"I went to live with my grandmother in the countryside." "We'll return as soon as your grandmother gets well." "Yeah." "it's a shame you have to change schools at such an important time." "really." "your grandmother wouldn't have to worry anymore either." "that's right!" "They just finished tuning the piano in the lesson room yesterday." "Does that mean I can start today?" "we can start your lessons!" "Yeah." "You simply must become a fabulous pianist just like your father." "It's a forest." "isn't it?" "A piano?" "Shuuhei-san?" "Did you hear a piano just now?" "A piano?" "I didn't hear anything." "I see." "Was I just hearing things?" "102)}Piano no Mori 454.667)} The Piano Forest" "I'd like to introduce you all to a new friend." "Amamiya Shuuhei-kun." "will you introduce yourself for us?" "ma'am." "and I came here from Tokyo." "My special skill is that I've been learning to play the piano since I was four years old." "My dream is to become a pianist." "Everyone!" "Quiet down!" "he said." "Even though he's a guy." "That's right." "A transfer student shouldn't stand out." "If he stands out..." "Amamiya Shuuhei-kun." "W-What is it?" "Do you know about the piano in the forest?" "The piano in the forest?" "don't you?" "that forest." "There's been a broken piano in that forest for a long time." "you can't get any sound out of it." "for some reason that piano... tum!" "A dead man's body was found nearby." "Rumor says his spirit appears every night and plays that piano." "there's a challenge to test your courage." "Go into the forest and play the ghost piano." "Huh?" "Th-That's impossible." "I can't play a broken piano." "you've been playing the piano since you were four years old." "this is what happens to you when you stand out." "this is an initiation." "An initiation to prove whether you're really a man or not." "Either you go and play the ghost piano in the forest..." "Or else you'll have to show us your penis.{PERVERT!" "}" "It's gotta be one or the other." "There it is." "Kinpira's "Show me your penis." "This is just a simple test of courage." "You can't refuse." "you can still say that you played it." "It won't make a sound anyway." "right!" "so it produces sound." "don't worry." "You can get sound from that piano." "Kai!" "I couldn't get any sound out of it." "Kinpira." "You were too scared to play the piano." "Maybe you should have to show it to everyone." "Your itty bitty..." "I'll kill you!" "...penis!" "How dare you say that!" "Ouch!" "You lying bastard!" "Damn you!" "Damn you!" "Damn you!" "{Scene time?" "}" "That piano... can't make a sound!" "It's not a lie!" "so I know for sure!" "Your piano?" "!" "Kai." "How can a poor family like yours afford to buy a piano?" "I get it." "You stole it." "I forgot that your entire neighborhood is filled with thieves." "Or maybe one of your mother's clients bought it for her?" "Kai!" "so I took it." "Kinpira." "I have lots of things you can't buy with money." "For example: a giant penis!" "Stop saying shit to make fun of me!" "You should shut your own trap!" "Your breath reeks because your brains are all rotten!" "You bastard!" "get him!" "Do it!" "What's going on?" "Finish cleaning up and go home." "Mr. Funeral" is here!" "Do you have something to say?" "W-What should I do?" "but my legs aren't responding." "then head home." "is the legend about the piano in the forest really true?" "The story about the piano in the forest is a lie." "It was just made up." "It's like one of those "Seven Wonders of the School"." "I-I see." "Goodbye." "481.333)}Ichinose Kai 458.667)}Ichinose Kai" "413.333)}Ichinose Kai 398.667)}Ichinose Kai" "392)}Ichinose Kai 388)}Ichinose Kai" "384)}Ichinose Kai" "Ichinose!" "How many times do I have to tell you?" "If you get into one more fight..." "I won't listen to what a liar has to say!" "A liar?" "it can still produce sound." "Because it's my piano!" "Your piano?" "Don't talk like you know everything!" "Especially when you're wrong." "Amamiya!" "right?" "Just call me Kai." "do you want to go now and see for yourself that the piano in the forest can produce sound?" "Huh?" "Now?" "Yeah." "Come on!" "H-Hold on." "Kai-kun!" "Amamiya!" "don't you?" "why did you save me back there?" "Save you?" "when we were cleaning." "don't you?" "Yeah." "I do too." "You do too?" "That's why I'm really glad now!" "Let's go!" "Wait a second!" "I can't afford to injure my hands." "These should do." "But are we really going to be able to find the piano inside this huge forest?" "We'll find it!" "I go there every day." "Even with my eyes closed... you must be my good luck charm." "Look!" "The piano's in a good mood today as well." "I-It's a piano." "This is the piano in the forest?" "I can't believe it'd be here." "It's so beautiful." "It's like it's on a stage!" "It's the first time I've ever seen anything like it." "It's even more beautiful at night." "I'm gonna play it." "You can be my witness." "So it really is broken." "There's no sound." "That's not true." "It makes sound!" "But listen." "Try and play harder." "Let me show you." "It has never made no sounds." "Not even once." "See?" "Wh-Why?" "Why did it make a sound?" "How did you get it to produce sound?" "Kai-kun!" "I don't know." "maybe it only opens up its heart to me." "I suppose it must need some special style of playing." "will you play a piece of music for me?" "Then maybe I can figure something out." "Guess I have to." "Kai-kun..." "Amazing!" "Kai-kun!" "but that was amazing!" "D-Don't be silly!" "You're so dramatic." "I'm serious!" "but you can really play!" "You're making me feel uncomfortable." "That's the first time I've played for another person." "There's no reason to feel uncomfortable." "You could play for anyone without embarrassment." "who are you taking lessons from?" "Lessons?" "I've never taken lessons." "Not even once?" "It's just like Kinpira said:" "My family is poor." "anyway." "K-Kai-kun. will you come and play my family's piano?" "Huh?" "Your family's piano?" "I see!" "You have a piano inside your house!" "It's in the lesson room." "It's a grand piano too." "Wow!" "You have a lesson room in your house?" "!" "your piano is awesome!" "Eeek!" "Kai-kun..." "I can move my fingers incredibly quickly." "It's like I'm under a spell." "like you usually do." "Huh?" "I always play this way." "What the heck happened to Kai-kun?" "I get it." "This time try playing a bit more slowly." "Slowly?" "Kai-kun!" "Just like that..." "Don't let your mind drift." "There you go." "You can play just fine when you try." "This is kinda tiring and it's no fun." "practice isn't supposed to be fun." "But playing the piano is just for fun!" "Don't you have fun when you play?" "It's not just for fun." "I won't become a pianist." "now try and play something that way." "Ajino is just like that too." "He won't let us have any fun during music class." "That's because Ajino-sensei isn't teaching music just for fun either." "Ajino?" "is this your friend?" "Ichinose Kai-kun." "Hello." "I'm Shuuhei's mother." "lchinose-kun?" "I just play for fun." "It's too difficult to learn to play the piano properly." "Kai-kun." "you learn quickly." "did you say "Ajino-sensei" earlier?" "he's the music teacher." "He's a very scary teacher though." "would it?" "that's it." "But we all secretly call him Ajino Soushiki." "40)}Pun on last name = funeral." "Because his face always looks like he's at a funeral." "it couldn't be..." "Let me see." "Found it!" "Is this him?" "34.667)}Geni{\cHEAF8FD}us {\cHE8F8FA}Pi{\cHE0F2F9}an{\cHE2EAFD}is{\cHDCE7FA}t but it's Ajino." "do you know Ajino-sensei?" "I know him all right!" "H-He was the pianist that all of us music students at college aspired to be like." "Huh?" "A pianist?" "13.333)}Geni{\cHEAF8FD}us {\cHE8F8FA}Pi{\cHE0F2F9}an{\cHE2EAFD}is{\cHDCE7FA}t" "Ajino Sousuke won the All-Japan competition while he was in college." "And he had a spectacular debut as a pianist at the same time as he graduated college." "Being able to accomplish all that was nothing short of a miracle." "Kai-kun?" "I had no idea." "This all happened over twenty years ago." "But I've never seen Ajino play the piano." "He had an unfortunate accident five years after his professional debut." "so he was forced to retire from being a pianist." "I can't believe he'd be teaching music to an elementary school." "88)}Ajino Sousuke 2500)\1aH00\bord1.333\shad2\4aH50\4cH0B120C\cHD8DFD8}Prince of Tragedy" "Are you seriously going to have Ajino-sensei be my piano tutor?" "Shuuhei-san!" "We're lucky to have come out here and happened to find Ajino Sousuke!" "Sorry to disappoint you." "I don't think I'd be much help to him." "I'm no longer the pianist I once was." "Please go now." "I apologize for such a strange request." "Mother." "Sensei... but it can still produce sound." "I thought we had discussed that once already." "But it's true." "Kai-kun is the only one who can make it play." "Kai?" "I'm telling the truth." "I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears." "it wouldn't come out." "Kai-kun was somehow able to get it to play." "But what really surprised me was the piano's tone." "How can I put this?" "I've never heard a throbbing reverberation like that before." "You should be able to hear it as well." "Because it looks like Kai-kun plays that piano every night." "Every night?" "144)\frz327\3cH243C33}Toilet hurry and finish or you'll be grumbling when you have to go without dinner." "ma'am." "what's Reiko doing?" "Like I know!" "What's with that kind of attitude in front of your customers?" "!" "You're not my customer!" "too!" "It looks like you don't understand your position here." "stop that." "Rei-chan will be here soon." "you old bag!" "you drunk!" "Kai!" "You still have work to do!" "I wonder if lchinose is really out here." "I want to hear that sound again." "it's true." "The keys are so heavy." "It doesn't make any sound if you just play it normally." "They say there's only one like it in the entire world." "Ajino's line starts talking half way} that piano was made for me. {Re-time." "The line starts late." "Ajino starts talking at 21:41:96} anyway." "we will not be able to return his left arm to normal." "he should be able to live a normal life." "But as for being a pianist..." "It's a terrible shame." "284)}n General Hospital 282.667)}n General Hospital" "Ajino Sousuke is still not allowing any visitors." "and his career as a pianist- no one impressed me or moved me at all." "I was stripped of my honorary title as professor emeritus." "85.333)\fsp1.333\frz52.984\cH4B585B}Ca 69.333)\frz45.18}b" "61.333)}a 56)\frz29.779}r" "50.667)\frz17.363}et 129.333)}Bunny" "I was neither sad nor lonely for being estranged from the piano world." "I felt an urge to see the piano I had given away one more time." "it was here!" "A really big piano." "She was always stripping on top of that piano." "that dirty little girl would act like some rich man's daughter." "right?" "Do you know where it is?" "I heard they abandoned it in the forest behind the cabaret when they knocked it down." "back in that accident..." "Why couldn't I have died?" "It's been three years since then." "And yet I still can't leave that town behind where the piano rests." "it flashes through my mind at times." "The unforgettable sound of that piano." "If he can truly get sound from that piano..." "Please let me hear that sound." "I need to take that child's words seriously." "I amaze myself." "What have I been reduced to?" "Th-This sound..." "I-It couldn't be..." "Could the piano truly be... lchinose?" "This sound..." "The sound coming from that piano..." "It's my sound!" "Let go of me!" "Ichinose!" "Let go of me!" "Ichinose!" "you drunk?" "!" "I'll kick your ass!" "Ichinose!" "Ichinose!" "Calm down!" "let go!" "It's me!" "It's Ajino!" "Let go of- huh?" "A-Ajino?" "That's right." "what are you" "Why are you here?" "How should I explain this... this is my piano." "It's not yours!" "It's mine!" "it's your piano." "You're probably the only one who can play it in the entire world." "it's your piano." "Ichinose..." "Will you play the piano with me?" "You have the chosen hands." "The hands the piano chose." "Piss off!" "Like I'd play the piano with you!" "I finally have time to enjoy myself and you come and interrupt me!" "Do you even know what time it is?" "a piano is something you play alone." "Ichinose... 300)}Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" "K 310 300)}Third Movement (Presto)" " Final Stanzas" "Amazing!" "Amamiya!" "I've never heard such beautiful piano playing before!" "Kai-kun." "I still have a long way to go." "I can't hope to win the competition like this." "Competition?" "Yup." "The All-Japan Student Piano Competition is taking place soon." "but this is the most prestigious." "They say it's the gateway to becoming a professional pianist." "Amamiya?" "You really are something." "I was just playing the qualifying song." "Mozart's Piano Sonata 310." "So that was Mozart?" "What are all those little squiggly things?" "it's like blueprints for the music." "you'll be able to play any piece." "Kai-kun." "really!" "Spare me the studying." "But... that reminds me!" "showed up in the forest last night." "He just came up and grabbed my arm and starting saying all this crazy stuff." "he asked if I would play the piano with him!" "It wasn't funny." "Like I'd play the piano with that guy just like that." "We're not even friends!" "He probably meant..." "He probably meant... that he was offering to teach you piano." "That's not funny either." "I didn't ask him to do that; who does he think he is?" "But isn't it great?" "and he declined." "you can already play the piano!" "Just being able to play isn't good enough." "it's essential to find a top-caliber mentor." "this is your chance!" "you've got to try and learn the piano for real!" "then you must have a talent for the piano!" "and you don't need to worry about me." "I don't really like Ajino-sensei that much anyway." "And even though he refused me... please don't worry about it and let him teach you." "D-D-Don't say such stupid things!" "Just shut up and listen!" "How dare you tell me what to do?" "I don't want to be taught by anyone!" "aren't you!" "?" "Because you don't want to learn from him yourself!" "Kai-kun!" "my family doesn't have the money to pay for lessons." "but I'm different from you." "aren't you a little too obsessed over Ajino?" "he may have been a great pianist in the past... he's just a cheap music teacher who gets on everyone's bad side." "I'll teach you to play the piano." "that Mozart piece from before- but it's fine." "I've already memorized it." "See ya!" "Will you play the piano with me?" "Why did I say that to him?" "I was supposed to have cut ties with that world already." "157.333)\frx323\fry345\1aH60\cH5E7A79}Music Room" "Ichinose?" "That's Mozart's Piano Sonata 310." "300)}Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" "K 310 300)}Third Movement (Presto)" " Initial Stanzas" "A-Ajino..." "He hasn't gone home yet?" "and come to the music room to play around?" "Or did you come to see me?" "Like I'd ever do that!" "I just came in to take a look at Mozart's face." "Is that Mozart?" "That's Beethoven." "300)}Ludwig van Beethoven" "Wo0 59 300)}Für Elise" "Speaking of Beethoven..." "That's the song from Rei-chan's music box." "He has many other famous songs." "For example... 300)}Ludwig van Beethoven" "Op. 67 300)}First Movement (Allegro con brio) from his fifth symphony." "I know that one!" "right?" "I know a whole bunch of songs." "how about this guy?" "That's Mendelssohn." "300)}Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy" "Op. 61 300)}Wedding March" "I know this!" "I know this!" "what about him?" "That's Chopin." "Chopin also has a large number of famous songs... the Minute Waltz." "300)}Frédéric Chopin" "No. 1 300)}Petit chien (Little Dog)" " Minute Waltz" "300)}Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" "K 310 300)}First Movement (Allegro maestoso)" " Initial Stanzas you can't even get a word in." "I know." "I've never seen Shuuhei-san so serious before." "Ajino-sensei... instead of me... he chose Kai-kun." "This is Beethoven. how can you forget..." "Fate!" "That'll wake you up." "And now..." "And this is Chopin: the Minute Waltz." "Huh?" "What happened?" "But if I can play Mozart and Mendelssohn just fine..." "Why only when I play Chopin?" "That Kai!" "He's skipped school five days straight. {Oh snap." "It's Naruto!" "}" "I'm kicking his ass when he shows up." "What happened to Kai-kun?" "He's taken five days off from school." "Oh!" "Kai-kun!" "do you have something to say to me?" "Chopin... teach me how to play Chopin!" "I can't play the Minute Waltz. but I can't play Chopin at all." "But I definitely want to play it." "Please show me how to play it." "No problem." "I'll show you." "But I do have one condition." "I-I don't have any money." "My condition is that you won't leave until you're able to play it." "Not from me and not from playing the piano." "Wh-What kind of condition is that?" "come back here after school tomorrow." "I'll just say this:" "I'm not planning on learning from you for free!" "Amamiya." "but I heard it all." "this is bad." "I guess that makes me a big liar." "But I'm glad." "You get to learn to play the piano from Ajino-sensei." "even though you said you weren't considering his offer." "I knew he couldn't turn him down." "he is a former top-rate pianist after all." "I'm not really accepting his offer." "There's just this one song I can't play." "that's a good thing." "No way." "He's not going to teach me forever." "fine." "It's just a good thing." "That's all." "See you tomorrow!" "isn't it?" "Kai-kun didn't do anything bad." "Why am I so upset about it?" "What's with me?" "Good morning!" "452)}They're fighting!" "classroom 3!" "Kai and Kinpira are having a really loud fight!" "Don't play dumb!" "because your mom ran off with a customer!" "{Kinpira wanted to bang his mom?" "Sounds like it!" ":" "P}" "Like I'd even know that!" "you jerk!" "you fat pig!" "don't fight him!" "fat ass!" "don't use your fist!" "Amamiya." "I'm gonna strangle this pig today once and for all!" "Did you forget?" "You have a lesson with Ajino-sensei today!" "It'd be really bad if you hurt your hand!" "You can't fight with your hands anymore!" "Amamiya." "okay?" "I told you to let go of me!" "Kai-kun..." "What I do with my hands is my decision!" "but you have an important lesson to prepare for." "Shut up already!" "It's different now." "It's none of your business." "I'm just worried about you..." "Amamiya!" "girly hands of yours with your life!" "I understand." "That's what I'll do." "I'm only going to worry about myself from now on." "Kai!" "What's this about a lesson?" "Shut up!" "I'm not telling you a damn thing!" "Mr. Peas-For-Nuts!" "you..." "I'll beat you to death!" "Hey!" "Stop that fighting!" "Hey!" "Kanehira-kun!" "lchinose-kun!" "3490)}Koutama Dormitory" "Ajino?" "Ichinose." "The lesson room is this way." "It's a prefab room that my landlord built for his daughter to practice playing the piano." "you can practice without worrying." "you need to get used to playing on a normal piano." "so try and remember the music." "Th-That's not a song." "It's a practice piece for your fingers." "It's a musical scale." "Try and play it." "start off slowly." "Continue like that." "Just try to keep the sound consistent." "Keep repeating the same phrase on different scales over and over." "It's exercising your fingers." "you can keep your feelings out of it." "It's very monotonous for you." "I can't do this." "My head feels funny." "the keys are starting to look distorted." "They're getting all distorted." "The keys... lchinose?" "You can call it quits if you want." "but lessons are a lot of work." "Amamiya must have done so much of this." "300)}Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" "K 310 300)}First Movement (Allegro maestoso)" " Final Stanzas" "I'm different from Kai-kun." "I don't play the piano just for fun." "My goal is to become a pianist." "I'm different from Kai-kun!" "isn't this cute?" "Where did you buy it?" "Amamiya." "I-I'm sorry for saying those horrible things yesterday." "Please forgive me." "lchinose-kun." "I was wrong for meddling with your business." "I shouldn't have been so worried about you." "I know how difficult lessons are now." "That's why you" "They aren't a big deal if you have a goal in sight." "Amamiya..." "This is so boring." "How many more days do I have to keep doing this?" "I've already pissed off Amamiya." "There's a skylight." "That's right." "I guess the moon comes out wherever you are." "All-Japan Student Piano Competition?" "Yeah." "It looks like Amamiya Shuuhei-kun from my class is going to enter it." "isn't it?" "I suppose." "I'm so proud!" "but..." "This is the forest." "And this is the piano in the forest." "Huh?" "The sound is a little different." "The piano in the forest was more..." "Just a little bit more..." "There we go." "Like this..." "A-Awesome!" "Faster!" "Faster!" "More!" "More!" "More!" "That's enough." "Ajino!" "How long have you been there?" "Ichinose." "You've passed." "I did it!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Continue playing like that and try to play the Minute Waltz." "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "B-But you haven't taught me how to play Chopin yet." "Just give it a shot." "You should be able to play it now." "I won't be able to!" "Concentrate." "It's true." "I can really play it." "I'm playing Chopin." "it requires flexibility and motion control." "you can play Chopin." "I did it!" "I did it!" "I did it!" "I played Chopin!" "isn't it?" "we have a deal." "I told you." "I'm not planning on learning from you for free." "Now it's my turn to do something you want." "What would you like me to do?" "it has to be something that doesn't cost me any money." "I'd like you to enter the All-Japan Student Piano Competition." "The qualifying song is Mozart's Köchel 310." "W-Wait just a second." "You're asking me to enter a piano competition?" "That's right." "A-Are you serious?" "Of course." "I could never imagine myself entering a competition!" "Only rich boys and girls who've been taking lessons since they were babies enter those competitions." "Not gonna do it." "I can't grant such a ridiculous request." "I see." "I'm disappointed but I guess there's nothing I can do." "Just give me something more realistic." "I'll put my heart into it." "There's nothing else I particularly want." "H-H-Hold on!" "nothing?" "Think harder!" "walking your dog!" "I can do those things without your assistance." "I can do the cleaning and stuff just as well as you." "I don't have a dog." "Wait!" "All right." "but I'll enter the competition!" "Are you sure you're okay with it?" "it would be better to just call it off." "do I?" "You don't have any other requests..." "The qualifier for the competition is in ten days." "I'll take care of the registration." "huh?" "I'll be looking forward to that." "This can't be happening." "okay?" "I understand." "so we'll be leaving here soon." "Are you surprised?" "I'm thinking that we can move back to Tokyo right after the competition." "I see." "After the competition." "With Kai-kun... that doesn't matter." "I have to focus on the competition!" "lchinose-kun... lchinose-kun didn't come again?" "He's playing hooky." "I wonder what he's been up to." "are you playing the piano in the forest again?" "I think fooling around on that would be a lot of fun." "we live in different worlds." "Namie-san?" "Shuuhei-san... but your father arranged for Ajino-sensei to be a judge in the competition." "Huh?" "Sensei?" "Why?" "He figured it would be impossible for him to ignore you once he hears your piano playing." "He'll never accept that offer." "I just got a message from your father saying he'd refused." "I knew it." "And the reason Ajino-sensei gave for turning it down was..." "He said he's teaching a student who'll be participating in the competition." "he turned it down." "What do you mean?" "I don't know." "But he said that's definitely what Ajino said." "Kai-kun... wait right there!" "then it has to be Kai-kun!" "I was wrong about him. {Luurah suggests:" "I misjudged him. |" "Change?" "Keep?" "}" "Could Kai-kun be serious enough about the piano that he's going to participate in the competition?" "huh?" "you know." "What's all that ruckus about?" "It looks like they caught some kid." "huh?" "D-Didn't I apologize already?" "You think an apology is enough?" "My pants got all dirty because you bumped into me." "000 from you to pay the cleaning bill." "000 for a stain that small... 000." "And you're gonna pay for it right here!" "I" "What are you looking at?" "Huh?" "I came here to see lchinose Kai-kun!" "Kai?" "What do you need Kai for?" "!" "What are you doing with my important customer?" "I wasn't doing anything!" "We were just messing around." "Are you all right?" "don't tell me you're taking a brat like this as a client." "Don't talk trash." "He's Kai's close friend." "your friend is here." "Come outside." "aren't you?" "Y-Yes!" "Kai's mother." "Amamiya!" "Kai-kun..." "From here?" "I climb out this window and walk to the piano." "Climb?" "I climb down that tree." "huh?" "Kai fell out of that window when he was three years old." "Here." "Thank you." "Um..." "He fell out of the window?" "Exactly!" "We searched all over for him." "We thought he might have died." "And where do you think this guy was?" "He was playing on top of that piano." "The trees of the forest protected him." "And that's when that piano became his toy." "Every morning and every night." "Whenever he was free." "He'd even stay all night sometimes." "He was addicted!" "Don't say I was addicted." "learning to play the piano." "But to Kai-kun... the piano is..." "Shuu-chan?" "Kai's told me all about you." "He said he made a friend who plays the piano." "okay?" "ma'am." "it's time for work." "Get dressed." "Okay." "let's go outside." "right?" "so I need to explain the reason why." "I'm not upset." "The piano was always my opponent when I was a little kid." "I had to sacrifice so many things for my lessons." "being born into a family with a history of pianists." "But there's nothing I can do about it." "It's my fate." "That's what the piano is for me." "I feel like I understand a little bit about what the piano is for you." "Amamiya..." "That's why we can give everything we've got to this competition." "listen to my reasons!" "I'm not really going to take it all that seriously!" "I don't care about your reasons." "You have to give it your all if you're entering the competition." "That's the least you can do for my sake and for the sake of the competition." "okay?" "Okay." "I understand." "You won't make it to school tomorrow if you're wandering around at this hour." "Ajino..." "Could you help me be ready to give the competition everything I've got?" "Of course." "That's why I just finished adjusting the sound." "This is the score." "And this is a recording of it being performed." "so the quality isn't great." "But there's no mistaking that it's Mozart's Piano Sonata Köchel 310." "Is this from back when you played?" "Yes." "Much better than I can play now." "go ahead and read the next line." "Is lchinose-kun sleeping again?" "Kai!" "wake up!" "Hey!" "That's enough." "You've gotten pretty good at copying my style." "You can tell?" "Do you enjoy copying others?" "I just enjoy playing well." "Give me back the tape I let you borrow earlier." "Don't listen to this anymore!" "That's an important tape!" "Don't copy others." "Don't play the piano like others." "Play your own piano!" "I want to hear your own Köchel 310." "If you don't start playing your own style of music..." "Give me back my score!" "I can't really tell the difference between my piano playing and someone else's piano playing!" "you'll be able to savor the best feeling imaginable." "Just what exactly is my own piano?" "do you think I can have my score back?" "He's here already!" "Shit!" "can you play your own piano?" "You're gonna embarrass yourself at the concert." "maybe you shouldn't enter after all." "Each day there are more of you!" "Screw you all!" "we've both... made it to the day of the competition." "Are you ready?" "Let's get going." "Kai is such a mean kid." "He didn't even mention the competition until yesterday!" "Is that true?" "she'd be all happy and stuff." "it's not even something to get all happy about." "Kai!" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 472)\b1\cH64666A}All-Japan Student Piano Contest" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 1192)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "121.333)}56th Central Southern Region 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 121.333)}56th Central Southern Region" "472)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest" "Only one person is going to make it to the nationals from today's regional competition." "Nationals?" "that is where they decide who the best pianist in all of Japan is." "The best in all of Japan?" "To think that Kai would be entering a contest that ultimately decides the best in Japan." "Stop saying such stupid stuff!" "Like I'm trying to be the best in Japan... ls Mozart's ghost still haunting you?" "Wipe that smirk off your face!" "Just whose fault do you think that is?" "!" "Is something wrong?" "I-I'm gonna go check out the contestants' green room." "Amamiya might be there already." "Amamiya..." "I guess he's not here yet." "This sucks!" "Why does Amamiya Shuuhei get to be in the South Central region?" "Shiraishi?" "he was." "He'll place first if he's entering!" "We won't know that until the end." "I do know!" "isn't he Amamiya Youichirou's son?" "The winner's already decided no matter what we do." "There's no point in even entering this competition!" "why don't you quit?" "You've been blathering this whole time!" "I don't care if you're nervous." "Just quit saying such ridiculous things with that foul mouth of yours!" "I'm not saying ridiculous things." "It's already been decided that Amamiya Shuuhei will win this competition." "Maybe." "But that's not for you to say." "The only one who decides if Amamiya wins is Amamiya himself!" "He'll win by his own ability." "Amamiya!" "Kai-kun!" "you're early." "Yeah!" "Who is that guy?" "Nonomura Hanayo-sensei." "Yamaguchi Chie-sensei." "Hiramoto Ryuuichi-sensei." "Those twelve professors will be the judges." "222.667)}Elementary" "Now begins the elementary school section of our competition." "Enomoto Rika-san." "Köchel 310." "His own Mozart?" "instead of copying others." "He's already got everything he needs." "that makes it easy!" "You should just play like you play the piano in the forest." "I'll be in trouble." "She said it would be easy." "Damn it... you little brat?" "what's wrong?" "Are you scared?" "I'm not scared." "I'm crying because I'm disappointed." "my plans for winning the regionals and going to the nationals are" "Don't blame this on Amamiya!" "I can't believe that Amamiya has to compete against pampered opponents like you!" "He's gonna be the best in Japan!" "It's obvious because he's spent his entire life enduring painfully tough lessons to get here!" "Have you seen them?" "Have you seen those painful lessons?" "you can't see them." "what about my lessons?" "Have you seen my lessons?" "What?" "How would I have seen them?" "So you have no idea and yet you say such evil things!" "E-Evil?" "I've tried so hard." "I've said too much." "Takako..." "I don't..." "I don't want to mess up." "I try not to mess up." "I play my heart out." "Always..." "I wear myself out." "You're not gonna be able to concentrate if you keep thinking such crazy thoughts." "but I can't help it!" "I guess there's nothing I can do." "There is one way you can concentrate." "Think about the place that calms you down the most." "Imagine it." "Imagine that you're in that place." "The piano's right in front of you." "It's just you and the piano." "The bathroom." "geez." "We're already running low on time." "Go ahead but hurry up." "the place that calms me down the most." "The crapper?" "222.667)}Elementary" "It's different!" "My bathroom is much bigger and prettier!" "It's completely different from this one!" "so deal with it!" "even if there isn't a single tree here!" "I can't do it." "I don't have Wendy with me." "Who's Wendy?" "is by my side!" "A dog?" "You're not gonna find a dog here anywhere! I calm down..." "I calm down..." "I just pet her." "too." "Wendy!" "No way..." "Would contestants #30 through #37 please begin their preparations backstage?" "aren't you?" "Takako-sama!" "What should I do?" "It's almost time!" "Takako-sama!" "Looks like it's time." "Can you do this?" "I don't know." "You can do it!" "I wonder what happened to Kai-kun." "We're continuing with #31." "Amamiya Shuuhei-kun will be performing." "Amamiya-kun." "sir." "Shuuhei-san..." "God of the Piano..." "Please make me... number one!" "Yes." "This is it." "This is my piano." "Amamiya's amazing." "He's so cool." "I did it." "I didn't mess up even once." "It was flawless." "Shuuhei-san..." "I'm sure that..." "I beat you." "I guess I should have worn long pants like Amamiya for this competition." "Shorts don't really work." "wasn't it?" "Yeah." "But that doesn't matter." "just play the best you can." "Wendy." "My opponent is inside of me." "I know that." "Wendy..." "Wendy..." "The next performer is... #33:" "Maruyama Takako-san." "just play like you're in the bathroom with Wendy." "Young lady..." "Concentrate..." "Concentrate... please save me." "please save me." "Wendy!" "Wendy..." "Okay!" "Takako-sama!" "I did it." "The level of talent is quite high this year." "You did it!" "You were the perfect "potty princess" out there." "perfect." "Thank you." "You're..." "You're... the best!" "Get off me!" "what should I do?" "It's almost Kai's turn." "My heart is pounding..." "I want to watch him." "but what if I can't stop my tears?" "what should I do?" "Ichinose." "Your opponent isn't Mozart." "Ichinose." "That was #36:" "Sasaki Maiko-san." "Kai-kun..." "Performing next is... #37:" "Ichinose Kai-kun." "Here I go." "Kai..." "Wendy." "Kai-kun?" "W-Wendy?" "Kai?" "Sh-Shit..." "Mozarts." "Shit!" "Weren't you guys just some ghosts that I originally dreamed up?" "I'll fight through you all... until I'm the only one left!" "Kai-kun." "Amazing." "Wendy's so good." "This kid is skilled." "Who is he?" "Ichinose..." "I'm doing it." "that I didn't realize I was just parroting Ajino's damn playing style." "too." "We're finally gonna get our score back." "He couldn't do it." "you no-talent kid!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Give it back!" "Kai-kun?" "Kai?" "Wendy!" "You can't stop!" "Kai-kun?" "You didn't mess up once." "If you could play like that until the end..." "If you could play..." "I'll give you back the Köchel 310 you're all clamoring for!" "What is he doing?" "I'll play my own Köchel 310" "to the forest." "This is it." "This is the sound." "What's this?" "It's not Mozart." "this is the piano in the forest." "Yes." "He's playing the piano inside his own world now." "he's made us all into trees." "And he's turned this hall into the forest." "I did it." "Kai was so cool!" "Wendy!" "he did it." "Encore!" "Encore!" "Encore!" "Encore!" "Encore!" "I- lost." "I knew it all along." "No matter how hard I tried..." "I was still going to lose." "I knew it." "Rei-chan!" "Ajino!" "Kai!" "I did it!" "I played my own piano!" "right?" "not at all." "Don't be so optimistic." "Wendy!" "Takako!" "you were amazing!" "How did you learn to play the piano like that?" "Wendy?" "the decisions of the twelve judges will be announced." "so please wait just a moment." "Can you see it?" "Yeah." "54.667)}56th All-Japan Student 91)}Piano Contest {\fs10\1aH89}Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "105)}Piano Contest {\fs10\1aH89}Qualifiers (Elementary School Division) 105)}Piano Contest {\fs10\1aH89}Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "96)}Piano Contest {\fs10\1aH89}Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "72)}56th All-Japan Student 141.333)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "353.333)}{\fs38.667}Ishiki Kaho{\fs41.333} {\fs38.667}Noda Midori 66.667)}56th All-Japan Student" "137.333)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division) 348)}{\fs38.667}Ishiki Kaho{\fs41.333} {\fs38.667}Noda Midori" "2.667)}56th All-Japan Student 126.667)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "286.667)}{\fs38.667}Ishiki Kaho{\fs41.333} {\fs38.667}Noda Midori{\fs33.333} {\fs38.667}Baba Shinji{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Suzuki Kyouko{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Takayama Nene{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Hatasa Kura{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Aono Ryou" "78.667)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division) #33... 4)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division)" "134.667)}{\fs38.667}Ishiki Kaho{\fs41.333} {\fs38.667}Noda Midori{\fs33.333} {\fs38.667}Baba Shinji {\fs38.667}Suzuki Kyouko{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Takayama Nene{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Hatasa Kura{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Aono Ryou" "75.333)}Piano Contest Qualifiers (Elementary School Division) #37..." "48.667)}{\fs38.667}Ishiki Kaho{\fs41.333} {\fs38.667}Noda Midori{\fs33.333} {\fs38.667}Baba Shinji {\fs38.667}Suzuki Kyouko {\fs38.667}Takayama Nene{\fs34.667} {\fs38.667}Hatasa Kura{\fs37.333} {\fs38.667}Aono Ryou" "#33... #37..." "66)\cH112611}Takayama Nene{\fs58.667} {\fs66.667\1aH30}Hatasa Kura{\fs54.667} {\fs66.667\1aH35}Aono Ryou {\fs66.667}Amamiya Shuuhei #33..." "506.667)\cH112611}Amamiya Shuuhei{\fs86.667} {\fs66.667\1aH15}Maruyama Takako{\fs58.667} {\fs66.667\1aH08}Hamaguchi Satsuki" "It's there!" "It's there!" "young lady!" "#37... #37..." "148.667)\cH112611}Amamiya Shuuhei{\fs94.667} {\fs66.667\1aH15}Maruyama Takako {\1aH08}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all" "63.333)\cH112611}Maruyama Takako {\1aH08}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all #37..." "83.333)\cH112611}Maruyama Takako {\1aH08}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all 82.667)\cH112611}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all" "81)\cH112611}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all 81)\cH112611}Hamaguchi Satsukii{\fs49.333} {\bord1.333\3aHcc\be0\fs40\1aH10\cH0F190F}10 names in all" "It's not there." "It's there!" "It's there!" "Shiraishi!" "Wendy!" "No way." "How could they fail you?" "There must have been a mistake." "Y-Yes!" "That didn't happen." "But..." "Good luck in the finals." "Wendy..." "Is that true?" "I'm sure you were at the top." "That's not what I mean." "Kai wasn't chosen as a qualifier?" "but that's not that surprising." "he just ignored the score and played whatever he felt like." "Shuuhei-san!" "I felt bad for lchinose." "You can't give a ranking to his piano style." "He doesn't fit within the constructs of the competition." "You can't give him some standard ranking." "but that's the nature of competitions." "Kai will be fine." "He'll get over it quickly." "Kai!" "You'll catch a cold!" "It feels so good." "It's going to be a letdown for him after he put so much effort into this." "lchinose-san." "Yes?" "Ichinose..." "Kai." "May I introduce Kai to the world?" "Japan is too small for his piano." "So let's show it to the world." "I'll take him to the rest of the world with me." "Kai-kun..." "Sensei!" "Where's Kai-kun?" "They just went home." "I-I see." "Congratulations on qualifying." "You rarely hear such highly accomplished piano playing." "Th-Thank you very much." "Sensei!" "Do you think..." "Do you think I could play the piano and move people like Kai-kun does?" "Will I be able to play like that someday?" "You need to learn to love your own piano more." "I'm sure you'll understand." "You won't need to compare yourself to anyone." "You played the piano well." "374.667)\frx350\fry324}56th Central Southern Region {See Duck's report re:" "Typesetting} 418.667)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest 374.667)\frx350\fry324}56th Central Southern Region" "418.667)}All-Japan Student Piano Contest another big round of applause for Amamiya-kun!" "I'm afraid I have to give you some very unfortunate news." "but Amamiya-kun will be going back to his old elementary school in Tokyo." "Amamiya-kun." "but I will never forget you all." "Thank you very much." "we'll be going now." "Shuuhei-san?" "Amamiya-kun." "ma'am." "Kai-kun... go on ahead." "I need to talk to Kai-kun." "I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to tell you earlier." "It's fine." "Just make sure you win the finals." "promise me that you'll definitely become the best in Japan." "then I'm done with you." "But you're the true #1." "I actually lost to you." "Amamiya?" "I'll promise you that." "I can't imagine an opponent better than you." "Don't say such stupid things!" "don't underestimate the finals." "watch out for the potty princess!" "She's a tough opponent." "I will." "I'm gonna be really bored without you." "Super bored." "Kai-kun... don't forget our promise!" "The best in Japan!" "You'd better!" "Because I'm always going to brag about you!" "Kai-kun!" "do your best." "Do your best!" "Do your best!" "Kai-kun..." "Thank you." "I'm sure I would have ended up hating the piano." "the forest..."