Here's chapter two! Thank you for all those you read and reviewed last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda d'Oro.

Chapter 2

The Broken Violin

It was the talk of the whole school.

The General-Ed girl who participated in the concours clumsily fell on the prodigy and concours champion Tsukimori Len, breaking his arm.

Most of those who held a grudge on Tsukimori found it funny that someone as perfect as him would actually break his arm. On the other hand, those of the female population who had fallen head over heels on the prodigy (and yet too scared to create their own fans club) had condemned Hino Kahoko, arguing that the lady actually intended the misfortune to happen. Finally, those who did not belong to either faction merely shook their heads and felt deeply sorry for him. They could actually imagine how hard it must be for Tsukimori's pride.

Definitely, the culprit, Hino Kahoko had her own share of misfortunes. After being turned overnight as public enemy number one (of the unofficial Tsukimori Len's fans club), she definitely had the attention of everyone. Ever since arriving at school that Friday morning, all eyes followed her- some were in slits, some were almost smiling. Anyone receiving such varied attention would definitely be uncomfortable, and Hino was no exception.

The walk from the front gates to the front doors of the General Education building seemed very long for Kahoko. She had resorted to closing her eyes and keeping her head bowed down to avoid any eye contact. At that very moment, she simply wanted to disappear. Slowly, she tried peeking through her lashes and as she expected, everyone was still looking at her, moreover, they seemed to be expecting something from her. An explanation? But what was there to explain? It was all an accident!

She silently prayed for someone- no, even just something to break this heavy air of anticipation.

"Hino!"

Finally! Kahoko felt a wave of relief swept over her. Turning around, she was glad to see Tsuchiura Ryoutaro walking towards her, his bag slung on his shoulder.

"Tsuchiura-kun, good morning," Kahoko tried to give Tsuchiura a small smile.

Tsuchiura studied Kahoko for a second before smiling back. "Good morning, Hino." Together, they walked the remaining distance to the front doors.

Even if Tsuchiura now accompanied her, Kahoko was still very uncomfortable, simply because she knew, deep down in her heart that the attention she was receiving was condemning her guilty of the crime of breaking Tsukimori's arm.

"So..." Tsuchiura started carefully.

Kahoko knew what was to come. Sighing audibly, she closed her eyes. "You've heard then."

Tsuchiura's face was a mixture of concern, worry and a hint of a repressed laughter. "Come on, Hino, it was an accident."

"But not everyone believes that it was an accident!" Kahoko wailed.

There was an odd look on Tsuchiura's face. "Don't tell me, Hino, that you actually intended it to happen..."

"Tsuchiura-kun!"

Tsuchiura chuckled lightly as Kahoko tried to punch him in the arm. "I'm just joking. Come on, cheer up."

"But Tsuchiura-kun, it's like you're implying it!" Kahoko's face fell as her grip on her violin case tightened. "Tsukimori-kun did not deserve that.. I was just so-"

She felt a hand patting her head. "Hino, it's not your fault. It was an accident, right? Besides, it's not like that guy can't play forever." Tsuchiura snorted. "It will just be a month or two rest from music. He's not gonna die from it."

"Of course, gen-ed students never really did understand the passion for music," a cold, monotonous voice commented from behind Tsuchiura. Turning around, Tsuchiura was greeted by the sight of Tsukimori Len himself. There was a brief pause of silence as the two males stared at each other.

Tsuchiura's eyebrows creased slowly. "What was that, Tsukimori?"

There was a brief moment when Tsukimori studied the two gen-ed students. Finally, he closed his eyes and walked pass the two. "Slacking off, that's why you never won the concours."

"What was that?" It was a good thing that Tsuchiura had great presence of mind. It was at that moment that instinct dictated that Tsuchiura grab Tsukimori by the front of his shirt and maybe give him a piece of his mind. But Tsuchiura was able to control his instinct and stop his fist in midair. With a sharp intake of breath, he allowed his arm to fall limply on his side but without breaking the eye contact. No, with Tsukimori's current "condition," Tsuchiura could never add to his injuries, no matter how pissed he might have been.

Tsukimori looked unfazed.

Meanwhile, Kahoko's attention was focused on just one point-

Tsukimori's left arm was in cast.

It was as if everything around her suddenly faded, leaving the image of Tsukimori's injured arm in focus. His arm- his precious left arm used in pressing the strings of his violin. How many times have she admired that arm- how that arm was able to bring out the best out of the strings. That delicate left arm that supported the violin itself.

And now, it was uselessly in cast.

A deep feeling of forebode overcame Kahoko. She was at fault. It was because of her carelessness-and, if she may use, her dumbness- that brought this upon Tsukimori.

Her eyes suddenly came in contact with his. That was when she saw it. Deeply etched in Tsukimori's golden eyes was something- a feeling she had seen before but was intensified tenfold.

Hate.

And that was it. All strings that held whatever remained of her poor sanity was broken. She could never face Tsukimori again. And so, she did the first thing her instinct told her.

She ran away.

"Kaho-chan, nothing's going to happen if you stay like that."

Mio and Nao looked at each other, both worried for their red-headed friend who currently had her head slumped on her desk.

"Kaho-chan, you'll be late for practice if you continue to mop like that," Mio said as she shook Kahoko's shoulder. "Kaho.."

"I- I can't possibly face them.." Kaho's muffled voice was barely audible. "Not after what I did..."

"Kaho, it was an accident. They won't be mad at you for that," Nao said exasperatedly. Mio nodded in agreement.

Sadly, Kahoko was not convinced.

"I can't face them.. I really can't face them.. especially Tsukimori-kun.. He- He's really- really mad at me!"

Nao's eyebrow twitched. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed Kahoko by the arm and pulled her up to face her.

"Kaho, listen to me," Nao began as Mio silently gasped at her friend's direct bluntness. "You're being paranoid. No one's blaming you for what happened, okay? So don't you dare ditch the concert's practice."

Tears silently formed on Kaho's eyes. "You don't understand-"

"Oh, I understand," Nao cut her friend. "Kaho, tell me. Will ditching the concert's practice heal Tsukimori's arm?"

There was an audible silence as Kahoko stared at her friend, unable to say anything. Nao pressed on. "Will it?"

Kaho averted her eyes. "No.."

"See?" Nao sighed. "Kaho, don't blame it all on yourself, okay? Forget about it. You should focus on your practice even more." Nao smiled. "I bet that's what Tsukimori-kun would definitely say."

"Nao's right, Kaho," Mio added. She checked her watch- 3:20pm. "Hurry up! Practice starts in 10 minutes!"

"Guys.. I.." Kaho began slowly. "I- thank you.."

Mio and Nao merely smiled. "Thank us with a brilliant performance, okay? Now go or you'll be late."

Kaho hastily wiped her eyes and nodded. Grabbing her violin case, she nodded. Mio and Nao pushed her out of the classroom door. "Hurry up, Kaho-chan."

With a final wave, Kahoko made her way to the music building.

Mio patted her friend's back. "That was very good work, Nao-chan."

Nao sighed. "Well, sometimes, our friend Kaho really worries too much."

Kahoko ran as fast as she could. She was almost late for practice. Turning left, she could already see the fountain- and around the corner was the Music building.

It happened so fast.

One moment, she was trying to increase her pace and the next moment, she was falling down the hard concrete.

She didn't even have time to scream.

The next thing she knew was an unbearable pain overwhelmed her senses as her thin frame collided with the ground. Slowly, she opened her eyes and groaned. The pain was slowly ebbing away but it was still there. Slowly, she brought her fingers to her chin- blood. She winced. Her lip must have been cut when she fell.

"So, look who's here. It's the gen-ed student."

There was a wallowing feeling on her stomach. Carefully, she raised her head to face the owner of the voice.

Standing in front of her were three music department students, and, judging by their blue ribbons, they were first years. She unconsciously swallowed the lump on her throat. She had a bad feeling about this.

"It's that stupid girl who broke Tsukimori-kun's arm," the girl on the left said, her voice laced with disgust.

"Don't we three hate her?" the girl on the right said as she lightly kicked the violinist. Kahoko groaned. The pain wasn't letting her get up for a few more minutes.

The girl on the middle crouched to better look at Kahoko in the eye. There was a sadistic smile on her face. "If we all hater her, then, why don't we show her what happens to those who dare hurt Tsukimori-kun?"

Kahoko took a shallow breath. This really wasn't looking good. Gathering up her strength, she tried to lift herself from the ground only to be brought back down when the girl on the left pushed her foot firmly on Kahoko's back.

"Oh no, you don't," the girl on the left warned as she placed more pressure on Kahoko's back. The violinist groaned in pain.

"P-Please.. no..."

"No?" The girl on the middle asked coldly. "Why? Did you think about that when you broke Tsukimori'kun's arm?"

Kahoko now had her eyes tightly shut. "I-It w-was an a-accident."

"Accident?" the girl in the middle repeated incredulously. "Do you think we'll believe that? You broke his arm because you're jealous of him- because Tsukimori-kun won the concours."

Kahoko shook her head. "N-no!"

The girl in the middle merely chuckled darkly. "Girls, what do you think we do to her?"

"Why don't we break her arm too?" The girl on the left replied as she began flexing her fingers.

Kahoko was almost on the verge of tears. Why was this happening to her? "Please n-no.."

"Or," Kahoko gasped as the girl on the right stepped on her hand still holding her violin case. "Why don't we just destroy her violin?"

Kahoko's eyes snapped open as the girl on the left wrenched the violin case out of her hands and handed it to the girl on the middle. Her mind was in panic. "N-no! Please! Not my violin!"

The girl on the middle merely laughed as she opened the case to retrieve the violin. Kahoko gathered up her strength and managed to get up only to be held firmly on both arms by both girls.

"L-let me go! Please no!"

The girl on the middle held the bow on her hands as if inspecting it. "Quite in good shape." Kahoko watched in horror as the girl pulled the horsetail hair on the bow, destroying it.

"NO! P-please! STOP!" Tears were now freely flowing down Kahoko's face. She intensified her struggle as the girl now held her violin.

"Hino Kahoko," the girl began coldly as she slowly made her way to the fountain and held the violin by the arm. "Watch."

It was as if in slow motion. Kahoko's eyes widened, her scream seemed deaf in her ears as she watched her violin- the one and only violin given to her by Lili- fall down the water.

"NO!"

The air was filled with the cold maniacal laughter of the three. Kahoko's legs felt jelly as she fell down the hard cement when the two released her. Everything seemed to have crumbled down as her mind focused only on her violin, currently immersed in water. She didn't care about anything else, not even when the arrival of a person seemed to have made the three scamper away. No, it was only her violin that mattered.

She was unaware of her surroundings until the person who arrived called her name.

"Hino."

There, standing beside was Tsukimori Len, his face unreadable.

To Be Continued...

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