An Unlucky Day

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CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic/Gruesome/Severe Injury; this is going to be a dark chapter. Reader discretion is advised.
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The next day, Ryouta Watari and Tsubaki Sawabe both spoke at a pep rally for Sumiya Junior High's soccer and softball teams (in fact, they were there to represent all the sports teams at Sumiya Junior High School). 

Watari embarrassed the whole school when he boasted at himself. "Hey, I'm Ryouta Watari! You sure are lucky that you all have born in this era! Because when it's all said and done, you'll see a new star in Ryouta Watari! OOOH YEAAAH!" Having just spoken those last two words almost like the Kool-Aid Man, Kousei just rolled his eyes in embarrassment over Watari's boast.

Later, in the Music Preparation Room, Kousei went over his playing. "Lame, pathetic, not memorable..." He was beating himself up again. "Look at you, Kousei, beating yourself up again! Putting all those negative labels on you!" Kousei drank another can of UCC Coffee. Kaori was puzzled over his recent addiction to that particular beverage. "That drink again. I've noticed you've been drinking that stuff a lot." Kousei asserted "It's what's keeping my mind at ease.... And focused." Kaori just sighed and said "You drink too much too much of that stuff, and your mind will be going at a million kilometers an hour. Also, you'll be having more sleepless nights, and be more jittery. Be careful." As this was going on, Tsubaki was playing in her softball match. It was a pleasant day, but that would soon change.

Kaori asserted to Kousei "Look at you, Kousei. You were hopeful one moment, now you're beating up yourself again! What's with you?" Kousei sighed. "I went over the recording of myself. After hearing that, it made me want to punch myself in the mouth over how I missed some of the notes." Kaori tried to prod him again. "What do you want to be? Do you want to be some guy who beats himself up time and time again, continuing to see things in one way, or to be a free bird pianist who captivates people? Remember this: Music transcends words. By exchanging notes, you get to know one another, to understand one another. As if your souls were connected, and your hearts were overlapping. A miracle that creates harmony. In that moment, music transcends words."

Some time passed, and as that happened, Kousei tried to play to the best of his ability, with Kaori coaching him on. However, it seemed like that all they did during this time was bicker with each other over how Kousei's playing was, and how he still was such a perfectionist, in spite him of being hopeful. For Kousei, such was the fate of him being a perfectionist, and there was just about no escaping that.

By now, it was now 3PM, and Kaori realized she had to be home to check on her parent's business, and headed there immediately. Tsubaki's team was playing very well, and she was feeling good about herself and the team. It was tied 3-3 in the 4th inning. However, some rain began to come down. Tsubaki said to herself "It's raining....." The rain started to cascade downward faster. After about half an hour of waiting for the rain to pass, the umpires decided to halt the softball game, to be restarted another, more nicer day.

Tsubaki felt bummed about the rain. "And we were doing so well..... sad that a bunch of rain has to halt this game. I hope I can redeem myself when this game continues.... Eh, that's how the weather can be sometimes." Tsubaki walked home in the rain, feeling disappointed over how the game was halted because of what was becoming sort of like a monsoon.

Kousei stayed in the music preparation room all by himself, oblivious to the bad weather that had just hit the area. It wasn't until about 4PM that he realized he had been in the room for quite a bit of time, and he realized he needed to get home. Unfortunately, he hadn't anticipated the sudden rainstorm coming, and he didn't bring an umbrella as a result. "Oh, my god.... How long have I been in here? It's raining like a monsoon out here! I gotta get home as soon as I can! Oh, jeez, why did the weatherman miss the rainstorm we're having now?! Crap!"

Kousei then hastily packed his music player, music sheets and other things in his bag. He now had to race home as fast as he possibly could. Since he didn't have an umbrella available, he had to use his uniform coat as an impromptu shield against the heavy downpour. He was also aware that he to also pace himself in this driving rainstorm. As he ran, he kept ranting to himself about how the weather forecasters never got anything right. "THOSE GODDAMN WEATHERCASTERS, THEY NEVER GET IT RIGHT!! HOW COULD THEY HAVE MISSED THIS DAMN RAINSTORM?!"

Kousei had made good time in his journey, when he suddenly found himself at a crosswalk. His mind being on autopilot trying to get home as fast he could, and with his clothes becoming damp in the rain, knew he had to get a move on, as he was now running at his fastest.

However, it was at that moment a passing car, going at its normal speed, drove towards Kousei as the crosswalk sign turned red for STOP. Unfortunately, for Kousei, everything became blurred from that point onward, as he was striding towards the other side of the street, he slipped on the rather slippery pavement, and everything was going in slow-motion now. As the road traffic light turned green, the oncoming car could not stop (as the traffic light had gone green concurrent with the crosswalk sign turning red). 

As Kousei slipped on the wet pavement, he found himself with his left foot caught on the car's left front tire. He was powerless to stop it all; as this happened, he let out an extremely loud scream. As this happened, Kousei's left foot was crushed and mangled under the speed and weight of the car's left front tire and wheel, and he had dropped all of his stuff in his hands as he went down.

As he came down to the ground, his head, or at least the area near the middle of his head just above the forehead hit a lamppost, breaking his glasses in the process. The pavement was now covered in his blood, as was his uniform jacket, music player and sheet music; the pouring rain spread it down further.

The panicked driver got out of his car and looked in horror over this horrific event. The driver noticed the blood stained Kousei fully saturated from the rain. He knew it was Kousei Arima from his face.

"OH, MY GOD! I THINK I RAN OVER MR. KOUSEI ARIMA!! SOMEBODY CALL AN AMBULANCE, QUICK! THE GUY NEEDS HELP!!" The driver, needless to say, was filled with major remorse over this unfortunate accident. 

Kousei would survive this ordeal, but everything would soon become a blur to him. All he knew was life for him would never be the same after this...... and sure enough, an ambulance arrived on the scene to haul Kousei over to Totsuhara Hospital for immediate medical attention.

His Lie in April - 四月の彼の嘘 (Shigatsu no Kare no Uso) (COMPLETE)Where stories live. Discover now