XIII
The process of waiting for one's turn was nerve-wracking for some of the contestants, and many of them had their own ways of dealing with the pressure. Despite the fact that this was the prefectural stage, a lot was at stake. The competition was a little unusual in that the winner was immediately moving on to the national stage, which was also the final.
That was not the case for all the prefectures. One of the factors contributing was the large number of entries and a higher degree of difficulty compared to the previous year. Rinko was waiting in the corridor, leaning against a wall and listening to the current performance.
She was the next one to get on the stage. The repertoire rules allowed for choosing from a few composers and limited the time of recital to twenty minutes. Rinko lacked the time to properly master one of the études she wanted to play, although she did have it memorized and already played the entire piece.
The boy playing before her was definitely skilled, and his emotional display was remarkable. Rinko was slightly nervous and tried to cope with the feeling by diverting her attention away from the performance. She came back to the day of their show, a week ago at the very same hall.
Claiming the seat in front of all these people watching her would make her terrified in the past. However, when Rinko played with Roselia, her fear gradually faded. She learned to deal with it fairly well. The joy of being on the same stage as Ako filled her, as she re-lived memories of the rock concert.
It helped her to remain composed during the predecessor's recital. The cheers and long clapping which Rinko heard meant she was right about his abilities. In spite of the atmosphere of intense rivalry, he wished her good luck, and Rinko praised his playing skill. The audience has settled and she heard her name being called out.
The stage was very familiar, and yet, the setting changed so drastically. The grand piano stood in the middle, marking the focal point of the venue, which was additionally enhanced using a spotlight. Lighting was also directed at her as she walked towards the instrument.
After a traditional bow, she claimed the seat in front of it and adjusted the stool. It always seemed hard to start a melody after such a wonderful display. Rinko knew she cannot let herself gasp at the mastery of the previous contestant, but rather trust she can at least match that level.
Pianist glanced towards the hall and spotted someone waving their hand in one of the middle rows. She couldn't see who it was, but she did see Yukina a few seats to the left, and that led her to believe it was Ako.
Rinko's expression changed into a gentle smile. She put her hands above the keys, without playing anything for now. The magnificent instrument in an immaculate condition always seemed to her like waiting for someone to play a piece on it.
Rinko recalled the opening of the first étude and broke the silence. She didn't have the chance to play on this exact piano before, making it the first time she heard that piece on this particular instrument. The sound was a pleasant surprise for her. It was lively, warm, but still accurate, according to her perception.
It was true that the pianist was intimidated to a certain degree, but that feeling continued to disappear as she played. Even though Rinko had briefly thought about an interpretation of all the pieces she was to present that day, the mental image she had got replaced by the faint memory of one the very first lives with the band.
It happened before she could start the second étude. Consequently, emotions connected to that recollection made their way to the keys and changed dynamism of the play. Rinko didn't intend to visualize herself with Roselia, but her ears kept telling her she plays the right notes, not raising concerns.
She therefore decided not to sweep that image away and let the scenes flow through her. When Rinko was about to play the most complex part, the view changed to her room with Ako listening. Thanks to her support she was able to finish the outfits in time and displayed such assertiveness on the stage now.
She noted the change in tempo she made to the last piece because of overly focusing on her thoughts. Rinko realized she has to go back to a more faithful representation, unsure of the judges' reaction to what she was doing so far. The recital was nearing its finish, however.
Pianist had to stop herself from starting an unplanned piece and stepping over the time limit as her fingers weren't tired just yet and were pulling ahead to keep on playing. Rinko's finishing notes were vigorous and neatly accented, different from the typical interpretation. A period of silence after she stopped playing made her worried, but soon the clapping started.
Her eyes found the place where she saw the sole hand waving to her before the performance. This time Rinko was certain who it was — she clearly saw Ako, who stood up as one of the first people. Yukina and Sayo, both sitting a few seats away from the drummer, followed.
It would've been the entire Roselia, if it wasn't for Lisa, not being able to buy a ticket in time, even though the venue was near her university. Rinko stood up, walked to the front of the stage and bowed deeply. She was moved by the audience's reaction. The doubts she had before were gone now.
Even if she was unable to keep the feelings connected to the band out of her mind during a solo piano recital, she considered it an enriching experience, rather than a hindering one. She left the spotlight and was able to calm herself down. Rinko wanted to wait for the intermission, beginning shortly, to leave the hall.
She took the phone out of her purse and saw a text from Ako. Just like Rinko expected, drummer was unable to constrain herself.
Rin-rin, you were the greatest! I never heard you play so passionately, it's a shame some tall guy blocked my view most of the time ;((. Anyways, for me you won it already!
The keyboardist of Roselia smiled broadly and wanted to reply. She was unsure if it's alright to do so, taking into account the possibility of Ako's phone making a loud notification sound. Considering the drummer was likely already intensely looking at her phone at any rate, Rinko did write a few sentences.
Thank you so much, Ako-chan. It was thanks to your support that I was able to cope with all the preparations for both events.
I was thinking of Roselia and of you during the recital. (⁄ ⁄⁄ ▽ ⁄⁄ ⁄) Let's meet during the break!
It was embarrassing to write that; however, she wanted to let her best friend know just how much all the times Ako had helped her meant. Rinko was free to listen to the remaining performance before the awaited intermission. Young woman who entered the stage next seemed talented and started boldly, but Rinko's ears caught a few wrong notes in the middle of the program.
She wondered if the pressure, after having heard two predecessors elicit such reactions from the audience, had gotten to the girl. Naïve impression of similar contests was oftentimes that of a distinguished banquet, featuring noble musicians putting on a touching show, each of them capable of delivering a flawless presentation.
The reality was harsh and verifying, and Rinko, even though sympathized with the fellow pianist, was also aware that the mistakes cannot be erased now. Playing according to the sheet was one ingredient from the recipe for success, and many other factors outside of one's control could spell defeat.
Phone's buzzing made Rinko focus on more down-to-earth matters again. Ako wrote she will be going outside once the current part of the event ends, and the stoic duo will most probably do the same. On one hand, the evening session was interesting for her, because of the possibility to hear talented, mature pianists from Tokyo, already established to a degree.
Rinko liked the fact that the age categories for adults gave her the opportunity to both face a strong competition and broaden her classical repertoire. On the other hand, Rinko was a contestant, so a casual listen could turn into trying to gather intelligence about rivals.
Concluding recitals were scheduled for Sunday, and Rinko had the discount ticket for the afternoon session, therefore decided to skip the rest of Saturday's schedule. She was not very successful in an attempt to sneak away unnoticed during intermission, as attendees immediately recognized her as one of the performers.
Reactions were positive, with a few people succinctly praising her interpretation. As much as it gave her encouragement, it also made her embarrassed while she was making her way outside. Rinko suspected she must've already been blushing when she finally met her friends.
"Rin-rin, I'm so jealous!" Ako jumped towards her, wrapping her in a hug.
"I wish I could move people with music like you did. It doesn't matter for me who'll get the award. You were the best!" Ako's earnest compliments stroke Rinko right where she was the most defenseless.
"Ako-chan… Thank you…" It was difficult for Rinko to speak without letting emotions take over.
"Ako, I think you should let her take a deep breath. She was on the stage not too long ago." Pianist, admittedly, appreciated Yukina's remark.
"Having said that, though, I agree with the opinion. I don't play the piano, but your performance stood out." Knowing that Yukina does not laud other musicians very often like that made Rinko proud. Meanwhile, her cheeks kept getting hotter.
"I agree. I don't want to make it too much for you, so I believe I should stop myself from giving the reasons." Rinko was thankful Sayo noticed her state.
"I want to thank all of you so much. I know buying the tickets was hectic, and Lisa ended up missing one, but seeing the three of you among the audience made me feel reassured, stronger." Rinko somehow managed to say it fluently.
"Rin-rin, even without us, you've gotten stro—"
Yukina noticed someone and interrupted Ako, pointing in the direction of a nearby sidewalk.
"Ah, I'm running my mouth when you've got some important guests who came for you today." Drummer also turned around, and her tone changed into more soothing.
Rinko noticed her parents and was at a loss for words at first. Weren't they supposed to take care of some official matters that Saturday? She was glad they were there, in any case. Wondering if they were curious about how the competition went, Rinko started putting together a reply in her mind, recalling some vital moments of her performance.
"You indeed look distinguished in this classic outfit. We only had trifles to settle, so we made it here in time, thankfully." Her mom, slightly taller than Rinko, was smiling, and that alone meant a lot to her.
"Right, we came here without notice, but we were setting up a surprise and it looks like that worked!" Dad was in high spirits too, apparently.
"You did surprise me… I didn't expect to have a chance to talk to you right after the event. It makes me very happy that you are here!" Pianist was struggling to contain her emotions again.
"Now, why don't we reveal that we had a chance to actually hear some of your recital?" Rinko's mom said while looking to the side, and pianist's father nodded with a short agreement. The youngest in the family was puzzled, though.
"Of course we missed our chance to get the tickets, but a certain friend who visits you quite often, was unwaveringly convinced that she could record it for us." Following a telling gaze of her mother, Rinko's eyes met Ako's, and it became obvious to her how it was possible.
"I guess the first five or six minutes are missing? It feels reckless to even try to record; you have a crafty friend." He chuckled a bit.
"My, you should simply appreciate it. We wouldn't have been able to hear Rinko play otherwise." Contestant's mom scolded him, while pianist's dad took out his phone with a message from Ako.
"Your rendition of Chopin's Winter Wind was so tangible! I haven't heard you play like that before, I'm glad you are still able to find time for the piano." Her mom's expression livened up.
Rinko was grateful for these words and agreed about the joy of continuing to play classical music. Right now, Roselia was filling most of her free time, but when she sat at the piano, she still loved it. Raw and straightforward style she was exposed to, playing in the rock band, started to intermingle with her classical training ever-so-subtly.
Despite that, she welcomed such a connection. Her sound was not as restrained anymore.
"Rinko, you probably want to enjoy your time with your friends now, so we won't be taking it from you. Just make sure to call us if you stay at a friend's place." Mom smiled and swiftly communicated with her eyes who does she mean.
"I'm also proud of you, regardless of whether you advance or not!" Following father's enthusiastic reaction were Rinko's mom hurrying gestures, so as not to embarrass their daughter much more.
Rinko's eyes were glistening by now, and likely because of that Sayo and Yukina both declared they had important businesses to attend to, and took off, which left only Ako with her. The drummer offered to have some rest there on a bench, however Rinko proposed they had a short walk, and then asked about staying over.
She was extremely bashful doing so, mostly because the idea was inspired by her mom's words, nonetheless she did say it clearly enough. Ako agreed, seemingly not thinking too much into it. Rinko pondered if she needed to change, as she was still wearing the clothes for the recital. These were elegant, white buttoned shirt and a slightly patterned skirt, predominantly white at the waist, becoming dark grey near the hem.
She was initially worried it would be somewhat unfitting for the contest, but those concerns proved unnecessary. Rinko settled on picking up only her nightgown and some necessities at her place before visiting Ako's. The results of the prefectural stage were to be released on Monday. One could only wonder about the relevance of mistakes or certain choices until then.
Rinko was not afraid, nor did she deliberate over her interpretation anymore. What mattered to her was her friend's support. The two of them were different when it came to liveliness and showing emotions, but they shared so much more.
She was staring at the chat window for a while now, and the issue was not so much coming up with a fitting way to phrase the news, but rather the reaction that would follow, regardless of her choice of words. Ultimately, she decided to type in the straightforward version, without beating around the bush.
I got the third prize in the prefectural stage. I'm still glad that I was one of the awarded performers, considering the overall level.
She felt some relief, seeing the text appear on the screen after a loud key press. Rinko visited the hall three days in a row now. Counting in the show with Roselia, she has been there four times over a short time span — either as an attendee, or as an artist.
The moment of mentioning the results to Ako meant she could now take a break from performing at the said venue and focus on different projects or events. She definitely wanted to win, although piano slowly transitioned in meaning for her, as she began to wish for more expressive play.
Rinko didn't have much time to ponder, as the reply from the drummer came pretty quickly, signaling the fact she was probably waiting for the news.
That's unfair! Even though you were so passionate during your recital?! I thought you were a sure winner.
I kinda know that these competitions have their own rights, but it sucks. It sucks to be them, to not appreciate your talent!
I shall unleash my uncanny curse of the abyssal realm to haunt them for generations to come!
Rinko wasn't sure if the passion flowing from these messages was commendable. She could come back to the key moments from her études that admittedly impacted the final ruling. The recollections of playing with the band were associated with feelings strong enough to influence her interpretation.
She changed the tempo of a part of a highly technical piece. Even though what she did might've been well received by the audience, the judges caught her straying from the composition too much.
I appreciate that you are upset on my behalf, but the judging panel declared the prizes as they did, because they noticed certain differences.
My mind, to be honest, was in a different place during my entry.
Rinko was typing just as quickly as during online battles.
I was thinking how it was thanks to you and the band that I have more courage now.
My phrasing became a bit too adventurous. In the end, though, I'm not unhappy and I want to try again, next year.
Hopefully, with you in the audience!( ◡‿◡ *)
Roselia's keyboardist felt her closest friend deserved to know exactly what happened, even if it was somewhat difficult to admit. She was serious about coming back with a more solidified repertoire next time. It was important to her to communicate to Ako that she was not giving the piano up.
It was clear the band will have the priority in most situations. However, Rinko enjoyed how both worlds influenced each other too much to stop playing classical music. Next response from Ako filled her with bliss, and was slightly embarrassing to read, even though she was alone in her room.
Rin-riiiin, you're making me teary, unfair! I'll always come when you play. I said that before, but you won that contest for me. I might not know a lot about classical music, but I know stuff about you.
You played like entranced and you were the coolest of all of them!
Even if the bond between them was already strong, moments like that were making it even stronger. Rinko's eyes opened wide at the follow-up from Ako, in essence declaring she wants to keep sharing experiences with her, even after Roselia. Be it creating costumes for events, playing online or attending live shows.
She wrote a quick reply, just to let the drummer know she's very happy to hear it. Suddenly, she considered herself incredibly lucky she gets to be in the same band as Ako, in addition to all else. The whole exchange took no more than ten minutes, but Rinko suspected she will remember it for a lot longer.
Eager to finish preparations for another day at the university, she noticed there was a different kind of excitement starting to wind up inside of her, when she recalled Ako's presence at Saturday's piano competition.