DISCLAIMER: I don't own La Corda or any of it's characters, or the aquarium mentioned in this chapter.
(Author's Note: I'm so sorry I didn't update yesterday! It was my b-day,and I was stuck cleaning the house… : ( Anyway, here's another Chapter!)
Lunch had almost ended, and Len had one last thing to say to end his violin lesson with Kaho.
"Kaho-san, meet me at the school gates after school ends today," he said.
"Eh? Why," asked Kaho.
"Just meet me there," said Len.
"Hai Tsukimori-kun," said Kaho.
Kaho went through the rest of her classes in a daze.
She couldn't help wondering why Len had requested her to meet him.
*************
Kaho breathed out a sigh of relief as the bell signifying the end of school rang.
She was heading over to the school gates to meet with Len, and she was wondering yet again why he wanted to meet her there.
'Tsukimori-kun was acting so strange today… I wonder if he's alright,' she thought.
She saw Len leaning against the wall, and ran up to him, her violin case banging against her legs in the process.
"Tsukimori-kun, why am I here," Kaho inquired.
"You'll see," said Len mysteriously.
Len took Kaho's free hand and began heading towards his ride.
"Eh? Tsukimori-kun, where are we going," asked Kaho.
"Stop asking all these unnecessary questions Kaho-san, you'll find out when we get there," said Len impatiently, "Now please get in the car."
"H-hai Tsukimori-kun," she stammered and got in the car.
'Be still my beating heart,' thought Kaho, 'I've never felt this way around Tsukimori-kun before… What's happening to me?'
Before getting in the car, Len walked over to the driver and murmured the destination to him.
The driver gave a curt nod, and Len got in the car's backseat beside Kaho.
Len looked out the window and thought, 'What was I thinking? Kaho probably doesn't want to be here with me. I mean, could you blame her? I'm a complete and total moron to her most of the time… But I suppose it's too late to turn back now… I mean, I already forced her in the car…'
'It's too quiet… Should I try to start a conversation,' thought Kaho.
Len frowned slightly.
Kaho had noticed Len's frown and decided to mention it.
"Tsukimori-kun, what's wrong," she inquired.
At this remark, the driver smirked and thought, 'I wonder if she thinks that Tsukimori-san will actually respond. She'll be in for an uncomfortable car trip if she expects him to respond. Heck, I've only ever seen him talk to his parents' friends, and single word replies as well!'
Much to the driver's surprise though, Len actually did respond.
"Nandemonai, Kaho-san, I'm fine," he said.
Kaho frowned in confusion and said, "If you say so Tsukimori-kun."
"I say so," he said stonily.
"We're here," announced the driver.
"Finally! I was beginning to wonder when we'd get here," exclaimed Kaho, "Where exactly are we Tsukimori-kun?"
"At the Shinagawa Suizokukan Aquarium," he replied, "My father is friends with the owner, and, like the time I had to play for another aquarium's sick dolphin, I have to play for a seal pup, because it isn't feeding, and they requested me to play."
'Holy crap… I think that's the longest string of words I've ever heard him say,' thought Kaho in astonishment.
She stood looking at Len with wide eyes.
Len saw her reaction and chuckled to himself, thinking, 'Kahoko is surprised by the littlest things. She looks quite cute with that facial expression. Hmmmmmmmm.'
'Tsukimori-kun should smile more,' said Kaho, seeing the chuckle playing on Len's lips, 'He looks even more handsome when he smiles.'
Without knowing, Kaho had actually mumbled this aloud.
And Len had just happened to hear her.
Len looked at her in surprise, his eyes widened.
"Excuse me Kaho-san," he said, "What did you say?"
"Eh? Oh, nande Tsukimori-kun," said Kaho blushing.
"Mm," he replied, "Shall we go in?"
"Hai, Tsukimori-kun," said Kaho eagerly.
*************
Kaho and Len were walking towards the seal observation building, Len walking ahead, and Kaho following about 30 feet away, looking at all the exhibits as they passed, when someone said, "Kahoko? Is that you,".
"Eh? Who's there," said Kaho anxiously.
A figure stepped out of the shadows.
"Niriya," growled Len.
"Tsukimori," said Niriya, not taking his eyes off Kaho.
"Niriya-kun, what are you doing here," asked Kaho cautiously.
"I came to see you," he said simply.
"Niriya, I don't want to see you anymore, I thought I made that clear," said Kaho as she turned her head to look at something other than him.
Kaho's heart wrenched as she said those words, because she knew that deep in her heart, she still loved Niriya, but she loved someone else now too…
Niriya walked up and cupped Kaho's cheek in his hand.
Len stiffened and began walking towards Niriya and Kaho.
"I love you, Kahoko. I always have, and I always will," murmured Niriya.
Kaho looked at Niriya angrily.
"Liar," she said.
Niriya stumbled and took a step back, his eyes wide in shock.
"You cheated on me, you lied to me, and now you expect me to believe you," exclaimed Kaho, "I loved you Niriya,(At this, Len stopped dead in his tracks) you had stolen my heart from the very beginning, but now, now someone has stolen my heart from you. Niriya, I trusted you with my heart, and you broke it. This is goodbye."
A single tear ran down Kaho's cheek, and she turned to walk away.
'Who took her heart? What does she mean,' thought Len in dismay, 'Was she talking about me? Wait… What am I thinking? I'm too much of an idiot for her to like me… I'm too cold to be with her… She doesn't deserve me, she deserves someone better.'
Suddenly, Niriya looked up, rage burning in his eyes.
He grabbed Kaho roughly by the hand, and pulled her up to him, so her eyes were looking directly into his, and they were pressed against each other.
At this point, his hand was practically crushing Kaho's and she cried out, "Niriya! Let go! You're hurting me."
Upon hearing this, Len broke into a run towards the struggling Kaho.
"Kahoko," he said fury blazing in his eyes, "I love you! Why don't you realize that?!? And now you tell me you want to leave me for some other guy!? At least tell me who this guy is?! I want to know who I lost the love of my life to. Why do you love HIM instead of me? Am I not good enough for you now?"
Niriya was shaking with suppressed rage at this point.
"I will not tell you who has stolen my heart. But if it will get you to go away, I'll tell you why I love him," murmured Kaho, "When I'm around him, my heart races. When he plays his instrument, really plays it I mean, his music shows his compassion, it shows the love he feels. When he smiles, the whole world seems so much better. He has protected me. And I love him. But if it makes you feel any better Niriya, we can never be together. He is an extremely talented musician, and I would just hold him back."
Tears started to run down Kaho's face.
Len looked shocked and sad at the same time, and thought, 'That couldn't be me. She could never feel that way about me. She said that the guy she loved protects her… Maybe she loves Tsuchira...'
Len shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
Len began walking towards Kaho again.
"Niriya, I love him with every fiber of my being, but we can never be together," said Kaho sadly, her hair shielding her eyes, "Now would you please leave?"
"Kahoko! Don't you understand? I love you," said Niriya angrily, "I will never stop fighting for you!"
Kaho used her free arm to wipe her eyes, looked straight at Niriyu, and in a clear voice said, "Niriya-kun, you lost that fight the moment you kissed another girl… Please leave."
Niriya looked as fierce as ever when he took Kaho's hand in his and said, "Fine, but if you won't play your violin for me, then you shall never play it again!"
Niriya took one of Kaho's fingers in his hand, and attempted to twist it all the way back, so as to break it.
Kaho screamed in pain, and Len ran up, and pushed Niriyu to the side.
Len wiped Kaho's cheeks with his thumbs and said, "Kahoko, are you alright?"
Kaho was too shocked and scared of what Niriyu just did to realize that Len had called her by her full given name.
Kaho immediately buried her face in his chest and cried.
Niriya staggered to his feet.
Len noticed Niriya's movement, so he rose to his feet, helping Kaho up.
Niriya had a crazed look in his eyes as he walked up to Len.
Len calmly went up to Niriya, meeting him halfway.
Suddenly, Niriya sucker punched Len.
Len staggered back and fell.
He stood back up and walked back to Niriya.
"I won't fight you Niriya," said Len, "You've already lost Kahoko's trust, I will not make you lose anything else."
Niriya's eyes widened.
"Goodbye Niriya-san," said Len, "Enjoy the rest of your life."
Len turned around and began to walk back to Kaho.
Niriya ran and pushed Len to the ground again.
Kaho ran up to Niriya with pleading eyes and said, "Niriya! Please stop! Can't you see you're hurting him?"
Niriya looked at her with unseeing eyes.
He drew Kaho close to him, but suddenly pushed her away from him, hard.
Kaho began falling on her face.
By this time, Len had stood up and was running towards Kaho.
Kaho's hands hit the ground first, and she felt instant pain, then she turned, and felt her head hit the ground, hard.
The last thing she saw was Len's worried face above her, and him saying, "Kaho, Kaho, stay awake. Stay awake! Kahoko! Stay with me Kahoko!"
And with those parting words, Kaho fell into a deep black void.