The Musician

may the stars shine above your head

I sat on the roof top of one of the school buildings as I was eating my egg sandwich. I looked out at the field below me, and watched the softball team practice. I was reading a book when the ball came flying at me, and hit me in the face, knocking me out. I fell to the ground as everything was swathed in darkness. 

Yo, is she okay?

I'm calling Katuika-kun.

She's his sister, right?

Yeah...

Everything faded back into darkness, along with the sounds of words.

Yuri! Oh my god!

Is she okay?

I swear to god, I will MURDER whoever did this!

Eeek!

Nevermind that, we need to get her to the nurse's wing. Stat.

AUUUGH, WHO DID THIS TO MY SISTER?!

Oh no...

I opened my eyes, and everything around me was blurry. Or it was just the fact that I was laying face down on the floor. I sat up, picking up my glasses and putting them back on my face. I saw red dripping onto my book. 

My book of sheet music. 

I was out all over again. 

...

I'm appointing you his substitute, she said, fully confident. I gaped at her, my mouth hanging open in shock. 

Why me?

Because you're right here, so I thought, why the hell not?

We walked into the park and sat down on a bench, a cat sitting under a tree. I got up from my seat and walked over to the cat. I dropped a packet of snacks for it to eat. 

Why don't you play the piano anymore? 

I turned around to look at Muiki.

So you know.

Any musician knows you, Katukia Yuri. You're who we aspire to be like. Perfectly in tack with the score, a human metronome. 

Yay.

But why did you stop?

I hesitated.

I can't hear my own playing.

Muiki looked at me like I was insane.

Well then.

Silence hung over us like a  dark cloud, even though it was still April. Muiki stood up and held her hand out to me. I grabbed it, and she hoisted me upwards, forcing me to rise to my feet. I looked around, and saw the cat sitting at my feet. I picked the cat up, and looked at Muiki. She pointed at me, fully confident. 

I'm appointing you as my accompanist. 

WHAT?! Did you not hear a word I just said?!

So what? 

I can't play the piano! I refuse!

You will play the piano, or i will die forcing you to. 

Okay, okay, jeez. What song are we doing?

Love's Sorrow.

I stiffened, my eyes widening. No. Not that. 

Anything but Love's Sorrow.

...

I awoke to four or five people standing over me, panicked looks on their faces. When I sat up, they looked relieved. 

Nurse, she woke up!

Oh thank god.

I was tackled by Kousei, who held me tightly. Don't you DARE do that ever again. I could swear that he said something like 'I couldn't afford to lose you too under his breath,' or I could've been hallucinating. 

Um. Okay?

The sliding doors opened, and Muiki burst into the room, sheet music in hand. Yuri, just WHAT do you THINK you're DOING? We only have THREE DAYS to practice! I've been waiting for you FOREVER in the M.P.R! 

She got hit in the face with a softball, and she got knocked out. 

Oh. 

... three days later ...

Good luck!

Have fun!

We'll be rooting for you. 

While everyone was wishing us well, Kousei was reading through the contestants. He gasped, and grabbed my arm just before we walked into the building. 

Kousei, I need to go. 

Your entry number is 245, the same number as Motzart's Twinkle Little Star.

I looked at him as if he were insane. Muiki stepped up behind  me. 

May the stars ever shine above our heads. 

*AUTHOR'S NOTE

*M.P.R is the abbreviation that the students in this novel use to say Musical Preparation Room.