A/N: 

1. Hope you enjoy their continuation of their tour in the United States, this time, to Fort Worth, Texas. The title of this chapter is one of nickname of Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in the State of Texas. 

2. For any American reader who read this story and have better knowledge and experience on riding Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation), please let me know!

July 21st, 2024, Los Angeles Union Station.

Inside the continental United States, Sakura and Doi has deliberately arranged Kousei and Kaori, by the latter's request, to use train instead of plane for intercity travel. Viewing the scenery helped reduce stress for the couple. 

Especially as Kaori's doctor during her last check-up prior to the trip had warned her to keep her stress and fatigue manageable or risks a relapse for her cancer. Her husband welcomed the change too as the long train trip could help him or Kaori found inspiration for new compositions. Also, compared to typical economy-class domestic flight the coaches has considerably more amenities such as outlet for computers, allowed them to work on their laptops in case it needed. Especially if it was pertaining to composition. Last but not least, they booked a sleeper car.

In Japan, overnight train with sleeper cars are considered a rarity due to prominence of airlines, Shinkansen high-speed rail, and overnight buses. Both Kousei and Kaori has not yet traveled inside one. So, it's a very exciting journey to at least appreciate "slower" travel.

"Attention, Texas Eagle with Train Number 21/421 with final destination: Chicago, has arrived on Track 11. All Texas Eagle passengers are to be prepared for boarding."

"It's ours!" Kousei said to Kaori as she went out from one of the station's toilet. Meanwhile, their baggage has been checked and loaded into the baggage cars directly behind the engine, an Amtrak General Electric P44AC diesel-electric locomotive leading nine brand-new Superliner III bi-level cars.

The boarding process went smoothly and at 10.00 pm local time, the Amtrak Texas Eagle left Los Angeles Union Station. As the trip started at night, the couple soon entered their assigned sleeping car for their own trip to La-La-Land.

Next day.

"Wake up, honey!" Kaori awakes first and soon called her beloved husband to wake up. Kousei immediately awaken and was greeted by a beautiful sunrise outside the car, as bright as Kaori's hair.

"Kirei.." (beautiful) Kousei smiled upon looked at the rising sun with Kaori behind the window inside the railcar. He hummed a classical American song "Morning Has Broken" while he and Kaori went into the train's dining room. 

Breakfast in train is a community event. In their table they meet an off duty Chicago police officer, a federal employee, a local startup entrepreneur, and even a family with kids and last but not least, a pianist like Kousei.

"Good morning, Mr. Arima Kousei and Mrs. Arima Kaori, I presume?" said a man during the breakfast time.

"Yes, we are."

"It's a privilege to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Arima. Oh, where are my manners? Anyway I'm Constantine Kozak. A mere piano teacher in Fort Worth, Texas."

"Fort Worth? We'll also go there for our concert!" Kaori replied.

"Our city will proud to see you again. Especially you, Mr. Arima. Back in 2021 I had meet Mr. Arima here, in Van Cliburn International. And I remember you, with your more free style of playing, turned the stage upside down by winning the gold medal and dedicated it to a girl, a violinist, named Kaori. I think your wife is the girl you ever mentioned back then?"

"Yes, Mr. Kozak. She's the one and only Kaori in my life" Kousei said with pride.

"Oh, I want to go to the observation car, You are going?" said the Russian-American man after some time.

"After this, we will go to the observation car." Soon they do so and enjoy the scenery of ranches, with herds of cattles and horses. along with hills, valleys, but mostly arid areas and cities such as Tucson and El Paso, as their route is along the great border wall with Mexico. Soon enough, at 1.58 PM local time, they reached Fort Worth and soon, they went into their pre-booked hotel, Hilton Downtown and once again took rest for them to have their first rehearsal in the venue, Bass Performance Hall, the same place when Kousei won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

July 23rd.

Two days before the concert, the couple decided to have some time off, especially after in the hotel they got some good time of arguing about what piece they will play, one day after their arrival in Fort Worth.

"Come on..." 

In fact Kaori had playfully threaten Kousei to strangle him with her violin inside their suite room if Kousei don't stop cutting her conversation in terms of arrangement of the pieces they would play. 

"You lead the way, but remember, always think of her before deciding" It's the maxim from his father that Kousei almost forgot thanks to the increasing pressure for him and Kaori.

"My apologies" said Kousei to Kaori, which reciprocated, and soon their practice went in a breeze.

Back to their time off, first order is a visit in the Big D. 

As Kaori never went to Dallas-Fort Worth Area before Kousei become her guide.

"Kaori, this is the place when J.F.K was assassinated" as Kousei and Kaori passed through Dealey Plaza, in Dallas.

Other place they visited and took picture in were Dallas Art Museum and Nasher Sculpture Center.

They enjoyed their time and soon with their bodyguards, they went to the Reunion Tower to have dinner in another, reserved in advance for them, Wolfgang Puck restaurant named Five Sixty inside the tower's rotating top level. 

"Oishii desu.." Both Kousei and Kaori enjoyed their food, courtesy of the eponymous Austrian-American celebrity chef. 

A group of patrons quickly recognized theirs and soon enough, another signing session with their admirers in Dallas-Fort Worth Area.

"We are very privileged to saw a prodigious musical couple come here, far away from Japan, here in the city!" said one of the man who greeted them by the name of George Allenby. 

"Anyone of you have tickets for our concert, one day after tomorrow?" Kousei asked the group. Some of them immediately raised their hands, to the joy for the couple. They are ready to show their magic to the area.

July 25th, 2024. D-Day. Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth, Texas.

It's the day of the concert once again for Kousei and Kaori. 

To open their first duet in Dallas, they decided to play the most known piece associated with the duo. Kreisler's Love's Sorrow.

The hall become colorful and for Kousei, he remembered people close to him as the music flow. Along with God (Christian one to be precise), his mother's kind face back when he was little, his father with his current duty as a politician, his friends, and most importantly, his beautiful wife. Kaori also remembering the same part, further cementing their solid bond.

"What a majestic performance!" said one of the members of the audience, Donald Douglas. He was one of the judges during the 2021 Van Cliburn Piano Competition, the one which Kousei won upon the conclusion of the piece.

During the music he also saw that Kousei and Kaori are indeed mean for each other and remember Kousei's motivation to play during that time are primarily Kaori, and his family. 

A woman, by the name of Teresa Huang, said to herself as she, along the audiences, giving them standing ovation. "I heard that musicians evolved through loss, now I'm not so sure. Yes, this man suffered from abuse and was severely traumatized after loss of his mother. But in return he got a girl who won her battle against cancer.. and here he is now, married with her."

Unlike their past concerts, Kousei and Kaori remained in their position and deployed one of their original composition, Storm of Life.

The flow of music ensure the audience glued in their seat as the combination of technique and their bonds brought people to experience the Storms of Life and importance of hope and optimism no matter the circumstances, one of the reason while the tone of the piece was generally considered as joyful one.

After those two pieces, guest performers deployed their own pieces, both existing and original. "Miyarima" is particularly impressed by one women's rendition of Beethoven's Eroica (Heroic) Symphony no. 3, one of the symphonies marking a transition between Classical and Romantic era, further pumped everyone with it's generally upbeat and a triumphant ending.  

Then the couple went into the stage again, this time, with a popular gospel song, Amazing Grace. The song told about a Royal Navy sailor named John Newton which is also a former slave ship captain bringing African slaves to Europe. A storm in one of his voyages soon led the debauched man to abandon his evil deeds. The song's emphasize of mercy of God popularized it and considered popular even for those who aren't Christians in America. 

"We hope to bring them to repentance with our playing." They spoke to themselves as they are playing the piece in both piano and violin. 

Their playing brought the audience to tears as they are brought to experience John Newton's live from a slaver to a repentant preacher. Bass Performance Hall was full of mercy and what Christians called "agape love" of that day.

"I hope their tears are real repentance ones and not a show" Kousei muttered to himself as the audience are giving the Japanese their well-deserved standing ovation.

No encore in this performance but they know that the inhabitants of Dallas loved their music. In fact, days after the concert, local Texan media and classical buffs further dubbed the couple as the Enchanter.

"Thank you for your appreciation!" Kousei and Kaori said their own goodbye into the clapping audience before the curtain went down..

A/N: 

1. Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is real. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn_International_Piano_Competition

2. What do you think about my taking of their fourth concert? Vote and comment!