The Afterlife Sonata (Your Lie in April fanfic)

11-A Warm Embrace

"Ah... Kousei... I'd really love to see you again!"

A cheery, enlightened voice filled Kousei's ears.

"Ah... if this isn't Kaori!"

"Yeah! Kousei, stand up!"

Kousei stood up, and he noticed a gradual height difference. Kaori was just five feet two inches, he was already five and a four.

"I haven't gained any sort of physical increase, huh... But heaven removed all of my pain!"

"Why am I here...?" Kousei quesrioned himself.

"Don't sink into sadness. There's another world out of the box. Please... I wanted to hear that 24-color palette playing again, when we were younger, Kousei..."

Kaori said, gently touching Kousei's face.

"Have you read my letter before I left the doorstep? I guess you did. Kousei, always remember, I love you."

"I..."

"Trust me."

"I lo..."

Kaori tried to touch her lips into his, but closing his eyes, and blinking again, Kaori was missing.

...

"Kousei, wake up!" Mr. Seto tried to awaken the tight-sleeper Kousei.

"Ah..."

"Wake up! It's time for your last day at school. Remember? It's your recital, so get dressed!"

"...for success..." Kousei simply replied, ambling about into the bathroom and then into the wardrobe.

---------

"Tsubaki... are you sure? That piece you have chosen seems to be very hard!"

Tomoki Satoshi commented while Tsubaki came out of the dressing room with her ankle-length blue off-shoulder long sleeved dress.

"I'm okay, Satoshi... Just pray that it will be a success!"

Tsubaki said, and being called, she began to play.

---------

"Next is Arima Kousei, representing the Piano/Composition Department!"

Kousei walked on stage, trying to keep the nervousness he is feeling, and tapped the keys of Liszt's Sonata in B Major. With the enthralled audience and loud applause, he did not notice it, and he just saw Viola backstage.

"I've waited for you here... Arima."

"Oh! Arima! You're here! I and Viola really enjoyed your performance!"

Kousei Arima was surprised to see Igawa Emi with Viola.

"Are you... two related?"

"Yeah! It's just that I'm a local one, and Viola's here. What a coincidence, Arima..." Emi added, tapping his shoulder.

"You've grown a lot, Emi..." Kousei shyly remarked, looking at the five-feet five-inch pianist.

"I'm ashamed of it, though... I think I can't be... smaller than my idol."

"Who?"

"Shh..." Emi replied, and the two left him.

"See you again, Arima Kousei!" Viola waved.

Kousei let out a little smile. There was also Takeshi, who called him through phone.

...

"Hello? Hey, I just watched a live telecast of your recital, and it was dazzling!"

Kousei smiled.

"You know, my hero, I really wanted to be like you! I wish we could be classmates someday, or I'd be your disciple!"

"Ah, thank you..." Kousei couldn't help but smile. "Hope to see you again, Takeshi..."

...

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"I failed it... and Why?" Tsubaki ranted quietly, "Is there anything wrong about me?"

"Told you, Tsuna-chan!" Satoshi replied.

"Ahhh!" Tsubaki snapped, kicking Satoshi's shin.

"That nailed it!"

Thus thw two walked out of the hall. They went to the playground where Nao always hanged out with her friends.

"Hey, this place is familiar, Tsubaki..." Satoshi remarked.

"Why? I thought you hated walking!" Tsubaki replied while trying to take off Satoshi's mask.

"Hey! No way!" Satoshi let out a sporty voice.

"Ahh! Watch out!" Tsubaki replied, following an accident. Satoshi hit himself on a tree, and his glasses fel out of place.

"Satoshi?!"

There was no answer.

"Hey, Tsubaki, what happened?"

"Satoshi... oh no! He must not be joking like that!"

"Ugh, give him a CPR or a whatever." Nao replied, removing the mask. Yet Nao saw something unexpected; a handsome, frail expression of pain inscribed in his lips.

"WATARI?!" The two freaked out, "Is this serious?!"

But Satoshi gave no answer.

"Let's bring him home, Tsubaki! You did this!"

"Ugh... ewww..."

---------

Hours later, Watari found himself in some music room. He heard someone playing Paganini's 24 Caprices, and then when it was finished, the violinist spoke.

"Hey, I thought you have forgotten me..."

"What a cute voice..." Watari replied, blinking his eyes.

"Do you see me? Am I one of those cute girls you saw before?"

"You're beautiful, not just cute. Yet... you are..."

"Kaori." The girl placed her fingers in his lips. "Miyazono Kaori."

Watari blushed. "Eh... why do you want to see me?"

"See? I had just told Kousei. You'll forget me, which makes me sad. Remember, I'm not just a dream, I'm a living memory."

Then Tsubaki came running in.

"Miss Sawabe!"

"Kao-chan!" Tsubaki said, embracing Kaori.

"How's your performance?"

"I didn't do well... and I found oit that Watari's having a different personality apart from that."

"I see. I think Watari's music lives in seclusion."

"Locked beneath the door handles, Kaori."

"Should you be playing Handel because of that seclusion, but why are you playing Liszt?"

"I don't know, Kaori..." Watari replied, "My family is a family of jock stars. I had to be one, or else I'll live in isolation. That's why I got this place. But you know..."

"What?"

"I sometimes felt being envious to Kousei. Sometimes I don't."

"Really? Why?"

"His song still had its own freedom despite troubles. I, living in comfort, never felt that feeling I had always dreamt of."

"Oh, that really hurt. But why did you not tell them?"

"Because... Mama and Papa would know."

"I'd better go away!" Tsubaki replied, and Watari followed.

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[Special dedication to Mr. Georg Handel as well... if not for his childhood then Ryota Watari's other personality wasn't at its existence XD]