Kahoko and Len seem pretty awkward together. Just a few words here and there, and then silence, despite the loud chatter of the people around them. Len couldn't do it; was it his pride that kept him from telling the truth, or was it for another reason? They were still there at the same corner. Etou was watching them from behind, hiding by the entrance doors. He was just a few feet away.

I don't think things will go well if I just leave them alone there. Etou thought. He invited Tsukimori prepared, of course. He knew what kind of person he was because they grew up together in Violin School along with Ousaki Shinobu and Kaji Aoi.

Tsukimori is weak with girls he likes. He doesn't tease them like normal guys. He's just really quiet and shy.

That's how Tsukimori was, but Etou didn't know about Hino. He was never sure around her.

"Kiriya Etou, there is a visitor." Said a security guard.

He nodded. "Is it the Sadako look-a-like?"

The guard nodded. "I'll bring her in."

Sadako, or in the American version, Samara, from the scary movie 'The Ring'. The girl who came out of the well, the one with no fingernails, and the girl concealing her face with her long black hair. Hopefully, I can scare Kahoko.

Etou stared at them. Tsukimori looked uncomfortable. A few more seconds and he would leave. It was just like him to do so.

A hand went on Etou's shoulder. She's here.

He turned around to greet her, but he nearly got a heart attack when he saw what was behind the long hair.

He laughed afterward. "Nice make-up!" and directed her to her job.

Tsukimori turned around and looked at the lights once more. He could feel Kahoko's gaze from behind.

He didn't like this feeling.

He turned around, about to leave when he noticed something crawling by the entrance door.

He stared at the moving figure. He figured it was some weird drunk girl crawling on the floor since she was wearing a white dress. Kahoko noticed him gazing behind her and slowly down to her legs. As she looked down, she wondered if Tsukimori became a pervert, but when a hand grabbed her leg, she screamed so loud, everyone looked at her and then the Sadako figure. Little children started screaming and crying for help, tweens or kids on their way to the teenager stage started hiding behind their parents or the worst possible place, under the table. The adults didn't know what to do so they stood there, wondering what the heck they're supposed to do, and wondering if they were getting punk'd.

Kahoko screamed and ran forward, crashing into Len. He caught her and, by impulse, carried her bridal style. Kahoko buried her face in his neck, refusing to look back. The Sadako figure grinned at Tsukimori, and a frightful grin it was because it looked like she had no eyes. It took him a minute to realize it was good make-up. The crawling girl started scaring little children for fun. Etou and some security guard were laughing.

Kahoko held him tight; it seemed she was so scared that tears sprang from her eyes.

Tsukimori tried putting her down, but she couldn't stand up, or let go. She was shaking a bit so he decided to bring her downstairs. Maybe he can leave after that since he knew he couldn't make things up for her.

But then he remembered what the girl from earlier said.

"It's not too late. It never is."

He took the elevator. He couldn't possibly carry her while using the stairs. He whispered to her from time to time in the elevator. The building was large. 40 floors. It took long for them to go to the Lobby.

"Are you okay now?" he whispered.

She replied with a whimper.

…

"You're shaking."

No reply.

….

"Are you tired?"

She tightened her hug.

….

"This elevator music is really annoying."

A giggle. And another. She rested her head on his shoulder. She sniffled and wiggled her nose.

*ting*

Finally..

Tsukimori was still carrying her. It brought him attention of course. Thank goodness Kahoko wasn't wearing a white dress.

He sat on a couch and relaxed. His muscles hurt. Not for a minute did he let himself lose balance.

He expected Kahoko to retain her position, sitting while facing him, but she sat properly, and moved a foot away from him.

Len pursed his lips.

"Can you… listen to what I have to say?" he asked her quietly.

She waited.

"I.." he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, ruffled his hair a bit, and licked his lips. It was a very difficult 'speech'.

"You..

I mean…

It's not.."

She let out a laugh. "What? I don't understand." She said, her mood lifted.

He gave up. He couldn't say it.

"Just say it, what's so hard?" she asked softly.

He didn't respond, nor looked at her.

Kahoko pouted. "If it's about what happened between us—"

"It's not true."

She paused, surprised he interjected, and confused.

As she was about to ask, her phone rang.

"Oh, sorry.." she said and read the text.

Kahoko, please go home now. Please buy some cat food while you're at it. Etou-chan will take you home, okay? ^^

- Mama

Just at that moment, Etou came out of the elevator. "Shall we?"

She stared at him, then at Tsukimori. She bowed her head apologetically with a smile, and took Etou's arm.

"Ah, Len-shi, there's a radio person who wants to interview you. Talk to them now." He said strangely.

He watched them leave. He heard the ting of the elevator, and out came a radio crew inviting him to enter the elevator.

-----------------

"Etou, why was Tsukimori-kun at the party? I don't think he knows your relatives.." she said, watching the blurred lights outside Etou's nice Lamborghini.

"My cousin is an actor, of course he'd invite his famous friends. He wanted to meet Tsukimori, but because of the Sadako incident, Tsukimori disappeared." He said, acting impassive and oblivious to the fact that he ruined it for his cousin.

"Oh, is that so? Ahehehe…" she giggled guiltily.

Silence filled the car, a hint of awkwardness, but anyone would be quiet inside a car.

Etou fiddled with the controls of the car. It would be 'fiddling' in Hino's perspective because she knew nothing about cars except for the doors, windows, wheels and the 'carries-the-heavy-load-thing'.

Hino was startled when most of the controls seemed to light up. He opened the radio and tried to find the numbers for a station. In her mind she wondered about Tsukimori-kun: is he going to talk or something?

But once music played on the radio, it wasn't classical, it was dance music, something electronica. She watched Etou dance by himself behind the wheel. She laughed hysterically.

"I love this song! Woo!" he yelled, totally not being himself.

"Etou, are you drunk? This isn't like you! I never knew you listened to Pop-Electronica." she said, teasing.

"What are you talking about? I don't live under a rock." he said, and continued his dance.

Hino paused again before asking because it seemed that Etou got annoyed. "Aren't you afraid you'll crash or get hit?" she asked.

"Hino, seriously. It's traffic, we've been stuck for almost 10 minutes. Let's have at least some fun, okay? You're way too serious! Loosen up!" he said, pinching her left cheek and pulling on it..

She grinned at him, and at that moment, a little girl holding flowers knocked on her window.

Kahoko rolled down her window while hearing Etou's whispered 'Leave her alone's'.

She smiled at the little kid holding out flowers.

"Hiya! Did you need something?" she asked. The little girl wore no slippers, and only had a dress that looked like a rag. She held up pretty flowers that looked freshly picked.

The little girl merely smiled. It was either she didn't know how to talk or she was mute. Kahoko gave her 30 yen and the little girl accepted it with much enthusiasm. Quickly, Etou rolled up her window.

"Kahoko, seriously. Don't do that again." Etou said, annoyed.

"Why not? She needs it!"

Etou looked out the window. "Oh boy. Here comes a load of them coming. Get ready with your money Kahoko."

Kahoko just stared, her mouth opening wider by the second. She noticed the red light switch to green.

"Green light! Step on it!" she yelled, pushing Etou's knee to make him step on the gas.

Etou burst out laughing.

The radio stopped playing music and a man's voice started narrating something about milk and cheese.

"Is this a cow station?" Etou asked, rolling his eyes.

"Change it." She said, irritated and pouting.

He pinched her cheeks.

Hello everyone, it's me, Chu! Thank you for listening to Ai Radio! Hope you've been enjoying our music and we welcome you a surprise!

Etou and Hino waited. Etou's hand was still in mid-pinch and Kahoko seemed to not notice.

Have you ever heard pretty music? Like you're in a pretty, pretty forest where nature surrounds you? Or maybe, powerful and highly sentimental music? Well, we have a famous composer-violinist with us here. Tsukimori Len, won't you greet your fans, please?

Tsukimori Len: … Good Evening.

Radio VJ Chu: Come on, loosen up Tsukimori-sama. So, how does it feel to be famous at a really early age?

Tsukimori Len: ..Fulfilling.

Radio VJ Chu: As any other person might feel because you probably worked hard for this, right? You started playing violin very young, you are the son of Hamai Misa and her husband, who is a violinist as well. Besides Classical Music, do you listen to other genres?

Tsukimori Len: (annoyed) Well, of course. I don't sleep under a rock.

Kahoko snickered and slapped Etou's hand away.

Radio VJ Chu: Do you watch sports? Do you know our newbie in Basketball and Soccer? Maybe Kendo or others?

Tsukimori Len: (impassive) I'm familiar with the Soccer Newbie, but I don't have time to watch anything.

Radio VJ Chu: Well, I'm sorry to hear that. And I might annoy you a little bit more if I go into more personal details of your life. Do you have anything to say to your fans?

Tsukimori Len: Thank you for supporting me and my mother, please continue to do so.

Radio VJ Chu: Uh-huh.. and about your love-life..

"Kahoko, we're at your house already." Etou said.

"Really? Oh! Erm.. Can I just finish this?" she asked. He nodded and silence filled the car except for the radio.

Tsukimori Len: I actually have no girlfriend.

Radio VJ Chu: But you said it—

Tsukimori Len: My cousin gave the wrong information to the press.

Radio VJ Chu: But you still—

Len paused on the radio. Etou figured he already wanted to leave. Kahoko is slowly taking in the information.

Len is sighing quite a lot, but the radio crew went offline a bit to prevent the listeners from hearing it.

"Are you okay, Tsukimori-sama? We can continue this later.." VJ Chu suggested as they were off air for a few seconds.

"No, there is something I have to make known." He said uncomfortably.

"And we're back!" whispered one crew member, stating that they were on air again.

"Okay, so Tsukimori-sama, say what you have to say." Said VJ Chu, intently listening and taking down notes.

Len gulped and licked his lips.

"I did mean what I said. That I loved her." He said.

"Who is the 'her' we're talking about?" VJ Chu asked.

Len gulped again.

"H-Hino Kahoko."

VJ Chu was quiet for a few seconds and almost yelled.

"Wasn't she Tsuchiura Ryotaro's ex-girlfriend?!"

Len nodded guiltily.

Mini Newspaper section!

TSUKIMORI LEN IN LOVE

Hino Kahoko, the ex-girlfriend of Tsuchiura Ryotaro, who was involved in a brutal fight along with her friend Hihara Kazuki, has been confirmed by Tsukimori Len, a new and famous violinist, son of Hamai Misa, that he was in love with Hino Kahoko. Now everyone wants to know the ENTIRE story of her love life. Information being gathered as you read!