Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda d' Oro

Chapter 3: Starry Starry Night

That is definitely a long day for Hino Kahoko.. She rushed to her room and throw herself at the bed.. she reminisce what happened that day..

Geez, this is so tiring.. I still haven't solved the mystery of torn-clothes-while sleeping thing with a creepy note and now, I messed myself with that stage play thing.. I've got so many things to do..

Well she's cramming.. the third selection is nearly coming, and she needs to practice with the other participants because of the play.. she didn't manage to practice today making her feel more tired.. Are they torturing us?

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In the middle of the night, the death knight showed again in her bedroom. And of course he did the same thing as before.. leaving a note at the bedside table.. and for the second time, Kahoko wasn't aware of anything especially now she is more exhausted.

She woke up earlier than ever with rugged clothes again, she saw a folded paper in her bedside table.. she open it and it reads "Don't be scared Milady.. I'm just trying to ease your pain.." those words strucked her.. Now, someone's playing a prank on me.. but what if he's trying to kill me.. and this words are true.. what is he really mean by…"she paused for a while thinking of something.. wait, he said he is trying to ease my pain.. and..and the only way to ease one's pain is by.. sweat dropped from her forehead.. wishing she didn't think those things... But why am I unaware of it?.. asking herself.. Well mom said that I'm like a frozen oil when sleeping.. so maybe that's why I'm unaware of everything..

She did her everyday routine.. but because she got up early, she managed to eat her breakfast.. she go to school, still, with uneasiness in mind.. wandering what happened to her again last night..

3 Days later..

The practice for the play started.. every afternoon, they were rehearsing and rehearsing.. others were busy doing the props for the play.. others were busy memorizing their lines.. and in one corner of the stage, the red haired girl sighing in dismay.. she can't memorize her lines as if it is a whole scripture form the ancient dynasties where in-fact it is just a 2-page script, doubled space.. (A/N: well that is if you exclude all the lines of the other characters leaving only the prince's lines. Another thing.. the last scenes were not included in the 2-page script.. in short, it's still incomplete..^^) Most of her role is action stunts and playing violin of course.. at the beginning of the story, only the princess is needed until the scene to fight the evil witch.. so most of the time, she was only watching them..

Suddenly.. Yunoki approached her..

"You look somehow.. ahmm.. dismayed.. "

"Iie, it's nothing Yunoki-senpai.."

"Are you sure Hino-san.. it's look like something's bothering you.. or should I say, someone's bothering you?.." he said with some sort of devilish gaze.. but still making sure no one would notice..

Kaho was strucked by the last words her senpai just said.. someone's bothering me?.. Memories flashed through her mind.. memories from every morning she would wake up with strange things happened to her.. It can't be.. she gulped.. beads of sweat starting to form on her forehead.. when suddenly..

"Alright guys, packed your things and we'll continue this rehearsal tomorrow, same time, same place.." their stage director tell them..

He saved me!.. Hino sighed in relief..

All participants started to pack their things and exited the auditorium..

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"HIno".. a cold yet gentle voice called her name. she turned to see a blue haired guy staring on the ground.

"-kun.. " wandering why this guy would approach her.. maybe he..

"Hino-san… will you.."

Thousands of words flashed before her.. her heart beats far from normal.. Hino Kahoko calm down..

"Will you rehearse with me.. I mean if its alright with you.. we can practice together.. as you can see there are scenes in the story where I can't practice alone and most of the scenes are your scenes with me.. so its better for us to practice together.. "

Kahoko is not in herself while Tsukimori is talking.. there's a moment of silence between the two.. without response from Hino, Tsukimori turned his back from her.. "Well I guess it's a no.. its fine then.."

Kahoko snapped out of her fantasies when she realize that Tsukimori is now turning away from her..

"Wait t..Tsukimori-kun.. I think yo..your right.. I agree with you.." Hino said shyly.

"then its settled.. lets practice tomorrow after the practice with them.. ahm.. at the rooftop, are you okay with that?.."

"hai, Tsukimori-kun.."

"then, I'll take my leave now.."

"See yah, Tsukimori-kun"..

"Take care.." she said with slow tone.. as if she only whispers it to herself..

But the ice cube violinist heard it..

"you too Hino-san.. "

The girl's face flushed..

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At her room..

I will surely catch that mysterious creature tonight! She uttered with so much conviction.. But I wonder who he is and what he looked like.. hmmmm

Well whatever..

She didn't sleep the whole night waiting for the mysterious death knight to appear..

She didn't moved an inch in her position.. she was sitting at the far end of his bed with a baseball bat in her hand.. well just in case, the guy showed up, he will hit him in the face and see whose these damn creature playing prank on her..

Kring kring Kring.. as the alarm clock rang saying hey lady, get up now and go to school..

"Stop ringing! You damn clock!! I'm awake!".. angrily shouted at the poor alarm clock.. she picked it up and turned it off.

"I didn't sleep all night just to catch that freakin' guy or whosoever but… but.. arrrrgggggg.."

She dived her face on her pillow with so much embarrassment.. and scream..

Poor Kahoko, the mysterious death knight didn't show up that night..

Sleepily, she headed to school.. she slept during class, and of course the teacher caught her.. so she did extra errands for that day.. she attended the rehearsal of the play.. after so much exhaustion.. she went straight to the rooftop to meet with Tsukimori..

Will I be able to practice with this condition of mine..argg.. I'm so sleepy and tired at the same time.. she leaned herself at the wall while waiting for Tsukimori to arrived."

She was half asleep when Tsukimori opened the door..

"Hino-san.. why are you lying on the floor.. they have benches in here you know.. "

"T..tskuimori-kun.. I.. was just -.."

"Well nevermind.. as promised we'll be rehearsing our lines today.."

Kaho stood up and walked to the bench and sat.. Tsukimori followed her and sat beside her holding the script on his hands..

"Where is your script Hino-san?"

"Ahmm.. It's in here.." she grabbed her bag and pulled out the script..

As Tsukimori reads his lines.. Kaho is slapping her face not to fall from sleep.. but its no use.. her eyes shut and almost dropped her body from the bench.. fortunately, Tsukimori managed to pulled her arm pressing her against his chest.. his faced flushed red but regain his cold composure.. his arms now wrapped around Kaho's shoulder.. he felt his eyes were somewhat sleepy too.. so he decided to carry Kaho and lean her against the wall where he first saw her before.. he sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her again..

Not to long. He too, fell asleep…

When he woke up, it is already evening and stars can be seen from the sky.. he feels the cold breeze that touches his face and he enjoyed it. He snapped out of this so called moment, when Kaho suddenly moved a bit.. he saw her face which were somewhat lighted by the moon.. he found her beauty than can match even the goddess in the myths.. but his admiration didn't last long..

He looked at his watch.. he was slightly shocked that it was already 8 in the evening.. he tried to wake up Kahoko but getting no response from her at all.

Maybe she was drained from all this things.. It's a long day for her..

He decided to carry Kahoko home.. he carried her at his back with one hand carrying his violin and the other Kaho's bag.. he carried those things while supporting Kahoko's body of course.. he decided to walk from school.. while walking, many eyes where on them..

"Why is he carrying that girl.. what happened to her?.." a stranger murmured..

"She passed out I guessed.." the other stranger murmured..

"They're cute.. They could make such a good couple.." another one whispered.

Well that comment made Tsukimori blushed a bit.

He rang the doorbell when they reached Hino's house. Her mother open the door and shockingly said..

"oh, what happened to my daughter?.."

"Mrs. Hino, I think she's just tired from the days activities.. well due to exhaustion and lack of sleep she passed out.. "

"oh, my poor Kaho.."

"ahm maybe you could bring her down to her bedroom.."

Tsukimori followed Mrs. Hino as she lead him to the girl's room.. he lay Kaho on her bed..

"May I know what is the name of this nice man in front of me?.." Mrs Hino asked..

"Pardon me for not introducing myself earlier.. "

"Oh its okay dear.." exclaimed by Mrs Hino, surprised by the politeness of Tsukimori.

"I'm Tsukimori Len, Hino's co-participant in the concours and a fellow violinist.."

"Oh so you're the ever famous guy she'd been talking to me lately.."

Len's eyes grew wide hearing what Mrs. Hino told him.. " She tells her mom about me?.." he thought.

"Ahm Mrs. Hino, now that she's fine, I will take my leave now.."

"Oh.. alright.. "

As he walked out from the front door…

"Arigatou Tsukimori-kun and take care on your way home" Hino's mom exclaimed.

"Your welcome Ma'am"..

He bowed his head and leave..

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A/N: Sorry.. len is a bit OOC in here.. whatever.. hahaha please review!!!