This is my very first fanfic and I know the plot is not original. I know that very well but I also know that no one must have written this story the way I did so please give it a chance and please do tell me what you think. I really need your feedback. Thankyou in advance for taking the time to do so. ^_^
Before I start there are a couple of things I should mention. This story takes place about 6 to 7 years after the events in the manga hence the story is almost completely based on the manga with only two very slight changes, which are: (1) Tsukimori can see Lili as well. (2) There is a slight change in the last chapter (i.e Ch 75) where Tsukimori does NOT confess his feelings to Hino, no matter how indirect. They have their moment without the confession. Everything else apart from these two factors is the same. Now, off we go:
Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda D'Oro. The credit for this awesome series rightly goes to Koei and Kure Yuki. ^_^
Prologue:
In the instant Hino heard the news, if a bomb had exploded at her feet she wouldn't have been more shocked than she was at what she'd just heard. She couldn't believe her ears! Shocked didn't even begin to describe it, for a whole solid minute her mind was completely blank. Disbelief raged supreme in her mind, it couldn't possibly be true! There was just NO WAY! How?! How was this even possible?! In that state of mind, she sank to the ground in front of the TV.
She shook her head frantically but apparently there was just no way around what she'd heard. Even with the whirlwind raging in her mind she could still hear the sounds blaring from the TV. Taking a deep breath she squeezed her eyes shut tight desperately trying to clear her mind and still her speeding heart.
After about a minute she was somewhat successful and the question had shifted from 'how' to 'why.' And the question that pounded repeatedly in her mind had become: 'WHY?! Of all people! Of all people, why had TSUKIMORI LEN just announced that he was going to officially retire from his career as a professional solo violinist just when he was at the very highest peak of his career?'
It was so sudden and completely unexpected that Hino just couldn't seem to get over the shock. And she was sure that everyone else who'll hear this news will also feel the same. Probably not to the same extent as her but she knew very well that, that definitely would be the case not just for all the people involved in the world of classical music but more so for all the people who actually knew the guy. 'This is completely insane!' Hino wailed internally. Hino had never ever, for even a single second imagined in her wildest dreams that a day would come where she would hear an announcement like that from Tsukimori and this led to the biggest question of all, 'why was he quitting?' She'd always felt that he would keep at his career till the very end, he certainly had the capabilities and talent and most importantly the drive to do so, so why this?
Now that the shock of the announcement itself, had somewhat started to wear off she began to register the presence of another feeling that was bothering her very deeply. Upon examining it, she was startled to realise that she was feeling hurt and it didn't just end there, she actually felt betrayed! Her mind reeled at the revelation. 'Why? Why am I...' but in truth a part of her knew why she felt this way. It was because Tsukimori had gone back on the promise he had made to her. The unsaid promise between them to work hard and wholeheartedly pursue their musical path to meet again on the same stage some day.
Since their last meeting she had worked very hard towards this goal. She had suffered many hardships and had had to overcome many obstacles but had kept going thanks to the support of her friends and through her will and determination. At times it was almost unbearable but her passion prevailed. She made sure of it.
It was true that it was something that she had initiated, she had been the one to promise him that she was going to chase after him no matter what and would catch up to him. It was true that it was all her own thinking but Tsukimori had respected her decision and accepted the challenge and after what had happened during their last meeting she could even dare to think that he had not only taken her very seriously at her word but had actually also been very hopeful to see her fulfill her end of the deal.
She knew she wasn't being delusional when she thought this because when she thought back to some of the things he'd said to her and done for her all that time ago she knew for sure that the person who wanted her to succeed more than anyone was Tsukimori himself. He had believed in her which is why he had spared the time to teach her all those years ago. Back then, when he'd come back for a short while with his quartet she knew that she had somewhat unintentionally ended up making him doubt his belief in her. He had been deeply disappointed in her, he'd made that very clear to her and once she'd realised this fully herself, she had reaffirmed her and Tsukimori's belief in herself.
Which was why, she was sure that Tsukimori would never take this unsaid promise between them lightly. He had been the one who had depended on her word. It was something very precious to the both of them. Not only that, she also knew that Tsukimori was the type who would never ever go back on his word. It was like he'd said once, more or less, "I wouldn't say it if I couldn't do it" and he'd proven it to her too when he'd shown up to her performance despite it being the day he was supposed to depart for Europe.
And so because of all this she knew with all her heart despite the initial feeling of hurt and betrayal that it must have taken something of a very huge magnitude for him to make this decision. Even if their promise wasn't taken into account and she excluded herself from the equation, Hino thought she knew Tsukimori well enough to know that he would never part from his violin, from something that was his very life.
At such a young age he had gained the kind of success and fame that took years and years to achieve and accomplish. He was almost like a celebrity in his own right. Right now, there was absolutely no one who didn't know his name; his concerts were even broadcasted on TV. He had world-wide renown. He was at the highest pinnacle of his career; he -in all honesty- couldn't possibly go any higher. No one in their right mind would quit at that point in their career least of all Tsukimori himself, who'd worked insanely hard to reach this point. She knew it very well; infact was even witness to some of it. This was his greatest dream, the very purpose of his existence.
'Though Tsukimori himself would have scoffed at this sentimental way of thinking,' the thought suddenly popped into her head and at the same time despite the situation a sudden, irresistible yet affectionate smile broke out over her face. She could just imagine his expression if he heard that, considering how he believed that these kinds of sentiments are worthless but no matter what he may say or believe himself, the very simple truth was that playing the violin was his life and too precious to him to be ever understood by just anyone.
By the time she'd finished with this thought process she had quite considerably calmed down and kind of accepted this turn of events. 'Something really serious must have occurred for that to happen,' a part of her mind spoke up again and she agreed wholeheartedly with the thought. He most definitely would make this kind of decision for a reason. A very important reason. If nothing else; at least that, she was very sure of. Deep down a small part of her heart had actually begun to feel deeply uneasy and worried at what could possibly have happened for him make this decision. Because of this a part of her began to feel very guilty at how selfishly she'd been thinking earlier. Thinking only about herself and not taking Tsukimori himself into account. 'Shame on me, really!' She scolded herself.
Then a thought suddenly leapt into her like a lightening bolt. 'Would his parents know? Surely they would know, right?' She leapt to her feet. She was going to ask them!