My father left for work again on Sunday night. We hugged and said our goodbyes, after which my mom went straight to bed and I headed up to my room.

"I've gotten so used to your father not being at home, sometimes I find it strange, having him for company," she mumbled sleepily before going to her room. "You're going to Len's home tomorrow, right? Tell me before you leave."

I was lying in bed, staring at my bedside clock. It read something around half past ten. I felt exhausted and sick to my stomach, but I didn't know why. My notebook was lying next to me, open to the page where I had written my stupid poem about the colour blue.

My inspiration is so obvious.

I picked up my pencil and started scribbling in the margin, scrawling an stylized profile of Kaito. I gritted my teeth and crossed it out. I picked up my phone, not expecting, but kind of wanting, new messages.

No new messages.

I scrolled through Naoki's last messages. I wasn't sure how to reply to them, or even if I should be replying to them. Who knew who he was? I had even searched Gakupo, like he had said, and he was right. There were lots of pictures of Gakupo online.

"What kind of a name is Naoki, anyway?" I mumbled. "There's nobody in our school with that name...but he did say it was a fake name..."

I opened our conversation and started to type.

Gumi: it's okay. Don't be sorry. I freaked out a bit too much.

That was all I wrote. I was too afraid that I'd end up saying more than I needed to, but Naoki filled in the blank within minutes of my reply being sent.

Naoki: are you sure? I feel really bad right now.

Gumi: I'm sure, spammer. ^_^

Naoki: ...you're not acting like yourself.

Gumi: I am, more than before. How are you?

Naoki: a little under the weather, actually.

Gumi: that sounds horrible.

Naoki: I just got so excited when you replied to my messages on Friday.

Gumi: why?

Naoki: I had a new person to talk to. I haven't spoken to anyone interesting in months.

Gumi: I'm interesting?

Naoki: all females are.

Gumi: ugh...are you always like this?

Naoki: yes.

Gumi: well...I need to go now. I just wanted to reply to your message from the other day.

Naoki: you thought I wouldn't actually stop texting you, huh?

Gumi: how did you know?

Naoki: it was obvious, to me, anyway. And you're curious. You didn't just let me disappear. You replied. You wanted me to come back.

Gumi: you're kind of obnoxious, Naoki. Anyway, good night.

Naoki: later.

Gumi: I still want to know who you really are.

Naoki: good luck with that. ;)

Morning came and I woke up around ten. My mother was still fast asleep. I showered and got changed, grabbed a carrot and munched on it. I gently woke my mom and informed her that I was leaving, and then I was out the door.

It only took me about twenty minutes to get to the twins' upper class neighbourhood, probably because it was an odd time as well as a weekday. I always felt a little out of place in their area, no matter how many times I walked down the clean streets and past the large, lavish homes.

"Gumi!" I heard a scream behind me. Two arms coiled around my waist. I took one look at the ivory hands and their teal coloured nails and realized who it was.

"Miku!" I pried her arms away and tickled her ribs. She giggled and pushed me back playfully.

"I was waiting for you," she said. "Come on, let's hurry up and get to Len's place!"

She linked arms with me and we both ran down the street, to Len's home. He was leaning against the gates, watching us.

"Found the little carrot killer?" Len asked Miku before glancing my way. "Hey, Gumi."

"Hey," I offered quietly, suddenly feeling awkward around him as a flurry of memories washed over me. He frowned, a trace of dismay clear in his cobalt eyes. Nevertheless, he opened the gates smoothly, without faltering, and attempted to continue conversing.

"How was the weekend?" He asked, inviting us in with a flick of his wrist.

"It was...good," I said, hesitating as Len put an arm around Miku's shoulders and played with a few strands of her teal bangs. "Len, listen, I...I'm sorry, okay?"

"It's fine," he mumbled. "We don't have to talk about this, any of it. You're here to get your mind off of that, aren't you?"

I didn't reply.

"Aren't you?" He asked again, offering a smile.

"Yeah, I am," I said.

"Then come on. Rin could use some company besides us."

"Is she still hurt?" I asked as we entered his home. His sister was sitting on the sofa in the living room. My chest ached at the sight of her. Rin Kagamine had always been the sweetest, kindest girl you could find, and she was extremely pretty, too. She wasn't shapely, like Luka, but she was petite and vivacious.

"Gumi!" She spun around and grinned at me. I couldn't help but smile back. She stood up and walked over to me. One arm was in a cast but the other looked fine. She wrapped me in a one-arm hug and I hugged back. Her blond hair tickled my nose.

"Hey, Rin," I squirmed out of her grip. "How are you feeling?"

"Don't worry about me!" She waved her condition off dismissively. "Len and I are in charge of the place today! But my boyfriend's coming to pick me up in a bit, so that means Len has total control over the Kagamine household!"

Boyfriend...Kaito. I blinked away my tears and tried to stay in the present. I couldn't get Kaito. Besides, Rin and him would probably have a great time, wherever he was planning to take her.

They really will be going on dates all summer long. It'll be great for Rin, what with her parents' divorce and her injury.

"She thinks I'm going to set the house on fire," Len brought a hand to his chin as I snapped myself back into reality. Rin grabbed a fistful of her twin's hair and yanked him towards the sofa.

"You are going to sit right here," she enunciated each word to make sure he got the point. "I don't want anyone getting hurt, so watch a movie or play video games or something. And no cooking, either! Don't you dare touch the stove or a knife!"

"Okay, okay!" Len tried to get her fingers out of his hair. "Geez, Rin!"

"Hmph!" Rin let go and plopped down on one of the sofa's armrests. Len rubbed his scalp I noticed a bruise on her left cheek, probably from when she had fallen down the stairs.

Miku sat down next to Len and I grabbed the spot next to her. Rin took Len's hand in hers and looked down at the floor.

"Rin?" Len's voice was shaky.

"What's wrong?" I asked Miku. She shook her head.

"I'll tell you later," she whispered the words into my ear.

"It's nothing," Rin mumbled. "I'm going to my room for a bit. He'll probably text me once he's in the neighbourhood, so don't worry about having to call me down."

I watched as she headed out of the living room, her footsteps becoming quieter and quieter.

"Her arm isn't better yet," I said once I assumed she was out of earshot.

"She had that really bad head injury, too," Len said, a hand over his mouth. "She's devastated, really. She's only acting all energetic on the outside. Every night, she lies in bed and just...stares at the ceiling. Whenever I come by to her room, she shoos me away, and I try to stay...she's always crying..."

"Things will calm down after the divorce, I think," Miku said, hugging him. I crossed my legs and glanced at them, feeling a little out of place.

"Anyway," Len seemingly read my mind, diverting his attention towards me. "What's going on, Gumi?"

"What do you mean?" I asked as both he and Miku turned to look at me.

"Who's harassing you?" He asked.

"Len told me about it!" Miku nodded quickly. "He said some creep's stalking you!"

"Yeah, it's...I don't know," I shrugged, pulling my phone out of my pocket and flicking through Naoki's messages. "He says he's not Gakupo."

"I told you he's not Gakupo," Len said.

"Well...look," I handed my phone to him and watched as he scrolled through the messages, reading them. Miku peered at the screen as well.

"Gumi, I think this is some creep who lives in his mom's basement," Miku said, turning to look at me.

"He scared me when he mentioned Gakupo's purple hair," I said.

"I don't know what to make of this," Len said, giving my phone back.

"I could text him right now and he'd reply within a minute," I said.

"Ooh!" Miku's eyes lit up. "Do it! It'll be fun!"

"You shouldn't message him," Len said.

"Should I do it right now?" I asked. "You two can see how it goes."

"Do it, do it, do it!" Miku said.

"For the record, I don't know any Naoki in our school," Len said. I nodded.

"Neither do I," I said. "But he said its a fake name."

"He could be lying, but I don't think he is," Len said. "He's not Naoki. He's something else. And he's not Gakupo, either."

"You think it's Kaito?" I asked.

"That would be a twist!" Miku swung her legs back and forth.

"Dear God, I hope it's not," Len groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead.

"You knew, didn't you?" I asked Miku quietly. "About Kaito and Rin?"

"Len told me," she replied, glancing at him. "I wasn't sure if I should tell the others, so I kept quiet about it. But I wish you would have told me before confessing to him!"

"I feel horrible now," I slumped.

"Hey, I thought we weren't going to talk about this," Len said sternly.

"It's fine, I need to get this off my chest," I mumbled. "I cried whenever I thought about it, over the weekend. I couldn't help it...I wish I had known."

"Let's watch a movie," Len said.

"Why won't you listen to me?" I snapped. "Does it hurt you so much when I talk about how I was in love with your sister's boyfriend?"

"That's not it!" Len said. "If you keep thinking about this, you'll never get over it!"

"He rejected me anyways!"

"Guys, please stop, this isn't like you two!" Miku yelled over our clamouring. I bit my lip and glared at Len. Why was I so angry with him anyway? Because he never told me about Rin and Kaito? It wasn't like I ever admitted to liking the boy, anyway. I chose to keep it a secret and this was what I got.

"You know why I yelled at him that day, the day I...I told you how I felt about you?" Len said, keeping his gaze locked against mine.

"Miku knows about that?" I asked.

"Of course she knows, she's my girlfriend!" He yelled. Miku grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked hard, surprising him.

"You need to stop," she said, her tone firm. "You know I hate it when friends fight, and of all my friends, it has to be you two getting all rowdy. Stop!"

I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest. Len did the same. Miku was sitting between us. If she hasn't been there, we would've started actually fighting. That was how tense the air between us was.

"I'll try to get over him," I mumbled. "It hurts and you know that."

"Yeah, I do," Len said quietly, pushing some of his blond hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I understand. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Excellent, now shake hands!" Miku took our right hands and brought them close. We shook and Len tried to smile. I smiled back, as well as I could.

"He's here!" Rin pattered into the living room, grabbing her purse off of a table and grinning at us. Len got to his feet and Miku and I both followed suit.

"Are you going to see me off?" Rin offered her brother a smug smile.

"Sure, why not?" He shrugged and they walked out of the living room and down the hall, quickening their pace as the doorbell buzzed.

"Do you want to come?" Miku asked.

"It's Kaito, right?" I whispered. She hugged me tightly.

"He won't yell at you or anything," Miku smiled. "Rin keeps talking about how nice he is."

"I know how nice he is," I answered quietly, looking down at my feet.

"Well, we'll just stay by the door, then. We don't need to actually walk out, you know. He'll be by the gates, anyways."

"Okay," I nodded.

I want to see him, anyways. It's not like I've gotten over him and I wonder if I ever will. I really should, but...I don't know...

We followed Len and Rin down the hall and to the door. The twins stepped out. Miku and I watched from the doorway. I was hidden in the shadows, watching as Rin said something to Len before hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. Len's face was red and Miku laughed softly as he glanced back at us.

"It's funny," Miku said. "Rin kisses her brother in front of her boyfriend and her brother's girlfriend...she's the only girl I know who could do something like that so effortlessly, without a thought."

"Rin's cool," I said.

"She's more than just cool," Miku crossed her arms and leaned agains the doorframe.

I watched Rin open the gates and walk up to Kaito. She ran a hand through his dark blue hair and he hugged her. Rin pulled away momentarily, whispering something to her twin and then laughing. She waved to us, and playfully blew kisses. My eyes met Kaito's but I looked away and turned around instantaneously.

"We can go back inside, if you want," Miku put a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head.

"It's fine," I said. "I need to get used to this."

She hugged me and I hugged back tightly, hanging onto her. I needed her. I needed Len. I needed my parents and everyone else. This wasn't something I could wait out; the pain in my chest wouldn't leave if if I locked myself up and just mulled over it.

I needed to get back into life without loving Kaito. It would be hard to let to but I had to try.

Bzzz...

5 new messages.

Naoki: hey, Gumi. Happy noon-ish.

Naoki: you like that? It's what I'm going to use when I text you around noon. Like today. So anyway, how are you?

Naoki: I had ice cream today. It was pretty good. I used to have a friend who adored ice cream. His obsession was kind of scary.

Naoki: I guess you must be busy right now. Well, that's fine. Whenever you want to talk, I'm up for it. It's not like I didn't have any friends, it's more like...well, to tell you the truth, I haven't spoken to a girl in a while. So I got excited.

Naoki: geez, I sound really creepy. Sorry. Anyway, see you!

You guys, I'll format and bold the text things properly later. Hope you don't mind!