I'm really sorry for spelling Tsuchiura as "Tsuchiara". Thanks to Lady-Rinoa14 for pointing out.

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

Chapter 3

And the Conversations After

Tsukimori Len's face was unreadable as he stared back at Hino Kahoko. Kahoko wanted to cry- she wanted to wail as hard as she can but in the presence of her number one critic, she knew she could never do that- he'll merely scoff her off and offer her an offending quote or two about musicians overly affected by their emotions.

But be damned, she didn't care.

And so, she cried- hard.

She was aware that Tsukimori was watching her as she cried- the hardest she had ever- and ran towards the fountain. Without any care in the world, she plunged in to the water in search for her broken violin. She choked when finally she found her violin and held it close to her heart.

She continued crying for a few more minutes when finally, she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. It was Tsukimori Len, his outstretched hand offering her broken bow.

She didn't know if it was merely her tears blurring her vision but she saw Tsukimori's eyes soften- even just the tiniest bit.

"Hino! What happened to you?"

Upon arriving in the practice room, everyone was shocked to see Kahoko's beaten appearance- her knee-high socks were wet, her hair was tousled, and her knees had slight bruises.

"Hino-chan, Hino-chan, what happened to you?" Hihara Kazuki was the first to rush in front of Kahoko, his usually bright eyes filled with worry.

Fuyuumi Shouko was near tears out of concern for her senpai's state. Even the usually sleepy Shimizu Keiichi was wide-awake for once.

Scratching her head, Kahoko answered, "I- well, I was quite careless you see-"

"Careless? Will that give you this much bruises?" Yunoki Azuma cut off Kahoko as he bent down and softly examined the marks on Kahoko's knees. Surprised, Kahoko stepped back, her face red as she clutched her skirt.

Nervously, she laughed. "Yes.. ah, well, you see.. I was running near the fountain- you know, I was almost late for practice- and then, I didn't notice this banana peeling. I slipped and fell on the ground."

Everyone seemed to doubt Kahoko's story.

"How about your violin, Kaho-senpai? Is it okay?" Shimizu asked.

Kahoko's grip on her violin case tightened as she slowly lowered her head. Tsukimori who was standing near the doorway closed his eyes.

"Hino?"

Raising her head, Kahoko met Tsuchiura's questioning eyes. Slowly, Kahoko placed her violin case on the nearby table. Her hands were shaking as she opened the case and held her broken violin for everyone to see. There was a collective gasp.

"What happened?"

Kahoko bit her lower lip as she fought back her tears. "When I-I fell, you see... it-it seemed that I-I wasn't able to close the case properly and so my- my violin flew out from its case and- and fell into the fountain..."

Tsukimori's eyes snapped open as he looked disbelievingly at Kahoko. He knew, of course, that she was lying. He knew those despicable excuses for music students destroyed her violin. But why was Hino hiding it?

Tsuchiura saw Tsukimori's reaction from the corner of his eyes. His doubt on Hino's story was thus further intensified. "Is that really what happened, Hino?"

This time, Kahoko managed a sad smile. "Yes.." She looked at her violin. "Of course I'm- I'm sad of what happened but... it's not like my violin can't be fixed, right?" A lone tear manage to escape from Kahoko's eyes. Hastily, she bowed low. "I'm- I'm sorry everyone, for causing so much trouble to all of you."

Kanazawa-sensei scratched his head. "Man, first, Tsukimori-kun broke his arm, and now, Hino broke her violin. It seems like our concert is jinxed."

"Sensei! It's not Hino-chan's fault!" Hihara defended hurriedly. "It's not like she wanted this to happen!"

Kanazawa-sensei held his hands as if in surrender. "I didn't mean it like that, Hihara. It was just an expression."

"But sensei!"

"Now, now," Osaki Shinobi tried calming the trumpet player. "Like Hino-san said, it's not like her violin can't be fixed." He faced Kahoko and gave her a small smile. "For the meantime, do you mind using one of the violins of the school? Don't worry, they are also of good quality."

Kahoko nodded. "Thank you, Osaki-sensei."

"Now everything's settled-"

"Kanazawa-sensei, we still have the problem for Tsukimori-kun's part." With Yunoki's statement, everyone glanced at the injured violinist in the doorway.

"Don't worry, I will play Tsukimori-kun's part," Osaki-sensei answered as he looked at Tsukimori for approval. Closing his eyes, Tsukimori nodded.

Sighing audibly, Kanazawa clapped his hands together. "Now everything's settled, everyone take your places. Practice starts in five minutes!"

"Sensei, can I talk to you in private?" Kanazawa turned to see Tsukimori standing behind him. With a questioning look, the music teacher slowly nodded and followed the male violinist out to the corridor until they were out of earshot.

"What is it, Tsukimori-kun?" Kanazawa's eyes flickered to Tsukimori's injured arm and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Surely, you're not going to ask me for permission to play in the concert, are you? Because no matter what, I won't allow you. Even though you're a genius, you're still injured, so no playing for you."

Tsukimori raised his eyebrow. "Of course, I wasn't going to. That will merely worsen my injury."

Kanazawa chuckled. "It was a joke." He straightened up. "So? What is it?"

Tsukimori's eyes shifted for a second before answering. "It's about Hino's violin."

"Hino's.. violin?"

And so, Tsukimori explained what happened.

"So.. indirectly, you caused the destruction of Hino's violin?" was Kanazawa's first reaction.

Eyebrows twitching, the violinist replied, "That wasn't my point, sensei."

Chuckling, Kanazawa had a mischievous look in his eyes. "Now, you're even." Coughing, the teacher resumed his normal self. "But tell me, Tsukimori-kun, why do you bother telling me this?"

"Because those girls needed to be punished for destroying the dignity of music students."

Kanazawa raised his eyebrows. "You didn't report the incident with Hino's first accompanist in the concour. So, why bother now?"

The music teacher wanted to give himself a pat in the back as he watched Tsukimori's irritated look.

"I don't have to answer that." By that, Tsukimori walked pass a chuckling Kanazawa but stopped after only a few steps. "Another thing, sensei, about that piece I was supposed to play for the director..."

The sun was already setting when finally, Kanazawa-sensei clapped his hands to signal the end of practice. Everyone sighed from exhaustion, especially Kahoko who knew that she played badly today.

"Senpai..?" The worried Fuyuumi approached her, unsure of how to cheer her senpai.

Kahoko smiled at the concern the shy girl gave her. "Don't worry, Fuyuumi-chan. I'll be alright. I just needed to get used to this violin, that's all."

Next to approach her was Shimizu. "Kaho-senpai, your music... it's so... melancholic..." Of all people around her, Shimizu-kun was the most easily affected by her music. And thus, true enough, he looked so sad- as melancholic as he described her music.

"Don't look so sad, Shimizu-kun.." Kahoko smiled. "Don't worry, next time, my music will be really really really happy," she moved closer to whisper her next statement, "Even more energetic than Hihara-senpai's! So don't be sad now, okay?" Shimizu nodded and smiled.

Tsuchiura was next. "Hino." Kahoko nearly shivered with the look he gave her- as if he was studying her.

"Is there something wrong, Tsuchiura-kun?" she managed to ask, barely managing not to falter.

Tsuchiura continued to study her until finally, he sighed and patted her head, causing the violinist to blush. "It seems you're not telling me something." Kahoko swallowed nervously. "Even then," he continued with a smile, "don't forget that if you need someone to talk to, I'm always here, okay?"

Kahoko smiled and nodded.

Hihara was next. "Hino-chan! Hino-chan! Do you want to eat ice cream? I know this great place where they have delicious ice creams!"

The violinist smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Hihara-senpai. I still need to practice..."

"But Hino-chan, ice cream will be good for you..." There was a look of sadness on Hihara's face. "It will cheer you up..."

Kahoko smiled as she felt really blessed to have so many caring friends around her. "Thank you, Hihara-senpai."

Hihara blushed as Kahoko smiled. She really looked very pretty. "Hino-chan.."

"Don't worry, senpai, we'll go there next time and eat lots and lots of ice cream."

The blush was still evident on the trumpet player's cheeks as he smiled back. "Yeah, we will..." There was silence and Hihara realized that it was only the two of them in the room. The blush on his cheeks crept back as he grabbed the case of his trumpet. "Ah, Hino-chan, I-I have to go now.." he rushed to the door as he tried to hide his flushed face. Before closing the door he whispered loud enough for Hino to hear. "Hino-chan.. good luck."

Hihara leaned on the closed door. He placed his hand on his chest where he could feel his heart beating fast. "It was only Hino-chan and I in the room at that moment..."

"So, you're still here, Hihara." Hihara nearly jumped from surprise as Yunoki approached him. Quizzically, the flutist looked at the still very red Hihara and then at the door. He smiled. "Is there something wrong?"

Hihara quickly shook his head. "Yunoki! What are you still doing here?"

"I forgot my notebook in the practice room so I went to get it," Yunoki replied. "How about you, Hihara?"

"Me?" Hihara laughed nervously. "Oh! I remember I still need to do something! I'll go now, Yunoki, bye!" By that, Hihara hurriedly left. Yunoki merely chuckled. With a glance at the door, he walked towards it and turned the knob.

After being left alone, Kahoko bowed her head. Fingering the violin she borrowed from Osaki-sensei, she felt odd. From wherever angle she looked, she knew this was a violin- but when she played it, it did not feel like a violin. It was the same feeling she got when she first played a violin other than her magical violin.

The wood felt cold to her touch.

She thought if violins could pick their owners- if violins really do pick the people who can play them. With this violin, Kahoko felt that there was a logical proof for her argument.

The sound of the door opening prompted the violinist to spin around to see who entered. Yunoki smirked- the 'evil' Yunoki smirk- at Kahoko before crossing the room to reach the table where he left his notebook. Kahoko was silent.

"You really are troublesome, Kaho." Yunoki turned to face the said person. Based from the arrogant expression and the taunting smirk, it was no doubt the evil Yunoki.

"I know." Yunoki was caught off-guard when she agreed.

"It's funny you're agreeing," he commented as he strode pass her. "If you think that will undo your mistakes, then, you're perfectly wrong."

When Kahoko continued looking at the floor and did not answer, Yunoki huffed. "You're no fun," he muttered before closing the door behind him.

Kahoko sighed. So many things have happened yesterday and today that she just didn't quite comprehend everything, But she has no extra time to think about that. She needed to practice and improve her playing to compensate for all the troubles she caused. Nodding to herself, she picked up the violin and positioned when the door opened again.

She nearly gasped in surprise. "Tsu-Tsukimori-kun! You scared me!"

Tsukimori stood at the doorway, his face again unreadable. "Meet me tomorrow at the station, 10 am sharp."

"W-what?"

But he didn't think an explain was needed. Instead he merely continued. "Bring you're violin- the broken one."

With that, Tsukimori exited the room, leaving a puzzled Hino behind.

To be Continued...

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