Chapter 9: Di Comune Accordo

Disclaimer: You and I both know that I don't own La Corda D'Oro…*Sigh*

Note: Apologies for the late update!! Enjoy the chappie!

.

.

.

.

.

A beautiful sound…I have heard of this before…Schubert's Serenade…but it is not on the violin or trumpet…It's being played on the piano…you have always played like this…I wish…I wish so much that…

The alarm went off, blaring its irritating tune, and amazingly enough, Kahoko did not bury herself more into the blankets, but reached out an arm to shut it off while sitting up on her bed.

The memory came flashing back, as she put a hand on her temple in an attempt to steady her thoughts. Too many wishes…I thought I would feel so much pain, and yet I don't feel as hurt as before…she thought. She smiled slightly, as she looked over to the red violin case on a side table nearby.

She got up from the bed and looked at the clock; 5:30 AM. Wow…to think I actually managed to get up early one day…she thought.

After washing up, she went over to the violin case and took out her violin. She looked over at the other occupants of the room. Shouko and Nami were still asleep. Shouko would be awake in another fifteen minutes, Kahoko knew that. She went out to the balcony and breathed in the morning air. It was truly refreshing and not too polluted, even though Tokyo was one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Kahoko put her violin under her chin and got into position. Notes of Schubert's Serenade filled the morning air. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the melody. When she finished, she took her violin down from her shoulder, and sighed as she ran her finger along the golden string that she loved so much.

"That was beautiful, senpai." Shouko's voice cut in on her thoughts. Kahoko turned around to see Shouko standing at the door of the balcony, a smile on her face, her hand on the open door.

She smiled back at her. "That was my dad's favourite piece. He had his version though, as he played it on the piano."

"You are dedicating your performance tonight to someone, right?" Shouko asked suddenly.

Kahoko looked at her astonished, and then smiled wistfully. "You are really perceptive, Shouko-chan."

Shouko smiled back at her. She said as she walked out into the balcony, "I can tell, by the look you had before, while you were playing, that you wanted to play, not only for yourself and the spectators, but also for someone who you wished were here. Am I right?"

Kahoko smiled gaily at her. She nodded in response. I am going to make you proud of me tonight…she thought determinedly.

………………………………………………………….

Kahoko looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. It was two hours until the concert, and they were getting ready for it. They had practiced three hours in the morning and were sure that everything would go well. Ayame and Kanazawa insisted that they don't push it too much, otherwise they would not be able to give it their best shot when it really mattered.

She looked at the slightly damp hair falling a little below her shoulders and smiled at her reflection. She was wearing a royal blue coloured tube dress, which ended a little below her knees and flared out softly. The dress had a gold sequined belt on the waist area and the skirt portion was layered. She pulled up her hair into a French twist and fixed the bun with an ornate clip.

The bathroom door opened to reveal Nami, who was wearing a red halter neck dress. She entered the bathroom and looked over Kahoko, and then gave her a wide grin. "I did not know you could do up your hair like that! Quite nice, I must say!" Kahoko blushed at her words. "Thanks, Nami-chan. Onee-chan taught me how to do it up." Nami nodded in approval. "Let's do your makeup now. You don't need much, but a little touch would definitely help. Just a thought, but I think the boys will have to concentrate a lot on their performance tonight." Kahoko went an even deeper shade of red, as Nami laughed at her expression.

……………………………………………………….

"Now, don't be nervous, you have put a lot of effort in it, so there is no reason for anything to be screwed up. Good luck! Er…Yuki, is everything allright?" Ayame asked her daughter, who had a worried expression on her face, and was fidgeting every now and then. Yukina was NEVER a fidgeting kind of person, it was so unbecoming of her.

Yukina looked up at her mother and answered, "Shoji-san isn't here yet. The concert starts in less than fifteen minutes and the second gig is mine. It's kinda worrying." Shoji Megumi was selected by the director to do her accompaniment.

Suddenly Ayame's phone started ringing. She flipped open her phone and answered, "Hello? Yes, she is here…what????? Oh dear, all right, ask her to get some rest and not worry. We will do something about it. Thank you…yes….goodbye." Ayame shut her cell and let out a sigh. Can anything ever go smoothly??? She thought getting irritated.

She looked up to see all of them staring at her. She looked at Yukina and said, "Yukina, your accompanist met with an accident. She is all right, but asked you to be informed immediately that she could not make it tonight. Apparently, she broke her left arm."

Yukina looked at her mother in shock. She did not even think that she would be having the introductory performance, after Hamai Misa's solo performance. She was only doing the performance only because the singer who was supposed to do the part, Kanon , withdrew at the last moment because of a throat ailment. Since her level was that of a soprano and she had already done a few performances at national level back in Rome, the director requested her to do the part. She had been peeved because she had gotten only two days to prepare for the song, while it normally took her four days at least to perfect a song. But since the song she was going to perform was one she was familiar with beforehand, it hadn't been as much of a problem as she had thought it would have turned out to be.

"So, who is going to do my accompaniment in this short notice? And well—let's face it—we have NO time to practice, it's only ten minutes till the show." Yukina mumbled, for once, her mind failing her.

"What's the song?" Kahoko asked her, startling everybody.

"Sarah Brightman's This Love. What are you…" Yukina stopped in mid sentence, realizing Kahoko's thoughts, her eyes widening in response.

"I am going to do your accompaniment. We have done this song before, remember?" Kahoko told her, nodding her head. Everyone just gaped at the two sisters.

"Are you sure about this, Hino? Because you may regret this after a while." Kanazawa asked her, a look of worry on his face.

Kahoko looked at her teacher and nodded. "This is the only solution, because I have done Yukina's accompaniment a long time back, and that leads me to believe that we might just pull it off tonight."

"I am sure Hino-san and Daidouji-san can do it." Said Azuma, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, you can do it, Kaho-chan!" said Kazuki, a huge grin plastered on his face.

Kahoko smiled at them. "Thanks guys!"

…………………………………………….

The audience was still applauding when Misa walked off the stage after her introductory performance. "Our next performer tonight is Daidouji Yukina-san, performing Sarah Brightman's classic, This Love. She is accompanied by Daidouji Ayame-san on the violin and…uhm…Hino Kahoko on the piano." Even the MC seemed a bit baffled by the sudden changes, as the audience, consisting mainly of Seiso's students broke into murmurs.

Kahoko gulped at the announcement when she felt hands enclosing on hers. She turned to see her aunt and cousin smiling at her. "Be calm, believe me, it works wonders." Ayame smiled at her. "You can do it." Said Shouko, smiling in their direction. Kahoko beamed back at her. "Thank you, Fuyuumi-chan." Said Ayame, smiling back at her. Shoko nodded in her direction.

They stepped out onto the stage in pin-drop silence. Kahoko walked over to the mahogany grand piano at the centre of the stage and seated herself at the piano seat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened them to look at Yukina, who smiled at her and nodded her head, giving her the signal. She nodded back at her.

Kahoko closed her eyes again as she let her fingers do the talking. The music flowed out like a river and was joined by the sweet melody of a violin. Kahoko opened her eyes and looked at her aunt, who seemed to be lost in the music being created.

Yukina held the mic with both her hands and closed her eyes. The song poured out of her lips:

This love

This love is a strange love

A faded kind of day love

This love

This love

I think I'm gonna fall again

And even when you held my hand

It didn't mean a thing

This love

This love

Never has to say love

Doesn't know it is love

This love

The high notes and low notes seemed like a soft breeze because she sang effortlessly:

This love

Doesn't have to say love

Doesn't need to be love

Doesn't mean a thing

This love

This love, oh-oh-oh ...

This strange love (strange love)

This love, ... –[lines are repeated several times]

This love

As the last note lingered in the air, Yukina opened her eyes. Kahoko looked at the piano as if in a daze, and then looked at her aunt who was smiling at her.

The crowd broke into a thunderous applause at the performance. Yukina looked baffled but then smiled and turned behind her to extend her hand to Kahoko, who was smiling at her from the piano. Kahoko looked surprised but then stood up and walked to her sister and took her hand. The three of them bowed together, clasping hands. Yukina then took to the mic and announced, "Thank you, minna-san. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening." She gave a smile to the audience that cheered again on hearing her joyful voice.

As they made to backstage, Kahoko realized that she felt a lot more at peace with herself. This has helped me out more than I thought it would. She smiled to herself.

……………………………………………………………………

Our first performer tonight is Hihara Kazuki-kun, from Seiso Academy's Music Department, Class 3B, performing a Schubert composition, Serenade. The MC announced as the audience welcomed him with applause.

Kazuki strode to the stage confidently and bowed to the crowd. On cue, he started playing. Unlike the third selection, there was not a single mistake and it seemed effortless. The melody was melancholy, it was written to be so, but it was beautiful nevertheless.

The individual performances had started after the ensemble performance. It seemed rushed, especially to Kahoko, because the ensemble performance was just after the trio's performance. Her performance was last, so that gave her some breathing room.

But all too soon, it was her turn to perform. This time though, she didn't feel at all nervous. She took a deep breath as she waited for the MC to announce her name over the adressal system.

"Good luck. You look beautiful tonight, Kahoko." Azuma whispered in her ear, as he came backstage after his performance. Kahoko almost jumped back, not noticing how close he was standing to her. He chuckled at her response. Kahoko went a deep shade of red, before replying, "Thank you, A..Azuma-senpai." Azuma's eyes widened in response; she had never said his given name without him teasing her and coaxing into saying it. She smiled at him, and he genuinely smiled back at her, amused that she was getting bolder when she was with him.

Kahoko looked away from him and then at her feet, which were encased in gold strappy heels; her aunt's idea of dressing her up. This is it, she thought.

Our final performer tonight is Hino Kahoko-san, from the General Education Department, Class 2-2, performing a Tchaikovsky composition, Melodie.

Kahoko breathed out slowly as she walked onto the stage and faced the audience. She positioned herself and looked at Misa, who was smiling at her from the piano. She nodded to her, giving her the signal. Misa nodded in response and started her accompaniment.

As the first notes of the piece were produced by the bow being gently drawn across the bow, she found herself getting inspired to play more. Must be dad, she smiled silently to herself.

Misa looked up at Kahoko, noticing that her playing was different from other times. It is still passionate, but it is more powerful. Although Kahoko's performances were honest and fueled by passion, this performance did not match her previous ones.

"It almost seems like she is being driven by something, as if she is playing for someone; someone who may not hear it." Kanazawa said. "She is, Kanayan." Shouko replied with a smile on her face.

This recital is for you, Dad, thought Kahoko as she played out her emotions completely. You may not hear this, but somehow I have a feeling that you are hearing this. Her bowing became faster as she proceeded to the main part of the piece, realizing that the piece was coming to an end. You are the person who has inspired me most. Even though you may not have been able to fulfill your dream, you never for once, showed your bitterness to me. You have truly taught me the joy and beauty that music can bring.

She drew the bow for the last time on her violin and pulled away, finishing on a powerful note. I dedicate this performance to you, Dad.

She slowly opened her eyes to look at the silent audience. After a few seconds, the enraptured audience gave her a standing ovation. Kahoko was taken aback by the response, until she felt a hand upon her own, and looked at her side to find a smiling Misa. "That was unlike any other performance you have given before, Hino-san." She said.

Kahoko smiled at her. "Thank you Hamai-san." They bowed together to the audience, who were still awestruck, clapping to the powerful performance Kahoko gave.

Thank you, Dad. For everything.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Author's rant: DONE!! OMG…I have finished the fanfic. Can you believe it? I can't! I would like to apologize once again for the delay in publishing this story. I went out this week, with my ex-classmates—we had a reunion at a mall—twice and well, I had a whole lot of fun. Then I had a fever, so I was bedridden for a day, feeling lousy, mostly because I couldn't write and well, this heat is unbearable, especially here in India, at this time of the year. While I was planning on going out with my friends on Wednesday, I learned that my board results are coming out this Friday, i.e., TODAY! I did ok, but am still depressed because I expected a whole lot more marks. In fact, hearing of the results coming out today, led me to have some results-induced-writer's block. Otherwise I could have finished this chapter and posted it that day itself. Thank you for taking in my rant, I just needed to let that out. The epilogue will be showing up in a couple of days, and well, I am doing some matchmaking for Kahoko, since she did not choose anyone. I designed this fanfic in order to make her acknowledge her skills and abilities. To everyone who has read this fanfic, reviewed it, added it to their favourites and alert lists, a big THANK YOU and muah! Do leave a review, I would love to hear your opinions on the ending as well as any rants you may have, after all I ranted on you for quite a while! ;) Happy reading!!

P.S. 'Di commune accordo' is Italian for 'in concert'. I forgot to mention that in my rant. ;p

P.S.S. I am not partial, but if I may say this: I want to thank C. Isabel from the bottom of my heart. Without your reviews and constructive criticism, this fanfic would not have been able to come this far. Lots of love to you, mia cara.