Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda D' Oro or any of its character. The music pieces used in this fanfic are not my property too, they are owned by their respective composers.

Chapter 19 Our Last Duet

Kahoko was staring at the parcel that had just arrived. It was from Azuma Yunoki(A.K.A. Her fiancé, as how he signed it) She took the lid off and saw a familiar white dress. She pressed her right hand on her mouth and her eyes widened in surprise. Then she remembered a scene from two years ago.

[Flashback]

Azuma and Kahoko were walking down a street, two blocks from the Central Park. Kahoko stopped at a couture and they were just putting up a new mannequin for their wedding collection. The mannequin wore what Kahoko called her dream wedding gown.

"Kaho, I do not have much time for this walk, I am running late for my meeting. We should've used the car." Yunoki arrogantly whined stopping a few inches from where Kahoko stood.

"I know but I just can't take my eyes off this wedding gown." Kahoko's eyes were dreamy, her tone full of mirth. "It makes me how I would look as a bride."

"Then wait until you become one for now our problem is my meeting." He started walking again. She sighed and dragged herself to follow him. She wondered if there would come a time that Yunoki would ever kneel before her and ask her hand in marriage. 'When would you ever make my dream come true, Yunoki Azuma?' She thought

[End of Flashback]

"This is still what I want to wear for my wedding, this is my dream gown." Kahoko waltzed around her room, with the gown laid in front of her as though she was wearing it. Then she stopped, stood in front of the mirror and closed her eyes.

She saw herself walking down that aisle, that red carpeted aisle with red and white petals. Walking beside her was her mother and on the other side her sister. As she looked at the altar she saw Tsukimori Len instead ofAzuma Yunoki. She stopped, the bell rang three times (ding-dong-ding) She jerked.

[Ring….] The ringing of her phone snapped her out of her daydreaming. When she checked the caller I.D., Azuma's number was registered. I mean who else would it be?

"Hello." She answered casually.

"I bet you've opened the box already." Yunoki uttered. Kahoko could imagine him; he was sitting in his office with piles of papers to be signed. "Did you like it?"

"Are you serious? I love it. How did you remember this? It's been two years." Kahoko was happy, no doubt. She never thought, Yunoki cared about her or what she liked.

"Kaho, the wedding invitations will arrive there later. I'm sorry I did not ask for your opinion but I already had to decide. Don't worry, you'll choose who would be your visitors." He said. Kahoko's brows met. She then asked, "So when is it?"

"5 days from now." He informed in his matter-of-fact tone. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"What? But…" Kahoko was cut in mid-sentence when the doorbell rang.

"I have to go, I still have things to do. I'll get you there tonight at 6:30. Wear a classy black attire." He hanged up. Kahoko sighed, unable to decline his offer. As usual, Yunoki got Kahoko cornered.

When she opened the door, it was Yunoki's butler. He was bringing baskets with beautifully-designed clear bottles, with beautiful ribbons laced around the seal. It was no doubt their wedding invitation. After all the baskets were brought in, Kahoko was left alone. She took one out and read it. It was already filled out from top to bottom. When. Where. Who. What. 'I guess I should thank him for not stressing me out.' She thought, but still she felt like a stranger in her own wedding. She does not know most of the people here.

"Yunoki Azuma, What is the meaning of this?" His grandmother furiousl smashed the bottle on the floor as soon as she stood before his table.

"That's my wedding invitation oba-sama." Yunoki answered coolly.

"I know." She sighed heavily, her eyes narrowed with anger. "Why so fast, Azuma? You are still so young, you have all the time in the world to get married."

"No, oba-sama. I do not have much time anymore." The answer made his grandmother stopped and kept quiet.

"Why?" She asked in her calmest tone, hushed. Yunoki did not answer. He looked down on his papers and started becoming busy again. His grandmother knew there was something wrong.

"Oh my gosh, Hino-sensei! You really are getting married already!" One of the faculty members exclaimed upon reading the invitation she just received.

"Where's Tsukimori-sensei?" Kahoko asked but got no answers. 'Probably they don't know.' She thought. "I better go to the principal. To give his invitation, I hope you could come to my wedding." She bowed down and left.

When Kaho arrived at the principal's office, she gave him her wedding invitation. The principal stared at it. "So this is the reason why I lost one of my teachers and probably lose another one." The principal uttered thoughtlessly.

"What?" Kahoko asked.

"N-no that was nothing." He cleared his throat and sweetly smiled at her. "Congratulations by the way!" However Kahoko's curiosity was working. She knew that there was something behind those lines and she ought to know it.

"Thank you, sir. But what do you mean?" Kaho asked. The principal played with the invitation; opening it and then closing it again. Kahoko was persistent and patient. She did not say a thing but the fact that she didn't leave meant she wouldn't leave unless she gets the answer. The principal heaved a sigh, defeated.

"Look, the mere fact that he did not tell you that he's leaving means he didn't want you to know, Hino-sensei." He answered her. Hino's brows met, at first she did not understand it but then she realized it what it was or more appropriately who he was.

"Tsukimori…" She uttered in a hushed tone, her tears flooding endlessly. She filed for an indefinite leave of absence and burst out of the campus. She was running to the Tsukimori mansion. She only had gone there once and it had been a long time ago but then it was as though her feet knew the path very well. She was exhausted, out of breath and her heart was fluctuating rapidly but she still did not stop. 'There's no time to waste… What's wrong with him? Not even a goodbye? How discourteous… But I should have known. His desk was empty, emptier than it usually is.' She thought; her tears still endless.

Kahoko came before a big well-structured mansion. No doubt, this was his house. Well, she saw a picture of this on his desk in the faculty room. She rang the doorbell and the butler faced her. It was the same butler from before.

"Hino-san, what brought you here?" He still recognized her, even if it had been years since the last time she came and that was her very first visit.

"Where's Tsukimori-kun?" She was sobbing, her eyes red.

"I'm sorry, Hino-san but Tsukimori-bouchosama has left. He never specified where he'd go but he said he's flying abroad." He informed. "Do you need anything from him?"

"No... No… Thank you, anyway." She bowed down and left the mansion, crying. 'He left again… But why? Why do I even care?'

When she arrived home, she locked herself up in her room, crying. She was staring at her violin. She does not understand but she was at pain. She then stared at herself in the mirror. 'Kahoko, stop that… He does not see you the way you see him, you should stop feeling that stupid emotion. Yunoki is your fiancé and you are better off with him. You would only be a hindrance to his career.' She told herself, touching her reflection as though it was of somebody else. She saw Len's face in her thoughts. 'If only you knew, how I really felt for you what would you have done? If only you knew, you are my cold-hearted violinist, my one true love, would you tell me you love me too? Would you be here with me right now? Tsukimori-kun, where are you? Why did you leave? Why don't I get you at all?' Then her clock chimed, reminding her of the time. It was already 4:30 in the afternoon and she had to get ready before six. She sighed. She washed her face, but the melancholy was still painted all over her face.

"Be happy, Kahoko." She told herself. She had finished changing an hour later. She got her violin and something urged her to play Lionnel Richie's Hello. And somewhere below her terrace, someone had joined her. The strokes and music felt so familiar but she set it aside. 'Impossible… Tsukimori-kun has already gone abroad.' She thought.

However, it was possible. Behind the bushes, Tsukimori Len played with her. It was his only goodbye. 'If only you knew how I felt for you, would you have been mine right now? Would that smile be mine?' He thought and as they stroke the final strings for the piece, someone honked outside Kahoko's gate. It was Yunoki. 'Sayonara, Kahoko.' He whispered to himself as Kahoko joined Yunoki in his gray convertible.

She was so beautiful and elegant in her black spaghetti-strapped bubble dress accentuated with a ribbon around her waist. Her hair was done in curls, laced with a white ribbon. Her smile was sweet but it looked lamenting.

That 'Hello' was their last duet together.

That's chapter 19 for you, mina-san. Hopefully, you liked it and please do review. It really means a lot to me. To all those who flooded this story with their reviews, thank you so muchTo those who added this to their story alert and favorite story list, thank you… See you on the next chapter and keep those reviews coming.