a/n: -nick fury voice- from the creator who brought you p:v… chiio(thebitch)majesty is (not) proud to present… a failed attempt of a pwp. XD

you can call this the fic chiio gets high writing

So I've been endlessly spoiled for the holidays and my birthday. /weepweep/ I am so touched. Thank you himi and piri for all the hard work you've done this year. Your gifts were a splendid to bear, and thanks to you, I've indulged in sin long enough to get drunk off euphoria and write this. This. This is dedicated to you both. Since I'm nineteen now, it's socially acceptable to write this. But himi. Himiiii I am not a princess noooo. Look at Miku: she'd eat strawberries like a real princess, and what did I do on my birthday? I choked on a strawberry thinking about this fic. Gawd. There's no further argument. That I would make an awful princess. It's settled.

One warning, and one warning only. Nsfw.

The content below contains DUBCON, incest, profanity, alcohol use, sexual innuendos, implications of parental neglect, and graphic sexual content. If you're faint of heart and even fainter of handling explicit content, then please refrain from commenting below about how much of a screwed up little shit I am to post something like this. If you're against incestuous depiction between rin and len, and if it makes you feel unhappy or uncomfortable at all... don't shoot your fatass mouth to me because I don't give a shit. If you're against rinlen in general… :D there's the back button. Goodbye.

I'm sorry if curiosity prevents you from doing so, but I'm not responsible if one were to feel enormously disgusted and uncomfortable.

Also, this work is definitely not for minors, so if you're a minor, then come back and read this when you're eighteen. I don't need any comments bragging about how they're like, twelve, and reading this. I'll happily delete distasteful reviews. If you are, however, 18+, then welcome and enjoy your stay!

I'm not usually one for rulebreaking, and "yield" is definitely nsfw, so if this fic gets torn down FF, I'll most likely post it somewhere else. It is pretty graphic, after all.

Happy New Year, everyone! This was written specifically for the Kagamines' birthday (until I missed the deadline)! Bless their bratty hearts anyway!

this is a workfic that stayed in my folders for quite a while. The dust was starting to collect on it, and while I was originally planning to upload this during '12, I have a tendency to freak out when I attempt to write smut. I have no confidence whatsoever when I try to write something sexy. I mustered all my willpower and did my best to get so drunk on rinlen until I finished this in time for the holidays. Buut unfortunately, I missed my original deadline. /sobsob/ Ladies and gents, I give you a shameless rinlen smut work. The very first of its kind. Please refrain from going hyperactive on me.

I also got the push from piriluk's recent tumblr log angsting over the lack of rinlen porn. I'm ready to face the masses with a pen and paper in hand. I spent hours looking up how to write smut. If all else fails, I'll just call this practice.

Holy crap. I've had five betas help me out with this monster fic. They're amazing and wonderful people, not to mention totally supportive: Piriluk, whimsyappletea, asianchibi99, Naty17, and last but not least, amechi! Without them, this fic would've gone down in flames. Thank you again, ladies, for pushing through despite your busy schedules!

Beware of lack of depth and convenient accidental situations and poor attempt at witty sexy times. Enjoy my pathetic excuse of a pwp. It's mostly likely trashy, but I did my best. Guilty pleasure for the sinners out there.

summary: Pack your bags! Everyone embarks on a holiday trip to the ryokan resort, and Teto's up to no good again. A mix-up with aphrodisiacs leads to emotional turmoil for Rin. In which awkwardness ensues. / cousincest!rinlen /

—ღ—

Part one:

bad blood

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"A poison of the soul, passion's cruel counterpart; from love she grows, till love lies slain. Of what do I speak?" - General Mareth, Dragon Age

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Rin never considered herself to be someone prominent.

She'd been called cute plenty of times, but certainly not "beautiful". That label was reserved for people like her sister or Miku, or maybe even Len.

Maybe even people like the Vocaloids, the most popular and glamorous icons of all time. And yet, still, she was one of them. Rin, known as nothing but the girl who leeched off her rich parents and someone who severely lacked in social skills, was a Vocaloid. It never ceased to amaze her, even after five years since her debut as a solo artist. It was like living the life you'd always wanted, but there was always the fear of waking to find that it was all just a dream - especially with the rising number of younger and far-more-talented new recruits entering their condo.

That fear surfaced every time Master called her into his office. Any moment now, she knew. She wasn't stupid; it wasn't going to be long before she'd be tossed out with a simple 'sorry, your services are no longer required' - leaving her to fade into the background, long forgotten.

It only added to the pressure of staying in the top seven on the charts. With mountains of homework, hours of practicing, and another tour coming up in less than two weeks, it was enough to push Rin off a cliff. She'd grown used to the stress over the years, but there were many occasions when she felt like it was all too much, when she had to be on her toes at all times or risk slipping up.

But God knows that she'd rather risk everything performing onstage than go back to her old life. She didn't want to go back - not to her parents, that is. Rin swallowed, her gaze downcast as something heavy weighed down the pit of her stomach. No, she couldn't think about them. Not now. Just imagining their austere, judgmental gazes made her feel on edge.

Rin rubbed her aching throat, forehead crinkling at the accumulating pain when she tried to perform her scales. The bus went over another bump, causing her to jump in her seat again. For some reason, her throat had been feeling sore since practice the day before. She'd been drinking warm tea and massaging her throat constantly but to no avail; it hurt even worse today.

A long, suffering sigh escaped her as she hugged the quilt roll against her chest, burying her face in the folds and pretending she was anywhere but in a school bus crammed full of other people with their belongings taking up every bit of space they could afford.

Right now, she - along with every other Vocaloid accountable - were on their way to a ryokan inn. After their most-recent concert, Master had surprised everyone with a last-minute announcement: he was sending all of them on an all-expense-paid trip away from the spotlight, a holiday where they could be pampered and spoiled like never before. It was compensation for all their hard work this year, or so he explained. Nearly everyone was over the moon with this news - except Rin.

A trip to the wilderness, miles and miles away from the comfort of her quiet room, didn't sound like any holiday she'd like to be a part of. Never mind the breathtaking scenery and lavish luxury - Rin absolutely abhorred social gatherings like these. All she wanted was the privacy of her home and the comfort of her bed.

Go out and enjoy nature, Master said. It will do some good for the body, Master said.

Mother Nature gives me bug bites and rashes for weeks on end, she wanted to say. Nature can kiss her bloody ass.

She remembered how an elated Miku had screamed and flung her arms around Master, nearly knocking him straight to the floor in her quest to thank him with overwhelming enthusiasm.

Of course, being the number one princess and top-selling glamour girl, Master naturally provided her with the best arrangements money could buy. Her room was on the highest floor, accompanied with a walk-in closet for all her clothes and a private balcony that gave her best view of the mountains; it even had the biggest bathroom with an in-built jacuzzi.

Now, who wouldn't be jealous of that?

Rin's fingernails dug into her palms as she grabbed fistfuls of her skirt.

To clear the air, it wasn't like Rin and Miku were on bad terms, per say - but they weren't on particularly good terms, either. Through the years they'd worked well together as a pair. Rin respected her as a fellow singer and commended her work ethics, but their interactions never went beyond polite conversations. There was no denying that Miku had the personality of an angel: kind, sweet and empathetic. Not to mention she was beautiful - she could walk in and make an entire room light up with a smile that looked as if it'd been taken straight out of a toothpaste commercial.

With her long hair, gorgeous features, and poised demeanor, Miku was everything a girl aspired to be, everything a girl wished to become: the ideal role model.

Master would never admit to anyone - not even to himself - that he'd placed Miku on a pedestal too high for anyone to reach. She was irreplaceable, invaluable, inviolable. The poster girl of Vocaloid.

Everyone knew that - and Rin was no exception.

She glanced over, drinking in the sight of the teal-haired beauty speaking with her cousin in hushed tones of excitement. Then her eyes darted down to their entwined hands, jealousy burning like liquid fire in her aching throat.

Ah, the poster girl and poster boy of the vocaloid franchise, coupled together as the way things ought to be.

Len had a polite smile on his lips, lapping up her every word and giving her an occasional nod to show that he was listening. When she finally stopped talking, he leaned in with a mischievous grin to whisper his reply in her ear.

Rin scoffed. Oh, only he would play the part of a charming gentleman around her, wouldn't he? It was typical of him to hide his devilish side - a side that he'd unfortunately saved just for her. It was a wonder he could fit through doors with that swollen ego of his.

It was too loud inside the bus for Rin to hear their conversation, but Len must've mentioned something oh-so-hilarious to have Miku's expression waver between amusement and disbelief. She shoved at his chest and called him "bad" over and over again - but it wasn't very effective, since her attempts to reprimand him were ruined by her own peals of laughter.

If Rin hadn't held such grudging respect for the teal-haired diva, she would've rolled her eyes and mocked at Miku's casual, shameless flirting.

Everyone knew that boys and men alike were attracted to Miku like bees to honey - and Len was no exception.

It was sad to think about him sometimes, especially when she knew how close they were as children. They went everywhere together, they did everything together - hell, they practically grew up together, hand in hand. The inseparable pair had met on the fateful day their parents decided it would be cute to arrange playdates for them every other weekend, where they spent most of their time playing games of pretend, where many adventures awaited in their colourful imaginations.

Len was the sweet boy who'd hold her hand when she was afraid, who'd wipe her tears away when her parents kept her awake with their fighting. She remembered climbing through his window to reach his bed, where he'd pat her head until she fell asleep. Sometimes he'd gaze down at her with kind eyes, giving her warm hugs and smiling like he meant it.

They used to curl up on the fluffy rug at his house, starry-eyed as they watched their favorite singers perform on TV. They shared a mutual dream of becoming idols, making a promise to be recruited into Vocaloid together - and little did they know that after many years and miracles, their dream finally came true.

When they arrived at the condo all those years ago, the first person to welcome them with open arms had been Miku - pretty, amiable, perfect Miku. Len had blushed the moment he laid eyes on the girl, and Rin knew a smitten boy when she saw one. At the time she'd been too surprised by his immediate infatuation to do anything - she'd never seen him look at other girls that way before, after all.

But of course, things change.

Fulfilling their dream came with a price - a price that came in the form of clashing rivalries and popularity competitions and rising tensions between their parents.

As she and Len slowly drifted apart, he and Miku only became closer.

Now, they were dating.

Rin bit her lower lip. For some reason it felt like the longer she watched them, the tighter her heart squeezed, making it harder and harder to for her to breathe. She'd torn her eyes away from the lovey-dovey pair with a small huff, instead turning to look out of the window and pretending to be far more interested in the scenery passing her by.

Truth be told, she couldn't stand the sight of Len and Miku together. The very thought of Len being overly-intimate with another girl made her sick to her stomach - it was like watching her older sister Lily make out with someone. Eeugh.

Rin admitted she was quite jealous, but only because she really missed the way her former friend used to shower her with affection, and the way he looked at her like she was everything he ever needed.

How did things turn out this way? When did she start getting worked up over every music piece Master gave her? When did she start to harbor so much animosity towards Miku? How did she drift away from Len - and how did they drift so far? When had their good relationship sour to the point where they couldn't even look at each other without trading looks of disgust?

And most of all: if the hands of time could turn back, would everything stay the way she knew things were meant to be?

Recently, she felt like there was a lot more piling on her plate than usual, and the millions of questions that were circling around in her head weren't helping, either - she was dizzy beyond belief.

"U-um, Kagamine?"

She snapped her head in the direction of a soft voice, eyes settling on a boy with cornsilk hair falling into his eyes. It was Oliver, a little on the short side and a little younger than her, no more than sixteen or seventeen. Currently he was standing before her, red-faced and fidgeting and regarding her with a small, bashful smile.

With her throat still hurting, Rin couldn't say a word without her vocal chords protesting with an excruciating pain that felt like she'd been swallowing nails all week. The last thing she wanted to sound like was a dying cow, so she blinked questioningly in reply. It was a natural response anyway, considering she was the quietest girl of the entire group.

Yes? read her facial expression.

"I-I wanted to know... i-if you..." The sailor boy swallowed thickly, his eyes suddenly dropping to his fidgeting hands. "I wanted to know, t-t-that is, i-if you, u-um, if you'd like to, ah, um… w-well." His face continued to pale until he resembled a sheet of paper. His hands were shaking, and - unbeknownst to him - his knees were wobbling. He kept choking on his own words and stumbling every time he looked at her.

Oh, no. Rin felt a sense of dread creeping up on her as her shoulders slumped in realization. He was going to ask her out on a date or something equally embarrassing. Should worse come to worst, he may even ask her to be his girlfriend.

Oliver was extremely kind and more of a gentleman than most men she'd met so far, but she didn't need any more distractions right now - not with all this stress and work. Besides, she'd never considered him in a romantic light before.

"I-I, um, I wanted to know if you... uh, if y-you wanted to go..." His blush was so intense that a rosy apple shade had spread over his entire face, and in his fluster the poor boy all but blurted the last part: "...b-birdwatching in the mountains with me sometime!"

His request had been loud enough to catch everyone's attention, and almost instantly the bus to fell silent with anticipation. All eyes were on them as they waited to hear her inevitable reply.

Rin dropped her gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable and ill at ease with everyone staring at them. Sweat formed at the base of her neck.

Well, there it was. A subtle confession of his infatuation for her and a rather awful suggestion for a first date. But no matter how predictable or peculiar his words had been, she would never tell him outright - she'd been raised in a strict household obsessed with perfect manners, for goodness sake. She wasn't that savage.

Unless the one she had to face was Len, of course.

Tucking a golden lock of hair behind her ear, she braced herself to meet Oliver's nervous yet hopeful gaze. The very sight of him quaking in his boots made her heart swell with pity. Any words of rejection she'd prepared just died on the tip of her tongue; suddenly she didn't have the heart to say "no", but she didn't have enough heart to say "yes", either.

If it weren't for this crowd, Rin wouldn't even hesitate to reject him. But should she really crush him under the sole of her shoe with everyone watching like hawks? He'd obviously mustered up what little courage and dignity he had just to approach her, and one look at the crowd told her they were hungry for gossip and catty judgments.

Swallowing several times to ease her parched throat, she finally exhaled in a voice so soft that Oliver could barely hear her:

"I'll… think about it."

The reluctance in her tone was painfully clear even to her own ears, and the ambiguity of her answer should've discouraged him - but alas, his eyes grew so bright and brimmed with such elation that she inwardly cursed herself. Humiliation be damned; he'd be pursuing her more than ever now until the dreaded day of inevitable rejection.

"Really?!" In one swift motion, Oliver grasped and squeezed her hands in his. "Oh, thank you! It means a lot to me!" Up close, he was actually quite boyishly handsome. His smile was so big that dimples appeared on his freckled face.

Before Rin could reply, however, things took a drastic turn for the worse.

The bus rolled over a huge speed bump without slowing down, causing everyone to cry out in surprise and jump about two feet into the air. Unfortunately for Oliver, Al had been standing behind him in the aisle of the bus while on his way to Lola's seat - with a loud grunt, the incredibly burly boy slammed into him, his sheer weight knocking Oliver off-balance and sending him flying to Rin.

Rin's eyes widened the moment his shocked face closed in on hers, his lips mashing against hers with bruising force.

"Mmff?!" Instinctively she shoved him away before anyone could misunderstand, but it was too late. The people around them had already seen what happened - save for Al who was still disoriented from the collision - and the bus erupted with wolf whistles and cheering for Oliver.

"GAH!" Oliver stumbled backwards, eyes wide with horror and hands covering his mouth. "T-That wasn't...! I didn't mean to - ! Oh no, Kagamine, I'm so sorry!"

Rin sat there, frozen. She didn't seem to notice Oliver's frantic gestures or apologies and continued to stare past him. To everyone else, she appeared eerily calm - except for one person who knew better than to be fooled.

"Ah..." Miku whispered to Len through the heavy silence, sounding impressed. "I'm surprised she hasn't slapped him yet for invading her space without permission. Rin's handling the matter far better than I thought she would. She's not even angry."

Len didn't reply, eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly. He hadn't missed the way Rin's lower lip trembled slightly, a shadow clouding over her features. Quick as a wink, though, her perfect mask fell back into place as if it had never slipped.

There was a chuckle bubbling up in the back of his throat that he had to fight back. Growing up with her had taught him many things, and knowing better than to fall for her facade was one of them.

His cousin wasn't angry - she was livid.

"Aw, hell yeah! HELL YEAHHHHHHH!" An oblivious Al hooked Oliver under his arm to give him a noogie. The other men on the bus crowded around the pair, some of them reaching out to mess with the British boy's hair. "Nice way to get right in there, son - you're finally becoming a man! Get right in there!"

Oliver barely managed to escape Al's iron-hard grip after a brief struggle. "K-Kagamine, wait! I can explain...!"

But the air had dropped to sub-zero temperatures.

The boys noticed this and backed away as fast as they could; Al himself swallowed thickly, Adam's apple bobbing. Even he could feel the cold waves of fury emanating from the small blonde.

All her rage and indignation had condensed into a vicious glare that was enough to freeze hell over. Her pride had crumbled under their gazes; her dignity mocked under their cruel laughter.

Oliver's meek explanations were drowned out by the blood pounding in her ears. "Please, Kagamine. It was just an accident. You need to understand."

He had publicly disgraced and made a fool out of Kagamine bleeding Rin, that was all she needed to understand.

Rin clenched her jaw and rose from her seat. She marched up to the boy, moving close enough for her to tower over him menacingly. "Understand the wrath of my foot, sailor." She stomped on his shoe, grinding the heel of her boot with brute force. The pain shot up his leg like wildfire; Oliver all but yelped and clutched his rapidly swelling foot.

Everyone gaped at the scene with eyes as wide as saucers, stunned into silence. As if planned, the bus then shuddered to a stop at their destination. Rin took everyone's shock as an opportunity to head out first. Without acknowledging anyone else, including the groaning Oliver, she stormed down the aisle with her baggage in hand.

The boys jumped out of her way, not wanting to be risk facing the blonde in her current state of rage. Rin was so caught up in her haste to escape that she didn't notice the foot casually sticking out in front.

Then it happened.

The world started spinning as the ground grew closer and closer. With no time to react, the only thing she could do was brace herself for the impact.

Only to be caught in the arms of none other than the devil himself.

Len.

Before she could make contact with the ground, he grabbed her forearms and pulled her up with no effort at all, like she weighed no more than a feather. Her eyes caught the glint of his blue ear-piercing for a second, before swiveling up to meet his gaze. There was no way of telling what he was thinking, but she noticed his eyes darken - and she only grew more confused when his gaze fell to her lips.

Rin's chest grew tight. This - this was an invasion beyond personal space. She was itching to push him aside, but couldn't bring herself to do it for some reason. Their faces were far too close for comfort, but he certainly didn't seem to mind.

She could feel her cheeks heat up, feel her breath hitch.

There was no denying that Len was handsome as hell. His skin was lightly tanned, a shade that brought out the brightness of his hair and colour of his eyes. He'd long since outgrown the awkward, lanky frame from his childhood days; as if by divine intervention, he'd been graced with a body of lean build, the fine lines of his muscles forming darker strokes over his skin like calligraphy. It was no wonder he had many not-so-secret admirers fawning over him from afar.

He continued to stare at her lips, that strange, unreadable look on his face never wavering. She wasn't sure whether he was doing it on purpose, or if he was just as stunned as she was.

Rin decided it was the latter when he suddenly blinked out of his trance, releasing her like he'd touched something hot. The spell had broken, and he gave her a look of revulsion before moving away, leaving no trace of whatever expression he'd had before.

She stiffened when he shrugged and raised his hands with a dispassionate smirk, as though trying to prove he hadn't touched her on purpose. His eyes told her that he would've much rather seen her fall after her dramatic outburst. She stormed past him and Miku with a huff, finally taking her leave - but not before glancing back at her cousin one last time, trying to make sure she hadn't been dreaming.

Could it be that he…

No. Rin shook the thoughts from her head. No, of course not - why would he look at her with anything else besides disgust or anger? She was his worst enemy, and that was that.

While making her way to the lobby, she began to fume silently. Was she really going to have to deal with seeing his arrogant face for three days straight? Ugh. They'd only just arrived, and she already wanted to go home.

She'd sooner take her chances with man-eating wolves than deal with her arrogant cousin and a band of folly fools.

—ღ—

Night fell as the afternoon sun began its slow descent into the horizon. Steam rose from the wafting waters as the girls bathed and giggled and frolicked, playfully whipping each other's nude bodies with towels. The outdoors made for a relaxing atmosphere for their first bath. All of them had been pleasantly surprised the moment the staff rushed in to carry their luggage and pamper them like princesses. Their skin was still glowing from the massage therapy and oil treatment, and their eyes shone like stars.

Still, the best had yet to come.

"This is heaven on earth!" Gumi sighed, looking rather pleased as she melted bonelessly into the water, strands of green hair falling from her updo. "I can't believe Master decided to treat everyone here. I almost wish he hadn't spent so much money on us. At this rate, we're going to be spoiled rotten." Then she sat up, prodding her lips with a finger. "Still... I wonder why he didn't come with us..."

"Who cares?" Neru kicked back against the hot stone, grinning lazily. This was the most talkative she'd been since the rowdy bus ride, where she'd been texting away on her phone. "If he wants to spoil us so badly, I say let 'im. I could stay here forever."

"That's true." Haku nodded along with Neru, agreeing with her closest companion. Then she glanced over at a certain thoughtful brunette, smiling warmly. "How about you, Meiko? Are you loving tonight or what?"

"Mhm," was all Meiko could sigh, propping her arms up against the rock to keep herself afloat. She could feel all her tension and anxieties melting away in the steaming hot waters. It was as though she was being cleansed of her sins from another life, and now she was being rejuvenated.

"Neee~ c'mon, Miku-chan! Details! Tell us all about Len-kun~!"

Meiko wrinkled her forehead in annoyance at the sudden disturbance, craning her neck to see a bunch of girls swarming around Miku.

"Yeah, yeah!" One girl had the audacity to lean in close with a leery grin. "He's so dreamy. C'mon, how far have you two gotten?"

"U-Uh..." Poor Miku went scarlet at the question, her body tensing up. "Hey, that's not fair... you can't just ask things like that."

"Aw, come onnnn." A particularly annoying girl clung to Miku's arm, practically hanging off her. "It's bad enough he stole you from us as it is! Spoil us a little, pleeease?" The other girls joined in, whining and pressuring and pleading the flustered girl until she finally caved.

"Ah! Okay, okay!" Miku blushed as a few girls closed in, draping their arms around her until she batted them away. She stared at the water, idly playing with a piece of hair as she cleared her throat. "Well, um... we don't really go beyond kissing, but he's a really great kisser. And his hands, oh, they're amazing. Sometimes it's like he knows exactly where to touch, you know...? And..." She trailed off with a sigh, a faraway look in her eyes. "...he can be really passionate."

"Wow, that's so romantic!" one of the girls squealed. The others sighed dreamily, hearts floating above their heads.

"What I wouldn't give for a man like him."

"I'm so jealous of you, Miku!"

"Ne, ne. You've at least gotten to second base with him, right?" At this, Miku merely offered a mischievous smile that gave nothing away, all the while averting her eyes bashfully. All the girls screamed.

"OH MY GOD, MIKU. YOU MINX!"

"NOW YOU HAVE TO TELL US."

Miku began laughing, shooing them away. "Ehhh, no way. Bother someone else's sex life! A girl doesn't kiss and tell~"

"Mou, come on~! Don't be a hater!"

"Yeah, since we're all going to die virgins or end up with lesser men, you have to spill! It's the least you can do for us!"

"Miku-chan, it's fine if you tell us! We're all girls here, there's nothing to be ashamed of~"

Miku continued to giggle, hiding a blush behind her hand. "You're all such perverts! How did I end up in this situation?"

She didn't notice the piercing stares a certain blonde was shooting their way, and neither did the rest of the girls - they'd completely forgotten about the one girl who absolutely loathed it whenever someone brought up her cousin in her presence.

"Well, it can't be helped. See, when he gets frisky, he'll grab my hips, pull me in, and start coaxing my tongue into h -"

A wash-basin crashed to the ground, stopping the girl mid-sentence.

"I don't mind if you converse about intimate matters so casually, but it's a bit inappropriate to do so when family members are present, don't you think, Hatsune?" Everyone turned to see Rin sitting on a stool, her back facing them as she wrung the water from her wet hair. Just her posture alone made her look like she was sitting upon a throne instead of an ordinary stool; she looked like someone who'd jumped out of a fairytale, with her molten-gold hair accentuating her doll-like features beautifully.

"Oh, Rin... I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there..." Miku blushed and lowered her head in shame. "...Let alone listening," she finished a little indignantly, clenching her fists at her sides.

Rin paused, catching on to the undertone of her words. She turned her head to give them a stoic expression. The bonfire's light danced over her skin - ever-changing and moving - but she remained poised with serenity.

"It's impossible to ignore the cacophony of hens disrupting the peace and quiet. To salivate over the graphic nature of men is astonishing; to witness how greatly revered idols have been reduced to common wanton women who can't snag their own hunts is disappointing. But, ah - " She rolled her shoulders languidly before examining her nails. "- I shouldn't concern myself with such matters, otherwise I'll become just as deprived as the rest of you." The group stiffened at her bold choice of words, obviously affronted yet too intimidated to protest.

Not to mention that whenever someone so much as breathed a word against Rin, their box sales would mysteriously plummet. Money was power, after all.

Exasperated after years of being on the receiving end of Rin's antagonism, Miku finally put her foot down. "Look, Rin, if you don't like what you're hearing, the door is over there." She pointed past the blonde, a hard look in her eyes. "We all know you could use the privacy to work on your intervals, especially if you're planning to take my top spot for the next tour."

Finally, she finished with a slight smirk: "You'll need all the practice you can get."

Despite her confident delivery, the teal-haired girl would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous for Rin's reaction. She'd known that it was something Master had been badgering her about for the past week and that taking advantage of her weakness was a very low blow, but she couldn't stand the blonde's attitude towards her any longer. It was about time for her to prove her seniority, even if it meant getting her hands a little dirty.

But Rin rose from her chair just then, and the glare she sent Miku nearly froze her on the spot.

Meiko rubbed her temples as she watched the confrontation from afar, knowing things were about to get very nasty. "Ah, Miku... you should've just apologized and left it at that," she sighed.

If there was anything she knew from past experiences with the Kagamines so far, insulting their pride didn't bode any good for anyone. It was unwritten rule number one amongst the Vocaloids: Never humiliate a Kagamine in front of others. You'll be paid back tenfold.

Miku should've already learned that from what happened with Oliver, really.

The two remained silent for a long time until Rin smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile; it wasn't even a happy smile. It was a smile that was as cold as it was sinister, a smile that spoke volumes for Miku's impending doom. Upon its appearance, the air dropped in temperature, and everyone in the room couldn't help but shiver.

Rather than tearing her down verbally and threatening blackmail as she'd done before, Rin donned her own personal yukata - embroidered with an orange blossom pattern - and gathered her things to leave without a single complaint.

"Hm, yes. Woe is me," the blonde started in a neutral voice. "Because clearly I very much enjoy listening to someone brag about their own sexual prowess and my cousin's promiscuity instead of revelling in the silence of a private, roomy bath. Although I'd like to know how it feels to be another number on his endless to-do list." With her belongings gathered in one arm, she brought her free hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. "Enjoy your fraudulent romance while it lasts."

Oh, evil, evil Rin. You vindictive little thing.

Meiko fought down the amused scoff that threatened to escape her lips. It was no secret Len was insanely popular with the ladies. Before he began dating Miku, there'd been rumors circling around that he was a notorious playboy - so much so that when the paparazzi attempted to probe the matter, Len had only smiled mysteriously at the camera and waved them off with a simple:

"I'll leave it up to your imaginations."

Those infamous words had stirred a humongous uproar, and before they knew it, Len had become one of the most sought-after bachelors in the entire country. He'd never outright denied the rumors either, so it was enough to make any girl he was dating feel insecure. The truth had remained undiscovered even up till today, since he'd never told a single soul - not even his beloved Miku.

Miku would never admit it, but she'd always been bothered by the unresolved mystery - and Len hadn't done anything to clear the air. It was one of the biggest sore spots in their relationship.

And Rin had just exploited it.

She flushed red, sputtering, "You - ! W-Why, I have half a mind to - !"

"Oh, what did you say? Moo?" Rin calmly tilted her head, her voice deceptively soft and apologetic. "I'm sorry. I don't speak cow." Her eyes seemed to glow the slightest bit when Miku looked completely stupefied for words, but it vanished quickly enough for her face to resume its usual blank slate. With a quick toss of her hair, she lifted her chin and walked out with the dignity of a queen.

Miku continued to stand rooted in place, her face slowly purpling with rage and her lithe frame shaking from humiliation. She stared at the water with wide, glaring eyes, her breathing harsh and unsteady from the sheer aggravation of it all.

The girls flocked around her instantly, urging her to sit down as they tried to comfort her.

"God, what a snob. Who does she think she is, thinking she can treat people like that just because she's the daughter of some big-wig company employee? Status can't buy her everything in life!"

"Uwahh, she's so scary… she really is the Ice Queen, though."

"Aw, don't listen to her, Miku. I bet she's just jealous - jealous that she's not dating someone who's as great as your boyfriend."

"Yeah, Len-kun adores you! I know he does! What guy wouldn't go gaga over you?"

"You're so adorable and sweet, he'd be crazy if he didn't love you!"

Neru rolled her eyes as she soaped up her arms. "It's just like Kagamine to be so nasty, even to poor Oliver. What's her problem, anyway?" Her lips curled to form a catty grin upon seeing Miku struggling to pick up the pieces of her fallen pride. "Not that I'm complaining. She made for a pretty decent show."

Meiko felt like lolling back at her attitude. Rin wasn't the only one who disliked Miku, or so it seemed. "Well, she used to be a lot nicer back then. Before she and her cousin ended their partnership and went different ways as solo Vocaloids, I mean."

"Still, she can say some really unexpected things even if she looks totally calm! So collected, yet so bold!" Gumi chimed in, humming in thought. "Do you know why she's like that, Meiko?"

Meiko shrugged absently, her mind already drifting back to the previous incident on the bus and the quiet bob of blonde hair disappearing into the distance.

She couldn't help noticing how perfectly her name fit her personality; 'Rin' was the kanji for dignified, severe - cold. Just like the harsh, punishing bite of winter, or the rose with prickly thorns and a pricklier personality.

Miku may be the idol group's most prized princess, but Rin was their treasurer who brought in all the dough for their finances. Since her family owned a company, it was only natural for her to be business-savvy and good with numbers. . Her fierce dedication to her job and frigid, no-nonsense personality earned her the reputation of 'Ice Queen' among the rest of the singers; no one could approach her without feeling the chill of her stare warding them off.

Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't out to get anyone. Meiko knew that Rin was a really nice girl despite her parental issues; she also knew that for all her work ethic and skill, Rin was a complete workaholic when it came to singing.

In other words, she was competitive. Too competitive, even.

If she wasn't practicing, she was studying. If she wasn't studying, she was recording. If she wasn't recording, she was practicing. The repetitious cycle of 'all work and no play' bothered Meiko to no end. They weren't robots, for crying out loud. Even she took a break from time to time, and she was a veteran member (regardless of the fact that her definition of a 'break' was to kick back with a bottle and get rip-roaring drunk). She'd chastised Rin countless times over the years that she would eventually burn out if she didn't stop to take breaks - but she'd just brush off her worries without batting an eye.

"I'll be fine, Meiko-nee," Rin would insist. "I appreciate your concern, but don't worry - I won't end up like Onee-san."

Other girls who didn't know her personally simply found the blonde frightening. Rin's previous partners often ran to Meiko to complain about how straight-laced she was, since she had zero tolerance for excuses or tardiness. There were many horror stories about how annoying she could be and how much of a stubborn perfectionist she proved to be - even Kaito had to admit that she was a pain in the ass sometimes. When it came to singing, Rin was always nitpicking every note and pitch, hellbent on the image of perfection.

No one else was capable enough to keep up with her, so Rin preferred to work solo.

Miku and Len were the only exceptions and happened to work very well with Rin - but she hated to work with those two.

Meiko chuckled, recalling memories of the trio from when they were younger.

Miku was talkative and amicable, whereas Rin was anything but. She was jealous of Miku, especially since the teal-haired diva was a born-prodigy when it came to singing; her performances were flawless despite having little to no practice sessions.

Rin had competed with her for years, but it seemed like no matter how hard she tried, she could never beat her - Miku would always top everyone with the highest sales or popularity ranking, and she would always, always get what she wanted. Rin would often follow up her many defeats with sulking and fuming, before hitting the books all over again. Sometimes, Miku would try to offer advice, but Rin refused to listen.

It was no wonder that Rin came off as someone highly unapproachable despite how ridiculously tiny she was. She was the smallest and youngest out of all of them, yet sometimes she could be downright vicious.

Adorable, but vicious.

Of course, what most people weren't aware of was the childishly innocent side to her that she kept hidden and wouldn't dare to show - not even to their beloved Master or her own parents.

In fact, Rin had let it show earlier before the her argument with Miku - she'd looked around cautiously, and when convinced no one was looking her way, she would play with the minto wheel- eyes aglow and cheeks flushed with fascination.

And how did Meiko know so much about Rin when no one else did?

Why, it was because she was a family friend - her family lived in the same prefecture as hers. She'd also been close friends with her older sister Lily, who'd been a Vocaloid herself a few years back.

Meiko frowned at a bitter memory that resurfaced. Well, they were friends and co-workers - at least until the day the hot-blooded blonde bludgeoned a statue of herself and stormed out of the studio with a scream of "I QUIT!".

Ugh. Hot-tempered, hot-blooded, and all-around hot: Lily was a spitfire compared to her frigid little sister. Meiko didn't even want to try and delve into her issues.

Besides, that was years ago - another story for another time.

After that dramatic fiasco, Meiko had been surprised when a younger and cuter Rin decided to hop aboard the bandwagon with her cheeky cousin, who'd begged her to enroll alongside him. Miku was the one who'd approached them with open arms.

Meiko's shoulders fell as she dwelled on happier days, gazing down wistfully at her reflection in the water. They all seemed so innocent back then.

"Anyway, don't you think Gakupo-san looked so good today?! Hey, Luka! Tell us about him!"

"Please don't bother me. You girls should really get your own boyfriends..."

"Come on, don't be a spoilsport! Look, Miku-chan wants to hear all about it, too!"

"...Oh, really. Is that true, Miku?" Luka adopted a softer tone of concern.

Miku attempted to smile. "Oh, er... sure."

Tired of all the unnecessary squealing and boy-talk, a vein popped in Neru's forehead. She rose to glare at the other girls.

"Enough of this shitty shit! Can you all shut your yaps about men for five minutes?!" Neru exclaimed, sending dandelion tendrils over her shoulder with the flick of her wrist. "It's so annoying! Why can't you all just resort to texting like me?! At least I use my phone to discuss sex quietly!"

"Aaah~ aah~ Don't be like that, Neru-chan." Haku, her best and only friend, attempted to calm her down as some of the females glared their way. "If this is because of what happened with Len-kun - er!" At her friend's death stare, she waved her hands in defense. "Ah, sorry! W-What I mean is that you're not the only one without a boyfriend! I-I mean, Rin and Teto don't have any, either..."

"Ugh, don't compare me to them! Especially not that freak!"

As if on cue, the doors flew open with a bang as Teto bounded in, yelling, "It came! It came!"

Luka rose a brow. "What came?"

Teto's eyes flashed. "Your mom did. Ha, that was a good one." Undeterred by the pink-haired girl's unimpressed stare, she snickered at her own joke and babbled on, "Buuut that's besides the point." To highlight the main event, she flung aside her clothing for all to see. "TA-DAAAA~! My mail order finally arrived! I've been waiting for weeks!"

She was clad in nothing but a red ribbon.

Sure, the silk lining draped over her skin was connected to the huge bow covering her breasts, but the rest of her body left little to the imagination...

"TETO, YOU VIXEN!" All the girls erupted in disbelief and awe, their faces on fire.

"You idiot! Why would you spend money to look like a slut?!" Neru shouted at her with a scowl, her cheeks red as a strawberry.

Teto gasped and placed a hand on her chest, taking offense. "How rude. I'll have you know that it only cost me six hundred thousand yen! It's not like I'd dress up for just anyone, you know!"

With a scoff, Neru gave her a long body-check before crossing her arms. "Who's the unlucky guy?"

"Have you all forgotten it's Ted-kun's birthday today? I shall offer him the best present: me!" Her robe pooled around her feet as she paused to pose dramatically in all her nude glory, gazing up at the sky in longing. "Yes, it is I, in the very form that I was born! Tonight, we shall make love among the stars! Oh, Ted-kun, wait for me - we'll make the night last long, since it's also our anniversary!"

Meiko rolled her eyes, pretending she was anywhere but there.

Haku blinked, bringing a hand to her mouth in surprise. "Oh... I wasn't aware you were dating Kasane-kun. Well, congratulations."

Teto let out a dramatic sigh, "Wrong, Haku - unfortunately. It's our first meeting anniversary! Oh, the memories of this day...! At times I look back on my youth and remember how I used to be an innocent maiden, but now... I am ready! I offer the fruit of my womb for the taking!" She stepped up onto the rocks for another pose, eyes shining with ambition. "Tonight, under the blushing moon, I will become a woman!"

The inner workings of her mind-theater conjured her latest fantasy:

"You make yourself a gift to be unwrapped... and unwrapped again," Ted would darkly whisper in her ear, tugging aside the fabric of her ribbon and trailing down the hem of her satin panties. He would then slip his fingers under the material with an expression that of a naughty child. "Your thoughtfulness won't go underappreciated, Teto. I'll be sure to savor your present until dawn."

Rendered speechless, the girls were left gaping at their red-haired companion's lewd fantasies. Everyone but Ted himself knew of her infatuation, but no one thought she would resort to full-out seduction. This was her boldest move yet.

She struck another seductive position with a mischievous smirk. "All of you are making me blush under your heated stares. I know that this leaves something to be desired now that I've presented myself to you in such a manner, but please try to resist~"

"Then enough with the disgusting strip tease!" Neru threw a shampoo bottle at the girl, causing her to shriek and topple into the water. The agitated blonde had to be restrained by her friends to prevent her from attacking her rival. "Ugh! Lemme go, all of you! I'm about to give this harlot a piece of my mind!"

Unfazed by her enemy's threats, Teto showed the rest of her audience the remaining products she had. "See? They had pink condoms! PINK CONDOMS!" She waved the finely-wrapped packages around in the air for all to see, swooning. "I just had to buy them - for protection, y'know!" She burst into a fit of giggles.

"What if Ted's object of desire happens to be someone else?"

Teto paused, glancing over at the unexpected comment. "...hah?"

"Idiot, are you deaf? I said, what if Ted's actually lusting after some other girl - or guy, for that matter?" Neru repeated her question, calmer now. "Do you never think things through? Jesus, you're such an idiot." Then she relaxed back into the steaming waters, releasing a long, drawn-out sigh.

Teto harrumphed, but Neru's words were enough to make her jittery. "A-Are you saying that Ted-kun would rather have the hots for anyone but me?! That he'd rather procreate with someone else?! That's blasphemous! I, the Great and Sexy Teto-sama, will never allow that to happen!"

"Whatever you say," came the blonde's dry retort. All the girls 'oohed' in response, looking at Teto expectantly for a bold comeback.

"You don't believe me? Never underestimate my abilities, Neru! I've still got many more tricks up my sleeve! My plan will go off without a hitch, you'll see!" she proclaimed with a confident grin. She shrugged her robe on again and ran back into the suite.

After checking that the door was shut behind her, she pulled out something from her pocket. It was a small, slender bottle containing a purple liquid. She had a secretive smile on her face as she read over the label again.

Incubus Formula

Premium Aphrodisiacs, Ltd

Uses: Guaranteed to stir up your man's libido! This special product will reveal his object of desire - it almost works like a truth serum! You, lucky lady, will suffer under the undivided attention of an incubus himself! With our secret recipe, the formula even voids pregnancy.

Teto giggled to herself. Who knew she'd end up buying this? Well, it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, after all. No one else would understand except her. A girl like her had needs - and this was her chance to go for the gold.

"Who else would be on Ted-kun's mind besides myself?" The red-haired girl chuckled, before scoffing. That Neru had no idea what she was talking about. "Of course I know he only has eyes for me. This is just my trump card," she muttered, twirling the bottle between her fingers thoughtfully.

But yes, if necessary, she would slip him this sweet poison to awaken the primal beast within him that lay dormant. Then, they would unleash their passions.

A wide, feline grin spread across her lips as she thought of her crush. A dreamy sigh escaped her as she hugged the bottle to her chest.

Little did she know what was about to transpire.

—ღ—

The clash with Miku had left her more livid than ever.

Work on her intervals? Oh, she would do just that. She didn't need to be told twice, especially not by Miku, of all people. Rin would sing her very heart out, no matter what the cost.

It was all she could do.

Draining the tiny bottle in one full swig felt like pouring liquid fire down her throat. Rin choked when a scalding pain erupted in her throat, before a numbing sensation washed over her and she wiped her lips with a gasp.

It was a special medicine that temporarily relieved her vocal chords for several hours. She'd started taking it ever since their last concert, since she hadn't been able to weasel in a doctor's appointment at the last minute due to her busy schedule.

It still hurts, Rin thought, taking deep breaths as she rubbed her throat, but it will be worth it. She closed her eyes. It always will.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the tiny bottle lying on the ground. Unwilling to leave a mess on the floor, she picked it up and threw it away.

Gazing into the mirror, she stared at her own reflection.

Is it worth it? This endless cycle of pain and defeat?

She crinkled her forehead. Of course it is. I live to sing.

Her reflection gave her a meaningful look. You're unhappy.

Her eyes fell to her phone. She'd received seventeen missed calls from her parents. Every single one of them were voicemails harping on about their disappointment in her, parroting how much of a failure she was and that she was nothing without them. Of course, they never failed to remind her about the most important piece of information: their disownment of her as their daughter.

Rin gripped at the edges of the sink, curling her fingers around the cool, porcelain surface.

Even so, she reminded herself fiercely through a glower at the running tap-water, this is all that matters now.

With her audio-book and earphones in hand, she she stalked out of her room, intent on getting some practice done while she still had time to spare.

The blonde made her way across the gap of the eastern bridge, enjoying the fresh, sweet scent of the night-time air. Under the pale light of the moon, she could see the water rippling against the rocks; the beautiful, blooming cherry blossom petals fluttered against her cheeks as she walked past.

She paid no mind to the rowdy shouting coming from the boys' suite. Instead, she made a beeline towards the private studio - the only room that had a piano.

The moment Rin walked in to find Len lounging on the Maude loveseat she'd called dibs on earlier, all she could see was red . As always, he never listened to her and promptly made himself at home, - daring enough to put his feet up on the armrests, as if he owned the place.

Slovenly bastard.

With a disgusted noise, she turned away to stare out of the window. The music papers in her hands crumpled as she crushed them under her grip.

"Well, look at what the cat dragged in." There was a biting edge to his usual drawl. "If it isn't my darling cousin. What a pleasant surprise to have her grace me with her presence." From the reflection in the glass window, she could see him rise to give her a mock-bow, not taking his eyes off hers once. "Do you want me to kiss your hand, too? Oh, but why should I do that when I can just kiss your feet instead? I'm far below your standards, after all."

She could sense his approach from just the heat of his eyes burning into her back. The intensity of his challenging gaze made her spine tingle. His muscles were tensed in a defensive stance; he was waiting for her to reply with that icy, biting retort of hers that would leave him seething in anger. And then they would spend the rest of the evening exchanging verbal blows and heated insults until they were both worn out, ending the night by storming back to their respective bedrooms.

Anger flared up inside Rin, but she met his gaze levelly with the raise of her chin. She considered demanding why he was here of all places when she'd clearly marked this room as hers, but then she thought better of it and closed her mouth.

Instead, she decided to walk right past him and plop into her chair without a single word. Then she opened her book and began to read.

Len's eyebrow twitched in irritation. Oh, she was ignoring him, was she? Hah, as if she could do that. Who would dare ignore someone as sexy as him? He had the voice of a king and the body of a God. This woman would have to be blind and deaf to remain blatantly unaware of what was in front of her. With that thought bolstering his self-confidence, he circled around the chair until he was standing right behind her.

With a vexing grin, he leaned over to drape a strong arm around her shoulders and whisper in her ear, knowing full well it was one of sensitive spots.

"What, am I so unbelievably attractive that you have no words left? You wound me with your silence." At her lack of response, his confidence flickered for a moment. Well. Two could play at that game. Hellbent on seeing a reaction from her, he blew gently into the shell of her ear - just like he used to when they were children - and chuckled in amusement as she shivered."Still sensitive there, I see."

This again. Rin marveled at how he could go from antagonizing her to flirting with her in less than a minute. She had half a mind to shove him off and give him a good, long lecture about invading personal boundaries, but her face felt uncomfortably warm from his proximity.

For all his irritating flaws and the eleven long years that she'd known him, Len had always been very charming and attractive - even though back in the day he was just an adorably precocious boy who hadn't transformed into a sinfully handsome devil yet.

His eyes danced with teasing laughter all the time back then. His golden hair, though messy and overgrown, looked so good on him that on the day he'd decided to pull it back into a ponytail, Rin had felt the strong urge to run her fingers through his rich locks. Not that she would ever let herself do such a thing, Heaven forbid.

She spared her tall, handsome cousin a quick sideways glance, wondering where he'd gotten his hands on such a nice yukata; usually he restricted his dress code to rugged jackets and torn jeans that were at least three years old, but tonight he was wearing one of the finest yukatas she'd ever laid eyes on: dark blue with spaced pinstripes - designer, no doubt. The collar had been loosened just enough to reveal the column of his throat. It was an outfit that flattered his eyes, she grudgingly admitted, and he wore it with such casual confidence that it seemed like he regularly went on Eastern outings like these.

She had the sneaking suspicion that he'd robbed a model and left the poor soul shivering naked in the streets.

However, from the way his upper garment filled his form so nicely, with not a single pull nor fold out-of-place, and considering how well-fitted it was around the width of his shoulders, it could be possible that…

No, no. He couldn't possibly own something this nice and extravagant. This was her cousin she was thinking about.

"Speaking of sensitive, there's still the matter of Oliver. I also heard from Miku about what you said to her earlier." His eyes narrowed into a stern glare, and he suddenly grew serious. "What you did today was very childish, Rin." Childish? Her? Well, if it wasn't the pot calling the kettle black. In her peripheral, she caught a flicker of his eyes darkening like grim waters. She stiffened and held back a sigh, knowing what that look meant - that she was going to be in here for a long time.

It wasn't often that Len became this serious. Still, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how intimidating he came off as right now, so she stilled her quickening breaths and calmly, coolly, continued reading. But unfortunately, he must've caught onto her sudden nervousness because he broke into one of his usual smug grins. Before she knew it, he was standing over her with his arms gripping the armrests.

"A man doesn't like it when a girl like you toys with his feelings. You should've just let him down instead of stringing him along and then crushing his foot. Not only that, but it's rude to make someone's girlfriend cry. That's cold-hearted, you know." He made a disapproving sound, crossing his arms over his flexing chest to prove his point. "How unladylike."

Ah, there it was. Len's most blatant and fatal flaw, the only thing numerous people will overlook in terms of his looks and talents. They'll tell all the world of his drop-dead gorgeous voice, soaring popularity and rise to fame; about how he went from a noob to one of the most sought-after bachelors in Japan, but they'll never, not once, tell them about what fatuous gall he has.

Even Rin couldn't blame them. It was never a pleasant thing to stumble upon the discovery that the golden boy you worshiped all this time happens to be an ass with showy and gloating tendencies.

That was Len's biggest flaw: He's sexy, and he knows it.

But she would no longer indulge him with playing this game of cat and mouse. So instead of replying, she pretended that she hadn't heard him and continued reading her music book.

Len glared at her tiny, serene form sitting ever so annoyingly pretentious on the chair. A throb of irritation rushed through his bloodstream, making his head pound. At this point, he decided he wasn't going to be ignored any longer.

"Color me amused," he drawled, deftly nabbing the book and examining the pages. He held in his laughter at the look of shock and anger blooming on her face before dodging her grabby hands. He flipped through the book with a smile. He thanked his father for having inherited tall genes, as he kept dangling the book just barely out of his cousin's reach.

"I didn't think you were still reading this edition. You're falling behind. Disappointing; I expected better from you," he said, looking ever smug, "I'm already three books ahead of everyone else."

Giving up on jumping for the book and making herself look like an idiot, she huffed and glared at him. "If you have time to bother me, then why don't you gloat somewhere else?"

Len stretched, the usual irony in his voice muted to an undertone that only Rin could possibly comprehend, "And miss out on this exquisite opportunity to gloat with delight in your glorious presence? Never."

Rin didn't know why she indulged him like this. A mature adult would turn the other cheek to an enemy's words, treating him like a friend instead, nullifying the poison with kindness. Maybe if Rin were more verbally eloquent, she could say something witty to shut him up for good, but alas, her tongue lay limp in her mouth during heated confrontations.

"What is it, Rin?" Len asked in a supposedly innocent tone, though she could see him fighting a grin. "Cat got your tongue?"

Finally, she thought of a reply to shut him up for good.

"It's only a matter of time before Uncle's muscle men drag you back home." Rin straightened up and looked him in the eye. "You won't be able to play around forever, not when you'll have a company to lead, soon."

The teasing glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by confusion.

"What?"

Keeping her gaze level, she opened her mouth to coolly change the subject, "You're the sole heir of the Mirror Corporation, Len. It isn't ideal for you to play around as an idol, for, what, a career choice? How many thirty-year-old singers do we know that make a steady income?" It was a sore topic for him. Ever since they were children, they were taught by their parents to manage their family-owned franchise that stretched across the country: Mirror Corporation. Their fathers happened to be brothers, with Len's father being the oldest of the two and current CEO; Len was his chosen successor, something that he and the rest of their family had been butting heads with to this very day.

Everyone knew that Len was a genius, amazing with numbers and business-savvy, and his social capabilities were a major bonus: an ideal heir that board members could only drool over and dream about. He could make millions in less than a year and lead the company to greater heights than the world had ever seen.

There was only one problem: Len wasn't interested. At all. This was a family private matter that only Rin, Len, and the rest of the family knew. They weren't allowed to discuss it with anyone else out of fear of backlash from the media. Attention was the last thing they needed right now.

"Why are you bringing that up now?" Len asked stiffly, lowering the book. "Don't try to distract me, Rin. That has nothing to do with Oliver or Miku right now. This is about you."

About her? She was the problem now?

A problem, said the one jeopardizing their family's hard-earned business and burning everything to ashes. Why was he so adamant on pursuing her problems instead?

Rin inwardly fumed, one hand massaging her throat and the other gripping the phone inside her pocket. Fine, since he wanted an explanation about her behavior, he'd get one.

"Oliver offended me by being repulsive and kissing me prior to obtaining my permission, whereas your girlfriend disgusted me by giving in to the demands of your shallow, depraved admirers and publicly declaring my need to practice," Rin flatly told him, not one to beat around the bush. Then she tilted her head with a frown. "That about covers the extent of my behavior, doesn't it?" That and being topped by Miku far too many times, that and being humiliated in front of everyone on the bus, that and receiving voicemails from your parents about how much of a failure you were, that and being subjected to an interrogation by her annoyingly attractive, arrogant cousin who she hadn't spoken to in weeks.

With that thought in mind, she resumed her indifferent air, "Unless you have something profound to add," which I doubt you do, she thought offhandedly while casting him a distasteful look, "I believe this discussion is over."

"No, it's not," he spat out. "You really are an ice queen like they say, you know that?" He stormed up to her, his scowling face inches away from hers. "Not to mention you're such a pinprick. Always a stickler for status quo and trying to please your parents."

Rin, who still felt stressed from today's events, glared. "What are you saying now, Len? Don't talk to me like that!"

"And you're selfish." He didn't stop. "Unlike you, I actually enjoy singing. I didn't join Vocaloid to shirk my responsibilities and get away from overbearing presence." His comment was biting in reference to her, making her snap her eyes in his direction.

"My home life is none of your business," she snapped, holding her hand out. "Now, give me my book. I'm leaving." The nerve of him! She didn't need to stand and listen to this… this nonsense.

Instead of doing as she asked, he merely tossed her book aside and started towards her, grumbling, "Effervescent as always, aren't you?" He continued approaching her until he backed her up against the piano, making her mouth drop at his advances. He leaned over her, trapping her so she couldn't escape. But curse him, his face only kept moving closer to hers!

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Len -" She made a move to push him away, but he gently caught her wrists and kept them trapped between his fingers, lowering them aside. She was becoming extremely nervous, but not in the same way she felt with Oliver. This was Len. He was close enough for their chests to touch, but he would never overstep his boundaries. And yet, he leaned in so close that their noses were nearly brushing. He didn't say a word. He only continued to stare deeply into her eyes as though searching for something.

"L-Len, what…" She tried to question him, ignoring the way her heart jumped to her throat. For some reason, she couldn't muster the words to speak, more curious than afraid and only frustrated with herself. She noticed that his gaze kept falling to her lips. For some reason, he'd been doing that as of late. She only hoped he didn't notice her trembling.

Then he pulled back with a dissatisfied sigh.

"…I can never guess what you're really thinking anymore, as always," he begrudgingly sighed again, withdrawing to lean against the piano bench with his arms crossed. She blinked, using her elbows to steady herself. Noticing that she had been quiet for too long, he shot her a smile; though it was actually a smirk, but it had softened. "You're the only one I can never figure out." He let out a chuckle. "You're a special girl, Kagamine Rin."

"You've noticed, then? How remarkably astute of you," Rin answered with a roll of her eyes before holding out her hand expectantly. "But still, your levity isn't appreciated. Let me up." She didn't have time for his morose behavior; she had to finish two chapters by tonight, then she could go back to vocal exercises.

His hands had gotten rough over the years from manual labor, and his fingers were larger than hers; not burly and thick or anything, but more long and nimble like a piano player's. Ironic, that.

They used to be so close. Rin felt the tender memories stirring inside her heart. She didn't realize she was smiling as she recalled all the times they used to go everywhere, holding hands all the time. He used to be so clingy with her back then. At first, she used to repel his advances of hand-holding and his surprise hug attacks, him having inheriting those traits from his cuddly mother. Eventually, he earned her trust and friendship enough to lead her away into the night and show her his secret place, where they would watch the sunrise.

But now, even their hands were no longer similar in manner. His were much larger and stronger as opposed to her dainty, slender fingers that were currently grasping his hand in a nostalgic grip.

His sigh was what broke her trance and caused her to glance up at him. He suddenly looked very weary as he eyed her.

"You should do that more often."

Rin blinked, confused. "Do what?"

"Smile." He let out a another long-suffering sigh, his eyes flitting to stare at her face. "You look better when you do. You're so starved for affection, but you won't admit it because you're too proud to crack that perfect mask of yours."

Immediately, her smile dissipated into a frown. She felt embarrassed all of a sudden, that and highly perturbed.

"Aw, look what I've done. I went and ruined the picture." He let out a wry chuckle, his eyes dancing, "Anyway, I hate to break this to you, but can you give me back my hand now? Not that I don't understand. I want myself too, sometimes."

With a squeak, she instantly let go of his hand as though he had a rash. Then she hurried to retrieve her fallen book to hide her embarrassed silence. Heat seeped to her neck and ears as she heard him laughing, her embarrassment heightening when she practically felt the steam emanating from her ears.

"Maybe it's not such a bad thing, not being able to read you all the time, I think," Len said, seemingly unconcerned with her looking at him as though she were contemplating murder. He paced around the piano, drumming his fingers against the keys. "It's boring being surrounded by predictable people all the time. It's much more entertaining riling you up into a hot mess."

Hmph. Rin rose with a huff. At least one of us enjoys being pushed to the last nerve.

"Or maybe you don't read people as well as you like to believe. People change when they grow up. You're not aware of this, but I'm much happier in the company of silence rather than being pestered by the likes of you. So long as I'm on top, I will be acknowledged." Rin admonished with a snap of her hips, and she caught him tightening in his jaw, along with his mouth forming a thin line. With a quick turn of her heel, she set on exiting, ignoring the excited thumping in her chest. At this rate, her heart would explode. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I - ah!?"

In one swift move, Len gently caught her by the elbow and dragged her back until he was holding her from behind. Before she could focus on disentangling herself for a quick getaway, he put his arms around her shoulders and held her still.

"You're so infuriating," he murmured into her shoulder, not realizing his hot breath was causing the hairs of her neck to stand. "Always stubborn, shutting people out, never listening to a word I say… it's always about you, isn't it, Rin?"

"Let me go," she replied, trying to ignore how his body heat made her heart pound painfully and how her legs nearly gave out under her from the effort of trying to remain upright. The simple heat of his arms made her want to melt into him.

Oh, shame.

She'll admit it. It was exactly as he said: she was starved for affection. Her parents weren't the affectionate type, and they did a wonderful job of raising her by delivering slaps to the wrist rather than giving sincere praise. She was the unlucky one; unlike him, who grew up being doted on and praised for his natural talents.

She missed his hugs and playful jokes, and she missed the way he would insist on rescuing her from their boring studies and convince her to sneak out and play with him.

She missed him. At one point, she had even loved him. But things were much more different when you grow up and realize the world didn't contend to letting you have your way. He was living on a wayward spectrum than hers: unreachable. He was with Miku now, and she herself would only hold him back.

Rin bitterly stared at their reflections in the mirror. They looked too similar to appear on such close terms. She felt disgusted and angry with herself for having these feelings for him.

In the end, she was the one who hadn't changed.

She was the one who was still a child, in both their eyes.

"No matter how close you are, you'll never be perfect. But you've gotten pretty close several times, so I'll give you that much," he stated outright, angering her even further with a slight smirk as he suddenly displayed his own phone, shocking her with the results of this month's sales. As always, Miku remained in first place, closely followed by him, and then…

Her eyes ran down the long list of rankings, feeling her blood run cold when she finally spotted her name listed as… number twelve?

No…

When? How? Why? She was among the top seven! But how…?!

Her answer hit her hard as she felt the pain returning in her throat; she had to hold in a painful gasp and resisted the urge to massage her throat. She could see all her hard work going down the drain for this month. Her face paled, and her breath caught in her throat. She was tongue-tied. Her knees were about to give way.

It was that time when she noticed how dark it had gotten all of a sudden. Late night had come.

If Len felt victorious, he certainly wasn't showing it. He released her, his expression strangely neutral. "You should think the next time you open that pretty mouth of yours to put someone else down," he told her, brushing past her to take his leave. "You still have a long way to go, Doll."

Doll?

Through her angry sulking, Rin's eyes narrowed.

Oh, he wasn't getting away not after calling her that. She purposely strode into his way and draped a long leg in front of him to block him from exiting, her garter peeking from the long slit of the yukata. Drat. She cursed as she retracted her leg, hoping he wouldn't say something lewd.

Then again, in the darkness of the quiet night, where things have considerably calmed, Len didn't incline to make any comments, amusing or otherwise.

He just glowered tiredly at her.

Offended, she thought of glaring back but decided not to.

"Len…?" she began in a deceptively soft, innocent voice. In an uncharacteristic move, she draped her arms over his broad shoulders before leaning into his neck, fluttering her eyelashes against his skin and causing his breath to hitch. Tracing a hand up and down his chest, she finally looked into his eyes when he finally mustered a reply.

"What… Rin?" He sounded breathless all of a sudden, letting his guard down. Her face was nearing his, closer and closer. He didn't resist her advances. His muscles jumped under her touch, and his body grew hot. He wondered if he was dreaming again. It all became too much when she suddenly paused, their lips almost brushing.

"Don't ever call me…" she breathed against his lips, her eyelashes fluttering before she sharply shoved him back, "Doll."

Len felt a stab of shock and disappointment when she suddenly reeled away, leaving him breathing heavily and sexually frustrated. He glowered after her, angry that he'd allowed himself to be made a fool by her, of all people.

Satisfied with having the last word, she huffed and pushed him back to take her leave. With a flick of her wrist, she sent her hair whiplashing in his face, allowing him to catch a whiff of her shampoo. Then she walked out, feeling somewhat better.

—ღ—

"And then she just leaves me there with a serious case of blue balls, man. Like, what the hell was that, Rin."

"Mhm."

"I guess I'm bringing home the bad news - she won't be apologizing to anyone anytime soon. Why do I even bother? I'm always stuck as the courier and suffer hell for it every single time. Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment."

"No. You're just obsessed with her."

Len turned to scowl at his good friend, Ted. He was the infamous birthday man tonight. The men had decided to treat Ted with dinner at a restaurant of his choice, and much to their surprise, he'd settled on a hibachi grill. When asked why he didn't choose a place with bread on the menu, he'd shrugged and remarked offhandedly that he felt like eating sushi instead.

In the limelight of the intoxicating atmosphere, it was important for them to watch each other's back to ensure that no one slipped anything into their drinks and they could make their way back to their rooms in one piece. There was no need for a scandal, after all.

Len had to convince his forever-anxious girlfriend that he would be fine going out, and yes, he promised not to flirt with any women there or take them home, and yes, he promised to be on his best behavior, and yes, he promised to listen to her rant about his rude and shallow cousin when he returned.

Damn it, that Rin. He closed his eyes, thinking of how close they were in that private room and the way she brushed up against him, making him believe that she actually wanted…

Damn it.

"I am not," he grumbled, mostly to himself.

"Right," his red-haired comrade answered, sounding unconvinced. When Len sighed and bumped his head against the bar in frustration, he adopted a more sympathetic expression. "So, you happen to want your cousin - who also happens to be really hot and smart. The old 'I can't have what I want' card. Not that I can blame you." He nodded in his direction. "Still, if you both can't get over yourselves and make amends, that doesn't make it any more likely for you to gain her affection."

Len's scowl morphed into wistful sadness. "I know." He stared up longingly at the ceiling, imagining the rare smile she had unwittingly showed him when they held hands. It was a cliched vision of beauty, but stunning all the same when taking her stoic, stone-cold exterior into consideration. "But she always eludes me before I can even get the words out. Before I know it, we're arguing over something stupid again."

He let out a long exhale and observed his untouched drink morosely. "Anyway, it's not like she loves me back; I'm her cousin, Ted. Our parents did a good job of raising her to be a stickler for status quo - not to mention it's morally wrong." Genes were more than enough to prove that, he thought bitterly. He shook his head and let out a hollow chuckle. "So, excuse me for postponing the time of my heartbreak for a bit."

Or rather, sparing his own feelings by never confessing at all.

As it went, some things really were better left unsaid. He decided it'd be better to suffer in silence. Never mind looking into the past where most marriages were between couples. Never mind that cousin incest was accepted in a number of cultures; incest itself was still an awkward and sensitive topic that made most people cringe - even him. Incest was incest: an unnatural taboo. There was no justification for it.

Yet, despite that, sometimes he swore she was born just to drive him insane. He dreamed of her so many times, in which he both hated and wanted her at once; struggling between pushing her away and pulling her in.

As selfish as it was, the thing he wanted most was the one thing he'd never have.

Someone like him didn't deserve her.

The iron grill sizzled - the aroma of marinated meat filled their nostrils, accompanied by a sharp sting of cooking wine. A chef, with years of practiced expertise under his belt, presented more sushi to them before bowing. He then turned away to serve more customers.

Len waited patiently for his friend's reply. He knew Ted was thinking long and hard on the matter. Although his friend appeared to be completely bored out of his wits, Len knew he was anything but. He was a man of few words, but also a sharp observer from the sidelines. He was the only other person Len could have philosophical discussions with, aside from Rin - but that was when they were still on friendly terms years ago.

During their last trip to the beach, Ted discovered that Len had a thing for Rin when he made an offhanded comment about how the blond had been constantly staring at Rin. Reason being, was that she was soaked to the bone in her bikini, which was a rare sight indeed. Ted then told him bluntly that denial wasn't just an egyptian river when he fumbled for an excuse.

Luckily, Ted only brought it up when they were alone. Len felt immensely grateful that he finally had someone to confide in without being judged or ostracized. In addition, his friend promised he wouldn't tell anyone about his… thing. For Rin.

Ted was the only one who gave his dilemma serious consideration, poker face and all.

Meanwhile, a storm was brewing inside his mind.

He continued ringing off the positive and negative outcomes of pursuing a relationship with a cousin. Yes and no. Yes, but no. Funny how Charles Darwin - Mr. Natural Selection himself - married his cousin and produced ten children in all, yet three died under possible speculation of inbreeding. However, all seven of them lived as respectable members of society and extended the Darwin-Wedgewood family branch.

A six percent chance of inbreeding resulted from close genetic relations, but… this increase in the birth defect rate was about the same as the increased risk of a woman having a baby when she reached the age of forty, and hardly anyone would advocate banning a woman at that age from having children. Then again, these were children, not test subjects, and… etc, etc.

"…"

Finally, Ted gave up - he wasn't one to drive himself crazy with controversial subjects. Cousin incest wasn't well-accepted in western society, and despite a contrasting opinion in other countries, it was still uncommon in couplings.

The young man frowned thoughtfully, having been observing the interactions between Len and Rin. Their chemistry was something that had been going on strong for a long time, and it wouldn't take tremendous effort to exhume those sparks. Those crazy kids. Despite their supposed antagonism, he could see it in their eyes: those two deeply cared about each other more than they let on.

Ted's conclusion? Genetic sexual attraction. They both had passionate personalities, and they were both extremely whip-smart and competitive - yet Len proved to be more outgoing and outspoken, while Rin cherished silence and only needed to say a simple sentence to shut someone up for good.

At a loss, Ted shrugged. "Live and let it die, then? I'm not telling you what to choose, man, but if you're that concerned with the future as we both know, you could just let her go. It's not fair to you, her, or Miku especially." He noticed Len's shoulders sag, knowing it wasn't what he wanted to hear. "But at least part on good terms if you're gonna go through with it."

At Len's confused gaze, he quickly continued, "It doesn't even matter if she started the war first. A man's gotta take the initiative sometimes, you know?"

Len appeared thoughtful. "Hmm…"

Bored, Ted flicked the crumbs off his empty plate with his fork. "Of course, then again, maybe you could just sweep her off her feet like you do with the rest of the ladies. This is you we're talking about, after all." He paused before adding an afterthought, "Of course, you'd have to break up with Miku, first."

Break up with Miku… easier said than done. He could think of plenty of outcomes that'd bring everything down in flames.

It was impossible.

"Ah, but Rin is even more of a handful to deal with." Len laughed cordially, shaking his head. "She's nothing like Miku. Hell, she's not just any girl. She's as stubborn as a mule, and as much as I hate to admit it, it'll take more than using my good looks to get on her good side. Remember Oliver?"

Ted stared at him before nodding. "Touche."

Len sighed, leaning back into his chair. He wanted to make up with Rin; he wished they could stop fighting for once, and just sit back and laugh like old times. But with their similar personalities, both being proud and stubborn, it was hard to make the first move. And, okay, maybe he did more harm by adding fuel to the fire instead of attempting to resolve their arguments.

There was a time when he and Rin were friends - a time where they would laugh and he would beg on his knees for her to be an accomplice in shared shenanigans . But that was before - before he ever started considering love, before she stopped needing him.

He never cared much about his obligations. Being the sole heir of Mirror Corporation meant little to him, but he never left it in the dust like Rin often liked to believe. No, he had politely declined the position many times, but his father and the rest of the board members were so insistent on having him quit being a Vocaloid to run the company. They wouldn't let up until they at least wrangled an occasional, "I'll-think-about-it!" from him, postponing the matter until further notice.

But at least he wasn't acting as if he hadn't abandoned his family for the security of attaining the highest rank in the pecking order.

Unlike Rin.

He couldn't stand her. By far, she was the most infuriating woman he'd ever met. She was the only one who could rile him up to such a state. Given his usual demeanor, that was saying something.

Everything about her made him livid: from her large, condescending, ice-like eyes, to her goddamned red lips that kept him awake at night. When they were children she used to have him on a leash - he was essentially wrapped around her finger. He would do anything she asked just to see her smile.

But things were different. Even now, she was still the only one who would never give him what he wanted. He was a charming young gentleman as a boy, and almost every female of all ages would shower him with attention and give him anything he asked for. But not Rin, no. Around the time they met, she refused to indulge him, let alone talk to him. She was the only girl who wouldn't let him near her back then. He would always have to chase her down to get her to even notice him, and he would always have to work like a dog just to get her to hug him.

"Will you always be my friend, Len?"

"Sure! Anything for the prettiest girl in the world!"

He scoffed, feeling his face heat up. Man, he'd been so whipped back then. Ugh, and to think she used to be so cute…

He chuckled bitterly.

Needless to say, he was at an impasse.

"Ted-kun~!"

Neither Ted or Len had to even turn to recognize the bubbly, exuberant voice.

"Teto, why aren't you properly dressed like I asked you to be? Don't tell me you didn't bring a change of clothes," Ted said in an exasperated tone, as she flung her arms around his neck from behind in a fierce, passionate embrace, her boobs pressing up against his back. Len saw the beginnings of an annoyed flush spread across his neck. True to his words, Teto was still dressed in the enticing body ribbon from earlier with only Ted's trademark pullover giving her some sense of decency.

Earlier, the men brought in a huge gift box they had to carry in during the main course, urging him to open it with grins eating their faces. Surprisingly, Ted didn't even bat an eye when he lazily opened the lid, only to be tackled to the ground by a nearly naked Teto cuddling up with him until he finally fended her off to cover her up with his jacket, chiding her that she shouldn't display her body like that in front of a swarm of hungry men and urging her to put some clothes on before making a beeline to the nearest bathroom.

Len hadn't missed the tent sporting in his tight jeans.

"Aw~ you're so sweet for worrying about me, but I'll be fine! I have you and Kagamine-kun to protect me from the big, bad men~" She winked at Len, encouraging him to play along. "Right, Kagamine-kun?"

"Oh, anything for you." He grinned knowingly in reply, having grown used to the girl's antics. "Ted will protect you no matter what. Right, Ted?"

"Ugh. You're both giving me more work. I thought today was supposed to be my birthday?"

"It is! Which is why I prioritized getting your drink above all else! Here, you must be thirsty after that big speech at the table and all that socializing…" She pushed a slender pink cocktail towards him, adding an umbrella for effect.

Ted stared at the drink in distaste. "Teto, I just turned nineteen. You know I'm not old enough to drink yet"

Offended, Teto huffed, pulling back, "I haven't forgotten that! It's a Strawberry Sunrise, a non-alcoholic cocktail. There's nothing weird in it, so stop looking at me like that! Come on, just try a sip." Len rose a brow at her cajoling.

Was it just him, or did she seem kind of devilish this evening? Not that that was unusual considering her personality, but she just seemed more impish for some reason. Also, she was fidgeting as though she were nervous or something, like she knew a big secret that no one else did.

"Fine, fine…" Ted sighed and slowly rose the drink to his lips before pausing. "Ah, wait. You should get one, too, Teto. It doesn't feel right drinking alone without making a toast of some sort." He offered her a small, tentative smile, one that made her elated beyond measure. "I'd feel bad if I made you go through the trouble again of making you get another drink, so how about I treat you to one this time?"

Teto looked appalled, "No way! It's your birthday, so I'm not going to let you spend a single dollar on me. Not tonight, anyway, unless it's a date." She winked and planted a kiss on his cheek, making him blink in surprise. "But this time, you're lucky. I'll be right back to toast you!" With that, she ambled away.

Sitting to full height, Len finally voiced his question with a snicker, "Why didn't you just tell her you don't like fruity beverages?"

Ted looked at Len as though the latter asked him to jump off a cliff. "You know how I feel about her, Len. I can't just tell her that after she went through the trouble of weaving through a mass of sweaty people to buy me… this." he barely poked at the offending object in disgust, shrugging with a blush. "Besides, if it's from her… I don't really mind."

"Hoo boy, someone pray for this man." Len burst into a fit of laughter, throwing his arms up in the air. "Oh, this poor soul is so whipped."

"Shut up," Ted grumbled back in reply, still eying his drink in revulsion. "Still, if I drink this, I might end up throwing up on her. You don't think that'll happen, do you?"

Rolling his eyes, Len traded their drinks and took a sip of the cocktail, humming in thought. "Hey, this is pretty good."

Ted looked positively mortified. "That was mine."

"Just toast using my drink, Ted. Teto won't be mad, I'm sure. Tell her to send me the bill." Len waved him off, taking another swig.

It was sweet and cool to the taste. He wondered if the pleasant, numbing sensation was part of the magic of the drink, because it only took him two or three swigs to finish the whole thing. He exhaled, slamming the glass down with a more force than necessary.

It was something he'd never felt before in his life.

Ted eyed him warily. "Uh… Len, are you okay? Your face is red."

It was?

True as he said, he patted his face down to find himself feeling strangely hot and… bothered. Huh. Weird. He felt a little lightheaded all of a sudden. Everything was spinning in circles around him until by the time he got a hold of himself, he felt a strange euphoria wash over him.

"I feel…" His eyes widened, "…great."

All of a sudden, he felt… alive. It was exhilarating. His mind surged into overdrive, and he suddenly felt like he could do whatever he wanted. At this moment, the night belonged to him.

He felt as though he were under a spell. Everything was starting to look fuzzy to him. His senses were more sharp and acute than ever. He could smell the musk of sweat and alcohol wafting throughout the room, so unlike Rin's citrus shampoo. He could also hear the intricate details of private conversations in the secluded parts of the restaurant. But in lieu of it all, he felt like he was walking on air.

Then a jolt ran through his spine like lightning, driving him to excitement. He felt the overwhelming desire to ride into the night and claim what rightfully belonged to him, to bite the forbidden fruit and taste its nectar.

Rin…

She looked so small and out of place earlier inside the bus. Suddenly, he felt overdressed just thinking about her.

He fought down a groan as he fantasized her beautiful blue eyes brimming with desire as she wrapped her lovely long legs around his waist. Her small, supple body pressing to his- pleadingly, enticingly. He felt the blood rushing to his groin. Yes, how sweet that would be.

Then an insatiable need spread throughout his body like a wildfire. Images of his Rin laying in seductive poses filled him with reckless anticipation. He could feel her whispering in his ear, her hand running down his smooth chest and further down south.

"Please, Len. Take me."

Like a man possessed, he pushed himself out of his chair and sprinted for the door, all but running people over on the way out. With that, he left his bewildered friend in a state of confusion and slight concern.

"The night's still young. Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Ted murmured to himself, staring after the destructive trail he left behind in his wake, leaving people knocked aside and drinks splashed to the ground.

Then Teto returned with another cocktail in her hand, beaming at him until noticing Len was no longer in his seat.

"Eh? Where did Kagamine-kun go…?" Then her eyes dropped to the empty glass on the table, right where Len had been sitting. She looked extremely nervous all of a sudden. "T-Ted-kun… you… please tell you got really thirsty and couldn't wait for me to toast…"

Ted, never one to lie, sheepishly shook his head, hoping she wouldn't get angry like Len said.

"Sorry. Since Len apparently likes girly drinks, I let him have it."

Teto went white as a sheet. The blood completely drained from her face in horror and realization. The glass she'd been holding clattered to the floor, shattering to a million pieces. Never mind the fact that her plans for a good time were ruined, she'd basically just drugged the heartthrob of Japan and son of a multimillionaire CEO. The mafia would be hauling her ass to jail in no time.

Only one thought went through her buzzing mind at the moment, completely unaware of Ted shaking her and calling her name in concern.

Well.

Shit.

Her eyes lolled all the way back to her head, and she felt the world spinning around her in a flurry of neon lights, dancers, booming music, alcohol... Then, her knees gave way.

—ღ—

Steam rose from the private hot spring, tickling the paper lanterns that hung from the arches above. The smell of sulfur and mixed bath salts invigorated the air, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

"Rin, this is your mother calling. When will you stop this nonsense and come home? You're making me and your father look like fools. To think we raised you the right way, only to have you stray from the path we set you on."

Beep.

"Message deleted. Next message."

"How long do you plan on disobeying us? This little singing parade of yours festers off the shallow depth of beauty and glamour. This is not a career. As your father, I expected better from you, but you're just like your sister."

Beep.

"Message deleted. Next message."

"How dare you treat us this way! We clothed you, fed you, raised you, and this is your way of showing gratitude? You ungrateful excuse of a daughter. Don't expect us to welcome you back when you come crying back to us. We gave you so many chances -"

For the third time, Rin clicked the delete button, staring aimlessly up at the paneled windows above her. It was a perfect place for her to wallow in silence. This part of the complex was built into the side of a mountain, giving her a grand view of the river.

She would… be the best… she would… be the best…

She would not… fail…

Beep.

"Message deleted. Next message."

"I'm calling to inform you that we've signed the papers." It was her father's voice, now cold and reserved. "Now that you're nineteen, your mother and I see no reason to continue providing for you. From this point on, you're on your own. You're not inheriting a thing, Rin. It's a shame to see someone who seemed so promising grow up and waste their entire potential." A long pause. "You disappoint me." Click.

"End of messages."

The droning of the line going dead echoed in her ears, but she made no move to silence it. She only continued staring up at the vast, endless night sky.

Just earlier, she checked her bank account and discovered that her parents' last deposit had been more than three months ago. They were completely serious when they had threatened to disown her, and now, she was on her own to pay her bills that continued to pile high. Now, she had to pay for her phone bills and meals; now, she had to pay for her housing inside the Vocaloid mansion.

The list of rankings continued to flash before her eyes, haunting her. Twelfth place wouldn't be good enough. If things kept going like this, then she would be left penniless! She would be a laughingstock, and she would have to run back to her parents like she always did, begging for their help and relying on them once again.

An endless cycle of stress, exhaustion, and financial woe.

All because she would never be good enough. She would always fall short, dragging behind the rest of the group and then…!

But no. She couldn't let that happen. She would sooner lose herself in this career madness than come crawling back to them again! She wouldn't rely on them anymore. She didn't need them, she didn't need anyone.

Overcome with stress and desperation, she straightened up and tried to sing again. But it hurt. Her throat was dry, sore and burning. Hours of constant practice and little rest had effectively exhausted her vocal chords. But she didn't have time to rest, not when the next tour was coming up - and still, she was so far behind.

She couldn't be humiliated again. If she wanted to beat Miku, she would have to take advantage of every opportunity. Music was her only leeway now.

Yes… again… she would have to try again. She attempted to stand.

But then a wave of dizziness hit her, making her knees feel like jelly. She collapsed back into the water, frustrated and thoroughly spent. Her muscles ached from standing for so long. She felt like someone had dropped a pile of rocks onto her.

Temptation crept into her in the form of exhaustion, pleading for rest. Just for a little while. Rin tried to resist but felt the warm waters cocooning her body, lulling her to sleep.

"Rin." She came to upon the sensation of hot breath tickling her ear. Someone, presumably male, allowed his hand to trail southwards to rest over her behind. His other hand rested hot on the small of her back, and she tried not to sigh with satisfaction. This touch was somehow familiar. It was nostalgic and tender. This show of intimacy somehow didn't repulse her in the least.

Someone slid into the tub behind her, somehow convincing her to rest her head against his chest. She felt too tired to resist, feeling drained from today's strenuous exercises. She could barely keep her eyes open. Then she felt his hands massaging her shoulders, melting away all the tension. She had to suppress a pleasured gasp, her head falling to rest on his shoulder.

"Who…?" Through her bleary vision, she attempted to see who was giving her such a heavenly massage. Imagine her shock when she recognized her perpetrator.

Len.

Her brain screamed at her to run, strike him, scream; anything, but she sat there in his arms, her mouth hanging ajar. Then her trance broke. She blinked and felt the magma rushing to her head as she suddenly realized their current situation. Her heart was pounding, and her head was reeling.

"LEN?! N-No, what are you doing? You shouldn't even be in here!" She struggled, trying to escape his confining grip, only to be fall back into his lap with a deafening splash. His fingers tucked under her chin, forcing her to meet his cloudy gaze, causing her lower lip to tremble slightly.

"D-Don't -"

With that, she tried to push him aside, but he held his ground and shoved back. They ended up holding each other's arms menacingly. She purposely dug her nails into the fabric of his towel, hoping to prick his navel underneath; he purposely tightened his grip on her wrists until his knuckles turned white.

Face to face, they snarled at each other aggressively.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rin hissed.

He cynically laughed. "Joining you for a bath. What else does it look like?"

She tightened her hold even more, hoping to draw blood. He didn't even wince, but she felt his biceps bulging under her grip. "We're adults, Len. This is highly inappropriate." At his mocking gaze, she flared up. "You have a lot of nerve to treat me this way! All I did was tease you earlier!"

"One tease too many, Rin," he breathed in her face. "Like everything else. I bet that slit up your yukata was just another way to taunt me."

"Taunt you?" she echoed incredulously, "What the hell are you talking about, you son-of-a -"

"And the garters, too," he interrupted snidely, with an tipsy, ever-so-sarcastic smirk. "You must be so proud."

"Get out -!"

"Did you look at yourself in the mirror and decide, 'Oh, yes, let's drive Len insane tonight, it'll be thrilling'? Or did you think of punishing me for a crime I don't remember committing?"

Frowning in furious confusion, she loudly protested, "I don't know what your problem is, Len, but if you think -"

"My problem," Len began lowly, shoving her backwards without losing his hold on her ― they backed up all the way to the wall, where he slammed her and pinned her against the panel; for the first time she noticed how much stronger he was ― "is that you knowingly do everything in your power to drive me insane."

She found her breathing shallow, and she wasn't entirely certain if it was from fear, anger, or ― and this all seemed blasphemous mere moments ago ― exhilaration.

Len's gaze was so intense and volatile. She had seldom seen him look this way before, but she never imagined he'd turn that look on her.

"Eleven years I've known you," Len breathed, his voice so low that she had to focus all her attention on him. "Eleven years where we've argued, competed, teased each other and performed as a duo that lasted for years until it all fell apart. Eleven years, Rin," he shakily drew a breath, something clouding his eyes that she couldn't decipher. He pushed her harder into the wall. Then, with an amount of tenderness she had never thought him capable of mustering towards her after all these years, he whispered, "Five of those years during which you've driven me to the edge of reason, made me fume and feel and want and burn."

"That's a mouthful of vocabulary, especially for you," Rin breathed back, and she realized they were so close to one another that her lips brushed his when she spoke. Then her eyes narrowed, "Don't treat me like a fool. Let go of me!"

Len tensed at her insult, and she felt his muscles quake. Something heavy clouded his burning gaze, making Rin wonder why. He was trembling, as though he were repressing a powerful urge.

Something inside her trembled, and she felt her chest heave. Warm and electrified all over, she knew exactly what he wanted from her. His eyes were hypnotizing. Twin pools of endless blue tempting her to submerge in a dream she would never have to wake up from, beckoning her to escape into a world with only them in it.

But she couldn't.

They couldn't.

Breathless, she fought to resist him, but her muscles were so tired and sore from today that she didn't know if she would have the willpower, let alone strength to push him away.

"I, Len, wai -" Her voice broke off with a ragged noise, and she suddenly started coughing. Her throat was burning up. The medicine was finally starting to wear off. She tried to speak but couldn't, instead she found herself clutching her throat with her face buried in his shoulder, too ashamed to meet his surprised gaze.

Len's face fell into a deep, pensive frown even through the haze of his drunken euphoria. He was thinking.

He had noticed her singing was off for sometime and that she couldn't even sustain the high notes for very long. She had also been practicing for more times than he could count in the past few weeks.

He tilted his head with a smile, realization dawning on him, "Say, Rin. Are you losing your voice?" The color drained from her face, and fear paralyzed her to the core. Oh no, she'd been found out. Now he would definitely never let her live this down.

"I -" She attempted to protest, only to be silenced when he held a finger against her lips.

"To think you've been looking down on others' shortcomings this entire time. Did you want to forget about your own that badly?" he snickered, "But don't worry. I know how to help you."

Rin's eyes widened. "Y-You want to help… me? Without a price attached?" She sounded incredulous now, her voice weak as water.

"You're stressed." His voice adopted a softer tone. He lifted her onto the grass, his hand hot on the curve of her spine. "Lay back for me, Rin. I can make you relax. I can help you… practice." He leaned over her, his body glowing in the moonlight. "I'll take care of you."

Her breath hitched. "Len, what are you -"

Through the thin layer of his towel, she could feel his shaft pulsing between her thighs. She could see his sharp hipbones jutting out. Even with all the animosity she held towards him, she couldn't deny the growing attraction she'd felt for him since they were fifteen.

"Shh…" he crooned in her ear, his rough voice adopting that same tone when he whispered starlight secrets in her ear during their childhood, always sealing them with a pinky promise and never tell. "I want you to need me. Could you do that?" His hands were sliding down her hips, brushing her legs. "There are certain things… you want to do with me. You've been holding back for so long." He kept whispering darkly in her ear, gripping her thigh, "Come on. Answer me."

For once, Rin Kagamine was rendered speechless.

"I - no, we can't -" she rambled, trying to suppress the shivers in her spine, choking out the one thing that would have to make him stop. "Len- we're cousins!"

He paused like she expected him to. But she didn't expect seeing the strange haze thickening over his eyes as he tightened his arms around her waist, nibbling her shoulder.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Len whispered in the mess of her hair, his hand hot on her thigh and his breath warm on her ear. "Does it really matter at this point?"

Rin tried not to get distracted by his roaming hands and fought to lay out an argument. "It is! It does! Len, we can't. This is…" she closed her eyes, choking out the word, "Incest." It was morally wrong: unnatural. Even genes could prove that. "We can't do this. You know we can't. It's -"

Controversial. For them; the line between love and hate, right and wrong, it had always been smudged.

Rin wanted to cry, struggling between pushing him away and pulling him closer. They couldn't do this, they shouldn't do this, it was wrong-

And yet.

"You…" Len stilled, pulling away to look at her, his eyes suddenly afraid. He licked his lips. "You don't want this." You don't want me.

Something softened inside her at his expression, and she felt her resolve slipping. Rin furrowed her eyebrows, feeling the fever of their passion getting to her. "It's… not that," she admitted weakly, wobbling to her elbows. Closing her eyes, she gently pushed him back to steel herself. "But we can't, Len. Not only do you have a girlfriend, but you… hate me. I know you do." Her gaze dropped to the water, feeling the bitter irony at their situation swell within her.

Len's eyes softened, and he reached over to brush her tears away. His hands were gentle. His face adopted a tender countenance, confusing Rin even further. It was a look she hadn't seen from him in a long time, to have it directed at her… it was making her heart race. He almost looked… loving. He pulled her face into his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Rin?" He was breathing in her citrus fragrance, suddenly tender. More so than she'd ever seen him.

"…Len?" Somehow he left her breathless using that tone. Or maybe it was his persistent hand searching the lower part of her towel. Why was he making it so hard for both of them to resist?

"I could never hate you."

He removed the only thing that kept him decent: his towel. Suddenly, all Rin felt was skin, muscle, and something warm right below his jugular. Her mind went into a flustered state, and she immediately averted her eyes. Her skin tingled with nervous anticipation.

With a tremendous look of pure want and adoration on his face, his mouth stretched into a lazy grin as he loomed over her until their lower regions brushed. Rin all but squeaked as he gently held down her wrists.

"Tonight, I'll show you what every woman desires from a man." His free hand ran the curve of her face, caressing her cheek, stopping at her lips as he whispered in her ear. She dropped her gaze to her lap, embarrassed by the obvious implication. Len took her chin, tilting her face to meet his own. "Spare me one night. For once, stop resisting me and yield," he spoke gently.

She stared at him in confusion, trying to figure out why he was acting like this. Was he trying to trick her? Was this some kind of cruel joke? But by the way he was looking at her… he was serious. She was rendered stupefied, unable to form any coherent thought.

After a long moment, he moved forward to close the distance between them, murmuring, "I missed you, Rin."

His lips skimmed across hers in a chaste fashion before fully pressing against hers in a searing kiss.

With that, he tugged her towel away from her and undid the front clasp of her bikini, allowing her breasts to spill out. With a gasp, her small hands flew to cover herself. He was watching her the whole time, looking breathless. He gently pried her hands apart, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

At the affectionate gesture, Rin stilled and trembled, not having received something simple like that in years.

Rin's hands curled against the back of his neck, her fingers twining against the silken strands of his hair. She breathed in his cologne, intoxicating her. Delighted tingles ran up and down her spine when his head dipped down to skim a trail of feather-light kisses along the nape of her neck. A hand smoothed its way down her hip, admiring the contours of her waist unhurriedly.

Rin's head spun wildly. She was not used to such attentions like this, let alone a man's touch. His touch. She tensed when he deepened the kiss, her mouth falling open with a jolted gasp when he suddenly tweaked her nipple, forcing her to stop struggling and falling back into the grass - yielding to him because he wasn't going to stop.

And of course, he didn't, and she didn't even have time to regain her thoughts. She had missed him for what seemed like ages; she could deny it, but her body had been starved for this affection and attention she wanted for so long. She couldn't help her reaction to his touch and the way he knew how to make her whimper and squirm, making her move with him and hitting her with all the passion he'd been bottling up for so long in the form of the highest human intimacy.

And then she realized where this was going; her eyes wide with shock and realization when she felt his tongue caressing hers.

She broke the kiss with a wet smack, pushing at his shoulders and fighting her exhaustion.

"No… enough. We can't, Len." His eyes darkened at her struggles. She was still resisting him, still trying to remain the stubborn, rational one. The one who would never submit, always teasing him by being just beyond his reach. But not this time. Not anymore. His jaw hardening, he held onto her with a firm look.

He waited too long for this. Her soft touch, her supple body, her vulnerable looks: it all belonged to him.

At his determination, she gave him weak glare, turning her face away when he tried to kiss her again, causing his lips to meet her neck again. "J-Just… let me- ah." A moan escaped her lips when he sucked on a particularly sensitive spot. Her eyebrows crinkling at his distraction, she weakly pushed at him.

As she felt Len's cool lips and the caress of his fingertips, she felt her resolve crumbling quickly. He whispered dark promises in her ear, melding her against him and coercing her to rely on him.

Len's lips smoothed over her own once more, his tongue lightly tracing the trembling seam of her lips, seeking entrance - permission. This time, Rin kept her lips sealed, her mind and body on par, fighting against this union progressing any further.

Seeing the conflict on her features, Len felt his own expression softening at her rare expression of vulnerability. To convince her, he fondly caressed her cheeks and shoulders, furthering his ministrations.

"Don't be scared, Rin. Just relax…"

Suddenly, she felt a jolt of pleasure erupt as he pinched and caressed her breasts. All it took was one muffled gasp for him to artfully gain entrance in her mouth, his tongue pushing against her own as he relished the sweet taste and intimate feel of her.

"Wow, they're so soft and squeezable." He kneaded her breasts with a fascination. He gently squeezed a nipple, causing her to moan. Then he leaned over and flicked his tongue over it, staring up at Rin. "So you really do have a cute side." She was still too ashamed to meet his eyes, resorting to silence.

Len smiled, feeling his heart swell in his stupor. He'd always wanted this. Why hadn't he realized that sooner? Past their rivalry, he wanted to spoil this girl and make her melt in his hands. Through the haze of his feverish state, his blood grew hot like fire at her reactions, running straight to his groin.

"Such a dirty girl," he rumbled in her ear, his hoarse voice making him sound like a hardly sated lover. "What a naughty thing you are, purposely swaying your hips like that so you could seduce me. I bet you act straight-laced on purpose so you can catch me off guard." To torture her further, he ran his fingers down the curve of her spine until he met her bottom.

His lust kindled and his arousal heightened at her embarrassed reaction: her hot cheeks, flustered expression, and her eyes growing hazy with desire.

An expression only she showed him. No one else.

"Touch me, Rin," he ordered softly, guiding her hand down to where his most private region was. She nearly shrieked when she felt something twitch in her grasp, horrified and awed when she found she was holding onto his… well… his throbbing member.

She'd never seen a man's body like that.

Len fought down a groan when her fingers inadvertently wrapped around him, his breathing growing heavy. "Please, Rin… please…" he said, sounding like a child as he pulled her back before she could yank her hand away. He looked at her, his expression pleading. "I -" He panted, the heat wrapping around his senses. Swallowing thickly, he lowered her head to his shoulder so he could gasp out, "I-I need you."

Feeling a strange power possess her at the sound of his voice, his breathy reactions when she did so much as move her fingers, she stopped resisting, biting her lower lip to save face. The immense gratitude he showed made the knot inside her chest loosen slightly, but when he started guiding her on how to pleasure him, she had to steady herself when he started crying out.

Never in her life did she imagine she would be in this situation. With Len. She couldn't believe it, and she had to blink herself awake to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

With her hand gripping Len and jerking him off, with his breathless cries in her ear, with his sweaty navel colliding against hers…

This wasn't a dream.

Rin was engrossed by the erotic display, her mind becoming delirious from the passionate fervor their bodies were emanating.

At one point, he let a particularly dirty moan right in her ear that sent the blood rushing to her head. Embarrassed, she tried to peel her hand away, but he kept it still where it was. He looked at her with half-lidded eyes, silently commanding her to continue her ministrations. Rin submitted, seeing the sweat gathering on his forehead from his concentration. She uncertainly wrapped her fingers around his length again and squeezed, causing the veins to pulse wildly from her touch.

Len bodily pulled her forward onto his lap, revelling in her sharp gasp. When her damp region smothered over his groin, he bit his lower lip to hold back a guttural snarl. Rin wailed softly from the moist position of their bodies. As a reflex, she fondled her thumb over the length of his tip, causing the blooming head to quiver.

Len grunted from the pressure, the muscles in his back rippling and alerting the girl to a halt. "Did I do something wrong?"

Len did his best not to snap, sweat shining on his face, "N- No." he rasped, folding his hand atop hers. "Keep going. I want you to keep stroking me..."

Rin blushed furiously at his blunt demand, however, she murmured softly in agreement and began kneading his entire shaft with her hand. Len breathed a pleasant sigh of relief. He moved forward to nibble her lips — which had swollen beautifully over the course of their kissing. He could hear the moist contact of her walls overwhelming his senses, enhancing his need to be inside her — to be one with her. Rin swayed her body against his protruding length, measuring the outline of his erection with the warmth of her vulva.

"Ughn," a low growl rumbled in his throat, and he pulled her hips closer, repeating the motion and causing them both to gasp.

Her breasts began to sway, maintaining a flow between them. Her free hand slithered down his back, sensually grazing his skin with the blunt of her nails. She pumped her other hand vigorously around his shaft, lifting his urge to ejaculate even higher. She tugged gently at the tip, teasing the bud to dribble a bit of his semen. Len growled from the spill, causing Rin to spread the white fluids of his tip over his length, stroking and tilting his cock in circular motions. Len jolted from the amazing handjob she was performing, becoming possessed by pleasure.

Rin stopped for a moment, noticing the frown on his face, "Am I hurting you?"

"No, please- keep going!" He grunted through clenched teeth.

Rin couldn't help feeling incited by his command. She tightened her grip on him, caressing and clutching him with emboldened strokes.

"Ah- yes, just like that…." She felt herself becoming uncomfortably moist down in her nether regions, her own arousal increasing when he kept crying her name. Out of her own volition, she took control and began jerking him faster and harder. She positioned his crown over her aching clitoris and began to tug on his erection with forceful strokes. This caused Len to buck his hips forward, knocking into her jewel, causing her to arch her back with a blissful whimper.

When he peaked at orgasm, he let out a particularly piercing cry that echoed in the room, one that would've made Rin tease him for if the situation weren't so embarrassing.

Ropes of his release flooded into the dainty palm of her hand. He exhaled long and hard, his head hitting her shoulder. His salty smell wafted into her nose. Hesitantly, she brought up her hand to examine it. Traces of his warm, clear liquid were left on her fingers.

She felt dirty now.

"Mmm… thank you," Len purred in her ear, sounding breathless and exhilarated, causing her heart to skip a beat. He maneuvered her so that she was sitting on his lap. He looked like a impish devil, grinning up at her with the spark raging in his eyes. "You have no idea how badly I needed that. Now, allow me to return the favor."

Before she could react to that, he guided her back to the ground and parted her thighs. She tossed her head around, trying to close her legs, but he held onto her thighs, looking at her with a coy smile.

"Is that arousal on you face, R-i-n~? Ah-ah, Don't try to hide it." Then his hand slid down her navel and between her thighs, causing her to gasp and choke up on the spot. His fingers probed inside her, making her inadvertently grab his shoulders, but she wasn't sure if she was trying to push him away or pull him closer. His fingers were sliding in and out of her now, making her wetter beyond belief.

"Hahh… ahh… L-Len, wait… n-no, please…"

Stop?

Don't stop?

"You're soaking wet, Rin." His voice adopted a rougher baritone as his lust kindled. "It's not because of the water, is it?" He looked at her, his excitement mounting as he felt her, smelled her.

It felt deliciously delightful.

Then he lowered his head and slithered his tongue inside her silken heat, eliciting a choked cry from her. He held onto her hips as she arched her back, gasping with pleasure. The burning look he gave her the entire time made her blush; his eyes were so intense that she felt the urge to look away. He smoothed his hands up to bite and play with her breasts, eliciting a series of ragged moans from her swollen, red lips.

"Haah…" Her eyebrows crinkled after a particular hard nip. "L…Le…n…"

"Mhm?" He continued his pampering, flicking his tongue out to tease her vulva, all the while curling his fingers deep inside her and leaving her rigid. Breathless. She let out a particularly loud scream that echoed into the wilds. It would've given them both away if not for the fact most of the Vocaloids were either in another part of the complex, passed out from alcohol, or heavy sleepers. That was something neither of the blondes were aware of, but they didn't have to know that.

"You're being too loud. Do you want us to be discovered?" Smoothing his hand up her milky thigh, Len proceeded to bite her labia in punishment, whispering darkly, "Be quiet." He lifted up her thighs onto his shoulders and resumed eating her out. With her legs dangling over his back, she winced at the pressure of his tongue teasing over her clit.

Somehow, the danger of being caught only made things more exciting.

Biting her lower lip, she tried desperately to obey him. The room shrank. A hazy veil wrapped around her senses. She closed her eyes and heard the sounds of stifled gasps, shaky exhales, and breathy, pleasured moans. It was a pleasing agony of sound, sweet and sharp. The caress of his lips, tongue, fingers, and hands assaulted her - drawn out and teasing.

And then, those sensations stopped. Suddenly, the heat and weight over her body disappeared as Len sat up abruptly.

His chest rose and fell, as he stared at Rin strangely - intently.

The quiet settled around them. With Len suddenly pulled from her body, the hazy veil that intoxicated her senses began to clear, and she was suddenly very aware of how her throat was pulsing painfully, and how their towels pooled against her naked skin.

As reality settled in, it suddenly occurred to her that those shameless, drawn-out cries that once filled the room were none other than her own. She sang like a bird, vocalizing like never before.

A wave of humiliation washed over her as she quickly hid in the darkness of her hands, her cheeks burning with shame. Her hands flew to cover her eyes and face. She couldn't bear to see what Len was thinking, what his reaction was.

Cloth rustled, and she could feel the shifting of weight as warm fingers wrapped around her own. Len effortlessly pried her hands apart, pinning them on either side of her. Her eyes remained shut.

"Rin," Len's voice prompted.

Despite herself, curiosity got the better of her, and her pale blue eyes slowly opened, fully expecting to see a sneering grin on her face. Would he mock her? Laugh at her?

What she saw was unexpected.

His face showed no signs of smugness or malice. Len stared with unmoving eyes, his breathing hitched.

"Those sounds -" Len licked his lips before letting out a deep exhale. "I never knew you could make those sounds." He sounded fascinated, awed even.

Neither did I.

Rin blushed deeply, suddenly caught in a tide of self-consciousness and feeling the need to hide, "L-Len, I -"

"I want to hear them again," Len suddenly demanded, as he pushed his weight onto hers as a hand slithered down her thigh, making her jolt in anticipation. "Sing for me again." This thumb found her sensitive bud, as he slid two fingers inside her once more. He was rewarded with a breathy gasp, as she twisted sharply beneath him.

"Aahhh… L-Len, please -" she begged, running her fingers through his sweaty mane for closure.

Len let out a low growl as he buried his face in her soft, scented hair. "Yes… sing for me," he breathed, "only for me." He curled his fingers inside as his thumb pushed aggressively against her clit. He felt her shuddering beneath him, panting against his ear. With a grunt, he felt himself hardening once again.

"Haa...haaa…"

Through the haze of pleasure, Len grinned from the gratifying, sweet moans of pleasure escaping her lips in broken gasps. His tongue dragged over her knob, drowning in her silken heat. He gently outlined the slit of her labia, bringing his lips to suck on the layer of skin that surrounded it. Everything was soaking wet that his tongue felt hot from the texture of it all. He wouldn't let up on her, dragging her thighs closer and bringing her womanhood to quiver from the sexual abuse of his tongue.

Rin panted his name restlessly and tangled her dainty fingers into his unruly hair, now free from the confines of his ponytail.

The dominant blond groaned from the overflowing warmth of her nectar. He delved deeper into the temple of her inner flesh, purging his tongue right through her erogenous zone. His mouth latched onto her passage, ravishing the scorching flesh from inside.

"Ahh!" Rin saw stars in her vision from the cruel tactic of his tongue. She felt her mind and body being thrown in the throes of rapture. Pleasure rippled up her spine and penetrated her muscles, involuntarily causing her back to rise in a skyward arch. Her legs clenched. Tears stung her eyes as she sobbed with pain and ecstasy, slipping down her cheeks.

His hands, tongue, and lips continued to worship her body as though she were a goddess. Before she realized it, he began penetrating his tongue in and out using circular motions. He kept his eyes on her, examining her reactions. She continued to writhe under him with her fingers now pulling at his hair, urging him to go deeper. Len obeyed her silent command and continued to ravish her with the intent of making her climax.

"A-ahh~ ooh~ O-oh, Len… mmm!"

Len brushed over the bud of her womanhood repeatedly, while his fingers worked deep inside her. He relished each small gasp, every cry. He bent down to capture a rosy nipple between his teeth, biting down firmly, possessively.

Rin shuddered, bracing weakly against his shoulders and feeling herself come undone by his hands, her dignity unraveling before her eyes. She felt her walls clenching tightly around his fingers- her thighs drawing themselves together as she trembled. Her back arched further, melding against his chest as he caressed her spine once more.

And then, with a sharp cry of release, she came all over his hand.

Panting, she collapsed on the shale stone and glanced over at Len. Her racing heart began to steady as the bloom of sedated pleasure warmly washed over her. For a moment, Len just sat there and stared at her, admiring her. He slowly removed his fingers from inside her and brought them to his lips, the evidence of her release glistening on his fingers. Training his eyes on hers, his tongue slowly darted out to relish the taste of her remaining nectar. Then he smiled down at her lazily.

"Len… nnghh… why…" Her voice came out hoarse and weak, much to her shame. "Why are you doing this…?"

In reply, he loomed over her body and trapped her with a mesmerizing gaze. The feverish heat got to his head, drowning out all logic and rationality. "I have no malicious intent towards you, Rin." Len angled his head closer to hers so he was whispering right near her ear, causing her skin to jump. "But I've waited so long for this moment."

Yes, for so long he'd attempted many ways to thaw her. He wanted to make her melt in his palms. To find the warmth behind her icy, frigid gaze. To make her yield to the passions she'd been denying for so long.

And the very sight of her took his breath away.

Quivering lips, heaving chest, and gold hair fanned out beneath her like a halo. Her flushed, milky complexion and her sinfully long legs that trailed to her smooth thighs his hands were itching to possess. His eyes hungrily roamed over her body. His throat went dry. His mouth watered.

The blood rushed straight to his loins at the sight of her flushed, nude body sprawled out before him, tempting him, inviting him to bite the forbidden fruit. His heart was racing, and his palms were sweating.

The beads of water running down her neck, all the way down her body, it made her even more alluring for the taking. Her eyes were swarming with conflicted emotions: confusion, arousal, betrayal, and awe. She looked so dizzy, as though her head were spinning. Under the moon, she stared up at him with a trembling expression, her blue eyes filling with tears.

"You're still beautiful," he exhaled, wiping her tears away before bringing her thighs up to meet his. His member readied in his hand, large and stiff. Drops of pre-cum gleaned the tip of his head, and he swirled a thumb at the needy moisture.

Rin blushed at him in morbid fashion, as her eyes finally took in the sight of his protruding need. He was big. Larger than she… well, she never thought of things like this anyway. It would only make sense due to her being a given prude.

An unexpectedly vague and aching feel of womanly want began to stir in her lower abdomen. She was confused at this torturous feeling and felt her traitorous body ready herself for Len, moisture pooling between her legs in rousing anticipation.

She didn't want this.

Did she?

Len's eyes half-lidded as his lips curved into a languid smile.

As if hearing her thoughts, he glided his large form over hers, settling himself between her legs, as he held his twitching member in his hand. Len watched her with a knowing smile as he teasingly traced his stiff member, up and down, against her warm folds. His breath hitched in surprise at how soaked she was. He was pleased when he heard Rin elicit a small moan, before she caught herself and quietened.

Len chuckled, a low rumble deep in his throat. "Is this what you want… Rin?" The way he pronounced her name sounded sweet to her ears, like he was relishing the name of a melody. He held himself firmly as he continued his long, languid strokes against her. He traced himself against the folds of her wet womanhood, brushing against the bud of her clit. A sharp jolt of pleasure electrified through her spine, helpless to stop the tremble inside her thighs.

She threw her head back against the grass. "I can't-, please -!"

"Please… what?" he drawled in a teasing tone, prolonging the torture. Enthralled by the beauty writhing beneath him, he rubbed the tip of his head against her swollen clit. He was rewarded with a sharp gasp as she twisted beneath him. He traced himself down as he pushed himself only a fraction inside her, as he mimicked a shallow thrusting at her entrance.

"Mmmf…!" She felt tears of frustrated pleasure line her eyes, as her aching body clenched with torturous anticipation.

He tilted his head at her. "Say you yield."

"Len…"

"Say it."

Rin let out a choked and desperate sob, "I-I yield, I yield! Please take me!"

Len growled as he eased forward expectantly, "Yes…" His large hands smoothed over her thighs before gripping her at the waist. "Yes…" he hissed as he entered her hot, slick folds.

Pain erupted her nerves like fire. Rin let out an agonized cry as she felt Len's large mass pierce her, stretch her— fill her.

He broke her virginity like a knife barricading through, going deeper than even she herself dared to venture. Her eyelids fluttered as she felt his fingers venture inside her as well, stretching her walls even further. The feeling of discomfort eventually subsided, as she felt her body accommodating to his size. He throbbed inside her. It was a strange feeling.

She breathlessly gazed up at the stars, relishing the moment. Was this what it meant to be tied together? Entangled in limbs?

"It's funny. The red string of fate ties those who are destined for each other," he told her with a lazy grin, briefly twirling his bloodstained pinky around hers before drawing back, a thin stream of blood connecting their fingers very much like the red string he'd been describing. "Ironic how this blood connects us in the same way." He nuzzled her shoulder. "Now, we have more than one thing that binds us together."

Rin wasn't one for swooning at smooth talk, but she felt herself melting bonelessly in his arms when he whispered those words to her ear.

Soon, Len began to thrust into her, his large hands smoothed and cupped her behind, lifting them around his waist in the process. She listened to her own moans and Len's appreciative grunts — the slapping sounds of their flesh during their frenzied union. In her excitement, she clung to him desperately, as Len leaned down to capture her lips, as he pumped into her with unrestrained cadence.

Len broke off the kiss, burying his face in the hollow of her neck and tracing his tongue along her pulse. His open palm smoothed over the curve of her hip, moving upward to cup the soft, snowy globe of her breast, as his fingers tweaked a rosy nipple.

"Admit it," he breathed against the shell of her ear, his hot breath fanning across her scarlet skin and causing her to melt. "You like this, don't you?" He gripped her hips and thrusted harder, pulling her back against him. "You want to be loved -" Thrust. "- handled -" Thrust. "- spoiled rotten," he growled in her ear, clenching the curve of her hip even tighter as he jerked deep inside her, reveling in her pleasured moaning, "all by me." He finished with a particularly hard, skyward thrust.

In reply, she only whimpered, drunk with ecstasy, left breathless in their wake.

"I missed you, Rin." A low groan rumbled in his throat as she tightened around him like a vice, squeezing him. His eyes darkened into a lust-ridden, rainstorm blue as he admired her flushed form. At her pleasured whimpers, his masculine pride swelled within his throat as he broke into a lazy grin, tilting her chin so their eyes could meet. "Did you miss me?"

"Y… yes…" she managed to whisper in reply. She did. She really did.

"Do you feel good?" A strange possessiveness took over his gaze as he recalled vague memories of his Rin shyly reacting to Oliver on the bus. He slowed his thrusts and adopted a more languid pace, reveling in her tortured pleas. He lowered himself until their foreheads brushed, forcing their eyes to meet. "Beg me. Say it feels good. Say you want me."

Forehead crinkling at his increasing demands and slow pace, some of her fire returned. "S-say what feels good, you… ahhh… ass?"

He only chuckled, eyes darkening. "Now, now, Rin," he chided with a naughty grin, "don't be so difficult." He flipped her around so her back was facing him, and his hands were cupping her breasts. His lust only intensified when she turned around and looked at him over her shoulder, offering him the beauty of her ass. With a guttural groan, he re-entered her without her permission.

"Ah— Len!" she cried as she twisted beneath him, her back arching as she gazed at him, meeting his thrusts with her own. Her breasts swayed with every motion he made.

Len groaned.

She was so soft, so warm… so tight. Len needed more. He moved his hands from her breasts to her waist. He pulled himself almost completely out of her before thrusting fully back in, continuing the long strokes until he buried himself fully again and again. His fingers gripped her waist, as he angled himself, his cadence becoming quicker, needier. Harder. She felt him brushing a sharp pleasure point inside her, and she let out a startled cry.

Len paused, then smiled, knowing exactly what he just found— and ruthlessly began diving for it.

A sobbing moan escaped Rin's lips as she shamefully tossed her head to the side, unable to resist her pleasure with his length sliding in and out of her, stretching her walls and hitting that one spot that made her arch her back and scream. He made her feel so good. "Aaah… oh, Len…" Tears filled her eyes as she choked out, "G-give me more, please!"

And so he did.

He fucked her hard.

Their sweat mixed together as their limbs became even more entwined.

Len practically purred as her walls tightened around his length, squeezing him sweetly. Then an idea hit him as he suddenly broke into a dark grin. He slapped her butt hard, causing her to cry out in shock and pain, but mostly shock.

"Ah! Len—!" Her lips parted, and her eyes were clenched shut. Her breathing hitched, "Len… Ahh! I-I'm—!"

Len knew she was close. He closed in, his fingers gliding over her neck and parting her hair over a single shoulder. He turned her head and met her lips with his own, as he continued to thrust into her.

Rin felt herself being pushed over the edge. Then she came, her walls pulsating tightly around his thrusting member. Bright hot pleasure rippled throughout her body as she let out a cry of release. Len swallowed the noise greedily, feeling her shuddering against him. He could feel the rhythmic pulse of her release clenching around him as the moisture pooled inside her.

In the midst of their passion, Len could feel himself falling apart. Her breathless, sobbing voice gasping his name out in pleasure.

It was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

He thrust inside her a few more times before his back arched sharply as he let out a deep moan, right in her ear. He felt his own release rocket out in jets as Rin's walls convulsed around his length, milking him of everything he had. They both saw stars in their vision, coming long and hard. She could feel him coming deep inside her womb in spurts of liquid fire, intensifying her euphoria even more and ascending her to a higher heaven. Her cry broke into a long crescendo as she reached her peak of orgasm, all but slumping to the floor. Len caught her in his arms, letting out a deep groan while jackknifing inside her a few more times, twitching with prolonged release until he spent himself fully.

He breathed heavily, relishing the last moments of being inside her before gently pulling himself out. A moan escaped from Rin's lips as she felt him pull out; replaced by a sated, but warm, low-burning ache. She collapsed to her side with Len shortly following beside her. He pulled her to him, his arm acting like a makeshift pillow for Rin. His face tilted towards her, as his free hand worked to smooth several strands away from her face.

When her blue, tear-filled eyes met his, he swore he felt his swelling chest caving into his heart. In the next moment, he just couldn't help himself. Their bodies touched as he leaned forward and brushed his lips onto hers, pouring all his passion for her into that one kiss.

Even with the feverish haze in his mind, he knew.

He could never be apart from Rin.

When they parted, Rin broke into a watery, awkward smile. She had been going along with what Len had been saying to her all this time. His heated words were forceful and aggressive during their session, but the hands that steadied her were always gentle.

Mustering the last of his strength, Len leaned over to kiss her forehead affectionately. His expression shadowed, he then whispered something in her ear, making her eyes widen. She stared at him in shock as he pulled away, but before she could ask him to repeat what he said, he collapsed to the side, finally succumbing to sleep.

Rin laid there, eyes wide and mouth parted open in disbelief. She… she was imagining it, wasn't she? He hadn't really said those words. He would never say those words. Never.

But a part of her believed him; guilt, sadness, and happiness swelling in her chest.

Shakily, she leaned over him, staring at his sleeping expression. She hesitantly reached out and cupped his cheek, then, she finally allowed herself to lie next to him, resting her palm on his chest. She could feel his heart beating beneath her fingertips.

Soon, she fell into a slumber.

—ღ—

Even if you hate me,

I just wanted to be by your side

No matter who you are, no matter who I am

Even if we were tied by blood

I would still

love you.

—ღ—

The following morning, Rin found herself lying in her room on her futon in her sleeping garments. The sun crept into her eyes, blinding her as she roused awake. She found her phone laying in her palm, perfect in place. The memories from last night were so lucid that she briefly wondered if the night of passion she shared with Len was just a dream.

When she attempted to stand, her answer came in the form of a searing pain between her legs.

With a gasp, she clutched her lower stomach, biting her lip to muffle the pained cry threatening to escape. She limped to her vanity. But when she finally allowed herself to cry out, no sound escaped.

A cold realization hit her hard when her eyes dropped to the empty stock of medicine. Her phone clattered to the ground, and her hands snapped to her throat. Disbelief overwhelmed her when she tried to speak, cry— anything. But nothing.

Her voice was gone.

She could no longer sing.

Then she was struck with the memories of the previous night, what had transpired between her and Len. The moaning, the thrusting, the pleasure— everything came crashing down on her, and she was suddenly overcome with unbearable guilt and disgust and pain.

No. Her hands flew to her mouth as bile rose in her throat.

What had she done?

She and Len had… they had…!

A wave of nausea struck her like a wrecking ball, the walls shaking, and her body flew out of the chair. She covered her mouth as she threw open the door and hurried to the nearest bathroom. She heard a swirl of confusion and voices calling out to her as she pushed past, and she barely made it to the toilet basin as she let everything out.

Through the vomiting, the dizziness, the guilty terror, she closed her eyes. She tried to convince herself that last night was— it had to be -a dream. That awful, drunken, pleasurable, disgusting dream was another one of her disgusting fantasies. Just another thing she couldn't have. But the pain throbbing in her lower stomach was more than enough evidence.

At that moment, the last threads of Rin's sanity snapped.

.

.

.

Len was sure his sanity was going down the drain.

He had a dream last night.

The wanton cries echoed in his mind since last night. He recalled blurry images of pleasuring Rin. Seducing her, taking her, and then defiling her throughout the night. He felt as though someone had cast a spell on him. Of all the people he could've fantasized in the world, it always had been her.

Was it a dream?

A mere figment of his hormone-driven imagination?

It felt so real. But if it never happened, then why did he still feel her soft touch and warm breath? Why did he still hear her pleasured cries and taste her skin?

But imagine, before the images hit him hard, he found himself sleeping in his sweaty yukata, with soiled sheets and all. But other than that, there was no evidence of last night. The towels were hung rightly in place, and his geta were still in the same spot.

What he didn't expect was the searing hangover he was currently suffering this morning.

It took him an hour to even leave the comfort of his futon, and another twenty minutes to wash up and pull himself together. By the time he pulled on a clean— not soiled— yukata, his phone began vibrating. It was a message from Miku.

She wanted to see him.

Now.

His forehead crinkled in bewilderment.

What was with the sudden cut-and-dry demand? Usually she would tweet him a chirpy good morning, but today, everything seemed out of place.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he shrugged himself into a loose jacket and slipped his geta on, sliding the doors open to greet the day - well, afternoon, more like. Apparently he had overslept.

As he made his way into the quiet prefecture, he heard the rapid footfalls behind him getting closer and closer. Turning around, he only caught a glimpse of blonde before a sudden weight tackled him to the ground. He felt the wind knocked out of him when someone barraged him, following up with hitting his chest with flailing fists.

He wheezed in alarm to see who his assailant was.

"Holy hell, stop it— Rin?"

Her eyes were wild.

She was on the ground, her hair flying undone and her face contorted with pure rage. She continued attacking him, not letting up. It wasn't until Len felt her dainty fingers closing around his throat that he finally grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back. He forced her to stand and pushed her against a tree.

"What the hell are you doing?" He shook her shoulders hard, glaring at her while trying to ignore the jolt of excitement at touching her, the images from last night flooding his vision. He gritted his teeth and ignored the throb coming from his lower regions. "Attacking people in broad daylight now? Have you gone insane? You've got to be kid-" He suddenly stopped, staring at her.

She was crying.

Her blue eyes were full of anguish. Her stoic mask fell away to a look of pure defeat and humiliation. Tears of anger and guilt streamed down her face as she stared at him with a look of pure betrayal. Then she fell forward, her head slumping against his chest.

"You… stole it from me…" Rin continued to sob, hitting his chest, her mouth forming broken words. "I want it back! Give back what you stole from me…!"

Len looked bewildered and worried. "Rin? W-Wait, Rin, stop. Please." He tried to stop her oncoming blows without hurting her, and he finally grabbed her wrists gently but firmly, pushing her back so he could look at her face. "Calm down and just talk to me. What's wrong?"

"You took it from me!" Ripping herself away from his grasp, she hid her face in her hands, tears blinding her vision. "It was the only thing I had left of myself, that no one else had…! And now, I'm… nothing. I'm stained!" She hung her head, her entire frame quaking with anguish and guilt. "I have nothing left. Everything's gone."

"Rin…" Eyes wide and throat dry, Len looked torn with pain, whispering, "Hey… don't cry." You know I can't stand it when you cry. "Just tell me what's wrong." His hands were itching to brush away her tears and hold her close. He hesitated before shaking himself to man up. This time, he had to swallow his pride. "Come on, please, look at me?"

She only shook her head, continuing to cry on the street.

His throat felt tight, constricted. He reached out to touch her shoulder, not noticing how Rin's face went white at the gesture. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but can you just say something? You're not making any sen -"

Rin's jaw tightened, her hand twitching.

Don't.

touch

me!

SMACK.

The resonating slap rang in his ears. At first he felt nothing, but when he felt the sharp sting on his cheek, he realized Rin was looking at him with fear and anger burning in her eyes. The slap didn't hurt as much as her expression did. He felt his chest constricting, cutting off his oxygen.

At first, it was just indifference, but at that moment, Len realized.

Rin truly hated him from the bottom of her heart.

He sat there, stunned, not realizing she had hobbled to stand and left him alone on the stone ground. His blood turned into ice. He hung his head and slumped to the floor.

Why?

A shadow watched him from afar before ducking behind the planter, kneeling over in guilt and anguish.

"No... they remember? This is all my fault…" the bystander whispered, overcome with pity and guilt, "This wasn't supposed to happen…"

—ღ—

Meanwhile, up in Crypton Headquarters inside a spacious office, Master stood before his grand window, staring out the majestic city.

"Hmm… I wonder what they're up to now. Those crazy kids better not be having too much fun." He chuckled, removing his cigar. Of course, there was nothing wrong with reckless action once in awhile. For those kids, a little excitement would do them some good.

A message beeped from his computer, causing him to turn from his spot.

"Incoming… incoming… message from Kagamine Rin."

Curious, the man strode over to his desk, passing several pictures of the Vocaloids as children - finally stopping with Rin and Len together as children. Ten-year-old Rin looked well-mannered as she properly posed for the camera, only to have her efforts wasted by a grinning Len making bunny ears from behind her, unnoticed by her.

Master studied the length of the message. Then his eyes bulged, and his mouth fell open ajar. The cigar hanging from his lips fell to his paperwork.

"What the… this can't be! This is…!"

A resignation letter!

—ღ—

Rin fled from the scene.

In a whirlwind of emotions, she ran from the confrontation with Len and hurried back to her room to pack her things, all while ignoring the cramping pain between her legs. After checking out, she made a beeline for the nearest bus and left the wilderness by train. She only stopped at an internet cafe to type up a resignation form to Master before cutting all ties from their network, not telling a word to anyone before she left. Not even Meiko.

They were probably looking for her right now, Rin thought as she stared blankly out of the window, witnessing the sun vanishing beyond the horizon. The train hissed to a halt, signaling her stop. She numbly gathered her things and joined the crowd.

The river's polluted stench was adamant when she crossed the pedestrian bridge. Bikes whizzed past her, and stray dogs nipped at her heels for food.

In a daze, she continued walking towards her destination, her legs barely holding her weight. She didn't even flinch when she was muscled aside several times by all the bustling and hustling, not even reacting when someone shoved her out of the way, muttering how slow she was.

At the cross light, she stared blankly ahead past the cars and the people. The police sirens fell deaf on her ears.

She had been violated.

But she could've pushed him away.

The worst part wasn't even that he was treating their brief affair like it never happened. It was that he had taken advantage of her, and she had enjoyed it - treasured every moment. Even after all this, there was no denying that she had enjoyed their feverish union.

Even if she knew, in the bottom of her heart, that it meant losing everything.

Even if he hurt her, she knew in her heart that she really did love him.

She really did.

And yet.

A vague sense of anger stirred in her heart, causing her fists to involuntarily clench at her sides.

He hadn't hesitated to defile her.

She hated what he done to her. Disgracing her in the worst way imaginable. Him, of all people, striking her down when she was already falling apart. She would've expected it from the lowly men or the shallow girls in their facility, but him? He'd done worse than defile her.

He'd betrayed her.

He had been the only other person she ever trusted.

And he destroyed it.

… and yet, some small, disgusting part of herself had enjoyed it.

And that was exactly why she hated herself. She was every bit of the disgusting, filthy harlot she made herself out to be. With her bitterness and caustic personality, she was no more than a chill breezing through an open window right before it closed: something easily forgotten. Her body, aching and stained. Her mind, broken and marred.

She was disgusting.

And therefore, unlovable.

No wonder why everyone, even Len, abandoned her in the end.

Recalling the warmth in his gaze, his gentle touch, and his tender kisses, she lifted a hand to her mouth and sobbed.

.

.

.

oh, it's so sad to

think about the good times

you and I

.

.

.

She had to trek up six flights of stairs to reach the tiny apartment. Night had already fallen, and the moon hung low. It was so unbearably cold. Rin shivered like a leaf, rubbing her arms with her freezing hands, her breathing escaping in tiny puffs. She'd always been frail against cold weather, easily falling ill during her childhood.

She finally arrived at a humble door, standing under the dim lighting. She raised her palm to knock on the door, hesitating for the longest time before knocking.

She waited there patiently, staring at the door, feeling her blood draining from her face from standing in the cold for so long. She could only stand there, helpless and shivering.

A long moment passed until Rin finally hung her head dejection. She turned around and began to scuffle away, deciding to reluctantly head for that shady motel five miles from the gas station until—

Click.

Creeaaaaaaak.

At the sound of jingling earrings, Rin slowly turned and felt a wave of nostalgia seeing the familiar swish of golden hair flowing down her back, unable to believe her eyes.

The door opened, revealing a curvy woman who scrutinized her from head to toe.

Her big sister: Lily.

Who she hadn't seen in almost two years: the previous top diva from Vocaloid.

But to Rin, she appeared like a goddess at that very moment.

The blonde woman blinked in surprise, giving her a long once-over with a questioning look in her eyes. "Is that you, Rin? What are you doing all the way out here in the dead of night? It's not safe wandering around the city alone, you know. You'll run into creeps if you keep at it." Taking a sip of her mug, she swung the door open completely to place her hand on her hip. "Last I heard, you're supposed to be getting ready for another tour soon."

Rin stood frozen in place, staring at Lily with wide, unfathomable eyes.

Raising a brow, Lily leaned forward to brush the hair out of her eyes, "Huh. Your hair's getting long. It's a pretty look on you." She paused, waiting for some kind of reaction. When she received none of the sort, her lips quirked into a stiff half-smile, "Still going with the silent treatment, I see. You must still be angry with me. Seriously though, are you just going to stand there in the cold like a statue, or do you wanna come in? I think I still have some of that orange pekoe tea you're crazy ab—"

Rin's lower lip quivered. Her stoic mask crumbled away into a lost expression. Her shoulders slumped from the weight of carrying her baggage.

Onee-chan.

Overcome with emotion, the smaller blonde dropped her bags and flung her arms around her sister. Lily let out a surprised "oof!" when she was hit with the sudden weight. Puzzled, she opened her mouth to bombard her with questions, but when Rin started quaking like a leaf and began clinging to her like a lifeline, she immediately went quiet.

It was her. Lily. This was Lily, Rin realized, winding her arms around her sister's slender waist even tighter, becoming a child again.

Lily stared at Rin's bags lying on the floor before giving her a sidelong glance.

She could hear Rin making gulping noises and stifling whimpers. It was all Lily could do to sigh in exasperation. Arriving on her doorstep like a lost puppy, and she was still trying to be a tough cookie?

"Mou…" Face softening, Lily ran her perfectly manicured fingers through the younger blonde's hair, stroking her head and putting the mug down to hold her properly. She could feel Rin's shoulders stiffening the instant she pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm here now," Lily's voice became a soothing lullaby, making Rin remember the times her older sister comforted her after chasing neighborhood bullies away. "Just let it all out."

Those were the magic words that needed to be said. Finally releasing the dam of pent up emotions, Rin's hysterical sobs echoed throughout the empty corridor, and every noise she made sounded as though she were swallowing nails.

More tears fell as she became a quaking mess, breaking down and gripping her sister like a lifeline. Her legs went limp. When a weak, anguished scream escaped her lips, Lily didn't even shush her. She simply held her.

After all, no matter how many times they fought, no matter how many nasty split ups they had, no matter how old they would get…

Seldom did quiet, well-behaved ten-year-old Rin ever cry.

These were one of the few times.

Rin's sobbing intensified as she clung to Lily's legs when the latter was departing into the Vocaloid limo, only to be held back by their stern, disapproving parents. "Please don't leave me alone here by myself, Onee-chan! I wanna come with you!"

"Crying is most unbecoming of a growing lady, Rin. Don't be selfish," their frowning mother chided her. "See your sister off properly."

"Nooo, no, noooo!" Rin screamed, kicking and thrashing until she broke free, running straight into Lily's arms. "I WANNA BE WITH ONEE-CHAN!"

Rin would always be her little sister.

…

…

…

And after this was done, she'd have to find and beat up the bastard who made her cry.

—ღ—

Next conclusion arc:

Nine-year-old Len beamed up at his piano tutor with a huge grin sporting his flushed face, proudly gesturing towards Rin. "Meet my friend, Rin! She's my beautiful new wife!"

"Hmph!" Rin's face went red as a cherry as she indignantly puffed her cheeks at Len. Snatching her hand from Len's, she dealt a swift and nasty kick to his shin. He yelped loudly in pain and started hopping up and down, clutching his throbbing shin. Rin turned away from him, crossing her arms with another huff.

"Oh, for— ugh. Don't be a brat, Rin." Inwardly, Lily felt herself rolling her eyes. "We're at a wedding. You promised to behave," she scolded, trying to get her sister to look at her. "You know what Father says about kicking. It's not polite to kick your cousin, even if it he is an overly forward gnat. He is the heir, after all." But Rin only continued to pinch her forehead in stubborn pride.

"Ow! Urgh… o-okay, fine! S-She's my cousin…" Wincing in pain, he then sent a pout towards Rin's ruffled appearance before grinning back at Mr. Hiyama. "But I know she'll say yes someday!"

a/n: mmm. Smut. Followed up with dramatic exits and angst. Yup. In actuality, rin's character is inspired by my struggles with jealousy, inability to adapt, and self-worth. Albeit she deals with these problems in a different way than I do, some people can relate with the issue of hiding or ignoring the problem; of being in denial. sometimes, that can lead to very dire consequences.

not that I mean those consequences = rekt dubcon sex due to accidental teto incidents. lol.

writing playlist: bad blood (taylor swift) beautiful world (utada hikaru) take a hint (victorious nevereverland (nano) i hate everything about you (three days grace) thanatos -if i can't be yours version- (jayn)

…well shit. So I got all emotional and shit and wrote all of this in a blur. The ending part was what made me loll around on the floor wishing I had a good of a sister as Lily.

Of course, despite having five betas, this still took us a while to finish the editing. I think the editing part took longer than the writing. It doesn't help that we've been chatting more during group conversations than actually writing. /weepweep/ Still, it was a very fun and emotional experience despite some setbacks.

I'm still laughing at the fact that I made naty blush, and she's the most dirty-minded mofo of them all /bricked

*Ryokan: Japanese-style inns founded throughout the country, especially in hot spring resorts. More than just a place to sleep, ryokan are an opportunity to experience the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality, incorporating elements such as tatami floors, futon beds, Japanese style baths and local cuisine, making them popular with both Japanese and foreign tourists alike. (cited from )

God have mercy on my deplorable soul what on earth did I just write. I about died ten times writing this graphic shameless smut. Now I can never show my face to the majority of you ever again -swims away- I know I said this might be a two-shot, but right now I'm feeling so goddamned embarrassed that I just hnnnghhh I don't know if my heart can take another smutty attack. Well shit. Good thing it's the holidays.

But still it's like early winter and it's freezing like the next ice age is approaching. Like what the fuck weather you're ruining my jingle jibe.

No, just because I wrote this doesn't mean I'm a promiscuous fangirl who goes sleeping around and fantasizing about men coughunlikegigaplencough. I'm, by all means, a virgin who is scared to death by the mere mention of the word "penis". No man alive will approach me, not while I still got my four-inch stilettos, no sir. Keep the pelvis faaaar from me.

Thank piriluk for this deliciously smutty smut, because if it weren't for her bad influence, I wouldn't have gone near this old thing. Thanks to her, we're all getting what we've been secretly asking for but didn't because we're usually closet perverts. *blush* t-that could just be me though…

But goddamn piri this is all your faaaaulllllttt how am I ever going to look at my kagababies ever agaainnnn. *weepweep* jk. I love you to pieces. And himi. Himi please don't judge me.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bury my head in the snow.