Secrets Of Spring | Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso ;; Watari Ryota |

054

Kaori

"Are you ready to go Ms. Miyazono?" The nurse enters my room and asks.

"Oh, yeah." She helps me get out of bed and wheels me to the physical therapy room. Two nurses support me getting out of the wheelchair and over to the bar to help me walk.

I fall two times and lose my balance six times. "Would you like to take a break Kaori?" The doctor questions me.

"No, I'm fine. I want to walk through this whole thing without falling!"

A sudden thud can be heard from the other side of the room. I turn and see Maika on the ground, tearing up, sweating, struggling to get back up.

"Ms. Akiyama, you have to pace yourself,"

"W-what happened to my legs?! Why won't they move like I want them to?!!" Maika yells.

"We're... Not certain yet." The doctor replies.

"I can be fixed right?"

"With proper treatment and care. Once you rest your body long enough, you might be able to fully walk again."

"I've been sleeping for six months, how much longer does it take?"

"It is not yet clear."

Maika sighs and grabs the bar, pulling with all her strength to get back up and she tells the nurses that she wants to get up by herself.

• • •

When I get through the whole bar on my own without falling, I hear Maika fall.

For the fifteenth time.

"Congratulations Kaori! You got through the whole course!" The nurse cheers. I smile and sit back in my wheelchair. "Are you tired? Would you like to go back to your room now?"

"No I'm fine, I just need to rest for a bit." I roll myself over to Maika, where she sits in her wheelchair, sobbing.

I hold her hand and he looks up to me. "Don't worry Maika. It just takes time."

"How do you know my name?" She asks. "Wait... You're the girl from yesterday. Are you Kaori? The girl that has been visiting me and leaving me letters?"

I nod.

"Thank you for caring for a stranger. I just don't know what to do..."

"Just be patient. It'll get better I promise."

• • •

This time, Maika comes to my hospital room and she sits in between the window and my bed in her wheelchair. "So you met my mom while I was in a coma?"

I nod.

"So you know that I'm a dancer." I nod again. She sighs. "For me, using my legs is the main purpose for a dancer. If I can't, then I lose it all." Maika then looks to me with her sage green eyes. "I just feel... Lost."

"Maybe a miracle will come, maybe not, but I'll pray for you to get better. So don't pressure yourself, okay?"

• • •

Over a month and a half later, Maika is discharged from the hospital. She's not perfect, but she's better than she used to be and she can walk on her own.

The doctor restricts Maika from dancing so her muscles can continue recovering from the car crash. She's devastated, but she listens so that she'll get better.

"You should do piano lessons with me!" I suggest after she gets discharged.

"Hm? The piano?"

"Yeah, I figured that you should pick up a new talent since.. ya know..."

She sighs and ponders to herself for a moment. "I'll do it."

• • •

Maika

Four months later, I continue piano lessons at Kaori's piano school. Since I can't dance anymore, Kaori convinced me to start playing an instrument. In these four months, I've only made one other friend - Kioshi - since the other kids, especially a girl named Emi, think I'm trying to be better than them. I'm not, I just try my best when it comes to a new subject.

"Okay class, today we will be going to a piano competition. This will be the first competition for most of you so this will be a good experience for you." Our piano instructor explains.

On our way to the competition hall called Towa Hall, Kaori, Kioshi and I look through the program to see who's competing, even though Kioshi and I don't know any of the other kids.

We walk into the auditorium and we sit in our designated seats. The house lights begin to dim and everyone settles into their seats. Throughout the duration of the show, the performances are good, better than my playing but they don't intrigue me so sometimes I daze off.

Until one boy marches onto the stage, like a robot soldier toy.

I look at the program to see what his name is. Arima Kousei.

Once he starts playing, I can see orbs of bright light coming from the piano and vivid colors filling the house. I'm on the edge of my seat when he stops playing and the crowd applauds, except Emi begins to cry.

I ignore her bawling and can only think, 'His playing was beautiful...'

♪ ♪ ♪

Hey guys! I'm driving back home from my Chicago music field trip! I wish it didn't end because it was really short but it was really fun!

I sped through this chapter because when I was writing it on the bus to Chicago yesterday, all of my work deleted and I was so upset TT but it's fine now.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please vote!

Rachel✍