La Corda D'Oro 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! This was my first story in this fandom under a different penname! I already posted this before, but due to different reasons I've decided to do some revisions in order for me to be able to continue it. **** Not big revisions though, just some proof-reading. Up to chapter 3 (the last chapter that was uploaded), everything will be the same except some spelling mistakes and some other errors.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda D'oro.**

**Mending Broken Dreams**

**He was the one who stole all of her dreams but she said she didn't mind. It was obvious that he did.**

Tsukimori Len watched as Hino Kahoko was wheeled away on a gurney towards an open ambulance in front of Seiso Academy.

Majority of the students of Seiso gathered at the front gates watching the ambulance whirr away leaving a very bad image of a bloody and battered Hino Kahoko in everyone's mind. They knew what had happened of course. Everyone saw. It wasn't like it was kept a secret since it happened in broad daylight.

Len himself couldn't stop feeling anxious about the whole thing because he knew how scary it would be if there was even a slight chance that he'd never be able to play the violin ever again. He had come quite close to that once before, and had absolutely refused to stray on that gray area of his life as a musician ever again.

Judging from the incident that had just occurred, that would probably be Hino Kahoko's predicament.

"Tsukimori Len, Tsuchiara Ryoutaro, Please report to the chairman's office." The announcement had reverberated throughout the entire school. Everyone didn't even make a sound, and Len wasn't sure he liked it that way. Seiso had always been full of sounds, music from the practice rooms or chatter of students coming in and out of their classes.

He glanced downwards at himself.

His usually pristine white uniform was covered in red spots and they were all from Kahoko's blood. Len desperately tried to wash it off in the bathroom but it only turned a faded pink from the water. The smell stayed and he was sure the images of what had happened would stay in his mind as well.

Walking towards the chairman's office had been the worst.

Tsukimori Len was not shaken easily by stares and whispering but this was a little over the top. Of course, he had expected this but what he didn't expect was that they'd do it straight to his face. Even he had fidgeted a little when a young man from the General Education section gave him a glare.

It didn't take an idiot to find out that it had been his fault that Kahoko had been injured like that.

Opening the door, he found out that Ryoutaro was already there seated at the two arm chairs located inside and the chairman and Kanazawa-sensei were standing up and having a serious conversation.

Ryoutaro looked like he'd seen a ghost. He was as white as a sheet and the blood all over his shirt didn't help the image he was emanating.

"Ah, Len." Kanayan sighed as he blew the smoke from his cigar, "So, care to enlighten us on who the man was?" He said before lightly tapping the cigar at the edge of the ashtray causing the used end to fall.

The chairman, Akihiko Kira, stared him down and made him slightly uncomfortable the way his eyes seemed to follow him as he entered through the doorway. Len closed the door behind him and sat opposite Ryoutaro, "He was a former competitor in one of the contests I had joined."

He didn't now the man very well. He just knew information that were published in local magazines that featured up and coming musicians.

He was about four years older than Hino and himself. He was considered to be the most prodigious young man of Japan in accordance to the violin. Well, that was the case until _he_ stepped in and won first place in that contest. He hadn't heard from the man ever since.

Until today.

Len could still recall the look on Kaho's face. Her usually light skin drained of color, even he felt a little scared during that time. But when he saw her arm, he was borderline frightened. It was… just pure gore to his eyes when he saw the amount of blood all over the floor and he was sure that her bone had protruded from her skin.

He lifted his face to glance at the student seated opposite him, Tsuchiara was covered in blood from head to toe, blood that came from both Hino and the man responsible for her trip to the hospital.

Today had been crazy.

Just… Crazy.

_Tsukimori Len was walking towards the music room to meet Hino Kahoko. It had been a normal day, normal as it can be._

_He had discussed with Kanazawa-sensei his oncoming trip to Vienna and how it had to be postponed until after the term unless he wanted to repeat the entire grade all over again. Len didn't mind. Repeating a grade was much of a bigger annoyance than staying for another few days. End of term was just in a few weeks. If he had to repeat, it would mean that he had wasted his entire year here in Seiso._

_He'd been mulling over these thoughts when he heard Hino Kahoko shout his name._

"_Tsukimori-kun!" He heard the shout and suddenly whipped around, but he already felt a strong push from behind by the small hands of Kahoko, as he suddenly lost his balance and fell to the side._

_But that wasn't the most shocking that happened because seconds later he saw a steel baseball bat swing down from on top of his previous location. It hit nothing but air… and Hino's arm from when she pushed him down._

_He had heard it. The sickening crack of her bones and the gasp of surprise from the one who swung the bat and as if in slow motion, Len watched as Kahoko lost her arm because of him._

_And Len watched, eyes wide as Kahoko screamed catching the attention of the students who were previously lounging at the school grounds._

_Ryoutaro was the first one to act and pulled the guy off, managing to knock him out with a quick punch before running over to Hino whose arm was bleeding from a fracture which looked terrible, arms were not meant to be bent that way, he was sure._

_Len, also covered in blood from Kahoko, could only watch on the sidelines as Hino Kahoko's dreams of being a violinist were crushed because of him._

"Kanazawa-sensei…"Ryoutaro began, "What happened to the man?" It was the first time he's spoken since after the incident. Len could hear the hoarseness in his voice probably due to the shock of what had happened.

Len lifted his head. He wanted to know that himself. Somehow he couldn't forgive that man. Using violence and wreaking havoc on one's dreams just because he was falling short on his own.

And maybe, he was also a little frustrated that it had to be Hino who had gotten injured for his sake. Among the many people he's known, Hino Kahoko had been the most-hardworking in terms of practice because she knew she lacked the natural talent to play the violin as skillfully as the others do.

He knew she practiced almost as much as he did, probably even more judging from her calloused fingers but he would still berate her and tell her to practice even more. He himself didn't know why he did this, probably because he was angry with himself that he couldn't love the violin as much as she did.

Nobody loved music more as much as Kahoko does, and nobody could contradict that fact without being called an idiot by most people.

The chairman walked over and sat in his chair, "He's been apprehended and brought to the police station." He stated and somehow both Tsukimori and Tsuchiara tensed uncomfortably.

Len could only imagine the Ryoutaro's thoughts on what to do with that man. The soccer player had been unable to do anything except punch the man until he fainted because he immediately ran towards Hino the moment the suspect fell to the ground unmoving.

The phone began to ring and everyone simultaneously turned their heads towards it. It broke the uncomfortable silence but it could also carry bad news for them.

The only calm man about this entire fiasco, the chairman, picked it up and initiation conversation and after a few minutes of conversing with the man at the other end of the line, Kira hanged up and faced all of them with an expression that none of them could interpret.

Kira had always worn a poker face every time Len saw him but there was a slight difference. You wouldn't have noticed it either if you hadn't held a conversation with the man for more than a few times.

"Hino Kahoko's regained consciousness." He said and Tsuchiara sighed in relief but Len still couldn't breathe.

He should be thankful though because looking at the amount of blood that Hino lost during the entire ordeal, it wouldn't have been a surprise if she died. At least that's what Len thought as he looked at the amount of blood on both himself and Tsuchiara Ryoutaro and that corridor where everything had occured. The janitor was going to have trouble cleaning that up later.

And even if she did regain consciousness, what about her arm? Will she still be able to play like she wanted? Will she be able to reach his level?

"But her arm's fractured." Len heard Kanazawa sigh.

The first few cracks appeared.

Kira turned to him and as if answering Len's thoughts said, "It looks bad."

:)

Tsukimori Len entered the clean whiteness that was the hospital.

It was three days after the incident and Len hadn't gotten even a wink of sleep the night before. The sound of Kahoko's bone cracking repeating itself over and over inside his head was enough to keep him awake the entire night.

It was even worst than the pressure he received from the concours.

He walked towards the receptionist's table holding a bunch of flowers. It was only polite to bring something if you were visiting someone especially someone who was in here because of you in the first place.

With her room assignment in mind, Len proceeded with thoughts of how much he hated the hospital. It was always so white and it had this smell of antiseptic that stuck to your skin like perfume. The fact that people died here also made him avoid it like the plague. It had been the most horrible place for him ever since he was a kid.

And he still can't believe Kahoko was here because of him.

"Tsukimori-kun?" His head turned so fast that he was surprised his neck didn't break from the force and she was there, her red hair tied back and dressed in a white hospital gown.

Tsukimori refrained from cringing when he saw the cast and the sling that hung on her shoulder. She was holding her red violin case and somehow that made the guilt seem even sharper.

"What're you doing outside?" He said as he shifted the flowers into one hand and grabbed her violin case with the other.

They were outside her room and Hino looked like she was about to leave and go out for a walk.

Kahoko blushed and sheepishly scratched her neck while laughing awkwardly, "Well, the thing is Tsukimori-kun…" She started but Len immediately cut her off, "You shouldn't be going out. Go back inside."

Kahoko pouted but followed his instructions and proceeded to enter the room with him, her violin still in his grasp.

"Hey, Tsukimori-kun…" She called for him, as he was placing the flowers in a vase on the bedside table, "Would you mind handing me my violin?" She asked while sitting up on her bed, her covers drawn up to her waist.

Len stared at her for a moment before reaching for the red rectangular case on the chair, "What do you want it for anyway? It's not like you can play it." Len cringed at the reminder whilst handing her the violin.

Despite the fact that he might've said something that reminded her of the situation right now, Kahoko didn't seem to notice at all and merely reached for the instrument with happiness etched onto her features.

Kahoko smiled happily at him and looked at the instrument with nostalgia, "I just want… I just want to hold it even if I can't play it." She said staring at the shiny wood of the instrument in her hands.

And the knife that was already wedged in him, his guilt, was slowly being turned by that invisible hand and Len felt as worst as ever as Kahoko smiled at the violin with the golden chord in her hands.

Len stared at her for a few more moments before glancing at her surroundings. The hospital room was pretty big and there was a huge window just beside the bed making the place look brighter. The entire place was littered with presents from friends and classmates. A bouquet of white lilies caught his eye, they were styled with something akin to Ikebana.

"They're from Azuma-san" She said with a smile when she noticed that she was staring at the beautifully arranged flowers. Len raised a brow but decided to ignore the fact that she was on a first name basis with their senior.

"How are you feeling?" Kahoko looked at him like he just asked his question in a foreign language and Len looked slightly affronted, "What?"

"Oh nothing." Kahoko said while waving her hands, "I just never expected you to ask me that kind of question, Tsukimori-kun." She said while laughing sheepishly.

Really? Was he that much of an anti-social that not even the rules of etiquette applied to him?

"Isn't it only polite?" He retorted extremely annoyed with Kahoko's assumption of his character.

He saw the redhead made a slight bow of apology, as much as her arm allowed her to, and said, "Sorry Tsukimori-kun. I just didn't expect for this to happen…" She said. And somehow the knife that stabbed Len before twisted painfully in his gut. Kahoko seemingly aware of his discomfort bowed again, "It's not that I blame you or anything… Just that well… Ugh…" She was already close to panicking, her eyes shifting from him to the floor and back to him again.

Deciding to put her out of her misery he muttered, "I get it." He sat down on the chair nearest her bed and watched as Kahoko let her fingers slide across the glossy wood of her violin.

It was obvious at how much the girl loved it. He somehow envied her because he knew that she had the potential to reach the stars. She loved music as much as his parents did, something even Len still has some difficulty of comprehending.

"Hey, Tsukimori-kun." She started, "I won't be able to play anymore right?" She asked, her eyes turning into the most pitiful state he's ever seen. They weren't crying though, they were just sad. Extremely sad, that Len couldn't help but look away.

"They won't tell me… but I know." She glanced at him while Len decided to fix his gaze on the floor temporarily, "I can't move my fingers… I can't feel them." Her voice started to break, "I can't feel my entire arm… It's like it's not even there."

"I'm sure that you'll still be able t-"

"Don't lie to me!"

Len's head whipped up to see her face and he immediately regretted making that move.

The dam had already broken and fresh tears fell down her cheeks and that knife of guilt was so deep in him that he was sure nobody nor nothing could take it out, "No. I don't think you can."

He saw her face break into a smile, a smile that was so pitiful he wanted to look away but couldn't. It was the smile of a broken person… one whose dreams were shattered and spat on.

"Yeah." She looked at him with a smile, a stupid action thus far. He was the one at fault for what had happened to her and yet why does she still show so much kindness for him.

"I'm sorry." That was the only thing he could say.

Hino Kahoko's smile widened just a bit more.

"Me too."

**A/N: When I read this, I couldn't believe I wrote it for the first time. It was so angsty. Haha. But anyways, I hope you'll like it. **

**~gelybeans**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda D'oro**

**Mending Broken Dreams**

**Chapter 2**

Len stood outside Hino Kahoko's room at the hospital. He'd been standing there for about five hours and he still plans on standing there for… he glanced at his watch and saw that it was already five in the afternoon, he still plans to stand there for two hours until visiting hours were over at seven.

It had been five days since his last visit, and Len visited her everyday without Kahoko knowing. He always stood outside her door whenever she was awake and if she was asleep he would sit inside the room until somebody else came to visit her or he would only leave until visiting hours were over.

Len couldn't face her after what had happened. It was as if some invisible barrier stood between them after their last meeting and he was too afraid to cross it.

Of course, Kahoko didn't know about this the whole time.

Despite the fact that Len could hear her cry every time he stood outside when she was left alone to mull over her own thoughts, she still retained a smile whenever someone entered her room and it only pained Tsukimori Len even more.

He couldn't get the thought out of his mind that he was the reason why she was crying every time she was alone and he was raised never to make a girl cry. It was in his upbringing, not to mention that little wound of guilt inside of him grew bigger each time he heard her whimper.

He himself hadn't gotten much sleep just because he kept thinking about what might happen to her each night. Her violin, her most-prized possession, she would no longer be able to play it.

He had recently conversed with her doctor outside her room during her check-ups and the man said that things did not look good. Her arm was too bashed up and even if she did manage to move her fingers the way she did before the trauma would still be there.

He had seen her during exams when she was banned to practice her violin and she did not look good. She would no doubt obsess over it unhealthily and that made him even worry for her even more.

Len ran a hand through his hair.

Thinking of what might happen was not doing him any good.

"Excuse me?" A middle-aged woman caught his attention by waving a small hand in front of his face.

Len blinked and glanced down. He was a head taller than her and she already had wrinkles around her eyes proving just how much this woman smiled, "I'm sorry. I was lost in thought." Len said while he greeted the woman with a slight bow.

He noticed that she had a reddish brown hair. It was a very rare hair color for someone of their nationality but he guessed he shouldn't talk about hair color. She was fair-skinned, a bit pale but still had some color left in her cheeks. She looked a bit like the violinist that kept occupying his thoughts recently.

Glancing at her face, he registered that the woman was thinking of something before her face completely turned into one of complete realization.

"Oh." The older woman said in surprise, "You must be Len-san!" She said with a slight laugh. And somehow, he was reminded of the person crying inside the hospital room behind him.

"Do I know you?"

The old woman's eyes smiled with her, "Oh, I'm sorry." She said, "I'm Kahoko's mother."

Oh.

So that was why she reminded him of Kahoko so much. She smiled as much as she did, "Oh. Hello, Hino-san." He said with a polite bow.

The older Hino smiled at him and bowed as well, "Hello Tsukimori Len-san." She greeted, "I'm glad to have finally met you. Kahoko's told me so much about you." She said with a grin.

She had? He was a bit curious as to what she was saying about him towards her mother but he was even more intrigued that a woman whose daughter was seriously injured because of him would smile at him so willingly unless this woman was utterly clueless about what had happened but that was extremely unlikely. She didn't look like a woman that would let anything pass her notice.

Len sucked in a breath and, "I'm sorry for what happened to your daughter."

The red-haired woman looked surprised for a moment before smiling wider than he'd seen her smile before, "It's all right Len-san." She said as she pat his back, "Kahoko told me everything that had happened and I also don't believe that anything's your fault."

Len stared.

The older woman noticed his gaze and let out a sigh, "Quite frankly, I held a bit of contempt for you at first but after hearing Kahoko tell me why she did that, well, I know why she did what she did."

"Still, Hino-san it was entirely my fault though I never asked your daughter for help. She wouldn't have been involved if that man hadn't come looking for me. I-" He was cut off by a smile on the older woman's lips.

He heard her giggle, "My, Kahoko was right. You're too polite to the point of being rude." She said before skipping towards the door.

Len stared as the optimistic woman entered her daughter's hospital room and Len unconsciously grabbed her arm. The woman turned back to look at him with a bit of surprise and fascination causing the young man to let go of her because of his own surprise from his actions.

Len coughed awkwardly and asked, "By any chance, what did she say?"

He heard Hino-san giggle for a moment and she said over her shoulder the most amazing compliment a musician could ever receive, "She loved your music."

:)

Hamai Misa entered her kitchen fully expecting its squeaky cleanness, sparkly whiteness, and lemony scent… only to be shocked stiff at the sight of the place.

The oven was exuding black smoke and grime; and there were plates, ingredients and utensils everywhere. Smack-dabbed in the middle of the entire chaos was her only son having a staring contest with a lump of… was that dirt?

"Len?" She tried her best to stay calm, "What… happened?" She asked as her son continued his staring contest with the piece of black something sitting on their family's kitchen table.

Her son moved to stare at her and Hamai Misa was shocked at the intense frustration that was quite visible on his handsome face. He was obviously a little more than a bit angry at what had resulted from whatever had happened in this kitchen.

She glanced at the ingredients all over the floor, there were eggs, milk, sugar and a bunch of other stuff smeared all over the counter and spilled onto the usually pristine floor, "Len… were you… trying to bake?" Misa couldn't help but be shocked about the entire situation.

Len was never the one for household chores. He had inherited that from his father. They were never to be trusted with the kitchen unless you wanted chaos and utter disorganization. And she knew that her son was very aware with his disability inside the kitchen. Whatever had driven him to cook it must've been something extremely important to him.

Her curiosity was sparked.

"No." He said, "And I'm going to be leaving later." He said as he picked up the tray foil on the table and proceeded to dump it and its (toxic) contents into a nearby trashcan.

"Oh." Hamai Misa said, just standing there whilst staring his son down who did nothing but ignore her the entire while, "Where might you be going?"

Len shrugged before throwing everything else into said trashcan, "Hospital." He said before exiting the kitchen and proceeding to his room and locking the door behind him obviously in a bitter mood about the entire thing.

Hamai Misa stared at the place where his son previously stood and asked the Gods whatever had possessed his son to attempt to cook something knowing that he was fully inefficient inside the kitchen.

She glanced at the calendar that hung near their kitchen door and saw the date.

"Oh." She smiled wide full of understanding as to why her son decided to commit kitchen suicide, "Hino-san's going to be discharged today." She said before skipping towards the kitchen counter to pick up where Len left off.

She knew what had happened of course. The chairman informed her of what had happened, and what Hino had done, and she also knew that Len kept visiting her everyday.

"_Well, I guess I better make something for Len to bring."_ Hamai Misa thought as she grabbed the nearest mixing bowl and began to add ingredients.

Thankfully, she was the better cook in their family.

She tossed the eggs inside the bowl… neglecting to remove the shells.

Yeah. Maybe not.

:)

Kahoko stood by the room's door staring at the place where she had stayed for the past few days and she seemed to be lost in a trance.

She was dressed in civilian clothings today, a pale yellow shirt and a plain white skirt. She wanted to dress more plainly but her mother, the one who'd help her get her arm through the cloth just forced her into her current outfit.

She glanced at the room. It's entirety bright and cool because of the huge windows that let the light enter and the wind to pass by.

She remembered crying everyday for her lost dreams of playing her precious violin as well as Tsukimori did.

They didn't tell her she couldn't and the doctors and nurses all gave her smiles whilst giving her words of encouragement but she just knew that even her strong willpower won't be able to do much.

It had taken a more than a week to sink in and she still cried whenever she thought about it but what could she do right?

"Hino." She turned to her right and there stood Tsukimori Len.

Kahoko smiled happily, "Hello Tsukimori-kun."

Despite everything that's happened, she can't say that she regretted whatever she did.

A vision of Tsukimori Len playing the violin flashed in her mind and Kahoko smiled wider.

_No, she absolutely didn't regret anything._

**A/N: Small edits in this chapter. I didn't want to change anything much so that it won't be overly complicated. Haha. I hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Hino." Len greeted as he saw her standing by the door of her former hospital room, a discernable look on her face. He didn't know if she should be worried or not because she looked like she was thinking about something displeasing.

She turned to face him and for a short while looked so deep in thought that Len unconsciously stopped walking altogether so as not to disturb her.

And then she smiled.

…

How strange.

"Tsukimori-kun." She said her teeth now showing because of how wide she was smiling, "Why're you here?"

"I came to help you move back to your house." He said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Not that they could be considered _normal _anymore. But he had to try and keep things normal between the two of them because if he didn't he'd surely get caught in her pace and he didn't want that. He knew that he owed her some huge debt, something that he probably couldn't repay by just these simple acts.

He had already met her mother at the lobby, the woman was handling Hino's release papers and he had already handed her the cake he had bought from the nearby shop under his mother's orders. The woman was grateful and gave him that smile that so reminded him of this girl in front of him.

"_But oh, Len-san, will you please fetch Kahoko? I think she went to get something back up in her room." _She had said before turning back to the window that was occupied by a young woman in a nurse's outfit.

"Oh." He was broken out of his thoughts by the one person who kept on occupying them for the past few weeks, "Thank you then!" She said, the corners of her mouth turning up and some strange emotion welled up inside him and the only thing he could think of was the guilt.

Hino would probably never smile again in the presence of music and in Seiso avoiding that one thing, would surely be impossible. The rumors were to be of no help either but they weren't that bad. They were mostly about him and that really didn't matter, his reputation in school was of no consequence to himself.

Everybody was already talking of course.

It would only be natural after such a huge incident occurring on school grounds.

They had been asking different questions everyday. Who was that man? How did he manage to slip in Seiso's tight security? Why did he go after Tsukimori Len? And the question that bothered even him until now, why did Hino Kahoko protect him?

Kahoko was a talented musician. Despite the decline that her skills had undergone strangely during the concours, Len knew that talent like hers only came once in a century. Learning the violin only after a few months and without proper instruction was about as easy as giving birth.

She had a bright future ahead of her and now, that future was rotting inside this hospital room along with a bunch of other dreams that she may no longer pursue.

"Let's go." He said, turning so quickly so as to hide the guilt that was masking his face. He didn't want her to see, he didn't know why though but he just couldn't let her see what this incident had done to him.

He was thankful that he could still play, he was especially thankful to Hino for that. After all, if she hadn't saved him from that devastating blow then perhaps Len would be the one in her shoes and unlike her he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle it with the same kind of attitude as she did. After all, Hino Kahoko was an unnaturally optimistic person.

But still, this was a different kind of torture for him. He would never be able to forgive himself for what had happened to her. If he only knew then… well, quite frankly, he wasn't sure what he would do to the one who had started all of this.

"By the way Tsukimori-kun," She said with a smile directed at him. He wasn't looking but he could feel it, her mouth turned into that half-moon crescent that made others smile back at her, "Please, don't worry about it." She said with a sad smile that was meant to be comforting.

Contrary to what she intended, Len's heart only hurt even more.

:)

"Mio! Nao!" One of the girls shouted, her face red for some odd reason, "Someone's looking for you." She said in an excited tone.

Nao glanced at Mio who shrugged.

It might be Azuma asking on Kahoko's condition. The upperclassman had always been concerned for their classmate for some strange reason. They didn't really mind but of course they were curious as to how their senpai saw their friend as.

Especially Mio, the girl could get as passionate about love affairs as much as Kahoko regarding the violin.

Nao frowned.

It wouldn't do to dwell on things like that. She thought.

She and Mio went out of the classroom only to be surprised to find Tsukimori Len waiting for them outside the door, looking a little anxious probably because of all the stares he was getting from both the girls and the boys.

Some regarded him with admiration whilst others with pure curiosity.

Of course, they would be curious. Nao thought a bit annoyed at all the attention they were receiving. This was the guy Kahoko tried to save.

Much to Kahoko's disbelief and constant denial, she had constantly been the talk of the general education students and so far, the incident that had occurred had only heightened her popularity even more.

Both genders admired her will to protect those special to her, somehow Nao found it a little strange as to how people were so attracted to situations such as these.

"Tsukimori-san." Nao heard Mio greeted and followed suit.

He gave them a brief nod, indicating with as little social skill as possible that he acknowledged them.

Nao snorted inwardly, "Well, what brings you over here?" She was curious. After all, Tsukimori Len wasn't popular for his love for the general educations students.

"Where do you go with Kahoko after school?" Len asked the two girls completely befuddling both Mio and Nao.

Nao blinked.

They weren't joking when they said he was straightforward. Though she had to wonder why he was asking such a strange question.

"Well, we usually go that cake shop near the station! Ooh! Kahoko loves the cheesecake there!" Mio said, totally not even noticing the fact that here was Tsukimori Len, the most unsocial guy in their high school, was starting the strangest conversation with them about their friend.

Both Mio and Kahoko had the same problem, they were much to naive.

"Thank you."

Nao rolled her eyes. Talk about monotonic.

The young man bowed in gratitude before leaving Mio and Nao behind.

Since he was polite, she'd let it go for now.

:)

Len kept staring at Kahoko who was sitting across him in her living room. It had been a few days since her release and he kept on visiting each day after school.

She had been granted a few days leave for her recovery and tomorrow she would be coming back.

"You know Tsukimori-kun, you don't have to come here everyday." She said as she took another bite of the cheesecake that he had bought from what he thought was her favorite shop.

She looked a bit pale in his opinion but then again, Kahoko was naturally pale, a great contrast to that head of dark red hair.

"Did you like the cake?"

Kahoko blinked in what looked like honest confusion, "I'm sorry?"

Len repeated what he had said.

"Oh!" She grinned, "Yes, I love it! It's one of my favorites after all." She said smiling the entire time. Len briefly wondered if her face was naturally structured like that or if she just really liked to smile a lot.

Len was glad that she liked the cake though. It had taken him a lot of effort and nerve just to get that cheesecake. Apparently, the place that Kahoko and her friends frequented was a popular store amongst girls and whilst he was buying, Len couldn't help the shivers running down his spine every time a girl giggled behind him.

"I'm going back to school tomorrow." She stated, probably wanting to start a conversation with him uncomfortable with the complete silence that had engulfed them only moments before.

Len stared at her for a couple of minutes before answering, "Are you sure?" He asked completely serious, "Can you write properly? And are you even sure your arm is all right?

"Of course!" She said, emphasizing her point by patting the arm wrapped in plaster, "You worry too much Tsukimori-kun."

"I do not." He snapped at her testily.

It was grating his nerves that he practically had to think about everything. Wasn't she even considering every possibility? Like the fact that maybe she wouldn't be able to hold a pen or a pair of chopsticks with that arm of hers that was trapped in all that plaster.

How was she supposed to carry her school bag without putting strain on that arm? He had already spoken to her doctor and the man had specifically told Len to stop Kahoko from doing anything that would endanger her chances of recovery.

By the time she decided to interrupt him and his very morbid thoughts, he was already considering just bringing her lunch and force-feeding it to her just so she could realize her own helplessness, "Tsukimori-kun," She said, trying her best to placated him with a grin, "I'm right-handed."

:)

Kahoko grabbed her school bag that was lying on top of the table and made for the door. She had woken up a little early that day, probably because of the excitement of seeing everyone again despite the condition she was in.

It made her happy that she can finally see her classmates again.

Kahoko opened the door smiling, her mind full of happy thoughts about her reunion with her classmates and her friends from the concours. She could already see them now, smiling and waving.

Then she dropped her bag.

Because right in front of her house was Tsukimori Len.

"Hino." He greeted before picking up the bag that was previously on the floor and walked towards the direction of Seiso.

"Tsukimori-kun…" She said a little unsure, "Not that I don't like you or anything, but isn't your house the other way?" She asked a bit worried that he had already been so near to school but still had to pass it in order to make an extra trip towards her house.

"Yes. Yes, it is." He said nonchalantly as if the matter hadn't even passed his mind the entire while.

Kahoko cringed. She hated troubling other people. It was just in her nature to be accommodating to everyone around her, she hated having to ask for favors that didn't really matter. Not that she asked him to walk her to school or anything, she wasn't that forward.

"You shouldn't have come Tsukimori-kun." She said with a tone that implied she was scolding him for doing something unnecessary which he had.

Len merely glanced at her and walked on, Kahoko quietly walking by his side.

"Seriously Tsukimori-kun. This is troubling you too much." She said as she pouted when he didn't even pay attention to her scolding.

He really was getting into this too much. She really didn't mind.

When she weighed everything. Tsukimori-kun the hailed prince of the violin, and she the amateur who got lucky, well, it was obvious whose talent should be spared and whose should not.

It was a fair trade, she guessed. Although she still thought of it as unfair, her being unable to play any longer or at least for the short while she was wearing this cast, but there was nothing she could do right. And Len doing all this for her, treating her like a princess, wasn't helping anyone but only tiring Len out.

"Tsukimori-kun, I'm serious." She said firmly, running in front of him and blocking his way, "You don't have to walk me to school or do me special favors. I don't mind… this." She gestured to her arm.

Len stared at her for a moment and then opened his mouth to retort, "Hino, you traded your future for mine. Giving you a little of my time isn't a problem."

It was the first time Kahoko heard Len's thoughts about the incident. The boy had always been quiet and only voiced out his opinions when asked. And so far, nobody had been so bold as to ask him what he thought of Kahoko giving up her arm in order to protect him.

And apparently, he thought so hugely of it when in truth, Kahoko only regarded it as a small matter that didn't counted as important anymore.

And so, Kahoko could do nothing but stare at his statement.

Because probably deep down, she didn't mind sharing time with him at all.


End file.
