Under a Cherry Blossom Tree

A Silent Note

Book one

A Start of Spring

Arima, a boy with glasses didn't know that his whole life was about change when spring itself, sprung to life. He was walking down the hallway by himself and everyone stopped as if time itself, had stop."Look it's Arima! Arima Phoenix!" one of the kids said. "A machine boy that was only meant to play in piano competitions." The scenery change. A grand piano lay out in front of him, waiting to be played. Everyone waiting to see his first move, but, he stood frozen. "Did he forget how to play?" "Shhhh! His mom and sister just died, he can't just…. Come back and pretended nothing happened." The little girl's mother whispered. There faces were unknown to Arima. They were just black, like a hole.

He woke up, grunting he got up and looked at the time. His blue eyes flew open to see the time. "I'm going to be late!" He went to the bathroom brushed his blond hair and his teeth. He got his old worn out backpack and headed to school. Like always he would stop past the music room to look inside. The jet-black piano standing there, as if it were looking at him. "Play me," it seemed to always say. No! I will not play…...not any more, not ever! Arima left, angry at himself for looking inside. I will play for nobody,even for myself.

During lunch he went to a classroom, hearing a song he really liked he wondered if it was possible to play it on the piano. The blond haired boy got out blank music sheets and started writing down the notes. He started humming them to himself…...when the bell rang. "WHAT! Is it time already? I didn't even get half of the song down!" That what happens when you space out to much. He stopped. Was I really writing down music notes? Why did I even do that? He shook his head, again angry at himself. Good thing that the day is almost over.

After school he walked down to park to think. There was something black in the tree. He walked up to it. He took hold of them. "These are…...womens ...shoes, right?" What!? Ahhhh… looking down at them, then he heard the most beautiful music. A girl with blond hair and blue at the tips, was standing under a Cherry Blossom Tree. "That's when the world started to take on color," Arima said.

A Bad Start

She was wearing a dress, a gray and pink one. She was on her toes, without shoes. She was playing a flute. A lot of kids were gathered around her, the girl turned around, there were tears in her eyes. Tears? Why? "I blew on it to hard!" she coughed. "That was amazing" one of the kids said. "I'm going to play like you one day!" another said. They left running to go tell their parents what they saw. She laughs.

Then she saw what I was holding, "What?... Hey! Those are mine!" she yelled "I'll kill you if you don't give them back!" "Ahhh I'm sorry. I-I found them on a tree!" Arima respond. "Well give them back!" She threw her flute at him, it hit him on his head really hard. "Oww! Don't use instruments as weapons!" Arima yelled back. She respond "Give them back! I'm going to late for the competition!" She was running towards him now. Then she kicked him on his leg. "Oww! What was that for! I was going to give them to you any way!" She looked at him, "Well you didn't hurry up!"

They were both silent now. Wait did she say competition? "Umm… earlier you said something about a competition," he asked. She tilt her head a little, "Oh yeah. In there!" She pointed at Towa Hall. Oooohhh!... Wait the only competition I heard of that is going on right now is for violin. She doesn't look like she plays violin at all. In fact I just saw her play the flute! How do I tell her…..Without her getting mad at me? "The- only competition I've heard on that is going on right now….is for violin only," I looked at her flute she was holding. She was mad at me now. "I also play violin! This is my 4th year playing!"

Is she really that good? "I played in this competition last year!" she said. "How far did you make it?" I asked. "Made it to the finals!" she cried "What! You did?" She nodded her head. "I'm thinking of getting first place! At least one day! Oh! I haven't introduced myself. My name is Lafiel. Lafiel Abriel. Nice to meet you!" She held out her hand I took it. Her silver-blue gaze trapped me and she pulled me like saying please come and support me. That is what her eyes told me. The spring of my fourteen year I meet her. Like I said before "My life changed when I met her. My world started to take on color!"

The Performance

Who is he? He's a fool if he thinks I don't know who he is….. Arima Phoenix, Best piano player in our generation! I kept pulling him with me, he followed. I got my violin and left with him. As soon as we went in everyone started to say "No. 4. White Violinist!" I could see that he was surprised by the different vibe. "I have to go that way. Ok? Cheer me on!" I left him alone, hoping that he wouldn't leave. "Arima Phoenix?" Everyone's eyes were on him but he stood frozen. I felt sorry for him right then.

I got dressed quickly. I put on a white dress that went to my feet and let my hair go. I saw the blue tips, I was born with them but nobody ever believed me. I should take off my shoes before I go up on stage. Everyone calls me 'White Violinist' due to the fact that I play with a colored violin. A white one, I have had it since that day. That day that 'it' happened. "No.4 Lafiel Abriel. You're next!" I tuned my violin and went up on stage. The boy that was before me was in the dumps. Then when he saw me he said "No.4?" I acknowledged him and left. Ahhhhh! I forgot to take off my shoes! I took them off as quickly as I could. There, I'm bare footed now. I went up stage. I want to Feel the notes, the song. As I used to. I wish I can still hear them.

Arima claims that he can't hear the notes he plays, but he can hear others play. So he can hear well, but try me! I was able to hear him play when it was his first time, that was the last time I was able to hear. His music told me I mustn't lose hope, the scenery changed to a valley of Sunflowers, I guess he really likes Sunflowers, so do I.

I'll also change to scenery, but to stars. A beautiful starry night, with a tree in the middle.

It's time to play. Kreutzer by Beethoven. There is a part I really like to "hear" but….. Yeah. I made this just for Arima, for everyone in fact. I was hoping he would come one day,and here he is! Not just he can play with his heart, so I can! Here I stand in the middle of it all. The spotlight shining on me. Everyone waiting for my next move. This is making me nervous! Wow! The smell of dust. I looked out, their are lots of people today. Out in the crowd I looked out to find him, Arima! I see him, he was looking at my feet! I'll kill him if he doesn't stop! I shooked my head. My music, will it reach them, him? "Elohin, Essain, Elohin, Essain I implore to you." Set my weapon down (bow). Will I reach him? Imagine!

The Final Blow

When I went inside the auditorium everyone's eyes went straight to me. "I thought he was oversea by now," some stated quietly. "What is he doing here? I thought he played the piano," someone asked. Their was a different vibe as soon as I entered. I don't play the piano anymore it just causes me pain. I can't hear my own playing like I used to. I came to cheer on a friend. No.4 White Violinist. Why do they call her that. Also, how is she famous. My friends haven't told me anything about her. They still come to hear the competitions. I wouldn't be surprised if I happen to see them. Actually as long as I could remember they did talk a lot about a certain violinist last year.

"She was amazing Arima! Everyone cheered for her like crazy!" exclaimed Tsubaki. "Yeah! The judges weren't happy at all! But, she keeped going! Everyone calls her 'White Violinist'" claimed Watari. "Especially the head judge ! Or should I say Mr. Lousey Pants! Wasn't very happy" Arima started to remember what his friends have said about her. "I would pay anything to become friends with her!" Watari have said after that. Well I guess I meet her by pure luck or did I?

"Hey! Arima what are you doing watching the competition?" someone behind asked. I turned around Tsubaki and Watari was behind me. They jumped over the seats and they sat next to me. Tsubaki on one side and Watari on the other side. "Oh. I came to cheer on a friend." I responded. "What's he's or her's number?" Tsubaki asked. "If I told you, you would never believe me." Their was a loud buzzer. Everyone went quiet. Someone from the backstage went up and but a white card that had the number 1 and placed it on the music stand.

Everyone of the violinist was playing the same song. Kreutzer by Beethoven. "The same song over and over again! That's so boring!" Tsubaki said. "This is the piece the judges have picked." Arima responded. "I can't wait till No.4 comes in what about you Watari?" she looked past me to see Watari. "What! He's asleep already? It just started!" Tsubaki exclaimed. I turned to see what see meant. "What! He's asleep!"

We ignored him for a while. They were all really good players. I wonder if a 4 year violinist will be able to beat them? Number three was next. Very good. A very good start….. No! He is starting to panic! "He really sucks. Don't you think?" Tsubaki asked me. She notice that I was to into the competition and left me alone. I can feel my hands aching to play the piano once again. Come on you can still make it!...

Lafiel was next. "We should wake up Watari." I said, "Yes we should," it took about a minute to wake him up. "No!" he keeped on saying. "No.4 is up next!" I whispered. "Uh! Why didn't you say so!" He got up. As soon as she got up on stage he said, "So cute!"

She was wearing a beautiful white dress that went to her feet and her hair went down to her waist. Wait! Why isn't she wearing shoes? A- she's mad at me. Don't look down, but up. She whispered something but I couldn't hear what she said even though I'm in the middle. There was a different vibe, but she didn't seem to care. Everyone went silent, dead silent. She started playing, Kreutzer by Beethoven. Is this even allowed? She lifts her bow, as in saying "brace yourself!"

Amazing! That is all I can say, but she…. The scenery changed into a beautiful starry night with a huge tree in the middle of it all. "This is the same song, right?" I asked myself. There are many colors, purple, blue,sky blue, indigo, jay-blue, pink, hot pink lots and lots of colors. Many stars, lots,and lots of stars! Very beautiful. She had changed the whole song completely!

I can't move. I can feel my eyes, shining! I can't help but smile Tsubaki's and Watari's eyes were filled with color! The rhythm was different but it was the same song? At one point were the Kreutzer was slow she skipped to a different part of the song. That was the only part she did that. She wasn't paying attention to the pianist, but the pianist was paying attention to her. The lady was trying to keep up! It's seemed as she had made it into her own. One of the judges wasn't very happy at all. He was yelling "You might as well have picked up a fight with Beethoven!" Most of the judges were trying to pull him down. He finally stop, with all his yelling. There is no denying that she owns this piece.

"Amazing! Especially for someone that can't hear at all!" whispered Watari. "Wha….. She can't hear? At all!" Tsubaki shook her head. "I'm afraid not. She lost her hearing at a young age. Some say the last thing she heard was the piano of a young pianist." Arima looked at her. "And may I know who this pianist was?" I asked. "Yes, he was you. Arima." I looked away. She can't hear at all! Unlike me, at least I can hear. But, she can't. Is that why she isn't wearing her shoes? To feel the vibration of the sound she is making?! I'm so selfish! I, that I can hear stopped playing but,she hasn't.

One minute and thirty seconds have past. She was already halfway done with the song, a while past. No one was able to move at all. Then as in a single blow she finished the song with five notes and five lifts. Standing there with a smile on her face and her bow high up in the air waiting for someone to applaud. There is no trace of regret on her face. But how? She looked tired and there was a tear running down the side of one of her cheek. Does she want to hear again?

Someone got up, he started clapping. Soon everyone got up, the place sounded as if there was a thunderstorm inside. They were all cheering and yelling "Encore! Encore!" It took them just two minutes for them to all quiet down. "This is blasphemy! Both the tempo and the dynamics are all over the place!" Two kids went running outside with some money in there hands. She started waving like crazy. She bowed, happy with herself and went backstage. She was still waving after that. I just sat there, not knowing what to do. She changed my life forever.

It's hard to think that she is the same person that hit me earlier. She's ultra-violent, her personality blows and she leaves the worst impression. But- she's beautiful. Now, here she is, all over the place but, at the same time calm. Who is she? What is this feeling called again?

Authors note: I worked on this very hard so please enjoy. Also I would like to give a huge thanks to my editor!