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Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapters.

MYABY Chapter 16

Kahoko didn't know what to do after hearing Len Tsukimori say something good and helpful. She expected him to speak less and be rude. She didn't expect him here. As far as she knows he wasn't supposed to be here.

She tried correcting her posture, looking at Len to see him nod in approval before starting. She played the piece she is going to play for her practical exam. She was worried she'd make mistakes but she played and tried enjoying. Eventually she managed to play the piece without missing a note and started to enjoy.

She didn't know how much she wanted him to hear her. She was always excited to meet Retsu and always wanted to play for him like how she played for Shinobu. Not because she wanted to brag she can play but for them to hear her gratitude. Both guys helped her with her violin one way or another and she wanted to show them just what she learned from them.

Unfortunately Retsu is not someone she expected him to be and even after years of having no contact, he didn't change. Well, maybe he did. She looked at him. Did he look that good before? Or is it because he's wearing a tuxedo? She mentally shook her head and focused on what she was playing. Though her audience is one person hard to ignore. She got to admit to herself he's actually handsome and attractive. Only aloof.

And gay.

That didn't work out for her.

She wondered for a moment what if Retsu was straight, kind, approachable, and she was actually engaged to him? She realized she actually admired Retsu before. When he was just her online friend. When she only knew him through chats. He was kind and approachable and he seemed to know a lot about music. In reality he really did know a lot and he had been performing world class before she met him.

And Shinobu. She admired him also. Shinobu Ousaki was an orphan and lived through the charity of Kahoko's parents until the tragic end of her father's company. He took it upon himself to look after Kahoko after that.

When they were kids she was oblivious of the fact that Shinobu played the violin. She found out about his talent just after her parents helped him get through Seiso Academy. She enjoyed listening to him play even if he was only practicing, and after a few years she also decided that she wanted to play the violin. Kahoko learned how to play from him but it wasn't enough. Shinobu was also busy and he couldn't teach her everything he knew in just one session. Kahoko tried learning on her own with a bit of help from him.

But she wasn't sure if Shinobu was the one who really inspired her to play the violin. She couldn't remember. She only remembers hearing someone play a beautiful melody during the time her father's company was slowly crumbling, when she was vulnerable after seeing her parents fighting night after night.

She ended the song then waited for Len's comment, bracing herself for the harsh truth. She knew Retsu was the same as Len when it came to commenting on her performance but in a way they looked different. When Retsu says she needs improvement, it didn't look nor sound as bad as when he says it in person. Kahoko had to wonder if it's just because the words were in text or Len Tsukimori is just intimidating in person.

"Your vibrato is bad. The pressure you give is not enough," Len said making Kahoko wonder how to fix that. She also wanted to whack his head. If she wasn't being aware of what he was actually saying, she would think he was insulting her.

"Thank you," she replied sarcastically. She couldn't help it.

She saw him frown and felt bad about it, but she didn't do anything.

"The sound is ugly at some parts when you transition from one note to another."

She sighed. She knew she managed to play every note in the sheet but she wasn't able to make everything sound continuous. She's been practicing that and it seems she needed more.

That's why she felt as if she's not moving at all. She didn't know what was wrong with her and compared to her classmates who either played an instrument since they were little or are just simply talented, she was nothing.

Len walked towards her and took her violin. "You should play it like this," Len said as he placed the violin on his shoulder. He started to play a part of the song and there Kahoko realized she was really far from her goal. If to become a famous violinist was to become someone like Shinobu and Retsu, she was really nothing.

Kahoko could feel the difference of her and Shinobu or Retsu. To think Retsu had stopped playing. He could still play the violin with so much skill.

Len immediately stopped demonstrating when he saw Kahoko's expression. She looked dejected. He knew he hasn't been practicing like how he used to back when he was younger but was his playing that bad?

Then again she was doubting her ability as a violinist. He tried to think of something about her performance that was good. He could pinpoint someone's faults, surely he knows how to pinpoint their strengths. He knew saying she was just 'ok' will only make her more depressed.

He took his time thinking while Kahoko was deep in her thoughts.

"Do you think I'll pass this exam?" she asked.

Len gave a thought to her performance and nodded. "Just a little more practice."

She smiled at him but it wasn't the same smile she shot him a while ago.

Len tried to calm himself down. He knew he can't do anything about it. She was insecure and she has the reasons why. "Are you quitting?"

Kahoko looked up at Len and saw him looking down at her, angry. She didn't know why his question felt so heavy on her. "It doesn't matter, does it? I won't go anywhere with this level."

Where was her spirit earlier when she was playing for him gone to?

"It does. To me, it does," Len said as he lifted her violin and stared at the strings. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and released it slowly.

Kahoko heard him and was confused. "Why is me playing the violin so important to you?"

Len opened his eyes then handed her violin back. "I liked the way you do your best despite everything just to play the violin. I may not know you much but…" He cleared his throat. "Never mind."

Kahoko laughed without humor. "At least you liked something about me," she commented as she returns her violin back in its case.

"I'm not letting you quit."

Kahoko's head snapped at his direction. "What?"

Len gave her a look and repeated, "I'm not letting you quit."

"Why?" she asked.

"Must you question everything I say?"

"Yes! You can't just decide for me!" Kahoko snapped. She felt insulted. She didn't know what he was thinking.

"I have to. You're being stupid."

Kahoko glared at him. She looked at her shoes. Heels. Perfect for slapping against his handsome face.

"Just because someone could play better than you doesn't mean you should quit," he said.

Okay, Kahoko decided, he seriously needs to shut up. She closed her violin case then reached to get a shoe.

Len watched her and wondered what she was doing. It didn't take him long to process she just threw a shoe at him. He dodged it and watched the shoe narrowly pass by his face.

"What is wrong with you, woman?!" he asked, appalled.

"YOU!" she yelled.

"Why me?!"

"You're an arrogant bastard!"

"Huh?"

Another shoe flew past him.

"Why are you so damn emotional?!" Len asked grabbing her wrists to keep her from reaching anything. He especially didn't want her to start throwing her violin at him. He's got a thing when it comes to instruments but he's much worried at how bad it will hurt if the wooden thing or even just its case were to hit him.

"I AM NOT EMOTIONAL!"

"Says someone who's shouting," he replied. She struggled and attempted to kick him.

He may not be very athletic but he knew self-defense. Len frowned at her. If he was a rapist this girl would be long penetrated by him.

The feeling that came with that thought was foreign and unwelcome to him. He shook his head to clear his head of it.

"LET GO!"

"No."

"I say let go!"

"Will you stop being difficult?"

"Difficult?" Her voice raised an octave, "Difficult?! LET GO!"

Len pushed her to a nearby tree and pinned her there. She struggled and tried kicking him anywhere but the most important place if she wanted to be free.

"Why are you so angry?" he asked.

"YOU'RE SO STUPID!"

Len scowled. "Hey! I wouldn't be running a company if I was."

She gave him a look. "And arrogant!"

Len sighed. "You're being difficult."

"Better believe it!"

"Anyway, I will help you with your music." She struggled. So Len continued before she starts asking why. "Because it's my job."

She paused. "I'm not your job you moron!" she shouted near his ear making him wince.

"Kano, please. Stop this and tell me what's wrong," he started to beg. This surely wasn't what he planned for the day.

"You! You're what's wrong! You just have to suddenly show up and be insensitive!" Kahoko answered. She stopped struggling and felt her tears coming. "It's not easy for me as how it is easy for you. Why do you care now when you didn't even care to say goodbye back then?"

"I'm sorry. I just didn't find the need to tell you."

"And you just have to reject my job application," Kahoko said bitterly. "I thought we were at least friends but it seems I'm even nothing to you."

Len saw Kahoko's tears. It seems he's good at making her cry than laugh. "You were upset I rejected your application?"

Kahoko groaned in frustration. She couldn't believe this guy can be so dense.

Len gritted his teeth. "I don't get why you're so upset. I didn't even know we're friends. I know we have talked but I didn't know about our relationship. And we broke the engagement so I thought it would be better if I didn't keep in contact."

"Oh? To be friends there should be some verbal agreement then?" Kahoko asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Len answered.

Kahoko was about to laugh but when she saw his expression, he was serious.

"Didn't you have friends?" Kahoko asked.

Len frowned. "Does that matter now?"

Kahoko frowned at him.

"I don't know," he answered. He didn't know what friends were. He never had time to think about it. He used to be so consumed in improving his playing. Now he was busy with work. He knows how to deal with people but tagging them as friends doesn't feel right.

"I'm your friend," Kahoko said simply. Before Len could react, she kneed him just the right spot making him let go of her wrists and crouch down the ground.

"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! JESUS CHRIST! THAT HURTS!" he spat, cringing.

Hello :D Thanks for reading.

Sorry for the wait. Update is slow because I've been busy with my classes.