A/N: Minna-san! Thanks for all your comments and reviews! :) I hope you enjoyed the side story. Anyway, here's chapter eight. I won't detain you for long with my boring speech. So here it is! Bon appétit!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own La Corda d' Oro. It belongs to Kure Yuki and to all its legitimate owners.
CHAPTER EIGHT||Unsteady Beats
"CHEERS!"
The people inside the agency rose their glasses to toast for the success of the concert. As expected, the tickets were sold out and made the media go frantic with the tandem of the two violinists. Innocence stood out from among them wearing a glimmering white gown, with her pretty brown hair tied in a bun of curls, and dainty silver mask worn across her face; her glass of white wine lifted in the air.
"This is to Innocence who has done her best. Congratulations!" The president of the agency said onstage with his microphone. Right after the concert was their agency's foundation day, so it was more like a double celebration for their success. And of course, because only a selected group of people knew who she really was, she had to disguise herself again.
Innocence smiled behind her mask.
As the people drank the said liquor, the masked lady only brought it to her lips and pretended to drink from it. She is Innocence, yes, but at the same time she was Kahoko Hino and not once has she taken up any alcoholic drink.
Soon, slow music was played and some of the people gathered at the center to dance.
"Congratulations, Innocence. You did a great job."
Kahoko looked beside her and saw her manager, who was stunningly beautiful in her red strapless gown. "Manaka-san! Thank you. It's all because of you."
"No need to be so humble. We all know of your hardwork."
Kahoko blushed. "Th—thank you, really."
Rin took a sip from her drink and only smiled. "Anyway, I can't hang with you any longer. I bet Romeo here wants to have some spare moments with you."
Kahoko's ears perked up with Rin Manaka's teasing words. By Romeo, does she mean…
"Good evening, ladies."
Kaji-kun. Right. Who was she expecting?
"You aura's different tonight, Aoi-kun. I wonder who it's for." Rin smiled teasingly. And before any of them could react, she decided to leave the two.
"S—say," Kahoko heard the blonde speak, causing her to jerk. "Would you like to dance, Hino-san?"
Kahoko seemed to freeze for a moment. It's just a dance, right? There really isn't anything special. She only nodded and was about to take his hand when a bright flash of a camera suddenly interrupted them.
"There. Picture perfect!"
As soon as both recovered from shock, Kahoko found herself face-to-face with Seiso's former most notorious journalist. She was about to say her name, but Aoi Kaji beat her to it.
"Amou-san?"
"Hai, hai! Long-time-no-see, Kaji-kun! And my, do you look handsome!" She complimented as she tapped his shoulder, feeling the old times seeping in.
Aoi smiled. "Thank you. And you, too, Amou-san. You look dashing as ever."
"You think? I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion, am I?" She laughed at herself and opened her arms as to present the knee-length purple tube dress she was wearing. Her golden hair was tied in a ponytail with some of her golden hair dangling next to her ears.
"So, how have you been?" Kahoko heard the journalist while looking around at everything else. She thought she should leave the two for a private conversation when she unexpectedly heard her last name. "Nee, Hino-san, how does it feel like Innocence and deceiving all the people that care for you?"
She jerked upon Nami Amou's words. Dread befell upon her when she saw the journalist's smirk. That's when realization crept in. "See, nothing ever escapes me, especially those juicy little secrets."
She felt her heart beat tremendously fast. What is this? How did she found out? She finally decided to leave and run, but something caught her eye.
There was Len, standing ten feet away from her, staring at her with his icy gaze.
He started towards her and soon was six feet away.
Four…
Three…
Two…
One.
"Len…" she accidentally said.
And without further ado, he grabbed her in his arms and engulfed her in a warm embrace. At that, she felt tears wet the sides of her neck, urging her to return his hug.
"Deceiver."
Len unexpectedly said, his only word stabbing through the innermost parts of her heart, immobilizing and freezing her to that very spot.
-.-
"KAHO-CHAN!"
Kahoko awoke to Mio Takato's voice.
"Kaho, are you okay?" Nao said and started wiping Kahoko's face. "We've been trying to wake you up. You were having a bad dream."
Kahoko breathed so hard that the abrupt rising and falling of her chest was evident. She held on to her head while she remained to be seated on her bed.
The past few days had been hard on her. It's true that her mini concert with Len had been a success, but switching from Innocence and Kahoko Hino had been difficult. Just the other week, Ryoutaro had told her that she hasn't been answering her phone and that every time she comes to work at the music shop, she always seemed so tired and stressed. And lately, even her Hihara-senpai had noticed, too. She's been a consistent customer for sweets, knowing that she'll need a lot because she really is always tired.
And also just last week, when Mio and Nao looked for her to invite her to watch Innocence's concert together, she was nowhere to be found. Which of course, was utterly impossible because she was Innocence; there was no need to be invited to her own concert. It was a good thing none of them suspected anything as of now, since Kahoko had agreed to attend their sleepover.
"K—Kaho-senpai, here's water…" Shouko Fuyumi offered a glass of water. The last night they'd decided to sleep in Shouko's house, since it was Shouko herself that invited them. They've been in contact ever since their Yunoki-senpai's engagement last year.
"Arigatou, minna." Kahoko said after emptying the glass. She was almost breathless. "I'm sorry for troubling you."
"No, it's fine. But really, you scared all of us, Kaho." Nao said and sat beside her friend, patting her back as to soothe her from worries.
Although she started to calm, thoughts about Nami Amou in her dream still bugged her.
Nothing ever escapes me, she recalled her say.
And Len, he called her deceiver while she was in his arms. What did that mean?
But above all, why should she let this bother her? It was just a dream. Nami's not Japan but in America, for Pete's sake, working for a famous newspaper pub, and Kahoko's all the way here. Why would Nami even bother coming?
"Nee, minna! Why don't we all go out? There's this restaurant that just opened and I heard that their food are so delicious!" Mio suggested when her eyes sparkled.
"O—okay then. I'll just tell our chef not to make breakfast anymore." Shouko said and immediately left to advise her maids.
Just as she was starting to feel relieved, her phone suddenly rang, all her friends throwing curious glances at her. Who would call so early in the morning, and on a Saturday?
"Hello?" She said after pressing the green button.
"Good morning, Hino-san. Sorry for the disturbance this early in the morning." Came Aoi Kaji's voice on the other side of the line.
"No, it's fine. I wasn't disturbed at all." In fact, she was thankful for the distraction.
"Listen, there's been a glitch in the agency and Manaka-san suggested that you don't come here, for a week at least."
"Eh? Why? Did something bad happen?"
He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you for now. I'll let you know when things become stable."
So something really is wrong.
"Think on the bright side, Hino-san. Think of this as your… week-off, and a reward for the job well done at the concert."
"Wai—"
"Goodbye."
For some reason, Kahoko felt uncertainty flood her after their conversation. What was wrong with the agency? A financial crisis? An inside job? A bankruptcy? Yet no matter how hard she tried to enumerate, she couldn't think of at least one possibility.
.
.
"Itadakimasu!"
All four said after receiving the food they ordered, and treated themselves to a good breakfast.
"I hope you enjoy your meal, girls!"
Stunned at the voice, all of them turned towards the source.
"Hi—Hihara-senpai?! What're you doing here?" Kahoko asked in disbelief once again.
"Don't tell us… you own this place, too?!" they all asked in chorus.
He only smiled as he scratched his head.
"You're so amazing, Hihara-senpai. You're not just an OB at school, but you're also an entrepreneur!" Mio exclaimed.
He laughed shyly. "Well, I don't know why but I just love doing these things."
"Then perhaps you're inspired then, senpai?" Shouko suddenly asked out of the blue. Kazuki blushed at her question while waving his hands frantically in denial.
"Ah, i—iie!"
"G—gomen, Hihara-senpai!"
The apple-green haired sighed. And with a small smile, he confessed.
"Well actually, you're right. They said sweets can make people happy, and there's this person that I want to cheer. Maybe my trumpet can't heal her, so I might as well cheer her up with sweet things."
Mio reached up to her eyes to wipe the tears stinging at the corners. "Amazing. Hihara-senpai's in-love!"
Kazuki reddened and realized his tactlessness.
"Don't worry, senpai!" Kahoko's voice suddenly called out of nowhere. "I know for sure that your efforts won't be futile."
The green-haired found himself dumbfounded with her words. Before he could stay frozen like a statue, he heard a crash from inside the shop and excused himself to fix the ruckus. Whew! Thank goodness for the ruckus!
"Oy! Are you guys okay?" he said as he left the girls to themselves.
.
.
Meanwhile, at the agency…
"So, who is this Innocence?" The writer tapped her pen on her notebook as she waited for a reply. She sat cross-legged on the couch.
He smiled. "For the nth time, I can't tell you."
"Now, don't be cute with me, Kaji-kun. Just tell me her identity, and this'll all be over."
"What?" He scoffed, which was slightly out of character for him. "Aren't you asking the same thing? You just rephrased it."
The cunning journalist grinned. "Exactly. Now, tell me the details on how you found her." She readied her pen as if she really was about to get some details.
The blonde flashed a smile. "I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you."
"Eeeeh?! Not even for old times' sake, Kaji-kun?"
"The agency has given its final statement, so leave." Rin Manaka suddenly appeared out of nowhere and gave the journalist a stern gaze.
"Now, now, Rin, I was only messing around. Or maybe not." The visitor giggled.
"Rin?" The manager asked in puzzlement, her brows meeting. "Has America made you lose your sense of respect, Nami Amou?"
The journalist took off her cap and sunglasses, making her now short, curly golden hair fall loosely.
"My bad, onee-san. But say, you haven't welcomed me home yet."
Rin rolled her eyes. Aoi flashed a smile.
"Welcome home, then, Amou-san!" The blonde greeted.
"I'm hooome~! Thanks for that, Kaji-kun. That felt good."
"No, problem!"
"Now, if you would be kind enough to tell me about Innocence." She clicked her pen as she said her sentence, ready to jot down any information.
"NAMI AMOU! LEAVE! NOW! Or I'll forget I ever had a sister!"
Nami only laughed so hard as she scurried her way outside. "Seriously nee-san, would you stop being so grumpy all the time? Good thing Kaji-kun's kind enough to put up with you."
A bulging vein showed clearly on Rin's forehead with her younger sister's action. "Wait till I get home, you little punk!" She said through her gritted teeth.
"That's if you can catch me, nee-san!" Nami stuck her tongue out. "Stop being so angry all the time. If you heed my advice, men might just come swarming to you all over again!" At that, she closed the door and ran around the hallways, readying herself for her older sister's reaction.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! NAMI AMOU!"
Who'd ever thought the infamous Rin Manaka can lose her composure?
Only Nami Amou can do the trick.
"Tadaima, nee-san. And I'll make sure to uncover all the secrets you've hidden… including that of your little star Innocence. Nothing ever escapes me, nee-san... not this time."
A/N: THE END! Well, for this chapter, at least. This chapter has been revised, so feel free to PM me for any corrections. Also, please don't forget to leave a review :)
