disclaimer: We do not own Kin'iro no Corda. If we do, we'd make sure that Tsuchiura ended up with Mori :)

Caught in the Act

"Kanayan," a querulous voice bespoke, tugging on the teacher's cream sleeve. Said teacher ignored him, comfortably leaning his hips on the desk without so much as a glance at the lime-haired upperclassman as he waited for their special guest.

Undeterred by the snob, Hihara Kazuki poked him hard on the ribs. Kanazawa, surprised by the jibe, drew back and could do little than glare at his pouting and impatient face when all he wanted to do was box him in the ears. But that would be too much, even for a lazy teacher such as he. Besides, he knew that expression Kazuki was wearing very well.

He leaned one hand on the surface of the wood, giving his undivided attention to the younger lad. "What do you want? Don't tell me you're hungry again." He sighed dejectedly. "You just had your lunch before this period. Now go back to your seat and stop pestering me."

But Kazuki stood his ground, mimicking his sensei's crossed arms. "I'm not hungry, sensei," he said in the same tone. "I'm bored and lonely and… and impatient! How long do we have to wait for the meeting to start and finish? If I wait any longer, I'm gonna end up like Tsukimori!" He jabbed a finger at the violinist's direction.

Following the trail of his finger, Kanayan saw Tsukimori Len glaring at everyone who dared to at look him, henceforth scaring the ladies in the room. Len's patience has always been thin when dealing with these kind of meetings, but Kazuki's threat was obviously a bluff and he told him so.

"And if your lonely, go talk to the girls over there," he continued, tilting his head towards the chatting female seated on the second row. "You could keep up with their pace. Or if you want to keep your masculinity, join them"—he indicated at the guys—"and do what guys ought to do… whatever that is. You could gladly leave me alone," he finished with a wave of his hand.

"But I want to ask you something that's why I'm standing here," Kazuki replied, his sensei's words falling on deaf ears.

He sighed. This will never end. "What is it?"

"When are we starting?"

He strangled the upperclassman… in his fantasies, of course, because he couldn't risk getting fired at such premature year of service. He kept his silence until Kazuki, not understanding his sensei's reason of evasion, skirted away with a muttered "Stupid sensei", which he ignored like a good adult, and settled into conversation with Ryoutaro, Keiichi, Junnosuke and Hasegawa.


.

Nami Amou, reputed journalist for the concours, arrived with the ever-charming Azuma Yunoki in tow three minutes and eleven seconds later. They had crossed each other's path, Azuma had generously explained to a curious Kazuki, and finding that they had the same destination in mind, proceeded upon going together so as not to waste precious time. Kanayan was not inclined to believe this, however, and resigned himself into leaving the room to get an aspirin from the infirmary due to a throbbing headache—caused by Hihara, no doubt. This left Nami in charge of the whole emergency meeting.

"Good afternoon, guys! Well, how do I start this… We have been called together by the headmaster due to a pressing matter regarding our"—she giggled—"I mean, your summer excursions as a reward for your effort in the concours."

Tsukasa Hasegawa raised his hand. "Are we, accompanists, included in these excursions as well?"

"In the first area, yes; you play a very important role in the completion of it—the same goes for the additional members. However, the second excursion will be reserved only for the participants and organizers."

"You mean, we get to have two trips this summer holidays?" asked Kazuki with an excited tone he could not contain to everyone's merriment. He flustered under their laughing eyes and twinkling smiles.

"Yes, Hihara-senpai. The first destination will be held in a shrine close by, some thirty minutes ride from the school and would last for a night." She frowned, a look of contemplation in her face at the following words: "The summer camp, your second destination, is somewhere in Kyoto, I think. I did not get to gather much information about it. " Looking up, she found Azuma's and Kahoko's eyes alight with mischief. "Now that I think of it, Kanazawa-sensei did not tell me anything about your second trip!"

Ryoutaro, sitting alone on the last row, smirked. "Better!"

"I think Kanazawa-sensei knows what is b—best for us, N—Nami-senpai," murmured Shouko shyly in a sibilant whisper.

"Eh?" In feigned surprise, Nami stared at her in wide-eyed innocence. "What do you mean Shouko-chan?"

Before Shouko could open her mouth to answer, Keiichi startled everyone with a question, having woken up from his five-minute slumber. "What are we doing in the shrine, senpai?"

Nami's innocent smile twisted into one of the devils'. "Why," she announced with a triumphant voice, "we will be playing, of course."

This doesn't sound good, Manami thought. Amidst the heavy rumble and grumble produced by the lads and scraping of the chair along the floor, she caught the eyes of Nami's sly orbs. She gulped down and watched as eight selected students unrolled their papers.

This doesn't really sound good.


.

"So… Let's start with Hino-chan. Whose name is written on your paper?"

"It says "Tsukasa Hasegawa", Hihara-senpai's accompanist."

"Oooh, I knew I should have selected the pairs myself… Let's get on. Tsukimori-kun~?"

"Takato Mio."

"Eh? M—Me?"

"Good luck to you, Takato-chan. Don't frighten her away before the game begins, all right, Tsuki-kun?"

"Don't call me that!"

"Next. Yes, Fuyuumi-chan?"

"A—Ano, Yu—Yunoki-senpai."

"Hmm, not bad, not bad."

"Indeed. I promise to take good care of you, Fuyuumi-san."

"Hn. How about yours, Hihara-senpai?"

"Sasaki Junnosuke. Let's win this thing, Sasaki-kun!"

"Relax, senpai. Save your enthusiasm for later. The game has not even started yet. So it's Hihara-senpai and Sasaki-kun. That reminds me, why are you here anyway?"

"The organizer, Kanazawa-sensei, kind of requested—ordered—me to join, explaining that you lacked one person after Shimizu-san's accompanist was unable to participate. So I'm here at his stead. Oh, you can also blame Tsuchiura for that."

"Hey!"

"Hold you horses, guys. Continuing… Kobayashi Nao-chan, whom did you pick?"

"Nozaki Rie."

"Ah, Fuyuumi-chan's accompanist, eh? She's a bit shy but a bit outspoken as well. You'll get along… Oi, you there! Tsuki-kun's accompanist, is it? Who's your partner?"

"I have a name you know!"

"Well, whatever. Who's your partner?"

"Yunoki-senpai's accompanist."

"See, you don't even know her name!"

"You did not bother writing it here!"

"Of course I did. And don't say another word; you're not in charge here. Sheesh… So this leaves the four of you. This better have an interesting conclusion."

"I picked… Shoji-san's name."

"Did you, now, Shimizu-kun?"

A grin. "Ohoho, that means… Ohoho, now this would make an entertaining headline. Scoop~!"

"What are you muttering about?"

"Oh, nothing that concerns you, Tsuchiura-kun. Nothing at all."

Her carefully nonchalant tone suggested otherwise, and Tsuchiura, poor suspicious Tsuchiura, could not shake off the feeling that something was up in the journalist's sleeves. He gave his paper another look—the feeling of indefinite foreboding slowly creeping up his definitely long spine—of which says, Mori Manami.


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this has been revised by jasmyr with encouragements from tungaw-girl