Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda D'Oro. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 2: Introspection

'I wish it's already lunchtime.' Kahoko thought to herself. Having just arrived at school after a long run, she was panting and a little breathless. She woke up late again and she had to skip breakfast in order to not be late for school.

"Kaho-chan good morning!" Hihara Kazuki a green haired, trumpet player greeted her.

"Good morning, Hihara-senpai."

"How's your violin lesson going?" .

"They're going great!" Kahoko beamed at that. Talking about the violin always puts her in a good mood. Having discovered the beauty of playing the violin during the annual school concurs, she took formal lessons to improve herself. Now, Kahoko is proud to say that playing the violin is one of her passions.

"So how's the band doing?" Kahoko asked.

"It's great, we will be—"Kazuki was cut short because of the screaming of fan girls.

"Good morning Yunoki-sama!" the fan girls squealed.

"Good morning, girls." Yunoki Azuma replied politely. He was a handsome boy with long violet hair. Moreover, he is called Seiso's prince.

"Looks like Yunoki is here." Kazuki said.

"Uh, I-I guess so." Kahoko stammered. She was already flustered, remembering the dream she just had regarding the lavender haired senpai. 'Good thing Hihara-senpai is not observant.' Kahoko noticed that the green haired senpai is already approaching his best friend.

"Good morning, Yunoki." Kazuki grinned at his friend.

"Ahh, Hihara, good morning." Yunoki smiled. His fan girls are still fawning over him but he was already walking away from them. "Excuse me, ladies." Yunoki said politely.

"Kaho-chan, wait for us." Kazuki called to Kahoko. 'Shoot! And I was about to escape.' Kahoko thought to herself. She was afraid of talking to the violet haired senpai because she knows that she will only remember her weird dream and she will embarrass herself.

"Hino-san, good morning." Azuma greeted politely. He was wearing his usual 'princely' smile but Kahoko knew that beyond his façade looms a dark persona.

"Good morning, Yunoki-senpai." Kahoko greeted back. Luckily, for her, the bell began ringing.

"The bell is already ringing. I really have to go. See you around Yunoki-senpai, Hihara-senpai." Kahoko said. She was already running to avoid any weird conversation.

"See you around, Kaho-chan." Kazuki yelled after Kahoko.

"We better go now, Hihara-kun." Azuma said to his friend. But it is evident in his eyes that he cannot wait to 'talk' to his favorite toy. 'You can't escape me, Kahoko' he thought and smirked.

"Good morning Kaho-chan." Nao greeted. Kahoko smiled in return and took her seat beside her two best friends. The teacher went in and class started. Their first subject was Math, and when their teacher started to talk about polynomials and quadratic functions, Kahoko's mind started to drift. Kahoko do not like math but it seems that today her brain refuses to focus on the subject at hand. Her mind seems to drift always to Azuma and the dream she had the previous night. 'I wonder how it will feel like to kiss Yunoki-senpai.'

"Waaah!!"

"Hino-san is there a problem?" the teacher asked the flustered girl.

"Uh- uhh- uh" Kahoko stammered as the teacher raised one of her eyebrows.

"Then, take your seat."

Kahoko quietly sat down in her seat. She was so embarrassed. Even her classmates were laughing at her and her best friends; Mio and Nao are worried about her. She smiled at them weakly. The teacher resumed the lesson without any further interruptions.

The class finally ended but Mio and Nao didn't have time to ask about Kahoko's well-being. The teacher arrived and asked everyone to take their seats.

"Hino-san, I would like you to read the poem on pg. 28 by Ono no Komachi."

"yumeji ni wa
ashi mo yasumezu
kayoedomo
utsutsu ni hitome
mishigoto wa arazu"

"Thank you Hino-san. Now will you please tell us what you think about the poem? "

"Uhmm… I think the speaker in the poem is in love with someone who she cannot have. And the only way she sees him is through dreams because in the real world all that is allowed of her are glimpses of him."

"Very good. Now to expound further on what Hino-san said we must first study about Ono no Komachi's life." The lecture the teacher gave was very insightful and the class did not notice the time passing by until the bell rang.

"That's it for today. Please remember that your papers are due on Friday. Class dismissed."

"That was interesting, isn't it Kaho-chan." Nao said while she stretched her arms. Kahoko laughed in response.

"It was so sad though, isn't it? She could only see him in dreams when she was so in love with him. I wish that does not happen to me though." Mio said. "Speaking of romance, Kaho-chan, has the 'Violin Romance' finally happened? Are you in love with any of the concur participants. Kaho-chan is so lucky." Mio gushed.

"Mio-chan, nothing of the sort has happened." Kahoko answered.

"But you never know, right, Kaho-chan? You might not realize your feelings yet. Maybe you like Tsukimori-kun or maybe Tsuchiura-kun." Mio countered.

"NO!!! I don't like them that way! We're just… friends."

"Okay! I understand. No need to be so defensive."

"Kaho, are you all right? Lately, you have been spacing out." Nao asked concern evident on her voice.

"I'm okay, Nao, no need to worry." Kahoko answered. She flexed her arms just to prove her point.

"Kaho, Nao, let's eat. I'm hungry." Mio said. The trio started to eat their lunch and discussed the events of the previous day.

"You know, I had a weird dream last night. I dreamt that I was in a chocolate store and that I was eating every chocolate I could get my hands on." Mio said.

"Its wish fulfillment, Mio." Nao said. "Since you are depriving yourself from eating chocolates, your mind gratifies your body's cravings through dreams."

"Waah! Really? That is interesting. So are all our dreams a sort of wish fulfillment?" Mio asked, curious know what her friend was about to say.

"More or less." Nao said non-comitally.

"What do you mean?" Kahoko chimed in.

"I read over the internet that we sometimes dream what we want to happen. Sometimes our dreams can even be portals to our inner feelings because nothing is stopping us from acting upon our emotions. So, in a way, dreaming is a sort of wish fulfillment mechanism of our subconscious mind." Nao explained.

"I see." Mio said.

At that comment, Kahoko remembered her dream last night. 'NO WAY! Does that mean I want to kiss Yunoki-senpai?!' Kahoko blushed at the thought.

"Are you all right, Kaho?" Mio asked worried.

"I'm okay. I think I'm going to the rooftop. See you later guys." Kahoko answered and with that, she stood up and ran to the rooftop.

The rooftop was empty except for Kahoko. She had feared that Tsuchiura-kun or maybe Hihara-senpai was there because the boys usually go there as well. But Kahoko was more thankful that Yunoki-senpai wasn't there. She needs time to clear her thoughts and think things through before she sees her senpai.

'I don't want to kiss Yunoki-senpai, do I?' Kahoko was worried over what her friend Nao had said. 'I mean the man acts like a prince in front of everyone but when he's with me, he acts like a jerk. He teases me, bullies me, he even forces me to do things I don't want to do like pose as his lover for example. And why does he do that? Because he wants to embarrass me, he wants to see me flustered! He doesn't even think of my feelings! He'll do anything just to get what he wants! He is really the devil's advocate! I hate him!' Kahoko was fuming, but deep inside, she's lonely for Azuma. He isn't even allowed to do anything he likes. He has to follow in his brother's footsteps without overshadowing them.

'Who are you kidding, Kahoko? You don't hate him. If you hate him, you wouldn't talk to him, you wouldn't agree to his plans. And surely, you wouldn't feel happy when he notices you. He might often tease you but admit it, you feel kind of special when he notices you. And besides, he acts that way because he's pressured. He cannot even play music after he graduates high school. You don't really hate him, you feel sad for him.' Kahoko's conscience reasoned out.

"AARRGGHH!!! Shut up! It's true that I feel sad for him but it doesn't mean that I like it when he notices me!" Kahoko screamed at no one in particular.

'But admit it. You revel in the attention he gives you.' Her conscience once again prodded her.

Kahoko was speechless. She cannot believe what her mind was telling her. She does not like any kind of attention, specially coming from Azuma. But when she thought about it, she is indeed happy when Azuma notices her.

"I-I- I guess no one can resist senpai's charm." Kahoko sighed. "He is handsome and he is also very charming."

'See, you do like him.'

"Wh-what! I don't like Yunoki-senpai… do I?" Kahoko sighed once again. She has been talking to the air for a couple of minutes already. Luckily, no one was there to witness her making a fool of herself.

"I'm really confused. What does that dream mean? More importantly, what is Yunoki-senpai in my life?" Kahoko asked no one. She was trying to clear her thoughts but it looks like she is only becoming more confused by the second.

"It's because of that stupid dream!"

Just then, the door to the rooftop opened, revealing a tall, handsome youth with purple hair. Kahoko's eyes widened and her heart started to beat double time. 'Why am I feeling like this?' The devil himself was smiling sweetly but his eyes held malice.

"Fancy seeing you here, Hino." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything." When Kahoko heard his voice, her first impulse was to run but before she can act on her impulse, Azuma closed the door behind him and walked towards Kahoko. 'I'm doomed.'


Author's Note:
1. Ono no Komachi is a famous Japanese waka poet. She is a reputed beauty "who specialized in erotic love themes, expressed in complex poems." (Wikipedia).

2. Here is a line-by-line translation of the poem mentioned above:

in [my] dreams / along dream paths
without resting my legs
[I] go often [to you]
in the real world, a single glimpse
is different.

And here is a paraphrased version:

Though I go to you
ceaselessly along dream paths,
the sum of those trysts
is less than a single glimpse
granted in the waking world.

* The poem appears as No. 658 in Kokin Wakashu. (http:// www. classical-Japanese. net/ Poetry/ komachi. Html)

3. Thank you for the people who reviewed the first chapter. I really appreciate it. Hope you like this chapter as well. Once again, reviews and constructive criticisms are very welcome.

Thanks!