Tune for the Heart

Chapter 8

Holey Baloney is it chapter 8 ALREADY????? Wooow.....Hmm...I think from here on out (apart from the very last chapter for which I have a very clear idea what to write^^) the chapters may be uneventful and boring. Or may not even make sense or may be too short or too long or in a completely....

Ah. You see? I have so much nothing-ness to write I'm filling the page with my crap....O__O. I am desperate...

Hmm. Now, I have had one person (ehem XD) telling me I have left chapter 7 as a cliff-hanger...I suppose so huh? Well, as it is a cliff-hanger and something exciting is meant to happen after it, you're probably expecting it to do so...as I have pointed it out quite clearly, my mind is as blank as...well you know what I mean. So if chapter 8 is a total disappointment to you I apologise...

*sigh*

Now beings my gruelling my task of writing this chapter... (If there aren't any chapters after this it's probably because I died of Brain Over-Load...LOL...)

Panda-Chan


Tsukimori Len was pacing up and down his bedroom, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, one side of his mouth twitching upwards.

He had a dilemma. One which, for a pretty unsociable guy like him, he found quite difficult.

Should he call her or should he not? Should he call her now or call her later?

It had been almost ten minutes since it first came to mind when he woke up and even still he didn't have a clue what to do.

Calling anybody was foreign country to Tsukimori but calling a girl,and Kahoko at that, was just pure alien.

"What should I say? What if it's her Mother that answers? Or her Father? What if no-one answers??"

Tsukimori growled under his breath while pacing even more furiously. He couldn't remember the last time he was so wound up and he was definitely not in the mood when his Mother walked into the room, without knocking; which was one of his pet hates, and asked what he would like for breakfast.

"As you may or may not be able to see Mother I am just trying to stay sane here...urgh. But I am failing miserably!" He had shot back.

His Mother, to his ever growing displeasure, did not take the hint but had actually came further into the room and sat down on his bed, asking what the matter was.

He froze and swivelled round to face her.

"The problem? Mother if I ever told you, you would not be able to contain yourself from being sent into fits of laughter." His tone was irritable.

"My Son I assure you I shall not be sent into 'fits of laughter', as you put it. I can control myself whether you think so or not." Now Misa Hamai's voice was getting uncharacteristically edgy.

Tsukimori's expression softened a little and he sighed.

"I apologise Mother. I did not intend to offend you."

"Apology accepted. I realise you're in a stressful situation right now..." It was her turn to sigh. "...If only you would tell me why..."

"Mother..." He began.

"Does this concern Kahoko by chance?" She interrupted.

"Uh...well....yes I suppose..."

"Ah...I see now..." There was a flicker of joy on her face but was soon serious again as she turned to look straight at her son.

"You do?" He asked.

"Well of course! Everyone has relationship issues so there's no need..."

"WHAT?!" He cried out so loudly it made his Mother jump slightly. "R-Relationship?! Uh, Mother I believe you may have grasped the wrong end of the stick here..."

"Oh?" One of her eyebrows were raised and she looked pretty amused at finding her son reacting in such a way.

"Kahoko and I...we...we're...we aren't...well basically we're not in a relationship at all. I cannot see how you could think so but just to make things absolutely certain; Kahoko and I do not have that sort of relationship. We're just acquaintances...possibly even friends...but if it's anything we're not it's that." He felt himself blush slightly and stared at his feet, hoping his mother hadn't noticed.

"Hmm...Alright. I understand. But Len, when you said that you had no idea how I could think so...did you mean it?"

"Of course I did." He mumbled.

"Hmm...interesting..." She mumbled to herself, though Tsukimori still managed to hear.

"What is Mother?" Tsukimori looked up.

"How everyone can tell...apart from you two it seems..." She replied, still being vague.

"How everyone can tell what?"

She chuckled.

"Oh Len, for someone as bright as you, you can be awfully dim-witted!"

Tsukimori was just about protest but she held up a finger to prevent him.

"It is not polite to interrupt when a woman is talking Len." She warned.

Tsukimori dipped his head to show he understood.

"As I was saying, it is interesting how everyone can tell but it is only yourself and Kahoko who cannot. What I am talking about is the fact that you two seem to have a much stronger bond than you think."

Tsukimori's head snapped back up and he gaped at his Mother like a fish.

"B-Bond?" He stuttered.

"Correct. But I shall not delve further as I'll leave it for the both of you to figure out the rest. In the mean-time I'll look on from afar to see how this interesting plot unravels..."

Tsukimori didn't move a muscle or say anything as he was still quite shocked at what his Mother had just told him.

"Ah, Len?"

"Y-yes?" He replied faintly.

"Do you still wish to tell me what's bothering you?"

"N-No Mother. It's alright. I've figured out what I need to do myself thank you."

"Alright then. I'll leave it to you."

Then she gently stood up and elegantly left the room.

As soon as he was certain she had left, Tsukimori the rushed over to where his school jacket was lying on the back of his desk chair. He began rummaging around in the pockets looking for the piece of paper that Kahoko had written her number on. The first time he checked he found nothing so checked again. Still finding nothing he then checked in his school bag, but still not finding it he just gave up, furious with himself.

Throwing himself on the sofa he cursed aloud. If either of his parents had heard they would have had heart attacks at hearing their son speak such foul language.

Tsukimori closed his eyes and tried to gain control of himself. After-all, it wasn't exactly the end of the world if he didn't call her. He could always ask her at school. But then again...what would he ask her?? "Oh hey Kahoko, can I ask you something? Do you know why I seem to be a whole load happier when you around?" or, "Hi Kahoko, Do you know why I'm so relieved my ticket has been stolen??" Pff...he had to be the craziest person on Earth.

Suddenly he heard his Father call him from the bottom of the stairs, something he rarely did unless it was urgent.

"Len! Someone's on the phone looking for you! I would advise you get down here swiftly! We wouldn't want to keep a lady waiting now would we?"

"Lady??!! It couldn't be...no way..."

Tsukimori bounded off the sofa and raced out the room, only slowing his pace when he reached the living room where both his parents we're now standing, excited looks on their faces.

He ignored them however and just carried on walking until he reached the phone.

Slowly he picked it up.

"Hello?"


Kahoko's heart was beating wildly in her chest. She had to be the craziest person on Earth. What in the world was she doing calling

Tsukimori Len?? She still hadn't thought of anything sensible to say to him and she was beginning to seriously panic when she heard Tsukimori's father calling for his son a distance away.

When she finally heard Tsukimori's voice on the phone she was relieved yet all the more panicky. Every time she heard his voice it reassured her for some reason, but in this case however it also reminded her of what a stupid idea it was to call him anyway.

"H-Hello? Tsukimori-Kun?"

"Kahoko? Is that you? Why are you calling? Is there something wrong?"

Kahoko frowned slightly in confusion. Was her ears playing up or did he actuallysound concerned?

"Umm...No nothing's wrong...It's just that...well it's kind of silly actually..." She trailed of, trying to find a way out this mess she had put herself into.

"What is it?" he asked, slightly impatiently.

Kahoko took as it a sign that Tsukimori wasn't in the mood for unnecessary talk where in fact he was just impatient to know what Kahoko could be worried about.

"Uh...It's nothing...sorry for wasting your time..." She was just about to hang up when Tsukimori's urgent voice stopped her.

"Kahoko?! No seriously what is it?"

"Uh...umm...well...It's just that...I was...I was just wondering whether we we're still having lessons tomorrow..."

Kahoko cringed, expecting two outcomes; Tsukimori getting really angry at her for wasting his precious practise time on little things like this. Or him exploding into laughter at her being worried at something as little as that.

It seemed Kahoko's imagination was slightly too good as he did neither of those. Instead he just chuckled.

"Just like you to get worked up on something like that huh?" He laughed softly. "Yes Kahoko, we do have a lesson tomorrow. Same time, same place."

"Oh...okay...umm...will Yunoki-Sempai be there as well?"


Tsukimori smiled, much to his parents delight, who was still in the room watching him and trying to listen in on the conversation.

"Not unless you want him to be."

"Want him to be??" She cried. "Yeah right. Mr Sparkly is sickly sweet, so sweet in fact he actually makes me sick just by looking at him!"

This passionate remark made Tsukimori laugh out loud and his parents, at hearing him laugh again, we're even more keen to listen in. [A/N-If this was a manga this box would probably be a shot of Tsukimori holding the phone up to his ear on the left (a cartoony sort of drawing, know what I mean?) and his parents snooping in from the right. You know how they sort of...peek out from the side, and they seem to be hovering one above the other? That kind of thing...and they both have cheeky looks on their faces... (He he) I can actually imagine that!! Lol...]

"Do you really think that badly of him?" he asked.

"Urgh. You don't even want to know. Trust me. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Oh? Go on then! Try me..."

And so she did. In a couple of sentences Kahoko had managed to describe to Tsukimori what Yunoki's 'bad side' was. Tsukimori didn't comment until he was certain she had finished. And when she did he burst out laughing.

"See? I told you so! You're laughing because you think it's the most ridiculous thing ever, right?"

"W-what? Aha, since when...did I...say that?" He managed between titters.

"Well okay, you didn't...but I still don't see why you're laughing! Yunoki being a bad guy is not funny!"

"Oh yes it is! Think about it Kahoko! Heh...imagine...you're standing in an office okay? And in front of you is a desk, and behind that desk it one of those tall, leather and black swivel chairs. Know the ones? Okay right, well then you here a purring sound from the direction of the chair...it swivels round and..." A chortle escaped Tsukimori's lips causing him to be unable to finish his sentence, finally he just managed to be able compose himself before starting again. "O-Okay...well the chair swivels round...and there's none other than Yunoki Azuma sitting in it, a pure malicious and wicked grin on his face...and he's stroking a white cat..." That was about the limit for him and he doubled up laughing.

Kahoko was practically falling about laughing as well. She got the joke but it was mainly just listening to Tsukimori laugh so hard that made her do the same.

She had just enough composure to put the phone back to her ear and say,

"...And he says in that 'smooth' voice of his... "So we meet again, Tsukimori Len"..."

, before succumbing into another fit of giggles.

After laughing for several more minutes both Kahoko and Tsukimori had regained self-control again. Though, from time they would still smile at remembering what they laughing at in the first place.

"So...is Yunoki-Sempai coming then?" Kahoko asked innocently.

"Hnn. Only if you want him to Kahoko, which, after your previous comments I guess not."

"Only checking!"

Tsukimori chuckled absentmindedly again.

"What's so funny this time Tsukimori-Kun?" Kahoko asked.

"Oh...I was just...I don't know actually...I think it's because I'm exceedingly happy for once and I'm just trying to put the feeling to memory."

"Ah, Okay...but...umm...Tsukimori?"

"Uh yes?"

"Are your Parents in the room?" She whispered.

"W-what?" He then suddenly remembered his parents and swiftly turned his head round. Sure enough, there were his parents leaning slightly forward, their expressions curious.

"Yes they're here." He said through gritted teeth. His parents then looked up and seeing him staring back at them with a furious expression on his face, they slowly stood up and shuffled out the door.

"How could you tell?" he finally asked, after he was sure his parents had left.

"Hehe...I kept on hearing shuffling sounds in the background...and I swear I heard a small squeal too..."

"Oh ha-ha...but...you didn't tell me this because?"

"It wasn't very relevant."

"How is my parents listening in not relevant??"He snapped.

"They were listening in??? Hehe!!" Kahoko started giggling again.

"It's not funny!" He was going to say more but then decided against it. Instead he just remained silent and listened to Kahoko's laughter, smiling a little as he did so.

After a while Kahoko had stopped giggling and there was only silence left to hear.

"T-Tsukimori-Kun? You still there?" Kahoko asked after a while.

"Yes, I'm here. Where else would I be?"

"Uh, practising perhaps?"

"...I...good point. Though strangely enough I'm not in the mood right now..."

"Hold on...Did you just say you weren't in the mood for practising?? Uh, Tsukimori-Kun I think all this extra laughter may have done something to your head. Since when did you ever deny practise time?? Actually...since when did you ever do anything but practise??"

"Are you saying I'm wasting my breath talking to you? Because if that's the case I'll take the hint and hang up..." Tsukimori replied huffily.

"What! Wait wait waait!!! No, you're not wasting your breath...I didn't mean to say that sorry sorry...I take it back..."

Tsukimori sighed.

"Okay, fine, whatever..." He looked around the room distractedly before asking,

"Is that all you called me for then? To ask if we have a lesson tomorrow?" He tried to sound just slightly irritated, like he usually was, and prayed that it didn't sound like he was being desperate.

"Uh............Y-Yeah....But umm...can you promise me something?" She finally asked.

"What is it?"

"...Promise you won't tell anyone what I told you about Yunoki-Sempai...."

Tsukimori resisted the urge to start laughing again.

"I won't." he said seriously.

"Thank you."

"So..." Tsukimori paused, trying to find a way to phrase the next thing. "...So...see you tomorrow then." He decided eventually.

"Um...yeah! Uh...see you then!" Kahoko said uncomfortably.

"Bye..." Tsukimori waited until he was sure Kahoko had hung up then placed the phone down.

"Why do I suddenly feel...so...so...happy...and relieved....at hearing her voice?" He wondered, rubbing his temple with his fingers.


Kahoko leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

She sighed.

"I'm glad I called him now...All the worries...and the anxiety at him being mad at me...it just all seems silly..." A small smile tugged at her lips. "His laughter...I wish I could hear it all the time..."

Her eyes snapped open and a hand flew to her mouth in shock.

"D-Did I just...? No way...why would I...?"

"Kahoko? Are you alright? You seemed rather ecstatic while you were on the phone...now you look pretty pale...who was that you were talking to anyway?" Her elder sister had appeared along-side her in the corridor.

She was leaning casually against the doorway. She was still in her pyjamas, a tired expression on her face and her hair a mess. She didn't look like the usual neat and tidy person she usually was that's for sure.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay..." She stammered.

"Hey...that wasn't...the famous Tsukimori Len Mum and Dad have been talking about? Ha! It was, wasn't it?!" She cried after seeing her younger sister's face turn even paler. She strode past Kahoko and nudged her with her elbow.

"Good for you Sis!" She whispered, and then winked at her when Kahoko turned to face her abruptly.

She then leaped up the stairs two steps at a time and shut herself in the guest room again.

"So...first Mio and Nao...then Amou-chan...now my sister! Who-ever next!" She wondered, walking towards the kitchen in a bit of a daze.


HAHA!!! I'm such a bloomin' slow poke!!! GAK!

Okay....well I know this is a lot shorter and pretty uneventful but my mind has sort of blanked-out completely...I am sorry if this really was a dissapointment for you...! Hopefully chapter 9 will be a bit more exciting thsn this...I hope....

Panda-Chan