Paper Planes

Len

The air was cold and crisp, which Len believed he would never get used to. He shivered, early in the morning hours, the sun shyly peeking out from behind the hills. The sky was a deep blue, and the colour reflected in the blonde's eyes, as he yawned and lifting his heavy eyelids, getting up. Len quietly crept out of his bed, pushing the thin sheet of cloth he used as blanket, to the side and padding softly into the bathroom. He could hear the snorts and breaths of the other prisoners who shared the room with him, passing by without a second glance.

Len closed the door quietly behind him, and did this business, doing what he could with the little water they provided. It was not much help that they didn't provide heating either. He combed his fingers through his semi-long hair, before grabbing a rough string in his pocket and tieing it up in a rough knot, most of his hair in a small, but tight ponytail.

He studied his features in the small, cracked and dirtied mirror, noticing how his cheeks sunk in a little from the lack of nutrients needed and how dirt caked into his cheeks and hair. Len sighed, proceeding out of the bathroom and into the room once again. He reached under his cot, grabbing an extra shirt provided form when he entered the camp (when he was clean), and changing into it, frowning how it was not much of a difference to one he was just wearing.

Len sneaked his way out the door as quietly as possible, the cold air from the outside, hitting him like a fresh slap to the face. He shivered and stepped outside, closing the door quietly before padding barefoot onto the flat, earthy ground. He jogged lightly towards the boundaries by the nearby hospital, watching as the sun started rise from behind the grassy hills. Len bent down to his knees, feeling the grass that had grown on the borderlines of the boundary, his hand only a inches away from the barbed wire that coiled around the floor.

After the sun finally rose, bugles sounded loudly, Len paying them no mind. Well, not until they found him and started screaming for him to go into the cafeteria for him to eat the glop they called 'breakfast'.

Rin

A resounding beep filled the room with quiet sound, the quiet breathing of a girl accompanying the pattern of beeps. From behind the thin white curtains, was the world on the outside. Rin longed to reach farther than her boundaries, cursing her body for being so weak; she always wanted to lead a normal life that a girl her age would. Putting make-up, crushing on boys, going to school... those were the luxuries she wished to have.

The clock in her room ticked quietly, and when it hit the 8:00 mark, a nurse entered the room, her lips painted a deep red and her short auburn hair combed and set into a bun. She held a tray of food in her arms, and put it on the side table as she shook Rin awake, the blonde haired girl blinking sleepily before noticing who was waking her.

" 'mornin Meiko... " She mumbled quietly, bringing a hand up to rub her eyes. Meiko stared at the girl in front of her, no more than the simple age of 14. She felt sorry for Rin, noticing how the teen would never get to experience what a normal girl would.

"Time for Breakfast, Miss Rin." Meiko said gently, placing the tray over Rin's legs, the metal bars popping out from the bottom of the tray and keeping the tray lifted off from the bed.

"Meikoo! Call me Rin!" Rin whined, her blue eyes shining playfully, and her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. Meiko laughed, but lightly patted the blonde's head.

"You know I can't do that." Meiko said, fixing the Rin's hair and treading her fingers in the light blonde locks. Rin pouted even more, making the smile on Meiko's face widen.

"It just sounds weird though... " Rin said, before shoving a spoonful of porridge into her mouth, making her cheeks puff out. Meiko laughed once more, and crossed her arms together, watching as Rin gave her a fierce pout.

"Just enjoy your breakfast, okay?" Meiko said, smiling as she opened the curtains, sunlight pouring into the room. "Call if you need me." She murmured, walking out of the room. Rin shoved another spoonful of porridge into her mouth, then looked out the window and the expanse of field below. Her eyes flickered to the time, her father wouldn't be coming for another couple hours...

She grinned wickedly to herself, finishing her porridge as quickly as possible.

Len

After shoving the grey glob they called food down his throat, he headed out and grabbed the broom he kept underneath his bed, making him look like he was doing something, but there was really nothing to sweep, so he was practically doing nothing. He absently watched the hospital on the other side of the barbed fence, truly following the saying 'the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence'.

An hour had passed by, and all Len had done was stare at hospital, but something caught his eye much sooner. A head of blonde hair tucked underneath a straw hat, a pink ribbon wrapped delicately around it. A light pink shawl covered her upper body, and her dress seemed to flow as if the wind followed her. He stared in awe, but luckily enough, she hadn't noticed him through the barbed wiring; she stared up the sky and picked wildflowers around the grass, quietly humming a tune with a smile on her lips.

But she was much too far away to see the rest of her features, Len feeling more curious by each second the girl lingered around the fields. He could feel his heart pace speed up, and his face have that all too warm feeling.

He was in love.

Rin

Rin loved the feeling of wind in her face, the feeling of sun on her skin, the cushion of grass beneath her sandals. All in all, she was the picture of happiness at the moment. She tried not to pay mind to the prisoner camp beside the field, her father always said that bad things happened there to bad people.

But Rin couldn't really judge them, since she had never met anyone from the other side.

She hummed a song she heard on the radio, about a robot girl who was built by a lonely professor, who never had a heart. She sang some of the words she knew as she picked pretty-looking flowers that was buried inbetween the grass. A wide smile was spread across her face, and her blue eyes shined, reflecting her emotion at the moment. Then looked at the sky, she guess it was around noon and hurried inside, her father would be at the hospital soon and he would be mad if he knew.

But on her way back, she felt a pair of eyes watching her... but she wasn't scared of them.

Upon returning back, she changed into her hospital gown and placed herself in her bed, tucking herself in tight. In mere moments, her father entered the room, glasses in tact and holding a vase of flowers in it. Rin's eyes lit up, she had always loved flowers.

"Father!" She chirped, a big grin on her face. Her father smiled back, taking a chair and sitting beside his daughter and placing the small vase on the bedside table.

"How are you today, Rin?" He asked, voice gentle and eyes soft.

"I got better, father, Meiko said my results for this week's blood test was good!" Rin said, her teeth showing, perfect pearly whites. "Father, do you think I will get better soon?" She asked, with big, blue, hopeful eyes. Her father could only smile, he could never tell her that internal degeneration was something they couldn't cure.

"Yes, I do, Rin. And when you, I'll bring to the park, like you always wanted." Her father said, while patting her head in a comforting way. She suddenly yawned and blinked her eyes sleepily, her father chuckling at her cuteness. "You seem tired, Rin. You should get your sleep." He said, stroking her hair.

"But... I want you to stay..." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"I won't leave Rin, I'll stay right here." Her father said, kissing her forehead lightly. She smiled before falling back onto her pillow and snuggling into her covers and starting to drift off into a deep sleep. As soon as Rin fell asleep, the fake smile that was on his face fell off and he buried his face in his hands and resisted the urge to spill tears. He hated to lie to his daughter, but seeing her happy wanted him to continue lying. He was in heartbreak.

Len&Rin

Each time she visited, Len would watch her for hours, until she looked up from the sky and scurried inside the hospital, and that was his usual routine for the day. But, each time she left, Len would feel like a part of him went missing or that she had taken a part of him with her when she went back inside the hospital.

One day, Len decided he would make his presence known to her. He was sure of it.

He crept into the office of the general who lead the camp, and he swiped a pen and a few sheets of paper. It's not like the general would mind anyways. Len brought it back to the fence and started to jot down his introduction on the paper, and read it over, a small blush lighting his cheeks. He looked up and saw her starting to approach the field, he quickly folded the paper in a plane and she crept closer. After a few minutes of internal issues, he called to her.

"Hey you!" He shouted from behind the barbed fence. She turned around from her spot in the field and started to slowly, and cautiously approach him. He sent the plane flying over the fence, throwing it as hard as he could. His heart soared as the plane made it's way over the fence, and over to the other side; he watched as her arms reached for the flying piece of paper, trying to catch it.

When her fingers clasped around the plane, Len felt his heart skip a beat, watching those delicate fingers unfold the plane and her eyes start to read and take in his words.

Hello,

My name is Len, I cannot talk to you because the guards might hear me and I could be in a lot of trouble. You seemed... interesting.

What's your name?

Len

A smile spread across her face, and she mumbled one word to him.

"Rin."

Len could feel himself visibly blush, cursing his lack of proper knowing the regular girl. He smiled back, and he liked the sound of her name... Rin, Rin, Rin... it suited her. Then, she took her routine stare up at the sky and her big blue eyes widened noticeably.

"Um, I'm sorry Len. I have to go, but I will come back tomorrow, okay?" She said with a mischievous grin, then she turned and scurried away back to hospital. Len could only nod dumbly, even though she was already far from his sight; when she disappeared behind the doors, a big smile spread across face lighting up the features that brought charm to his boyish face. He could feel his heart pounding and he almost skipped back to the cafeteria as they rung the lunch bell.

Rin&Len

Rin's routine had changed drastically since Len had sent her the first letter. Even after these past few weeks, she kept all the letters safe, tucked under mattress, the same with Len. Meiko would also notice how her pale complexion seemed to glow now, rather than adding a weak look to her, which made Meiko glad that it seemed that the girl was happy. Rin continued to visit Len, at the barb-wire fence, bringing a new letter to reply to his last one and speaking her thoughts to him.

They asked each other numerous questions, back and forth and adding little snippets from each-other's lives in ever hand-written, heart-felt letter. Though, they both knew not to ask the touchy subjects... like why was Len in the camp, or why was Rin in the hospital. The two would do anything to stay in each other's circle, and sometimes Len would consider spilling his feelings to girl in a letter. But everytime he wrote it down, he blushed and crossed it out, and ripping it up into little pieces.

Sometimes he would send messages complimenting her, how beautiful and graceful she was, and she would blush the most beautiful shade of pink he'd ever seen. She would laugh nervously and hide her face under her straw hat and send a letter saying thank you, and how Len shouldn't be so kind. Len laughed a little at that, she didn't seem use to it.

Rin was also aware that her father didn't like the idea of her going out into the sun and conversing with a boy she rarely knew. The first time he caught her was when she was rereading the first letter that he had given her, a bright smile on her face. Entering quietly, her father yanked the letter out of his daughter's hands and thinking it was some fanletter to a celebrity, but when he read it, the smile on his face wiped off and one of alarm replaced it. He looked at Rin with one of seriousness, Rin begging for the letter to be returned.

"Rin, what is this?" He asked, holding the paper up.

"Father, please! Please return it to me!" She begged, tears springing up in her eyes. Her father's face crinkled with anger, his muscles becoming tense everytime his daugther begged.

"Rin. If I see another letter from this boy, Len, I will personally see to it that you will not be allowed outside." Her father said sternly, his hand crumpling up the letter and dropping it to the floor. He then stormed out of the room, angry at the sight of his daughter disobeying his order of not talking to strangers.

Rin slowly crept out of the bed, and picked up the letter, climbing back into the covers and then straightening out the creases, her eyes filled with tears and ready to spill. Don't cry... don't cry... don't cry... She repeated those words to herself, and it was already too late when she saw little droplets of water falling onto the paper. She folded it up before she became a wreck, putting it underneath her mattress, then burying her face in her hands and sobbing relentlessly.

Only then, did she notice she loved Len.

Len&Rin

Len had noticed that their routine had suddenly stopped.

At first, he passed it off as a complication in the hospital with Rin's sickness, but he started to get antsy as days turned to weeks. He would continue to wait by the meeting place, but sometimes he wouldn't, and he'd just occassionally glance at spot and continue to wander the campgrounds as he did before.

Rin had been bedridden for the past month, her legs failing because of the degeneration of the muscles around the calf. She became paler and her big blue eyes seemed to have lost its bright lustre. She couldn't stand the fact that she couldn't see Len anymore, but she knew if she strained herself, she would die. She was aware that she would die soon, the smallest chance of survival. Meiko had taken pity on her when she begged to told why she couldn't move, and Rin had calmly accept her fate.

But... what of Len? Would he be angry? Sad? Worried? Rin couldn't think of all the possibilities, there were too many and they all picked at her heart. She stared blankly outside the window, then looked at her outfit which hung by the door. Her lips formed a thin line, and reached for a paper and pen; she had to see him again… even if it killed her.

Rin staggered down the hallway, tucking her hair and hiding her face underneath the straw hat, gulping as she passed by Meiko who almost noticed her. She quickly and quietly made her way down the field, holding the plane in her hand and making sure it wouldn't fall out, even with her weak grip at the moment. Len had looked up when he saw her figure in the distance.

At first, he thought he was just imagining things, his hand flying up to rub at his eyes profusely. Then, when he blinked, clearing his vision, her figure was still there, her pink shawl wrapped around her shoulders. He dropped his broom and ran towards the fence, awaiting for her to appear in front of him; but when she did arrive, she seemed... different.

Rin had her face hidden under her hat, she seemed skinnier and it was awkward how her knees faced inwards as if she was unstable. Len barely caught the plane she sent over the fence, and when he opened it, reading the heartbreaking words, he looked at her, his eyes questioning the letter.

Why?

Rin gulped nervously, wringing her hands together, and she brought her face up, putting on the most sincere smile she could, and making it seem she was okay.

Dear Len,

I have to go away. My father is urging me to go. Please understand.

Rin

"Take care, okay?" She said, her tone cracking as she turned around and tried to hurry back into the hospital.

Len didn't understand, why did Rin want to leave him? His only source of hope was about to be taken from him, and he couldn't do anything about it. He felt a big lump rising in throat, why couldn't he say anything! The girl he loved was about leave, and... and...

"Wait!" Rin's back straightened in surprise, who had a voice as charming as that? "You... you won't come back?" Rin started to tremble, fighting back heavy tears. Len was holding himself back, he was desperate enough to jump through the barbed wire to keep Rin from going. He felt tears brim his eyes, grinding his teeth together. Rin couldn't leave him!

"No matter how long it takes..." Rin was shedding tears now, which felt like acid on her cheeks. "... I'll always wait, okay?" Rin couldn't take anymore of this, she ran as fast as her weak and wobbly legs could take her, and she could imagine the look on Len's face. Disappointed, confused, angry... she felt her heart break at thought of Len.

When she disappeared from his sight, he broke down, and cried.

By the time she entered the hospital, she collapsed at the front door, doctors rushed her in, nurses running around and prepping her for surgery to keep her body from falling apart. Numerous IVs plugged into her arms, and suddenly Rin's father made his way into the room, desperate to see his daughter at the moment. Rin felt her heart pound dangerously, and it suddenly got hard to breath; the oxygen mask was only a little help but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was bordering death.

Len...

Rin thought about him, and so did her father. But they thought of him for different reasons; Rin loved him with all her heart, and her father was not much of approval of him. As he was ushered out of the room, he clenched his fists together and scowled, it was definitely the boy who was causing his daughter to be like this.

Rin's father had caught Rin looking longingly towards the Prisoner camp once, which wondered the blonde man, was the boy a prisoner? It was worth a try. He dressed in his officer uniform and he entered the camp, only rage driving him forward to seek out Len. He already knew the boy's name and pulled out a profile of the boy at the general's office, and found one photo of him, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. He handed the profile back to general and headed out the grounds of where the prisoners lingered.

Then he found a crouched figure by the side wall of one of the cabins, where the prisoners slept and kept all their belongings. He neared and found the boy he was looking for, about the age of his daughter and bit older than what he looked like in the photo. Len barely knew what was going on when he was pulled back by two officers and the letter in his hand was yanked out and held up over him.

Len went into immediate panic, Rin had written it for him, and it was the first letter she had ever given him! He moved around wildly, begging for the letter ti be returned.

"Please, Sir! Please return it to-" Before he finished, his face was smashed into the ground, making his face dirtier than it already was. Then, suddenly, in a flurry of movement, the paper ripped in front of his eyes, the torn pieces falling to the ground and everything seemed to slow. Anger and frustration riled up inside him in a matter of moments and he shook off the soldiers, his fist heading straight for the man who ripped up Rin's letter. The man fell back, and Len was about to throw punch, when 3 soldiers held him back, Len screaming wildly all the while.

"Why! Why would you even-!" Len barked, and with a flick of the Rin's Father's wrist, Len was being dragged into the poison chambers, meant to kill the prisoners in a slow and painful way. Half-way there, Len had given up hope; what was the point of living when the one you are waiting for will never come back? As the door open, his ears filled with the sound of pain-filled groans and moans, and his lungs filled with air that stung him and made his eyes burn.

But he didn't care. He was pushed inside roughly, and the doors closed immediately behind him, the room was dark, damp and cold but Len just huddled in a corner, banging his fists on the wall of the closed in room. He cried, but not because of the poison gas, it was because even if Rin did come back he wouldn't be there.

He let the poison gas overcome him, and he passed out.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

Rin gained conciousness, but she couldn't move an inch of her body. She tried her hardest, but all she could do was blink and breath, she felt useless, and she felt like a part of her was missing. She was heartbroken, she was just an empty shell.

Rin could barely feel her father holding her hand, watching over her with hawk-like eyes that always pierced through Rin. Rin remembered Len. She remembered the lines of his face, how bright his eyes were (Brighter than her own, she had guessed) and how charming his smile was. How could he show that smile to her now?

If Rin had any tears left, she'd probably the moment. She missed Len. Her heart missed Len. She missed and loved everything about him. The way he replied, or how he complimented her, amused whenever he saw her blush.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

She could barely feel the paperplane in her other hand either, but now, she knew it, she was about to die. She could feel her heart start to beat slower... and slower...

Beep ... Beep ...

Even though she was never normal girl, she had the experience of a lifetime. She dared to go past her boundaries, and found love on the way. Her breathing relaxed, and she closed her eyes, a smile gracing her lips.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepp-

The line went dead, and Rin's life had finally ended.

Len&Rin

Rin woke up in a grass field, in her dress and straw hat, shawl wrapped delicately around her shoulders. She was confused. Wasn't she supposed to be dead?

She got up from her spot on the grass and looked around, the sun was setting and the sky was an array of oranges, purples, and yellows. It was really breathtaking sight. A paperplane zoomed past her, continuing to drive forward towards the hills. She followed it in pure curiousity, and chased after it, his hands always brushing the plane but never catching it.

When it fell, she picked it up and it said two words, written in the handwriting she knew so well.

Look Up.

Her eyes met a face of someone that made her heart pound and her face flush with colour.

"Hey Rin." Len said with a smile.