Chapter Eight

Reason

Kahoko wore a lavender bubble dress accented with a violet ribbon around her slender waist. It was elegant with such simplicity. And she clipped her red hair to the right with an amethyst slip. She wore an amethyst gladiator high-heels, bringing the sexy touch in. She was gorgeous, and you could not deny that fact.

"You're to simple, Kaho." Len uttered, bleakly, apathetical on how she would take it. Well, by the way Len says things, who would take it as a compliment?

Kaho looked down, embarrassed. "I better change." As she gazed at him and how elegant looked in his black tuxedo, she felt little of herself and her simple sense of style. How could I have myself seated beside him? She thought.

Len was looking at her from head to toe; she waited. "But that would do." He just had say it that way. It seems as though Len knows nothing about compliments. Kaho sighed, what else could she do? Well, she's no Cinderella and she has no fairy godmother who'll help her dress up in those beautiful luxurious gowns princesses wear. She was no princess who owns such dresses and this was no fairy tale that would make her wish come true.

"Iko so… [Let's go]" Len pulled her out to the entrance lobby where a silver Volvo was waiting for them. Another of his collection, I suppose… She thought as a hotel lobby assistant opened the door of the passenger's seat for her. This was the prince and princess' couch, their mode of transportation. A silent travel it was. The night was tranquil and serene and the stars twinkled beautifully up on the satin midnight blue sky.

The orchestra was completely filled; no seat was left unoccupied. As always, Himai Misa-san's concert was well received and anticipated by her spectators. Her concert is one of the most expensive concerts there is in Europe. But her audience, do not really care on how much they pay for it, for as long as they could watch her perform live.

"Tsukimori-san, thank you so much." She thanked him again. He looked her way, those beak eyes locking her warm happy gaze.

"You've been repeating that a million times over." He silently uttered. She still smiled- a half-hearted smile was on her though. Len wished she never smiled if that was the case.

"Repeating it a million times over wouldn't suffice how grateful I am for having you." She whispered into his ears, her voice so soft and melodious. He looked away, e had a strong feeling a blush was forming because of Kaho's voice that kept repeating in her ears and the soft breath he still felt on his right cheek. He didn't want it to be too obvious.

"You're too naïve." He uttered as they walked to there seats. They had VIP seats. Well, Himai Misa is definitely one of the greatest pianists one could ever meet in this world. She was gorgeous and elegant just like Len, her son.

I am nothing but her shadow…

I am nothing but her dark ego…

I could never equal the music she creates…

I am but nothing…

He uttered silently in his thoughts. His mother created a beautiful music, those that melted even the great icebergs of the Artic and the Antarctic. Why couldn't I produce such? He'd been asking that same question again and again in his thoughts. He never understood that. Well, Len is a perfectionist and you cold see that in every stroke of his hand as he plays the violin. He felt jealous and it choked him, making him close his ears to the music she created.

Kahoko on the other hand enjoyed the performance of the pianist she had idolized ever since. She knows that even if she'd been continuing to play the violin, she would never attain that state of perfection. Hearing her live performance made me look up to her all the more… Seeing her perform so passionately urged me to play the violin again but I can't. I've left that world… I have buried it together with him. Her excited and dreamy eyes started fading away and she knew Len was good at reading ones eyes. She turned her gaze to the elegant invitation of the concert and was still open to Himai Misa's performance.

Himai Misa's first performance was Fantaisie-Impromptu by Chopin

Her second was Schubert's Serenade.

Her third was Liebesträume No. 3 in A Flat Major by Liszt.

She did another of Liszt's piece, La Campella.

The next performance was a duet with a great violinist, her husband. Seeing Mr. Tsukimori there was a surprise to everyone, spceially to Tsukimori. Well, everyone was aware that he is a very busy person and he would rather spend his time in his office doing office works than being here. They know how workaholic he really is. They found the performance really romantic but Len didn't. He found it preposterous and sardonic.

Oto-san… why is he here? The question rang in his thoughts again and again. He was taken aback as well. Did he know I would be here? Did he do this on purpose? Did he want to show to me that I'm nothing compared to him? Len was aware how furious his father was when he left the company just to become a teacher.

Himai Misa's final piece was the Ave Maria. It was one of the most exquisite music one could ever play. It touches the entire being of her listener; mind, body, heart and soul. They felt they were transferred into a different place-peaceful, sceneric and full of nature's wonders. It was perfect to be the concert's finale and it was her forte.

As the curtains rolled down, they could still hear Misa's music in their ears. And it would retain in their thoughts forever and till eternity. Len saw everyone simling, talking about the whole event as they went out.

"Tsukimori-kun, are you not going to congratulate your parents?" Kahoko asked as they headed to the exit togethere with the other spectators. He did not speak andcontinued walking, stiff and expressionless.

"Tsukimori-kun, it would be nice if we go back stage and congratulate your parents." She insisted. Well, she also wanted to seee Himai Misa again. She wanted to see her face-to-face once more.

"I have nothing for her." He uttered bleakly.

"Your presence is enough." Kahoko was persistent.

"I don't have anything to say to them." He spoke.

"It's been a very long time since you've seen each other. She misses you, your parents misses you." She said but he did not listen and continued walking on. "Tsukmori-kun, why are you so cold to your parents?"

He halted. He looked her way. His eyes dark with sadness. " You don't know anything! How an you say that?" It took Kaho aback. He was lamenting no doubt. She could see through her eyes the dark nimbus clouds looming within him. She wanted to somfort her soother but he just wouldn't allow her. She wanted to assure him that she was just there for him but he trusted no one. He had set thick barricades around him so at no one could penetrate him and his frozen heart of ice,

"Let's go…" Len uttered, walking ahead of her not wanting to pursue anymore discussions.

Does he really want to leave without seeing them? Three years… He have not seen them for three years. She reminisced the day Himai Misa invited her for lunch. The way her eyes sparkled as she spoke about Len, her beloved son and the way her lips curved to form a sweet smile as she reminisced the days when Len was still a young little boy and she could still see him every minute of her life. She could feel how much she missed her son and how much she wanted to take care of him but she just can't.

"Kaho let's go." He uttered swiftly. It sounded like a plea but it was faint and fast, she was afraid that she might just have heard it wrog.

"Hai." She hesitantly followed after him but before they could leave the vicinity, a woman had wrapped her hands around Tsukimori. Her sweet jasmine scent was familiar to Tsukimori. The warm feeling from this person was familiar to him as well. He is aware on who this is. He stopped, but did not look back, he didn't dare.

"What do you want?" He coldly asked. The woman laid her head on his back, trying to listen to his heartbeat and letting their moment last long. Kahoko stood at a side just looking at them, shocked at the sudden entrance.

"I missed you so much, Len-kun!" That sweet voice has flooded his childhood back into his memories. "Is that how you greet your mother after three years of not seeing her?"

"How should I greet you?" He asked.

"I really don't care. I'm glad you came. Please look at me, son, let me look at your hansome face." She spoke so enthusiastically. She was happy to have him there.

"I don't want to." He declined his mother coldly.

"Len, is that how you treat your mother?" His father came out of the backstage, sttrict and stern.

"Kahoko, let's go." Len didn't mind him and unwrapped her mother from around his waist.

"Len-kun, be good to Kaho, okay?" Hiami smiled sweetly. She then turned to Kahoko and uttered. " Kahoko, I sure hope we could for a longer time, but I guess Len-kun would already want to leave now."

"I'm glad I saw you again, Himai-san. I really enjyed the concert, I should have brought flowers for you." Kaho was too formal.

"It's okay. Seeing you at the audience with my Len-kun is already enough. I'm quite happy about it." She uttered with a smile. Well, it was Himai Misa who sent Len two tickets to her concert and she had specifically asked Len to bring Kahoko with him.

"Omedfetou, Himai-san." Len's mother hugged her tightly as a thank you to her congratulations.

"Kajoko!" Len's harsh voice echoed throughout the orchestra, good thing no one was left there except for the four of them. Somehow, Len was jealous on how freely Kaho can express her feelings towards her mother when he himself could not do that easily.

"I better leave now." She ran after him. Well, Lan had been walking far from them since the time he unclasped his mother from him and he was already far from where they stood.

"Tsukimori Len, listen to me…" Len's father halted him and Len did. However, he did not look his way. Seeing his father's face would just more pain to him and he does not want that. "I would not repeat this ever again."

"What is it?" He asked coldy.

"Len, remember that you would always be our son no matter what." He uttered straightly and briefly. Len looked down, his little barricade has betrayed him and someone had penetrated the perils of his frozen heart of ice.

"Kaho, let's go…" His voice was a little faint now.

"Hai." She walked beside him. Len was looking down to avoid anyone's gazes. He didn't want them to see the emotions he'd been holding back since the time he received a hug from his mother but a tear betrayed him, a tear from his eye dropped. And Kahoko saw it. She wanted to comfort him but she couldn't.

His parents stood there watching them as they go. Again, they had to part with their son, not knowing when they'll see each other again. It was the saddest music a duet could ever share with each other.

"I'm sorry, I was not able to tell him to come back." Len's father apologized. Misa was crying, her tears wouldn't want to subside. She missed her son so much and yet her emotions just could not reach him. She gave her husband a half-smile.

"I understand. He's tired of being alone." I myslef am tired as well." She uttered. He walked nearer her and wrapped her around his arms, comforting her.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her ears.

As soon as they had arrived the parking area, Tsukimori looked back. There was no sign of anyone following them. Mata Ashita, Oka-san, Oto-san… He uttered in his thoughts.

"Kaho, I don't want to go back to the hotel yet. If you want to, you could go back on your own." He uttered harshly.

"Huh? But don't know what to ride going back to the hotel." Kahoko reminded him that she was a tourist. "Besides, I don't want you to have all the fun, Tsukimori-kun."

He sighed and they hovered their way to the Grand Canal. "are we going to have a gondola ride?" Kaho asked, enthusiastically.

"Just keep quite, Kaho." He hushed her. He was thinking and all he needed that time was silence. Kaho zipped her mouth and adored the infrastractures around them silently. The water was clear and clean. The air there was colder than that of the street. Len got his violin out of its case. Well, he'd been bringing that since the time they stepped into the gondola.

Is he going to play the violin? Kahoko felt excited, glad that Len would play a piece before her. But to her surprise, Tsukimori handed her his violin.

"Play it." He ordered.

"Huh?" She was dumbfounded.

"Yunoki-sensei, I think you're a better substitute than Tsukimori-sensei." A student had raised her hand.

"Huh? Doushite? [Why?]" He asked with that signature smile on, that decieving smile he always wore in front of anyone.

"Tsukimori-sensei is scary while you are kind." Someone had seconded.

"Don't say that. We couldn't compare two different beings. Besides, I'm no violin prodigy, I'm a flutist. So I really couldn't be your teacher." Yunoki uttered. But in his thoughts he'd been laughing evilly. The first part of his plan has now been completed. He has captured Kahoko's beloved students. "How about, Hino-san? Do you like her?"

"We do like her but we still think you are better." That sounded good in his ears. Things were going as it has been planned. It was falling right on to his soft gentle palms.

"You know what sensei, why don't you court Hino-sensei before Tsukimori-sensei gets her. I think she's im better hands with you than she is with him." A girl suggested.

"You look good together sensei." The class followed after her. This was what he'd been wanting to hear and as usual he got what he wanted.

Yunoki smiled at them. "Arigatou, mina." He thanked them. The glass grew noisy, chatters were heard from every part of the room. Yunoki kept a smile but within him, he already was pestered. They were getting into his nerves. Stupid annoying children… Mizuumi, one of Kaho's students reamined silent at a corner, observing Yunoki's every move.

What do you want form Hino-sensei and Tsukimori-sensei, Azuma Yunoki-sensei? She asked in her thoughts, being able to read the sarcasm in between the lines he'd been telling everyone.

"Play? Me? I couldn't, Tsukimori-kun. I've stopped playing violin long ago." Kahoko declined the offer.

"Play it." He ordered, closing his ears to whatever Kaho has to say.

'I…" She stammered. What is he thinking? She uttered in her thoughts.

"Why can't you play it?" He asked her.

"I've lost its meaning." Kahoko uttered briefly. She was surprised, she was able to say it to him when in fact he couldn't tell it to anyone, not even to her sister.

"Then find it again." He ordered.

"I can't?" She declined. This was choking her.

"Why? Is it because of him?" He asked.

"I…" Her tears were starting to fall down now. "I…'" She found no words coming out of her own mouth.

"What am I to you, Kaho?" He asked. The stars twinkled above them and the surroundings were silent. It stung her as it had stung Tsukimori when Yunoki had asked him that question.

"I.. I ..." She was not sure.

"If you find no reason to play the violin, then let me be the reason…" She was surprised, dumbfounded. She did not know how to react and what to say.

Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. A thousand millions of thank yous to all those who made this story their favorite and for all the reviewers. It means a lot to me. I hope to hear from you guys.

Chapter Nine

In Cattive Acque

What would Kahoko do? Where is this leading? What would Yunoki's next move be? See you in the next chapter, there's lots more in store. :]