Chapter IV: Violin or Violent?
"It won't work."
Akira and Tora were sitting at the almost empty canteen. Thirty minutes had passed since the final bell rang.
"It will. Believe me."
"I don't want to. I don't believe you."
"There you go again. Are you a man or not?"
"I am. But I don't think I need to do this to prove it."
"You need."
"Never."
"Hey, Mahiro has been working hard to succeed it! At least you can appreciate her a little."
"I never asked her to. You have been lucky that I didn't kick you right on your butt because you told her."
"You were the one who felt very excited in the first place. Why give up now?"
"I just like to see her or listen to her music but… You know, the chance of her being mad at me isn't zero."
"Why does she have to be angry after all? It's good to know that someone loves you. Being near the one you love is a blessing, Akira-kun."
"It's your philosophy, not hers. And definitely not mine."
"Many people think like that."
"I don't. And I'm quite sure Tokito doesn't too."
"Haha, see how much you understand her!" Tora began to tease him, but was cut off,
"No, I don't think I've understood even a little about her. You know, it's just a short feeling that frequently fades as the time pass by. Now I don't feel anything. Isn't it enough? I'm going home," Akira turned around.
"Hey, no, wait!" Tora seized Akira's sleeve. "I've planned this all day! She will come in less than 5 minutes. What would I say to her if…"
"That's your business."
"Akira-kun, please…" Tora pleaded. "Mahiro informed me that Tokito is good in martial arts. She will kill me if I bring her here without any apparent reason."
"You indeed don't have an apparent reason."
"I do! I'm going to match-make you two…"
"That's not an apparent reason. Besides, if you are too afraid, you can just tell her that I wanna see her but suddenly I leave without a word when you're looking away. Perhaps the one she will kill is me."
"Akira-kun, no!" Tora gripped Akira's sleeve very strongly. Akira was a little bit afraid he would tear his uniform. "There she comes!"
Curse you Tora, Akira couldn't help but turn his face to see two certain maidens walking closer. Mahiro waved to them as she dragged Tokito along.
"I've told you, Mahiro, I have to practice for my performance!" Akira could hear Tokito's voice. "Mr. Julian asked me to play violin for Parents Day tomorrow and I have not practiced even a note!"
"Just a moment, a few minutes! Please… Tora-kun told me that his best friend needs a poker lesson."
Ha-ha, Akira laughed sarcastically in heart, what a great job, Tora and Mahiro. You told her that I need to be taught about poker?? She would think I'm a useless loser by now.
"You can ask Kosuke for that. She's good… or perhaps we can do it later. Not today, okay?"
And I've ruined her practice schedule. I'll be surprised if she isn't mad at me, Akira thought bitterly.
"You're the best, Tokito, come on…" Mahiro dragged Tokito closer.
"Hi, Mahiro-chan! And this must be Tokito, right? The new student. Nice to meet you! I'm Tora," Tora gave a hand. Tokito raised an eyebrow before shaking it.
"Tokito."
"Nah, I want you to meet my friend too… Akira-kun, where do you wanna go?!"
Akira, who had made steps away when Tora wasn't looking, sighed contently. He whirled around, not really ready to face Tokito.
"Hi," Akira grinned hopelessly. "I guess we've met before."
A deep frowned appeared on Tokito's face. For some unknown reason, Tokito didn't seem so pleased upon seeing him.
"Akira-san," she greeted coldly.
The atmosphere changed. Akira and Tokito were staring at each other with different look in their eyes—Akira was confused and Tokito was annoyed. Tora and Mahiro watched in blankness.
"Er, Akira-kun asked me to help him with his dreadful poker ability but I'm not better than him, so I asked for Mahiro's help and she said she knows a master of it, it's you and… Ah, what a coincident that you've known Akira-kun from the first place!" Tora tried to explain. Mahiro agreed it with a weak smile.
"FYI, I'm not the one who…" Akira was about to dodge Tora's tale but was shot by his comrade's sharp glare. Akira curved his lips, "…is very good in poker. I guess… um, maybe you can help me?"
"Is it so important that it has to be right now?" Tokito shot quickly.
"Umm… actually no. If you're busy then…"
"I am. I'm leaving now," Tokito exhaled tiredly, "I don't see a reason why I must sacrifice my first performance here because of someone's need of poker lesson."
Tokito left immediately. Mahiro and Tora were about to stop her, but Akira sent a sign of disagreement towards both.
"Akira, we've worked hard to prepare this moment!" Mahiro hissed desperately.
"She is busy, Mahiro, I don't want to disturb her," Akira reasoned.
"Yeah, but what manner is it? She's not as—forgive me—sincere as I thought," Tora frowned deeply. From Akira's tale, Tora concluded that this 'angel' was very cute and kind.
"And since when Tokito is popular for her sincerity?" Mahiro cut off suddenly.
"Eh?"
"Hey, everybody knows that Tokito is a strong and tomboy girl! Definitely not an angelic kid, obviously, though she can be really sweet sometimes. But to mention her as one of those girlie girls… no, I don't think so," Mahiro explained lightly. "Don't you know that she knocked Spade—that handsome and strong senior—down when he tried to tease her yesterday? She has been involved in some trouble too since she arrived here. She even hurt that giant—what's his name?—oh, Bontenmaru."
Both Tora and Akira shook in shock. Mahiro sighed.
"And that's what you call as 'already search info about Tokito'? Gosh."
"I guess Yukimura is too kind-hearted to give bad information. Maybe she is not a violin angel but a violent one," Tora sighed. "Akira-kun, why do you keep silent? Are you upset, bro?"
Akira didn't notice these questions until Tora hit him on the arm. Akira frowned.
"I'm just thinking… oh, no, nothing. Yeah, I'm going home then," with that, Akira waved goodbye, leaving Tora and Mahiro speechless.
Akira walked towards the front gate. His mind was busy thinking over things.
She's different. She's not the sweet violin player who shook my hand. She's not the pure new student I met in the first place. She's wearing mask… I can't figure out which is the real and which is the fake. Is the real her the violent poker master or the kind violin player?
Akira bit his lower lip and suddenly became very serious in looking at his own steps. Did he need to find out? A part of his heart told him that it was better not to get near her anymore. But another part screamed that he should, he must, he needed to search for truth. Or rather, he would bring the thought to his grave.
I shouldn't mess up with her, Akira told himself, she isn't even happy to meet you, Akira!
There must be a reason, Akira, she won't dislike you because of nothing! Another voice in his head replied loudly.
Becoming tired of arguments that were crossing his mind, Akira looked up from the road and realized that he had reached the front gate. Just when he was about to step out of the school area, he caught a sight of a certain woman he mostly avoided to meet: Suzaku. The long-haired maiden was standing alone across the street.
Having experience of being stalked till home six times, phoned and e-mailed everyday, even embraced in public by the aggressive teenager, Akira chose to save his life by not meeting Suzaku. He turned around and headed back to the school building.
I will exit from the back gate, Akira thought as he quickened his pace, praying that Suzaku never saw him. He passed the school garden, walking closer to the aula…
There came that sound again. The same violin, even though the song was different, it preserved equal beauty. As if he were pulled by a magnet, Akira couldn't resist the desire to come closer, even if he could just listen from behind the door.
"Mr. Julian asked me to play violin for Parents Day tomorrow…"
So, that weird music teacher has noticed Tokito's talent too, Akira thought while indulging the music. It had been 5 minutes… 10 minutes…
BRAK!
The musical performance ceased suddenly with a loud sound of something quite heavy hit the floor. Akira jumped in surprise.
"Tokito!"
Without further ado, Akira kicked the door open. He saw the small-postured girl stood unsteadily on the stage with a hand on temple, her violin fell down to ground. Akira ran and approached her.
"Tokito, are you okay? Hold on!"
The said girl narrowed her eyes to get a better vision of the intruder, but her ears worked more effectively since her sight blurred rather badly.
"Akira?"
Akira went up to the stage and held her shoulders from behind in attempt to help her stand properly. She tried to refuse the help.
"I'm alright, thank you, Akira…"
"I don't catch a sign of alright," Akira frowned as he carefully turned her body into facing him straight. As soon as he got a better look at her face, he breathed sharply in surprise, "Tokito. Clinic. Now."
She was pale until even her lips lost colour and was drenched by cold sweat. Her eyes were unfocused and she was shivering badly. Akira was just about to drag her to the school clinic when the girl lost her consciousness and balance.
"Tokito!"
Akira had to catch her in an embrace to avoid her stumbling to the wooden floor. He quickly scooped her light form into his arms and carried her to the clinic.
What he didn't know—and didn't care, though—pairs of eyes were watching what he'd done.
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A.N: It is a shock that I need more than a year to update. I'll try to update frequently now, since I've found a plot for this. Enjoy, everyone! Thank you for reading and I'll be more than glad if you care to drop by a review!