Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda D'oro
*Edited - 8/2/11
Chapter 3 - A Little Misunderstanding
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"Hino-chan…do you have a crush on him?" Hihara suddenly asked, his eyes unconsciously widened.
"EH!" Kahoko blushed, "NO! No, it's nothing like that!"
"O-oh, I see…sorry…" said Hihara, but he couldn't look at her in the eyes anymore, so instead, he walked on ahead.
"Senpai?" Kahoko watched as Hihara left. She felt a bit confused with Hihara's sudden mood shift.
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"Geez. What's wrong with me?" asked Hihara to himself. He sighed as he dumped his bag on his table and slung his trumpet case on the hook beside his table.
"What's wrong Hihara?" Yunoki asked, he felt the heavy mood his best friend had at the moment as he entered the room.
"Nothing, really." Said Hihara, looking at Yunoki with a glum expression.
"Hm, it seems like Hino-san likes someone else," said Yunoki, trying to hide a knowing smile.
"EH! How did you know that!"
"I'm right, huh?" he chuckled softly.
"B-but, I'm not sure if she really likes him…"
"So, who's this person that she likes?"
"It's-"
"AH! Tsukimori-san!" squealed a girl from their class, who was just outside their classroom.
"Speak of the devil," murmured Hihara, frowning again.
"It's him huh?" said Yunoki, he chuckled again at Hihara's frown. He stood up from his seat and decided to go out, Hihara stared after his friend, but decided to follow nonetheless.
Hihara and Yunoki took a peek outside, and saw the blue-haired prodigy looking annoyed as he passed by the students in the hallway.
"He's got that icy aura…" said Hihara.
Yunoki smiled, "Well, he's a great violinist. No wonder Hino-san would look up to him,"
Hihara sighed, but then as if Yunoki's words just sunk in, "Eh! How do you know about all this stuff Yunoki!"
Yunoki laughed gently, and then he went back to his seat without answering Hihara. Leaving his friend wondering about Yunoki's seemingly infinite knowledge.
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By break time, Hihara debated whether to go up to the rooftop like usual. He didn't feel like seeing Kahoko, but he went up to the usual place anyway. When he opened the door, he took an instant step back as he saw two people talking.
Kahoko and Len.
Kahoko turned when she heard the door open, she broke into a smile when she saw Hihara. "Ah, senpai!" said Kahoko.
"Well, I'll be going now." Said Len, clearly annoyed at the sudden entrance of the upperclassman.
Kahoko looked at Len, a little bit puzzled, but she let it go. "Um, sure."
Len gave Hihara a slight bow of acknowledgement before he left. When Len was gone, Hihara looked at Kahoko, he put on his best smile.
"What! You never told me you knew him!" grinned Hihara, his voice turning playful.
"W-well, sort of…"
"Why were you asking me about him if you knew him from the start?"
"Well you see…"
"Never mind the details! I heard he was a good violinist!" said Hihara.
"Y-yes, he's quite talented…" said Kahoko.
Hihara watched her blush. He felt the deep stab in his heart, but he can't choose his happiness right?
"Waaah! It seems like you really have a crush on him, Hino-chan!" teased Hihara.
Stab.
"N-no, its nothing like that," she blushed again. This time, it was obvious she was embarrassed.
Stab.
"Hm, well then, what were you two talking about?" he asked.
"It's a secret, senpai," said Kahoko softly.
Stab.
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"You seem down, Hihara," said Yunoki, as he picked up his things.
"Well…she seems to like him…" Hihara sighed, leaning on the back of his chair.
"Don't worry too much," said Yunoki.
"Eh? Do you seem to know something I don't?"
"No, nothing at all," laughed Yunoki.
"You seem to be hiding a lot of things Yunoki," said Hihara, frowning again as his friend tried to evade his questioning eyes.
"Well, you should go back to your cheerful self, this gloomy mood is not like you," Yunoki said, clearly not giving anything away.
"I know," Hihara sighed.
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Kahoko was walking around the school's court yard when she saw Yunoki. Recognizing him as Hihara's friend, she bowed at him as a greeting. He gestured for her to stop walking as he approached her.
"You're Hino-san right?" Yunoki asked.
"Ah, hai. You're Yunoki Azuma-san right? Hihara-senpai talks about you," she said.
"Is that so, you two seem to be close too,"
"Sort of, Hihara-senpai is quite easy to talk to," she answered genuinely.
"Well, could I talk to you for a few moment?" he asked, a plan suddenly forming in his quick mind.
"S-sure…"
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"Where is he? Yunoki is so late," said Hihara, he grumbled to himself as he shifted from one foot to another. He looked at his watch for the nth time that day.
Yunoki said they'd meet in front of the shrine, where a festival is being held at 5:00 pm. It's already 6. It wasn't like him to be so late.
"Hihara!"
Hihara looked up and saw Yunoki, he was about to complain when he saw another person with him. It was Kahoko…and she's with…LEN!
"Ah," said Hihara, a bit down-hearted, but he lightened up seeing Kahoko in a kimono.
"I've brought a bit of company," said Yunoki, chuckling as he saw Hihara's childish expression.
"Yeah," said Hihara, trying to act cheerful.
"Sorry to cause you any inconvenience," said Len coldly, like he didn't even want to be where he was at the moment.
"Thanks for having us," said Kahoko, covering for his cold mood.
"Sure, you look good in your kimono Hino-chan," said Hihara cheerfully.
"A-arigato, senpai," Kahoko blushed, but she quickly looked away.
Eh? Did she just blush?, thought Hihara.
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"Wow! It's so pretty here!" said Kahoko, "Ne, Tsukimori-kun, let's go that way!" she tugged his sleeve to the direction she wished to go to.
"You shouldn't be so perked up like this," said Len, but he followed her anyway.
"Hey, what's the big idea bringing him along?" asked Hihara, when they were a good distance from Len and Kahoko.
"Jealous Hihara? Well, I have something in mind…" said Yunoki.
"Geez Azuma," said Hihara, he wondered what Yunoki was thinking, but all that went away, because he was content seeing Kahoko's happy face.
The whole day Hihara was watching Kahoko have fun, even if Len was beside her most of the time. Soon, they didn't realize that it was already late until Kahoko mentioned the time.
"It's late already," said Kahoko.
"We should head home already," Len said.
"Oh, wait, I haven't introduce you to Hihara-senpai yet," said Kahoko, looking at Len then at Hihara.
"Huh? No need, I already know him," said Hihara, not really wanting to be introduced to Len.
Kahoko shook her head, "A formal one is better," she smiled, "Well then," she stood in between Len and Hihara, "Len, this is Hihara-senpai, he plays the trumpet," said Kahoko, gesturing to Hihara, "Oh, and you've already met Yunoki-senpai, right?"
"Yes. Nice to meet you." Said Len, greeting Hihara.
"Senpai, this is Len Tsukimori, he plays the violin, he's also my cousin," smiled Kahoko.
"Oh, nice to meet you." Hihara answered glumly, but he jumped slightly, "Eh! You're cousins?"
Yunoki stifled his laughter at Hihara's surprise. Hihara shot his friend a betrayed look since Yunoki clearly knew from the start that the two were related.
"What are you laughing for Yunoki!" said Hihara.
"I wasn't," said Yunoki, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth.
"Well then, Tsukimori-kun's house and mine are pretty close to each other's, we'll go home already," said Kahoko.
"Is that so?" said Hihara, "Be careful then."
Suddenly the fireworks fired up in the sky.
Everyone looked up at the same time. Yunoki had a small grin on his face as an idea came into his mind, yet again.
"The fireworks are so pretty," said Kahoko, watching the fireworks with awe.
"Yeah. Hey, Azuma–" Hihara stopped when he realized that Yunoki was no longer behind them.
"Eh? Where did Yunoki-senpai and Tsukimori-kun go?" asked Kahoko, looking at the crowd of people, wondering where they might have gone.
"Did they get lost or something?" said Hihara, scratching the back of his head.
"Impossible," said Kahoko, she was sure Len wouldn't be lost. It wasn't like him at all.
Then the two of them looked at each other. For the first time that night, Hihara had finally been able to see Kahoko up close. She was prettier than usual. Kahoko blushed as she saw Hihara staring at her, she suddenly felt conscious. She looked away before he had time to see the blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"Eh?" said Hihara. Was Hino-chan…self-conscious just now? NO, that could've been just my imagination…
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A/N: REVIEW please.