Author's Note: sorry for all the late updates. . . I know. . . do I sound WEIRD? -_- . . because yes, I am. . I just underwent some serious personal problems. . . . and I don't think its nice to mix my own personal pain with my love pain . . .

I seriously need to take a break and leave this house for a month. . . . will anyone sponsor my vacation? lol . . .

Enjoy this update!

OH WAIT! ! ! ! ! ! ahahahaha! ! ! ! !

I wanna dedicate this chappy to Kasumisou-nee. . . who made me cry tears of. . UTTER JOY. . . .

Ganbatte!

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

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Chapter 9: The promise we made

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I want to hold your hands..

To be beside you as we fade away.

But I'm selfish and I've hurt you..

So for now...

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Kahoko rolled over her tummy as Sakura hit her face with her chubby fists.

"Baby, knock it out..." she lazily mumbled, groaning as Sakura now aimed for her hair and pulled it.

"Ma ma! Ba ba!" Sakura giggled, pulling more hair.

"Okay, okay! I get you!" Kahoko sighed, faced her daughter and removed her jammies.

"Nice to know that atleast one person can make you get out of bed, Kaho.." Tooya grinned as he watched Kahoko fumble with Sakura's pj's.

"Yeah.. same to you..." Kahoko murmured, replacing the diaper with a new one before getting Sakura to her feet and toodling off to Tooya.

"Come to uncle!" Tooya stretched out his arms, a wide grin on his face.

"Just feed her and return her here..." Kahoko hid under the blanket and dozed off once more.

"I swear your mommy is killing herself with chores.." Tooya smirked as he carried Sakura downstairs.

"Now, breakfast is in order!"

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Cursing as he packed his stuff, Etou threw dagger looks at his unsuspecting cousin Aoi, who at that moment was busy with his phone.

Of all the darn people he HAD to be dating! Etou cursed once more and threw a disgusted look at the still unaware Aoi.

"Tell me, what was Kahoko like back then?" Aoi's eyes still glued to his phone.

"..like I'll tell you..." Etou mumbled angrily to himself.

"I mean, its such a wonderful coincidence you two know each from way...back..." Aoi stopped.

Stopping too, Etou suddenly realized something.

...

"What happened to your old crush anyway? The one in grade school?"

"Yeah... well, she's the teacher's youngest daughter. So basically, she's more of off limits.."

"Then why didn't you pursue her in high school and college?"

"Well, her brother's VERY scary.. Enough about me, what about you mysterious love?"

...

Cold swept up along Etou's spine as he recalled the conversation they had when Aoi was picking up a gift for Kahoko.

"Seems funny...that..." Aoi's voice sounded distant and hollow.

Gahhh! Etou mentally battled himself out.

You are SO stupid Etou! he berated himself.

"Isn't it... a bit weird..." Aoi continued his stopping sentences. Aware of the nervous air between himself and Etou.

"It will be even MORE weird if you don't stop that mid-sentence thing-y.." Etou drily retorted, resorting to packing even more quickly.

"Is that why you suddenly wanted a change of scenery?" Aoi now faced him, his eyes glowing like frozen jades as they met Etou's golden orbs.

"Nothing to do with THAT!" Etou's voice sounded too high-pitched for him, and so did to Aoi.

"Why not extend your stay here... I'm sure we can accommodate you longer.." and with that, Aoi left his seat and left the room, leaving an awkward air behind him.

STUPID!

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"Still no work..." Ryoutaro flopped on his bed, watching his father rummage amongst the dirty clothes.

"I keep on telling you months ago to search for a job..." sighing, his old man shook his head dismally.

"But you keep on pondering over your ex-girlfriend..."

"Sorry dad..." Ryoutaro closed his eyes, but still, Kahoko's face kept on luring him to the abyss of sadness.

"You know... I think its okay if you start dating out other girls... like our neighbor Shizuka, for instance..."

"Daaddd..." Ryoutaro grimaced as he faced his father, "..we dated when I was just in my 20's and she was just 14... How awkward is that?"

"You...dated already?" his father stopped and faced him with eyebrows raised in shock.

Damn!

"Errr... I just remembered I have somewhere to go... Don't wait up for me..." leaving before his father could ask some more, Ryoutaro banged the door close and hurriedly walked off to the train station.

Damn!

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Sinking into his reclining chair, Len sighed and closed his eyes. Memories of the past kept on making his head throb and ache.

Just thinking of HER nauseates him.

"Why...why of all people did it have to be you?" he murmured to himself, his surroundings fading away as the past reconstructed itself like a small movie.

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FLASHBACK

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Laying out all the floor plans of their project, Len took out his pen and was about to write.

"So, is that it? Is that how you dump me and make me look stupid? Is that how you truly play?" a loud voice pierced through the thick wall of the room.

"Listen to me!" this time, a girl spoke up, and Len immediately knew who's voice it was.

"LISTEN? The last time I LISTENED was when you told me how much you love me and you didn't want to part with me! So tell me, which part should I LISTEN? Should I LISTEN to you as you tell me how much I lack as a boyfriend?" the other voice, Ryoutaro I suppose , thought Len angrily burst out.

"Listen to me!-" but suddenly a huge crash vibrated, making Len hastily push all of his things inside the plastic he used to carry his stuff and speed out of the room and to the next room.

"KAHOKO!" Ryoutaro's voice shouted.

Pushing the door open, Len saw the scene in front of him.

Kahoko lay sprawled on the floor, her legs twisted in a weird angle and her face all sweaty and flushed with Ryoutaro desperately rousing Kahoko to her senses.

"IDIOT!" Len shouted at Ryoutaro's panicked face, rushing to Kahoko's side and effortlessly picking her up.

"You goddamn idiot! Do you even KNOW what Kahoko's situation is? She's pregnant you MORON!" and with that, Len carried Kahoko out of the room, leaving Ryoutaro rooted to the spot.

"Damn damn damn!" Len cursed under his breath, heaving heavily as he positioned Kahoko in a manner which would not affect the baby in her womb.

"Hey! Len-" a voice shouted, turning around, Len saw Kazuki's happy face form into something Len could not even comprehend as he took Kahoko from him and ran towards the infirmary like Kahoko was light as a feather.

"OI! Kazuki!" Len shouted, running after him as fast as his already leaden feet could.

"KAZUKI!" Len shouted once more.

..

"DOCTOR! Please help Kahoko!" Kazuki plead to the middle-aged doctor on-call the infirmary.

"What happened to her?" she asked, immediately checking for Kahoko's pulse.

"She-ahh-fainted-ahh-ha ha ha..." Len bursted in, clutching his chest.

"I told you to wait.." he glared at the pale looking Kazuki.

"Is that so?" the doctor said, pointing Kazuki to the nearby bed.

"Can you tell me what happened?" the doctor asked once more, this time, looking at Len.

"She...err...had an argument with her boyfriend.." Len looked away, sadness tinged in his eyes.

"With...Ryoutaro..?" Kazuki whispered, his face downcast.

Looking at Kazuki, Len caught Kazuki's fist curled up, shaking with anger.

"Can you two please leave for a moment?" a voice intruded. Nodding, Kazuki and Len left the infirmary.

"WHERE'S KAHOKO!" a loud voice shouted along the corridor.

Swiveling around, both Len and Kazuki caught sight of a harried Ryoutaro walking quickly, arms laden with Kahoko's stuff.

Scowling, Kazuki walked up to him and punched him squarely on the face.

"DAMN YOU! DON'T YOU EVEN KNOW HOW DELICATE KAHOKO IS!" Kazuki punched once more, sending Ryoutaro sprawling on the floor, making people crowd around.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's going on here!" a voice ushered in, the Lady Guard.

"He pun-" Ryoutaro started.

"He's a trespasser!" Kazuki butted in.

"Oh ho ho ho! Trespasser, I see!" the lady guard grinned evilly.

"No! You got it all wrong!" Ryoutaro pleaded.

"Give that to me!" Kazuki grabbed Kahoko's stuff from Ryoutaro, "..even stealing my girlfriend's stuff! Just because she wanted you to stop stalking her!"

"What the-"

"Leave!" the guard shouted, sending the other students fleeing away.

Standing up, Ryoutaro glared at Kazuki before being escorted away by the guard.

"What the heck was that?" Len cocked an eyebrow at Kazuki.

Sighing, Kazuki gave Len a sheepish grin.

"I've always wanted to do that to him.."

"If Kahoko hears about what you did..." Len worriedly glanced at the infirmary door.

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END OF FLASHBACK

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Len knew his chances of going out with Kahoko was slim. . . but to be THAT slim, was really pissing him off.

"Kahoko... How do I tell you I love you... when I already broke your heart once..."

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Ryoutaro walked around. Kicking pebbles along the way, reminding himself what it felt like to be a kid.

I love you. . . .

Of course, there was always something out there bound to make him grow up and realize he's a man already.

32 and still single.

Single. . . It would've been nice if he HAD been the father of Kahoko's daughter. He would've been so happy and so. . . . . PLEASED with the outcome.

He wouldn't be the one mother's would press their daughter against. . . and then take back their daughters when they find out the small detail of his UNEMPLOYMENT.

There it was again. .

UNEMPLOYMENT.

"Being 32 sucks..." Ryoutaro mumbled to himself, gazing along the horizon.

He has no love life, no sex life, no girlfriend... and ZERO JOB.

"How worse can I get?"

"Hahaha!" a soft laugh made Ryoutaro swing around, only to see a pair of lovers walk past him.

"And you say what?" the man smiled down on his girlfriend, happiness mirrored in his brown eyes.

"Hahaha!" there you go again!

Walking away before sadness engulfed him, Ryoutaro made his way to his favorite hang-out.

A karaoke bar... plus hot dancers.

"What would she say-" but stopped in the middle.

"Ahh... We already broke up and I still give a crap about her...!"

"Hey! Tsuchiura-kun!" a forced sweet voice called out to him.

"Hey! Miyabi!" rearranging his face to form a happy smile, he approached the voluptuous girl calling out to him.

"I thought I wouldn't see you again..." Miyabi pouted.

"Ahaha! Sorry about that... No money.." he shrugged, scratching his head.

"Ahaha..." Miyabi laughed along.

"I'll treat you...if you come to my place after work...for some...S & M..." Miyabi murmured, stroking Ryoutaro chest seductively.

Quirking an eyebrow, Ryoutaro managed a sloppy grin and gave a hesitant shrug.

"Sure.."

Promise me you'll sleep only with me... Ryoutaro...

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"You do realize how OLD I'm getting Kira - kun..." papers dropped with a rather suggestive weight on the table.

"Father... I AM going on that date.. But please... you can't honestly expect me to MARRY the first girl?" Kira exasperatedly bit out, controlling his sarcasm.

"Kira... I want to see some grandchildren.. I'm old and.. dying..." he added after some thought.

"If you WERE ageing and dying, Dad, you wouldn't be out here playing Cupid with my personal life.." Kira barbed back, "..look Dad, I've got a board meeting in 15 minutes and lunch with your soiree... Can you disappear already?"

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Kazuki sighed.

Then sighed again.

He was staring at the computer's monitor for the last 30 minutes, minus the many times his boss walked past him 3 times in the past 30 minutes, making him hastily pretend to be busy.

But he wasn't.

He was agitated and already shaking to the core.

After work, he was SUPPOSED to be meeting up his SUPPOSEDLY girlfriend who was SUPPOSED to be the mother of his SUPPOSEDLY child.

That was a lot of those supposed-to-be...

Both Mio and Nao promised him that they would be able to find a way for him out of his meddling office mate, Aya.

But who was this KAHOKO they were going to 'pretend' to be on a date with him?

He knows perfectly well that Kahoko going out on dates was out of the question...that is...if he manages to ACTUALLY convince her godly brother that...

"Oh hey, Tooya - niisan! Can I ask your pretty sister out? You know I've been crushing on her for 4 years now.. So, can I?"

He analyzed his sentence construction.

BEFORE he can even ask if he can ask Kahoko out, her brother would most probably glower at him for calling him with that suffix 'niisan' ...

Then if he DID manage to be un-glowered by that handsome brother of her's, he would have to ready his face to be slapped by the same person for being blunt and calling Kahoko pretty.

"Well... she IS pretty..." Kazuki mumbled to himself, making doodling shapes with his Photoshop.

And if he does manage to be un-slapped by the said brother, next would be his neck and his heart. He'd most probably be strangled to death by the brother and his heart shred into pieces.

It wasn't even half of his fault for the way Kahoko's brother sudden rampage against the male populace, seeing as HE is also a male himself, after her being pregnant.

He couldn't even fathom why Tooya was being so possessive of his sister... to the point that he's starting to be the sun of her life.

Well... it was out of the question for him to think of Tooya being in love with Kahoko. That was OUT of the question.

That's INCEST!

"Hey there!" a voice popped out all of a sudden, making Kazuki jump from his sit.

"AYA!" he clutched his throat, afraid for that instant that it was their boss and he'd have to be guillotined now for sure.

"What were you doing out there staring into space?" she leaned forward, revealing a partially opened blouse of hers, showing her ample chest.

Immediately looking away, Kazuki pretended to be thinking about something.

"She's not to be trifled with, Kazuki. She's spitting mad when she found out you were no longer available."

"You better watch out. She'll do anything to seduce you. Even if it meant she'd have to do something illegal."

"Her signature technique is luring a man in a field she knows they can't seem to resist: seduction."

Remembering those words of advice, Kazuki gives a silent prayer that whoever will be appearing as his pseudo Kahoko would bring the truth home to Aya and finally make her give up...for his sake.

"I heard from the rumor mill that your soon-to-be wife is coming today... Don't you think its such a cliche? Her coming after just a few days of you telling me that fact?" Aya leaned in closer, forcing Kazuki to inhale her feminine scent...making him gag.

Gahd! I can't stand that perfume of hers!

"We're going out shopping today since she's going to Tokyo next week for a family event..." Kazuki held his breath; afraid of her smell and his lies.

"Oh really?" Aya's voice was laced with laughter at his obvious lie.

"I can't make it to that event since I have to be in Kyuushuu for my sister's wedding.." another lie!

"Oh... Then can I be your date for that wedding?" Aya smiled seductively, almost nose to nose with the scared Kazuki.

"Errr..." Kazuki gulped, when a sudden vibrating sound made him jump.

"He-hello?" he answered his phone clumsily.

"Kazuki - kun!" a soft tinkling sound giggled at the other end.

"Kaho - chan!" Kazuki smiled, his face instantly brightening up, sending a blush to his cheeks.

Cursing under her breath, Aya bit her lower lip in a jealous manner.

That bitch! Grabbing the phone from Kazuki, Aya's voice snapped viciously at Kahoko.

"Kahoko, is it? Why do you have to call your precious love if you two are going to see each other later?" Kazuki made some grabbing efforts while Aya pushed him away.

Kazuki's face crumpled in dismay as Aya's eyes narrowed with every word she heard come out from the other end of the line.

To what seemed like forever (which actually lasted 5 minutes), Aya returned Kazuki's phone and hissed and huffed.

Clutching to the phone like a life line, "hello, hello! Are you still there, Kaho - chan?"

"haha. . who was that wonderful person?" Kahoko laughed.

"Err..."

.

"Kahoko, is it? Why do you have to call your precious love if you two are going to see each other later?"

Why? Is it any of your concern?

"You are one sly bitch!"

Haha! Do you EVEN know me personally to call me that?

"I know more than enough about you!"

*tsk tsk* is that so? Then how come you didn't know Kazuki and I were dating? Shouldn't YOU be the one to be labeled as a BITCH for clawing on a man who has a family?

"Why you!"

Kazuki and I go way back.. And as far as I'm concerned, YOU are not in the picture of anything in our lives...

Aya bit her lower lip even more harder, making it bleed.

That bitch! How dare she-!

"I know, Kahoko..." turning around, Aya caught sight of a Kazuki smiling warmly and genially as he fiddled with the cord.

"That's why... I made that promise with you... That's how much I love you..."

...

I'm going make hanging things for you guys. . . hahaha! ! ! because I'm too busy...*ehem*..rather, engrossed watching Tenimyu Dream Live 1st. . . its a Prince of Tennis Musical. . . haha! ! ! I'm so hooked! ! ! haha! ! ! so, I'll see you in my next update! hopefully.. . . haha! ! ! Go NagayaN! ! ! :)