Chapter 3- Birthday Surprise

"Len?" Hino murmured. "How are you, my Kahoko?" the other line said. Hino sobbed louder as she covered her mouth. "Baka! Len! I miss you so much…" Len gave a chuckle. "I also miss you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you. We shouldn't have fought yesterday before the flight. I guess you are so affected." Hino smiled. "It's okay. *achoo* Oh, excuse me." "Kahoko, are you sick?! Tell me, don't lie to me." Tsukimori murmured angrily, and at the same time worriedly. "A bit, I think…" she replied. She gave another soft sneeze though Tsukimori can hear it. "What on earth did you do!??" he squealed loudly. "I'm so sorry Len; I stayed under the rain yesterday." Hino laughed. "That's no laughing matter, Kahoko. Why did you stay under the rain yesterday?" He squealed again. "No particular reason. I just cried, and cried." Hino can hear Tsukimori sigh on the other line. "With you saying that stuff, it makes me guilty leaving you." Hino was shocked of what he said. "NO! Don't be guilty. It's my fault." She cried. "Okay, okay. I'm not gonna argue about it anymore. I don't want my Kahoko to be angry again. I don't want to hurt you because I really love you." "I'm really sorry for making you worry Len." Tsukimori sighed again. "You really never change. You always make people worry…" Hino pouted. "Ne, Len. You're not funny anymore." Tsukimori froze. "I'm sorry. I'm going now. I really don't want to argue right now." He said coldly. "Uhh, sure. Bye." Hino said quickly then pressed the end-call button on her phone.

"Kahoko?" he said. "You still there?" But no one replied. Obviously, Hino broke the line. Tsukimori already knows that Hino broke the line. It's Tsukimori Len. He wouldn't act dumb. He wouldn't act that Hino is still in the other line. That's not the real Tsukimori Len. "Kahoko, if you're there, just answer me." He placed his phone above his bed. Then he slid himself down the floor. "Ugh…" He placed his hand over his hair. "Will our long distance relationship work, Kahoko?" he murmured to himself. "I mean, you know me, I'm not the kind of person that will let go of something that easily. Especially you." He stood up and approached his violin. "Violin..." he whispered. "I'm never letting go of you, Kahoko."

"…"

Morning in Hino's room…

Hino woke up. She stretched her hand and grabbed her phone from the table beside her bed. "07:20 am?" she said. "Oh yeah, I guess Len and I must have argued again yesterday." She sobbed because she just can't take everything that is happening between her and Len. "My heart is bleeding whenever you're not here, Len." She stood up and entered the bathroom. She removed her clothes and took a bath.

Moments later…

She exited the bathroom all dressed up. She approached her violin and took it. She then went down from her room. "Kahoko? You're going out?" her sister asked as Hino met her at the living room. "Yup, I am. See you later, onee-chan." She said, as she steps out of the house. Her sister tried to catch up with Hino to ask her if she doesn't feel sick anymore but Kahoko quickly stepped out of the house. "You're so reckless, Kahoko." Her sister commented.

Hino is walking on the empty road. "Wow, this place is very quiet. It's my first time to see this road to be very quiet." She chuckled. She wandered around the quiet neighborhood until she climbs up the stairs leading to the main road. Still, no sign of people. "I guess I'm a bit too early." She said. She then started to walk towards town. Then a car stopped in front of her. A familiar black car. "Yunoki-senpai's car?" A man with elegant purple hair stepped out of the car. "Good morning, Hino-san." "Yu-Yunoki-senpai!" Hino shrieked. "You have a weird face, Kahoko." He whispered right in her ear. "It's unusual for you to wake up this early." Hino shrugged. "Can't I decide what time to wake up??" she said coldly as she looks away. Yunoki raised an eyebrow. "I told you not to treat me coldly, Kahoko." Yunoki stretched his hand towards Hino's chin. He faced Hino's face unto him. He moved his distance closer to Hino's face. She realized that their distance is less then an inch so she forcefully removed the hand of Yunoki. "I'm sorry, Yunoki-senpai. I'm not in the mood today." She then walked away. But Yunoki grabbed her wrist. "You'll come with me." Hino glared. "Let me go!" But then Yunoki pulled her towards the car and made her enter it.

"Drive." Yunoki ordered the driver. "As you wish, Azuma-sama." The driver replied. "Where are you taking me?" she asked harshly. Yunoki looked at her with narrow eyes. "Someone wants to see you today." Hino looked dumbfounded. "Who?" she asked. "Today is the birthday of Miyabi. Honestly. She wants to see you. I contradicted to her but she insisted for you to come." Hino looked at the window. "So you come to picked me up?" she said. "Actually," Yunoki leaned closer to her. "I thank Miyabi for inviting you." Hino blushed, realizing the distance of Yunoki and Hino is pretty close. "Uhh, sorry, Yunoki-senpai, but I guess I'm in my plain old jeans." Hino mumbled. But Yunoki ignored her and started to widen their distances.

Minutes later, they arrived in front of a very large building. "Where are we?" Hino asked as she steps out of the car. "The hotel where the party will be held." Yunoki replied. "I'll take you to Miyabi." The driver drove off to park the car and Hino and Yunoki entered the hotel.

"Good morning, Yunoki Azuma-sama!!!" The maids and the employees greeted in unison the moment they entered the hotel. "Uh, Yunoki-senpai…" She mumbled as the ladies bowing to Yunoki gave her strange looks of resentment and disgust. "Don't mind them. Come on." He replied sharply, looking at the ladies.

TOK! TOK! TOK!

"Miyabi. Hino-san is here." Yunoki said. "Onii-sama!" Miyabi exclaimed happily as she open the door. She stepped out of the room walking towards the side of her older brother. Hino bowed courteously to Miyabi. "Kahoko-san, please lift your head." Miyabi chirped. "A-ah!!! Happy birthday, Miyabi-chan!" Hino greeted nervously. "Thank you. Kahoko-san. I invited you to repay what onii-sama makes you do some tome ago. Being a so-called love of him to Ayano-chan." Miyabi said. Yunoki faked his smile. "It's alright, Miyabi-chan. I just wanted to say sorry. I really don't have clothes to wear." Hino said looking at her plain clothing.

Miyabi smiled. "Onii-sama will cover it for you. Just for you." "So you and Miyabi will shop later." Yunoki added.

Shopping Areas…11:30 am

Miyabi and Kahoko are walking in the most expensive malls. Looking everywhere to find the perfect clothes for Hino. "Miyabi-chan, thank you so much." Hino chirped. Miyabi smiled. "Don't worry; onii-sama liked the idea of having you in my party. After all, I think you're that close to him." Miyabi replied. Hino blushed. "Well, I'm not that close to him." Hino said, trembling.

"It's almost lunch time. Kahoko-san, let's sit here and eat. Onii-sama would get angry if I don't take care of you." Miyabi said. Hino giggled. "I wouldn't tell him." Hino said. Then the both of them giggled.

"Miyabi-chan?" a voice called out to Miyabi behind them.

Hino and Miyabi looked at the back. A man with a very tall stature. A man that looks like the age of Yunoki. A man that has cream colored hair. An unfamiliar figure for Kahoko. Their gaze met with each other.

"Ijichi-san!" Miyabi exclaimed. "Long time no see." "Konnichiwa, Yunoki-chan." Ijichi greeted. "And who is this fine young lady here?" he asked as he smiled at Hino Kahoko. Hino stood up immediately and bowed. "Konnichiwa! My name is Hino Kahoko." "Nice to meet you, Kaho-chan. My name is Ijichi Ryouji. I'm Azuma-san's close friend at his obaa-sama's company." "Kaho-chan?" Hino thought.

"Kaho-chan? Hino Kahoko looks like a fine young lady. Love at first sight? Maybe. Not maybe. Yes. " Ryouji thought. "Sorry. I'm only 18 years of age. Like Azuma-san." "So he's the same age as Yunoki-senpai." Ijichi gazed at the table where Hino and Miyabi were sitting. A red case caught his eye. "Who's playing the violin?"he asked. "Kahoko-san." Miyabi answered. "Really?" He said in amazement. "A perfect kind of girl." "How long?" he asked. "Uhmm, about a year. More or less." Hino replied, blushing slightly. "I'm far from those famous musicians." Then an image of Len Tsukimori was pictured in her mind. A teardrop came rushing from her eye to her cheek. "Kahoko-san? Why are you crying?" Miyabi asked. "A-ah!! None. There's something in my eye." She replied quickly, trying to hide the pain that slowly breaks her heart into a million pieces.

After lunch…

"Yunoki-chan, I'll come at the hotel for your birthday party. I'll have things to fix before going." Ijichi said. "See you later," he knelt down before Hino, took her hand and kissed it lightly. Hino blushed intensely. "Sayonara!"

"Miyabi-chan, is Ijichi-san like that when he meets a girl?" Hino asked nervously. Miyabi shook her head. "Nope. Actually, this is the first time I saw Ijichi-san to act that way." Hino's heartbeat became faster and faster with what Miyabi told her. "S-so, Mi-Miyabi-chan, can we go back to the h-hotel…?" Hino asked. "Sure, onii-sama must be wondering already what you will wear." Miyabi chirped.

Hotel…

"Welcome back, Miyabi, Hino-san." Yunoki greeted them back. "So, have you found a dress for my princess?" "Princess??" Hino thought in horror showing a scared face. "Onii-sama, I'll get Kahoko-san dressed. Do you mind if we dress in the dressing room? I'll also get dressed." Miyabi asked. Yunoki smiled. "Sure, take you're time." He said. Miyabi and Kahoko moved out of the room and entered the dressing room closest to the area of the party.

Almost an hour later… (A/N: of course, ladies take time dressing themselves…)

Hino went out of the room with Miyabi. Hino is wearing a pink satin dress with white lining on the waist and the end of the dress. Her hair was tied (A/N: imagine: 2nd selection, okay?). She wore very elegant silver sandals. Miyabi wore a purple halter dress, with white lining. "Miyabi-chan, you look like a princess!!" Hino exclaimed. "More of a princess compared to me. Yunoki-senpai even dares to call me a princess but in fact I'm not!!" She thought.

It was nearly 3 in the afternoon. The guests arrived. Hihara was there, probably invited also by Miyabi. For the first time, Hihara is wearing a suit. Formal suit in a birthday. He normally wears formal clothes during the concours. "Kaho-chan!?" He called out. Hino was talking with Miyabi at the hallway to the dressing rooms. "Hihara-senpai!?" Hino said, calling out her former senpai. "Kaho-chan." Someone called behind Hihara. "Ijichi-san!" Hino shouted softly in shock. "Kaho-chan? Ijichi what?" Hihara thought. Ijichi approached Hino and Miyabi in front of the dressing room. He gave Miyabi a gift wrapped in silver wrapper and knelt in front of Hino and kissed her hand. She blushed intensely. "EH?? That's the 2nd time!!!!!!!!!" she shrieked in her mind. "Thank you, Ijichi-san!" Miyabi said. "Hihara-san!" Miyabi called out. He approached them. "This is Ijichi Ryouji. Onii-sama's close friend at obaa-sama's company." "Onii-sama, you mean Yunoki?" Miyabi nodded. "Oh! Miyabi-chan! Before I forget, happy birthday!" Hihara greeted. "Thank you so much!"

Celebration Hall…

Azuma and Kahoko entered the hall. Loud whispers can be heard from the people.

"Yunoki Azuma-sama…"

"…"

-_tO bE cOntiNuEd_-

Author's Note: Wow…this chappie seems to be long. My apologies. I updated so late. Since school activities are far over, I updated it as promised. :D I also made some new characters here like Ijichi Ryouji; I just wanted some twists that's why I placed him.