La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo

Thank you the meganimously epic reviewers, readers and followers. You are all the inspiration to continue!
And to Hercolanium: Thank you! I have finally caught up with the bestie and it was jolly good fun.

This chapter's dedicated to you! ;)

Opus VII

~The Schumann Counterpart~

With effortless grace, she removed her fingers from the black and white keys and closed her eyes.

She drowned in the applause of the whole stadium. She could hear her name being repeated over and over again. There were vibrations in the room and loud smacks of wood as people stood for an ovation.

Bliss. Pure, deserving bliss. And all thanks to the masterpiece of craft that lay before her.

She opened her eyes, gracefully stood up and bowed before her audience.

"What an unbelievable performance!"

"Astounding,"

"She could be the next Mozart!"

"That's not possible," Tsuchiura felt the gazes of his companions and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mozart's a guy," he said, as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world.

He could've sworn that Hihara was about to wring his neck, until Hino's voice broke the almost-playful tension.

"Which classical pianist would best suit her skills then, Tsuchiura-kun?" Her smile blinded him and for a moment, he lost his train of thought.

"She asked you a question, Tsuchiura," Hihara said, glaring at him now.

"Schumann," he finally replied. Everyone looked at him, bewildered.

"Clara Schumann," Shimizu's voice was so distinct and beautiful that everyone tuned in to what he was about to say next. After all, everyone believed that Schumann was a guy.

"A mother of eight children, began her career under the tutelage of her father, and became known as one of the best classical musicians of the romantic era. Her first concert was at thirteen and she married one of the greatest classical composers of all time. A wonderful pianist."

"Someone's done their homework," Tsuchiura snickered. Shimizu slowly turned his head towards him.

"It's not actually my homework. I just love to rea-"

"Sarcasm, Shimizu," Tsuchiura interrupted with a wave of his hand. "Need to brush up on that skill," he followed, before walking away from the group.

"Someone's knickers are a little twisted," Hihara said, making Yunoki laugh and Fuyuumi blush. Hino just stared at his retreating figure until it vanished inside the toilet doors. She wondered what was up with him. He hasn't been himself ever since the concert began and he wondered if it had anything to do with his talk with Tsukimori. She decided she would find out sooner rather than later.

As the others were lining up at the buffet to get their food, Hino was left alone, thankful to gather her thoughts as she sipped her appetiser. Tsukimori called her just then and said that he would be there in five minutes. That time had gone already and he was bordering half an hour. She was worried, but at the same time, her thoughts kept turning back to Tsuchiura and exactly what she was going to say when Len arrived.

"You're alone?"

Perfect timing.

"Just having soup," she smiled at the blue-haired who sat next to her. "What took you so long anyway?"

Len fixed his collar and removed his scarf.

"Ran into Mr. Saotome," Hino stiffened. She recalled how she forgot to finish her last composition because she thought she didn't have a class but in fact, she did. Mr. Saotome's growl was worse than the almost-fail she received.

"He's not here, is he?" she gulped and Len leaned in and kissed her forehead, shocking her and comforting her at the same time.

"No, he's not,"

She wiped the corner of her lips with a napkin and yawned.

"You haven't told me about what happened between you and Tsuchiura-kun," she said, easing her sentence slowly as she stretched back to her former position.

"Now's not really a good time to talk about it, Kahoko," he said.

"And why not?" she tested.

"Tsukimori!" Hihara arrived just as Len had suspected.

"Hihara," he acknowledged. The green-haired sat next to Hino with two plates filled with a mountain of food that was spilling over its edges.

"It's a buffet, Hihara," Tsukimori said nodding at the dishes. "You can always come back for seconds."

Hihara made a face as he rubbed his hands together, preparing himself to dig in.

"Why bother when you can do it all at one time?"

Hino smiled, Len shook his head. Hihara would always be the little boy of the party.

Everyone eventually returned and Hino and Len went together to get their own meals. During which, they argued upon the great announcing to their friends.

"I don't think now's the best time, Len-kun," she whispered.

"Everyone's here Kahoko," he said with his back turned to her as he picked up some noodles with the chopsticks. "When's a better time than now? Besides, if you want, I'll go and tell them myself."

"No!" she said a little too loudly. Len looked at her as she blushed furiously, pushing him further down the line.

She apologised and allowed him to pep talk her. She didn't know what made her emotions run high in a mixture of emotions: the final announcement or Len giving her soft and soothing words to make her feel better.

The walk towards their table was like a trek over Mt. Himalayas for Hino. As they neared, her paranoia kept telling her that the looks and glances they gave her was that of suspicion or worse, knowing already. She felt her breath leaving her. That is, until the light slowly dragged her in when Len began to speak.

Old Manami liked the look of the petite dark-haired. He had only seen her once and he figured she was new to this part of the town, but he liked her immediately. She bespoke grace and dignity. Characteristics rarely found in girls nowadays, except maybe for Kahoko. Now that girl, he adored.

Though this girl was seemingly a little more of a recluse than the pink-haired, he welcomed a nice change of pace in the opposite gender for the high-schoolers. Though that girl who played clarinet, Fuyuumi, was a real exception, most of the dominants were high and mighty in the louder and more outgoing extremes.

Manami definitely didn't mind someone who was just in the middle of both extremes. Kind of like Hino.

She finished counting her coins, something Manami, for the first time, didn't mind, as he was more of a 'notes' person and gladly took them with a smile.

"You like classical pieces too?"

The girl, Rikare nodded her head.

"It's my favourite genre of music," she replied.

"Do you play, my dear?"

Rikare's eyes lit up and she blushed, bowing her head.

"The piano," she replied moments later. This time, Manami's eyes lit up.

"The piano is a beautiful instrument, though I cannot say it is one of my favourites as every classical instrument is a favourite of mine," he said with a laugh. Rikare laughed with him. It was true. Even for her, she could never pick. But the piano; it was something special to her. Its worth and sentimentality was something she cannot put a number on. Indescribable, she finally decided with a laugh as she left the lovely little shop. She would definitely come back there more often.

Rikare loved the quietness of the place as she walked its cemented streets in no hurry. She loved the feeling of the breeze sweeping her long hair back and the smell of the ocean, filling her nostrils. The big blue was nearby and she could almost feel the cold rush of its waters at her feet.

Approaching a little park with a beautiful arched bridge, its serene fairy-tale beauty invited her to be a little girl once more. Taking the offer, she skipped towards it and laughed gaily to herself as she spun and danced over it, holding the bag with her purchases abreast.

The hard thud of a back against hers shocked her system as she went down in a dizzying bliss. A strong arm caught hold of her.

"Are you alright?" It was a male voice. Deep, masculine.

"I'm alright, thank you," she said as she was pulled up. She dusted her dress and thanked the stranger for handing her the fallen CD's.

His hazel eyes looked over her to make sure she's okay before he bid his goodbye. An inexplicable sense of loss filled her.

"I'm sorry again!" she called after him, hoping he would turn. Instead, he continued his walk; his back turned from her and acknowledged her words with a flick of his wrist over his head.

Hino sighed a big, satisfying sigh of relief as she slouched on her couch with a soft dull sound on the pillows. The barrage of questions was answered, the offended apologised to, and every bit of loose end finally tied up. Two and half of days worth of it was way too much. Especially since, she knew with all her heart, her beloved best friends Mio and Nao would still and always will, never ever make her forget the secret she had kept from them for a month and more.

Two and a half days didn't sound too right. Hino knew they were going to go after her until she plays her last song. And that...will be a very, very, long time indeed.

Thankful that her phone's battery was flat and that her charger was nowhere to be found, at least, on her present circumstance of laziness, she allowed herself to close her eyes and rest.

Everyone knew about Len and her and though they were a little shocked at first, especially Hihara, whom she felt sympathy for when, throughout the rest of the day, he ate in silence; everyone else seemed quite satisfied and congratulatory. Fuyuumi could not stop congratulating her and she was thankful her little friend was very understanding.

Tsuchiura, she eyed the most. He looked as if he knew it was coming. She expected him to make a terrible remark but he just acknowledged the both of them with a slight nod as he stood up and filled his plate in the queue. Yunoki was obviously faking his happiness as he smiled. She cringed inwardly and allowed Len to squeeze her arm slightly. He knew, of course.

The couch dipped on one end. Too tired, she didn't bother looking up. Len rested her legs over his as he leaned he reclined. It had been an exhausting couple of days for him too. Upon returning to school the next day, the whole campus was in, what he believed, illegitimate uproar for something so very high-school.

Besides, wasn't thirty percent or more of the school's populace in a relationship anyway? The gossips and the questionings didn't go too well with him and he had shut himself in the practice rooms for most of the lunchtimes.

Hino found him one lunchtime, breathless from running. She was being overtly oppressed by some of Len's more outspoken admirers and their rage was damaging her self-esteem more than she had anticipated. Like in the same way he had held his hands over her mouth while they hid from Amou during the Concours, he hid them both behind one of the rooms with the lights shut. Hearts were beating and sweat slid.

They simultaneously wished that the whole ordeal would be forgotten as swiftly as it had come.

"They're really against me aren't they, Len-kun," Hino said, tucking her arm under her head. "Your admirers I mean."

"I can show them the limits of my patience if needed, Kahoko," he said. "I'm not too fond of them either."

Hino laughed. "I don't suppose we could get away from all this even for just on day?" The frustration was clear in her voice.

"Fuyuumi's birthday is this weekend," Len said. "Two days off."

Hino's eyes widened and she sat up immediately.

"Of course!" She smacked her forehead and sighed.

"I don't even have her birthday present!" She repeatedly smacked herself until Len took hold of her wrists.

"We could do it tomorrow," he suggested. Hino looked at him and suppressed a smile.

"You and me," she said. "Out...in public. Do you think that's a really good idea right now?"

"I didn't say around town, did I?"

Kahoko thought about that for a moment. Was he suggesting something? Or was she simply being too hopeful at a chance to be close to Len, but as far away from everyone as possible? She continued to hope.

"The main city's not an hour away," he continued. Her heart surged and she blushed.

"You'd be willing, Len-kun?" Len looked at her as if she was a silly little girl who made a mistake.

"Of course," he said after a few moments pause. She smiled happily at him and ruffled his hair, much to his playful annoyance.

"I don't know if mum would agree though," she said. "It is a school night after all."

Len looked at the clock that ticked quietly on the wall.

"Straight after school we can head off. I'll have the car on the gym lot and we'll head straight there after your P.E. class and my interview with Amou. Yes, I've agreed to tell her some things in exchange for a little privacy from photos at Fuyuumi-san's birthday. I believe you'll be home no later than ten pm tomorrow night."

Hino sighed and rested her head back. It felt good to hear Len's plan. It was perfect. Perfect enough to dream of a great day with her prince charming without the informalities of the annoying rumour mill.

Rikare had seen him again that day. Casually dressed and looked as if he had just gone out.

He looked handsome in his rugged state, holding two plastic bags in his hands as he walked. She wanted to go up to him and introduce herself, knowing that for some unexplainable reason, she was very drawn to his presence. She was usually a shy person, not the type to make the effort, but for this one, she wanted to know more.

As her fingers studiously pressed the keys in a melodic dance of pure talent, she allowed her mind to wander off to his golden face, lighting up when she had bumped him as the sun was settling down.

But it was his hands. The delicate yet robust hands of a true artist. He was a musician. A classical musician. She knew that because she had seen hands like his countless of times. It may not be similar to hers, but he was, after all, a virtuoso.

The last note vibrated in the silent room. She took her foot off the pedal and smiled to herself.

'I will meet with you soon, Len Tsukimori...

If Yunoki as an antagonist isn't enough, why not join 'em and get a girl in the catfight as well?

Or will she really be a bitter competition of Hino?
Find out in le next chapitre!