"I don't think I can stand it anymore..."

Two days passed since the locker incident. You'd been called in by the principal yesterday and he told you that you'd be getting a new locker soon. He also insisted that you let him call the police over the situation because even he realized that the whole situation was getting serious. However, you declined the idea because your gut (or more specifically, Len) tells you that the cops would only make matters worse.

Honestly, being noticed and talked about by everyone is the worst possible thing that could've ever happened to you and there's still nothing you can do about it. Hiding behind Len doesn't really help you become unnoticed either. At this point, staying home with Len all the time is all you want. Not that he minds, though. No, when you told him that you two should stay home more, he couldn't even hide the fact that he was overjoyed. Being home with just you and away from everyone else is the one thing he's wanted for so long.

Speaking of Len, he should be here by now, you think as you look at the brand-new watch on your wrist. He went out to buy groceries some time ago, and while you always go with him, he insisted that you stayed home and rested today. Not that you were complaining—you didn't want to go outside anymore. Boredly flipping through TV channels beats going out where people can see you, anyway. You're almost ready to fall asleep until an insistent buzzing noise breaks you from your trance.

You realize it's just your phone making noise from the coffee table. When you flip it open to see who the text is from, you're slightly worried because you don't recognize the number. The first thing your mind comes up with is that it's a text from one of Len's crazy fangirls. However, when you read the text, you instantly know who it is.

19:02 +Unknown Number

(Naaaammmeee)~~~ Guess who~!

19:03

Wtf

Rin, is that you?

19:03

(Name) :'D

U recognized my fabulousness thru the phone \(*w*)/

19:04

Rin, please tell me you didn't steal someone's phone...

19:04

What no! I'm just borrowing it duh. I snuck into the professors office to text you!

But i couldn't help it! I miss you yknow D':

19:05

Wth Rin, you can't pull that kind of crap there, you could get into serious trouble!!

And why are you texting me when you could've called? >_>

Ten seconds later, your phone blares out it's ringtone.

"(Name)," a high pitched voice cries out when you answer it. Rin sounds like she's trying hard not to cry. "I miss you! I wish you were here, dammit! I have sooo much to tell you!"

"Ahhh, I missed you too! Dude, you'll never guess what happened," you insist, wondering what Rin will say when you tell her about you and Len.

She scoffs. "What? That you're dating my brother?"

...

"Uhh..." Your mood instantly deflates a bit. You're kind of bummed that the news isn't a surprise. "Yeah, actually. How'd you guess?"

"He's my twin, (Name), I know him. It's so like him to finally make a move when I'm out of the picture," she says, the annoyance clear in her voice. "Anyway, I can't stay too long...Everyone is supposed to be eating dinner, but I used my ninja skills to flee, ehehe~" She boasts, but you're worried that she'll get caught any second.

You can easily picture your blonde best friend cackling to herself while hiding under a large oak desk in whoever's office she decided to sneak into. It makes you especially nervous, though. Rin wasn't exactly the best ninja—she was quite the opposite in reality—and you were always there to stop her from doing something stupid. Now you aren't able to and you can't help but feel paranoid for her sake.

"Rin...how are you, though? How is the university? I swear, you better not be eating junk all the time, and make sure you're brushing your teeth twice a day because I know you like being stupid, so sometimes you don't brush at night, and make sure that you--"

"Okay, okay! Fine, I'll brush my teeth, I geddit," she mumbles, some part of her feeling like she's been caught. "Did you, like, attach a camera onto me before I left? Jeez..."

You laugh because, unlike her brother, she's so predictable.

"(Name), I hate to tell you this, but this place sucks. It's like a boarding school for singers, I tell ya--it's absolute hell. I'd be doomed if Luka wasn't here to help me! I've been learning a ton, but I really can't wait to go home," she says, but her voice sounds a bit strained like there's more that she wants to tell you.

"Trust me, Rin, you don't wanna come home. It's equally shitty here." You wonder for a moment if you should tell her everything that's happened, but then think against it. Rin would take the next plane home if she knew what has been happening to you. "Len's fangirls are being annoying."

Rin makes a noise of disgust. "Oh God, I knew it! I've been having nightmares about you lately, (Name). In each one, those dumb fangirls get their filthy hands on you and Len. I want to go home more than ever when I think about these things," she whispers, but you hear it. "I feel like you aren't safe without me."

You frown at her statement. If it were two months before this whole situation went down, you would've loved the idea of her being home and by your side through this. Now, however... You hate the idea of your best friend being here. When you think about things logically, Rin would probably make things far worse for you. In fact, your little enemies would target her before you and Len. She'd most likely get hurt and it would be your fault.

You're not sure when you started to think this way, but you assume it's because of Len's influence on you.

"Rin, those are just nightmares. Your mind just based them off of what you're afraid of most. I mean, it's either that, or you and Len are sharing nightmares right now."

She gasps, which startles you immensely because you assume that she's been caught by a teacher.

"You're right, (Name)! I forgot about the powerful psychic link me and Lenny share!" She says, and then curses because she bashed her head on the desk she was hiding under. "Oh, poor Len. He's been having these awful nightmares, too, I just know he has considering how obsessive he gets over you." she continues, sounding upset. It's weird how casually people talk about Len's somewhat concerning feelings towards you now.

"Um? Right, anyway, I'm fine so don't worry about me, 'kay?" You try to assure her, but it's hard to convince her when you can't even convince yourself.

She scoffs. Rin isn't the best at sensing lies, but even she knows that's not true. "Are you trying to tell me that Len's obsessive fangirls aren't threatening to kill you?"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to say. They've done no such thing!" You insist, which is technically not a lie. They threatened to hurt you and Len, not kill.

"Bitch please, do you know how much crap I got from his fangirls just for being his sister?! We're siblings! What the hell do they think this is, sweet home Alabama?! I mean, seriously, I should've had those girls bowing down to me; they should've been kissing up to me! After a while, they gave me the respect I deserved!"

"Yeah, 'cause you punched one of them."

"That's irrelevant!"

Except it isn't. You don't think you can ever be as brave as her or Len. They're the kind of people who'll fight back when threatened, while you don't think you can. Your mind often conjures up ridiculous scenarios, like 'what if someone has a gun to my head, would I be able to strike back and protect myself?' People like to imagine they can, but you know far better. When faced with real danger, the common response is to run. Good thing you're quick, you think sarcastically.

"Anyway, Rin, just do well in school, okay? You'll be thankful for the hellish training when you're super famous and recognized as a Vocaloid, okay?"

"Pfft, me? A Vocaloid? Not in a million years, sister!" She says loudly into the receiver, just begging to be caught. Some ninja. "Anyhoo, where the hell is my brother? I've got a bone to pick him..."

The noise of keys being thrown onto a table and shoes being kicked off against a wall has you craning your neck towards the hallway. For a split second, you wonder if they really do have some of that magical twin-connection shit Rin always goes on about... Nah, probably not, because just like you and your brother, Len and Rin are far too different now to have any sort of connection at all.

"Helllooo? Is that dummy there or not?" Rin asks, and then you hear Len sneeze in the background.

On second thought...

Len walks into the living room with a couple of grocery bags slung on his arms, looking content until he spots you. You completely miss the way his eyes narrow at the phone in your hands. "(Name), who are you talking to?" He asks before you can respond back to Rin. Not wanting to talk to the twins at the same time, you toss him your phone, which he catches easily.

"You deal with her, I'm going to put these in the kitchen," you say, sliding the bags off his arms and walking away. You leave him alone and confused in the living room, but only because you want to avoid being there while Rin screams at him.

Len looks at the screen of your phone. Apparently, you've been talking to this person for five minutes already, which bothers him. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Guess who, bitch!" Rin screams so loudly that even you hear it from the kitchen. Len shouts in surprise before yanking the phone away from his shattered eardrum. He figured he was in trouble when you tossed him the phone with that nervous expression.

"You little bastard, you wanna ship me off to another country and then steal my best friend away from me, huh?! You're going to die when I come home, just you wait, you piece of--"

"If you called simply to insult me, I'm going to hang up," Len says, now holding the phone to his undamaged ear.

"No wait, I need to tell you something!" She says quickly. "Lenny, I'm coming home," she whispers, as if she's afraid that somebody besides her.

Len almost chokes on his spit. He almost gets angry. He almost screams bloody murder at Rin, but he does none of these things, for he has class. Or at least that's what he's telling himself right now, but it's really because he doesn't want you to hear him lose his shit over the phone. "Oh-ho, no you don't!" Don't you dare ruin my plans. "Don't even think about it, Rin. You have the opportunity that others would kill for—what I would've killed for. Instead of being so ungrateful, suck it up and stay there." He demands. Half of him says it for his own selfish reasons, but the other half truly means it.

"B-but..."

"I expected more from you, but you truly are inferior to me, aren't you? I'm not surprised, though, you always were the weaker twin," he says. If there is one thing Len is thankful of, it's that his sister lacks intelligence. Reverse psychology and a number of other manipulative tactics always works on her.

"Why you little...Ooh, just you wait!" Rin cries angrily, and Len smirks because he knows her resolve is healing. "I'm gonna' be the best singer here, not even Luka or Gakupo will be able to beat me!"

"I'm not sure I believe you. Just know that if you come home before your dumb program ends, you lose. Got it?"

"Ohohohoh," she chuckles stupidly because she has always loved a challenge and the bragging rights that come with overcoming it. "You're on, Lenny! I'm gonna win, you'll see~" She declares, hanging up abruptly.

But what she's never aware of is that she's always losing.

Len smirks as he walks into the kitchen and finds you leaning against the counter with your arms crossed. Apparently, you've already started on dinner in the short amount of time he was speaking to Rin. You give him a look he can't quite read and that wipes the smirk clean off his face. He's not quite sure why, but he feels slightly nervous. You've already put the other groceries away, so that gives him nothing to do but stand there and chew on his bottom lip; a habit he got from you.

"You stopped her from coming home?" You ask, now staring back at the floor.

Even though you're not looking at him, he still can't seem to look at you directly. "Y-yeah. It's not that I don't want her here—well, I mean, I kinda don't, but..."

You laugh at his honesty and wave a hand in the air to stop him. "I'm not upset, you did well. Keeping her there is what's best for her."

He makes a noise of surprise, taken slightly aback by your reaction. "Eh? So you aren't mad?"

"Nah, it's what she needed. I don't really care about what reason you had to keep her there, I'm just glad that she's not coming home right now." You say, and you can tell the answer makes him happy when his face lights up as he smiles brightly. For a second, you can almost see a vision of his younger, happier self before he started high school.

Perhaps you'll have to let him hear what he wants more often, if only to see him that happy again.

"Wait, really? You mean it?"

You feel a bit sad for him because you know he's happy for another reason. He thinks you've outgrown your need for Rin, but in reality, you simply don't want her around because it isn't safe here.

Or is that what you're telling yourself to feel better about yourself?

'Quit pretending you have noble reasons. Isn't it because you want it to be just you and Len now? You don't want her to come between you two,' your mind spits back at you.

But no matter the reason, keeping Rin in another country is the main point; your reasons don't matter, you tell yourself. You're surprised that you aren't fazed at your new train of thought. You would've thought that hearing her voice on the phone would make you want her here with you—to be your sole support, but it only did the opposite.

When you're sure of yourself, you nod and go back to cooking. "Yeah, I mean it. Now go sit down, dinner is almost ready."

However, Len can only stand there and watch you adoringly. You are his and he is yours, and he's proven this fact to everyone. And when he wraps his arms around you from behind, he again sees that beautiful smile that's meant for him only. It makes him smile so hard that his face actually starts to hurt, but he really can't stop.

Len never knew he could love someone so much.

"...having to share you with everyone else."