His Lie in April - 四月の彼の嘘 (Shigatsu no Kare no Uso) (COMPLETE)

Another Day, Another Chance

It had been four days since Kousei was first hospitalized. He was released from the hospital on the previous day, a Saturday, April 8. Kaori woke up that morning, and the song Shout by Tears for Fears played on her clock radio to wake her up. 

Kaori was like, as she woke up: "Kousei.... I wonder how he is today?" Kaori got dressed, and she didn't have to be in her school uniform, since it was Sunday. Tsubaki and Watari already had plans to be in a soccer and softball game, but not together, of course, so they were unavailable for the time being. 

Kaori got out of her pajamas, and into a pair of jean shorts and her green Saskatchewan Roughriders T-shirt; it had the modern logo with the words SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS above the logo. 

It was a gift from her uncle living in Canada, Seiya Miyazono, who happened to like the team. She liked the shirt as well, looked at herself in the mirror, and thought contently, "Eh, I guess this will do. Today is quite pleasant.... So, why not?" Kaori started walking around, and came across Watari, in his soccer uniform.

"Hi, Watari." Kaori said with a smile on her face. "What ya doing, Kaori?" Watari asked him. "Eh.... Not much. I heard that Kousei got discharged from the hospital yesterday. I'm going to look for him. Obviously, you and Tsubaki must be busy practicing for your games, so I'll let ya go." 

As she said this, a couple of Watari's teammates called him to get back to practice. "Have a good game, now." Watari nodded and smiled at Kaori, as he complied with his teammates who wanted him back. "You have a good day now, Kaori." Kaori walked off. She continued on her merry way.

A few minutes had passed by, and there was Tsubaki, who was on a softball field making last minute preparations for her game with her team. "Kaori... how ya doing?" Kaori smiled at Tsubaki. "Better than I was a few days ago, that's for sure." Tsubaki noticed her shirt. "Nice shirt, where'd ya get that?" 

Kaori explained "My cousin in Canada got it for me." Tsubaki said, "Fantastic. Green is definitely your color, Kaori." Kaori nodded. 

She also realized that she didn't have much time to talk to Tsubaki, as she caught her in the middle of preparations, and a couple of her teammates were calling for her to get back to practice. "Oh, my..... you gotta be practicing. I'll see ya soon!" Tsubaki nodded. "See ya, Kaori." Kaori continued walking, as Tsubaki went back to softball practice.

Then, several minutes passed, and Kousei, wearing his NO LIFE IS ENOUGH shirt and a pair of jeans on this balmy day, looking at his sheet music, listening to his music player, just minding his own business on a park bench. 

It was really the natural thing for him to do, for a guy that was fixated on music. He was also drinking some canned coffee. It was like nothing had happened to him, not a sign that he had been hospitalized days earlier. He was back to his usual self, just being focused on his own world with his music player. Kaori knew it was Kousei, just merely watching life pass by, on this balmy sunny April afternoon. 

"Kousei? Is that you?" Kousei then got out of his own world, and back down to Earth. "Oh, hi, Kaori. How are you doing?" Kaori smiled and said "Just fine. You were in your own world for a bit. How are you lately? What happened?" 

Kousei hesitated briefly. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a brief illness. I just hope it passes by, ya know. Today's another day, and another chance for me." Kaori nodded at him, and said "Good to know, Kousei." Kousei continued with "Yeah, it's nothing, for now.... I hope." Kaori continued with 

"By the way, sorry I caught you at the wrong time earlier when I got you your food. I didn't quite expect that to happen to you! Seeing you shirtless had me all flustered." Kousei put on a smile and said, "It's all good, Kaori. It was an honest mistake, yannow?"

It was right then and there that Kaori's bright green-colored Saskatchewan Roughriders shirt caught Kousei's eye. "Sas... Saskatchewan Roughriders? Who are they?" Kaori smiled, closed her eyes and giggled lightly at him. "Oh, they're a team in the Canadian Football League." 

Something was also on Kaori's mind. "Hey, Kousei. There's this place that serves a Canadian dish around here.... Let's go and talk about things there." Kousei couldn't refuse her offer. "Alright, what are waiting for? Let's go." 

The two ventured out into Tokyo, where they found a place called Murphy Fries. It was atypical casual restaurant, which as its name implied, specialized in French fries. Kousei looked in awe at the place. "So, what is this, anyway?" He asked her. "Kousei, this is a place which specialize in French fries, silly." The two sat down at a table and read the menu.