Epilogue

Tsubaki rested alongside of Kosei as he had his arm around her feeling himself slip away and found himself in the field on a sunny day where he first met Kaori and saw her playing her melodica. He saw her playing it once again. She put it down and ran to him hugging him hard and telling how much his playing at her benefit reached her and the joy it bestowed. She eagerly described her thoughts and experiences and most beautiful moments both musical and for the charity in her honor. She asked him to dance, slow and in close contact, with her as she hummed from her favorite pieces. Kosei did it with honor and joy to grant such a request.

Sitting under a tree he told her of his confidence in Ashai to hold her violin as the first successor. Kaori agreed.

The two of them laid on their backs looking up at the sky with nothing but sun and nice clouds.

"Kaori?", Kosei asked.

"Yes, dear friend?" Kaori answered.

"What's it like? You mentioned you felt sadness. I am so sorry to hear that, but you also said I allowed you some too joy. I feel great solace and honor it. What is it like, this realm in which you exist and from which you come to visit with me?

"It is a mixture of pure light, of energy, and feeling. Too cliched? Kosei...dear friend: It is a place where I am free to return to this realm to attend any concert, play, see any movie, travel to any far away place see and climb green mountains draped in clouds, attend any lecture, and more. In my realm I enjoy the feelings and joys with others here too-there is this great pianist who's about your age who succumbed to my illness too. He doesn't have your skill, but he has your passion. There is, not what you should call "a catch", but there is one part of this realm that isn't quite the best: You retain all memories which means the sadness, longing, the pains I've felt, and seen inflicted on others. It does, however, mean the joys are there too. I am glad you're honoring my request. I am quite happy to have my spirit continue to live on in playing by Ashai. I hope you'll introduce him to Nagi-I feel they'd make a great musical team."

Kaori's form began to brighten and glow in luster.

"Kaori? What's happening?" Kosei asked and looked a little scared.

"Don't worry yourself. You're soon going to wake up and it is around 1AM, Tsubaki is fast asleep and you're going to need to carry her back home. You looked so cute and chivalrous when you did it that first night. I'll also tell you a little secret about raspberry tea: there is nothing in it which calms anyone. There are vitamins, a nice sweet taste, and it has health benefits-but nothing inside it makes you calm or sleepy. Tsubaki's mother never told her that and thus, unknowingly, she never told you. It was always her presence which relaxed you, never the tea. It was all in your mind and that is beautiful to me. It's something I take a lot of joy in as it means you've really moved on from pain. You'll retain memories of me always and it is time you take out your photo of the two of us. Tsubaki won't mind or think you're pining away for me either as long as you put it atop your piano when preparing for a concert as it makes it look truly look that I am your musical inspiration and for that she'll never be jealous."

Kosei nodded with a tear in his eye.

"Keep it tucked behind your sheet music when not in use so my memory is always within reach, but not on display," she laughed at the end.

"Speaking of playing it was really beautiful to see when you gave her the chance for her very own concert as she sat next to hearing you play what is now your song," Karoi looked at him and smiled.

"Once upon a Time in Paris.' "Kousi said.

Kaori nodded and Kosei gave a small smile drying away a tear.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"If I feel you're really in trouble I'll be glad to come visit you. I won't be watching your life at all times, but if you call out for me I assure you...your pleas will reach me. I would like to watch you play with Ashai and see your career as a teacher."

"How do you know I will become a teacher?"

"I don't silly, I'd just thought it would be a nice thing. Maybe you'll become part of the New York Philharmonic, play in Europe, or Tokyo."

"What if I stay in our town?"

"Then I will celebrate it all the same."

Kaori turned very bright and said she was returning and visiting with some special people she's become friendly with and they're having Moo Moo Milk and caneles.

Kosei laughed and Kaori said with a look and that she was serious and smiled.

"There is another thing I'd like to ask you: Will you ever age?"

"I will never age, but I can take on any age younger and may go back and wear glasses again and see how I look in them." Kaori laughed.

Kosei smiled and imagined her looking cute in glasses.

Kaori looked Kosei deep in the eyes and then hugged him tight and said, "I am about to tell you something that you're not going to remember when you awaken, but I want to tell you. It is the important thing of which I spoke. I was only going to tell you if you got to this point: Our time in this realm is not forever, we can stay here as long as we want, but we're encouraged to leave at one point so our pains don't grow so great than we find more sadness here than joy. We can still see our loved ones and communicate with some of them, but never all. It is painful to watch them knowing you can't share in their joys as much as you'd want. At that point we have the option to leave this place. Leave...and we be reborn somewhere in the future and retain no memory of the past, but our spirit lives on. This is why we show abilities in which we seem to "be a natural", it is from our past, our essence. That doesn't mean we have to embrace it...but it is there and hopefully the next person who gets your essence takes advantage of it and adds more to it.

What this means is in the end you and I may meet again in the future, things may be different for instance I likely won't be struck down in such a horrible fashion, your soul may not be tortured. We may not be the musicians we are today, but maybe we'll just appreciate music all the more and become a doctor, an attorney, or head of marketing for Steinway and Sons with a connection to charitable actions, or work for Yamaha and help get instruments to those in need." Kaori smiled.

Kaori's form took on a brighter shade and she nearly was gone when Kosei said through some tears and smiles, "I want to share my life's experiences with you when I pass, but worry you'll not be there."

A warmth lifted his chin and he heard in the most angelic voice heard,

"I'll wait for you in Heaven."