La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo

I cannot even begin to apologise just how late I have updated. So I am asking for thine forgivenesses my amazing readers and best of all, reviewers! So much work has bombarded me and after a good 3-hour nap did I finally finish this for all of you.

To make up for my mistakes, I made it extra longer than before ;)

So without further ado I give to all of you...

Opus IV

~Tensions ~

The bell chimes rang in the distance, the birds, chirping away as they nestled in each other's company beneath the clouded blue sky. A lone sound echoed, wind-sweeping the foliage that lay idle in the stillness of the day.

"Kaho-chan's playing," Hihara said with his arms crossed behind the back of his head as he walked along the paths towards the bells.

"Hm, even the loud ringing can't drown her sound out,"

Tsuchiura and Hihara arrived at the place where Kahoko was practicing. She had her back towards them as she played, swaying with the sudden breeze and the solemnity of her piece. She was captivating.

It hadn't been long since the end of the Cultural Festival the year before when Tsuchiura had confessed his feelings for her. He didn't expect her to reply suddenly, though it had crossed his mind that after his confession, she would've ran to his arms and exclaimed her love for him too.

He pinched the bridge of nose. What a fairytale thought! And for him to think of it too. How his soccer boys would laugh now.

"Tsuchiura, you alright? Kaho-chan's calling us over," No sooner did he hear Kaho's voice; the feminine, innocent voice that was so sweet and caring and so lovabl...

"Mm," he said, waving Hihara off as he shook his head. What the heck was he doing now? What kind of a sick bastard is he for thinking up such thoughts? Kaho didn't belong to him nor has she ever shown the slightest hint of amorous affection for him either, so he definitely had no right.

"Tsuchiura-kun!"

He looked towards Kaho and half-waved to satisfy her. Not noticing his strange mood, she still gave him a big grin before Hihara grabbed her attention. Tsuchiura smiled. Kahoko, still and always will be, the naive flower among thorns.

"Tsuchiura,"

The green-haired pianist turned to see Len stepping out of a thick clump of trees behind him. They locked eyes and for an apparent reason that Tsuchiura couldn't explain, Len was emitting a sort of tense aura about him that made him uncomfortable, thought he didn't show it.

"Tsukimori,"

The blue-haired walked over and stood next to him, his eyes watching the two friends on the other side cajoling and laughing with each other.

"We need to talk," he said. Tsuchiura glanced at him.

"We do,"

"Leave them and follow me," Len started walking off but not before being abruptly turned around by Tsuchiura who wasn't about to take orders from anyone, especially that blue-haired son of arrogance.

"And if I say no?

Len looked at him again but this time, for the first time of ever knowing Tsukimori, Tsuchiura saw in his eyes the word 'please' which he would never have said to him in person. Tsuchiura let his lapels go and followed him.

"I won't be a minute!" he called over to Hihara and Kahoko.

It was the end of the day so no one was around the school grounds. Given permission, the music students, the team players, him and Kahoko were given special privileges to stick around until six o'clock if they ever wanted to practice, so it wasn't hard for the two to find a convenient and a private spot to talk.

Alone, yes, convenient, not so much. Len stopped just as they had reached the fountain in the middle of the school where unfortunately, its bricked-rim was splattered with the escaping waters. Tsuchiura frowned.

"Could have at least chosen a place to sit," he muttered. Tsukimori ignored him.

"That day that you told me about what you felt for Kahoko, before the Cultural Festival,"

Tsuchiura's eyes widened and he broke a sweat. Fumbling, he failed to hide his surprise.

"W-what?"

"You said you liked Hino," Tsukimori continued. He looked at Tsuchiura and noticed his sudden change. Of course he still has feelings for her.

"Is it still going on until now?"

Tsuchiura may have been caught in the first attack but he wasn't about to allow Tsukimori to control him.

"If it is, what's it to you?"

"So it's true then,"

"I didn't say that!"

Len frowned. "You're implying with your denial."

Tsuchiura looked away.

"My answer doesn't matter Tsukimori," he said, his eyes meeting the blue-haired's gaze. "What's it to you anyway? Have you found the courage to confess too?"

This time, Len was the one who looked surprised. Tsuchiura smirked.

"Don't think I don't know," he replied but a moment after, his gaze started to soften. "I know you have feelings for her too, Tsukimori."

Len kept still.

Tsuchiura let out a half laugh, half sigh as tucked his hand in his pocket. He inched closer to Tsukimori with his eyes wandering back where they came from.

"When you left for Vienna, I knew that I had no chance," he recalled. "I was there when she followed you immediately after I told her that you just left."

"Hino would've done it for anyone else if they suddenly left without saying goodbye either,"

Tsuchiura shook his head and looked Tsukimori straight in the eyes.

"That would be true, but she wouldn't have been all distant and not herself like how she was when you had left, if we had gone," he continued. "She changed in a way that she didn't want us to notice. Of course, we had noticed, since we all care for her. Her music was always so solemn and so filled with her emotions, it broke our hearts whenever we heard her play. She poured all her time and effort in her violin and whenever we asked her, she simply stated that 'Tsukimori-kun would've wanted me to.' It wasn't hard for people to catch on, you know."

Tsukimori nodded his head slightly and turned as a sudden strong breeze brushed past, slightly swaying his posture to the side.

"Hino's determination had underlying motives to them," Tsuchiura continued then angled his body so his shoulder was pointing towards Len but his face was looking somewhere else. "You."

Kahoko's thoughts wondered to Tsuchiura and Tsukimori. She knew Tsukimori was with him and probably still was since she had caught a glimpse of him behind the trees where Tsuchiura suddenly materialised from to say his goodbye. She was a little on edge as to what was going on between them now.

Does Tsukimori know about Tsuchiura's confession? Does Tsuchiura know that she and Tsukimori are together now? She was beginning to be frightened by the possible outcomes that would erupt in their sudden conversation. She was thankful for Hihara though, who always manage to divert her attentions away from her worries.

They sat on a little cafe just a few blocks down from Seisou Academy, thanks to Hihara's stomach who growled in suggestion. They did spend a good hour and half of playing together like the good old days. She complied happily when he had asked. After all, it has been a long time since she has spoken to Hihara just by himself.

They talked much about how University was going. Hihara seemed to be enjoying it a lot, especially since his studies were more laid-back and with the teaching course with it, it was a small bit of change from the usual music routine of high-school.

Hihara spilled plans of his desire to continue with music and how Seisou would definitely benefit with his determination. Besides, his skills were 'invaluable' as he had said and the school would definitely find him irreplaceable. Kahoko laughed at that. She was happy that he looked so content and happy with how things were currently going on.

He busily munched on his pork bun with a huge grin on his face. Kahoko couldn't help but smile inwardly to herself to how cute he looked. He certainly was like a little boy at times.

A tinge of pink became evident in her cheeks when she remembered that particular time when she and Hihara went out together as well. He was staring at her with eyes whose meaning was so obvious that she could've sworn that even their waiter had noticed. Though Kahoko may still be a little naive with some things, she was, however, very sure that her feelings will not please him, if her suspicions were true.

Besides, food and Hihara would be the best couple in the epitome of relationships, that's for sure. An image of a smiling Hihara in a groom's attire marrying his favourite foods shaped like a woman made her laugh out loud.

"You alright Kaho-chan?" he asked with an innocent arch of a brow.

"I'm fine," she said chuckling. "I just wondered what a grand wedding it would be if you got married to your favourite foods, Hihara-kun. Imagine how well you would complement each other!"

Hihara's loud and boyish laugh echoed and many bystanders and customers looked at them weirdly but neither cared. Sometimes, one just needs to let out a good, loud laugh.

"Ah, Kaho-chan, that would be nice," Hihara said, after settling down. "But that would be boring! It would be one-sided! She'll be the one always spoiling me and all I do is take from her."

"It doesn't really matter as long as you're happy, Hihara-kun," Kahoko beamed. Hihara blushed at her statement. It was so innocent but so damn sweet that his teeth started to hurt.

"You're always so thoughtful, Kahoko-chan. I wish I can always be the one to make you happy," he muttered.

"Did you say something Hihara-kun?"

"Oh, uh, no! Nothing, Kaho-chan!" He waved his arms in the air and scratched the back of his head. But how he wished he could have said it.

Around noon the next day, Kahoko decided to go the rooftop in hopes of finding it private enough to finish her composition work. There was a Basketball competition held that day and most of the students lingered around the gymnasium to watch the Seisou students verse the teachers, and she slipped as quickly as possible away from Nao and Mio who surely would have dragged her across the grounds to watch.

It was a splendid afternoon. The rooftop, upon arriving, was empty, much to her pleasure and she settled herself comfortably on one of the benches, tilting her head back as she drenched herself in the sun's warm embrace. Yesterday had been a lot of fun and although she wasn't able to see Tsukimori that day for which reason, she still needed to find out for; everything else went well enough to put a smile on her lips as she slept.

As she hummed the clarinet polka tune, she didn't notice the doors swing open. It wasn't until Fuyuumi's barely audible voice whispered her name did she finally broke off her concentration.

"Fuyuumi-chan!" Kahoko exclaimed as the shy 2nd year student blushed beside her.

"H-Hello, Kaho-sempai," Kahoko immediately put her arms around the frail girl and squashed her in an embrace.

"I haven't seen you in a while!" she said. "How have you been?"

Fuyuumi blushed an even deeper shade of red as she composed herself after being released.

"I-I'm very good Kaho-sempai," she replied with a small smile.

"So what brought you up here? I thought you would've been dragged by Amou-san to go to the gym and get you a boyfriend or something!"

Surprisingly, Fuyuumi laughed and Kahoko joined in with her. It was nice to see that the young clarinet-player was continually growing in confidence though at times, she still could be the shyest girl in the whole of Seisou.

"I, w-wanted to know if Kaho-sempai would l-like to accompany me at my family's v-vacation villa," she said. "M-my father has arranged two international music directors who would be staying there and o-offered if anyone of my friends would like to come."

Kahoko stared at Fuyuumi in shock and held her hand a short moment after!

"Of course, Fuyuumi-chan!" Kahoko exclaimed. "I would love to! But that reminds me, that same weekend is your birthday too, ne?"

Fuyuumi nodded and a second later, Kahoko realised how stupid she just sounded.

"Oh, it's for your birthday isn't it! That's so exciting!"

"Y-yes, I am very grateful Kaho-sempai," Kahoko picked up her fallen pencil and tucked it inside her book.

"So who else have you invited Fuyuumi-chan?" Kahoko crossed her legs and implored Fuyuumi to continue.

"I-I haven't yet," she replied, blushing furiously. "But I was thinking of inviting everyone who p-participated in the concours and also Mio, Nao and Amou."

Kahoko nodded her head and smiled.

"I'm sure they would love it and appreciate it Fuyuumi-chan!"

"T-Thank you,"

"Would you like some of my help with making the invitations or something?" Fuyuumi nodded her head furiously and bowed repeatedly, offering her her utmost gratitude and apologising if she was an inconvenience. Kahoko merely laughed and hugged the girl again.

Fuyuumi's birthday party. The boys, the girls and one house. It's going to be a whole new weekend of chaos indeed!

A little chaos is a whole lot of fun...
Review s'il vous plait!