As You Wish, Ojousama Chapter 2: That's an Order!, a la corda d'oro fanfic

Please follow my twitter account /#!/ayamiko_95, this is where I'll be in touch with my readers. It's an account just for my dear readers. :) Updates about the chapters I'm writing will be there. So are a few teasers :D

Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda D'oro

As You Wish, Ojou-sama

Chapter 2

Rain. . .

Rain was pouring hard. . .

The Hino mansion seemed to be dark and gloomy because of the hard pouring rain. . .

*Boom*

Another thunder strikes the mansion and the household's young lady, Kahoko, jumped at the sudden sound. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to calm herself down despite the loud thumping of her heart.

"H-how annoying!" Kahoko shouted to her ceiling, and another thunder sounded. "Kyaa!" Kahoko shouted as she jumped to her bed. "Th-this is ridiculous. Why am I still scared?"

In the past Len used to come into my room at times like this…

As if on cue or as if he had heard here thoughts, there was a light knock on the door, "Ojou-sama?" Len called, entering the room. "Are you okay?"

Kahoko watched him in surprise as he slowly approached her. It can't be…Len? He really came…

"If you're okay," He said, relief evident on his face, "Then I guess its fine now." He turned around and was about to leave, when Kahoko suddenly spoke up.

"Wait!" She said, still hugging her pillow tightly as she knelt on her bed, "Could you stay here for the night?"

"You know that I can't, Ojou-sama" Len said politely.

Please, just like old times…

"If I tell you that it's an order, nobody can argue with that…right?" Kahoko said stubbornly.

Seriously! What in the world is she thinking? Len began to think incredulously, but in the end, he could only sigh and agree. "As you wish, Ojou-sama," Len took a seat beside her on her bed like back then. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, "Ojou-sama, as I though, I—"

"No way," Kahoko said, pulling the covers to her.

"I am a servant; this kind of thing is not allowed. Father would definitely give a lecture again."

"Why? You always came over when we were kids."

"But that was when we were kids, ignorant about everything."

Kahoko thought deeply before she spoke again, "Ne, do you still remember that promise?"

"It's…" He sighed, "Yes, I still do," Len said quietly.

"I'm glad... that had always been a precious memory for me." Kahoko murmured, before falling asleep.

"Seriously," Len sighed, running his fingers through his hair again, he sat near her and watched her sleeping form. As he watched her, he could remember the times when they were younger. Unbounded by anything. Unconsciously, he had reached out and gathered a few of her scarlet locks and kissed it.

It's wrong to feel this way. . .isn't it Ojou-sama? It's dangerous to fall in love with you. . .

And yet. . .

I can't help but say I'm in love with you. . .

As Len thought of those words he immediately let go of her locks and slid to the floor beside her bed. A blush quickly consumed his cheeks, "What an idiot I am…"

"Eh? We're going somewhere?" Kahoko looked up from her study notes as her father entered her room, announcing that she was going to go somewhere that day.

Her father shook his head, "Not we." He corrected patiently, "You and Len are. Kaji-kun has just arrived yesterday from his tour in America, and I'm sure he'd be glad to see you."

"Why should I go to him? He's the fiancé candidate. If I go to meet him personally, it's like telling him that I'm willing to choose him." Kahoko said dismissively, clearly not interested.

"He's also your friend Kahoko. A visit won't hurt. It's been a while." Her father reasoned.

Kahoko fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Alright," She agreed reluctantly, not wanting to disappoint her father in any way.

"Kahoko!"

I finally rolled my eyes, as my cheerful fiancé candidate, jogged into the hallway to meet me. He immediately engulfed me into a tight hug.

"It's been so long since I last saw you!" He saw cheerfully.

He pulled me back as if to study me, and I did the same. Measuring the changes he acquired in the past four years he had been gone. His dirty blond hair remained long, but his emerald eyes seemed to hold more spark in them now.

Kaji looked behind Kahoko, he sighed, "I see that you still have your servant around you."

"Don't talk about Len rudely." Kahoko said, glaring at him as he walked towards Len.

"While I've been gone, there were certain rumors reaching me. You should stop hanging around Hino-san. You're just a servant." He said, talking to Len as if Kahoko never said a word, "We'll both get married in the future, if you stay too close to her, people will misunderstand your relationship."

"Don't say such a selfish thing!" Kahoko said angrily.

As if just coming to his sense, Kaji turned around and smiled cheerfully again, "Of course, of course. I'm sorry. I'm just a candidate anyway. Well, I'll go see if the room is ready, we can talk over there." Kaji said, immediately disappearing into a room.

Kahoko sighed, "He's hasn't changed." Then she looked at Len who was still quiet. "Are you alright?" Kahoko asked worriedly.

"That guy is right," Len said, not looking up as he continued to look at the floor.

"E-eh?" Kahoko said, looking at him, she felt a small shiver run down her spine as his voice suddenly turned cold.

"I'm just a servant. One day, ojou-sama's wedding day will come. To a man more suitable for you." He said, his cold façade coming back as he looked at her.

Kahoko stood there, frozen, shocked and hurt by his words. Just because Kaji had said something about a wedding in the future. . .

The promise. . .

Did he already forget it then? How could he suddenly turn cold and say such words. . .

"Len, you idiot!" I shouted.

"Ojou—"

"The room is ready Lady Kahoko," A butler suddenly appeared, beckoning Kahoko and Len to follow him.

Len was about to follow them when Kahoko turned to look at him with a glare, "Don't follow me. Just go do something else while I talk to Kaji. It's an order!" Then she turned and followed the butler.

Len stood frozen on his ground at the sudden order his mistress imposed.

He shook his head and ran his fingers through his silky hair, "As you wish Ojou-sama," He murmured.

"Oh? I'm surprised. You didn't bring your servant with you? I thought you two were inseparable." Kaji said, sitting on a couch just across Kahoko. He picked up a cup of tea from the table in front of them.

Kahoko did the same as she stayed silent on her seat. Letting Len leave her was something she doesn't usually do. It felt weird not having him around...

"And so, I just want to take this rare opportunity to get to know my fiancée." Kaji grinned, leaning forward as he looked at Kahoko. His expression seemed to be filled with fascination.

"That's enough," Kahoko sighed, "You know we're not officially engaged yet, so don't act like everything's official. Especially in front of Len."

"Why not? He of all people should be aware of how your life revolves. I may not be the one to take your hand in marriage, but certainly, it will never be that servant."

"Stop it! I'm not interested in you or in anyone! Leave me alone!" I said, glaring at him. She'd had enough. She hates it when people seem to talk about Len like he isn't a person who deserves respect.

Kaji stood up and slowly sat beside Kahoko, "Don't be such a spoiled child." He said gently, setting his teacup back down on its saucer at the table.

Kahoko felt uncomfortable at Kaji's sudden closeness to her. She tried squirming away from his sudden close proximity, but the guy just gets closer to her by centimeters. Suddenly, she regretted asking Len to leave.

Len. . .

Help me. . .

Kahoko closed her eyes tightly as Kaji slowly placed his hand under her chin. Gently, he tilted her chin up.

Len. . .

Where are you?

Suddenly there were noises outside the room they were in. Kahoko's eyes opened immediately and Kaji let go of her. He looked at the door, clearly irritated at having them disturbed.

"What—" He began.

The doors suddenly burst open, "Ojou-sama! Are you okay?" A disheveled Len asked worriedly, as he scanned the room for any more bodyguards.

"You—what are you doing!" Kaji demanded, "You guys, do something!" He ordered to his bodyguards who stood on standby at the corners of the room.

"Stop it!" Kahoko suddenly shouted. She didn't want to see Len getting hurt.

"It's because of you, that's why Kahoko doesn't see me," Kaji said, glaring at Len.

Len. . . How did you know. . . That I was in danger?

Len was quickly captured by Kaji's bodyguards, he didn't even put up at fight. Kaji ordered one of his men to hit Len after seeing Len's strong-willed eyes. "Don't go anywhere near Kahoko for a second! Understand? Promise!" he demanded. "You're just a lowly commoner with no class."

Our promise didn't mean anything to you. . .right Len?

"Promise!" Kaji said, ordering his men to hit him one more time. Still, Len remained silent, just receiving the undeserved battering.

Kahoko couldn't bare to watch anymore, seeing as her loyal servant had started to wince in pain. "Stop! Don't hit him anymore!"

We can't be together anymore, right?

"Just promise Len! That's an order!" Kahoko said, tears forming in her eyes.

"The promise," Len spoke, "I haven't forgotten it, even though I am a servant; ever since I was a kid, since that night, I've decided to always protect you. No matter in what situation, no matter in what form…I want to be by your side."

"Ha? What is that?" Kaji said mockingly.

"Then—" Kahoko said, Len looked at her intently, "The only one who can stay by my side is you, Len!"

Just as if the time was right, sirens suddenly sounded. The securities from my dad's company came immediately. It seems Len had called beforehand since he sensed that something wrong was going to happen.

"Stay still." Kahoko demanded as she applied ointment on the wound on Len's cheek.

"Ojou-sama, I'm fine." Len insisted.

Kahoko didn't hear any of it as she still continued to take care of him. Len didn't argue anymore when he felt her hand shaking. Tears threatening to fall any time from the corner of her eyes.

After a moment of silence, Len finally spoke. "That time, the first time you gave me an order as a servant, I realized you just want us to be together." Len explained quietly.

"You just realized that now?" Kahoko asked, looking at him incredulously.

Len chuckled. "Even though I am just a servant of lowly status, I hope that I can still remain by your side. Forever."

Kahoko smiled happily as Len said that. Knowing that he'll always be by her side. And maybe someday, they can find a way to diminish this social difference they have…and by then…

Maybe I can tell him how I feel. . .

Kahoko's POV

I was simply just walking around school, about to go to my classroom... I gasped when I suddenly bumped someone along the way, accidentally dropping my textbooks in the process. I looked up and saw a senpai of mine.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently, reaching his hand for me to hold on to.

"No, but thank you. Anyway, I don't need your help." I said, standing up by myself. I smoothed out my skirt.

"Don't be rude," He said, "Someone's offering help, the least you could say was thank you."

I looked at the senpai with shock, "R-rude? I did say thank you. Hey, listen here—"

I was cut off when Len suddenly stood in front of me, "I'm sorry," he apologized to the other party. The senpai froze upon seeing Len, and he immediately excused himself, saying that everything was fine.

Wha? Len has that much influence over others? Even upperclassmen?

As soon as the senpai left, Len turned to me and flicked my forehead. "Stop bothering other people." Len said in a hard voice.

"Eh, but…"

Did I forget to mention that the real Len is very arrogant and mean?

"Well, since I'm with you, it's alright, come on, let's go," he said, taking my school bag from me and sweeping up my fallen textbook immediately before I could protest and be stubborn about it.

But he is also very kind. I love him.

What does this mean? What is the relationship between us? We're not the usual mistress and servant but…we're also…not lovers… Did I come to depend on him so much?

I stared at Len's back as he walked in front of me.

Might there be a day when Len will get tired of me? Will he get tired because I keep on depending on him too much? Could I really have bound him so much?

Then! From this day on, for things to be more normal between us, I won't say 'That's an order'.

"That's impossible," Len said one night, when I told him about it. "I don't think that you can survive one day without me."

"I'll be fine! I'm already 16 right? I'll show you that I'll be fine without ordering you around!"

"Ojou-sama," Len smiled, though I'd always yearn to see him smile, this kind of smile wasn't a gentle one. It seemed to be a very sarcastic kind of smile. "Do you want to die that much?" He asked.

I shivered; his smile also held the grace of an angel, but there was something there that made me think of the devil. "When I say I'll be fine, it means I'll be fine! I'll do the morning preparation by myself! You go to school earlier!" I shouted, pushing Len out my room.

"Ojou-sama!"

Just wait and see Len.

Normal POV

"Ojou-sama, the car is over here," Len said, when he saw his mistress walking to the other direction.

"I'll walk home today," Kahoko said, still being stubborn.

"Ojou-sama," Len sighed warningly, because Kahoko continued to walk backward, facing him. "Ojou-sama!"

Too late. Len was about to warn her about the edge of the pond she was about to hit, when the back of her knee touched the short border of the pond, which caused her to lose her balance and fall in.

Len sighed, he shook his head disapprovingly as he ran to save his mistress.

"Since you just caught a cold, you shouldn't go to school tomorrow," Len scolded, giving Kahoko a towel. He looked at Kahoko tiredly, while thinking How can she be so stubborn? All she has to do is depend on me. She doesn't have to try hard to blend in or anything.

"I'm fine," Kahoko said stubbornly.

"Until when are you going to be stubborn?" Len asked, taking the towel to dry her hair.

"Stop! I can take care of myself! I don't need you to hover around me all the time!" Kahoko shouted, and when she realized what she just said, she looked at Len, she saw his expression which was hurt. "Ah,"

"Is that so…" Len said, his eyes turned cold.

"Len!"

"Just do what you want." Len finally said as he walked out of her room.

Kahoko bit her lower lip as she watched the closed door. "I'm sorry Len," She murmured, "But I really have to learn to get around by myself... I can't remain being spoiled."

"Aaa, it's raining today." Kahoko said, she opened her umbrella, but then a strong wind suddenly blew in her direction and her umbrella was pushed backward, causing it to break. She was about to complain to Len, but when Kahoko looked around, she realized that Len wasn't with her, so she can't do anything about it...

Kahoko sighed, Without Len, I really can't do anything by myself, how pathetic. . .

I'm such an idiot. Why am I so prideful? All I do is hurt Len and push him away from me more. Isn't this what I had insisted upon? That he stay by my side all the time? Why am I pushing him away?

"Your Ojou-sama didn't come today?" a classmate asked Len.

Len ignored his classmate and continued to look at his musical notes. Though he pretend to be cold about it, his mind is actually racing with worry for his mistress who walked to school alone today. Could someone have her kidnapped? Did she lose her way? Did she get scared of the rain and refused to attend school today?

"Hey! Look at that!" another classmate said, staring out the window.

Len took a look too, his eyes widen. "Ojou-sama!" he said, from the window, he saw her under a tree just within the campus, sheltering herself from the rain, he immediately ran out of the room.

Kahoko shivered at the cold, her clothes already wet as it clung to her body. She regretted not bringing her jacket today, she regretted not taking the car to school, but most of all, she regretted pushing Len away. Why couldn't she have been honest with her feelings instead?

Suddenly she heard splashing in the rain, Kahoko looked up and saw Len running towards her, carrying an umbrella.

"Len!" Kahoko said with evident relief as she looked at his approaching form, she felt like she could just break down and cry to him. "The umbrella was folded backward, it was terrible!" She said to Len, when he stood in front of her under the shelter.

"You should go to the infirmary—" he said, reaching towards her. There was an urge inside of him. The urge to wrap his arms around her shivering form, her pitiful looking face was drawing him in…

"It's alright!" Kahoko said, moving away from his extended arm.

The two stood silent, and Len looked at her with a tinge of sadness, "For you…am I not needed anymore?" he asked.

"Len," Kahoko said pleadingly.

"Since you don't want me to take care of you anymore, then there's no meaning to my existence. I'll stop being a servant."

"No…you can't. That kind of thing…"

"Is that an order?" He asked, when Kahoko didn't say anything, he didn't look back and began walking away.

"Wai—" Kahoko stopped.

'That's an order'. . .

I can't say it. But what should I do?

Kahoko suddenly slipped on a puddle and fell.

Len turned around at the sound and stared at her with surprise. "O-Ojou-sama…"

"Be-because I don't want it that way between us!" Kahoko said as she slowly stood up, "When I order you around, people think it's just how it is and there's nothing special about it. When I think of that, I feel like there's a wall between us. I wanted us to be like all those other people! I don't want people to think we're both inappropriate for each other because of our social standing. I—" Tears began spilling and trickling down her face.

I'm so uncool. To be covered in mud. I am just like a child, a spoiled child. I'm so selfish.I haven't changed at all, not even a bit. But…I love him, even if I'm like this. I love him. . .

Suddenly, a pair of warm arms enveloped her. "L-Len," Kahoko gasped in surprise. And she was even more surprised when he suddenly carried her.

"Just shut up for now. I'll take you to the school infirmary." Len said, without meeting her eyes.

Once they got inside, the nurse there gave Kahoko a change of clothes and gave her a bed to rest in. Len stood at one side as Kahoko lay on her bed. He watched her tenderly as she began to drift into a light nap. Len quietly took out Kahoko's violin from its wet case—thank god the violin didn't get wet.

Len sat on the chair beside her bed and began to play a lullaby.

Kahoko twisted around her bed and slowly opened her eyes as she heard the soft music, "You're not angry?" Kahoko asked, slowly sitting up and taking a good look at him.

"Just stop that talk already!" Len said, clearly irritated.

"Why?"

She really doesn't understand anything, does she? Len thought frustratedly, seeing her innocent curious look.

"It's okay," Len said, gently this time, "If there's anything you need. You can give me your order."

"R-really?"

"People can think what they want, as long as we both know that status doesn't matter, then it's fine."

"Len…" Kahoko eyes began to water.

"Your orders, Ojou-sama?" He asked, lightly kissing the back of her hand.

"Don't leave my side! That's an order!"

Another place. The same time.

Kahoko's father was inside his office, sitting on his chair. He placed both his hands on the table and sighed as he looked at the person sitting at the couch far ahead.

"Len and Kahoko share a bond, and I don't think I would want to destroy that, I know you're really important to her but…" Her father said.

"Uncle," the person in the dark addressed calmly, "I know that you treasure her relationship with Tsukimori, but I love her…"

Kahoko's father sighed again, "I just hope you know what you're doing, I don't want Kahoko getting hurt."

"Being with that kind of person…don't you think that she'll be getting hurt in the future? Social standings are really…"

"It's your call…Tsuchiura-kun."

A/N: Review please! How is this edited chapter? :D Better?