Kousei saw Kaori walking in front of him on to the stage. After a few seconds, Kousei straightened his suit and walked behind Kaori. He looked up as Kaori told him to and saw thousands of star-like lights that were shinning above both of them. Suddenly he could hear murmurs.

Oh, it's that girl! Kousei heard a high pitched whisper.

Audience's favourite? Someone answered.

Oh, the girl who seemed to play another song? Came a voice from the crowd.

Who's the boy behind her? Said a voice from the front row.

Why does he seem familiar? Kousei continued to walk and tried to ignore all the comments about how well Kaori played last time or different thoughts about who Kousei was.

It's Arima Kousei! Murmured a little girl.

The genius musician? A teenager answered.

Youngest pianist to win many awards! Continued another audience member.

The human metronome. Somebody commented.

Didn't his mother die? Kousei tried to close his ears but it didn't work. How can ears close by themselves anyway? Kousei walked towards the black and white piano that was waiting for him in the middle of the stage. He sat down, staring at the keys that he pressed thousands and thousands of times before. He looked up. The lights that were shinning seemed to be brighter than ever and the audience seemed to become louder and louder. He looked at Kaori who was closing her eyes, trying to focus on her music. The audience's voice died as Kaori opened her eyes and placed her violin between her shoulder and her chin. 

Kaori looked towards Kousei and their eyes met. It seemed like she was telling him something. Cheer up. Look up. Kousei took a deep breath and started to play the piano. At first it was fine. He was surprised to find that his fingers were under control and he knew what part of the song he was in. Suddenly, it felt like the atmosphere changed and Kousei looked at Kaori. She grinned a little and started to play the music in her way. She suddenly played the music faster and she sometimes ignored a rest. On the other side, Kousei had his own problems; he slowly was out of control. His fingers moved by themselves and his ears seemed like they didn't function correctly. It felt like he was in a deep ocean where he couldn't hear anything. The piano keys were being pressed by themselves and he knew that he was panicking. For the second time in his life, the piano was moving away from him.

What's wrong with the pianist?

I thought it was Arima Kousei.

Where was he all this time?

What happened to his fingers? Kousei kept overhearing. He looked up. The spotlight seemed like it became dimmer through the water that was above him. He was underwater. That's why he couldn't hear his piano sound. But what was the problem? How could he hear the murmurs coming from the audience? Suddenly he decided to stop. He lifted his damaged fingers from the piano keys and the only sound that filled the theatre was the violin. Then, Kaori stopped too and looked at him. Sweat was falling from her forehead onto her cheeks. She was smiling a bit and she said, "Again." Kousei was shocked and the audience's whispers became louder and louder again.

"Again." Kaori said as she once again put her violin between her shoulder and her watery chin and once again the audience became quiet. Kousei was stunned while he heard Kaori play her introduction solo part. Kousei shook his head and looked up at the lights. The stars are shinning over us. He remembered Kaori telling him before they entered onto this stage. He looked back at the black and white piano keys and put his 6 fingers upon them again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At the right time, he played the piano again. He never knew when Kaori was going to change to the way that she played. He never knew when he had to adjust to that. He never knew if this performance was going to end. He never knew if the audience was feeling the same thing as they did when Kaori first performed. Kousei never knew if he was ever going to play the piano again. When the song successfully ended, the audience clapped as hard as they could and Kousei and Kaori was standing on the stage, overwhelmed by the cheers.

"What happened to you Kousei?" Ryuichi Sakamoto said, sitting on the main judge's seat. "You were way better than this." He sighed and regretfully drew an x under Kaori's picture.

"This is not the Arima Kousei that I knew."

Kaori was breathing hard while Kousei stood next to her, feeling her energy coming into him as well. Kaori smiled widely and gave the audience a wave and walked out of the stage. Kousei saw her back, wet with sweat she walked with her violin in her hand. Kousei wiped his sweat as well and when they were finally in front of the door that led to the hallway, Kaori suddenly collapsed onto the ground.