First attempt at La Corda fic, please don't flame me, just give me constructive criticism. I not own anything. Spoiler central people. Please enjoy! "" talking; '' thinking
A boy, about 5'8" with mess, light green hair, pale brown eyes and a slim and lanky form, dressed in dark pants, orange T-shirt and white jacket walked over the grounds of the Seison Music School. A messenger bag was slung from his left shoulder to right hip, and he carried a trumpet case over his shoulder. He was staring at the ground and seemed lost in thought.
"Hihara! Hey, Hihara!"
Kazuki Hihara turned to the boy a few inches shorter than himself with long lavender hair and a face that all women fought for. He was dressed in dark pants, matching vest, and white undershirt, a green tie completing his pristine look.
"Oh, Azuma. Sorry, I was sorta spacing out."
"Ah. What were you thinking about?" Azuma Yunoki gave him a knowing look that caused Kazuki to blush, bringing a dark pink tinge to his tanned cheeks.
He'd been remembering the training camp after the first selection. He had fallen on the small red head girl and stared into her large eyes, a darker shade than his own; remembered the smell of the strawberry pudding on her and her soft body against his. Even though he felt guilty for thinking that, he couldn't help but remember.
He was snapped out of his thought by the bell for class to begin. He quickly grabbed his things and ran for his first class. For the rest of the day, Kazuki tried to concentrate but he just couldn't focus long enough to absorb anything any teacher tried to tell him. After school, he went up to the roof with his trumpet to practice. It was where he truly first met Kahoko. She too had come up to practice. He could still hear the music their duet made in the courtyard.
"Hihara-sempai?"
Said boy gasped, juggled his trumpet, then turned around and saw her. The 5'3" goddess with red hair. Her black uniform and short white skirt accenting her figure perfectly.
"Hey, Hino-chan! Practicing?" 'Just act natural,' was going through his head.
"Actually, I heard music up here and wanted to see who it was. It was beautiful."
"Thanks! You wanna try for a duet?"
"Sure!" She smiled and got out her violin. "What'd you have in mind?"
"Hmm. How bout 'Ode to Joy'? It's by Beethoven. You know it?"
"Sure sounds familiar. Will you play for me first?"
"Of course!" He played with his usual vigor and fun, letting her easily realize how the song got its name, and how to play it. "You ready?"
She nodded and they played. The same unique and beautiful music came out to a different tune. He knew, from her tune, just how much fun she was having doing this. He closed his eyes and played for her while she played with him. As the last note hung in the air, he felt like a tension he'd been holding in had finally dissipated.
"Hihara-sempai, that was amazing! I've never had so much fun! Thank you."
He tried to suppress a blush. "I enjoyed it too. We need to do that more often!"
A noise beeped from Kaho's bag. She went to check it and it turned out that she had to go back home to help her older sister do something Kazuki didn't really understand. He waved goodbye from the top of the building as she walked home. He sighed and put his trumpet back to his lips and was about to play when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He nearly choked as he raised his instrument to attack the person, till he saw it who it was.
He was an inch taller than Kazuki, with short dark green hair and brown eyes. Well built and muscular from years of playing sports, he wore a dark uniform jacket, red tie and long white pants. The boy released Kazuki's shoulder.
"Sorry, Tsuchiura, I didn't know it was you."
"It's okay, so long as you don't jam that horn on my head." Ryotaro Tsuchiura said as he took a step back from the other. "I heard you and Hino playing up here and decided to listen."
"It's a trumpet." He mumbled. "Yeah, she came up while I was practicing and we ended up playing a duet."
"Uh-huh. I saw that look."
"What look?" Kazuki pretended not to know what he was talking about.
"You love her. You, me, Tsukimori, and Yunoki-sempai. She is a great person, which is probably why we'll end up fighting for her in the end. She's admired by most of the girls in the school, including Shoko, and Keiichi fell in love with her music along with many first years."
"I know, could she be more perfect?" Big dreamy look appears on his face. Ryotaro sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"I don't know but, just be careful, ok? Don't do anything stupid that will hurt yourself or her. Especially her." He sighs again and leaves.
"Ok! Same to you." Kazuki yells after him. After Ryo left, Kazuki continued to practice, wishing for his music to reach Kahoko.
The next day at school, all participants were called into the music conference room. The third selection's theme had been decided. The theme was 'The Irreplaceable Thing'. And the performance was in two weeks. Everyone was told good luck and dismissed.
"Hey, Tsuchiura-kun, what're you thinking of playing?" Kahoko asked as they walked back to the gen-ed portion of the school.
He thought for a moment. "Chopin's Revolutionary. Every time I've heard it, I think that he wrote it knowing there were things worth fighting for. What about you?"
"Oh, I haven't decided yet. I need to look over the music I have and look for others, and try to find the best piece."
"Hope you find the piece you're looking for. I'll see you later." He went off to his class leaving her at her class door.
"Kaho-chan! What'd they tell you?" Mio, a girl an inch shorter than Hino with short, curly, dirty-blonde hair and big blue eyes, asked.
"Yeah, what'd they want you for? Was the new theme picked?" Nao, a girl taller than Hino with black hair and dark grey eyes said.
"Yeah! It's the Irreplaceable Thing. I'm gonna go to practice ok? I'll see you later."
She packed her bag and grabbed her case and ran down the stairs to the music department practice rooms. As she was about to go into a room a boy as tall as Kazuki with short blue hair and brown eyes, in a white uniform and red tie came out and almost ran her down.
"Tsukimori-kun! I'm sorry, did I disturb you? I'll go to another room." She was about to leave when he grabbed her shoulder.
"No, I was just finishing. The room is yours. Please excuse me." Len Tsukimori said formally.
He left her bewildered, but she went in and started her practice with her magic violin. After her warm ups, she looked through her sheet music for something appropriate to play, a tiny being with blond hair, lavender eyes and dressed in a blue leotard with light blue wings, appeared.
"Hino Kahoko, I've heard the new theme! I've brought you music that's suitable!" A large amount of music and books showered Kahoko's head. "Do your best, Hino Kahoko!"
"Lili!" But too late, the music fairy was gone.
She sighed and picked up the music. She stopped on a booklet of Tchaikovsky's Melodie. She opened it and read through it. The red head knew it had a meaning behind it but needed to hear it before she truly knew. She was startled by a knock on the door. She turned and saw a blonde boy with blue eyes who was taller than her and dressed in a white uniform with a blue tie, he was carrying a large blue cello case. Behind him was a girl shorter than Kahoko with aqua hair and grey eyes also dressed in a white uniform with a blue bow, holding a black clarinet case, shyly waved to her.
"Kaho-sempai," Shoko Fuuyumi said shyly. "Do you need help with those papers?" She bent down and picked up a paper and handed it to Kahoko.
"Thank you, Fuuyumi-chan. I've got it; I'll get out of your way Are you and Keiichi practicing together?"
"Not exactly." Keiichi Shimizu said in his slow, sleepy way. "Fuuyumi needed help getting the right tone on her clarinet and asked me to help."
"Ah. She nodded in understanding. "Then I'll leave you to it." She grabbed her things and left the two first-years to their practice.
On her way home, she stopped off at the music store and bought a CD of Tchaikovsky's Melodie to listen to at home. It started raining as she rounded the last corner to her house. She quickly ran inside and went upstairs to her room. She dried off the violin case and carefully put it in the corner of her room. She put the CD in her player and listened to the soothing sounds.
And so life went on for two weeks. Kazuki tried to keep his obvious feels from being obvious (and failing to anyone except Kahoko who was oblivious anyway); Tsukimori was coldly indifferent to anyone except Hino, he was polite to her; Tsuchiura went on trying to balance soccer and the concours, Azuma was still as polite and charming as ever even when being bombarded by his fan girls; Shimizu, all he did was sleep and play the cello, and Shoko, she tried to open up a little more but still stayed to herself and her clarinet.
And then, one day in the middle of the second week, Kaho took her violin and went to the park, trying to find a place to practice. She passed the large fountain in the square and the pier over looking the sea. She came upon a fenced-in basketball court where six boys were playing. One made an amazing 3-point shot and jumped around; Kaho recognized him.
"Hihara-sempai!"
"Hino-chan?" He ran out of the court to her. "What's up? Practice?"
"I was thinking of practicing in the park."
"Oi, Kazuki, a friend from school?" The speaker was taller than Kazuki with black hair but with the exact same color eyes dressed in black shorts and a red T-shirt.
"Yeah, Aniki, this is Kahoko Hino, a second year."
"Hi, I'm his older brother, Haruki. This guy's a lot of trouble isn't he. Sorry."
"Uh, no, that's not for me to say." Kaho stammered out.
"Don't talk so much!" Kazuki exclaimed at his brother.
The chain link fence rattled causing them to look over and see all the boys staring at Kahoko.
"Kazuki's girlfriend?"
"Hey, she's cute."
"Wanna come play with us?"
They said this and Kazuki flipped, getting between them and Kaho.
"Stop it guys! Sorry, Hino." He added to her.
"No, it's aright. Is it ok if I practice here?"
"Of course! Just let me know when you're going home."
"Yeah." He ran back into the court.
Kazuki went back to playing with the other boys and Kaho started practicing. At one point, Kazuki wished he had his trumpet to play with her. As she plays, she thinks to herself, 'it's been awhile since I've played this calmly, it's gotten strangely noisy lately.' She remembers Yunoki kissing her head and hits a sour note.
"Hino-chan?" Kazuki calls.
"I'm sorry! It's nothing." 'That was an accident.'
She was about to try again when she remembered Tsuchiura's ex-girlfriend thinking that she was now his girl. And again she hit the wrong note. This time Kazuki came out to see her.
"What's wrong Hino-chan?" He asked her concerned.
"Sorry…"
"Kazuki!" Haruki called him. "I just remembered something I have to do, so I'm going home." One by one the other boys left as well, despite Kazuki's protest that the game wasn't over yet. Haruki put on his hat and gave the ball to Kazuki. "Treat it as thanks for the hat." And he left.
"So, can I take you to tea?" Kazuki asked Kaho.
They walk out of the park to a small café.
"Sempai, I can pay for my part." Kaho said carefully.
"It's OK. I didn't thank you properly for helping me pick out a present." Kazuki stopped suddenly and he looks back at her, then to where she's staring.
"Hino-san?" This is said by a short girl with wavy brown hair, teal eyes, dressed in a pink dress and a short sleeved white jacket. The boy with her turns around.
"Hino! Hihara-sempai?"
"Tsuchiura?"
"Ah, that's your real boyfriend right?" Mizue Sakimoto asked.
"Boyfriend?" Kazuki starts stammering.
They all sat down to try and explain. "I did it again. I'm sorry. It's just, when I say you two, you looked so good together."
"Looked good together?" Kazuki repeated.
"I'm Mizue Sakimoto, Ryotaro's ex-girlfriend."
"Ex-girlfriend?" The trumpet player looked at him for explanations.
"Yeah, a little in middle school." Ryotaro explained vaguely.
Kazuki jumped up excitedly. "So you have gone out with girls before!" Everyone in the café looked at him and giggled.
"Hihara-sempai." Ryotaro tried to calm the older boy down.
"You're a sempai?" Mizue asked
"Yeah, Kazuki Hihara, third year."
"Are you in soccer club, too?"
"No, I'm in oke club."
"Oke?" She was absolutely perplexed.
"Orchestra club, I play the trumpet."
"Ah. Are you in the concours?"
"Yeah. Hino-chan's amazing on the violin. And Tsuchiura's playing the piano, too."
"You play piano?" She directed this to Ryotaro.
"He jumped up on stage and did Hino-chan's accompaniment! It was incredible!" Kazuki cut in.
Mizue sat thinking for a few minutes. "Hino-san, were you and Hihara-san practicing together?"
"No. I was practicing in the park and Hihara-sempai and his brother were playing basketball."
"Aniki had something to do so he left and we came here for tea." Kazuki picked up.
"You know, Ryotaro, you weren't only good at soccer, you were also good at basketball too."
"Really?" Ryotaro asked.
"Yeah! All the girls would watch you and every time you made a shot they'd all shout 'So cool!' You don't remember that?"
"How would I know that?" He asked dejectedly.
"Wouldn't you like to see it, Hino-san, a show-down between these two?" Mizue asked her. Everyone looked at her.
They went back to the court. Kazuki started stretching while Ryotaro warmed up.
"I don't see why I have to do this." The latter said discontentedly.
"I do this often with my gen-ed friends but this is the first time with you, Tsuchiura."
"I don't do this off campus."
"Yeah, I guess it would be bad if you sprained a finger." Kazuki teased.
Ryotaro glared at him. "I won't make such a blunder." He dribbled and circled passed Kazuki for a shot.
"Ryotaro's so cool!" Mizue said.
"Amazing." Kahoko added. Kazuki looked back at them.
"My turn." He dribbled straight at Ryotaro, jumping backwards at the last second for a three point that was nothing but net.
Mizue clapped. "Hihara-san's great! Don't you think, Hino?"
"Yeah!"
The boys looked at them, then each other. The game continued like that, each trying to top the other and shooting basket after basket. As they did that, Mizue explained to Kahoko why they broke up. He'd never seemed happy around her and she wanted him to be happy.
"I always wanted him to call me by my first name, but he never would. Tell me Hino, which is you're favorite. Ryotaro, Hihara-san, or that guy you were with at the station?"
"Huh!?" Kahoko made the sound so loud the boys looked at her. Unfortunately, Kazuki was still running with the ball and tripped over Ryotaro's foot, crashing to the ground.
"Hihara-sempai!" Ryotaro went over to him. His right arm had a really bad cut on his right arm.
"Hihara-sempai! Are you alright?" Kahoko ran too him. She saw his cut. "You're bleeding aren't you?"
"It's okay! It'll heal if I lick it." He said waving his arm.
Mizue walked out on the court up to Ryotaro. "I'm going home. Escort me?" She grabbed his arm before he could protest and they walked off.
Kaho took Kazuki over to a fountain and ran his arm under cold water.
"It's fine!" He tried to protest.
"It is not! What if bacteria gets in it? What are you gonna do if it affects your performance?" She berated him as she cleaned the cut
He was listening with only half an ear. He was level with the top of her head and was amazed at how good she smelled. Then he remembered that Azuma kissed her on top of her head and pulled back a little.
"Is something wrong, Hihara-sempai?" She asked.
He blushed and looked away. "No! It's nothing."
She rummaged through her bag and found a band-aid. "Hold out your arm." He did as he was told and she put the red plaid bandage on his arm. "It's tacky but it'll be ok."
"Thanks." He paused for a moment. "Kaho-chan."
She looked at him. "Huh?"
"Uh, it sounds cuter that way, 'Kaho-chan.'" He spoke fast and turned red even faster. "I can't, huh?"
She averted her eyes. "No, it's ok."
"Then you can call me, 'Kazukisempai.'" He offered.
Kaho blushed and remembered what Mizue said about wanting to be called by her first name. "I think I'll pass."
"Oh. Ok."
She grabbed her bag and her violin case. "I'm going home now, ok?" She started walking.
"Kaho-chan." Kazuki murmured.
"Something wrong, Hihara-sempai?" She asked with a smile over her shoulder. When he didn't answer, she kept walking.
He put his hand to his elbow. "That's it. I really do lover her." He walked home with this thought resounding through his mind. He grabbed his trumpet and walked back to the walk over-looking the harbor, and started playing. As he played he remembered the tenderness that Kaho displayed when she fixed his arm.
End of Chappie one. There are more to come, so stay tuned to this station for more details.