Chapter 18: Rather Unpleasant

"You give me too much credit, Miyazono-san..", remarked Kousei with an awkward expression on his face. Kaori's dad just chuckled at him. 

They continued to listen to the music. It was getting louder. Kousei didn't even have a clue if the song was climaxing already. He was so engrossed with Kaori's music that he had forgotten to sit down again. 

"Anyway, Miyazono-san, I don't recognize the piece she's playing.. Did she compose it?..", Kousei finally asked.

"A composition? Really? She's been playing that song ever since she had her first 'bad day'..", Yoshiyuki replied. He did not know as well. 

'I guess even Kaori did not tell everything to her parents..', pondered Kousei.

"Don't get me wrong, sir.. it's incredible.. the way she plays.. but the song gives me an impression of someone nagging me to death..", Kousei stated, almost whispering, which made Kaori's dad laugh.

"She may have forgotten a few things, but she still never fails to reach people's hearts with her feelings.."

After a few moments of listening, Yoshiki excused himself to go back to the kitchen. Kousei did not sit again. Instead, he went straight to the piano and approached Kaori. No one even bothered to look at him. Their attention was on her.

It was like walking on a monochromatic illustration of a pianist enthralling her audience. But Kaori was the only one with color. Her long blonde hair swayed as she repeatedly switched towards the far ends of the keys. Her pink sweater over her blue dress offered so much contradiction towards winter as it screamed so much of spring. 

And then, Kousei shivered at the sight of her tears falling from her eyes as he approached her. It was like the feeling of having some ice melting nearby, marking the end of the season.

Kousei did not even realize it was over. Only the applause of the crowd brought him back to where he was supposed to be.

Kaori stood up and bowed to the customers. Then, she stared at him. Time slowed for a while. It was a familiar sight, her deep grayish eyes meeting his with her rosy white cheeks just under them. It was too good to be true that Kousei wanted to slap himself out of a dream. But it was real.

Kaori gave Kousei the worst possible lasting impression. She had a mad tendency for violence. She always chose the most impulsive decisions that it blows. But the guilt in him started to fade away. The colors began to swirl. His heart danced uncontrollably.

'I'm an idiot. She's beautiful..'

Suddenly, Kaori squinted towards Kousei. He got confused for a moment. Then, she got something out of her pocket. It was her glasses. She couldn't see him properly at first, and he realized that the moment she put it on. 

"Yuujin A! It's you.. sorry! Bad eyes, y'know..", Kaori said right before pointing her finger towards the newcomer and flashing that eyeless big smile of hers.

"You know.. you're pretty good at hiding what you really feel with that smile..", teased Kousei as he walked towards the piano bench to sit. She gave him a blank expression. "But you can't fool me. I'm pretty sure you're about to say something that you've rehearsed..", he added as he recalled something pretty similar from three years into the past.

"Whatever I'm feeling today is my business. Okay, Yuujin A?..", Kaori said while smiling sarcastically. 

'Yes, I guess she's still capable of that..', thought Kousei while a droplet of cold sweat broke out of his head. 

"Try to force the issue.. I'll kill you..", added Kaori coldly with that same smirk. 

'I think I can almost imagine a man sized evil cat appearing behind her, looking like it was preparing to eat me..'

A feeling of dread started to creep up Kousei's spine. That was the worst approach to the current problem. He went head on. He should've thought about a plan. He might've forced something in there, which was not good for her. He couldn't help it. He was too distracted. He was too mesmerized by her.

"What was the title of the song you were playing? I've never heard of it..", Kousei said to revert the topic. 'That's much better.. talk about the song and tackle the issue indirectly.'

"Again..", Kaori replied, which blasted Kousei back into the past once more. At that moment, time stopped for him like how he stopped in the middle of their performance three years ago. He remembered how he was starting to mess her performance up, so he just stopped. A few moments later, she stopped as well. And she said, "Again.. the title of the piece is 'Again'. You alright? You suddenly spaced out..", she continued, bringing Kousei back to the present.

"I was?"

"Yeah..", replied Kaori as she curiously looked at him. Out of nowhere, she let out another angry fit. "You were fantasizing about me again, didn't you?!..", she squealed while she hugged herself like she was naked. 

'She's definitely having a bad day..'

"I did not!..", Kousei shot back.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"See! You're doing it now.. thinking perverted things about me.."

"Only because you said it!!"

"Don't get any ideas!"

"Too late!"

'This is bringing back more memories, actually. Peaceful times..', pondered Kousei, calming himself down. "Anyway.. you made that song?..", he asked her, changing the topic before it got a bit too mature for their liking.

"Yup! How was it? Honest opinions are very welcome here..", beamed Kaori.

'I highly doubt that..', thought Kousei before he answered. "You were amazing.."

"But?..", Kaori asked like she was able to read his mind.

"The music sounded very angry.. repetitively nagging.. as if there was a need for your point to be taken, but the listener couldn't get it at all."

"One thousand points!!"

"Eh?"

"Frustrating isn't it? That's why it's called 'Again'. It's on repeat. It gets stronger and angrier. I keep reminding myself of a memory.. but I just couldn't remember."

"So the piece is directed towards yourself?"

"Yes..", it came out as almost a whisper. There was never a time Kousei saw her look down like that before. It just didn't add up. Even if she had stopped playing minutes ago, she could still reach him with that overwhelming frustration. This was a new side of her. "My past memories are like a dream, y'know. The moment you wake up, it's still very vivid.. but as time goes by, you slowly forget about it. With each waking moment, a fragment of that dream drifts away indefinitely.."

Kousei sighed as he looked at her. It was getting way too gloomy. That was what her dad meant by "she's having a bad day". It seemed like they switched roles in this alternate lifetime. However, he did not know how long he could keep this "happy go lucky person" image going. 'And come to think of it.. her "bad day" could still qualify as my "happy day" with my ultra depressing personality..'

"The piece is called, 'Again'.. it means hoping that dream happens again so I can remember..", she continued.

"You know, you could be so poetic sometimes", Kousei said teasingly with a weak smirk.

"Eh?! What was that? Sometimes!? I'm pouring my heart out here!!..", Kaori shot back while she continuously kicked Kousei. 

'I can't help, but feel that she confidently yells and hits me because we're inside her home..'

"Kaori dear, that's no way to treat our guest", a woman's voice came from the kitchen window. It was Kaori's mother.

"Yes, okaa-san. We were just practicing my karate for P.E. class.. no worries!..", Kaori lied to her mother.

"You're still up to hangout, right?..", asked Kousei while slightly feeling a flush on his cheeks.

"Aren't we hanging out now?..", Kaori replied plainly. 

Kousei didn't know what to answer. 'That was a pretty good point. Where else would we want to hangout? I really didn't have a clear cut plan..' 

But suddenly, Kaori grabbed Kousei's hand and pulled him up. All the blood in his body went wild. He actually almost stumbled forward. She was much stronger than before. 'I guess she really is a lot healthier now..' 

"I was just messing with you. It's so funny how you can't take a joke. Let's go take a walk..", she added and giggled afterwards.

'So this is supposed to be her bad day, huh?..', thought Kousei as he got dragged helplessly. 'She really hasn't changed much. Okay.. maybe just a little.'

Walking with Kaori wasn't something to be treated in its most literal sense. She was distracted. Or rather, she was distracting herself with the cats at the park. She kept trying to feed them with candy, but it seemed like she just scared them away. It actually ended up with her chasing the poor animals around.

The park was a little warmer compared to earlier when Kousei stayed there to review his pieces. It was probably not more than an hour ago, but the sun seemed to shine brighter. The winter winds somehow ceased to blow. More people were strolling around. 'Did the park's atmosphere really change, or is it just her energy that made everything radiant?'

"You're doing it wrong.. here..", Kousei said to Kaori as he crouched down and called the cats with some candy in his hand. A few moments later, one approached and licked the candy. Soon after, the rest followed. "Cats never liked being chased around.. but they like food. You'll just have to wait a bit, and they'll come to you..", he added as her expression lit up in an instant. She proceeded in carrying one of them to pet.

"You can be really smart sometimes, Yuujin A..", she commented.

"And what the hell do you mean by 'sometimes'?..", answered Kousei with a blank face.

"I'm just getting back at 'ya..", she shot back with a smug look.

And without warning, Kaori suddenly bolted. Yes, the cat was still being carried by her. When Kousei looked towards the direction she went, he saw a group of three children waving at her. She showed them the cat and probably taught them how to pet it properly. The poor animal must've been scared out of its wits, but he knew that she would be gentle with it.

Besides, it was an adorable sight. She had always been close to kids. Their mental age must be almost at the same level, and the thought made Kousei smirk. It brought back really good memories.

Kousei almost slipped through the snow in panic when his phone rang. He immediately checked who was calling. It was Taka.

"Moshi moshi..", Kousei answered the call.

"It's a pretty long piece you sent me here.. I'm not sure if I could record and send it to you by today..", Taka said, making Kousei remember he sent a message to him on the way back to the park.

"Please.. it's quite urgent. You don't have to go full orchestra.."

"Still. Even if we go contemporary with drums and strings, it's gonna take a while.."

"Taka.. it's really important..", and then, a long silence followed. Kousei could actually hear Taka breathing in intervals on the other side as if he was contemplating. "The composition is pretty good, right?..", he added awkwardly.

"Who's the chick?..", Taka broke his silence, which rattled his friend enough to make him steam. 

Kousei turned around, so Kaori wouldn't see him if ever he turned red. "It's nothing like that!"

"Sure.."

"What was that?!..", exclaimed Kousei in embarrassment before he paused to get himself in check. "I'll explain when I get back, man.."

"Nah.. wrong answer, Kousei.. make it yourself.."

"C'mon man! I'll do anything..", begged Kousei, starting to regret it already.

"Anything?", Taka asked, bringing a chill down Kousei's spine. There was no turning back.

"Fine.. anything.."

"Give me a couple of hours.. drums and strings only.. you do the piano and vocals..", Taka replied with a little bit of false hesitation. But it was actually a relief for Kousei that he agreed. 

"As for the deal bro, you, the ultimate piano prodigy, Arima Kousei, will be my accompanist in a violin recital..", Taka added, which gave his good friend a feeling of dread.

'I'd prefer accompanying Taka in competitions since there were set pieces..', pondered Kousei with the same reluctance in his expression. 'But he could really go wildly unconventional in recitals.. which reminds me of someone.. only that Taka is a guy, which makes it even worse. What have I got myself into?..

'Well played, Taka. You got me cornered. For some reason.. my closest friends had been outsmarting me lately. Maybe I do deserve to be called stupid..'

"Was that Emi-chan on the phone?..", Kaori asked while they were on their way back to the bakery after a few hours of walking randomly around town. 

Somehow it pained Kousei to hear that question. 'Why do I feel like I'm being cornered again?'

Featured Music:

Again - an instrumental piece from the original soundtrack of the original anime series. It was used as background music in episode 4 where Kaori and Kousei played again after they stopped in the middle of the performance. In this chapter however, the piece is treated as another original composition of Miyazono Kaori.