That night, Kaori was back at her residence. She spent a couple of hours honing her violin skills in preparation for the gala. The fumbling of the fingers from earlier just after Kousei's first accident was a minor speed bump for her, as she played more effectively, like she always had for years. She smiled satisfactorily, over her how flawless her playing was. "Well... I'm doing great. Thank goodness that off-key playing was just one time. Kousei... I guess I was worried about him for nothing, since he turned out alright. Alright, I gotta have some fun, though! Let's go back to the ol' Famicom! I know what I'll play today, Ice Climber! This should be fun!"

As Kaori made her way to the TV, the AV Famicom already hooked up, she got to playing Ice Climber. She played for about 15 minutes, getting up to level 11, before she lost her last life on the game. "Heh... Who knew this would be a fun, charming game, to climb up mountains and beat various weird enemies while you do that? Quite a nice game. Let's pick out the next one." Just then, as she turned off the Famicom and was about to search for another game to play, there was another news story. Teenage Piano Prodigy Kousei Arima Re-Injured in Freak Accident came on the TV.

The reporter said "A few weeks ago, teenage piano prodigy Kousei Arima was injured by an oncoming car and lost his left foot, from which her recovered from. Now today, he has been injured, as he reportedly lost control of his bicycle and hit his head on a nearby signpost, being tossed in the air a few feet/meters. He is being held at Totsuhara Hospital, where he is in critical condition. Doctors believe that he has suffered another blow to the head, this one more severe than the previous one... he will also be taken to the Tokyo Neurological Center for further investigation."

At that point, tears began to cascade down Kaori's eyes. She was sobbing. "Oh, my god... Kousei got severely injured again?! I can't take it like this, I have to see him! My heart... is sinking, and sinking fast! Why did this have to happen, goddamnit?! This... this...is just goddamn tragic!"

Meanwhile, as Hiroko Seto stayed at Kousei's residence, she also saw the same news report. She got choked up and all emotional. "Dear god, my dearest Kousei... first you lose your left foot, now this? My, this just adds to your misery. I hope that you will pull through again... my heart just weeps for you just thinking about this. Your friend, Kaori... I can't imagine what she is going through. I need some time to sleep it over... This is just horrible." Hiroko, who also saw her young daughter Koharu crying over the news, spent a brief tender, mother/daughter moment crying and hugging each other. "Oh, Koharu, darling... this news with Kousei... I can't believe it! I hope he will endure... Come here, Koharu... I love you. Let us cry together." Koharu wailed "NO! NOT KOUSEI, MOMMY! WHY?" Hiroko said "He got into an accident. Our hearts are just sinking for him..."

As for Tsubaki and Watari, since they didn't have any upcoming games, they just spent the day at Tsubaki's, chatting about life when they found out what had happened to Kousei on the TV news. Their hearts sank as well. Tsubaki just sobbed, and Watari hugged her. "Dammit! This sucks! Kousei got into another accident? Good god... this guy... my childhood friend... sinking into an abyss!" Watari began to cry and said "I hope he will be alright, again..."

That night, Kaori once again, like the previous accident with Kousei, cried herself to sleep, and had another sweet dream. This time, it involved not Kaori's love of music, but her new-found love of Canadian football.

~DREAM SEQUENCE~
MUSICAL NOTE: "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick
And think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new

Kaori, wearing her Saskatchewan Roughrider jersey and holding her CFL ball that her uncle Seiya gifted her, tossed the ball up and down in the air and spun it with her fingers. Just then, Kousei, wearing his tank top and biker shorts, walked in from out of nowhere and smiled at her. "Hi, Kaori." Kousei said happily. "Hey, Kousei, let's play some Canadian football together." Kousei smiled at her and said, "Let's." The two played some mock football together.

Flashback, warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories
Time after...

Firstly, Kaori played catch with Kousei with the football. Kaori was thinking as he pretended to be in the CFL's championship game, the Grey Cup with Kousei. Here it comes! The play that will win the Roughriders the Grey Cup! As she said this, Kaori threw the football in Kousei's direction. Arima reaches up... TOUCHDOWN! Kousei caught the ball with both his hands in the air. THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS ARE GREY CUP CHAMPIONS! KAORI MIYAZONO AND KOUSEI ARIMA ARE THE HEROES! Kaori lifted up the elated Kousei who held the ball in the air in celebration.

Sometimes you picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said

Next, Kaori told Kousei, "This time, you hold the football, and I'll try and kick it. Just don't pull a Lucy on me and swipe the football as I kick it though." Kousei said with a cheeky smile. "I won't, Kaori. I promise." As Kaori stood back a few feet/meters, she prepared herself in kicking the field goal. "And here's Kaori Miyazono's kick... it's up..." As promised, Kousei didn't swipe the football on her, instead letting Kaori kick it with all her power, kicking it with fairly good force. "THE KICK IS GOOD!" Kaori raised her hands in the air after she kicked the ball, and after that, Kousei and Kaori shook hands in elation, and pretended to celebrate the fact she kicked the game-winning field goal.

Then you say, go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time

Then, Kaori tried to have Kousei play a defending football player. "OK, Kousei, you pretend you're a defender, and I'll be the ball carrier. Pretend you're tackling me." Kousei smiled again. "Sure, Kaori!" As Kaori ran with the ball, she said "Here comes Miyazono on the kickoff, she's at the 10, the 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 55, midfield! 50, 40, 30, 20... what's this? Here comes Kousei Arima out to get her!" To simulate a tackle, Kousei picked up and lifted Kaori lightly and the two laughed together.

After my picture fades and darkness
Has turned to gray
Watching through windows

You're wondering if I'm okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time...

Kousei then asked Kaori to do the same thing to him; a role reversal. "Now you take and run with the ball, Kousei, and I'll try and catch you." As Kousei ran with the ball, Kaori said "And here comes Kousei Arima with the ball at the 20! He's at the 30, 40, 50, midfield at the 55! The 50, 40, 30, 20... what's this? Here comes Kaori Miyazono with a game saving tackle!" This time, Kaori picked up Kousei, and returned the favor from before. Again, the two laughed together at a great time they were having.

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time...

The two then embraced and hugged each other. "Kousei... I hope this feeling never ends." Kaori said to him. "Me neither, Kaori..." He said to her in return.

~END DREAM SEQUENCE~

Kaori woke up the next morning. Once again, her shirt had been stained with her tears. She was all cried out, but just feeling more melancholy than usual over what happened to Kousei no. "Damn... What a pleasant dream. I'm getting worried now... My heart is sinking."

Just then, her clock radio came on. Be sure to listen to this station, the Japan World Sports Radio Network for Canadian Football League action! Our first game will be a preseason game on May 30, when the Toronto Argonauts take on the British Columbia Lions at B.C. Place in Vancouver! Kickoff time is 8:00 AM Tokyo time! Don't miss it!

Then, a news report came on. And now, this brief newsbreak. Yesterday, teenage piano prodigy Kousei Arima, who was severely injured in another accident after a previous one almost a few weeks earlier, has had his condition upgraded to serious. The head injury in which he suffered, was more severe than the previous one, and it is believed that while he will survive, his brain will possibly not function normally again...

Kaori turned off the clock radio. She was just about an emotional mess at this point; however, she was trying to keep herself together as well. Hang in there, Kousei!

She then called Totsuhara Hospital for questioning. "Totsuhara Hospital, who is this?" Kaori said "This is Kaori Miyazono, a close friend of Mr. Kousei Arima's. How is he, and can we see him today?" The receptionist on the phone informed her "He is doing better than when he was initially checked in. However, you will have to wait until tomorrow to see him." Kaori said "Okay, thank you."

That day at Sumiya Junior High was another dark and gloomy day. As many of you know, Mr. Kousei Arima was involved in another freak accident yesterday, and he is at Totsuhara Hospital at this time. Our thoughts are with Mr. Arima at this difficult time again.

All Kaori could do was just sit in the piano bench and cry softly. She wistfully thought about Kousei all day. First his left foot, now this? Life is unfair. He didn't deserve this cruel fate!

Tsubaki and Watari largely left her alone, since Kaori demanded some privacy about all this. They too, felt very badly for Kousei, and they were at a loss for words, like Kaori.

Later that day back at her home, Kaori got back on her violin. She needed to keep herself sharp for the gala, determined not to let Kousei's latest incident get the better of her.

She played Love's Sorrow fairly early on, but those worries of Kousei after what happened to him was starting to get to her. She was now fumbling her fingers on the violin bow, and at times was playing off key. It was happening more frequently than usual. She stopped and assessed her situation. "What's going on? I used to be so great. Then I started to mess up once or twice. Now I'm doing it more frequently. Am I starting to lose my touch as I get more worried about Kousei? This... is so awful! I was so good at this!"

However, Kaori was resolute in continuing her playing, so that she could stay sharp in preparation for the gala that was coming up. "Come on now... let's do this again... I don't want to give up, dammit..." Again, she was playing alright early on, just like she always had, but once again, part of her notes that she played out were sounding rather off-key. This was now vexing Kaori.

"Dammit... I'm hitting the wrong notes and playing out of tune... this, and Kousei... is just making me lose sleep... This isn't looking good for me at all! And just before the gala! Oh, I've played the violin enough for today, time to hit the Famicom again."

She then went over to the Famicom again, this time, playing Highway Star (Author's Note: Called Rad Racer in North America). It seemed like by now, with her playing skills slowly diminishing, all Kaori could do to keep her mind at ease was play the Famicom.

However, Kaori would soon set herself on a path that would be the birth of a sister-like friendship...