Everlasting Gift

Chapter 10
The Gift That Lasts Forever

Len woke up to the alarm, just like every other morning. Rolling out of bed, he looked at the calendar that was hanging on the back of the door. It was mid-July, almost the beginning of the month-long summer vacation.

Yawning, he trudged to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and washed his face sleepily. Summer was getting to him.

As he walked out of the bathroom, Neru opened the door to her room, rubbing her eyes. "Morning," she mumbled, nodding to him.

"Morning to you too," he said, ducking into his room to get dressed. He closed the door, the calendar on the back swinging. The calendar was covered with red X's. Len grabbed a red pen from his desk and crossed out yesterday's date. He tossed the pen back onto his desk and began changing into his school uniform.

He grabbed his bag from the foot of the doorway and went downstairs for breakfast. As he was finishing, Neru trudged down the stairs, her side ponytail slightly askew.

"Hurry up with breakfast. You always keep Miku waiting!" he told her. Yes, it was a normal morning in the Kagamine house.

Neru gulped down her breakfast quickly and put the bowls and dishes in the sink, leaving them there until she came back in the afternoon. She rushed to get her bag and put on her shoes. Together, the two walked out to the corner where Miku waited for them.

"Good morning, you two!" Miku greeted them both with a smile.

"Any news from her?" Neru asked, concerned. She was referring to Rin who was still in America.

"No. I thought she would come over the summer since school already let out there," Miku replied glumly, her smile disappearing.

"Don't worry. She'll come back soon. And this time, with her memories," Len remarked, remembering her promise from the note.

"Mmhmm." The trio walked toward the school together like they had for the past eight months.

"It's going to be vacation soon!" Miku said cheerfully. "It's not fair how they already are on vacation in America." She pouted for a minute and then smiled serenely.

"Yippee. Vacation. Which means homework," Neru said in a bored voice while text messaging someone on her phone.

Len snorted at Neru's remark. For every summer since she was adopted into his family, Neru had always copied Len's homework…which was how she got into the best class in the school.

"Stop complaining about the homework. It's not like you're doing it yourself," he said to her.

"Hey, I try, at least!"

"No, you don't even bother! You're always messaging with someone on that phone of yours."

The argument went on and on with Miku's begging for peace between the two.

"Neru, you can always ask Len to tutor you instead of copying his homework!" she said in an attempt to stop the bickering. However, just like always, it was ignored.

In between all the dispute and Miku's attempts to make peace, not one of them noticed the plane that was flying overhead.

Rin got off the plane, excited to see everyone. School had let out a bit late because she had to stay for summer school since she didn't exactly do too well on one of the exams.

She walked outside, immediately feeling the change in temperature. The plane had been fairly cool while outside was humid and hot due to the hot July sun. Rin carried her carry-on luggage in one hand and stepped into the bus that would take her to the airport.

The bus engine rumbled to life, letting out exhaust that was hazardous to the environment. It began moving, taking the passengers around the still planes. Within minutes, they were at the airport.

Rin stepped inside, feeling the breeze from the air conditioning. I'm back in Japan again!

She followed the crowd to where she would pick up her baggage. The conveyor belt belched out a couple of bags every minute but none of them were hers. She dug through her purse, searching for her cell phone. Rin turned it on and began to dial Mrs. Hatsune's number.

"I'm back," she told her adoptive mother as soon as she picked up.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've been there to pick you up!"

"No, I have money for the taxi. I have something I want to take care of before going home. And don't tell anyone. I want it to be a surprise," Rin said into the phone, checking her watch. School would be letting out in about an hour and a half. She had plenty of time.

Closing the lid of her phone, she glanced at the suitcases that were going around. She finally recognized own suitcase: the only one that was yellow. Rin grabbed it and dragged it off the belt. She turned it on an angle so that it would roll behind her.

Rin headed for the customs office, looking at the airport signs. She headed towards the shortest line there was and showed the officer her passport and other documents that she had filled out to travel between countries.

The customs officer inspected all of the papers carefully. Finally he raised the giant stamp and stamped one of the pages of the passport, signaling that she could go.

"Enjoy your stay here," he told her.

"Thank you," Rin said, smiling.

Her stomach rumbled. She barely ate anything on the plane – it had smelled horrible and had tasted horrible. How can you even call that food?

She followed her nose, smelling a McDonald's or Burger King nearby. Her mouth watered for some of those golden fries and juicy burgers.

Rin waited patiently on the long line that was full of children and their parents who also had the same idea of eating at McDonald's. There were quite a lot of spills due to impatient children and bawling from the children that got wet from the spills. Finally, it was her turn to order.

"Just give me the number one meal," she said to the tired-looking cashier.

"Drink?"

"I'll have orange juice," Rin answered, naming her favorite drink.

Her meal arrived in a minute. Rin sat down at an empty table and unwrapped her burger.

"Itedekimasu," she said to herself softly, opening her mouth and taking a bite out of the big hamburger.

She finished her meal quickly, gulping it down as if there was no tomorrow. She took big sips of her juice and finished that too. Rin threw out her garbage and left the plastic tray on the top of the trash can.

Walking outside of the airport, she waved her hand, signaling for a taxi. One taxi driver saw her and stopped near where she was.

Rin put her luggage into the trunk and slammed it shut. She hopped into the passenger seat, telling the driver, "To Seihou High School please."

The school bell rang, signaling the end to another monotonous day of school.

"Three more days until the end," muttered Len to himself. He looked to his left, still not used to the empty seat that had been Rin's.

"I have to go to that student council meeting," Luka told them. "I won't be able to go to the bubble tea place."

"Alright then. Have fun," Akaito said, being slightly sarcastic.

"Oh, I will," Luka answered, getting out of her seat and walking toward the student council room.

"Must be tiring to have to go there close to the end of school. Luckily the volleyball season already ended," remarked Neru after Luka had left the room.

"Yeah," agreed Len, tearing his eyes away from the vacated seat. "Let's go," he said, getting up from his seat.

"Gumi's going to be mad if we don't make it. Remember last time? She totally freaked!" Akaito laughed.

"I swear, her eyes turned red like a demon or something," added Neru. "Just because we forgot to tell her we were busy. I got spammed by her."

They were at the front gates of the school. A car honked and the door opened.

"Onee-chan! Len! Akaito!" Rin came bounding out of the taxi and ran over to hug them.

"You remember now?" asked Neru, who was surprised that Rin would remember to call her "onee-chan."

"Yep! Everything! I told you I would be back with my memories." Rin hugged her tightly, cutting off Neru's air supply.

"RIN! You're back!" Miku came up from behind, dropping her bag and running towards Rin.

Rin let go of Neru ("Thank god," panted Neru, desperately sucking air into her deprived lungs) and ran towards Miku. The two girls met in a big hug.

"I missed you! You didn't answer any of the e-mails I sent you and Grandma said that you didn't have a phone!"

"We weren't allowed to have a phone and the school's Internet is messed up. It works on some days and doesn't work on others."

The two girls seemed to be in their own little universe, catching up on what happened during the eight months they had been apart. The taxi driver honked the horn, wondering if his client had left him with her luggage still in the trunk.

"Oh, let me get my stuff." Rin ran off to pay the driver and took out her suitcase and duffle bag from the trunk of the taxi. Len came over and took her suitcase and carried it to the sidewalk, where it wouldn't be in danger of getting run over by a car.

"Thanks," she smiled at him, the same smile that she always had when they went out together. Len flushed slightly.

"No problem," he mumbled, blushing even more.

"Ooh…Maybe we should give the two some alone time," Akaito whispered loudly to Miku, tugging on her sleeve. Len and Rin both flushed red when they heard his comment.

"Okay!" Miku said happily. Turning toward the two blondes, she said, "We'll tell Gumi that you came back and are 'bonding.'" She smiled deviously and headed toward the bubble tea shop with Akaito.

Neru looked up from her phone. She only pulled out her phone so that it would look like she was busy.

"Umm…" she spoke up. Rin turned to her and tilted her head, wondering what Neru had to say. "I'm…sorry," she said, feeling the guilt creep up again.

"For what?" asked Rin, confused.

"It's a long story," Len answered. "One that you can tell later. Let's just say that it caused us to fall apart."

Rin's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Er…yea. I was really jealous and everything…" Neru trailed off, face flushing from embarrassment.

"You don't have to tell me. I forgive you," Rin told her sister gently.

"But you don't even know what I did!" she exclaimed.

"I forgive since you're my twin. I can't stay mad at you forever! That would be like being mad at myself since we're two halves of a whole."

"You could learn a lesson or two from her," whispered Len. That just made Neru flush redder.

"Well, excuse me for not being as nice and forgiving. One of us has to be the tough one," Neru said as she stormed away.

An awkward silence filled the air after Neru left.

"Umm…" Rin said in an attempt to break the silence. "I'm sorry?" The statement came out as a question.

"It's not your fault. It's mine for not believing you," Len replied. "I should be the one that's sorry and I am."

Rin felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. He forgave me, she thought happily. The awkwardness soon disappeared when she realized this.

"I have a present for you that I couldn't give during our two month anniversary," Rin said suddenly.

"Eh? What is it?"

"It's something that lasts forever. Close your eyes."

Len obliged, closing his eyes but leaving them open for a fraction.

"No peeking!" Rin said, elbowing him lightly in the side.

"Alright! Just hurry up!" Len shut his eyes all the way this time.

Rin stood on her toes, reaching up to cup his face in her hands, bringing her face close to his. "The gift that lasts forever…is my love for you," she said sealing the gap between their faces with a kiss.