SPICE!💛 rinxlen

Chapter 2

That Rin…she never changes, Len thought. But oh well, now that I'm up I might as well get ready for school.
Len's apartment was basically a hole drilled into a wall. It was a one-room apartment with a small bathroom. The walls were stark white with ugly light-brown carpeting, and Len's bed and dresser were on one side of the room while a small kitchenette was diagonally placed on the other. A small TV that was only a bit bigger than his own hands, a lamp he had bought at the 100-yen shop, and an old gray industrial fan were the only other occupants in the room. 
Stretching and yawning, Len grabbed his new school uniform off of the dresser. It was a white long-sleeved dress shirt with a yellow tie and brown slacks. The school uniforms get plainer and plainer the older you get, Len thought. And the girls' skirts get shorter and shorter. He smiled to himself.
Rin had also left a small bento box on the dresser.
For Len-Len ♥: You are a growing boy so be sure to eat your vegetables! Ha ha ha! Your friend, Rin. 
Grr, she always calls me that stupid name, even now that we're in high school, Len thought. He opened the bento, which was stuffed with omelets, meatballs and steamed leeks. The omelets had a hint of onion in them. Omelets and onions were Len's two favorite foods. There was not a trace of food in the bento once Len put it down. Only once Len had washed up and gotten into his school uniform did he realize that the bento was for lunch.
"Let's see what's in here," Len said to himself as he opened the mini-fridge in his kitchenette. The fridge was pretty much empty except for some expired milk, a tomato, and some old pickle juice.
"Tomatoes are perfectly healthy. Yum, lunch," Len said, trying to sound optimistic. "Damn, I'm poor…"
Len worked part-time as a waiter at a café down the street, but the job didn't pay well. Rin also worked there. They always tried to pool their salaries together to buy groceries but still came up with next to nothing. 
Len threw the tomato into a plastic bag and put it in his schoolbag. He pulled out a letter that said:

Welcome to Benibara Academy!
Dear Ms. KAGAMINE,
Congratulations! You've been accepted to Benibara Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Your exams showed that you are eligible for a 3-year scholarship. Your new uniform should have come in the mail a week ago. Our school is located north of where you live and should take only 45 minutes by train to get there. Enclosed is a pass to get on the train for free every day. We are happy to have you on board with us, and hope you have the most excellent learning experience…

"Let's see…so, I have to take the 6:45 train if I want to get there on time. And, they put me as MS. Kagamine? I'll have to fix that—oh sh**!" Len whipped out his watch. The time was 6:30. "I better get going now!" Len thrust the letter and train pass into his schoolbag and rushed out the door.
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Whoo! Ker-clack, ker-clack, ker-clack, ker-clack. The train started to pull out of the station. Rin stared out the window, daydreaming. 
Wow, a new school, she thought. I wonder what kind of people I'll meet there. I wonder how Len'll do at his new school too. Oh, Len…I hope you'll like the bento I packed you…
"Wait! Hey, wait up! Open the door, please!" There was a commotion going on outside.
"I'm sorry, young man, but we cannot allow you to get on the train at this time. You'll have to wait for the 7:30 train!"
"But I have to go to school! I'll be late if I catch the 7:30 train! It's my first day at a new school, please!" 
"Well, you should learn to get up early enough so you're not late!"
Rin looked out the window to see what was going on. A young blonde-haired boy was fighting with one of the train attendants outside.
"Hmm, that boy looks like Len," Rin giggled. "But it couldn't be. Len's way too cool to shout in public, right? Although he's still really cute…" 
Rin resumed daydreaming as the shouting faded into the distance.
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Hmm, it's almost 7:30 and we're only halfway there, Len thought angrily. Damn…if only I could have left with Rin! She's always on time with everything…
Len seethed in the backseat of an almost-full train. Even with the many stops on the route, the train was full of all kinds of people.
"Sora Station, boarding and unloading. Those here for Sora Station, the time to exit is now. Sora Station, boarding and unloading. Those here for Sora Station, the time to exit is now…"
"Hey, there!"
Len stared angrily out the window at the sea of people in the station. I hate trains, he thought. 
"Hey, dude. Can I sit by you?" someone asked.
"No, I do not wish for any snacks, thank you," Len said only half-listening, thinking the person talking to him was the snack-cart attendant.
Len snapped back into reality as he felt a sharp jab in the ribs."Ow! What the—who are you?"
"'Morning! I'd like to sit down next to you, please! You're from Benibara?" Len turned around to see a smiling boy, about the same age as him and wearing the same uniform, plop down next to him.
"Um, I'm starting at Benibara today. My name's Kagamine, Kagamine Len," Len said.
"Really, you are? So am I! My name's Kamui Gakupo. I'm going to call you Len-chan, okay?"
Is this guy for real? Len thought. The boy had long, purple colored hair. He looked really serious, like a samurai, but the way he was acting was super-hyper. 
"Um, okay then?" Len said. 
"You can call me Popo-chan! It's what all the girls call me! Oh, we're going to be best friends! ☆" Gakupo said enthusiastically. 
"Um, excuse—"
"I heard we're going to be the only boys at this school! It's like winning the lottery! We get to choose from the cream of the crop, and no one to stop us! Just be sure not to steal anyone from me, okay? I already got my eyes on Miss Megurine Luka, she's a third-year—"
"What?!" Len exclaimed.
"Is something wrong, Len-chan?" Gakupo asked.
"Could you repeat what you just said again?" Len asked. 
"Really, you are? So am I! My name's Kamui Gakupo. I'm going to call you Len-chan, okay—"
"No, not that. About the school?" 
"Oh, that we're going to be the only boys at this school?"
"Yeah, that. Um…why?" Len asked. I'm one of the only males at this school and the other guy has to be him? Len thought. What did I do to deserve this, dear God?
"Well, Benibara Academy was originally an all-girls academy, and you have get a practically perfect score on your exams. Now, they decided to make it co-ed, but not many guys enrolled, I guess. But that makes it even better for you and me~♫"
"Rin-chan might have said something about that earlier, but I don't quite remember," Len said to himself.
"Who's Rin?" Gakupo asked.
"Oh, she's my neighbor and my best friend," Len said.
"Is she cute?" Gakupo asked, winking.
"Yes—I mean, no—I mean, yes of course, but I'm not interested in her. But keep your pants on!" Len said, flustered.
"You're blushing, Len-chan. How cute! ♥" Gakupo said. "You like her, don't you?"
"Just as a friend," Len said quickly, regaining his composure. "Nothing more, I'm serious."
"Ah, Len-chan, don't lie to your heart," Gakupo said. "If you love her, freely declare your feelings! No need to be afraid. For all we know, she might like you back!"
"I doubt it. We're more like brother and sister than anything else," Len said. The train started to slow down.
"Benibara Station…Benibara Station up ahead…Benibara Station…Benibara Station up ahead…"
"It won't be long, Len-chan," Gakupo said as the train slowed to a stop. 
"It won't be long…before that becomes something more."