It has been a year since I have updated. I'm really sorry for the delay. Life has been very busy and inspiration seemed to have evaded me for months.

Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda D'Oro.

Chapter 4

Golden

"You're late."

An irritated look. A raised eyebrow. An annoyed frown.

"I'm really sorry, Tsukimori-kun! I- I overslept." Kahoko bowed her head in apology. Of all the times she could have overslept, it had to be now. If Yunoki-sempai never failed to miss a chance to annoy and tease her, Tsukimori-kun, on the other hand, never failed to criticize her attitude- whether it be on her music or her over-all conduct. She mentally prepared herself, any moment now, Tsukimori will lecture her.

"What if this was a competition? You'd be disqualified. What if this was a group performance? You'd trouble everyone. You're being irresponsible, Hino."

Ah, as expected.

Laughing nervously, Kahoko raised her head to meet Tsukimori-kun's annoyed stare. She smiled apologetically. "I'm really, really, really sorry, Tsukimori-kun. It won't happen again, I promise."

Tsukimori surveyed the scarlet-haired violinist closely before replying. "Hmph. Let's go."

Falling a step behind Tsukimori, Kahoko followed the male violinist's lead as she wondered what a deja vu this was. It wasn't long ago that Tsukimori-kun also accompanied her to have her violin fixed. And now, they were trudging a familiar route, only now Kahoko couldn't stop her self from stealing guilty glances at Tsukimori's left arm. Her smile suddenly wavered.

If Tsukimori noticed Kahoko's behavior, he did not say a word. And so, the trip was a silent one.

The old man blinked numerous times upon surveying Kahoko's broken violin. Shock was written across his face as he handled the violin as if, any time now, it would crumble into pieces. His mouth fell open and closed numerous times, uncertain if he was to ask or not. In the end, the more rational part of him that demanded the reason for the poor violin's misfortune ruled. "Wha.. What... how- how did this happen?"

For the second time that day, Kahoko kept apologizing. "I'm really sorry, sir.. I wasn't careful and so I slipped, my violin fell out of its case- which, hastily, I wasn't able to lock properly- and plunged into the fountain..."

It still was a mystery for Tsukimori why Kahoko kept lying. Why won't she tell everyone that she was bullied and those bullies destroyed her violin? No, Kahoko was not one to find pleasure in torturing herself- or was she?

He didn't know. They weren't very close after all for him to actually know her...

"But," the old man started, disbelief evident in his eyes. "It is unlike you, Hino-san, to be so careless with your violin."

Even if Tsukimori did not glance at her, he would still know she had a surprised look on her face- a proof that the old man was actually right.

"I..." she hesitated and the male violinist could almost feel her discomfort. "I... I'm sorry.. I wasn't.. being myself that day..."

The old man was about to say something when Tsukimori interjected. "Will you be able to fix it?"

"Well," the old man took another look at the violin. After seeing the hopeful look on the scarlet haired violinist, he smiled. "I could. Don't worry. I would be able to fix this in no time."

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" It was her first true smile in days, Tsukimori noted, as well as the sparkle that was back in her eyes. And somehow he was happy- no, glad was a much proper term- glad.

A thoughtful look crossed the old man's face as he turned towards Tsukimori and at his injured arm. "It's a pity though that you wouldn't be able to play today, Tsukimori-kun. I have a new violin that I wanted you to try."

"Yes, that is unfortunate," Tsukimori answered politely, dismissing the subject.

He, unfortunately, wasn't successful. "But how in the world did you get injured?"

Tsukimori closed his eyes, vaguely aware that a fidgeting Kahoko was looking at him nervously. He really wanted to drop the topic. "I slipped down the stairs."

Surprised, Kahoko sharply turned to face Tsukimori, her eyebrows raised, her eyes widened questioningly. The violinist in question merely closed his eyes.

The old man blinked twice before replying. "Slipped? Well, your school seems to be really slippery these days."

Tsukimori merely nodded, earning himself a raised eyebrow from the old man. "Please do be careful next time. We don't want you two to stop playing the violin just because you slipped."

The lunch at a nearby cafe after was a silent one. Kahoko tried to strike up a conversation once or twice but when Tsukimori merely grunted in reply, she finally gave up. There was no use trying to force him to speak, it was better to stop now before he got more annoyed with her.

After their uneventful lunch that had further riddled Kahoko's conscience with guilt because Tsukimori merely ordered soup, ("My uninjured hand can only hold either a spoon or a fork") the two made their way back to the train station.

She had been meaning to ask him a question but she lacked the courage during lunch. Now that she was looking at his back instead of straight into his face, she felt more daring to ask.

"Tsukimori-kun...?"

Walking in front of her, he made no motion to face her, much less answer.

Whether his silence meant he was listening or he was simply ignoring her, her determination to know the answer was greater than her hesitation and so she continued. "I..I would just like to ask..."

Still, there was no reply. "I-Why did you lie about..." she glanced unconsciously at his injured arm "..your arm..?

"Why did you lie about your violin?"

Kahoko was surprised by the question that she halted her step. He was the one supposed to be giving answers, not her. "W-What?"

It was then that Tsukimori stopped walking and turned to face her, his cool blue eyes staring directly on her (amber) ones. He repeated his question, this time using a tone less imposing than the first.

"Why did you lie about your violin?"

She averted her eyes. "I.." Why did she lie in the first place? How was she supposed to answer that?

Several reasons flooded her mind. Because those girls were right. Because I deserved everything. Because.. I didn't want to make everyone worry..

"You don't have a concrete answer for that." It was a statement, not a question. He briefly closed his eyes and turned to resume walking, aware that she was looking at him questioningly. Feeling a need to explain himself, he continued. "Unless you could give me a concrete answer, I would also not answer."

"B-but Tsukimori-kun..! Why-"

"Whatever my reasons are, Hino," he cut her dryly, "these do no change the fact that I am currently injured and banned from playing the violin for a month or even two."

That statement effectively silenced her up until they reached the train station.

"You do know about my performance for the director, right?"

Kahoko's head snapped up. It was unusual for Tsukimori to start a conversation so suddenly. "Wha-" He was looking at her expectantly. "Ah, y-yes."

He turned away from her and they entered the train that had just arrived. "I told Kanazawa-sensei that you will be the one playing instead."

It took a great amount of control to stop herself from screaming inside the half-filled train car. "What..? Tsukimori-kun..! You know I can't do that!"

"Well, how do you suppose will I play with an injured arm?"

Guilt first flickered into her eyes but was instantly replaced by helplessness. "B-but! I can't do it... I really can't!" She was looking at him desperately. "Please, tell me you're joking."

"I'm serious. Kanazawa-sensei even agreed."

"Please Tsukimori-kun, wait- why not ask Ousaki-sempai instead?"

"You know he still needs to practice all my parts for the concert," he answered with a tone of indifference rather than regret. "Do you want to add more burdens on him?"

"I.. well." Of course she didn't want to further trouble Ousaki-sensei. "But..you know it's impossible.. I can't play as good as you.. it's.." she replied in a small voice "it's..impossible."

He made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. "I thought it was impossible for me to get injured because of you," he commented thoughtfully.

She blinked twice. Coming from Tsukimori, the statement could pass off as an encouragement. "But it isn't as simple as that.."

"It's a short, simple piece," he assured. "Even you could learn it in two days."

Reddening from embarrassment she tried to argue but he cut her off yet again. "Think of it," he articulated each word carefully, "as a payment for causing this," he gestured at his injured arm.

Her eyes widened with disbelief. This was clearly blackmail. How in the world can she say no when he was holding his injury above her head?

Definitely, Tsukimori knew this. But to be sure, he added, trying to sound remorseful, "I really wanted to play for the director. But seeing that I am unable to.." He sighed and looked at her expectantly while trying to hide the hint of a smile. "So, will you play instead?"

Kahoko moaned in defeat. Damn Tsukimori and his injured arm.

By Tsukimori's orders, Kahoko was to start practicing as soon as possible, which meant that she was to get her borrowed violin from her house and go straight to the Tsukimori's where he would be patiently helping her.

The thought of practicing under the scrutinizing eye of the male prodigy was terrifying enough. It didn't even help that Tsukimori had to accompany her to her house to get the borrowed violin, saying that he was just making sure she would not run away. As if I'd do that. It also didn't help that her mother and sister were home and had been shooting knowing glances at her. They were even being extra nice, saying that she just enjoy herself and allowing her to come home even past dark.

She knew what they were thinking. Her mother and sister were, after all, sharing the same smitten look as they glanced at Tsukimori.

She sighed as she stared at his house. "Why can't we practice at school instead?" she wondered more to herself.

"Because the band is practicing today," he answered as he unlocked the door. "It would be hard to concentrate because of the loud sounds."

"Well, why not at my house?" The regretted the moment she asked. It would be more distracting there, with her mother and sister giggling like love-struck teenagers. Those two might even play match-makers on them. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine.

He shrugged, unaware of Kahoko's thoughts. "My house has rooms with better acoustics."

She nodded and timidly followed him inside. Tsukimori deposited his keys in the counter and picked up the note beside it. He read it and sighed.

"My mother just went to the grocery," he said as he led her upstairs. Kahoko felt the blood rise to her cheeks. She had never been alone with a guy before, especially in his house. Who knows what could happen...

I'm alone with...Tsukimori-kun...

Suddenly, all her nervousness vanished and she almost lost her balance trying to stifle her laugh. He stopped and looked at her quizzically, "What?"

Of course, there was nothing to be afraid of! He was Tsukimori Len, he would never waste his time on her. Based from his reputation at school, he was known to ignore the large population of ladies heed-over-heels with him. She had seen some of those ladies, they were really very beautiful and very talented musically. Surely, if he didn't bother with those girls his male classmates almost begged to go out with, then, he would never ever look at her that way. She was way below their level!

She tried to compose herself after seeing him still looking at her quizzically, almost annoyed. "I-I'm sorry, I just thought of something funny."

He merely raised his eyebrows and continued walking. He didn't need to bother asking.

The room where he led her was a middle-sized music room with sound-proofed walls. Kahoko couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of the room but what caught her attention was the white grand piano near the large windows.

"This is where my mother plays the piano," he explained as he gestured at the piano, "that's her first piano so don't touch it."

She stopped herself from opening the lid on the keys. "Sorry."

He shrugged as he took a stand from one of the cabinets and placed it at the center, slightly to the left of the piano. Kahoko meanwhile retrieved her borrowed violin and went near the stand. She experimentally positioned the violin on her neck.

"Play something," he told her as he sat on the chair near the window.

"Huh? What will I play?"

"Anything. Just play something for a warm-up."

She thought for a while, "Gavotte." Positioning her violin she started to play.

She was just three measures into the piece when he cringed and stopped her. "That," he stood up and took the violin from her hands, "was awful."

She turned red from embarrassment. "Sorry..I told you I'm not as good as you," she almost spat in bitterness. He didn't have to tell her the obvious.

"You've certainly improved," he commented as he placed the violin on top of a side table and took a key from one of its drawers.

"But still awful." She sighed and watched him cross the room to unlock a door on the left side of the room.

"The angle of your bow could still be improved, however," he unlocked the door and looked at her. "Come here, Hino."

She blinked and walked towards him. He gestured her to go through the door and she obeyed. The room beyond the door was smaller than the music room but, if possible, more spectacular. The room was lined with shelves full of different violins. There were small ones, some were handsome brown, some were ashen brown, and some were the same color as that of Tsukimori's, a tinge of gold.

"The problem a while ago was in the violin," he reasoned. "It hasn't been maintained as well as Ousaki-sempai thought it has."

She was about to argue when she realized that she knew less about violins than him to contest what he said.

He shrugged and looked outside the room, "pick a violin you want."

Now, she was really shocked. "B-but, Tsukimori.."

"You're just borrowing it, if that's what you're worried about," he snorted. "Besides, most of these violins were my father's or my grandparents'."

"Oh...but.."

"You're wasting precious practice time, you know," he shot rather impatiently. "Just pick!"

She nodded and gazed around the room, unmoving. How in the world would she know which violin would be suitable for her?

He sighed, as if reading her mind. "Every violin here is well-maintained, I assure you." Then, he continued in a quieter voice, "pick a violin that's not too heavy nor too light, the one that's just the right size."

"But how will I-"

"You will know that," he said with finality.

She slowly nodded and went to the nearest shelf. Her body almost shivered from nervousness and feeling Tsukimori watching her was not helping. She gulped inwardly as she touched the ashen brown violin in front of her. She didn't know exactly how much a violin cost because her former violin was merely given by Lili. Hesitantly, she took the violin and examined its weight.

"Be careful," he warned. "That violin costs your whole four years tuition fee multiplied by at least five times."

She nearly choked. That much? She didn't even want to do the math.

She continued examining the violins for the next ten minutes, sometimes taking it on her hands, sometimes not, especially the very antique ones. She was trying to pick faster, she knew Tsukimori was getting impatient.

Suddenly, her eyes caught the glint of gold. She glanced to see a shelf full of violins the same color as Tsukimori's. They actually looked..pretty. It was the first time she saw so many of these golden ones up close. When Tsukimori played his violin, she actually thought it looked too flashy, almost too blinding, especially if one also considered his superb performance. But now, she thought it really did look very beautiful..

She took one and examined it in her hands. She frowned. She had expected it to be heavy (with a mental picture of a gold bar) but it wasn't. It almost felt to be as heavy as her former violin. She positioned it on her shoulders and slowly, her frown turned into a smile.

This is it.

She turned to Tsukimori and smiled, still holding the violin. He was staring at the violin silently, as if contemplating what to say. Finally, he averted his eyes in search of the key in his pocket. "That's a good choice," he commented softly that she almost didn't' hear him.

She nodded happily and they exited the room. He was locking the door when she asked, "Tsukimori-kun, whose violin is this?"

He shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

She looked at the violin. "Curiosity, I guess. I mean.. this is really a very beautiful violin." She didn't notice him stiffen slightly. "I just wondered who among your family had a very good taste in violins." Her eyes widened as the meaning of her words registered in her brain. Tsukimori Len had been using the same kind of violin...

"I-I mean-" the room was silent and it intensified the awkwardness, at least for Kahoko's part. Her cheeks grew hot, "I-I mean."

"My father likes that kind of violin," he answered nonchalantly, and Kahoko wondered if he hadn't felt her awkwardness or he really was just too unfeeling to notice.

"Oh, really?" she laughed nervously. "I-I guess this must have been his then." She scratched her head apologetically, "I thought this was yours, I mean, it's the same color and yet, I knew of course that you would never let me use your violin even if it's a matter of life and death. I mean, your violin might hate me if I played it, I'm too terrible at playing after all," she ranted amidst her nervous laughter.

"Yeah," he replied quietly, his light blue hair obscuring his eyes. "Now, why don't you try playing?"

Tsukimori was right. The problem was in the violin.

Kahoko opened her eyes as she finished playing Gavotte. She could almost hear her heart beating fast. It had been a while since she felt so moved while playing. Her mind drifted back to the days when her violin still contained its magic. Now-she looked at the violin still positioned on her shoulder- it almost felt the same as before. As if, this was a magical violin too..

Tsukimori seemed satisfied by her performance that he merely nodded. He was about to say something, when the door opened.

Hamai Misa strode inside the room and noticed the two violinists. "Oh, Len dear, I'm sorry," she apologized but the mischievous glint on her blue eyes did not escape him. "I thought you were practicing in your room."

"Mother," he said calmly. "I informed you yesterday that we are going to use this music room."

"Oh," Hamai Misa thought for a while. "I forgot," she then turned to Kahoko and smiled brightly, "Hello Hino Kahoko dear."

Kahoko quickly bowed. "Hello miss Hamai Misa, I-I'm really sorry to be of trouble."

The older woman shook her head. "You are no trouble dear, you are very much welcome in his house," she gave Len a quick look that implied something Len didn't want to even think about. "Please continue your practice, I'll bring up some delicious snack later."

"Thank you, so much, miss Hamai Misa."

"Oh dear, just call me miss Misa," she waved her hand and was about to exit the room when she caught sight of the violin Kahoko was holding. She looked at it for a while before smiling at the red-haired violinist. "You like golden violins, Kahoko dear?"

"Oh," she also looked at the violin and nodded. "It's pretty, isn't it? Your husband really does have a good taste in violin, miss Misa."

"Mother, don't you have something to do?" Tsukimori cut her mother before she could say anything.

Too late, Tsukimori thought as his mother smiled at him knowingly, figuring everything. He sighed and massaged his temples.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Kahoko dear, and Len dear, don't be too harsh on her," his mother exited the door still smiling and closed the door behind her.

Hamai Misa stared at the closed door for a while before proceeding downstairs to ready the snacks. She sighed. Oh Len dear, you've really grown up.

To be Continued...

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