La Corda D'oro ~

Chapter Nine; Explanation

* * * * *

Author's note

Update, update, update. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kahoko's POV

It was the end of the concert and Kira-sensei was very proud of our performances, but with the look on his face we knew he expected more.

'God, this guy almost reminds me of Tsukimori." I sighed, while fixing my stuff. We were all about to leave; 'It's time to talk to him.'

Just when he was an inch away from me, "Tsukimori-" Ousaki-sensei interrupted. "I would like to invite all of you over to the music room to celebrate your wonderful performances. Congratulations to you all!" and everyone else cheered and followed sensei to Seiso Academy. I sulked, 'And I was so close.'

I followed them and put my coat on, and did I noticed that Tsukimori was right beside me. He walked with me silently, I was eager to start a conversation. "So, Tsukimori-kun, have you prepared for Europe? I heard your leave is the day after tomorrow." He just nodded. "Oh, I see." I kept thinking for other ways to talk to him. "Europe will be fun, right? Meeting new people and seeing the wondeful sights there! Oh, you're so lucky." I giggled but it didn't seem to affect him. I gave up and looked the other way.

"I don't know if I should think of it as fun. But I guess I'm doing this for my own good."

"Why it should be fun. Isn't that what music's supposed to be?" I shrugged. "Music is anything but an obligation, in my opinion."

I glanced at him and I met his thoughtful gaze again, "Is that so?" I couldn't react for a moment.

"M-mhm." I nodded.

Music room;

The music room was filled with decorations and a table with desserts and drinks for all of us. I guess they really did want us to excel in that concert. I gimaced, "Hino, what's wrong?" asked Hihara-senpai. "If they prepared all this even before we'd performed, I'm not sure If I'm supposed to be happy or just ... I don't know. They really expected us to be excellent back there." Hihara laughed.

"Well, they couldn't help it. I mean, c'mon, we are good even if we don't try." He winked and laughed again. 'Silly Sempai.'

"And A toast, to a sucessful concert and to the growing popularity of this amazing school." Kira-sensei said and raised his glass as we all did and drank it all in one gulp. Ugh, wine. (I'm not a fan of alchohol.)

After awhile chatting with everyone, and even Amo-san was there to take pictures of all of us. Ousaki-sensei congratulated me with my duet with Kaji and I have talked with all my friends. Unexpectedly, Etou was there too with his cousin though they barely spoke but Etou was having a good time. I guess he and Kaji were on good terms too, good for them.

And then, after all the celebration, we had to clean up. (Of course, why would we leave the room all messed up?) And while the snow began to lessen, it became darker.

"Bye guys! See you next school year!" Kanazawa-sensei said then he patted Tsukimori's shoulder, only to be shrugged off. "Good luck again on your Europe trip, kid. I know you'll do your folks proud." Tsukimori only nodded, "Thank you, Sensei."

And with the flicker of the switch, all lights were off.

Outside Seiso Academy;

Just when I walked out of the school gate, "Hino!" someone called out my name. I couldn't see who cause of all the fog and it was very cold. An arm wrapped around my shoulders and placed another coat around me. I looked up and the fog lessened a bit and all I could see was the blue hair shining through the moonlight. "T-Tsukimori-kun? What're you doing?" I said, shivering inside the two coats I wore. Then did I notice that he took off his coat to put his on me. "Tsukimori! You're freezing!" I held the other coat and wrapped it around the two of us, our bodies closer this time. I could feel him shaking but he wasn't complaining at all. "Here, j-just hold the violin cases." I took his violin case while holding mine and my shoulder bag. Tsukimori was the one wrapped the coat around us.

We walked until we saw the fog lessen and we were back to the the same spot on our first date, in the middle of the park. It was much warmer here since there were a lot of trees and the snow had lessen. "That was very troublesome what you did, Hino." He wore his coat again and shook his head in disappointment. "And you didn't even wait for me, I told you I would talk to you at the end of the concert." He sighed but said anyway, "Are you okay?" I looked up at him in surprise, since when did he ask me this? "I-I'm okay, Tsukimori-kun. I'm sorry."

"You always apologize."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"To listen."

"Okay, I'm listening." I twisted my body to face him entirely. Now we were face-to-face but his head was lowered a bit to stare at me. His hands rolled in to fists and he walked forward with that frustrated expression on his face. I walked backward, afraid of what he was going to do. He cornered my into a tree, my back pushed against the trunk and my knees wobbly. His hands on each side of my face and his face inches away from mine. I could feel his breath, he was just so close.

"Hino, I just wanted you to know that, ." His hands were fists again on the sides of my face. "Before, from the first time I met you, the only thing I knew about you was that you were my rival in the concours and nothing else. Not even an friend or a fellow musician, just a rival.

But suddenly, as I started to ... I don't really know how to explain it, as I got to know you, I felt as if you changed my entire perspective in music, to my family and even you." He started to smile a bit, his eyes closed this time. He looked peaceful, "I knew that I wasn't supposed to act this way, you brought up things in me that I never knew I had. I never thought of anyone before but you ..." He opened his eyes to stare at me with his molding gold eyes. His stare at me intensed that I began to blush. "You make me angry to the point of wanting to murder someone, you made me appreciate the most unexpected things in life." ... "You were different from everybody, I don't even know how I got ... attracted to you. But your music has spoken to me in one way or another." He paused, smiling now. "Hino, I think my violin has found it's partner."

My hands flew up to my mouth, this was a confession. "L-Len ..." was all I could say. He leaned in closer, I closed my eyes.

"I-Is it okay for me to get closer to you ... without hurting you?" His right hand cupped my cheek now. "Do you know why I got so angry that night?" And in that one sentence, I saw the flashback of his angry expression. "Y-yes. You looked so angry, I didn't know what to do." I said, my voice barely loud. He looked at me with his soft eyes and he rested his head on my shoulder. His lips touching my neck.

"Because I got jealous."

He didn't pull away. I guess the reason why he rested his head on my shoulder was to hide his face. I think he was blushing. "Len ..."

"I'm sorry I'm going away." He pulled away to rest his forehead on mine, "But you mean as much as my music means to me, I dedicated myself to music long ago that I can't just give it away now. Nor Am I giving you up, you don't know how torn I was that I had no choice but to leave."

"That's why I want you to continue to pursue your violin skills so that while I'm still in Europe, you could fufill your promise."he added.

"I'll be going after you." I said once again, whispering the words.

"Exactly." He said before pulling my chin up and pressing his lips on mine. First it was a simple kiss then it became a little deeper. It was going on ... and on.

We pulled away and our breathing was ragged, after what seemed like hours we caught our breath again.

"Durch Leiden Fruede." He said in some other language. "It's German for Happiness that lies ahead of bitterness."

"I believe that is what awaits when I arrive in Europe, it'll all be worth it in the end." He added. I felt comforted at once.

"I believe that too." And we walked away. He got a taxi and we got inside.

Tsukimori held my hand the entire drive to my house. When we got there, he walked me to my front door. He smiled and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Good night, Len."

"Take care, Kahoko." he whispered before going into the taxi again and leaving. I unlocked the door with my key and got upstairs to my room. I laid down on my bed, tears forming in my eyes.

"It'll all be worth it in the end."