Your Lie in April (fanfic)

Episode 12: Found you

~Kousei's POV~

damn. i've been playing hide and seek with those guys for like 5 hours! aren't they tired?

hide and seek. 3 seekers, i'm hiding. how immature but yeah. its not like i'm playing with them, i just don't want to go.

i never wanted to go in the first place cause i'll see her grave. i accepted that she's up in the clouds or something but it still hurts knowing she's gone and that Shiori keeps reminding me of her.

then i realized, what will be her reaction when she gets to see the grave? i have to see it.

saturday. Kaori's birthday.

i woke up sweating. can i do this?

Towa Hall. there she is. she approached me. Watari and Tsubaki is now beside me. then we headed down the road towards Kaori.

Shiori didn't answer my question. why did she cry last night? and her actions... all evil like just to make me practice for today's competition.. who is she really?

she told me if i'm jealous about the two. i said no. hell, i'm more jealous when i see you back with Watari.

she asked me if i visit Kaori every time it's her birthday. i said no. then i feel the air suddenly tensed. w-what now?

then the thought hit me. i'm not ready for this. as we drew near the location we're headed to. i ran. away from that place. away from her.

i can't. i just can't. i know i've shown a tough face and that i can be okay without her. but it's just so hard.

a life that i'm living knowing that she's not around anymore makes my eyes see the colors of monotone again.

here i am inside Towa Hall. it's almost 6 in the evening and almost time for me to perform.

i went home not texting them. i didn't let out too much noise cause Tsubaki might hear me since she's my neighbor.

"KOUSEI, WHERE WERE YOU!?" Hiroko-san yelled at me.

"you said you were going out with your friends for a moment then you went missing all of a sudden. i can't even contact you, baka!" then she hit me on my head. i feel like its bleeding lots now. i hope the musical scores i reviewed are still inside my brain.

"b-but, Hi-Hiroko-san.." i stammered. "NO BUTS!" she yelled. i hope Tsubaki doesn't hear this or else she'll know i'm home.

"and its almost time for the contest, my God!" she made a face palm and put her right hand onto her hips and her left hand pointing to my room. "go get changed. HURRY!" she said.

i got into my room then got changed. i'm wearing my blue long sleeved polo and black pants. i'm wearing a white tie and  a black coat as well. jeez, Hiroko-san sure has a mouth like a fire breathing dragon.

we went to Towa Hall and entered the backstage. i'm the last contestant, contestant number 6.

the first three contestants were called and the 4th one to be called was Aiza-san.

he played the song i picked. Nocturne. the winner of the contest last time will get to choose a song that he/she would see fit to his/her tastes. well, i picked out this song just because i memorized it a million times and of course, it's to my advantage as well.

and just like any musician.. no. he's not to be compared to any other musician by the way he plays. the way he expresses his passion for music is beyond compare to any other musicians i've known.

when he got back with us, he was pale and full of sweat on his face. but his smile reassured us that he achieved his goal for today.

next was Igawa Emi. second to the last contestant. still wearing that red gown that makes her look wonderful. (not that i'm falling for her, no.)

and as she touched the keys, it's as if the song comes to life. the melody coming from her playing makes the audience get their eyes stuck on her performance until the very end. then loud cheers and claps was all that i heard.

when she came back, her face was sticky and full of sweat but she was smiling and taking deep breaths.

"you're turn Arima." Aiza-san and Igawa-san walked passed me as they said those words. i'm not afraid, i'm just nervous. about the people and the crowd.

so.. the last one.... *gulp. me.

when i went on the stage, i felt my knees and hands trembling, my face and fingertips getting cold. i'm not new to this, but the way i'm acting seems like it.

i bowed to the judges and audience. i sat on the stool and adjusted it a little bit, then i played what i've practiced. i played to my heart's content.

after i practiced at school yesterday, (when Shiori left, i went home but made sure Shiori have gone home first. i think she'll kill me if she found out i stopped playing.) i practiced at home with Hiroko-san.

Hiroko-san stands like my mother. she has a bad mouth and always has her pack of cigars with her.

then i remembered Kaori.. what if she really is alive? uh.. no. she's not. and if she is, she'll be there on the audience on the last row just like when you saw mom. the voice in my head said.

Shiori... she has somewhat Kaori's personalities. i don't know why but i think they're the same. okay, i've gone out of my mind.

no, Kaori's long gone. her parents, the letter and the gravestone engraved there is her name.. those are proofs that she's gone. then why do i feel to still have my hopes up that she's still alive? or am i just missing her so bad?

i poured my thoughts, feelings and emotions through my performance. and when it ended, even before i got up, loud roars of cheers echoed through out the auditorium. and when i got up and turned to bow to them, they were standing in ovation.

i didn't see my friends.. but there she was.

Shiori.

then i see her mouth the words, "Found you."