Chapter Four

Thank You

Len woke up early the next day. He sat at his terrace, which was illuminated by a small light from a lamp. He took a sip from his coffee, thinking about Kahoko. The smile painted on her face that day- Why can't I draw that on her face? He felt angry with himself and he felt jealous, he just can't fathom why. Kahoko… The thought was choking him, depriving him of the air that kept him breathing.

"Before you could put that smile on whoever lady that is, you must put a smile on yours, Tsukimori-san." Kahoko's voice rang in his thoughts. Her smile once again flashed in his mind.

He took the mirror on the table and stared at his expressionless stern feature. The yearning to see her smile because of him grew. He then placed his fingers at each end of his lips and curved it upwards but it was nowhere near a smile. He sighed, frustrated. Another failure.

He laid his head on his chair, looking up at the sky that promised a better day. He took a deep breath in, taking in the tranquility of the daybreak. But nothing seemed to be beautiful to him right now; Kahoko, her sweet smile, her kind words and her charming presence had dominated his thoughts. He closed his eyes and drifted back to his slumber.

"Tsukimori-san, you'll be taking over Hino-san's class today." The principal informed as Len entered the school, 7:30 am that day. He looked at him seriously, hoping that he'll say more. And gladly, the principal continued, "She has to see somebody important. I'm counting on you." He left him. Len sighed, happy to know that her absence was not because of any sickness but somewhere deep inside him he wanted to know where she was and who she is with.

He has not called her yet and he felt guilty. He stared at his cell phone, his thoughts battling if he would dial her number or not.

The bell suddenly rang, telling him it was time for class and that he should drop the thought of calling her and he did.

As he entered the classroom, the students started their silent chatters and the room was filled with tension and nervousness. The students were scared, wondering where their Hino-sensei was.

"Ts-Ts-Tsukimori-sensei, where is Hino-sense?" Mizuumi asked nervously. Tsukimori stared at her coldly. Mizuumi immediately regretted why she asked that question to her teacher. The atmosphere felt so awkward.

Luckily, their principal came in. "Ohayou Gozaimasu Mina-san! [Good Morning, everyone]" Everyone in class felt the sudden relief. It seemed as though something had been pricked out of their throats.

"As you see, Hino-sensei is not around and Tsukimori-sensei would be your teacher for today." He informed the class. Their jaws dropped open, can't believe what they heard.

"Hino-sensei is not around?" Mizuumi asked.

"Precisely. I hope you have fun with Tsukimori-sensei today. I know you'll learn a lot from him." The principal grinned slyly. Len did not want this but he just had to. Well, he's the only teacher available at that moment.

'Have fun? How would we when this teacher is a terror?' This thought ran in most of the students. Though, they did not want him, the principal left.

Another awkward silence. "Where are you now in your lessons?" Tsukimori asked the class with a cold voice.

"We are starting with the basics already, sensei." One of the students informed.

"Get your violins and I want to hear you play the Ave Maria." He ordered. Everyone in class looked at each other, surprised.

"Sensei, we have not touched our violins yet." Another student informed him.

"Are you really sure you want to learn playing the violin?" He asked them.

"Hai, sensei." They whined as they got their violins from their cases. Mizuumi did not move.

"Why are you not moving?" Tsukimori asked her, his intense cold eyes fixed on her. She looked at him, scared. "S-sensei… I- I'm not bringing my violin t-today. I-I thought we would still use it next week." She was stammering.

"Huh? Then you better go out of this classroom. You don't belong here." He said those insulting words again. He saw the surprise and disheartenment in Mizuumi's eyes. "Get out now." His voice was fierce and cold.

She looked down on the ground, embarrassed. Her tears were starting to well up. "Hai sensei." It sounded like a whisper and obediently she proceeded out of the classroom. Everyone was silent, intently looking at Len.

"Now play!" He ordered the class harshly. He did not like the music they created. It was disoriented and ugly. He did not hear what he wanted to hear.

"You people are not worth to be called music students. You better stop this. Everyone drop their violins. I don't want to see you in this class again." He was furious. He walked out of the classroom leaving the students alone.

Len and I were never the best of friends or we were never even close. We just became rivals but I never considered him a rival since I was never equal to his skills. I was just dirt on his clean road. I was his fan. I was his supporter, an audience he never wanted. All I did was listen to his music from a far and that was enough. He soothed me without him knowing. He made me happy without him realizing and that is enough. His music is all that is important. But why? Why has Mrs. Tsukimori called me in? Len must not have spoke about me to her. He did not care about my existence. Our friendship had always been a one-man relationship.

"Hino Kahoko-san, I know you are a busy person. I'm sorry if I have tampered your schedule." She uttered. She was beautiful, graceful and light-hearted unlike Tsukimori. The luxurious five-star restaurant looked so modest with her presence. The 8 billion dollar chandelier, the expensive Italian furniture, looked so simple. The woman in front of Kahoko was so beautiful and luxurious. She can't believe she's finally eating with the famous Misa Himai-a pianist.

"Iie. Daijobu desu ne. [No. It's okay.]" Kahoko uttered with a smile. "I know you have a very hectic schedule as well but you had given a time to see a humble music teacher like me."

"Well, I know how cold my Len-kun is to everyone around him but thanks for being there for him." She had extended her gratitude. Kahoko was surprised, wide-eyed. She can't understand why she had thanked her. She couldn't think of anything that she did for him.

"Me?" She stammered.

"Yes." A beautiful smile was drawn on her face. "Someone told me Hino-san that it is only you that Len really gets well with. We are not very often at home so Len is always alone and I'm glad he's getting a pretty lady to be a good friend of his." She spoke of it so gracefully. Kaho almost choked at the thought of Len and she as close friends. How can I be Tsukimori-san's close friend when he does not even like my presence?

"Hino-san, I heard you had a date. You went together with him at the party organized by Azuma Yunoki." She uttered. That name was said once again. It pricked her heart; she faked a smile to mask the hurt she was feeling.

"That was nothing. Well, Tsukimori-san had no one else to ask." Kaho felt uncomfortable. She knew she shouldn't have said that but she just had to. She had to make things clear. "Tsukimori-san is no more than a co-teacher to me, Misa Himai-san."

"That's sad. When the principal told me about the two of you, I had thought my Len-kun already had someone he liked. I thought he has finally changed, but I guess he still is lonely. You know what Hino-san, I do think you can change my son." The last sentence rang in her thoughts. How could she say that? She does not even know me. How can she say I could change Tsukimori-san? I can't even change myself how much more Tsukimori-san, who all his life had been so resilient to others? No… I am not the right person to do so. I could never change him. "You must be wondering why." She somehow had read her thoughts. "It's hard to do so but you see, he has opened up to you. When he asked you to go with him that night, I know he wouldn't just bring you there for decoration's sake. He would have had a choice to not bring anyone." She was right. Tsukimori-san… They continued eating with a quartet playing at their background.

It felt relaxing but Kahoko's thoughts were drifting back to Len, his weird smile and his dancing abilities.

"Chotto Matte Kudasai, Tsukimori-sensei. [Please wait a minute, Tsukimori-sensei]" It was Mizuumi, one of Kaho's students. She was running after Len, who had left his class.

"What is it? " Len's voice was pestered and annoyed.

"Sensei, please give us one more chance." Mizuumi pleaded.

"Why should I? People who are not worth to be taught shouldn't waste my time." Len was fierce.

"I can prove to you that we are worth your time. Hino-sensei looks up on you. And I myself look up to you, Tsukimori-sensei. I know how great a violinist you are and we are hoping that one day we can reach whatever you have reached." This girl has the same determination Kahoko has. He did not speak and just looked at her coldly letting her continue on whatever she was planning to do. "Hear me play the Ave Maria, sensei. I know that this wouldn't be as beautiful as how Hino-sensei described it to us, once you played it. But I hope this would compel you to go back to the classroom."

She got a violin that was owned by one of her classmates. She then started stroking her instrument. Among all of Kaho's students she was the only one who had given justice to playing the Ave Maria.

"Stop." He halted her before she could finish the song.

"Sensei, was it wrong?" Mizuumi asked.

"I've heard enough." Len's voice was lighter this time. It surprised Mizuumi and all her classmates that had been watching the whole scene from behind one of the classrooms. "Let's go back to your classroom and bring your classmates with you." He opened the door that they thought had hidden them and Len walked before them.

"He knew?" They chorused. But Mizuumi was smiling at the thought that she had persuaded their teacher to go back to the classroom.

"Mizu-chan, that was brave of you." Her classmates started congratulating her. She blushed.

"Are you going to stay there or are we going to get back to class?" Len called them coldly. "Coming, sensei." They all chorused as they went back to start their class once again. This time Len had listened to them one by one and he pointed out what was wrong with their playing. But still there was that sense of nervousness. They were scared to get mistaken; they did not want Tsukimori to get angry with them. Well, he seemed to be always angry. Finally the bell rang. The students sighed with relief; a bone that had been choking them was finally pricked out of their throats.

Len was about to leave the classroom when Mizuumi approached him. He looked at her with those cold eyes. "Sensei, Honto Ni Arigatou [Teacher, thank you very much]. We learned a lot from you." She bowed down before him. He was surprised. She was the only person who had thanked him in that class. She reminded him of Kahoko. He didn't say anything and left her. Iie… Arigatou… He was not planning to say it. He then went up the rooftop to play his violin and to find his sanctuary in his loneliness. The air was cold and breezy. He then opened his case and got his violin. He played Michael Bolton's That's What Love is All About. It was beautiful. But he never understood the meaning of the song wholly. He had never felt it before.

As he played it Kahoko's images were playing in his thoughts. Her smile, her warm heart and her kind presence were dominating his thoughts. Kahoko… Her name was the sweetest music in his ears. After he had done playing the song, he drifted to sleep with Kahoko in his dreams

Tsukimori woke up with the familiar scent that was not supposed to be there. He opened his eyes but found nothing and no one, just the blue sky. But the scent was still there no doubt. He sat up and looked over his right shoulder. His eyes couldn't believe what he saw. She sat beside him. She returned his gaze with a smile. He felt like he was dreaming. If this were a dream then he'd not wake up from it.

"Did I disturb your sleep, Tsukimori-san?" She asked, those kind words sounded like the sweetest melody one could ever hear. He remained motionless; his eyes fixed on her face, scared that this was merely a dream and that once he closes his eye even for a second she'll perish. He just gazed at her blazing red hair that was perfectly accented with her golden eyes. And she had worn that ever so beautiful smile. This must be a dream… He told himself. He didn't want to go back to reality, not yet.

"Tsukimori-san, O-genki desu ne? [Are you in good health?]" Her eyes spoke of the worry. Len nodded in response, still not blinking. He must not be breathing as well. He fixed his eyes straight to hers, their gazes finally locked.

His cold stare was freezing her, bringing chills in her body. She could see in his eyes the loneliness Len was having. She could feel that Len was yearning for a companion even that loneliness would do. Len had been blessed with a beautiful face that any man would wish for, but he was never gifted with friends because he had closed his door to them. He found company in his loneliness. But for all these years she tried to be his friend even from afar.

Her warm happy gaze was melting the ice deep within his heart. He could see in her eyes the joy she wanted to share with him, the merriment he never had experienced but he immediately concluded he was not worth to have that sense of happiness. Hino-san, why are you so happy right now? Is it because of Azuma-san or Hihara-san? He yearned to own that smile on her face, be the one to paint it across her lips. His heart beat felt irregular, it was beating fasting faster than the way it normally does.

"Tsukimori-san, Honto Ni Arigatou." The second person that has thanked him that day but this time it sounded more beautifully from Kaho's lips. It surprised him. He was tactless and motionless, but Kaho remained ever smiling, that genuine smile he missed so much. "Thank you for everything but I better be leaving already. I know that you would like to be left all alone." She looked at him one more time and went out.

He wanted to stop her, to tell her that he wanted her to stay beside him; he wanted her to know that her presence means a lot to him. But again he did not speak and had allowed her to leave. The dream was over. But the cold breeze told him this was not a dream but this was reality.

He looked up the sky and realized how beautiful it was today. It was Kahoko's presence that made the say so beautiful. A thin straight line formed across his lips. But he still couldn't fathom why she had said those words to him and why she came up her. Did she know I was here? Did she really come up here just to say thank you or was it all a coincident?

"Hino-san, I know that you are the reason why my son has learned happiness…" It rang in her thoughts again and again as she walked towards the faculty room. She smiled at the thought of it. Hearing it from Himai felt overwhelming.

Tsukimori-san, why have you been so lonely? Why are you so alone? She thought as she entered the empty faculty room and stared at the clean desk of Len. She then placed an invitation and another piece of paper on top of it. After she had found him there sleeping so innocently at the rooftop, she found more courage to talk to him. He looked so beatific and beautiful as he slept and Kahoko couldn't take that image off her head. It made her adore him more. Her cold-hearted violinist looks so serene as he sleeps and she just enjoyed watching him. She sat there for almost an hour but she did not care; she enjoyed staring at him but she shouldn't have.

She laid her head down her desk and still Len's images flashed in her thoughts. That angelic face he never showed to anyone… A smile formed across her lips.

La Felicita' [The Happiness]

Some people think happiness is easy to find

Others thought happiness is never going to be found

Some people thin happiness is everywhere

Others thought happiness is seen nowhere

Some people say they're happy

Others deny they are

Some people knows it's there

But others are too oblivious to even care

For some they find happiness in small things

For others they see it in big things

But there are these that couldn't find it at anything at all

People ask what is happiness?

Is it a simple smile?

A simple song of merriment?

No one could say.

People ask where is happiness?

Down the dark alleys?

Or just there around the corner?

No one could tell.

Happiness it not a simple word,

Whose meanings are scripted in a book

Once it is there, you know it's there

Once it knocks, just open your doors for it.

But once it leaves never say any goodbyes for it will come knocking once more

La Felicita'

Len couldn't believe Kahoko made this. She had just left it therewith the invitation to Hihara's concert this Wednesday. 'Would I go?' He asked himself, slumping into his chair, looking at their white bare ceiling. But he didn't think much about the invitation, her poem kept repeating like a song in his thoughts. He loved repeating it.

Kahoko entered the room, disturbing him and pulling him out of his deep thought. She noticed the papers under his palm and immediately smiled. "So you've read it." She didn't expect for any reply. He looked at her, wanting to say something but was still hesitating. He stared at her with those cold honey suckled eyes and then he articulated the words:

"Thank You, Hino-san." Len's first gratitude towards Kahoko. It made her eyes sparkle with happiness, happy to hear that from him. A simple thank you from the cold-hearted blue-haired violinist, though she was not expecting it, was already something very big. She'll treasure this for the rest of her life.

Len blushed embarrassed.

Upnext:

Chapter 5

She's mine

*More face off this time. Who do you think would claim our heroine, Hino Kahoko? Azuma Yunoki? Tsukimori Len? Or Hihare?

Thanks for reading everyone. To my reviewers I give you special thanks: gizellle-chan, moonlight nocturne and oozy08. It means a lot to me to hear from you guys. It keeps me going with the story. Hope to hear from all my readers. See you in the next chapter. :]