Summary: The following events after the manga.

Opus X
~Change is Coming~

Len stared at the parchment that lay in front of him, his eyes following the words minutely in comprehension and even, if observed with perseverance, with slight irritation.

"And this is by the end of the schooling year?"

Yunoki nodded from across him, seating comfortably with his legs crossed and an arm on the chair rest, twirling his perfect purple locks.

"Yes," he caught Len's slight frown and smirked to himself. "It's worth thousands of dollars. The league of prestige in the world of music has their eyes on it. The rivalries border not only Japan, but all over the world." Yunoki stood up, eyeing the violin virtuoso.

"And your application, Tsukimori-san, has been chosen for the next round,"

Len couldn't contain his irritation.

"I didn't send an application," he said, now glaring at the purple-haired.

"Unfortunately, Tsukimori-san," Yunoki smiled down at him, "they have heard of you and your extreme talents in the industry."

'We are very pleased to announce the acceptance of your application and its following for further assessment. This next round of evaluation will involve an interview with the director in your state of residence and if successful, will be followed by practical assessment of your skills. After being successful with the final evaluations, you will be able to attend the prestigious school of the Arts of your choosing from the two institutions in Europe and will then on be nurtured and trained for membership with the greatest orchestra in the world…'

Tsuchiura shook his head in amazement.

"Whoa…"

The showpiece was enticing yet calming, charismatic yet sobering. None of which could define what Tsukimori was feeling then. He stopped halfway through a slur of notes, opening his eyes slowly as his hand pulled the bow away from his body. He lowered the instrument with a sigh, opting to sit down on the window sill and calm his thundering emotions.

It hadn't occurred to him till after his escape from yet another glamorous bunch of girls wanting his attention and his fellow violinist who had given him a "see you soon" wave with his favourite smile, that yet again, he was in danger.

No, it wasn't an action movie of die hard proportions. He wasn't about to be kidnapped and ransomed for a huge sum of money (that his parents could unsurprisingly afford). It was the fact that he didn't have to do much effort and yet somehow someone from somewhere wanted him to leave Japan and pursue the great musical dream of every amateur musician.

He run a hand through his hair and loosened his tie. It hasn't been half a year and already, scholarships of prestige and high-standing have been out to get him. Like a trapped bird, he couldn't escape the insurmountable number of phone calls, emails and letters. He took out his wallet and glanced at the picture of Kahoko smiling like the cheerful little girl she was.

Hadn't he made a conscious decision to defer his studies in Germany? He hadn't regretted that decision at all, and frankly, he had never given it a second look after the acceptance of his deferment.

He had toured with them for at least a year and had wound up playing with the most talented musicians of generations. He had seen the awed faces and the closed eyes of wonderment as he and the rest of the quartet lulled them to musical bliss.

The fame was there, the fortune all banked away. But nothing seems to compare to playing with the troublesome girl who continually invaded his thoughts and pursued him in his daydreams.

Kahoko had taught him to love the violin as it was. To play with all your heart and soul is different to playing with the need to see satisfactory results and improvement I skills with such an instrument. Kahoko was not a virtuoso, and her standards are sub par compared to his.

None, however, of those things mattered to him. None at all.

He glanced at the slip if paper again with a frown before nodding slightly. He wasn't ready to leave her just yet.

Kaho felt his arms wrap around her from behind. She brushed profusely upon feeling him nuzzle her from her neck down to her collarbone, his lips grazing her burning skin.

"Tsu-tsukimori-kun," she managed to stutter, stiffening slightly when he placed more weight on his kisses.

He grunted softly in response, settling softly on the base of her neck. Kaho felt his warm breath on her skin and she tingled all over with the unfamiliarity and the pleasure.

"What's gotten into you today, Tsukimori-kun?" she whispered. She didn't get a response from the blue-haired, and with a frown, she tried to free herself from his locked arms. His arms simply tightened in response.

"Can't I hold you for a bit?" Kaho didn't think he could blush more than she did then. Though she wanted him to stay the way he was, the guilt in her started to make her uncomfortable. He must be in such an awkward position, especially given that he was almost a head taller than her. With a firm turn, Kaho managed to untangle himself from him.

He frowned at her and at the loss of her warmth. Kaho's warm smile, however, made him think otherwise.

"Here," she said, taking a step towards him with blushed cheeks and outstretched arms. "It's better this way, isn't it?"

Len enveloped her in his strong arms, kissing the side of her neck before resting his head on top of hers.

"I don't mind either," he said.

After briefly holding her still in his arms, Len began to move. His lips grazed her neck once more, obviously enjoying that certain part of her. Kaho felt the burning sensation of his lips as it trailed along her jaw, caressing the sides of her mouth briefly then moving on to hers.

Kaho thought that Len would begin to deepen the kiss more as time flew by, but instead, Len simply held the back of her head to better angle himself as he lovingly touched his lips with hers with sweet glances, barely pressured and just slightly caressing.

He didn't rush her, not did he demand from her. Len guided his soft lips along hers with as much love as Kaho could feel emanate from him. They broke apart, breathing slightly uneven, cheeks (well, hers at least) sparsely tinged and heart over the moon.

He pressed another soft kiss on her lips before reaching behind her and grabbing a slice of the egg sandwich she brought for him.

"Mother wants you to come over and join us for dinner," he made her sit on the one chair in the room while he sat on the piano stool.

"She's leaving on Friday morning and she wants you to come for dinner tomorrow night, if that's okay with you," Len watched the red-haired redden in embarrassment, still quite unaccustomed to be so liked by someone of Misa Hamai's illustrious self.

"She likes you a lot," Len smiled as her pallidity continued its downward obscurity.

"I'm very honoured to be liked by someone such as her, Tsukimori-kun," she said, gripping her fingers to calm her elated semblance. "I would love to come and join you both for dinner."

Kahoko joined the two of the three the day after, feeling rather underprepared but somehow comforted by Len's presence.

Misa Hamai talked on and on about how much she admired Kahoko's resilience with the violin and her desire to continue with its playing.

"With that kind of attitude, Kahoko, you will go farther than what you thought initially,"

She then went on to ask her about her family and how school was going and how Kaho began to love the stringed instrument with such zeal.

"I can't really explain exactly the sort of joy I feel whenever I hold the bow and the instrument in my hand," Kaho said. "I guess the instrument itself is simply just a part of who I am. I can't bring myself not to play it for it gives me such plain happiness."

Misa Hamai understood completely. She was exactly like Kaho whenever her fingers waltzed with the black and the whites of the piano. The emotions and the thrill that came with the sentimentality of her true musical love always warmed her soul.

Misa Hamai smiled at the young girl. She was the perfect young girl for her Len. She loved the instrument as it was and she was even able to make Len understand the sheer delectation of the wooden masterpiece. Misa Hamai had tried so very hard to teach Len that simple lesson of loving the violin as itself, and given that she had failed and Kaho had succeeded, that was more than enough reason for her to believe that Kaho would bring joy to Len from then onwards and until forever. A slight giggle escaped her lips and Len arched his brow at her in curiosity.

"I'm just getting the jitters with how cute you both are together," she smiled, dabbing a napkin over her mouth. Kahoko reddened, Len smirked. Of course, they were.

The night lasted a couple more hours before Len's mother had to go and take an important call. She bid Kaho with a goodbye kiss and a hug that rivalled that of Len's.

"Take care of my little Len for me, okay?" She whispered with a smile. Kaho smiled, squeezing the loving mother back.

"I will Misa-sama,"

Len leaned his head on his arm that rested on the open door as he waited for Kaho to emerge from the bathroom. He waved her bag to let her know that he had it when she frantically asked him where she had left it.

"Thank you, Tsukimori-kun," she walked past him, wrapping her scarf around her neck, slightly disappointed that the evening had already ended. "Your mum is really something, Len-kun."

Len smirked, taking her hand in his.

"She embarrassed me too much," he muttered. Kaho laughed happily.

"That's because she's your mum! All mums do that! You should know that by now!"

Len shrugged his shoulders and allowed her to skip a few steps away from him. The recital for the Seisou Academy Chamber Orchestra was tomorrow evening and after one of the violinists had dropped out due to the poor girl's recurring glandular fever, Kanazawa-sensei had asked Kaho in her stead.

Kaho would've declined immediately, feeling slightly out of place amongst the other students being in the General Class. With Tsuchiura's urging, however, - he was playing as well and was a General student nonetheless - Kaho relented.

Tsukimori had wanted to talk to her about the recent events concerning the offer he had just received. Post-decision, his reluctance somehow found him. The offer was extremely beneficial for him and after a few phone calls, an offer came that he found too exciting not to share to Kaho. If only he could voice out exactly how to say it...

"You would think that a publication of such high standing would at least get their facts straight!"

Hihara was laughing hysterically on the corner, Fuyuumi and Shimizu staring intently at the photograph while Tsuchiura sulked in the corner.

"Oh, it's not that bad, really, Tsuchiura-kun," Hihara guffawed loudly, leaning his chair back in amusement.

"Shut up, Hihara," Tsuchiura hissed, glaring daggers at the green-haired.

"I don't think it's that bad, Tsuchiura-sama," Fuyuumi blushed. "I'm sure if y-you tell the r-right people, t-they would change it i-immediately."

Tsuchiura frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"I guess I'm gonna need to go and see their stupid editor," he muttered to himself, ignoring the still cackling Hihara as he stalked off the room.

Tsuchiura leaned his head on his locker door with a frustrated sigh. He wasn't sure of what he was most annoyed of.

Was it because his picture was the cover of the most famous online music publication captioned "Len Tsukimori, the Bach of the 21st century" or the fact that his future suddenly became all the more confusing...

'With masterful fingers and a sure favourite for the Datjkoohl Youth World Orchestra, Len Tsukimori just does nothing wrong."

Or maybe it was that strange yet pretty black-haired girl from the music shop that would not stop looking at him as if he was some sort of pop idol...

A/N:

I apologise for the creatively long update! I've had this chapter stored in my phone for quite some time, gathering cobwebs. Longer one for you all!
Dedicated to every single one of the followers of this story!