out…

I grabbed my cell phone and smashed the numbers onto the screen, hearing the familiar dialing tone through my flushed ears.

"Hello? Who might this be?" I heard the voice answer. I gasped at the unfamiliarity of the voice, but continued to press for what I wanted to know.

"Mother? Father? Is this you?" Without waiting for an answer, I desperately started shoving them several questions I wanted answered right away. "Did you take a loan? Did you borrow fifty thousand dollars? Did you hand my number to those crooks? Who are they? Why did you get involved with them, and WHY DID YOU BORROW THE MONEY?"

"… I'm sorry sweetie, but you've got the wrong number. Maybe you were referring to the owners of this phone before I bought it from them?" A soft and angelic voice spoke with grace, but I couldn't care much about how they were speaking right now. All I knew was that the one behind the phone weren't my parents right now.

That was all it mattered…

"You… Y-you bought it from t-them?"

"Ahhh… Yes. They said they were desperate for some cash, so they insisted on me buying this phone of theirs. I saw how desperate they looked, and decided to buy it. What's wrong, sweetie? You seem to be in a bit of trouble…"

"… N-Nothing," I forced myself to say, and I could hear some mumblings over the other end of the phone. My arm slid down like it was numb or something, falling to my sides like somebody who got shot in the heart and was falling limply on the floor. I could hear the other end of the person continuing to mutter some stuff I didn't know about, but they fell on deaf ears.

I widened my eyes and clutched my phone harder than necessary. The side of my lips twitched, and my eyes were getting a little sore for staring into the air blankly for too long. I could hear the television's booming loud noise in the background, yet I felt as though I was the only one existing right now, surrounded by nothing but darkness.

Something warm slid down my cheeks. I could feel myself trembling, and my lips shuddering in anger, fear, hurt… All of them. I began to sniff, letting my phone and several droplets of sweat slip onto the floor. What was happening to me right now?

The warm thing that had been sliding down my cheeks intensified, and soon I found myself to be on my knees, my hands clinging tightly on to the edge of the couch. I found it difficult to breathe for once, like the air was limited. I didn't want to breathe for once. I didn't care, either.

I wiped my eyes with one of my hands, and lifted it up to look onto the moisture on it.

They were… Tears…

I gave in to sorrow and began sobbing loudly, my voice overwhelming that of the television's. The tears came down faster and faster until I could no longer count and catch them. A wet puddle of water was starting to form on my uniform, yet I didn't care.

… How was I going to get fifty thousand dollars in a day?

A/N: Writer's block, I'm doomed! I took two months to update this fic, so I won't know how long I will take to update the next chapter... Besides, I liked my other stories more -is biased- :X

Blahblahblah, please review even though this sucked, and sure, you can give me a few suggestions on how I could extinguish Writer's block!