CHAPTER EDIT (7/5): There has been the addition of new scenes upon the discovery of a related song and editing of what has already been written. See the end for more information.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vocaloid and their characters. The Vocaloid program belongs to Yamaha. In this chapter, the characters and their designs belong to Crypton Future Media, descriptions to the best of my ability. This story is based off the Vocaloid Song and PV "秘蜜〜黒の誓い〜" (Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~) by Hitoshizuku-P with art by Suzunosuke. Please note that this is merely my interpretation of the PV. Please do not accept this as what the story actually conveys. I do try to make scenes from the video appear, but the contents are of my interpretation.

Clandestine

Chapter 3: Illicit Sacrifice

To be completely and utterly honest, angels have always hated the living world. It has always been a dirty, sinful place with filthy air and equally filthy beings. Although Adam and Eve were initially loved by the angels, along with all of the creatures that lived in the Garden of Eden, they were disliked when they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. After the time of the Great Flood that saved the pure Noah and his family, the earth had become sullied again. Jesus was the most loved for reasons that needn't be explained. However, angels of all rank despised going there and delivering messages from God to humans, no matter its importance.

Kaito, an angel bearing the rank of Power, was no exception. Like all of the other angels, he would do anything for his Lord. He would perform his duty like he was commanded, and would not let his personal feelings intervene in any way, shape, matter, or form. The earth was a place that he dreaded going to, but if he was to go there to perform the Lord's bidding, then he would without any complaints.

Through the clouds, the blue-haired angel could see the city. Taking in as much detail and smog as he could handle, he began to fly just above the houses, searching for that specific house where the teal-haired woman lived. Aside from his mission, something else lingered on his mind. A memory of happier times began to overtake him. If he found his Little Sister, he knew that he would have to kill her as well. As long as he didn't find the smaller angel, it would probably be best to remember the best times they spent together…

"Big Brother Kaito!" a young blonde angel said with a bright smile on her face. She ran up to the taller angel, "How are you doing today?"

Upon hearing his name, the bluenet turned behind him, noticing the eager angel. "Ah, Little Rin," he said, lightly ruffling the younger angel's hair. "I'm doing well. You?"

Rin accepted the tousling, but then she dodged away from it. "Wonderful, Big Brother. What are we going to do today?" she asked.

"You are in training to become a Power such as myself, so perhaps we should practice war skills?" Kaito offered.

"War?" Rin repeated, a look of apprehension crossing her face. "There hasn't been any problems since Lucifer's Fall and revolt…"

"Luka…" the elder said softly, his eyes becoming distant and lost in memories, "she was quite powerful."

Looking into blue eyes, the blonde blinked confusedly. "Luka?" She'd never heard the name of another angel cross the Power's lips before.

"That's Lucifer's true name, the name from before she Fell. Like you, I took her under my wing. She was extremely powerful and skilled, and quickly earned favor with Our Lord. However…she committed far too many sins to repent for them. She took it upon herself to remove her own wings and Fall," he said. His tone carried that of mild concern.

Such a tone was not lost on the blonde. "Did you care for her, Brother?"

Returning his focus to his young angel, a soft smile crossed his lips, "As much as I care for you. Luka was a precious Little Sister. Now," he began to change the subject, "shall we proceed to training? You'll learn how to fire a gun today."

"A gun?" the blonde asked, enthusiasm in her voice. There was a new light in her blue eyes.

Kaito gave a sight chuckle. With a fondness for weapons, she would probably make a good Power. The two angels started their walk to the shooting range. There were many other angels there, both Powers and angels in training to become soldiers, firing off guns. Some hit the targets, others were very close, and there were the select few that would definitely be asked to try and work under a different rank of angel.

The two found an empty space, and then the Power pulled out his gun. It was a type of revolver, silver that glistened white in the light. He inserted six bullets into the barrel, the gun eye level with the blonde. Her blue eyes watched his white-gloved hands carefully. "This is how you remove the safety," he said, flicking the switch. "And then…here, you can hold it," the bluenet got behind the blonde, placing the gun in her right hand and placing her fingers in the proper position. "Just raise your arm, finger on the trigger…" The blonde did as instructed, lining up the center of the target in her sights.

Softly, the Power gave the order: "Fire."

Immediately following the command, Rin's finger pulled back on the trigger. There was a minor kickback, but nothing serious. Exhaling her held breath, she looked over at the target.

Two sets of blue eyes became wide. Bulls-eye.

"Brother Kaito," the blonde said, getting over her initial shock, "was I supposed to get it on the first try?"

Closing his gaping mouth, the Power found himself able to speak, "On average, no." He looked down at Rin, a proud smile across his face. "That was amazing!"

The blonde gave a mildly embarrassed laugh, "Thank you. May I try again?"

"Of course."

Without being given orders, Rin aimed at the target and shot the last five bullets in succession. After the last one was shot, the two looked at the results. There were six holes, all aimed in nearly the exact same spot.

"Rin, you're a natural!" the blue-haired man said, wrapping his arms around the younger angel and picking her up, spinning her.

In surprise, the blonde gave a squeal before laughing. "Thank you, Big Brother!" she said back.

By this time, other angels and Powers had gathered, also observing the target. They began to murmur amongst themselves, and a few gave they congratulations and praise. In embarrassment, the two angels looked at each other before giving gentle laughs. The Power readjusted his clothes from his outburst, and the blonde tried to accept as much praise as she could.

This was all mere weeks before the blonde disappeared…

Suddenly, the bluenet recognized where he was. He noticed that the houses were exactly like the ones he looked at on the map he was shown. Any second now, he would arrive at the location where it was believed Rin was staying. However, he noticed that there was someone, a young woman sitting in the garden. Quietly, he lands behind her, taking a few steps.

The woman was the one he was looking for. She had long teal hair, five buns atop each other, and wore a black wedding-type dress with five layers, as well as who knows how many petticoats underneath to keep its shape. She stares at a flower ring on her finger, a loving expression on her face. It kept her distracted from noticing the angel behind her.

Kaito gritted his teeth, blue eyes glaring at the black bride. Slowly, he raised his arm, aiming the gun…

Something felt off to Michaela. She was told to wait as Len prepared a surprise for her, so she decided to remain in the garden where he had proposed to her just yesterday. She had hoped that today would be their unofficial wedding day, considering that she'd yet to formally sign divorce papers.

However, she couldn't shake the fact of something otherworldly behind her. For a brief second, she thought it was Rin. The presence was similar, but there was something quite different about it that caused her to dismiss the belief that it was the blonde angel. Hopefully, whoever was watching her was just passing by and would continue on their way.

"Damnable human!" a male voice shouted. Startled, Miku nearly jumped off the ground. "You have sided with the Devil, and have committed sins against God. Even if you start praying now, he won't save your soul. Prepare for the eternal damnation in the fiery flames of Hell!"

A click of what sounded like safety being removed from a handgun of some sort caused Miku to turn and look behind her. She briefly saw an angel with blue hair and eyes glaring at her, aiming a gun at her. "Wha—"

The gunshot was loud, reverberating in her ears. She fell backwards from the force, hair falling free from its style. Everything was turning hazy. Miku tried to breathe, but, instead, a liquid cough escaped her lips. The salty taste of iron filled her mouth, some of a sanguine liquid dribbling out her mouth. In an attempt to move, she turned her body to the side. Her eyelids were becoming heavier, and they eventually closed. The last thing she saw was the angel turning away from her, his work completed, and the flower that was on her finger. It was now crushed, a couple petals having fallen off.

'…what…' she thought as she began to sink into the darkness, losing consciousness, 'what was he talking about…

'Len…Rin…'

The blond was standing in the kitchen when he heard the gunshot. He remembered hearing once before that the neighborhood he and Michaela were living in was not the safest place. Abandoning the surprise he had just finished making, he strode out into the shared garden. Upon seeing his precious bride, his blue eyes became wide.

The black bride was lying on the ground, her eyes shut. Her long teal hair had become freed of its updo, strands stained and stuck together with the sanguine blood that surrounded her body. The pyxie ring was off her finger, now crushed just in front of her.

His worst nightmare had come true.

"Michaela?" he said softly, kneeling next to her. Len gently shook her shoulder, hoping for some sort of reaction. "Miku?" he called again. However, the teal-haired woman never stirred. She was already gone. Blue eyes became teary. The blond gently lifted the young woman towards his chest. He gave a sob, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

Well, almost nothing. Just before he lost hope, Len remembered what someone from his past had told him…

"If there ever comes a situation in which you want to trade your life for this Miku girl," a husky voice said to the kneeling blond, "then you will lose your own life. You will be neither angel nor devil, and neither will she when her time comes. You will become a spirit in the otherworld, and, when she dies, she will join you."

Crystal blue eyes looked over at the blond, "Do you understand, Rin?"

The young man looked up at the pink-haired Fallen angel, "Yes, Mistress Luka."

"I'm going to teach you a little prayer. If the time comes that such situation arises, then you must relinquish the vow you made by saying it. I want you to listen carefully to what I say, as I will only say it once." Softly and quickly, Lucifer said the spell to the newly Fallen angel.

"Understood," the blond said. He had absorbed the spell into his memory, and he would never forget it.

A soft smile crossed the woman's lips. "I can't continue calling you 'Rin', can I? I will change your name. As long as you are a man, your name is to be 'Len'."

The blond softly repeated his new name to himself. It had a nice, yet familiar ring to it.

"Now go and return to her side. May your black vow be fulfilled…"

"My dear, lying cold," the blond said, gently brushing Michaela's bangs from her face. There was a stream of blood from her mouth, some slicked on her lips like lipstick. "I will spend all my life for you as I swore on that day…" The tears were unrelenting; they refused the young man's wishes to stop. Len hesitated as he noticed that the gunshot wound was healing, the blood disappearing, and, the most miraculous part, her breathing started once again.

"My sin against God," he whispered, bringing their foreheads together. Michaela had truly started breathing again; the blond could feel the gentle tendrils against his cheek. It was true, the prayer would bring her back to life. The tears wouldn't stop, but at least he could be happy that his love would still be alive, even if it resulted in the lost of his life.

A gentle breeze started, loosening his hair ribbon. Blond hair fell free as Len continued his prayer. "All my acts of treachery should be paid by my death, so I will die for you…"

A soft voice was calling Michaela. She was submerged in darkness, but the voice of her precious love was calling out to her. She wanted to call out to Len and tell him that she was right here. That voice, however, felt like it was dragging her up from the obscurity that surrounded her.

From her closed eyes, she could see the gentle sunlight filtering through. A shadow mildly obstructed her view, which she believed was Len. "All my acts of treachery should be paid by my death, so I will die for you…" Miku heard. Len's voice seemed it was changing in reverse. A young man's voice should go lower, but his voice seemed to be changing in the other direction. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"I believe, that's my fate," a young female voice said.

The young man was not holding Michaela. Instead, it was the young blonde angel she hadn't seen in the longest time. Her blue eyes were teary, but a gentle smile was on her face. She was wearing black, the exact same outfit as Len, and, instead of her bangs braided, they were free and swooping from the part on the right. Petite cleavage peeked out from the open shirt. Her black-gloved hand gently brought the woman away so they could look at each other eye to eye.

Miku couldn't believe her eyes. The angel she had been yearning to see had finally appeared before her. But, why was she dressed like Len? She took a breath, "Ri—"

However, before Miku could finish the name, Rin disappeared. In her place, lightly floating towards the ground, was a black feather. She reaches her hand out to the freefalling feather, and brought it close to her. There was a strange sensation going through her, almost like a realization.

Rin, the young blonde angel that loved her secretly, and Len, the young blond man that loved her openly, were the exact same person. And she loved both of them the same.

She screamed, clutching the feather even closer. Hunching over and crying, Miku had memories flowing through her. With all of these wondrous memories, how could she have not made the connections sooner?

"Len, why do you have these scars on your back?" Michaela asked softly. The afterglow had barely begun for the two. The event that had just occurred was amazing, yes, and now it was time for insecurities to dissipate between the two. Presently, the teal-haired bride was sitting up, gently stroking the bare back of the younger male. Just inside his shoulder blades was the fibrous tissue.

"They only look and feel like scars, but it's only my birthmark. At least, that's what I like to think of them as. I had an accident when I was younger, and these marks never healed properly," the blond explained.

Leaning over, the teal-eyed woman brought her lips to the marks. The blond started before relaxing. "They're still sensitive, it seems," Miku said softly, a teasing smile crossing her lips.

Quickly, the teal-haired woman found herself again pinned under the blond. His blue eyes began to stare deep into hers. Her hands reached around him, resting on his back. Her fingers floated just over the scars, but their presence was quite evident. "Don't forget," Len said softly, provocatively, "that I can find every single sensitive spot on your body. I already know where a lot of them are."

The smile changed to a smirk, "Is that a challenge?"

"I'm…I'm completely in love with you, Len."

The blond's hand cupped her cheek again. "Michaela…" he whispered before leaning in to meet her lips. The two shared a chaste kiss. As they pulled away from each other, their fingers intertwined, a gentle smile crossed both their lips.

"Please, call me Miku when we're like this," the bride said, formally granting permission for him to use her nickname.

"Miku…" the blond said, bringing their foreheads together and closing his eyes, "although we've gone outside protocol, will you still spend the rest of your days with me?"

The woman also closed her eyes, "I promise. Until the end of time."

"…Oh!" Miku gasped when she realized what she had said, her own face flushing as well. "Oh, dear me, not like that at all! To do that…without being married…it's not appropriate!" she flushed a little deeper when she considered her company, "Especially with another female…"

"…No, I understand," Rin said, her voice faltering ever so slightly. "We'll merely be sharing the bed, actually sleeping. And…you'll have to forgive my wings." Said wings spread out slightly before folding back in, almost like that of a bird's.

"Now that I think about, you've always had your wings."

"To give up one's wings is to give up one's right of being an angel," Rin said, almost proudly. "It rarely occurs that an angel will sacrifice their wings. However, if it does occur, it's in a forbidden situation."

"Forbidden?" Miku asked. Her voice wavered slightly, "How so?"

"…Miku," Rin said softly, facing the teal-haired woman, "how do you feel about me?"

"Huh? Where did this question come about from?" the human said, honestly confused.

"Please," the blonde said, almost desperately, "just answer."

"Well…I love you, Rin."

Once again, a blush crossed Rin's face.

"You're like the younger sister that I never had while growing up."

The way the angel's eyes seemed to shine differently after saying that never set off signals in Miku's mind.

"You poor thing!" the woman said softly, comfortingly. As she pulled away from the angel, she reached for gauze and lightly wrapped it around the angel's arm. "Please, feel free to stay as long as you like," she offered, a smile crossing her features again. "There's no one here besides me, and I do get quite lonely."

The angel blinked her blue eyes once…twice…and resumed to looking at that spot on the carpet. "Thank you…um…."

The woman covered her mouth, "Oh, pardon my manners! My name is Michaela. However, everyone's called me Miku for as long as I can remember, so please, use my nickname."

"Miku," the angel said, testing the name on her tongue. "Thank you, Miku. My name is Rin."

"Rin…" Miku said, letting the solitary name ring through the quiet of the house, "that's such a beautiful name. It almost reminds me of a bell."

"I think yours is much more beautiful!" Rin said quickly. The blush on her face changed to red.

However, Miku could feel a blush of her own appear on her own face. "…Thank you," she said softly, "Rin…"

As she remembered everything that had occurred between the two (or would it be three?) of them, she failed to notice a new presence in front of her. "Michaela," the voice said softly.

The teal-haired woman, knowing that she must be looking awful, raised her head. She saw her brunet husband. Miku gave another sob, "John…"

"Where is the young man?" he asked. The look in his eyes barely showed any emotion to his bride. If there was one that Miku could pick out, it was betrayal.

"H-he's gone. He'll never come back," the woman replied, looking at the black feather in her hand. She couldn't bring herself to look at her husband's eyes. She was the one who betrayed him, and she should be the one who feels guilty. Michaela was the one who ran off after the wedding with another man, and she was the one who slept with that other man.

To her surprise, her husband kneeled down to her and cupped her face in his hands. They merely stared at each other, as if trying to speak without vocal communication. John brought his lips to her brow, lightly kissing her. The bride gave another sob. Her husband wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Reflexively, Michaela was brought in closer, still crying.

"Even if he is gone," John said softly, "that won't stop my lawyer from coming here and asking you to sign the divorce papers."

Miku pushed him away. Her tears began to flow again in overdrive. "You too, John? Is everyone leaving me?"

The brunet sighed, "If I had it my way, I would give you another chance. However, both of our parents agreed to us getting a divorce the second you left the church." The teal-haired woman covered her face with her hands, sobbing harder. "I still love you, Michaela, but I do have to agree. You'd…been acting different. We were close while courting and after we got engaged, but before the wedding, something changed. You're no longer in love with me, if you even were in the first place."

"I did, at first," Miku said, "but then I met that person that changed everything."

"Was it that man?"

A sad smile came over her face, "Yes…but then again no."

John had an air of confusion about him, "There was more than one man?"

"No, there was only one man, but he was also my precious, lovely angel."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Michaela told him everything: about Rin, about Len, and how the two were the same person. She said the Rin was an angel, and that Len was technically a human, but was really Rin without her wings and had undergone a change. She emphasized that the entire time that she was with Len, she never knew that it was Rin. To her surprise, it appeared that John believed everything she said.

"What happened to him?"

"Another angel came here and…killed me. However, Len made a vow to trade his life for mine if the situation arises. That's what happened, and, just before he disappeared, I saw Rin. That's when I finally made the connection that the two were the same."

It was truly shocking to Michaela that her husband didn't have an incredulous look on her face that carried the thought of sending her to an asylum. Instead, he sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders, "If you apologize to our parents and promise to stay with me, I'm sure they won't force us to sign the divorce papers. I don't even care if you don't have feelings for me. Please, Michaela…"

Miku considered the situation. It was somewhat tempting. However, she shook her head, "I'm sorry…but I can't bring myself to do that. I only want to be with Rin…or Len, depending on which I see. I must refuse your offer. I will sign those papers." She sighed, "I wonder if I was truly in love with you, John. I still think of you as a friend, so please feel free to visit me."

John chastely kissed Michaela, for what would probably be the last time. "I'll stay until the lawyer arrives. Until then, why don't we go back inside?" Giving her a hand, John helped Michaela up. The two walked back into the house, and walked into the kitchen.

Upon walking in the door, Miku covered her mouth with her hands. Just when she thought she'd run out of tears, she found herself able to keep crying.

Len had left a wonderful surprise: an apple pie.

"Did he make this?" John asked curiously, grabbing a knife.

"I taught Rin many things during the time she was here. One thing was how to make an apple pie. However, apples have further meaning," the teal-haired woman sobbed. "They are common, mostly artistic, representation of the forbidden fruit. For an angel to love a human is forbidden. Therefore, Len was trying to tell me that our love was forbidden, and that he's actually Rin…" Crying harder than before, Miku found herself unable to continue. John placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

Michaela sat up suddenly, her wavy teal hair flying up before falling again over her shoulders. She tried to take as many deep breaths as possible, but nothing could calm what she had just saw. Her teal eyes were teary from the dream she dreamt. She looked at the clock on the wall, illuminated by what moonlight filtered in from her window. Four in the morning on August thirty-first; it was her nineteenth birthday. And she would have no one to spend it with, because the person she truly loved was gone.

She didn't have to force herself to remember the dream. It'd been the same one that appeared every night after she lost Len…Rin…them. The dream always started the same: on that day she met the blonde angel. She dreamt of their days together, always ending with the incident that still conflicted the young woman to this day. And then, on her wedding day, she met the blond man. Her most precious memory was buried there, as well as the morning where they truly announced their love.

However, there was that mysterious blue-haired angel that attacked her. Even though she was shot, her thoughts instantly drifted over to the two, keeping them as separate entities and loving both of them. When she fell into the darkness, she saw everything that brought her to that point once again. However, Len's voice calling out to her brought her back to where she was, but now in the arms of the…blonde?

There were so many things Michaela wanted to do at the moment she opened her eyes and saw her blonde angel. No matter how improper or uncouth it would be of her, the black bride wanted to perform highly inappropriate acts with the angel right there in the garden. However, she didn't even have a chance to say her name before Rin disappeared right before her eyes, leaving only a black feather behind. The feeling of realization overcame her and she began to cry.

The sweet dream always ended with Rin disappearing. It would never change. The chances of her having a life with the one she truly loved would never come true. Just as she began to wail in the dream, Michaela would wake up and begin crying as well. Her rouse at four o'clock had become habit.

There was no use trying to get back to sleep; she never could. Instead, she rose from bed and chose to get ready for the day. Loosely tying up her teal hair into a bun, she put on her black robe and headed down to the kitchen. Grabbing a ceramic teapot, Michaela filled it with water and tealeaves. She placed it over a burner on her stove before heading back upstairs to get changed. Habitually, Miku opened the closet doors and reached for a black dress. However, she paused. There was something in her closet that she failed to notice before.

It was a white satin dress that was vaguely similar to her wedding dress. However, it was nowhere near as layered or flared as much, nor did it have the roses, but it carried the same shape and sleeves. There was some black on it, however, and it came from a loose sash around the waist.

The teal-haired woman was drawn to the dress. She slowly reached for the hanger, fingers gripping around the metal. Draping the dress over her arms, she walked over to her bed and carefully spread the gown across the sheets. She went to her dresser and quickly put on undergarments. Walking back over to the dress, she reached for the zipper in the back and pulled it down. She carefully stepped into it, pulling the silk-like material up over her corset and arms through the attached sleeves, sitting just off her shoulders. She reached behind her and zipped up the dress; a perfect fit. Braiding all of her hair and bunning it up, she gave a quick look at herself in the mirror.

The teakettle began to whistle. It was time for breakfast.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wear white," the brunet said as he took his seat in Michaela's living room.

It had become customary for Michaela and her ex-husband to have high tea together once a week, always on a Thursday. It was a very platonic affair. Although they signed the divorce papers, they kept their friendship very much alive. Michaela would always make the light meal and tea, while John would bring a dessert from a nearby bakery. They talked about life and how the porcelain business was doing. John had also been introduced to a young woman, around Michaela's age, and the two had started courting. Michaela was happy for her friend, fully supporting their relationship. The young woman had become a topic of their discussions before, but the two women had never met.

"I found it in my closet this morning and decided that it would be time for a change," the teal-haired woman said as she began to pour tea into the cups. "How's life been, John? How's Miss Lilianne doing?"

Adding a bit of sugar to his tea, John responded, "It's been fine. Business is booming for porcelain. Miss Lilianne…well…I invited her to come over." When teal eyes became wide in surprise, the brunet explained himself, "It was sudden! I never intended to without telling you first, but she asked why I couldn't see her every Thursday. I answered her and asked if she wanted to come over."

A doorbell interrupted the explanation. John quickly got up and began to walk to the hall, but paused at the doorframe. "Should I ask her to leave?" he asked, somewhat embarrassed.

A light giggle escaped Miku's lips, "No, it's fine. She came all this way; why turn her away?"

John ran to the door, opening it, "Ah, sorry, Miss Lilianne. Please, this way."

Michaela nearly jumped out of her seat when she laid eyes on her friend's companion. She had blonde hair, longer than the length Michaela was used to, pulled up into a tail. A black ribbon kept it tied into place. There were four black pins in her hair: two across her bangs to keep them out of her face and another two on the side. She had blue eyes, the exact same shade as two pairs that Miku loved. She wore a yellow dress lined with black lace. Her black boots clicked against the ground.

"Miss Michaela, I presume?" the blonde asked, a smile forming across her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Lilianne Clark."

"Charmed, Miss Lilianne. Michaela Hattenson," the teal-haired woman reached out a white-gloved hand. White satin met black satin, and the two gently touched.

Miku felt nothing. The similarities were remarkable but, unlike when she first saw Len, there were no romantic feelings towards her ex-husband's partner. Pulling her hand back, "Pardon me, I'll get additional cups and plates, as well as the dish." Quickly, she walked into the kitchen. She began to prepare the sandwiches, organizing them on the platter.

"Michaela, what's wrong?" the male's voice asked. She didn't even hear him walking towards the kitchen.

"I'm…sorry, John, but they're too similar."

"What do you mean?"

Miku turned towards the brunet, tears forming in her eyes, "Miss Lilianne looks almost exactly like Rin. She's taller and has longer hair, but the features are there. Their hair color…and eyes…everything is the same!"

John gave an expression like he was berating himself. "Michaela…I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have asked her to come over."

"No, you didn't know. It's fine," the woman said as she wiped her teal eyes. A soft smile crossed her pink lips, "She's a lovely woman, John, just as you described her. I wish you and her the best."

"Thank you, Michaela," the brunet said, a smile appearing on his face as well. "Would you like a hand?" Instantly, the white-dressed woman handed him the sandwich platter while she grabbed a teacup, saucer, and plate. The two began to head back to the living room.

The gentle glow of candles surprised Miku. Standing by a cake was the blonde, a smile on her face. "Master John asked if I could do this. Happy nineteenth birthday, Miss Michaela."

Still holding the china, Michaela walked over to the cake. There were nineteen candles around the circular vanilla cake. Inhaling deeply, she blew out all of them in a singular breath. Closing her eyes, she made a quick wish.

Her two guests applauded lightly as she set the china down on the table. "Thank you, both of you."

"Miss Michaela," the blonde asked, a mischievous smile crossing her lips, "what did you wish for?"

A sad, yet gentle smile crossed Miku's lips. "I made a vow to the person I love. I vowed that we'll meet again."

The three dined on the light sandwiches and cake, the tea complementing both perfectly. The couple left shortly after five, leaving the teal-haired woman alone in her house. The day had been long. Perhaps she should just skip supper and turn in early; she'd been up since four, so it should be fine.

Starting the water in the footed tub, she headed back to her bedroom to change into her robe and let her hair down. When she got back, the water was at just the right level for her to go into. Shedding her robe, she stepped into the tub. Instantly, her thoughts shot back to that one day…

"Wait, we're both going to go in…without clothes?" the blonde asked, a furious blush crossing her face.

A mildly embarrassed smile crossed Michaela's lips. "Well, yes. If it bothers you, you can go first."

Rin shook her head, "It's fine. I just didn't…expect…that." Hesitantly, she began to take her white clothes off.

"When you're ready," Miku said, "feel free to sit across from me." The teal-haired woman was already sitting in the bathtub, her legs drawn towards her chest. Reluctantly, the blonde joined her, a furious flush still across her face. Teal eyes watched the blonde carefully. She was fidgeting in the most adorable manner. Mischief filled her. Without warning, she pounced onto the smaller female, "You are so adorable, Rin!"

"M-mi-miku! Please, get off me!"

"Never! Not until you relax!"

"Please, stop! Ahhh!" the blonde groaned. Taken aback by the sudden vocalization, the teal-haired woman let the angel go. Her blush was red.

Concern was the first thing that came to Michaela's mind. "I'm sorry, Rin! Did I crush your wings? Are you hurt?"

Catching her breath, Rin sat up. "No, I'm…I'm fine. I was just surprised by your sudden outburst."

"Sorry," Miku said, lowering her eyes. Slowly, she began to reach up to blonde locks and began to scrub lightly at Rin's scalp. Upon feeling the angel tense, Michaela spoke soft words to calm her. "Don't worry…just let me get the shampoo and clean your hair…"

Michaela sunk herself into the tub, her chin just grazing the surface of the water. She knew what those blushes meant after the fact. Whether or not anything came from that, it was still true that Rin carried feelings for her back then. The teal-haired woman brought her hands to her face. 'Why couldn't you notice her feelings sooner, you fool? Did you know about them, but denied to return them because of society's standards? Or were you just too blind?'

The water had begun to get too deep into her, pruning her skin slightly. She grabbed her towel and began to dry herself. She put her robe back on before tending to her long hair. Miku walked back to the bedroom, and grabbed a comb to start combing her hair. She braided it loosely, not even bothering to tie the end, and then walked to her escritoire.

There was a quill pen sitting next to an inkwell. Picking it up, teal eyes gazed at the black barbs. She grazed her fingers over its softness. It was the only thing she had left from her blonde angel. Out of all of her writing instruments, she gave it the greatest care. The first step to keeping it in pristine condition was to never use it; it was only there for appearances and nothing more.

"Good evening, Rin," she said softly. "I decided to dress in white today. I don't remember ever having the dress, but I probably had it for a while and just never wore it. I decided that it's time for a change, now that I'm nineteen. Oh, that's right. Today's my nineteenth birthday. John and his companion, Miss Lilianne, came over and celebrated it with me. She's a lovely woman, and I wish her and John the best in life."

It had become another habit of Miku's to have conversations with the blonde. Even if they were one-sided and appeared somewhat schizophrenic, it gave her comfort. "Miss Lilianne…had you been visibly closer to my age and had longer hair, I think that you could have looked like her. It was almost like you were with me…but it wasn't the same. I wish that you could have spent my birthday with me…as Len or as Rin." A solitary tear ran down her cheek. Upon feeling it run, she paused and wiped it away. "Do you want to hear what my wish was? It wasn't really a wish, mind you, but I made a vow. Just as you made a vow to be with me, I'm returning it. I want to be with you. I believe that we'll meet again, Rin. I don't know when that'll be, but wait for me, okay?"

She waited for a reply that would never come. Bringing the feather to her lips, she gently kissed it before setting it back down on the small desk. Changing into her nightgown, she blew out the candles and headed to bed.

On an early September day, just after her nineteenth birthday, Michaela Hattenson was found dead in the study of her house.

A gun, one that was believed to come from the open box on her desk, was in her hand. An autopsy found that there was a gunshot wound in her head.

She wore a white dress extremely similar to a black one she wore at her wedding.

When her ex-husband was asked questions on if he knew anything, he merely told investigators that she died from a broken heart. He said that he had nothing to do with her death. Her death was deemed a suicide, and nothing more.

Michaela looked around. It was a strange, misty landscape. It was neither day nor night, but it could have been one or the other at the same time. Everything seemed so monochrome. Even her black wedding dress seemed to blend in perfectly with the surroundings. She blinked, knowing that she was wearing the white dress instead of the black one. Brushing her teal bangs out of her line of vision, she took notice of the ring on her left hand. She had thought that the pyxie ring was destroyed…

Something new was in her right hand. A large red apple sat perfectly in her palm. It seemed to have some shine to it, but it would be hard to judge in this monotony. Its glossy red skin tempted the teal-haired woman to take a bite into its juicy flesh, but she knew better. She already knew what that forbidden fruit tasted like.

"Miku," a female voice called out. Slowly, the teal-haired bride turned, and covered her mouth in surprise.

Standing just a short distance away, and steadily coming closer, was Miku's blonde angel. She was dressed in her white outfit, and her wings were on her back once again. There was an apple in her right hand as well, but it was colored a deeper red, almost black. A soft smile was on her face.

Michaela found it hard to talk. She'd been dying to see her angel in so long and had so much to say, but the minute they meet again, she found herself speechless. When she finds her voice, only one word comes out: "…Rin?"

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Rin said softly, now standing face to face with the black bride.

"I'm sorry that I didn't figure it out sooner!" the teal-eyed woman apologized. "Len…no, you were giving me all the signs, but I couldn't interpret them until after the fact."

"Len is the same entity as me," Rin said. For a brief moment, she changed her appearance to look like the young man, hair tied back and black clothes. "If you wish for me to be in this form, I can change it at will," he said before changing back to the female angel.

The black bride shook her head. "If you're both the same, then it doesn't matter what form you take. Rin…I love you. I was foolish and believed too much into the standards of society to think that I couldn't love you. However, when you were gone, I blamed myself and missed you more than my fiancé. When you came back as Len…then I discovered the attraction. I was in love with you, and I'm still in love with Len."

Softly, Miku began to cry, but stopped when a finger rested just under her eye, catching a drop. The black apple had been dropped, but landed on the ground softly before rolling away a short distance. "I've loved you since we first met, Miku. My feelings are the same, when I'm Rin and when I'm Len. Even if I changed into a third form, I would still love you with the exact same feelings that I've had since the start."

Yellow-painted fingers found their way into teal locks, guiding the slightly taller woman towards the angel's lips. Their pink lips locked together in a perfect way, even in such a chaste form. Black gloved arms wrapped around a bare waist, hands and apple resting just above the blonde angel's wings. The angel's hand left Michaela's hair, both now resting on a shoulder each. When both were out of breath, they separated. Teal gazed into blue, loving smiles on both their faces.

For a brief moment, the outfits of the two females changed. Michaela found herself in her new favorite white dress. Rin, on the other hand, was dressed as Len, the clothes dyed by the new color. Rin was visibly taken aback by the change, but as it faded, she looked at her love. "My vow has been fulfilled," Michaela said. "We met again."

Miku's red apple glistened in the gray light. The two females looked at it, no longer able to hold off the temptation. Holding it between them, the two lovers gently took bites from opposite sides. The taste was truly that of a delicious fruit, but it wasn't the forbidden taste that either wanted. This one could be finished. They would have all of eternity to find that fruit that was forbidden, yet succulent to both of them.

A/N: That's that. Clandestine is now complete. Thank you for those who have read and reviewed during the process, and now thanks to those who have read and review this after its conclusion. I will not be leaving this fandom for a while, so please expect more from my crazy mind.

Maybe I'll write a story where Rin and Len switch places like that…only they'd be separate entities and not the same…

I would also like to state that, as I wrote this final chapter, I discovered that Suzunosuke-san collaborated more with Hitoshizuku-P-san and a doujinshi is done. If you're cool and live in Japan, you can actually get your hands on this. The site the two recommend to order it doesn't ship outside Japan, as does a couple people on Yahoo Auction Japan. If you have a pixiv account, you can view some preview pages here: www(dot)pixiv(dot)net(slash)member_illust(dot)php?mode=manga&illust_id=10467756&type=scroll

(All I can say is: duuuuuuucks…or swans….but I kinda think they're ducks since they don't have long necks…but then again, I never see swans unless I'm at the zoo…)

Also, although I doubt any of you read over at my livejournal (which you can find at my profile, and then "Webpage"), but there was an omake and special bonus picture I shared with friends. ^^ I chose to share the cover of the doujinshi, so if you have time, feel free to drop by and see it!

Thank you again! I look forward to seeing some of you again some other time!

LVT~

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for what would appear as a "repost" but I found out something important involving this song! It turns out that with the purchase of the doujinshi above comes a CD which has "Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~" and a new Miku song, "Himitsu ~Shiro no Chikai~". makotokusanagi2010 on YouTube had posted the romaji and kanji lyrics to the latter on her lyrics blog, Vocalochu. After throwing the kanji through translators and dictionaries, as well as being caught red-handed by VocalRaynbow (you were right…), I decided to rewrite the last chapter with this new information. I have deleted the previous chapter three, pushing everyone's reviews back. If you can't review on this chapter, feel free to leave an anonymous one under your username and I'll get back to you. ^^

A couple notes on the new stuff. As "kuro" means black, "shiro" means white. In contrast to the angel's black vow, the maiden makes a white vow. I chose to make this change by having Miku start wearing white. There is a version of "Himitsu ~Mushoku no Chikai~" (the doujinshi, but in this case, I'm talking about the cover) where Rin and Miku wear white instead of black…

Lilianne is another nod to "Aku no Musume ~Seien no Gemini~". It's the princess's name. Why yes, I love the Aku no Monogatari. And no, it's not Lily, although I could have been evil and do that, but that's a different Rin. Act2, anyone? xD

(Now, if only I could get my hands on this song…)

LVT~