Come on Kousei! Don't cry over a skinned knee!
My ankle went "snap!"
That's right "snap!" Whoa whoa whoa.
It's your fault for making me tumble down the hill!
Oh shut up!
But thank goodness you only hurt your leg.
If I'd gotten your hands hurt I would've gotten killed by your mom.
Stop crying dummy! You're making me cry.
Here. A towel and a change of clothes.
I'll put your uniform in the dryer.
Thanks.
Where's your family?
My dad's away on business a lot.
Hey it's bigger than I thought.
There you are. Is coffee okay?
Or warm milk—
Wh-Wh-Wh-What the heck?
Sorry.
Wholesome playing starts with a wholesome environment!
First order of business cleanup! Air this place out!
- You're next door Tsubaki! - Not what it looks like!
Kao?
In Kousei's clothes? With wet hair?
Whaaat?
She sure is fired up that Tsubaki.
Isn't she just on a rampage?
I guess false cheer is better than none at all.
Is that me?
Yup! A tape of what you just played.
Your set piece is Chopin's Étude Op. 25 No. 5.
No way!
The tempo and sound are so out of sync! This isn't me!
You suck huh?
You suck.
Huh!
Competing like this? I'm backing out! That's right I can still...
I've already sent in your submission.
Is that my wallet?
So what competition is it?
It's the Maihou Music Competition.
A national-level contest that's spawned many a renowned musician.
If you win Nationals you might even get the chance to perform overseas!
Awesome!
What Kao's saying sounds like something from a different world.
I've got to study under some teacher!
Face it. This is a challenge!
You're gonna prove that you can play even if you can't hear the notes!
"It takes courage to sail in uncharted waters!"
Who said that?
Snoopy.
A dog?
Woof!
Your imagery is what's important.
"Before your fingers touch the keys
you must determine in your mind how you're going to play it."
Anton Rubinstein.
Why do you play the piano?
Is it for your own sake? For someone else's sake?
How do you want to play this piece?
How does the real you want to play Chopin?
Anyway good luck!
You two take it from here!
- You stink of sweat! - I'm gonna play hard!
Our break is almost over.
Die!
Alright.
So it's just you and me again huh?
Chopin. Is that Kou playing?
Oh so he started playing again?
Maybe I should bring him a snack.
What's your mental image?
A horse-drawn carriage...
- Unoriginal! Lack of imagination! - over cobblestones in Europe.
Image?
- Sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast— - Mundane! Unromantic!
Image!
Image.
What is an image anyway?
Is it different than how you interpret the music?
How do you want to play this piece?
How do I want to...
play this piece?
She looks like an angel.
As long as she's quiet.
How are the Regionals going?
We've never been readier. The only thing I'm afraid of is injury.
How about you guys?
The other day Arima had smoke coming out of his ears.
I think he's really close though.
He might be pushing himself too hard.
I mean he was kind of reeling in the hallway.
I do want him to play the piano. But I don't want him to suffer.
Right now Arima is trying to turn that suffering into notes.
Exposing both his pain and his suffering even his own struggling self.
That's how he'll come to dwell inside his music.
That's how we play music that's alive.
Arima is in the middle of doing that. I'm sure.
We—
Why are you so supportive of Kousei Kao?
I guess I'd have to say...
He's like a hopeless kid brother maybe?
Kousei...
isn't hopeless at all.
Bye.
Yeah see you tomorrow.
H-Hey there.
I'm on my way home from practice now.
What are you up to?
I'm on my way home now too.
We're always heading home at the same time these days huh?
Tsubaki?
In that we
there's no me.
What's that?
Saito?
Yeah?
Why don't we go out?
Music Preparation Room
How do I want to play this piece of music?
For what?
Good job.
Who do I want to play it for?
Why don't you pack it in for today?
It's totally dark outside. The moon's so pretty!
Just a little longer.
Do you resent me?
Something Tsubaki said. That you're suffering.
I've known that as well.
I realized it when I saw your room.
Unable to hear your music
you try to abandon the piano.
Even as you cling to it for support.
That's why you hide it under dust and books trying to look away.
You love it but you can't go near it.
You miss it but you can't touch it.
Even though you're grieving and hurting
I pretend that I don't see that.
"Play the piano!" "Work hard at it!" I say such irresponsible things.
You're suffering because of me.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
It was you who swept away all that dust.
Do I look like I'm suffering?
That's not good.
But of course I'd be suffering.
I'll be sailing in uncharted waters right?
Both taking on a challenge and creating something is painful.
But it's fulfilling. So thank you.
My world had already changed long ago.
It's just that I never realized it.
For sweeping away the dust that had collected on my body...
I thank you.
For encountering me.
Ever since that day my world even the keyboard...
became colorful.
You stink.
The girl who likes my best friend.
As if we're hiding from the silver moon
the two of us in this music room in the middle of the night.
It's like there's no one in the world but us.
We will now begin the rally for the Regionals.
First the soccer team—
How lucky you are to be born in this era!
You'll get to witness Ryota Watari become a star!
Man I'm cool!
I'll show you all... a good time!
Uh let's start over. Next—
Music Preparation Room
Lame.
This is boring.
Average.
Pedestrian.
But I can see you've got the set piece down pat.
Even if I can play the sheet music perfectly it doesn't change anything.
Chopin's whispering to me.
"Where are you in all this?"
Hey.
Why don't we go cheer at Regionals? For a change of scenery.
I'll pass on that. I'll only be the same as before if I leave it like this.
I'm going to transcend perfection.
Like you.
Nope. We're gonna go cheer!
If you shut yourself up in here you'll suffocate.
Musicians need time to gaze up at the sky!
- Last inning! - Tighten up the defense in the hole!
- Don't let anything get through! - Just do it!
We're counting on you Tsubaki. If we don't at least tie it up—
I know.
Let's go Tsubaki!
Kousei.
Play ball!
A famous violinist once said...
"music transcends words."
Strike!
Tsubaki!
By exchanging notes you get to know one another
to understand one another.
Ball!
Let's go Triple Crown champ!
As if your souls were connected and your hearts were overlapping.
It's a conversation through instruments.
A miracle that harmony creates.
In that moment music transcends words.
Don't you think that's awful?
Making a girl carry him on her shoulders!
Well but girls are bigger during childhood.
That's not the point! I'm talking about a maiden's heart.
But even though he's normally hopeless
he's amazing when he plays the piano.
The other day he got a standing ovation—
Did I say something funny?
It's always the same.
You're always going on and on about Arima.
All right! Through the gap!
Yay Tsubaki!
I don't like this I don't like this I don't like this.
I know that I have no right to be feeling this way.
But I still don't like it!
I just don't like it.
We were always together. I was always by his side.
During times of joy and of grief as well.
But...
I realize he's far away from me now...
I'm not by his side. There's somebody else there.
Tsubaki!
Tsubaki
Stop! Stop!
I don't like this! Look at me! Look at me will you?
Don't look at someone else like that!
Out!
Ballgame!
Tsubaki I'm going home this way.
But your house is that way Kashiwagi.
Let your boyfriend console you.
Boyfriend?
Saito?
Kousei?
Yo.
Kousei this is embarrassing.
No one's looking.
But nobody else was onto me.
Yeah and how long have we known each other?
Where's Kao?
She went home. She said "Go to Tsubaki by yourself."
After that roll down the hill you carried me like this even though you were hurt.
And then your own ankle swelled up like a handball too.
Really?
You haven't changed at all since we were kids.
Oh I've changed.
My heart is always wavering.
Nice try. But I know everything about you.
So you never have to hold back with me all right?
I've always made you worry so much about me
so I wish you'd let me worry about you once in a while.
I might be a flaky kid brother but I'm gonna try hard.
I'm gonna try hard. So...
I want the happy Tsubaki to watch me.
Because it would be too lame to ride on your shoulders forever.
Still I gotta say...
you're lighter than you look.
So you are a girl after all!
What's that supposed to mean? That's so weird!
You're right that was a weird thing to say.
The seasons might be about to change.
Who cares about music? Who cares about words?
We have the long long time that we've spent together
and we have so many tiny precious memories.
Next time—
Next time I'll give you a piggyback ride okay?
We lost! We freakin' lost because of me.
After we all fought so hard! I'm so bitter I'm so bitter!
Even though I'm bitter over losing
My ankle's killing me!
even though I'm depressed
even though my ankle hurts
We lost the game.
and my eyes are smeared with tears.
Even though I've never felt worse.
I wonder why the stars are sparkling like this.
The scent of the music room in his hair.
I can hear his slightly ragged breathing.
His shoulder wet with tears is so warm.
I am by his side.
I wish time would just stand still.
Good morning.
This is the list of Maihou contestants. Check out the flagged name.
It'll get you fired up.
I've been waiting for two whole years.
Now it's time for me to get revenge for all those years of humiliation!
I see you already know.
About what?
No use playing dumb. You sound so animated.
You're just imagining things.
I've been wondering what you were up to and now you've finally shown up.
Just you wait I'm gonna wipe up the floor with you next time!
Kousei Arima Sumiya Junior High School
Kousei Arima!
Episode 6 On the Way Home
Episode 7 The Shadow Whispers