Because I love RIS's plot, but cringe every time I reread my writing, I rewrote the story. Enjoy.

Chapter One: Reason

A balmy wind enters the room, carrying the pungent smell of oil paints away. The students around hustled and bustled from the sinks to their stations, hurrying to finish their projects. Most of them did not seem to be bothered by the paint fumes that was giving Rin her headache.

Her long golden locks, that she had specifically grown out, was tied back into a ponytail and her school uniform was protected by a dirty artist's smock. That didn't stop her shoes or socks from being decorated with splatters of red paint though. Rin's expression was not a pleasant one.

"I-I'm sorry!" The offender, Haku, mutters in distress. She drops to the floor and furiously wipes at Rin's footwear with her own smock. She hadn't bothered to look up at Rin, but expected a kick to the face— that never came— when Rin took a step back. She always expected the worse case scenario first.

"Chill, Haku. It's alright. It was just an accident," Rin reassures. She kneels down to Haku's height and begins to pick up what is left of the container of red paint, being careful not to get any paint on her own hands.

"A-Are you sure? You look mad..." Haku stops, staring at her friend.

"I'm not mad... The paint odor is just giving me a headache." Rin rubs her temples with her free hand. "I'm surprised you're fine," Rin mutters.

"Well... The room is pretty well ventilated... Maybe you're just especially sensitive to it?"

"Aren't I special?" she says in sarcasm. Rin places the paint container on the counter and grabs a sponge from the sink, giving it a good soak before cleaning the floor where the paint was spilled.

"R-Really, I should be doing that." Haku grabs the sponge from Rin and scrubs at the floor.

"Haku? Rin? What happened?" A young woman with pink cotton candy colored hair walks over to the scene, examining it. Her gaze wander over to the container of paint sitting out of place, at the counter; her expression sours.

"Ms. Megurine!" Haku almost shouts in surprise. "I'm so sorry! I tripped and... I'll pay for the cost."

"No, no. It's quite alright. Just be more careful next time, alright?" Luka sighs and looks over to Rin. "Rin, can you go fetch us another jar of crimson red from the supply closet?"

"Yes," Rin responds as soon as Luka finishes her sentence. At this point, she was willing to do almost anything to get away from the paint fumes. She undoes her ponytail, pulls the smock off her person, and tosses it to her seat before hurrying out of the room.

"Lennn, you promised." Rin stops in her tracks. She cringes at the name that was being drawn out and her headache returns. She shakes it off and proceeds down the hall where the voice was coming from. "Come on, it'll just be for today. You're not even busy." A nameless face clung onto the boy's arm. She had long blonde hair that curled outward at its ends, deep, bright blue eyes, and a tall and slender body— his type.

"I'm tired today," Len responds, twirling a strand of the girl's hair with his index finger— a habit that he obtained. "Let's go on Saturday. I'll buy you anything you want, okay?"

"You promise?"

"Of course—" Len's words come to a stop when he catches sight of Rin. A bead of sweat rolls down the back of his neck as she stops just in front of their sight.

'Crap.'

"Heh, smooth move, player," Rin says with an awkward smile of disgust and sarcasm. She pushes her hair back and continues en route, not bothering to give the boy a second glance.

Len was left with a horrified expression.

"Finally..." Rin pulls out the container of paint from the box. She had visited three supply closets and had been redirected to another location twice. Her legs were sore from climbing the flights of staircases to the sixth floor. She made a mental note to start working out more during her physical education classes.

She exits the supply room and begins to return to her classroom, starting down the spiraling staircases.

"Get back here!" a rough voice echoes from below, followed with the furious thumping of footsteps.

Rin peeks down from above to see a familiar face chased by two— no, three delinquent students. "Piko?" her voice trails off in confusion. She hadn't been in contact or even seen the boy in months. Exactly, how much has changed that he'd be mixed in with thugs now?

They were approaching close to the floor she was currently on. Piko initially had a wide gap advantage over his pursuers, but that gap was gradually growing smaller.

"He's not going to make it..." she mutters to herself, recalling his lack of stamina during track-and-field. She glances over to the container of paint she still held in hand and begins to undo the lid.

"Shit!" Piko curses when he realizes that they were still following him. He does not notice Rin when he finally reaches the sixth floor. He probably would have passed by her too if she had not seized his wrist and stopped him. "Aah!" Piko calls out, unaware that it was Rin's hand and not the thugs. "What the hell, Rin?" he shouts when he realizes it was her.

The thugs had reached the sixth floor and Piko could only anticipate the worse that was to come. That's why he was surprised when they yelled out in confusion. He looks over to Rin who held out an empty container. The paint it held was now sprawled over the thugs' faces, blinding them.

He gaped at her boldness and gave another yelp when she tugged him out of the staircase and into the hallways, running into the supply closet she just came from.

"You're insane," Piko finally manages to say in between his panting and gasping. He slid down, back against the door and hugged his knees burying his face in his lap. "What... What the hell, Rin?"

"'What the hell?'" Rin imitates; it was the first time that Piko noticed she had actually been irritated. "I should be the one saying that." She glares at him while making sure to keep the volume of her voice down. The thugs could still be looking for them. "Where the hell have you been?" she demands, eyebrows knit in fury.

"Some things happened and I had to leave town for a while." Piko doesn't look up, but Rin didn't have to see his face to know how pitiful it must have looked right now.

A feeling of dizziness overtakes her and for a moment she wonders if it was due to the complexity of Piko's situation. She rubs her temples and shakes the feeling away. "How's your mom?" she asks when the silence that filled the room became apparent. Her tone was much softer this time.

"I don't know..."

"Neeeeruuuu," Len walks up to his friend's desk.

She had already finished putting her things away into her bag and was ready to leave for home. The string of text messages she was receiving, however, was preventing her from doing so. Her thumbs tapped furiously at her phone's keypad.

"What—" Neru looks up from her cellphone. "Len? What happened to you?" Her usual composed expression was replaced with a puzzled one when Len entered her field of vision. He hadn't recovered from his unexpected meeting with Rin— he looked like a mess.

"Oh man. You know... For the Len Kagamine, your face looks awfully pathetic right now." Mikuo stands up from his seat with his bag slung over his shoulder. He walks over to the two, with his sister, Miku, following behind. Neru jabs him in the stomach the moment he was within range. "Ooof!" He clutches his stomach painfully.

"Serves you right, Mikuo." Miku giggles. "But, really, what's wrong, Len?" She glances back over to her troubled friend.

"Rin," Len mutters, looking away.

"'Rin'?" Neru repeats her name, interest piqued and obviously concerned. "What happened?"

Rin used to be close friends with the group. She had been especially close with Neru, her best friend. But due to the circumstances at the time, her relationship with them ended just as fast as it had begun. And everyone knew of it— everyone saved for Miku, who only entered Yamaha Academy this year, that is.

"She saw me with another girl."

"And?" Neru cocks her eyebrow, waiting for more.

"That's it."

"Pftt... And I thought something big happened," Mikuo says, disappointed.

"I think she's angry at me," Len mutters, averting his gaze elsewhere.

"No shit. Though, I don't think it matters anyway, considering the fact that she hates your guts." Mikuo's words prevented Len from objecting, silencing him. When the room became silent, Mikuo started to wish that he could take his words back.

Neru lets out a heavy sigh and pulls out a slip of paper from her bag, scribbling on it. "Here." She hands the slip of paper to Len.

"What is this?" He takes the paper, examining it.

"Rin's work hours at Meiko's— unless she had her schedule changed again. Ah, I don't have work today, though. So, if she gets violent with you, don't expect me to be there for back up."

"I love you."

"Seriously, dude? You're going to hit on the one girl I've been trying to get?" Mikuo calls out, earning him another blow to the stomach, yet again, from Neru. Len was already out of the classroom by the time Mikuo fell to his knees, cringing.

"Hey, guys," Miku begins, "who's Rin?"

"Rin, can you take these over to table six?" one of the chef calls out, but receives no response. "Rin?" she calls out a second time and when she doesn't receive an answer she proceeds to put a tray of desserts in Rin's hands.

"Ah...?" Rin snaps back to reality and stares at the tray of desserts in her hand.

"Table six," the chef says once again. She spins on her heel and proceeds back into the kitchen, before Rin could respond.

'Damn it, Rin... Pay attention!' Rin scolds herself mentally and shakes her head left and right, as if shaking herself out of her daze. She lets out an exasperated sigh and puts on the most refreshing smile she could muster before walking to the table with the tray of orders.

Her hair had been tied back into an unflattering ponytail and her bangs were left clipped to the side as usual. It was Meiko's dress policy for all employees. At least, they didn't have to wear a hairnet.

From afar, Rin could see the couple's back pressed against the cushions of their seats. The girl was lovingly clutching onto her partner's arm, head resting on his shoulder.

"Sorry for the wait, here are your or—" Rin stops in the middle of her sentence when the faces of her customers come into sight. She stops herself from reciting the string of curses ready to escape her lips, but the shock and distaste was painfully visible through her crumbling smile.

"Yo, Rin." Len waves at Rin with his free hand and gives her a grin that almost shatters her composure.

She sets the desserts down on the table, avoiding eye contact. Her lips were pressed firmly together into a fine line that curved into an awkward smile. She doesn't say anything. She turns on her heel to retreat back to her station, but not before Len stops her, savoring his victory all the more.

"Oh, Rinny?" Len calls out tauntingly. Rin, appalled, almost trips when she hears him.

'Well... What? What did he just call me?'

"Could you bring me back a banana split while you're at it?"

She runs back into the kitchen before giving a response, heels loudly clacking against the floor. Len could only let a small chuckle escape from his lips.

'Cute.'

"Good lord... Why is he here?" Rin stumbles over to the counter, holding on its ledge for support. Her hands shook and a bead of sweat rolled down from her forehead— she wipes it away. "Oh... God, is he stalking me?" Rin glances back to see Len being fed a spoonful of sundae by his girlfriend—

'Wait, is that even his girlfriend?' Rin stares at the girl sitting with Len, examining her carefully.

It was the same girl she saw him with this morning— she was sure of it. Then again, they all looked the same to her. Long golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, a slender hourglass figure— again, those were the only qualities he ever looked for in a girl.

'Probably not.' Rin's gaze wanders away sadly as if she felt sorry for the girl.

She grabs the drinks from the counter— her next order— and places it on her tray. She was purposely ignoring Len's request for a banana split.

"Cute guy, who's that?" Rin jumps at the voice, almost dropping the tray of drinks in her hand. She turns around to see that it came from her employer, Meiko.

"M-Meiko!"

Meiko was an attractive woman with a pretty face and an alluring body. She had short chocolate brown hair that shaped her face well and striking eyes of the same color. Her nails were painted a crimson red— the same color that decorated the blouse. It was made as a matching set with the dark colored pencil skirt that wrapped around the lower part of her body.

One would wonder what a woman, as captivating as her, would be doing as the manager of a cafe. After all, with looks like that, she could very well be a model.

"I do believe he asked for a banana split earlier," she continues, smiling slyly.

'She was eavesdropping?'

"Ew, gross, Meiko. You're listening in on the customers now?" Rin jokes, digressing.

Meiko gives her a serious look. "Rin, seriously, you don't usually just ignore the customers like that. Is there something I should know? Do I have to throw that guy out? Is he harassing you?" Meiko asks over protectively.

Rin shuts her eyes and for a moment, the sweet and painful memories begin to flood back. Memories of laughter, memories of romance, and memories of betrayal; one after another, they burst into her mind relentlessly. Her body quakes slightly, but she recovers and makes sure that she shows no signs wavering when she reopens her eyes.

Rin shakes her head and smiles proudly at her employer. She returns to work without saying another word.

A silence filled the atmosphere as Mikuo and Neru proceeded down the road. Miku had returned home early to prepare for the special sale of leeks down at the market. The question she brought up earlier left an imprint on Neru and Mikuo and still held a grasp over the two.

"Rin's the reason why Len doesn't date friends anymore," Mikuo says, repeating the same answer they had just given his sister a moment ago. His gaze wanders to the sky and he begins to focus on the dusty gray clouds that threatened rainfall. "Neru... We screwed up as their friends... Big time." Mikuo glances down at Neru. His expression was full of pain and guilt.

"I know."

Night had already fallen and Rin was the only one left in the eating establishment. Meiko had left earlier to pick up her niece from preschool. They were going to celebrate her birthday, apparently.

Rin stops dead in her tracks when she realizes that a heavy rain was casting down from the clouds outside. She mutters a curse under her breath; she forgot to bring her umbrella.

Rin shakes her head and pushes the door open, stepping outside. She immediately regrets it. A gust of wind laced with an icy coldness greets her and even the awning over her head did not prevent the droplets of chilled rain from splattering over her body. She shivered.

"Yo, Rin." Rin didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Even so, she prayed that she was wrong. "Caught in the rain, huh?" An arm falls over her shoulders, pulling her closer. Rin shudders in disgust and pushes him away— Len.

"Don't touch me."

"Jeez... Just when I'm trying to be nice to you." Len stumbles backward.

'Trying to be nice' my ass—'

Rin's eyes wander over to the object Len was holding— an umbrella. "No," she says before Len can even open his mouth. She turns, persistent to leave, but is greeted by an even greater gust than before. She immediately takes another step back.

A whistle escapes Len's lips. "I heard that a typhoon might be coming."

'What timely misfortune.'

Rin begins to consider her other lesser options. She shudders at the thought of being drenched in the coming storm.

"Deumrela..." a quick slur of speech escapes Rin's lips as she holds her hands out toward Len. She doesn't make an effort to face him. In fact, it seemed more likely that she was making an effort to not face him.

"What?" Len asks, confused at her sudden outburst.

"I said... Deumbrelah."

"De... The... The... What?" Len puzzles again, trying to decode and make sense of her speech.

"Damn it, Len. I said the umbrella!" Rin screams, cheeks flushed. It wasn't due to embarrassment, however. Her eyes were clouded and her breaths— shorter each time— were a visible fog.

"Rin?" Len stares at her in disbelief. "Are you..." He doesn't get to finish his sentence. Rin's body was already crashing to the floor by the time he reached out to catch her.

"Damn it," Len curses under his breath as he swung the door open. He could feel his arms growing weak against Rin's weight. "You just had to live this far from the café, didn't you?" he mutters under his breath.

The umbrella that he had brought with him was rendered useless. It was impossible to carry Rin home and hold the umbrella at the same time. The worst part was that he had to forfeit his jacket over to her to prevent her condition from worsening. His perfectly styled ponytail had come loose at some point and the hair tie was lost. The rain had soaked his clothes to the point that it clung sticky to his skin. Len would've killed for a shower right now.

He stumbles over to the closest source of comfort— a taupe colored sofa— and places Rin down as carefully as possible. A feeling of relief sweeps over him when his arms and shoulders released the weight. He does some quick stretches before walking back over to the door he had left open. He pulls Rin's keys out of the keyhole and tosses them over to the nearby counter before shutting the door.

"Everything is still the same... Huh." His gaze wanders around the house as he returns to the sofa. With each display of familiarity, another clip of an old memory replays in his mind. His face twists in guilt. "I'm sorry, Rin." He stops a short distance away from her, as if afraid to wake her up. His mouth becomes a thin, trembling line, stopping his jumble of words from coming out.

The ticking of a clock in the background had become apparent for the time that Len stood still in silence. He wondered if it was an indication for him to hurry and say his part already. A breath of exasperation escapes his lips and his expression softens up. The pain and pressure in his voice was still visible, however.

"I'll have you fall in love with me, properly, next time." Len grins, but it disappears in a matter of seconds.

'Even when she's unconscious, I can't say it.'

"Hahah! Though, who's to say I won't be the one falling for you next time, huh?" he continues on desperately. He wanted to have a decent conversation with her for so long. And, yet, he also didn't want her to hear him as he was right now. When it became clear that the one sided conversation was going nowhere, he turns to leave.

'That wasn't what I wanted to say...' He bites down on his lip and curses at his own failure. He is about to open the door when a voice stops him.

"In that case, I'll make sure to break your heart— properly, of course."

This is my first upload in a very long time. I hope the fans of RIS aren't too mad at me for rewriting the story. D; As many of you know, I'm known for my procrastination when writing. Yeah, well guess what? I regret it all. College started and I rarely have time to work on my fics anymore. Cherish the time you have to write while you still have it, my fellow authors. D;

But enough of that, you don't want to hear about my life story, do you? Anyway, there are some major and minor changes in Retribution from RIS— especially with Len's personality. For first time readers, Retribution is a rewrite of one of my older fics, Revenge is Sweet. Give it a read if you're interested— or not... Cause... my writing back then was really premature (not sure if this is the word to describe it) in my opinion. Either way, thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you guys and update soon!

Oh yeah! That nameless face— Len's "girlfriend"— was not Lily. Just thought I should include that, in case people thought it was.