When the Stars are Shining Over You (Your Lie in April Fanfiction)

8: When the Stars are Shining Over You

Kousei was overwhelmed by the applause that greeted him onto the stage. Even though he was hopeless, he still remembered what Kaori told him: Look up. He looked up and saw the star-like lights once again. He breathed in and out several times and finally reached the black grand piano that was waiting for him in the middle of the stage. He bowed and sat on the stool, placed his hand upon the black and white keyboard and started to create the sound. It was beautiful, with smooth hand movements, the sound was coming out from the strings inside the piano which was sent out to the audience. Kousei thought of who he was playing for and wondered if his playing would be able to reach the audience. Kousei wondered if it would reach her.

***

Only a bit of sakura petals were left on the tree. Kaori started to count them until someone knocked the door. The doctor came in with a nurse and Kaori's parents entered behind them.

"Are you ready?" The doctor asked as Kaori turned around.

"I am ready." Kaori said firmly and the nurse gave her instructions and told her that they would come back in 10 minutes.

***

The piano sound continued to fill up the hall and the audience enjoyed the human metronome's playing. Without missing a note, without missing a dynamic change and without changing the tempo, the boy continued on without stopping. His ears didn't worry him anymore. He could hear what he was playing. He thought of his first time playing the piano, when he was accompanied by his mother. He wondered if his mother was happy with what Kousei became. For some reason, his past was flashing in his mind. The bag that was thrown to the ground, the sound that vibrated out of the house, sushis that he ate after school, the fire, the dying mother, the tears, the heat. He continued playing and it felt like he was being absorbed by the song. The girl, his fingers, tears again, the sound, the ocean, the stars and finally, the girl he wished to see after this competition.

***

The door closed and Kaori's parents sat outside the room. The only thing they could do was to wait for five hours, and plead that their beloved daughter would come out safely. Inside the room, Kaori was lying on the bed, a mask attached to her mouth that sent out sleeping anaesthetics. Whatever the doctor said, she couldn't hear and slowly her eyes closed by themselves.

***

The boy on stage lifted his fingers which were proudly shining under the bright lights. The six fingers dropped to his side as the audience all stood up and started to cheer for his performance. The boy stood up and saw people of different ages, whether they were adults or children, they all stood up and applauded. Kousei took a bow and left the stage, waving to the audience. After the competition ended, Kousei left the hall with a certificate and a trophy in his hands. The feeling he use to get when he was a kid came back. The days when he use to eat ice-cream with caution. He ran and ran until he reached the hospital. People stared at him and frowned but he didn't care. Sweat all over his body, Kousei ran up the stairs to level 5 where the girl would be waiting for him. He was excited to tell her that he got first place. He was thrilled to thank her. He reached Room 200, where her name was written. He didn't see the card under her name but opened the door quickly to find a perfectly clean bed closest to the windows. Denying what he was seeing, Kousei walked rapidly towards the bed and saw nothing. There was nothing, not even a piece of dust upon the bed. Kousei didn't realise many things apart from the card that was under Kaori's name. The fact that there were no more pink petals on the tree, what the doctor said to Kaori's parents and the fact that the girl's parents were crying in front of the doctor. Kousei ran to the surgery room and found a man comforting a woman. The screen in front of the surgery room which a doctor just entered stated that the surgery ended. Kousei walked slowly towards Kaori's parents who looked up at him. Without a word, they looked at each other, feeling the same sadness that burned their throat and their heart. Kousei turned around, wanting to deny the fact. He ran back towards Room 200 and this time, out of nowhere, he found a letter that was waiting for him on top of the bed that Kaori use to wait for him on.