AN: - foams at the mouth - The narration just killed me...

I apologize for the wait, but hey, the time between chapters is spent rather effectively (erm, to a point) since I mull over story flow, validity and in-character actions (like the smex that we all want Len and Kaho to be having but is rather unlikely to happen in the manga), and I get better ideas on how to incorporate the things I want to into the story without taking away the realism/believability. Trust me, I spent many a night tossing and turning with this. And of course, let's not forget real life. Pay me and I shall quit my current job and update regularly. (No, this is not me asking for money. This is me saying I need to work so I can have food and shelter ., and that gets in the way of updating.)

Better late than never, yeah?

Yes, I spent 2300+ words on Edward and Haruka, but they do talk about relevant stuff, so please plow through it patiently. 'Sides, I like them, and it's not as if I'd be writing an entire novel (read: oneshot) on them anytime soon, so this is the only place where their story can be told. There will be plenty of Len x Kaho love soon enough.

At the end of the chapter, there is a glossary of sorts regarding the many topics that might seem confusing to a lot of you. Let it not be said that I didn't do my research.

Recommended: The song Kahoko sings is 'Ongaku' (trans. Music) by Sakamoto Maaya-san. She sings from the second verse onwards. I'd recommend having that playing in the background while you read that part. Google it, or search it in Youtube (which should be available there).

Disclaimer: Kiniro no Corda is the property of its respective owners (Koei, manga by Kure Yuki-sensei, anime by TV Aichi). The OCs Taniyama Haruka and Edward Kaufman, as well as this story, plot and all, was created by me. The song 'Ongaku' is by Sakamoto Maaya-san. Song lyrics and translation was taken from Nostalgic Lavender, so all credits go to them.

Summary: Five years after Kahoko willingly left the concours, her teacher introduces her to none other than the one person who was closest to finding out the truth about her and her magic violin. Now that Len is determined to find out the truth, can Kahoko manage to keep her secret? Will she even want to?

Aria, Con Amore

Chapter 1: Dolente

o-o-o

dolente

adj. & adv. (do-len-te) 1. sorrowfully, mournfully

o-o-o

Edward stretched out on the sofa, staring at the ceiling with hands under his head in a rather lazy fashion.

"You seriously have not changed one bit! I can't believe you!"

The dark burgundy color of the ceiling made the room feel cozier than it would've if it had just been plain white. He slowly mapped out all the weird patterns he could find.

"I came here to ask for Tsukimori-san. Just because I didn't ask for you, you go and get all jealous? What are you, ten?"

If he used the fire poker and made some holes over here, and a cluster of holes over there, then went up to the next floor and put a lamp on the floor directly over this room, he'd be able to get some of his favorite constellations. Although, is a fire poker enough to drill holes through the ceiling? Maybe he should ask where the hand-held drill was kept...

"And why don't you at least put your clothes back on?"

Green eyes shifted to stare at the irate Haruka to his right. She had her hands on her hips in a no-nonsense manner, and a furious glare was fixed on her face. Her disproving look would've worked if it weren't for the top few buttons that were still undone on her blouse.

He gave her a wide grin.

"I didn't hear you complaining when I was deep inside of-" He was cut off by the pair of pants thrown over his head, the brunette giving a shout of frustration (and embarrassment, though he currently couldn't see the red across her cheeks). Edward chuckled. Even after not seeing each other for so long, she was still the same cute Haruka he loved to tease.

The brunette let out a huff. "Seriously! I don't know what I'd ever do with you."

"Oh? I've got some pretty good ideas." He squirmed on the couch as he put his pants back on, not bothering to get up to dress properly. "And for your information, I will never get jealous of that blue haired brat. He's ten years too early to try to beat my charms."

Haruka handed him his dress shirt and vest, one eyebrow raised. "Then don't tell me you got jealous because I mentioned Kanazawa-san?"

"Can I help it if I'm a little insecure?" The blond pouted. "You had this really big crush on him, after all."

Haruka sighed and bopped him on the head. "That was in the past. I'm over that, and you know he never felt anything of the sort for me. Be more of a man!"

"Men have feelings too you know!" He gave her an injured look. "'Sides, all those years the both of you were in Tokyo together without me around..."

The brunette's blue eyes were as cold as ice. "Are you saying you thought I was going to cheat on you?" All she got was a shrug in response.

"Things happen. People change. The future isn't set in stone." Edward kept his voice carefully neutral as he spewed out the clichés, his gaze back to the wine-colored ceiling. He heard Haruka let out a deep sigh beside him.

"I am not like your mother, and I am definitely not like that hussy you were with before me. When will you drill it into that thick skull of yours that I'll never leave you?" She wrapped her arms around him. "Besides, the only reason I mentioned Kanazawa-san is because of Kahoko-chan. He was the one who asked me if I could take her on as a student."

He hauled her up on the couch to lay against him, arms wrapping around her securely. "Really? What did he say?"

"Hmm, nothing much. Just said that he had a former student who wanted to go into the teaching profession like we did, and that she was also minoring in voice since she wanted to teach music." She stared thoughtfully at the ceiling with him. "He didn't say anything much about her, and I never thought to ask. I was thinking I'd meet her just once and then decline."

"But you ended up taking her in."

Haruka nodded. "I've already told you most of the details in my emails and on the phone. But really, when I first saw her and asked her to sing... I couldn't believe it when she said she'd only started taking singing seriously that summer we met, before her third year in high school. Though I could tell she didn't have any professional training at all, her voice was full of her emotions, and her sound was more honest than most professionals I've heard. Still, I was kind of hesitant to take on a student."

She laughed a little bit. "I guess Kahoko-chan was able to tell, since she tried really hard to sway my decision."

"Please. I really love music, and though I only have my voice, I'm happy I can express my emotions and my love for music through singing. I want other people to experience the joy music has brought me. I want to be a music teacher so I can help them find and develop their love for music."

Haruka smiled softly at the memory. "I could tell how important it was to her to be a music teacher. I could see the determination in her eyes, and the sincerity in her voice."

Edward hummed thoughtfully. "She was just like you were, huh?" He felt the brunette nod.

"She reminded me of myself." She paused, left hand moving to touch her throat. "Before my operation..."

The catch in her throat had the blond tightening his hold on her. The brunette shook her head to clear it and continued.

"I was really tough on her. I only had two conditions, but they were very difficult. First was that she has to get into the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music."

Edward let out a whistle. "Geidai? She was able to pull off getting into the school second only to Todai in acceptance rate?"

Haruka nodded. "She was in the reserved list. It was a stroke of luck that some of the overseas students who passed were able to get into Juilliard, so there was an opening for her."

"Still though. Geidai is infamous for being hard to get into."

Haruka's reply was thoughtful. "One of my old professors judged the applications, and he told me later on that he saw the same spark in her as he did in me."

"She has raw talent, that girl, though a little more unpolished than you were when I first heard you sing. Well! If she ever makes it in, I'll look forward to seeing what the two of you can accomplish."

"My second condition was that she has to maintain a good grade on all the subjects I was going to have her take. I decided that instead of just the basics that she needed to pass the course, I was going to give her first-class education, everything I learned as a professional singer here and when I went to Europe. Not to mention the basic training I had to put her through."

"Basic training... She had to improve her breathing, I guess, since she was an amateur?"

Haruka grinned. "I had her enlist as an honorary member of the track team. Along with the breathing exercises I had her do regularly, running every morning with the track team helped improve her lung capacity."

"And her studies?"

"Besides her usual Education classes, she took music appreciation, History of Music, music theory, harmony courses... I had her learn the piano too. Good thing she had a friend who was a piano major and was able to help her. Everyday, I required her to practice her keyboard skills for an hour, then her singing for two. I had her study English and Italian since a lot of the songs she was singing were either of the two. I didn't want her to just idiotically sing anything without at least understanding it. I forced some German on her too, just enough so she can carry a conversation decently."

The blond winced. "You forced all of that on the poor girl? I'm amazed she's still alive."

His lover tried to elbow him in the cramped sofa they were on. "Give me some credit. I wasn't that hard. All college music student have to go through some difficulty."

"Difficulty? She might as well have enlisted in the Self-Defense Force!" He deftly trapped both her elbows with his larger arm. "And didn't you say she came from her part time job on the day of our meeting? She has a job on top of all that studying?"

"When I said I saw determination in her eyes, I meant her eyes were brimming full of it." She smiled a big toothy grin up at him. "She struggled for the first year, but she maintained a good, steady grade in all her classes. Her second year, she got used to the workload, and she even started excelling in some of her classes. She's naturally gifted, you know, with an aptitude especially geared towards music. I'm really proud of her as her advisor. Even her teachers tell me they find her earnest, hard work a breath of fresh air."

Haruka let out a happy laugh, surprising the man she was cuddling against. He hadn't heard such a sound come from her lips for so long now...

If she had looked up, Haruka would've seen the soft look Edward wore on his face as he looked down on her head.

"Kahoko told me she found a lot of her classes intriguing and challenging. She was learning a lot about music that she wouldn't have learned otherwise, she said. During our practices, we even have a lot of fun, sometimes singing Italian arias to rap music or singing Broadway songs like some by Gershwin in Italian or German."

She laughed again at the memory of those wonderful afternoons spent with her student in that somewhat cramped corner music room on the third floor of the practice building. They had spent countless hours there, refining Kahoko's technique, training her voice, and just generally indulging in their love of music.

Before she knew it, the comment had slipped out from her lips. "I never knew I'd look forward so happily to music again."

That had immediately sobered Edward up. "Does that mean you're done sulking in Japan?"

"I was not sulking!"

Edward ignored her. "So you'll stop pushing me away now?"

Haruka buried her face against his chest and nodded. "I'm sorry I left you in Vienna. After my operation, staying there was too painful. Everywhere I looked reminded me of what I'd lost. I had to leave..."

"You had to lick your wounds by yourself. I understand."

Her left eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Don't make me sound like an animal."

Edward was unrelenting. "Hey, I call it like I see it. Besides, you don't seem very apologetic, so why should I apologize for one harsh comment when you left me alone for all those years?"

"I already said I'm sorry! But here, I'm saying it again. I'm sorry. Okay?"

"You're fine now?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

She was getting exasperated. "Yes!"

"So you'll marry me?"

"Yes!" The syllable was out before the question registered. "Wait... What?" Large blue eyes turned to look up at the blond in shock. Along with the surprise, there was hesitation there, and hope.

It was that look of hope that had the blond squeezing the woman in his arms gently. He shifted them both so he could kiss her lightly on the lips. "You can't take it back. You already said you'd marry me."

She sniffled on his shirt, trying to hold back her tears. "But I can't sing professionally anymore, and teachers don't really make a lot of money..."

He sighed against her hair. "What am I, a bum? I do have a job, you know, and it's a very good one at that. I can provide for us well enough alone."

"But your job as Tsukimori-san's agent... What about going back to Europe?"

"My agency is actually situated here in Japan, and Len said he's staying in Japan for good. If we ever have any concerts in Europe, I won't be away for more than two weeks at most, and Len doesn't like doing world tours often so we only do that once every two years."

She frowned thoughtfully down at his chest. "This really might just work, huh?"

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "Your confidence in our relationship astounds me."

She crawled up his body, now fully on top of him as she aligned her body to his, and glared at him face to face. "Oh, shut up you." She leaned down to kiss him, hands already unbuttoning his shirt.

It was after a while when they stopped, both having lost all their clothes in the process, but happy and sated nonetheless.

"I guess I owe Kahoko-san for this." Edward thought out loud, one of his hands absentmindedly rubbing Haruka's back in circles. "Why aren't you with her, by the way? Shouldn't you be grilling her at practice with cheesy Broadway music in Italian?"

Haruka yawned, stretching languidly against his body. "I gave her today off for her free study time. She has some major projects due in some of her classes." She grabbed his shirt and draped it over them as a makeshift blanket, snuggling deeper into the warmth that was Edward. "Besides, I wanted to talk to Tsukimori-san a bit."

"Eh, he's not here. Said he won't take long, but he's been gone for more than an hour now. The crew and I were actually quite surprised when he said he was going off somewhere to do something. He didn't tell me where he was going, but I did see him write down the contact information you gave me." Edward smirked. "He was trying to be sneaky about it too, that brat. What did you want to talk to him about?"

Haruka flashed him a mischievous grin. "About that actually, I can probably use your help..."

o-o-o-o-o

Kahoko stopped her breathing exercises and sighed as she shuffled the papers on her desk for what seemed like the hundredth time. She loved her classes, really she did, but the amount of work the teachers have piled up on them this time was astounding.

'But then again, the college festival is just around the corner, so everything seems like too much right now.'

She sighed again and let her head fall on her papers with a 'thud'. The school held the college festival annually, which lasts for three nights, and is usually a very big event for the entire city. The local merchants set up individual stalls on the college grounds, rides like the ferris wheel, scrambler, and carousel are built on site, and the entire college is open to the public. On the first night, random events are held like the plays performed by the nearby drama colleges. The media students get to commandeer some rooms for showings of student made movies and random general favorites, and the fine arts students put up their best projects in the University Art Museum for people to see. On the second night, the music students give performances, from orchestras to solos, from string to voice, and even traditional Japanese music. The third night is spent for leisurely going around and enjoying the stalls and rides.

Lucky for her, her sensei just had to pick the college festival for her final project. Haruka-sensei wanted an original composition. It had to be something in English too. Knowing the woman, she probably expected it to be in near-flawless grammar, with even part of the orchestra for the background.

She smacked her head against the desk a couple of times in frustration.

"I'm not in Composition, damn it! I'm a vocal music student!" She glared down at her project papers. Still, they both knew she was going to give this her all. Kahoko had never backed down or given less than her best towards accomplishing anything her sensei threw her way. But the pressure of the college festival added to the workload from her other classes, and then the stress from seeing Tsukimori again after five years on top of that...

She gave an even deeper sigh and shoved herself up and away from the desk, moving to stand in front of the closed window to her right to observe the late afternoon sky. Well, she's had it rougher before, although the feelings of frustration are somewhat similar right now as to what she felt back then...

"Back then... I felt more lost than frustrated back then..."

As she looked back to five years ago, she picked up her breathing exercises again, this time singing a note as she exhaled, then moving on to increasing the volume gradually, and then to changing the timbre of her voice.

'I knew I wanted to continue studying music, and that I wanted to be a music teacher, but when I learned I had to minor in an instrument... I didn't want to rely on the violin's magic again.'

At an impasse in her life, she had sunk into depression. Unable to move forward without having to use the violin, and yet to do so felt like taking a step back. What was the point of dropping from the concours if she was to turn back to the violin for help in the end? She'd been so sure of her decision, had even risked leaving the new friends she'd met behind without so much as a by-your-leave, hoping that someday they'd understand... For what? For her to waver now? The feelings of joy from creating the music she loved and the utter guilt from passing herself off as something she was not tore through her once again.

If only she'd had Lili to talk to. Or anyone at all, really. She'd had no close friends at her new high school, having entered near the end of the second year. There were no music clubs or orchestras of any sort at the school, either. Her mother had no knowledge of her plans to pursue a career in music, and neither did her sister. Even if her brother could've helped, in which case he couldn't, he was still away at college and was only able to come home during the holidays.

She'd felt so utterly alone and miserable.

It was no wonder then that when she'd talked to her best friends on the phone, the two immediately sensed her depressed mood. Mio and Nao had taken a train down to visit her and had proceeded to drag her out to try to cheer her up. Even Amou had come down to the town the Hino family had moved to to help the two girls in their endeavor. (Fuyuumi and Mori had gone with their families for the summer so Amou was unable to get a hold of them.) After an entire day of catching up on each other's lives, talking about Kahoko's new school and her plans for the future, and going window shopping, the girls had decided to end the outing by going to karaoke. Nothing else could relieve stress better than shouting out your frustrations through a mic after all.

At first Kahoko had refused to sing, the bit of shyness she possessed having been increased by the depression she was in. When the three had ganged up on her and forced her to sing, she reluctantly picked out a song she'd heard a lot on the radio and liked, shrugged, took a deep breath, and just let herself go.

When the song ended, she'd felt infinitely better, and her friends had even clapped and hooted their appreciation. Although she didn't think she'd done the song justice, seeing as how she'd botched some of the higher pitched notes, and she'd messed up her vibrato in some parts, Amou had told her otherwise.

"You're actually pretty good, you know. You just need practice and actual training." The blond had given her an intense, considering look for a moment. "Though the reporter in me is just itching to grill you for the details, you're my friend first and foremost so I won't ask you why you've dropped the violin. And since minoring in other instruments would be too hard for you with the next year being our last in high school, you might want to try going for the vocal department. Consider it, why don't you? When you've made up your mind, go contact Kanazawa-sensei and ask him for advice." When Kahoko had looked at her questioningly, Amou had given her a cheeky grin. "I was digging for some information one time and I accidentally came across Kanazawa-sensei's past. Did you know he used to be an opera singer in Vienna?"

Kahoko had thought about it, letting the idea stew in her mind for about a week and a half. Singing felt natural to her, and she was able to express her emotions as good as, if not better than, when she was playing the violin. She did a lot of research about it, and even when she saw the amount of training she'd have to go through, and the money she'd have to shell out, she made up her mind to go ahead and do it. Singing was something entirely her own, using the voice she was born with and her own will and strength to develop it. She couldn't get anymore independent from the magic of the violin than this. Besides, she wasn't planning to be an actual performer. This was just her minor, after all.

She contacted Kanazawa-sensei through the school phone, telling him of her decision to become a teacher and minor in voice. He hadn't pressed her about her decision or the details surrounding it, only if she was willing and dedicated enough to finish.

Her voice was strong and held utter conviction when she told him yes.

Kanazawa-sensei had just hummed, but she could tell through the phone that he was smiling, if only a little. They'd gone on to talk about voice lessons, the training she'd have to go through, and the hardships of being a college music student in general for another hour after that. In the end, he'd told her to meet him at a café in Tokyo and that he'd introduce her to an old friend of his. That had been the day she'd first met Taniyama Haruka and was first presented with the two stipulations by her would-be sensei.

She'd heard of Geidai, of course, and how hard the entrance exams and auditions actually are. Nevertheless, she agreed to the brunette's two conditions and worked as hard as she could over her last year in high school. She'd begged her mother to let her pursue music, just barely managing to persuade her by promising that she'd finish school with high marks, and to help with costs, be it part of the tuition or living expenses. She'd asked her brother for some tips regarding studying for the exams, and her older sister and mother had quizzed her periodically in the months following the entrance exams to help her review. She had also started taking on part-time jobs to pay for basic voice training, and to eventually save enough money to move out into a small apartment closer to the college after high school.

Practicing the few breathing exercises she knew of even while at work, humming the notes to a song she was preparing to sing for her audition every minute she could get away with it at school, sneaking books on music underneath her desk so she could study them in class... Every minute of every day, she dedicated towards studying and improving her singing to get into Geidai.

'And now here I am, about to graduate in less than a year.'

Her breathing exercises having gone down to just mere humming, Kahoko laid a hand against the sun-warmed window pane and remembered the past five years.

The earlier feelings of confusion and guilt, the loneliness, the depression, struggling to find her own path, pushing through all the hardships of getting into the infamous Geidai, the dizzyingly fast pace of the first year of college, juggling her studies and work, regaining her footing in the world of music and rebuilding her confidence, finally being independent...

Only half-consciously aware of it, her lips parted and a song started to pour out.

Ushiro wa dare? Ushiro wa dare? Sukoshi furueru tamago

(Who is behind me? Who is behind me? The egg shakes a little...)

The song tasted bittersweet in her mouth, a beautifully sad, lonely melody...

Tobira wa doko? Tobira wa doko? Itsuka kowareru tamago

(Where is the door? Where is the door? Soon the egg will break)

Ikanaide... Ikanaide...

(Don't leave me... Don't leave me...)

Her voice rose, louder, stronger...

Watashi dake o mite. Watashi no kibou o shinjite.

(Look only at me. Believe in my hopes.)

Setsunasa, hagayusa, ruuzusa... Goman, yasuragi, sokubaku...

(Grief, impatience, carelessness, arrogance, serenity, control...)

Ironna kanjou ga ara sottemo

(...a multitude of feelings are fighting within me)

...higher, until she was almost shouting out in song. She sang with desperation, with all the feelings that had built up in her from reminiscing on the past five years...

Ai ga utatteru. Aidake ga ikitsuzukeru kara

(Yet it's love that's singing. Only love continues to live on.)

Hiritsuku omoi oshige mo naku tayasuku mudanishi naide

(Without being wasteful or difficult or reluctant or unfair)

She sang as if her heart was about to burst.

Mamotte agetai.

(I want to protect you.)

Datte kimi ga kuchizusamu koe ga

(Because your humming voice)

Watashi no naka e nagaretashi kokoro wo mitashite ikukara...

(is flowing into me, filling my heart...)

As the last note lingered in the air, Kahoko opened amber eyes that she'd unconsciously closed and blinked away the tears that had come unbidden. She moved her right hand from the now cool window pane to let it rest against her heart, and took slow, deep breaths to calm herself down.

Behind her, Len stood unnoticed against the closed classroom door, golden eyes heavily hooded as he stared at her back, deep in thought.

o-o-o-o-o

He'd had a hard time tracking her down. Deciding to forgo the chauffeured company car Edward insists he always take from home to work, Len had made his way to Kahoko's university. Both his parents were alumni of the school, so he was fairly certain of which direction to take. The only thing he hadn't accounted for was his fame.

Barely even ten minutes out in the street, and already people left and right were either pointing at him, or taking second looks to ascertain he was who they thought he was. Just as the crowd started thickening and people started taking out their phones to take pictures, the violinist had found a store to quickly duck into and buy some accessories to help hide his appearance. (A black baseball cap, dark brown suede jacket, and sunglasses. It wasn't much, but he was able to escape the gathering throng of people that was keeping an eye out for him.) He finally remembered why Edward insisted he be chauffeured from one location to the next until he gets his own car, and why the booth they'd reserved at the restaurant when they met Hino and Taniyama-san was at the back corner.

He'd had to ask a few people for directions to the music department, careful to keep his sunglasses and cap covering most of his face, although even when he'd arrived at the correct building for the music department, he'd found himself at a loss as to where the redhead would actually be at that time. All he got off of Edward was the school's address and a phone number for Taniyama-san. Coming up with a plan, he got out his cellphone and dialed the number for the school's music department. He asked for "Taniyama-sensei" and was told she should be at the third floor of the music building, in the room at the very end of the east wing. He hung up after thanking the person, and had proceeded to follow the directions given to him, avoiding as many people as he can, or tugging the cap even lower over his face whenever a group of students crossed his path.

Finally coming to a stop in front of the room, he'd halted his hand from grabbing the door's handle and hesitated. He knew for a fact that the brown haired music professor wasn't in that room with Hino, as Taniyama-san had called the agency beforehand to make sure of his schedule, and one of Edward's assistants had informed him that she asked specifically for today's schedule. Instead of making sure to clear time for her visit, as what the assistant probably intended he'd do when he was informed, he'd gone on an impulse instead and went out to seek Hino.

And now here he was, a door the only thing separating him from the peace of mind he craves so much. Alone inside the room before him, Hino will have no one to hide behind or anyone to look to for help.

...Was he seriously thinking of cornering the girl until she gave him the answers he sought?

It's been five years... How much of her is still the same Hino he knew, really? He hadn't had much interaction with her at the restaurant so he couldn't form any opinions from that meeting. How will she respond to his questions? Will he even get any answers from her?

'What am I doing? I've never second-guessed myself before.' He gave a harsh sigh and took off his cap to rake a hand through his hair in agitation. 'And I'm even missing precious time to train. All because of one girl? Get a grip on yourself, Len!'

He placed the baseball cap back on and looked up just in time to see the girl he was doubting himself over bang her head against the desk a couple of times through the small window in the door.

Len felt his eyebrow twitch.

'No... It seems like she hasn't changed at all.'

Mind made up, he waited until she got up from her desk and went towards the window, her back to him, before quietly opening the door and slipping into the room. He'd expected her to turn around at the 'click' of the door as he closed it, but she seemed to be rather lost in her thoughts.

"Back then... I felt more lost and frustrated back then..."

Len raised an eyebrow at the softly spoken words. Was she thinking about five years ago? He couldn't understand the meaning behind her words... Lost? Frustrated? Hino was? It might tie in with how poorly she played that one time in Ousaki-san's classroom. He was still waiting on an explanation regarding that. Does that have anything to do with why she left?

Blue eyebrows scrunched down in frustration. None of it still made any sense. His pile of questions seems to be exponentially growing, and the one person who could give him the answers he wanted was too preoccupied with staring off into space to help.

His traditional upbringing forced him to wait until she acknowledge his presence before demanding some answers, patiently listening to the redhead absentmindedly go through breathing exercises. He took the time to observe her, noting what changes he could perceive now that she wasn't half hidden by a restaurant table or semi-dark ambient lighting. She seemed shorter. Or rather, she didn't grow at all since high school, while he himself had grown an extra three inches. Long hair tumbled down her back and hid most of her body from him, though half of the red mass was held up by a hair tie at the moment. Black capris encased slim legs. She was barefoot again...

After ten minutes of mentally listing and filing away what bits he could gather from staring at her back, Hino still hadn't noticed he was right behind her.

'That part of her still hasn't changed,' he thought, exasperated. Tired of wasting time he could've spent practicing, the blue haired prodigy was just about ready to stride briskly to where she stood, shake her into awareness, and start shouting his questions.

He'd just straightened up from his leaning position against the door to do just that when the source of his aggravation stopped humming. He thought she'd finally realized he was standing in the same room as her and expected a greeting to fall from her lips. ("How are you, Tsukimori-kun?" or maybe even a "What are you doing here, Tsukimori-kun?")

When a song had spilled out instead, he was startled into stillness.

The first notes were slow, tentative, somewhat sad and broken, perfectly echoing the feelings of being lost that he'd heard Hino utter to herself. (He'd been surprised by her first words, wondering if she was actually singing to him, but quickly realized it was part of the song.) She started out in almost a whisper, but her voice gradually gained strength, notes masked as words fluidly flowing from her lips. There was absolutely no awkwardness in her voice, high and lilting. Even as her song crescendoed, her voice maintained its breathy strength, easily reaching high notes and made them... transparent, and somehow seemed to pierce his heart...

(A memory flitted through his mind... Hino standing just outside the open window of the practice room he was in, eyes closed and a smile of contentment on her lips...

He grimaced slightly at the memory. 'Might as well complete the thought.')

He had no idea that a person can produce such beautiful sounds.

Even after hearing about how good she was as a singer, he was still surprised to actually hear Hino sing so well. As she held the last note, voice filling the tiny room they were in, the violinist was lost in thought. He could feel her through her song, could clearly hear the emotions she'd voiced out as sound through her music as if she'd told him plainly herself. Her voice as she sang was honest and pure.

It was like hearing her play the violin.

The unnerving thought was like a cold bucket of water and quickly snapped him back to reality. He was here, losing precious time dedicated for training,for a reason. All the questions he'd been harboring came rushing to the forefront of his mind.

Len winced slightly at the headache it created and decided to finally put an end to this.

Rubbing his temples in irritation, the prodigy moved forward to close the distance between the redhead and himself until they were less than five feet apart. Free from whatever memories she'd been lost in, his action finally drew Hino's attention. As she whirled around in surprise to face him fully, he briefly noted the tears at the corner of her eyes, now wide with shock, only visible because of their close proximity.

"Tsu-Tsukimori-kun..."

He raised an eyebrow at her. The girl was as pale as a ghost. 'She dreads meeting me so much?'

"What, no pleasantries, Hino?"

He could hear her gulp audibly before managing a weak "How are you, Tsukimori-kun?" And then without waiting for him to answer, "What are you doing here?"

He didn't know if he should be annoyed that he'd guessed her greeting word for word. "I have some questions for you."

"Is that so?" Though she tried to hide it, her brittle laugh revealed how nervous she was. "Well, it has been five years, and you probably want to catch up on what's happening with the others."

He caught her eyeing the desk hopefully and took a few steps forward to shorten the distance between them to little more than two feet, preventing her from fleeing to the safety of her desk. "Yes, let's start with you, shall we?"

Hino kept her head tilted to the side to avoid looking directly into his eyes and kept silent.

"I didn't know you were a lyric soprano." He saw her eyes widen a fraction, and she finally turned her face to gape at him. He offered an explanation before she could ask. "I was already inside the room when you started singing. You didn't notice me entering."

"Ah, sorry about that." She rubbed her neck nervously with one hand. "I was lost in thought."

His reply was dry. "I noticed. Care to share what you were thinking about?"

She chose to ignore his question completely. "So, a lyric soprano huh? You're too kind Tsukimori-kun."

He raised an eyebrow at her evasion. "No, I was stating a fact."

She smiled ruefully at him. "That may be so, but you still implied I'm good enough to be an operatic singer." She shook her head slightly. "I'm only just a singer, Tsukimori-kun, and I'm not even going to be a professional one."

"Why are you studying to be one then? And why aren't you playing the violin anymore?"

"I... It wasn't like I wanted to play the violin in the first place." She lowered her head, red hair falling down like a curtain to hide her face from him.

"Who do you think you're deceiving?" He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching towards her and tilting her face up to his. "When you first heard me play Ave Maria... Every time you played the violin... That one afternoon at camp when we played together... You can't tell me the look on your face each time wasn't one of happiness."

She shook her head vehemently. "I'm not saying I wasn't happy! I just-"

"Then why did you leave? Why did you quit the violin? If you were happy... I don't understand how you can live not playing!"

"...It's fine." Though the words were meant to be reassuring, her voice was flat, and her head remained bowed. "I've done without it for five years just fine."

At those words, the fight drained out of him and cold fury remained. Golden eyes narrowed, and his voice was cold and condemning when he spoke. "So this is the extent of your dedication towards music? Should I expect you to drop out of singing as well? I thought you were better than th-"

The sound of the slap reverberated throughout the small room.

He turned his face back towards her, ready to demand an explanation, when the sight of her caught him off guard. Face finally turned up towards his, he could now clearly see her, her amber eyes narrowed in anger, brows furrowed, and the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks.

He felt a stab of guilt in his chest and cursed his insensitivity.

"Don't you dare! You don't know anything, so you have no right to judge me!"

"...Then tell me and make me understand," he replied, voice pained.

She bit her lip, the hand that had slapped him clutching at the cloth over her heart.

"...Kahoko..."

The sound of her name from his lips stirred her into motion. Hand fisting even tighter, she lowered her head again and whispered.

"Why do you want to know the truth so badly? What did my leaving ever have to do with you?"

The question almost had him reeling. He opened his mouth several times to try to defend himself but the words refused to come out.

Why did he want to know so badly? Was he so affected by this girl, this girl who he'd only known not even a year, and who he hadn't even been in contact with for the past five?

...He didn't know. And the not knowing grated.

He clenched his eyes shut in frustration and bit out the only thing that could come to mind right now.

"Nothing. It had absolutely nothing to do with me."

And with that said, Len turned around and walked briskly out the room, closing the door behind him with a definite 'click.' Once outside, he leaned against the door for a second, mind in turmoil, and briefly entertained the thought of going back in.

'And do what?' He thought to himself, vexed.

Her words echoed in his ear...

'What did my leaving ever have to do with you?'

He slammed his fist against the door behind him and proceeded to walk down the hall and away from the one person who had managed to so completely agitate his mind and heart.

o-o-o-o-o

Inside the room, Kahoko's knees finally gave way and she slid bonelessly down against the window until she was slumped on the ground.

'It had absolutely nothing to do with me.'

She stared dumbly at the floor, wincing slightly when she heard the sound of the violinist hitting something violently outside the room.

The hand against her heart squeezed involuntarily.

'I don't understand...'

She brought a hand up to the corner of one eye, feeling the steady flow of tears that kept stubbornly pouring out.

'It wasn't like this... when I pushed Hihara-sempai away...'

She bent her knees close to her body and wrapped her arms around them, burying her face against her arms.

'So why does my heart hurt so much right now?'

She curled herself tighter into a ball and stopped trying to keep the tears at bay, hoping the unbearable pain in her chest would ease with every sob that tore itself out of her.

AN: Well, it wasn't fluff or waff, but it's Len x Kaho interaction and there's plenty of it. This is actually only half of an entire chapter, but it got too long so I decided to cut it in half. (In fact, the last half has all the Len x Kaho fluff in it. Erm, that is if you can call lemon fluff.)

The memory that Len remembered when he first heard Kahoko sing was when she'd first heard him play the Ave Maria in episode 2 of the anime. Her words were:

"It seemed as if the high notes became transparent. It somehow seemed to pierce my heart... I had no idea... that the violin can make such beautiful sounds."

This translation is care of Strawberry Mint Subs of course.

From this chapter onwards, you'll be noticing that most of the songs Kahoko sings will be songs by Sakamoto Maaya-san. The voice actress who plays Kahoko doesn't sing other than for character songs (I found one video from Love Hina, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out which one she was --), so I tried to match her voice with singers that I knew and Sakamoto-san was the closest one.

On an important side note, I shall be raising the rating to M next chapter. If anyone objects to this, please send me a private message and I'll see what I can do.

o-o-o

Couple of facts that should help enlighten you guys:

Geidai – short for Tōkyō Geijutsu Daigaku or Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music; it is an actual university in Japan, and it is true fact that it is very hard to get into. I was actually toying with the idea of having Kahoko go to Nodame Cantabile's Momogaoka College of Music but decided against it.

In some (or all, I'm not sure) music schools, students are required to have at least basic keyboard skills. Singing is actually also a requirement and part of the auditions in some (or, again, all) schools. You need to be able to sing back the note they ask you to.

Todai – short for Tokyo Daigaku or Tokyo University; a lot of you should be more familiar with this school, seeing as how it's featured in quite a lot of anime/manga

Juilliard – one of the most famous performing arts conservatories in the world, situated in New York

Self-Defense Force – Japan does not have a standing army as stipulation for World War II. Instead, they have the SDF.

Gershwin – or George Gershwin, is a famous American composer, most commonly noted for his Broadway compositions.