The Violin Competition

(A/N: Anyway, about the previous chapter, Tsubaki was supposed to know that Kaori would join a violin competition, and she didn't say anything to Kousei, because she knows he was traumatized by piano, I just checked it by anyway, since this is just a wish-fulfillment fanfic, might as well ignore it.)

Both Tsubaki and Ryota finally found me in the first row of the auditorium, they approached me, and Ryota spoke. "We finally found you! Damn, why are you here-"

Ryota stopped his sentence mid-way because the judges glared at him, he was too loud, and the competition was about to start, so he quietly whispered at my ears.

"Kousei! Why are you sitting in the first row of seats, only judges are supposed to be here!"

I understood what he meant, clearly but if they didn't want me to be here, they would already have told me to go to another seat, but they didn't, and I know the reason why, yes what Ryota said was that the first row is only for the judges to sit.

However, most probably all the judges recognized me, that's why they didn't say anything about me sitting here. I also checked my surroundings and many people from the auditorium recognized this face of mine.

In the end, both Tsubaki and Ryota, sat in the second row, since they couldn't, Tsubaki kept glaring at me, but I was patient enough to ignore it, I'm not talking to her until, she say so, then suddenly a judge that sat right next me said.

"Boy, if I'm not wrong you're Arima Kousei right?"

"Yes, I am sir." I nodded, though I was older than this man in my previous life, in this life there is no doubt I'm younger, so I have to treat them with respect.

"Heavens! It's really you! Guys, it's Arima-kun!"

"Gosh, is it really him?"

"Here, I thought it was just a look alike."

"He's now grown up!"

Then an auntie judge asked me a question. "Arima-kun, may I know why you left playing the piano? You suddenly disappeared without a word two years ago!"

Everyone was curious about why I quit playing piano, and then, I simply answered them with the truth. "After my mother died, I lost my ability to hear the piano notes. It might sound absurd but it's the truth, I couldn't hear my own notes if I played the piano….my mother was there every time I went to a piano competition, and now she wasn't there beside me, made me lost my ability to hear notes, it's a trauma, so there you have it."

Hearing my story, they couldn't help but sympathize with me, they pity me for what happened, and now they know the story of why I suddenly stop playing piano, then the judge who was separated from the other judges, said.

"So, have you ever thought of going back to playing the piano?"

That question, I was waiting for it, I was expecting it, regarding my answer it was too obvious, I have already overcome my trauma a long time ago, and besides, now that Kaori is alive, I have no reason to not play it again.

"I have, I might join a competition soon."

Every judge was surprised by my answer, however, now that they know that I'm coming back to the music world, they were excited that I, who was once a prodigy, is going to play again.

At the back, Tsubaki was surprised by my answer. She found this strange. Just a few days ago, Kousei was still traumatized by piano, but right now, he claimed that he overcame it and will join a competition soon.

'What is he thinking right now? He is becoming more and more unfamiliar since yesterday….' She thought, but she could never guess that Kousei right now, is not the Kousei she knew of.

The judges and Kousei continued to talk until the competition started, now all of them are focusing on the competition.

Like I remembered the music choice is the same, Beethoven violin sonata no. 9 the kreutzer, I hate to say this, even though I am a musician myself, hearing the same music piece repeatedly is boring, but I have to listen.

Then the participant no 1 started his performance. His performance doesn't have many mistakes, but it's still boring. The second participant, she only had a single flaw, which is admirable, she would surely pass this round.

The 3rd participant, let's say he had few, no let's be honest he sucked, for someone like him he needs to practice more, and now for the finale, this was the participant I've been waiting for, the only person I have idolized, and my first crush. Miyazono Kaori, it's finally her turn, I can't wait to see her play again.

Tsubaki behind me was waking up Ryota who fell asleep at the first few seconds when the contest started. That's kind of rude of him, his actions are saying to the participants that 'they are boring'.

Even though I wasn't that rude, anyway aside from that, my eyes and ear were now focused on Kaori's figure. Before she started, she signaled her pianist to start, then after her pianist, she started to play the song as well.

At first, her music notes rhythms were the same as the original kreutzer, then all of sudden the tone instantly changed! Everyone was surprised by this, and of course excluding me, since I was expecting this to happen.

The rhythm changed genre, it's like a realism novel that suddenly became a fantasy one, while the piece was still the kreutzer, it was no longer Beethoven, and this piece is Kaori's.

Everyone was vibing at her original style of kreutzer, and after she ended her performance, the entire auditorium was in silence but a moment later, almost everyone stood up and started clapping.

They were all cheering at her, calling her name, the audience enjoyed her performance very much since they reacted like this.

But not everyone enjoyed her performance, and the head judge is an example of that, he was raging that what she did was blasphemy, which is the truth, but it doesn't matter what he thinks, since everyone except him enjoyed Kaori's performance.

After her performance, she started looking for a certain someone, and that person was Kousei, she couldn't see him in the upper row of the auditorium, so she started looking below, and there she saw Tsubaki and Ryota cheering for her.

It made her quite happy, however, what made her happier was the fact that her idol was clapping at her performance, it was simply precious to her.

---

Outside the auditorium,

Tsubaki, Ryota, and I are waiting for Kaori to arrive, before she arrives I decided to buy a cola drink, while I did, Tsubaki approached me and said.

"Hey...Kousei, why are you ignoring me?"

I looked at her and replied. "Mhm? I didn't ignore you, I simply didn't talk to you."

"Why?!"

"Because you told me so?"

"H-huh, but that was just…"

"A joke? I didn't know you were."

"...." Tsubaki didn't know what to say, she didn't think that I would take it seriously.

"So now you're allowing me to talk to you right?"

"...Right." Tsubaki just heard something unbelievable, she wondered if he's even the Kousei she knew.

"Alright, then I can talk to you again." I smiled at her, who was looking at me with a complicated expression. Honestly, I wasn't surprised by this reaction, she probably finds it strange.

After that, Kaori arrived and we greeted her, then I approached her and gave her the cold drink that I just bought. "Your performance was amazing, you can have this."

Kaori didn't expect me to give her something, she felt like crying at this moment, but she couldn't allow herself to, however little did she know that Kousei noticed this but didn't say anything.

"T-thank you for this, just right on time I was thirsty!" She acted like it wasn't a big deal.

"Then, I'm glad I bought it." I smiled at her gently.

Seeing this obvious action of Kousei, Ryota understood that I'm interested in Kaori, he wasn't dense, he thought. 'I have never seen my friend interested in a girl, I guess I have to give up.'

He decided to help his friend instead.

(End-)

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