Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda d'oro

NEXT TO YOU

Chapter 4

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Hearing such assertion made me tremble down the ground. I did not how to counter Azuma. Should I just tell him the truth? Or should I just brush it off and lie to him again? But no matter what I do, my best friend can read through me and I'm slowly loosing to him.

"My my, what's with the sudden interest?" says Azuma while I stood there petrified. He continued to look at me while I locked my eyes with his. I wanted to blurt it out loud on how much I wanted to be next to Kahoko.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're hiding really big behind my back," added Yunoki while he slowly backs himself away from me. He looks at me again with a fierce gaze as if his eyes were on fire.

I then took a deep breath and look at him straight to his core and said, "This might be hard, but it is what it is and I never thought I would feel like this." As my heartbeat starts to lift and fear is written all over my face.

"So getting detention for the first time is worthed after all, even if it damage my reputation just to have my best friend finally divulge what his been hiding from me," says Azuma and I can see Yunoki raise one of his eyebrow while he continues to look at me.

There I finally decided that I wouldn't hold back anymore. I will tell him the truth regardless if we stay friends or not. Even if I'm uncertain to what the result might be at least I won't be lying to my best friend anymore.

"I-LIKE-KAHO-CHAN"

I can see Azuma lower his eyebrow while he slightly drops his jaw. I then look away as I feel heavy weights lifted from me. I may feel better upon pouring the truth to my best friend but our friendship on the other hand might be done for. It was silence again and two hours of detention seems infinity.

Finally, it's time to leave detention hall and no words were exchange. He opens the door and walks ahead of me while his fan club waits for him. He did not bother to say goodbye, he did not even look at me. My anticipations were right that out friendship is over; after all we both like the same girl.

Soon I was in front of my house. I open my front door and surprised to see my mother. There she stands by the kitchen smiling at me. I wanted to smile back at her but I could not hide my hurt from breaking my friendship with Yunoki. I said hello to her while bit by bit I walk into my room. I feel defeated for the first time in my life. Loosing my best friend and not getting the girl all at the same time is such a loser move.

Knock…knock…knock

"The door is unlock," I said sluggishly while my mother opens my bedroom door.

"What's with the ominous mug Kazuki?" says my mom

I could not look at her; instead I lay on my bed turning my back away from her. Then I can feel the palm of her hand lightly patting my back and said, "If it's girl trouble you can always talk to me." She added

It was deafening hearing my mother say those words. How the hell am I going to tell her that her son like girls? And that I broke my friendship with my best friend because of a girl, and absolutely no way in hell I will have the TALK (SEX) with her. My day had definitely turned upside down as I continue to mope.

I can hear her finally retreat towards the door. And not owning up to my behavior must have been disappointment to her. But it can't be helped. So that night I sleep with such discontent. Loosing my best friend is undeniably depressing. What will tomorrow be like without Yunoki? What will I do with my feelings for Kahoko that's been weighing inside me? All these feelings of doubts are within me as I slowly drifted through the starless night.

The following morning I woke up to a headache. The sun had been up and who knew that the morning light could be this destructive and soon I was on my way to school.

As I walk towards the front gate, I worry that I might bump into Yunoki. I scan the place and see no familiar faces then I proceed walking inside the campus. But walking in halfway to my class someone called out for me.

"Hihara-senpai!" says a soft female voice, right when I turn my head I see Miyabi beaming at me.

"Miyabi-chan? What are you doing here?" I ask confused.

"I wanted to make sure you're doing okay," says Miyabi while she looks up to me. Then it was apparent to me that her brother told her what went on yesterday.

"So, you found out huh?" I ask slowly while looking away from her. I could not understand what I was feeling at the moment. I wanted to walk away and shut everyone. I wanted to have my own bubble, my own world where everyone would just understand what I'm feeling inside.

"Yes and Senpai? You're still taking me to the prom right?" Miyabi ask with such confident. I then look at her adorable face and said.

"Only if you let me ask you properly," I can see her eyes twinkle while she smiles at me.

On the contrary I start to feel placid. I then bow to her and said "Will you accompany me to the dance?-please?" then, I look up and slowly look at her innocent face. And she seems to be amused of what she heard.

"Yes, I would love to." She replied to me.

I then feel relief that I finally set up a date on my own. Though I wanted someone else but Miyabi is kind and she seems to understand what's happening. And even with her age she surely is mature.

Before long Miyabi had to leave for school, we walk together to the front gate and a visible black car is waiting for her. We then said our goodbyes as we exchange smiles with each other. Then I wave at her while the car pulls away.

"Senpai?" a voice from behind said.

"Yes?" and right when I replied I was dumbfounded. She stands so close that I can see her porcelain teeth.

"Good morning!" Kahoko smiling while she throws a peace sign at me.

"Good- morning!" I replied to her while my heart beats rapidly.

"Wanna walk together inside?" Kahoko ask with her glowing face. I was not so sure what was going on at the moment. But why is she so happy this morning? As I mutter.

"S-U-R-E?" I said. I knew I sounded stupid but what am I going to do if Azuma were to see me walking with my Kahoko? Or shall I say our Kahoko? I slightly scratch my head while I quiver walking next to her. Then.

"Good morning!" says a gentle voice but loud enough that made me just want to run as fast as I can. Kahoko then look back and smile at him.

"Good morning Yunoki-senpai!" She replied to him while I see a visible burst of energy in her.

"Yes! Great morning" In a bit of sarcastic tone I said. Azuma then put on a façade. He smiles at me but diverted his attention to Kahoko as he lean closer to her and said.

"May I walk you to your classroom Kahoko-san?" Azuma beaming at her and witnessing such move makes me want to scream at him to STOP torturing me. And once again I lost to the prince charming Azuma.

"And by the way Hino-san, I look forward to properly introduce myself to your family this weekend," As soon as he said those line Azuma slightly look my way and grin at me. I then understand her happy behavior when I met her at the front gate. Again, I scored zero for the day while Yunoki hit homerun with Kahoko. And just like before I watch Kahoko being swept away far and far away from me while I long to be next to her.

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A/N I hope this was to your liking everyone. And to my lovely reviewers, you guys are great. No words can describe how much it means to me. Like always REVIEWS are welcome.

Sneak peek for future chapters:

"It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years - we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on."