Spice!

Chapter 8

What time's Miku coming? I'll stay out of the house so I won't distract the two of you.

After school, I guess? I doubt she'd stay for very long. And you don't have to stay out of the house - I'm just tutoring her.

What are you thinking, Len? I know that. It'd be best for you two to have a completely silent place to study in. Anyways I'll be home late, dinner's in the fridge. Love you.

Len just sighed and put his phone down on the table. So his sister would be coming home late again. He guessed that she'd probably hang out with Kaito Shion. Again.

How irritating. Couldn't Rin tell that Len wanted her to stay at home? She didn't have to leave the house just because Miku was coming. It wasn't like he and Miku were going to do anything illegal. Or something that shouldn't be for public viewing...

He shook his head to get rid of his perverted thoughts. Ugh. How he hated this new-found obsession with that girl.

If only he hadn't noticed her in class that day. Then he would still be suffering over Rin, but at least he wouldn't be agonizing over Miku Hatsune like he was, now.

This sucked. He tilted his head back, leaning against the cool stone walls. He was waiting for the green-haired girl outside the school library, like he had arranged with her yesterday, and she was late.

Len briefly considered walking away, but changed his mind. He wasn't that evil - she needed his help. He wasn't going to abandon her just because she was a little late.

Though he really hated waiting for late people. After all, if someone made an appointment with you, and you agreed, shouldn't you keep to it and actually show up on time?

''I'm sorry, Len!'' he heard Miku call out from behind him. She was clutching some books in her arms, running towards him, and as he watched she tripped and fell, her books spilling all over the ground.

Len went to her at once, helping her up from the ground. She blushed, brushing the dust off her clothes, then knelt down to gather up her books. Textbooks. Of course. ''Thanks,'' she muttered, face still red.

''It's okay. Why were you so late?''

''My history teacher held our class back. I apologise for my lateness,'' she made a cute little bow, a shy smile on her face.

Len smiled - he couldn't help himself. ''Never mind, then. Follow me,'' he turned, then glanced back. ''I'm walking back home. You don't mind, do you?''

She shook her head, falling into step next to him. Len looked at her, with her vivid green eyes and long, waist-length green hair, then shut his eyes and tried to block out images of himself kissing her.

I'm such a pervert.

Miku didn't know what to say as the two of them walked in silence to Len's house. She was walking next to the guy of her dreams (literally) and unsurprisingly, she had no idea how to start a conversation with him.

Why was she just so hopeless at this kind of thing?

Miku had never had a boyfriend, never had done anything related to romance. Her brother had been extremely protective of her, even when they were both children, and as a result she barely knew anything about romance.

The only reason she knew about sex was due to her science textbook.

''We're here,'' Len suddenly said, and Miku looked up, jerking out of her reverie. She studied the modest, two-storey house, then looked further down the street.

''That's my house,'' she blinked as she spotted it, further down. ''You're really my neighbour?''

''Didn't you know that?'' Len frowned at her. ''I've known since middle school.'' Taking a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the gate, allowing both of them inside.

So ever since middle school, ever since she had started liking him, he had been living just a few houses away from her?

Miku's cheeks warmed. How could she have been so ignorant? No wonder Mikuo always tells me I'm living in a world of my own.

He led her inside his house, up the stairs to his room. Miku noticed that at the second-floor landing, he glanced at the door opposite his for a brief moment, before turning away to his room. Curious, Miku looked at the other door.

Rin, the sign on the door proclaimed. Rin Kagamine, Len Kagamine's twin sister. ''Where's Rin?'' Miku asked.

He didn't look at her as he unlocked his room door. ''Out,'' he said shortly, providing no additional details. Miku shrugged and decided not to press for more.

The room door swung open, and Len strode in, tossing his bag onto the rumpled bed. Miku went in more hesitantly - it was the first time she'd been in a guy's room, other than Mikuo, and she didn't know what to expect.

It looked like any other guy's room, she supposed - the bed was unmade, there were shirts all over the floor, and some empty take-away boxes were strewn all over Len's bedside-table. His phone charger was still plugged in.

The only place that wasn't messy was, surprisingly, what appeared to be a study table. His books were lined up there, and they were actually lined up in alphabetical order. Miku's eyes widened - she wasn't that orderly.

''Sorry about the mess,'' Len said apologetically. ''I don't usually get people visiting my room. And I don't really notice the mess most of the time.''

''It doesn't matter,'' Miku smiled hesitantly. ''I mean, your study table is clean.''

He laughed, a rich, warm sound. ''Because I don't actually study on that table. I'm used to doing my homework and studying on my bed. That table's just used for organising books and files.''

Len reached out, grabbing a chair. ''Take a seat,'' he offered. ''I'll go get a glass of water or something.'' Then he left the room.

Miku sat, holding her bookbag in her lap. Len always looked so put-together; she'd never have expected his room to be so disorganised. She glanced at the books in his bookshelves, and her eyes widened - why would anyone want to read about criminal psychology?

''I can't even understand maths. And he's reading about criminal psychology.'' Miku just felt so dumb compared to Len Kagamine.

''Thirsty?'' he reappeared at the door, holding two glasses of water. She took one, and he walked in, sitting on his bed. Putting his glass down, he stretched, yawning. ''So what do you not understand about algebra?''

''Everything,'' Miku told him honestly. Len visibly cringed.

''Let's start from the basics, shall we?'' with a smile, he beckoned her closer to him. Reluctantly, Miku rose from the chair and walked to him, still carrying her bag.

Len reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of red spectacles, and even those spectacles didn't lessen his appeal as he wore them. ''Sit,'' he patted the bed, next to him.

Miku sat.

''So show me what you can do,'' he purred, pushing his spectacles further up his nose.