Running from the Past {Vocaloid Fanfiction}

Chapter Four

IA's POV

I gasp as we walk into Len's house. "It's just like I remember it!"

Len smiles and rolls his eyes. "The folks don't like change." He places his keys on the key rack next to the door.

"Lenny!"

"Oh, God." Len has just enough time to exclaim before Rin is squeezing the daylights out of him. "Sis, you're killing...me."

Rin pulls away and holds him at arm's length, a pout on her pale features. "Aw, alright." Her eyes stray to me and I wave awkwardly. "Oh, who is this?" She gives me a once-over, then gasps. "You look familiar." And just like that, I have stolen the attention of yet another person I never thought I would see again.

"Hey, Gakupo, you rescheduled with Yuma, right?" Len starts a conversation with Gakupo as they make their way upstairs.

My eyes follow them while I bite my lip. Traitors. Not even an apologetic glance. They left me for dead. And by dead, I mean Rin-style-interrogation. I had been through too many of these. Like when I would show up to a pool party of hers in a one piece with bruises on my thighs. She never knew when to shut up, and as far as I could tell, that part hadn't changed. Rin was still bombarding me with questions when I returned my gaze to her.

"I know! Were you that girl Gumi 'accidentally' hit with her car a week ago?"

My eyes widen. "No! I, um, just got into the city a few days ago. I've not been hit by any cars." I pause. "And what happened to make Gumi hit someone?"

Rin looks at me funny. "You say that as if you know her."

I remember Rin as someone who knew nothing about talking to people and interpreting their words. Of course, I knew her when we were nine. We were all pretty bad at interpreting the mood of a situation or a conversation, but Rin was just always worse than us. This was definitely strange. I try to appear appropriately nervous at what she said, but I'm not sure how well she could read me. She did catch the way I said Gumi without the word 'this' in front of the girl's name and the word person after it.

"Well...it's because...I'm IA." I smile weakly. Apparently, she buys my act. In reality, I just wanted to go hide in Len's room and not come out until Christmas. How long has it been since I slept inside a warm house?

"IA..." Rin mutters my name, staring at me with narrowed eyes as she does so. "IA!" She exclaims in sudden remembrance. "You were Len's friend! That ran away! Oh, I know you! We have to tell EVERYONE!"

I laugh, trying to hide my panic at her words. "I don't think that's a good idea." I say, scratching the back of my neck.

"Why not?" She whines.

"Um, well..." I laugh nervously, fear taking root in my stomach. "No reason. I just...don't want that many people to know."

"Okay. Well, it was nice seeing you again. I'm really glad you're back." Rin seems to think something over. "Please don't go again. I didn't know you as well as Len back then, but I'd like to know you better now. And I really don't want to see Len and Gakupo that sad again. So please, stick around."

After she hugs me and walks towards the living room, a sigh escapes my lips. Finally. At least the way she welcomed me back was a little easier to take than Len and Gakupo's constant tears. I was crying too, but that's beside the point.

Taking another look around my familiar surroundings, I realize that for the first time in what feels like forever, I actually feel safe.

I take my time walking up the stairs, unable to keep myself from stopping at each family picture hanging on the wall.