"Playful Love"
Chapter Four:
The car stopped in front of Hinos' Residence and Len automatically looked at his side. The crimson-head lass he was talking to earlier is already sound asleep and leaning on his shoulder. He eased her back and slowly carried her bridal style as he went out of the car. His driver opened the door for him and pressed the doorbell as an assistance to Tsukimori.
The door opened and a new lad came out from the house. Who could he be?
The guy opened the gate and took Kahoko in his arms as he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I thought she'll go home walking alone once again. Oh, I am Kaname Hino—her oldest brother."
Len bowed. "Len Tsukimori." He replied.
Kahoko stirred and half-opened her eyes as she mumbled the name, "Len."
Kaname looked at Len and raised one eyebrow. "Come near, I'm sure her message is for you." He offered and Len accepted it anyway.
Kahoko smiled and kissed his cheek as he bent. "Goodnight."
Both lads were surprised but, Len recovered quickly than the other. "Goodnight. You better take some rest now." He muttered.
Kahoko nodded and closed her eyes as she snuggled at her brother's chest. "Mm,"
Kaname looked at Len and smiled. "Well then, nice meeting you."
Len nodded. "Nice meeting you as well."
Kaname bowed and he went inside the house carrying Kahoko at his arms.
Len smirked and went inside the car as he stared outside the window the whole trip, wishing, Maybe if her parents or siblings aren't there like before—I'll have more time to be with her.
Len smiled to himself with the thought and slowly fell asleep.
The next morning, Len came and picked Kahoko at her residence once again and she is getting adjusted with what's happening. Sometimes, she even sits beside Len as they talk about different things.
It's lunch time when they met again and both are walking to the practice rooms ready to play the Ave Maria Duet. They kept the same pace as they kept the same conversation in the mild level. Not too obsessed and not too boring as well.
It's about love… that lasts forever.
"Ne Len, do you believe that jealousy is a symbol of loving someone?" Kahoko blurted out as she giggled with how he placed a chocolate ball inside his mouth and it already departed.
Len raised one eyebrow and sipped his juice. "No."
Kahoko frowned. "Eh? But, why?"
"Well, for me—it is like when you get jealous; you are considering the one you love as a thing that you couldn't let go. It is like you are being to possessive of it that it is not a living person anymore." He explained.
Kahoko arched one eyebrow and grinned. "Nuh-uh. I think when you are jealous you are just conveying your emotions into actions that it only means that you want that person to be only yours because she/he is your one and only."
Len sighed. "But, isn't it like you are making her/him prisoner in that way? Always wanting her/him by your side and also distrusting her/him when she/he goes out with her/his friends." Len argued.
Kahoko started to frown. "It's on the person who becomes jealous. In relationship, you need to have trust to each other or else it will be a total failure. It is just right to be jealous especially when you consider the one you love as the most important person in your life."
"Jealousy is like something that you use as a reason to break you and her/him apart. It's like a gap that stands between you two just because you don't trust each other. Jealousy is not a good thing that exists in a relationship." Len retorted.
Kahoko blinked as she somewhat heard emotions fill Tsukimori's words. "Len…could it be that you are answering through experience?"
Len's eyes widened and he gulped. "I…It's something private."
"Have you ever fallen in love, Len?" she questioned.
Len looked at her and studied her feature. "I think. Just this High School."
She smiled and became excited with the news. The Ice Cube has fallen in love with somebody just this high school life of his. "Who is it?"
Len's eyes darkened and he suddenly held her hand and placed her behind him. "Tsuchiura," Len murmured.
Kahoko gasped as she looked through his shoulder. Tsuchiura is standing in front of him with a frown and scary expression. "It's not like I would eat Hino, ei?" he asked sarcastically.
"Better be cautious than regret that you didn't do it afterwards." Len hissed as a reply.
Tsuchiura frowned more as he took a step forward. "You are getting on my nerves, Tsukimori. Can't you distinguish right from wrong?" he growled.
Right from wrong? "Of course, I do. The right thing is me protecting her and the wrong thing is that you trying to take her away even though, she doesn't want to." Len answered in a calm voice.
"You have weakness, Tsukimori and I know them." Tsuchiura warned.
Len froze. "You don't."
Tsuchiura's eyes narrowed. "I do."
Len glared at Tsuchiura and snarled, "How much you know about me, it doesn't mean I'll lose to you. You are blocking our way in this present time and also from us being successful with our relationship. Will you move aside?"
Tsuchiura gritted his teeth and as soon as she saw his fists being lifted. She released his hand and threw herself between the two and blocked Len from the punch. "No!"
Tsuchiura stopped just one inch away from her face. "What the hell are you doing, Hino? This is our fight against each other to win you. Don't interfere."
She started to sob as she answered, "I don't care. As long as I'm here—you won't ever hurt him again."
Tsuchiura exhaled forcefully as he walked away with the words being spoken out of his mouth, "There's always a crack or damage in each glass which means there will always be a way to break you two apart."
Kahoko felt goose bumps with his words but, they soon faded away as Len led both of them to his reserved practice room.
Len placed their things at one corner and let her sit on the piano bench. "Shh," he shushed. "It's over. No one is hurt."
What is he saying?
Len wiped her cheeks and kissed her forehead. "Stop crying now, Kahoko."
Not until he said those words did she realize that she is actually crying. Tears are pouring out from her eyes and rolling on her cheeks. She is shaking and sobbing helplessly.
Why am I crying?
Then, images of Len's shoulder swelling few days ago came back to her mind. When they fell and he saved her which caused for his injury to worsen. Now, he was almost punched by Tsuchiura and it will be her fault again.
"Kahoko," he whispered as he took her in his arms and placed her head in his chest in an uncharacteristic manner of his.
"You were almost hurt." She cried.
"I wasn't, ok? I wasn't. I'm fine—it was all because you stood between both of us." He murmured as a reply.
Kahoko looked up and saw Len's serious face. I did? Len nodded and calmed her down more by playing "Ave Maria" solo and for her alone.
Slowly, her sobs faded away and a smile spread at her face.
I truly love Len how much I tried to deny it.
At dismissal they decided to meet at the garden of the school and have a little talk where to go for the Saturday since Len requested for her help to buy a gift for his mother since, she'll be coming home.
Kahoko hurriedly went to the designated place and sat on a bench leaning to the wall of the school building as she waited for Len to come. She hummed and played with the teddy bear keychain at her bag. She named it: "Ken" secretly named by her's and Len's names in combination.
She opened her bag and took out the plastic of cookies she have and placed one in her mouth. When she heard footsteps—she quickly stood up to greet him when she found out that it was Tsuchiura who came.
"Tsuchiura-kun?" she gasped in half-whisper as she almost swallowed the whole cookie.
He took steps towards her as she stepped backward until, her back is in the wall. "Hino, I want you to answer one question of mine."
"...Yes?" she asked as she tried hard to finish the cookie remaining at her mouth.
"Do you have feelings for Tsukimori?" he growled as he became very close to her.
If I answer yes, I'm sure he'll attack Len. She stayed silent and blushed.
He pinned her in the wall as he stared at her eyes. "Hino, answer me...Do you have any feelings for Tsukimori." He took pieces of cookies and broke them into pieces between his hand.
She looked down and blushed more. "I…I do have…" she trailed off as she gulped the part which she has already finished.
His expression hardened. "How about me? Who am I to you?" he asked without hesitation.
She looked up. "You are my—" she was cut off when he leaned his lips to hers to shut them.
When he let her go and she was left speechless. She heard a noise from behind and quickly turned around. It was Len watching them with wide eyes and astonished expression. She gasped as her eyes widened. No!
"I'm sorry for interrupting." He muttered and started to walk away.
No, Len!
He didn't turn when she called and continued walking away. He hurriedly went inside his waiting car and left.
No…Len, come back. It's not what you think.
She glared at Tsuchiura who is chewing the half of the cookie he placed at her mouth when they pretended to kiss. When he broke cookies into pieces, he also spared one to use when he heard Len approaching. He quickly placed it his mouth and shut her's when she is answering.
"You liar! Now look! I'm sure he is anticipating the wrong idea!" Kahoko yelled and started to run away. She spit the biscuit/cookie Tsuchiura placed at her mouth in a near trash can and wiped her lips. Their lips barely touched but, Len didn't see it that way. Tsuchiura blocked Len's sight from seeing that he was only quickly placing half of the cookie in her mouth and trying to make Len angry with both of them especially to her.
Inside her room, she found her cellphone and took it. She stared at the G-clef shaped that is hanging at the free space of it. It was given from Len earlier at break.
Kahoko took a bite of her sandwich and offered Len the cappuccino she ordered for him. He accepted and started sipping.
When her message alert tone rang, she opened her cellphone and answered quickly. Len watched her as she continued to press keys to answer.
When he was taking her back to her room, he placed something at her hand and when she opened it there was G-clef shaped keychain for cellphones at her palm. "Len?"
He shrugged. "I found it and thought you'll like it and since your cellphone still has no accessory I gave it to you now." He answered.
She blushed and smiled. "Thank you."
Len looked at her and murmured a, "Hn" before walking away.
She placed the accessory at her cellphone quickly after that and enjoys staring at it. But now, she only remembers Len's astonished and betrayed expression earlier when he saw her and Tsuchiura close to each other.
She pressed the number one in speed dial and Len's number quickly appeared. She pressed: 'call' and waited if he'll answer.
After almost the rings, she was about to give up when someone answered. Her heart raced. "H-hello?" she whispered.
"Hello," it was Len's voice who answered. "…Kahoko." He murmured after few moments of realization.
"Len, please…let me explain." She begged.
"It might be very difficult to believe you if you'll explain in the phone." Len retorted sternly.
True. "Can we meet tomorrow? I'll help you buy a welcome home gift for your mother…and tell you the whole truth." She asked.
"As far as I'm concern…fine, tomorrow I'll pick you up at 10 am sharp. Don't make me wait for longer than 5 minutes or I'll leave you." Len answered and quickly hung up.
He's really angry.
Len threw himself in his bed and buried his head on his pillow. Jealousy…that's what he felt when he saw her kissing him. It was supposed to be him. Moron! She was never yours, stop day dreaming.
Could it be that she really likes Tsuchiura and only using him to test Tsuchiura patience for her. Len clenched his fists and tried to sleep but, his dreams only contain of her.
A/N: Well, for me, the three of them are in fault. Haha!
Waah! Thanks for all the reviews everyone! I appreciated them! It's so surprising that you gave me so much support! Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!
I don't own anything just the plot!
Sorry for any mistakes!
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW PLEASE!
Sneak Peek:
"Wow! Look, Len, it's like the whole city became lights with many different colors!" she exclaimed as she pointed to the city below them.
"You're like a kid." Len commented.
Kahoko pouted and when she turned—her eyes widened as she realized that he is one inch away and his lips are almost touching hers. They froze like that for a long moment of time and then, he paced his lips on her—
Oops, that's enough. Wait for the next update!
