Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda or any of the people in it... :(
Len and Kaho got to the theater five minutes late.
They had decided to take their time walking over and had not rushed.
When they arrived, they were given questioning looks from the orchestra director, and from the orchestra themselves.
Many were murmuring, asking one another why they thought THE Len Tsukimori was late.
"I heard he was making out with that redhead," murmured a cellist to her seatmates.
"I heard that he had to go home to sign the final papers for his move to Europe, and that caused him to be late" murmured a flutist.
"I heard that he was cross dressing, and that red head caught him and they had a row about it," murmured a trumpeteer.
Now, Kazuki happened to be nearby when the female trumpeteer murmured this, and, without thinking, stood up and shouted, "IIE!!! Tsukimori doesn't cross-dress! He would never do that to Kaho-chan!"
At that outburst, everyone's murmurs ceased.
The trumpeteer that had suggested that in the first place turned beet red and hung her head.
Len had his usual impassive face on, when, in truth he was thinking, 'WHAT THE HECK!!!!!'
"EH?????????? Hihara-sempai," exclaimed Kaho, blushing furiously.
After staring at Kazuki for a couple LONG moments, people began turning their heads to face Len.
When he noticed this, he stonily said, "Do you honestly believe that? It doesn't matter to me what you think, but please get your facts straight before you make ludicrous assumptions."
Len took Kaho's hand once more and walked her over to the seats.
Luckily, Len and Kaho were seated in the first and second chairs, so they were able to sit next to each other without worrying about others getting in their conversation, if they decided to start one.
Kaho opened her violin case and took out her sheet music from a compartment behind the bow's securing station.
She took the music stand that had been placed in front of her chair, put her sheet music on it, unsecured her bow, tightened the hairs, unstrapped her violin, and placed it on her lap.
Len had done the same, and since everyone else was still preparing their instruments, Len and Kaho had time to talk.
Kaho leaned towards Len and whispered, "I wonder what all that was about."
Len shrugged almost imperceptibly and said, "Probably just some people trying to start more rumors."
Kaho nodded and placed her violin on her lap, waiting for the director to give their instructions.
Suddenly the orchestra director pointed to Len.
"Tsukimori, play the piece you were assigned please," he demanded.
Len nodded and positioned his violin.
He placed his bow on the strings, positioned his fingers, and the the music fly.
Kaho closed her eyes, and let Johann Stauss' Blue Danube fly over and through her.
Suddenly, she realised something.
'Len's music is softer now... Before, it was perfect, and smooth, but cold, like ice. But now, it's perfect, smooth, and like silk. It's even more beautiful than it was before,' Kaho smiled.
Slowly, her smile regressed into a frown.
'His music, it's so beautiful! How can I keep him from progressing? He's brilliant! I still have a long way to go. I can't hold him back... I need to let him grow," she thought sadly.
She suddenly stood up, placed her violin and her bow on her chair, and ran out of the room, just as Len's piece ended.
He opened his eyes to see Kaho run out the door, tears streaking her face.
"Excuse me Sensei," said Len as he put his violin and bow down on his chair.
Without waiting for a response, Len walked briskly out of the classroom, breaking into a run after the door shut after him.
"Kaho. Kaho!" he called, catching up to her.
He caught her by the shoulders, turned her around, and said, "What's wrong? Why are you running? What happened?"
Kaho just shook her head, her tears scattering.
Len brought Kaho close to him enveloping her in a hug.
Kaho sobbed.
Len comforted her, saying, "Shh, shh... Its alright... Everything's alright... Don't cry."
Kaho shook her head into his chest.
She raised her head, looked him straight in the eyes, and said, "Iie Len, it's not... What's going to happen when you leave to go to Europe? You HAVE to go! I don't want to hold you back from completing your dream... You have always dreamed of becoming a famous musician. You can do it Len! But not if I'm holding you back... I don't want to hold you back... You have to go... You have to-"
She was cut off by Len suddenly placing his mouth on hers.
After a couple moments, Len ended the kiss, and wiped Kaho's tears away with his thumbs.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay? For now, let's just enjoy what time we have with each other, alright," he murmured.
She nodded silently.
"I love you Len, never forget that.... Your music captivated me, and I want you to let it grow. I wont love you any less if you leave me to go study it," she murmured sadly.
"You might not love me any less, but I'd hate myself for leaving you," he mumbled.
He rested his forehead on Kaho's.
"Let's go back," he said reluctantly, "They're waiting for us."
"Hai," said Kaho.
Len stood up straight and kissed Kaho on the forehead.
He took her hand, and they walked back to the Orchestra room, Kaho's head on Len's shoulder, and Len feeling like the happiest man on earth.
*************
When Len and Kaho walked into the orchestra room hand in hand, their classmates had already began murmuring to each other about the couples' latest escapade.
"I heard that Kaho got pregnant with another guy and that she told Len it was his," murmured a blonde clarinetist.
"I heard that Kaho cheated on Tsukimori with one of the concours participants," murmured a drummer, "So she ran out of the room feeling guilty."
Suddenly Kazuki stood up on his chair clenching his trumpet.
"I HEARD THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO SHUT UP! SERIOUSLY! I'm pretty sure that this doesn't concern you, so why don't you guys just shut your mouths and pay attention to the Mr. Hanimoto," he shouted.
Everyone shut up, staring at Kazuki in awe and surprise.
Mr. Hanimoto took one of his hands off his ears.
"Arigatou Hihara-san," he said sarcastically.
Kazuki nodded to the orchestra director.
Mr. Hanimoto stared at Kazuki.
Finally, after a couple moments, Mr. Hanimoto said, "Hihara-san, could you please get off your chair so we could continue the class?"
Hihara looked down and realized he was still standing on his chair.
He looked up at Mr. Hanimoto, and back down at the ground, and then at his classmates.
"Oops," he said sheepisly, "Gomen minna-san."
He jumped down from his chair and sat down silently, blushing as red as a tomato.
Kaho let go of Len's hand, walked over, and kissed Kazuki on the cheek.
In a loud voice, she said, "Arigatou Hihara-sempai. You may very well be one of the most decent people in the room."
Len walked up to Kazuki too.
He bowed his head and said, "Arigatou Hihara-sempai. I am grateful to have you as a friend. Only cowards and idiots gossip behind others' backs."
Len stood up straight, wrapped his arm around Kaho's waist, and walked her back to their seats.
Once Len turned away, Hihara placed his hand on his cheek, where Kaho had kissed him.
'SHE KISSED ME!!!!," he thought joyfully, a grin spreading across his face.
To an observer, Hihara looked as though he was bored, his hand supporting his face, his elbow on his knee, and he had suddenly seen something funny on the other side of the room, causing him to grim goofily.
*************
Once Len and Kaho had sat down, Mr. Hanimoto motioned to Len and Kaho.
"Could you two please play the assigned piece together? As the first and second chairs, you two are the best in the violin section, and I'd like you to demonstrate to them how to play the piece properly," he explained.
Kaho and Len nodded.
Kaho looked at Len, waiting for him to signal her to start.
Len looked at her, nodded his head, just a tiny bit, three times, and began.
Len and Kaho began perfectly in sync.
Their music intertwined and released, embracing and letting go of one another.
When the music let go, it always came back together later in the song.
The violins were playing together in such symphony, one could have said they were talking to one another.
Finally, Len and Kaho ended the song together.
When they opened their eyes, they were greeted with the sounds of their peers clapping for them.
Len gave a tiny smile to Kaho, and she grinned back, then turned to their audience and bowed.
Len also turned to their audience and bowed.
Kazuki stared at Kaho.
'She's gotten better. Much, much better. Her music was laughing. It was if you could see it frolicking around in a field of flowers... It still rings in my heart,' he thought, dumbstruck by Kaho's amazing performance.
After everyone stopped clapping, the director nonchalantly looked at the clock.
"AIYA," he exclaimed.
Len, and Kaho looked at him in shock, wondering what the heck was wrong with Mr. Hanimoto.
Mr. Hanimoto, looked at the students and said, "Hurry up and pack up already, we're going on a field trip."
'Eh," thought Kaho, 'I didn't know we could go on field trips after school... I wonder where we're going...'
Len gazed at Kaho and smiled slightly to himself.
'She's so pretty when she's thinking like that,' thought Len, brushing a lock of his hair out of his eyes.
Unbeknowst to all the orchestra students, Mr. Hanimoto actually had something up his sleeve.
*************
"Hurry up everyone!!! You've all got to be back before 11:00 ," called Mr. Hanimoto.
A blonde trumpeteer raised her hand.
"Mr. Hanimoto, do our parents know that we won't be back until then," she inquired, her brows furrowed.
"Mmm," Mr. Hanimoto nodded.
Once they were all on the bus, seated in their seats, Mr. Hanimoto raised his hand to his mouth, inserted two fingers in his mouth, and whistled.
Everyone shut up immediately and stared at him in awe.
Kazuki raised his hand.
Mr. Hanimoto picked on him, "Yes Hihara-san?"
Kazuki goggled at Mr. Hanimoto for a little, and then exclaimed, "HOW DID YOU DO THAT??? CAN YOU TEACH ME??? WHERE'D YOU LEARN TO DO THAT??? I WANNA LEARN TOO!!!!!!"
Mr. Hanimoto sighed.
"Anyone else have questions that are relevant to this trip," he questioned, searching the sea of students, and ignoring Kazuki.
Seeing nobody raise their hands, he nodded, satisfied.
"Alrighty then," he said, "I shall explain everything fully now. Everyone stand up."
Not understanding what was going on, but not wanting to get in trouble, everyone stood up.
"Now, look up at the racks above your heads," he commanded, smiling and waiting to see the students' reactions.
As everyone gazed up confusedly, their eyes widened in amazement and awe, and many gasped.
Kaho raised her hand.
Mr. Hanimoto picked on her with a, "Yes Hino-san?"
"Hanimoto-san, why is my pink duffel bag here," Kaho inquired innocently.
"That's a good question Hino-san," answered Mr. Hanimoto, grin spreading from ear to ear, "Everybody listen to this!"
Everybody looked at Mr. Hanimoto again.
"As you all know, I called your parents, asking them to authorize this school trip, and most of them would only agree under one condition, which was that they got to pack your clothes," grinned Mr. Hanimoto.
"Eh?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!" exclaimed most of the students.
"Wait just a moment here," said Len calmly, "You said we'd be back home before 11:00 Hanimoto-san, are you not telling us something?"
Mr. Hanimoto's grinned even more.
"I didn't say what day at 11:00, did I now, Tsukimori-san," countered Mr. Hanimoto.
Kaho collapsed on her seat.
'What will happen to Kazue? She doesn't jave the slightest idea about how to cook... She's even worse at cooking than Len!!!!!' panicked Kaho.
Len placed his hands on his temples and began massaging them.
'Why didn't they tell me about this??? I'll be spending time with Kaho, and I'm completely unprepared!!! ARGH!!!' thought Len, furious at his parents.
Kaho opened her eyes to look at Len, massaging his temples furiously, and reached up and gently took one of his hands.
Len looked at her in surprise.
Kaho intertwined her fingers with Len's.
Her eyes seemed to say, 'It'll be okay."
Len's eyes softened.
Suddenly, a thought snapped him out of is reverie.
"Hanimoto-san, when will we be returning home," he inquired coldly, not wanting to waste any time.
"You'll be returning home on Friday, I made a deal with the headmaster, he'll excuse you from all the schoolwork, but only if we hold a public concert for the school.
Len's eyes widened slightly at the word 'Friday'.
'Today's Tuesday!!! I have till Friday to spend time with Kaho...' thought Len...
Kazuki raised his hand again.
Mr. Hanimoto sighed and said, "Yes Hihara-san?'
"Where exactly are you taking us," questioned Kazuki.
Mr. Hanimoto smiled coyly and said, "That's for me to know, and you to find out."
ng home," he inquired coldly, not wanting to waste any time.
"You'll be returning home on Friday, I made a deal with the headmaster, he'll excuse you from all the schoolwork, but only if we hold a public concert for the school.
Len's eyes widened slightly at the word 'Friday'.
'Today's Tuesday!!! I have till Friday to spend time with Kaho...' thought Len...
Kazuki raised his hand again.
Mr. Hanimoto sighed and said, "Yes Hihara-san?'
"Where exactly are you taking us," questioned Kazuki.
Mr. Hanimoto smiled coyly and said, "That's for me to know, and you to find out."
(SORRY BOUT THE MISTAKE I MADE EARLIER GUYS!!!!! I FIXED IT THOUGH!! :D Sorry about not being able to update as much lately!!! I've been completely SWAMPED with schoolwork... My internet publishing teacher is KILLING us!!! xD But we'll survive the tortue... :P Anywayz, Sorry bout the cliffie, I'll have a new chapter up soon!!! PROMISE!!! )