Thought I needed a break from Revenge is Sweet. ; u;

Chapter One: Idol-Chaser

("Len!"a voice echoed from afar and footsteps followed the call from behind.

Len's footsteps came to a halt. He looked back to see Rin approaching him in a hurried manner. Her hair was in a mess and she was out of breath. Surely, she had just caught wind of the news from her grandfather.

"Len! I heard from grandpa that you were leaving… Is that true?" Rin managed to say between each short breath.

She never was athletically inclined.

Len said nothing and only continued to stare at the young blonde.

"Len?" Rin repeated his name again with a bewildered expression on her face. She reached for his hand, but he withdrew, dodging her.

"You're annoying."

That was the last thing that Len said before walking away and starting his life anew.)

"Here are your materials. If you have any questions, feel free to come back and ask." The red head student handed the materials needed to Rin.

"Thank you!" Rin took the materials and began out of the general office, making her way to the room she had been assigned to in the residence hall.

With only a glance one could tell that Rin was excited— ecstatic even. After all, Rin was homeschooled for most of her life and this was the first time she's ever been to a school— a boarding school, no less. Yes, Rin Kagamine was the newest student of Yamaha Academy, school for those who are gifted in the arts.

Rin was special, indeed. Most students of Yamaha Academy who were her age had to work their way up the escalator system. Rin, however, was one of the handfuls of people who were accepted into the academy through the assessment that Yamaha's chairman only gave out once in a blue moon. She had to make sure that her efforts in studying did not go to waste.

"Oh, here we are." Rin stopped in front of the door to her room.

Rin knocked on the door lightly before entering with her room key. She had been told by the student working in the general office that she would have a roommate and wanted to make a good impression.

Upon entering, Rin's gaze fell upon a blonde who in return looked at her skeptically. It seemed that the girl had just walked out of the bathroom and had not heard Rin's knock on the door. She was clad in nothing, but a towel; Rin looked away awkwardly.

"Can I help you?"

"I… Uh…" Rin was interrupted before she had the chance to gather her thoughts.

"Oh, you're the new roommate."

"Yes! I'm Rin Kagamine!" Rin shouted a bit too loudly. She withdrew when she noticed. "Oh, uh, what about you?"

"Neru Akita," the blonde spoke calmly and proceeded to gather her clothes from her bed.

"Oh, nice to meet you! I'm in the keyboard* section. What about you?" Rin looked away once again, but proceeded in her attempt to make small talk.

"Winds," Neru replied in a nonchalant manner and waltzed back into the bathroom, replacing the towel around her with her casual clothes before coming out again.

"Winds?" Rin repeated.

"I play the clarinet." Her roommate sat down on her bed and began fidgeting with her cell phone, ending the conversation between the two.

"Oh." Rin mentally kicked herself for asking the question. Ashamed and embarrassed, she proceeded to unpack her things on what she assumed to be her side of the room.

Things got awkward fast. Rin was self conscious and Neru— well, she was just being Neru. Neither one was really much of a talker. Silence filled the room and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of Neru's constant tapping against her phone's keyboard.

And then that question came to mind.

"Hey, Neru, do you know Len?" Rin asked, halting her unpacking.

Silence— not even the sounds of Neru's lightning-speed typing could be heard anymore. It was not until after much consideration over which words to use that Neru revived the conversation.

"You… The reason for your transfer to Yamaha Academy... It was to meet Len?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Silence again.

"People like you… Piss me off," Neru said before rising from the bed and leaving the room.

Rin was left confused. What had she done wrong? Did she offend Neru in some way? Surely not, she only asked her a question— a question that referred to Len, not Neru. So then why was Rin given the treatment she was?

"Hey, have you heard? Someone's been asking about you, apparently, Len." Kaito grinned as he walked side by side next to his classmate, Len.

"Another fan?" Len asked, not bothering to look up from his book.

"It sounds like it. Don't you feel popular?"

"I couldn't care less." Len came to a halt at the end of his sentence, contemplating about what he just said. "Though… If it becomes like last time… We'll have a problem."

And for the first time, Len looked up from his book. He wasn't acknowledging Kaito, however— but the rumor that another fan might have been accepted into the school. He feared the scenario— tremendously. After all, fans were just another word for stalkers to him. And he sure as hell did not want another stalker.

"Oh, here comes the princess," Kaito announced as Miku made her way over to the two.

Perfect.

Len knew just what to do with Miku. He looked over in the direction of the teal haired girl and put on his most charming of smiles.

"Len! Mr. Hiyama wants—" Miku's words were quickly interrupted.

"Miku," Len said effortlessly, gathering her full attention.

Len rarely ever called Miku by her name. He never even bothered to acknowledge her- not unless it was something really important.

"You would help me if I was in trouble, right?"

Needless to say, Len knew the answer already. Asking Miku was merely formality. If it was Len then Miku would undoubtedly accept— no matter what. Len knew that, Kaito knew that, and so did the rest of the student body. The only person unaware of Len's intentions was Miku.

"Of course, you know I would help you no matter what!" Miku replied, jumping the gun.

Miku was all too naïve. She believed Len's intentions were good. She would do anything for him because in her heart she was Cinderella and he was Romeo.

"Len? Well, yeah, everyone knows him," Gumi responded. She was the twelfth person that Rin asked about Len today, but she was the first to actually not avoid the question. "He's usually in the third music room during lunch."

"Thank you so much!" Rin smiled before running off to find Len.

In her haste, she failed to notice the person that just turned the corner and within a few seconds, the two collided into one another.

"Ow, ow, ow… Oh gosh, I'm so sorry— Mikuo!" Rin shouted upon meeting with her victim's eyes.

"Hey, Rin…" Mikuo dusted himself off and offered Rin his hand as soon as he stood up, disregarding the papers that flew out of his hands upon the impact. "Need a hand?" Mikuo grinned.

"Jeez! I should be the one asking you that!" Rin slapped Mikuo's hand away jokingly and scrambled to her knees, picking up the scattered documents on the floor before getting back up on her feet and handing them back to their owner.

"Thanks."

"What happened? Grandpa said you arrived earlier than me, so how come you're just coming in now?" Rin examined his attire, pointing out his lack of a uniform.

"There was a mix up with the documents that were sent over. I just got these back." Mikuo held up the stack of papers.

"Jeez, no wonder I couldn't find you…" Rin pouted. "Do you know how lonely I was? I didn't even make a single friend here yet and my roommate doesn't like me either!"

"Then… I take it you haven't found… Len, yet?" Mikuo asked with a hint of satisfaction in his voice, but just barely.

"What? You sound way too happy about that."

"Ahah, what gave it away?"

"Your goofy grin, obviously." Rin stuck her tongue out. "Now come on! Help me look for him!"

"Alright, alright, let me put away my things first."

"A girl told me that he's usually found in the third music room, so just ask around where it is!" Rin called out before heading off in her search again.

Mikuo was left there before he could reply. His smile faded into an expression of envy.

"Excuse me! Do you know where the third music room is?" Rin inquired a passing student.

"It's over there." The student pointed down the hall.

"Thank you!"

"The third music room is reserved for students of the vocal section only." From afar the scene was witnessed by someone else— Miku.

"Reserved?" Rin turned to Miku who slowly made her way over.

"Are you the girl who has been asking around about Len?" Miku did not appear amused, but her expression showed no signs of malice.

"Oh, yes! Would you happen to know where he is?"

"Please stop bothering Len."

"Excuse me?" Rin took a step back, a bit offended and confused at the same time.

"Y.A. is a serious school. It's not for people like you who are not even serious about their studies. It's not for people like you who come here just to go around idol-chasing."

"I-Idol-chasing? Excuse me? I happen to be very serious about my studies—" Rin argues, but she wasn't able to finish her sentence.

"Enough!" Miku booms over the blonde's voice, just as heated as her. "Give up and study like a normal student would at Y.A. or go home. Len doesn't need another distraction."

"You are mistaken, Miku," Mikuo interrupts the both of them.

"Mikuo…" Miku muttered. Her voice was in a hush, but her shock was obvious enough.

Mikuo looks over to Rin, making eye contact with her. He glances down the hallway, signaling for her chance to leave while Miku is busy. She hesitates for a moment, still peeved about her conversation with Miku, but eventually moves pass the diva and head for the third music room.

And when she finally sees the person she has been looking for, emotions of happiness quickly took over. Rin's knees became weak and her steps came to a halt. She could feel herself trembling and on the verge of tears.

"Len!" She called out.

Len, along with Neru, looked up to see Rin at the end of the hall. Len remained in his position, not moving. It proved impossible to read his poker face.

"Go on ahead," Neru offered.

"Yeah…" Len averted his gaze and continued on his way, leaving the two.

"Ah, Len!" Rin called out once again, but Neru stopped her before she could even give chase.

"You're really tenacious, you know?" Neru finally said.

Tenacious?

Rin did not understand. All she had wanted to reunite with her childhood friend, but somehow, she was called an idol-chaser for it. An idol-chaser… Oh, wait, Len was the idol.

"You're mistaken! I'm not that sort of person! I—"

"I really do not care. But I am warning you now, Rin Kagamine. Stop bothering him. Otherwise, you'll surely regret it," Neru says- not letting Rin interrupt, leaving her behind— confused.

I am bothering Len?

For the umpteenth time, Rin turned in her bed. The fact that Neru was sleeping in the bed next to her made things a lot more awkward than needed. The fact that Neru had only just finished scolding Rin in public this afternoon— for a misunderstanding, no less— just made her feel that much more worse.

Sitting up, Rin made her best attempt to get out of bed and out of the room without waking her roommate up. She clutched onto her stuffed panda with ears in the shape of hearts as a child would— a habit she developed— and proceeded out of the room.

Even as Rin paced herself through each hallway, the troubling thoughts lingered in her heart. She was regarded as an idol-chaser— a stalker maybe even. She had done nothing wrong, however. She only wanted to reunite with her childhood friend.

"Len… Why are you so hard to get a hold of?" Rin held the stuffed panda to face toward her and punched lightly at its face.

What she did not expect was to see Len when she looked up from the toy. In an instant, she dashed up to him and seized his arm, catching the idol off guard.

"Len!" Rin called out, waiting for a reply to confirm whether or not she was dreaming.

Len's poker-face had been shattered. His eyes focused on Rin and his lips trembled ever so slightly. Was he stunned? Perhaps. Shocked? Maybe. Did he share the same feeling of joy as Rin? Guess again.

"You…" Len commented, not making any effort to use her name. He pulled away from Rin's grasp and brushed off the spot where he had just been touched. "Don't touch me so casually."

In Rin's case, Len's words did not even register to heart. The only things that entered her mind were the times that the two have spent together.

"I'm so glad I finally found you. I saw you before, but it seems like you didn't see me."

"And it seems that you didn't hear me clearly last time," Len said, regaining his placid expression. "You're annoying."

"What… Jeez, Len. You're so mean. We haven't seen each other in six years and this is all that you have to say to me." Rin pouted.

"Perhaps you are misunderstanding the situation. What I meant to say was… I find you to be a bother— I never even liked you," Len clarified.

"Len! I'll get mad if you keep joking around like that!" Rin threatened.

It was no use. Rin couldn't possibly register the meaning of Len's words into her brain. In her mind, Len was only teasing her. She still viewed him as the innocent little boy from six years ago.

Len redirected his gaze, away from Rin, who noticed this— except he wasn't avoiding Rin's gaze. No, he was directing his eye contact to something else— to someone else.

"Len?" Rin repeated his name again and then followed his gaze to see her teal haired friend.

There, stood Mikuo with the same expression as Len— one composed of distaste and maybe even disgust. And for the brief moment, the two shared a staring contest.

"Mikuo?" Rin had a puzzled expression on her face.

Oh, right, Mikuo— that was his name.

Len smirked as the memories began to resurface.

("Rin, do you have a partner for the piano recital yet?" A young Mikuo followed behind Rin. "If not… Then would you like to pair up with me?"

It was a daily ritual. Mikuo made it a habit to follow Rin wherever she went. Rin, of course, made no attempts to stop him.

Like a dog following its master.

Len peered over to the two from afar. No words were expressed, but his expression had already given it all away. Jealousy spread across the features of his face.

"Mmm… Sure." Rin smiled— a smile that was supposed to be meant for him.)

"What are you laughing at?" Mikuo said as he approached the two. He was not amused.

"A dog to the end," Len stated and then glanced over to Rin, "you seem to love following your master around even now." He sneered and turned away, preparing to return to his quarters.

"Wait, Len, where are you going?" Rin seized his arm once again.

Len, once again, pulled away, shoving her to Mikuo in the process. "Didn't I already tell you not to touch me so casually? People like you…"

Len's words were muffled; Rin was unable to hear them. Mikuo had put his hands around Rin's ears, shielding her from Len's words. Rin was taken by surprised of course, but by the time she pulled Mikuo's hands away and gave him a stern look, Len was already done speaking his part. Len turned once again to take his leave, but he was stopped by Rin again, of course.

"Wait! Len! What did you say? I couldn't hear you."

There was a momentary silence before Len spoke again. "I called you annoying. I called you stupid. And I also told you to stop bothering me. Go back to the orphanage— back to your grandfather." Len made no effort to face Rin as he said his bit. "Did you hear that?" Once more he began to walk.

And once more, he stopped when he felt something soft hit him in the back. He looked back to find a stuffed panda on the floor, but made no attempt to pick it up. He glanced up at Rin who only stood there with an unhappy expression.

"This stupid thing? You still keep it? Are you a child?"

And with one fell kick, the stuffed toy found its way back to Rin. Len was gone, Rin was torn, and Mikuo just stood there awkwardly. In those six years, things really seem to have changed- for the worse that is.

*Keyboard Section- I thought long and hard on this one. I was torn between whether I should place Rin in the percussion section or the strings section because I was told that the piano belonged to both the percussion family AND the strings family. In the end, I used "keyboard section" and to be honest, I am not even sure if that would even be considered a family in music because there have been so many different answers floating around on the internet. HOWEVER, I did choose to use this name because it was also the same name my junior high school used for the magnet specifically for people who wanted to learn how to play the piano.

I just wanted to point out that my writing style changed here for those of you who read RIS as well. I also noticed that I tend to write A LOT more in third person. So, uh yeah, I think I'm going to stick to writing in third person for future stories. ; u;

BY THE WAY, who noticed the song references? ;D