Chapter 4 – Harmonious Rainbow

Friday, 9 March.

"Phew…! That was hard!"

The final exams end today. Most of Japanese school end the semester on early March, but because some certain circumstances it pushed back for a week. Understandably, many students and parents protested because its troubled their plan to enter high school. But in my case, it helps me a lot.

Thought I gave my all during the so called 'Join and sharing study' from Watari-kun and Kashiwagi-san, it still gave me a lot of trouble. Well, its more unbelievable if I can ace the exams despite missing a semester worth of classes.

"Good work, I think you did great for someone that only studying for 1 week."

Meanwhile, Kashiwagi-san is unhinged as ever.

"But you know, it actually crazy that we aren't troubled with the final exams being pushed back. A lot of parents seems very angry too. Not like I'm the one to talk because it work great for me."

"Well, the schools and teachers pull an amazing stunt that manage to convince them somehow. Not only that, their ability to teach is way beyond the league that an external studying facilities can provide. They also compensated it with upping the final exams difficulty. So the students do not suffer the difficulty jump between final exams and entrance exams."

"So it worked on our favors in the end."

As we chit chat and comparing answers, which I regret it a lot, many students come out from the class.

"Hello Miyazono-san! Do you want to hangout with us?"

"Hey! I think she should come with us girls today!"

"No fair! We invite her first."

"We should celebrate your discharge! We are sorry because we can't celebrate it sooner, since we are very focused with the final exams."

"Hahaha, guys don't mind it."

They are my classmates. They always a cheerful bunch with their own quirks and dynamics. But I never thought we are these close, so their concerns are surprising. I always thought there is a big gap between us, except for the girls of course. But seems like it is not the case?

"But I have some business with the teachers today, so the other day okay? I will come to Masato-kun's birthday."

"You remember my birthday!?"

"Okay guys let's make Masato's birthday as big as ever be!"

"I don't feel like that you guys actually celebrate my birthday!"

"Ahahahaha!"

"Okay then! See you soon, Miyazono-san."

As they left, Kashiwagi-san comes with an inaccurate remark.

"You seems very popular."

"What? No way, they always try to avoid me for some reasons."

*chuckles* "Pfft, I never thought you are dense! You guys actually alike."

"I really don't get it."

We walk away and go to the next classroom, which the class where Arima-kun and the other is.

"Sup'!"

"Yo Watari-kun!"

Unsurprisingly, Watari-kun finish earlier than the others.

"How is the test?" As one of my tutors its only natural that was the first thing he ask.

"I give my all, I guess?"

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure the teachers will give some exceptions for you!"

"Knowing the teachers will reel my scores doesn't make me feel better."

"Geez when did you start sound like Kashiwagi?"

"Oh Hello! You might not realize it but I'm here and totally happy with your remark."

"Exactly what I talking about."

As we continue to chatter, soon Arima-kun and Tsubaki-chan come out from the class, together. Well Its natural as they were a couple now…

"Hi guys! How is the test?"

"Is that what you say to every people you meet from now on?"

"You still on it, Kashiwagi-san?" Watari-kun uncharacteristically polite to her. Or is that sarcasm?

"Well I think I did well." Arima-kun answers.

"Me too, but let's not talk about exam. Let's talk about vacation plan!" And so Tsubaki-chan.

"I think we should concern about entrance exams, Tsubaki."

"Well that's true, but we should cool the tensions a little bit don't you think?"

"I agree, studying non stop make me crazy." That's me.

"Well you did cram a semester worth of study in a week."

We continue to chat about our plans until we run out of topic.

"Hey, how does your playing violin lately? I never heard you play again after you discharged."

As Arima-kun bring a familiar topic, I remember something very dear to me.

The violin.

"…"

"…!" I comically shocked about the realization.

"I completely forget about it!"

"What!?" They comically shocked about the realization too.

"B-but that like the entire character of you! How could you forgot?" Watari-kun try to make everything funny like always.

"Its like Naruto without his whiskers Kao-chan. That just wrong." Tsubaki-chan bring a very irrelevant topic to this already irrelevant topic.

"I thought that would be the first thing you had in mind!" I'm actually surprised too, Arima-kun.

"…" Kashiwagi-san just stand there, with her mouth open.

"Well there is a lot of things in my mind like my health, stuff that I miss, something that I want to eat, and the final exams. I hardly have the time for it, so…"

As I continue to explain, the teacher that I want to meet come to us.

"Miyazono-kun, just as I said earlier, you still not decided what you want to be in the future."

"Yes Sensei. I decided, I want to be a professional violinist!"

A professional violinist.

I said it clearly, to be a pro, not to enter some high school. I once have doubts in mind for whatever I want to do in the future. But the most thing I good at and enjoys are music.

I glance at him and smile smugly, knowing that I once again walk in front of him.

For the first time ever, I, Miyazono Kaori took a step forward from the others.

Arima-kun look at me in awe.

"Hmmph, that what I want to hear. A decisive answers!"

"And for that! I will apply to Otsuka School of Music! The best music academy in Kanto!"

"Huh?" Arima-kun look surprised.

"You want to enter Otsuka too!?"

And soon, I surprised too.

"Bye guys!"

"See you two soon!"

We part from the gang as we want to talk about our plan. Since we want to enter the same school. I'm surprised at first, but it only natural that he want to enter. Because it's the best music school out there.

"So… You seriously wanted to enter Otsuka?" Arima-kun start the conversation.

"Of course, why wouldn't? You dislike the idea?"

"More like shocked… I actually feel happy about it."

D-did he always this honest?

"A-anyway is that okay to leave Tsubaki-chan behind? Considering... your relationship with her?"

"Tsubaki? That exactly why I trust her going home alone."

Their relationship are already in such mutual understanding. That's good… of course.

"She is always stronger than me. Sometimes people mistake her as a boy, compared to her I am a total crybaby back then…"

Their bond that forged since childhood. Such strong bond can't be severed by any means. Not from someone that just recently be a part of his life.

"But now, I started to doubt it. She is more considerate than what I thought her to be."

Somehow he smile as he said that. What did he feels? Relieve? Love?

The more I heard him, the more I understand how important she is to him. The more I understood that, the more I know that I doesn't have a place to stand beside him.

I already made up my mind for it and I don't want to broke that. Whatever how I personally feels about it, I should fix what I make it wrong in the first place.

"I see… Back to Otsuka topic! I heard that Otsuka is very strict and not too shy to expel students during some kind of hellish training camp, like those cooking schools. That sounds scary."

"I don't think Otsuka took such extreme. Competitive might be, but certainly those cooking schools you talking about are only exist in fiction."

"Right? Internet is a very dumb place sometimes!"

For your information, I actually know that Otsuka is not hell on Earth like the net described.

I repeat, I KNOW about it.

I just wanted to ice break the situation, okay!?

"But more importantly, we have debt that we not yet fulfill…"

"Debt?"

"You know, our promise to play together. Do you want to do it again? Performing together on stage?"

When he said that, I remember all the fun and efforts I put into. Even it's actually only brief moment I set foot on stages, the impression still stick like a glue in my mind.

The dazzling stages.

The tense and excitement when set foot in front of many audiences.

Such nostalgic feeling.

"Pfft- Ahahahaha! Hahaha of course it is!"

"What so funny about it? I being serious you know?"

"No- it just that, I find this ironic! Or I should call it fate? Don't you think the situation become reversed?"

"That's right… At that time, you're the one who drag me to stage again."

"You already grown from the wimp camera voyeur I met at the park!"

That's right, there is no way to regret our meeting. Without that I might not survive for this moment, I might already gave up everything. All this year we encourage each other, I thought I'm the one that guided him, but I actually depends on him too.

"Hmph- bring it on! So when do we start?"

"Well for the starter, I'm not gonna be your accompanist. Don't slow me down!"

"You too! You better be prepared or you can't keep up with me!"

"I know someone that able to teach us, but more importantly you should got permission from your parents to enter Otsuka."

"I will convince them somehow!"

Especially my dad would be the easiest to convince! He is my best bud!

"That's good too hear."

"Well then, see you soon! On our high school stage!"

Ma Fille, Miyazono residence

"NO! I SHOULDN'T ALLOW YOU TO LIVE ALONE!"

Reality ensue.

"Dear aren't you being too hard on her?"

"Of course I am! How I would allow my only daughter to live alone? And your body is frail, what if something happen to you?"

She thought it would be easy to convince them. However, as much as easy going her dad is, he is still a father of a sole daughter.

She never saw this side of her father before. The fury and scary expression he had are enough to crumble her will.

"I would take my medicine routinely, don't wor-"

"That's not gonna be enough!"

"But dad-"

"Back to your room, at once!"

"-! B-but…"

"BACK! TO YOUR ROOM!"

"…"

As she ran away to her room, her parents start talk about their concerns.

"Dear…"

"I can't help it, she is my only daughter. A month ago I nearly lose her, I can't go through that again."

"I know, I feel the same. But you know someday she will live alone, without us. She might got a job, have a family and we can't be around her forever."

"But her body is frail, what if something happen?"

"That exactly it, if we let her too dependent on us… Once we die, how does she will manage herself? We can't dot her forever."

"…"

"I want her to live like the other kids. Chasing their own dream, experience the world. Aren't this is what we try to save in the first place?"

"…"

I never thought he will against it that strongly.

My dad is always doting me and grant my wish, I thought he gonna be the one that support me.

Its not that easy huh?

But if I think about it what did I just say was outrageous. A girl like me, that can collapse anywhere without warning, live alone in the city? What madness is this?

As I can't hold my emotion anymore, tears start to run from my eyes.

What a joke.

But even so, that's it? My dream just gonna be crushed like this? In the end, I'm never conquering my weakness at all. Once again, my frail body become the biggest obstacles in my path.

Tsubaki-chan gonna leave this town to pursue her dream.

Kashiwagi-san will go to Tokyo and enter a prestigious high school.

And so Watari-kun will enter a sport school to refine his talent.

Arima-kun will enter Otsuka without me.

And I will be here alone.

I-I don't want to be leave alone! I want to do something meaningful too! Not like this, not bounded to this place!

I…

"Kaori! Come down, dad want to say something!"

It seems my dad has calmed down a little bit. But even so I'm still scared to face him.

I quickly wiped the tears from my face. I don't want to look weak in front of people.

"Okay…"

As I answer him, I walk slowly to the living room, still scared to face him. I can't help to imagine his fury, yelling loudly with a grim look.

However, what I see was different from the expected. My dad look very calm and collected.

"Sit down." He said calmly.

I quickly sit at the nearest sofa, still tensed and tilting my head down.

He take a deep breath.

"Are you really serious about this?" he ask gently.

"Y-yes." I carefully pick my word to make sure I didn't offend him in any way.

"This is not because your friends push you or anything right?"

"Well… I really want to be a professional musician. They indeed ask me what I wanted to be, but this decision is entirely my choice." I don't want to fool him, so I answer honestly as I can.

"Will you promise me a few things?"

When he said that, I know what I will hear. The very thing that I wanted to hear. I know he will give me his permissions.

My heart start racing really fast. I anticipate what he want to say in excitement.

"First, you shouldn't ever miss your daily medicines. Drink them routinely, on schedule, without any exception. Every month you should check your conditions here, in the usual hospital."

"I will drink them routinely!" I answer him like a soldier answer to his boss.

"Second, you must be serious about it. Study hard and don't let the city lifestyle derail your education."

"C-certainly!"

"Last, I want someone watch over you. Just in case there is something happen to you, I want this person be there to help you. Someone that I can trust."

"…"

"Did the last one is too hard for you? But, daddy will not change his condition."

"Actually… Arima-kun i-is planning to enter Otsuka too."

I doomed. Just when my dad gave me permission, the only fulfillment to his last condition is a boy. A boy to watch over their daughter. He totally will be outrageous about it.

Totally.

"Well that actually better than I expected."

Of course it is.

Wait what?

"What?"

"I mean Arima-kun is a good kid. He is very care about you too. I remember when he come to hospital to check your condition, man he is so cool back then! Remind me of my younger self!" He start to act like his usual goofy self.

"B-but dad he is a boy! A girl and a boy together is kinda-!"

"Nah he is not gonna do any of it! He is a total wimp for that kind of thing, I can see that the way he react when I tease him!"

"Wha-!"

"I more concerned that you will be the one that push that kind of thing, to be honest!"

"Is that something a dad would say to his daughter!?"

"Well anyway if he is there, then it's good. I will call your teacher for his parent's contact."

For real?

I can enter Otsuka? He give me permission for it?

"Now then, go finish what you started. Study hard and pass the entrance exam, dad will handle the rest."

"Thank you so much dad! I love you so much."

I can see it on the end of the road. There is a light that illuminates the path.

High school. Otsuka.

Arima-kun.

Here I come!

Saturday, 10 March.

Hiroko Seto's residence.

DUM DA DA DUM!

"Good work like always."

"…"

"Thanks, Hiroko-san."

It's already a routine for Arima Kousei too train his piano skill under Hiroko Seto's guidance. Their relationship already to the point where Hiroko consider him as her own son. Meanwhile Aiza Nagi just lazing around in the sofa, playing with little Kohaku.

"…"

"What's wrong Nagi?"

"I still doesn't understand why Arima-sensei screwed up that day."

"That's…" Kousei visibly troubled to answer Nagi's remark.

Nagi attitude since Kousei's last performance only gotten worse. She seems very discouraged and doesn't want to do anything. Hiroko start wondering why she still coming.

"Well, he actually not screwed. He did that by himself."

"That actually the part where I didn't understand."

"Its teenagers kind of thing, Nagi. I didn't expect you to understand."

"I'm a teenager too, you know."

"Then you're not yet going through the full teenager experience."

*DING DONG*

The sound of door bells ring across the room.

Unlike the other time, it seems this house got extra company. The extra is a girl named Miyazono Kaori, which Kousei invite her to practice. Unlike many musicians here, Kaori isn't a pianist, rather- a violinist. In the past, she practiced piano but quickly drop it in favor for violin.

While Hiroko is mostly a pianist, but she is professional enough to able to judge and analyze other instruments as well. Such skill requires talent and experience to notice errors in instrument simply by observation.

"I think that was her, I'll check."

Kousei quickly go to the front door and come back with Kaori.

"Hiroko-san, you already met her few times. But she never properly Introduce herself."

"Good morning, my name is Miyazono Kaori a violinist. Thanks for your kindness."

"Nice to meet you, Kaori. Well then let's get to the business."

"…" Nagi stare at Kaori like a cat looking to her rival.

"I want to hear you guys playing together."

As Hiroko said that, the young musicians start preparing their respective instruments.

Kaori put a hairpin to make sure her hair not distract her eyes while performing. After that, she relaxed her shoulder and put her violin in horizontal manner. This stance called the Shoulder Rest. Meanwhile Arima already adjusted his usual position.

As Kaori glance Kousei, he give a nod as a signal that he ready.

DUM DA DA!

TWEET!

Sounds burst, the two instruments create their distinctive sounds harmoniously, yet competitively race against each other to create the most unique sounds ever created.

The astonishing duo has returned.

And the music world might not be ready.

Chapter 4 – Harmonious Rainbow -END-

Long time no see! Feelism here.

This chapter is rather straight forward in content if you ask me. I really enjoy writing this one.

This kinda awkward. I really like writing this chapter and yet, it is the most chapter that I don't know what to ramble. I could ruin it with my usual excuses and complains but… I just didn't want to.

Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.