Greetings! So as previously stated, this time around it's the 2nd author's turn to write about the 2nd main character, Tsuchiura. This chapter follows the same timeline as the previous one (based on ch 48 of the manga).
There's not much to say. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy this chapter. And please don't read while eating/drinking as it could endanger your life! lol
Betareading was naturally done by my partner ;)
Disclaimer: We own nothing official related to La Corda d'Oro.
Tsuchiura Ryoutarou
I'm not a Stalker!
What the...?
For God's sake, I'm not a stalker! Never have been and never will be!
But why on Earth did I agree to spy on that iceman in the training camp again? Oh, right. Hino practically begged me to accompany her, just to satisfy her curiosity. And how do you think I'll be able to resist those puppy-eyes, slightly flushed cheeks and trembling lips as she clutched to the sleeve of my school jacket and begged me to come with her? At the moment, I could only try to divert my gaze and clear my throat so she wouldn't notice the change in my breathing.
But then, as I glanced from the corner of my eyes, my view was disturbed by the blonde guy who was standing behind her with a curious gaze. It had been his idea to take a look at the training camp, and Hino, as naive as she was, obviously agreed.
And I thought she had forgotten about what happened before the door to the rooftop last week when Kaji blurted out with the idea of visiting the training camp, which I witnessed. But I had to intersect as he was being insolently close to her. No, I wasn't stalking. I was coincidentally passing by because I wanted to clear my mind in the rooftop after Sasaki had narrated about what happened in class 2-2 regarding Hino. And I saw them just before the door.
But yesterday, a week later, as I was quietly enjoying my lunch at the cafeteria, Hino approached me with Kaji tailing behind, complete with that overused smile of his, plastered on his face. Out of the blue, she grabbed the sleeve of my jacket and pleaded for me to come along to the camp.
And in the end, I agreed. I thought if she wanted me to tag along, why not? I was doing a favor to Hino. And wasn't it an advantage for me too? And besides, I had to keep an eye of Kaji who seemed like glued to Hino, to my dismay.
Hino clapped her hands in overjoy after my agreement. I watched her happy face in awe, almost unable to close my mouth, and had to stuff some food inside to keep it busy chewing. And of course, just like in those cheesy movies, as soon as you're on the moon, then at that exact moment someone or something has to disturb and bring you back to Earth. The person in this case was Hihara-senpai.
He suddenly appeared at the cafeteria door, all cheerful, and shouted from a distance while waving his outstretched arms in our direction and swaying the bento box in his right hand.
"Oooii... Kaho-chan! Good to see you here! Kana-yan asked me to look for you! You've been summoned by the Chairman!"
I almost chocked on my food out of surprise and glared at my happy-go-lucky senior. I don't hate Hihara-senpai. But at that very moment, I so wanted to whack and bury him in the depths of Earth. How could he disturb this lovely moment? And so, Hino asked me to wait for her at the gate after school and left to the Chairman's office, leaving me with Kaji, who sat perplexed across me and Hihara-senpai, who cheerfully and oblivious of my malignant glare joined us at the table and started eating his bento eagerly.
And so, here I was today, just outside the walls of the building where the training camp was taking place. Don't ask me where they got the address. I was totally clueless. I only did as Hino told me to; meet her at the Central Station. Then we traveled by train from Yokohama for an hour, followed by bus trip for another forty-five minutes. Afterwards we still had to walk another fifteen minutes to reach this middle of nowhere.
We sneaked into the spacious garden, ducked along the walls, peeking from window to window for any sign of the members from Seisou, Tsukimori and Shimizu. Tsk, why did I have to play their game? I felt like a burglar... or worse... a stalker! Geez, this was so against my nature...
Sure, I was quite awestruck too at the condition of the building, which was really huge. It surely belonged to someone famous or some noble. I could see that the floor tiles were made of finest marble, the furniture sparkling and all hand-made, the curtains made from expensive-looking fabric... Wait, what am I doing, peeking inside? Once again I have to state. I'm not a stalker! Geez...
"Ow! You're squashing me, Hino!" I whispered loudly as I felt Hino's body pressing against my back and neck, so eager to look inside, squeezing my head flat against the window glass.
"Ah, sorry, Tsuchiura-kun," she apologized and immediately moved beside me.
No! Don't go! It was fine as it was! I don't mind having my body squeezed, deformed, whatever, if I could feel your soft warm skin on mine! I screamed in my mind.
I cursed under my breath and touched my head, making Hino to look at me with questioning eyes. She was surely thinking I was cursing because my head hurt, when in reality it was because I said those words without thinking.
Seeing her looking at me like that, I slightly panicked. I had to say something! Change the topic! Divert her mind!
I sighed.
"Honestly, how did I end up agreeing to this?" I ended up asking to no one in particular.
I heard a male chuckle, and glared at the source.
"But, I feel really lucky that I get to be here with Hino-san," Kaji said with that flirtatious smile I was getting sick of. And hearing those words made my protective senses awake.
Again, without thinking, I grabbed Hino and pulled her away from Kaji. I shot him another malignant glare I'd been picking up lately. Why did I have the feeling I was slowly becoming like Tsukimori in question of shooting glares?
"Stop teasing her," I hissed.
Kaji looked back at me without blinking. He didn't even show any emotion.
Suddenly I sensed some movements in the palm of my hand.
"Mmm... can't... breathe...," came the tiny muffled voice from my hand's direction.
And realized I've been holding Hino's face in my hand. Oh no, what did I do now? I immediately let her go, half-panicked that I've chocked her, half-happy I've been touching her face even in a bad timing and condition.
"Ah! My bad, Hino!" I managed to say amidst my messy thoughts.
Tsk, how did he succeed in making me lose my temper just like that? So far, it had only been Tsukimori who had gotten into my nerves with that ice-cold-arrogant-thoughtless personality. And now, Kaji too? No way. Not only he's Yunoki-senpai's duplicate, but also Tsukimori's?!
I scratched my head that suddenly felt itchy at the crazy thoughts I was having.
And then I heard another chuckle from him. Damn it, stop chuckling like Yunoki-senpai already! Man, you're creeping me!
"Tsuchiura sure is obedient, right, Hino-san?" I heard him ask with a small laugh that I guess was meant to be teasing, but sounded like a threat to my ears.
My blood boiled as I saw him rub Hino's hair playfully. Hey, you! That's my spot! Shoo, take your hand off her! I thought with the nth glare for today. Geez, my eyes muscles hurt already. Don't make me glare anymore, will you?
"Oi-"
Gack!
Suddenly I felt a strong arm strangling my neck. I glanced upwards in surprise and saw our long-haired-unshaven-airhead-irresponsible dearest music teacher.
"Oi, what are you guys doing here?" he asked in his raw voice.
While I was struggling to break free from the oblivious teacher's arm, I glanced at Hino and saw her frozen, but her face showed different thoughts.
"We wanted to see you, Kanazawa-sensei!" she suddenly said in a voice that sounded a pitch higher than usual. She was nervous.
"Is that so?" Kana-yan asked slowly in a cynical tone, seeming to not buy her excuse. Obviously!
"Kana-yan... your arm... you're strangling me!" I panted as I grabbed Kana-yan's arm. He noticed my lack of air and let me go.
And at that exact moment, through the window glass, we saw the iceman performing. I frowned at the view. Sadly, the whole building was soundproof. I had no idea what piece he was playing, but he looked exceptionally emotional. Like enraged or something. Huh? The iceberg had emotions, after all? I mused with a chuckle.
So, thank you to Hino, we were transformed into some part-time servants to supposedly do 'odd jobs', complete with mops, brooms, buckets, and dark-blue and filthy-looking overalls. Kana-yan's idea, of course. He said it was the only way so they wouldn't kick us out. Yeah, right...
Ousaki-senpai popped out and tried to cheer us up though, saying that this way we could also watch the small concert that will be held by the camp participants. Now that sounds good. You have my gratitude, Ousaki-senpai!
Then we were introduced to the elderly lady in charge of the household. She almost jumped in excitement as soon as she knew we would be helping ease her workload. So she immediately divided the job between the three of us.
I had no trouble in doing my assigned job. After all, between me and my siblings we always took turns in doing the house chores at home. This was a piece of cake. It even felt like sport-substitute.
Let see...
Cleaning the bathrooms, check.
Polishing the tableware that will be used by the participants, check.
Washing and hanging dry the table clothes, check.
Ironing the fresh-washed bed sheets, check.
Transporting the ingredients for dinner from the delivery truck to the kitchen, check.
What else was there for me to do again? Oh yes. I had to store the objects that weren't needed anymore in the storehouse just behind the building. What's all this? A box of some cleaning utensils and a smaller one with nails, hammer, screwdrivers and the like. Then a bucket and a bag of some more miscellaneous things. They didn't look heavy, so I supposed I could carry them all in a go so I didn't have to go back and forth.
On my way to the storehouse, I saw Hino in the backyard. She was... err... crouching? No, looked like sitting on the lawn to me. But what was she doing? She was idle with her back to me, like deep in thought.
Is there something bothering you? I asked in my mind.
I sighed, then walked toward her to see what was up. But then I almost dropped the boxes I was carrying out of surprise as she suddenly started plucking strands of grass furiously.
Well, something was obviously bothering her.
"Hino, are you working hard?" I called while walking towards her.
She looked upwards from her whatever-you-call-that-position.
"Oh, Tsuchiura-kun," she merely answered absent-mindedly.
What's with that look, Hino? You look so tired, so anxious, so flushed from the heat... so beautiful... Gah, what am I thinking! Voices in my head collided with each other, making me suddenly go dizzy.
"Um, something up?" I mustered to ask, before my curious dizziness showed.
"...This kind of work really suits you, huh?" she asked back.
I nearly jaw-dropped. What's that supposed to mean, Hino? Come back to Earth!
"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" I asked instead, fearing we might go on asking each other without really answering the previous questions.
"Of course!" she finally answered with a laugh.
Well, thank you for the compliment then, I mused.
"By the way, have you seen Tsukimori-kun and Shimizu-kun?" she asked again.
Now that she mentioned it, apart from how little we spied on Tsukimori's soundless performance earlier, I haven't seen him nor or junior cellist anymore afterwards. How could I, anyway. I was at the back of the house most of the time. But while I was inside, I thought I heard some distinctive feeble sounds, though too weak to be recognized.
"Nope, not yet," I answered. "But earlier, I thought I heard something. It sounded a lot like his playing-"
"Excuse me, I'll help you with that..." a womanizing male voice interrupted my words, and hence interrupting all my thoughts as well.
That party-popper...
"Isn't it heavy?" some female camp member asked.
"No, it' fine. I can't let a girl carry this," Kaji answered with a chuckle and again flashing that Yunoki-ish smile.
… And lady-killer, I shivered.
"Is it really okay for him to do stuff like that?" I asked Hino, while looking at that blonde's antics, gaining only a sheepish laugh from the redhead.
Suddenly, as though realizing that he had been stalked... ahem, watched at, he turned his gaze in our direction and started waving eagerly while grinning ear-to-ear.
No way, Hihara-senpai duplicate! I screamed in my mind and my eyes almost jumped out from their respective sockets. Lord, help me! Why do I see everyone else in that annoying blonde!!!
After the after-dinner cleaning, we were through for the day. I immediately went to take a shower, as my body was all sticky and sweaty from the whole work today.
Aaahhh... this is heaven... I murmured to myself with my eyes closed in delight as I felt drops of warm water from the shower falling onto and across my tired muscles.
I recalled the afternoon session we … I mean, Hino, Kaji and I caught a glimpse of.
As I was walking back to the villa after storing the load in the storehouse, I heard the sound of violin playing. Someone must have left the door open, I thought. And out of nowhere Kaji and Hino emerged into my view, half-jogging, and before I could open my mouth to say something, Hino had already pulled my wrist into the direction of the building.
We didn't stalk this time. We stood by the door to the hall, listening to what appeared to be a violin duet. It was Tsukimori and an ojou-sama-looking girl. Hino looked totally awestruck by the performance, and so was Kaji. Well I have to admit, that 'Bach Concerto for Two Violins' was really good, even without an orchestra involved.
I knew Tsukimori's level, but that girl could follow his lead, meaning she was quite good herself.
"Wow... those two are unbelievably good!" Kaji commented beside me.
Sure. If even I thought that performance was quite a level, then an amateur would be simply blown away. I wasn't being smug. It was the plain truth.
As much as I didn't want to comment on that living ice block's talent, I had to say something.
"Tsukimori is also amazing, but..." Wait a sec. Did I really say that? I have to say something else … "That girl... Right, Hino?" I turned my attention to Hino, who was standing before me, holding onto the door jamb.
And of course, she didn't hear anything I said. Her senses were focused on the duet, as if she was in another world.
After the duet was over, I had to drag her back outside, back to our corresponding jobs, before the camp participants started to complain that we were lazying around.
But she was still lost in her own wonderland even when we were having dinner later in the kitchen. Even when Kaji started teasing her despite my glares, she wouldn't react significantly. I started to get worried. Well done, Tsukimori. You made her lose her way in wonderland and can't come back, I thought, gritting my teeth, gaining a curious gaze from Kaji.
Unbeknown to myself, I was gritting my teeth under the shower while rinsing my body. I didn't know anymore how long I'd been there. I guess long enough, since the skin of my fingers was creased already.
I dried my body, then with a towel around my waist, got out of the bathroom. I bumped into Kaji on my way to my assigned room. He was fresh showered too, all clean and fragrant, and looking totally smiley. Oh no, Hihara-senpai and Yunoki-senpai joining forces! I imagined, raising my eyebrow.
"I'm taking a stroll outside," he announced without being asked, and simply passed by.
I continued my journey to my room, then rummaged my bag for fresh clothes and got dressed. Then I walked to the window, and looked outside, wondering what Hino might be doing.
Talk of the devil! She emerged into my sight not long after, walking through the garden... with Kaji? A quiet night in the garden and alone with Kaji was a nightmare! I have to stop any possible romantic event! I panicked and ran out of the room, through the corridors and around the building. Damn, this building is huge when I don't need it to be!
As I reached the garden, I slowed my pace to calm my breathing, heart and mind first. If they found out I ran only to intervene, they will think I was stalking them. And I'm not a stalker!
I was about to turn around the corner when I bumped into Kaji. Again. This time around, he was running in the opposite direction with totally flushed face as if being chased by the devil himself... Huh? Wait a minute. Something was not right here.
I popped my head on the corner to see what all that was about, and my blood boiled. There goes my other nightmare. Tsukimori and Hino alone, standing around in the garden. Now I saw the picture. Kaji had surely been heartlessly chased away by that walking iceberg.
Now that Kaji was gone, I had to intervene any possible mushy dialogue or behavior between both violinists. I couldn't picture Tsukimori being mushy though, but still...
"So, Hino..." I heard Tsukimori say.
My ears jerked. I stood still with my back flat against the wall, not daring to pop my head again. They weren't far from my vantage point.
"Yes, Tsukimori-kun?" I heard Hino's voice. Did I hear a smile too? Geez...
"Hino, you... you look..."
My radar appeared. Don't you dare say anything fishy, Tsukimori!
"Yes?" Hino inquired. Yeah, she was curious too.
"You... look... be... be... be..." Tsukimori stuttered.
What's that, Tsukimori? I had to flatten my lips to avoid bursting into laughter. I never thought I would witness him stutter nervously like that. No, correct that. I never thought I would witness him showing some goofiness! I should have recorded that priceless sound!
"Be-be-be what, Tsukimori-kun?" Hino inquired again, obviously oblivious.
"Please, let me finish," he stated desperately.
Yes Hino, let him finish. I'm dying to know, too.
"Oh, sorry. Go on again, Tsukimori-kun," she apologized.
"Yes, you..."
Silence. My radar started to beep, sensing incoming danger. Some kind of time-bomb went tic-tack-ing in my head.
"You look beautiful" he blurted in a breath.
WHAT?!?
Did I hear it right? The radar beeped a lot more often, sounding more like buzzing in my head, and finally the time-bomb went off. Uh-oh. Big danger ahead!
"I'm sorry, Tsukimori-kun. I didn't hear you," Hino said.
Again... WHAT?!?
"Please say it again," she continued.
NO WAY!!!
Sensing the danger of Tsukimori repeating that 'praise', I decided to come out of my stalking... I mean, hiding place. I'm not a stalker, for crying out loud!
I moved a foot forward and was ready to turn into their direction.
"Tsukimori-kun? Are you worried about the cooking magazine? Don't worry. I won't tell anyone!" Hino said.
I stopped all movements. Cooking? Tsukimori, the one who burnt our lunch in Fuyuumi's villa... Cooking? I nearly burst into laughter, but immediately covered my mouth with both hands. I felt my eyes getting wet from the excess of humor I just heard.
"No, Hino. It's not like that..." Tsukimori said, obviously embarrassed.
Oh my God. This was too much. I'd better appear before them, before anything worse happens.
"Not like that?" Hino inquired again.
How dense can you be, Hino? Please...
I moved from my hiding place, and the first thing I saw when I turned around the corner turned the rest of my laugh into a frown. Why was Hino holding Tsukimori's hand?
"Oooiii...! Hino...!" I called her out loud to diminish any sign of me overhearing their conversation, while walking briskly towards them.
"Tsuchiura-kun!" she responded happily, but without letting Tsukimori's hand go.
But then, another humor slash accident happened. Hino raised her free arm to wave at me, what was apparently too eager, and she hit Tsukimori's face with her hand, sending him flying backwards, hit the wall behind, and collapse on the grass.
I jaw-dropped, not understanding how such accidents could happen in real life.
"Tsukimori-kun!" Hino called him, crouching beside his laying body.
I ran towards them to see how grave the situation was.
"Oi, Tsukimori!" I called his name while slapping his cheeks, crouched on the other side of his form.
Tsukimori seemed to have lost consciousness. He must have hit his head quite hard. I glanced at Hino's hand, which was shaking Tsukimori's body, wondering how powerful her movement must have been, able to cause such an accident.
"Let's bring him inside, Tsuchiura-kun," she said, with worry in her eyes.
I nodded, then lifted his arm and put it around my shoulder, while Hino followed with his other arm.
"Duh, this will be difficult, Tsuchiura-kun. He's unconscious and won't walk," she commented.
"How about you lift him in your arms...," she suggested.
Lift him in my arms?!?
"... Or piggy-back him?" she continued.
Piggy-back Tsukimori?!?
I shifted my gaze from her to Tsukimori, back and forth. Please, Hino. Can't you come up with a better idea? I pondered.
"Tsuchiura-kun, I know Tsukimori-kun and yourself aren't very fond of each other. But there's no other way now, or is there?" she challenged.
I sighed in defeat. "Alright..." I muttered.
I decided to go with the second option, and with Hino's help moved him on my back. She put his arms on each side of my neck, so his arms were dangling from my shoulders.
I started walking, and was surprised at Tsukimori being heavier than I'd thought. I wondered if his body was really made of ice or steel, because this thin load couldn't be muscle, let alone fat.
"If we put him in his room, we'd cause a fuss, right?" I asked Hino as she opened the back-door before me.
She pondered. "I guess you're right. How about we lay him in your room first, on your bed?" she asked.
MY BED???
"My... bed?" I echoed in dismay.
"Yeah. My room will cause a fuss, too. And we don't know where Kaji-kun is," she reasoned while walking inside.
"Alright, off to my room then...," I muttered in defeat while rolling my eyes, then followed her lead.
"Okay. What should we do with him now?" I asked Hino while stretching my tired body after carrying that iceberg.
Hino, who was standing beside me by the bedside, gazed to Tsukimori's form on my bed.
"Um, should I call Kaji? Maybe he knows what to do. He might be just next-door," she offered.
"'I'll do that," I intersected. Enough interaction from both parties for today.
I got out of my room and knocked Kaji's door beside mine. The door opened not long afterwards.
"Ah, Tsuchiura-kun," he greeted with a friendly smile.
Wicked smile, I should say.
"We have a situation. Come with me," I ordered, and without waiting for his answer, dragged him to my room and immediately closed the door behind me.
"Eehhh? What is Tsukimori-kun doing, sleeping here?" he shrieked in surprise.
Duh! Hihara-senpai in disguise!
"Ssshh...," Hino and I hissed in cue.
Kaji cleared his throat, then more calmly asked. "So, what is this about?"
"Err... he encountered... an accident outside. Hit his head with the wall and collapsed," Hino explained without going into details.
"So basically, we don't know what to do now," I sighed.
I scratched my suddenly itchy head, and as if on cue, Kaji mirrored my gesture unconsciously.
Duh, don't copy me! I stopped my act abruptly.
"I don't know. Shouldn't we let Kanazawa-sensei know about this? Maybe he could do something about it," he suggested.
"Hmm...," I pondered.
"I think you're right, Kaji-kun," Hino answered.
"Does anybody know which room he's in?" I asked, realizing that I had no idea.
"I know. I changed the bed sheets in the rooms on the second floor today," Hino said.
"Great. Moreover, if you go, he will believe you. If one of us guys goes, he'll think we're lying," Kaji reasoned.
And for the first time since I met him last week, I agreed with him.
"I'll be right back, then," Hino said, then hurriedly got out of my room and banged the door behind her.
And now I'm left with my two nightmares. One lying unconscious in my bed, the other standing idly in the middle of the room. And not wanting to watch neither of them, I walked to the window and looked outside with crossed arms.
And then a tiny bit of curiosity popped into my mind.
"Hey, Kaji. Why were you running outside back then?" I asked at Kaji behind me.
"Ah, nothing. Nature called," he answered nervously with a laugh. Obviously lying.
"Which reminds me... why were you outside?" he asked back.
"Just taking some fresh air," I answered as composed as I could.
"You weren't by chance stalking on Tsukimori-kun and Hino-san, were you?" he asked again with a chuckle.
I jerked and turned my head in his direction.
"I'm not a stalker, okay?" I hissed. How many times do I have to state it today?
Right then, as if on cue, the door opened and Kana-yan emerged in my room, followed by Hino.
"Well, well... what do we have here?" Kana-yan asked, scratching his head.
"Surely Hino has explained to you, Kana-yan," I muttered.
"Yeah, leaving me wondering why you were all out there when it happened," he pretended to think.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You guys weren't by chance stalking Tsukimori, right?" he asked.
Stalking Tsukimori...
My blood boiled again.
Stalking?
"For the sake of all things Holy, Kana-yan, I'm not a stalker!" I yelled.
(to be continued...)
A/N: So people, what do you think? Like it? Don't like it? Anyway, just drop a review, please, to motivate us to write more!!!
Thank you again for reading ;)