What time does the competition start?
Uh...the doors open at 3:00... and the thing starts at 3:30.
It's 3:20 now!
Crap! It's just about to start!
No worries, no worries.
I'm fourth anyway.
Huh?
That's cutting it close!
Main Hall - Information
We're here! Just made it!
I got us programs.
Hey, thanks.
No. 11 was last year's Honorable Mention, huh?
What about the Audience Award?
I wonder if she'll be able to play well?
That Mr. Kazama's leading the judging panel, huh?
It's a good chance to catch his eye.
You know what, it's like a different dimension in here. Everyone here's like a celebrity.
This tension before the competition starts is the same everywhere, huh?
Even I'm starting to get nervous!
You're not even competing, Tsubaki.
Bye.
Since I'm going this way.
Good luck!
We'll be rooting for you, okay?
Okay! I'll do my best!
The auditorium's this way, huh?
Right.
What's wrong?
N-No...
It's nothing.
This is your workplace.
Towa Music Competition Committee Sponsor Second Annual Towa Music Competition Violin - Middle School Division
Huh. It's smaller inside than I thought.
Don't compare it to a stadium!
I haven't felt this kind of atmosphere in a while... since sixth grade, when I came to cheer you on.
The dry air... the smell of dust...
Those seats over there are open.
Hey, isn't that Arima?
It's Arima-kun.
Arima... you mean that pianist?
He's all grown up now.
You mean the youngest kid to ever win the Saiki Competition?
But I thought he was overseas?
What's he doing at the Violin Competition?
Heyyy...
Ex-celebrity!
The classical world sure is small!
Hey, you kept this from me on purpose, didn't you?
That we'd be going to hear her perform!
Because...
If you knew about that, Kousei... You wouldn't have come, would you?
So I kept it on the down-low with all my might.
So the piano only makes you feel lousy, then?
Towa Music Competition Committee Sponsor Second Annual Towa Music Competition Violin - Middle School Division
We will now begin the preliminary round of the Towa Music Competition
Violin Section for Middle-schoolers.
Beethoven... Violin Sonata No. 9.
The Kreutzer.
Huh? He's asleep already?
It's been a while since I heard a live performance.
What can I say...
I'm really starting to get goosebumps.
It's the same song over and over. Boring!
Well, that's the set piece. And you're the one who brought me here.
But it's a pretty big turnout, huh? I'm a little surprised.
This is a newly-established major national competition that's starting to get some notice.
The sponsors are kinda quirky.
Normally, the set piece for the preliminary round would be Bach or Paganini numbers, played solo,
Towa Hall
but in this contest, every number features an accompanist. That's pretty rare.
The winner gets the right to play on a Guarneri owned by the sponsors in a recital.
Guar...neri? Kabanini?
He's off.
Is it just me or does he stink?
You got this.
You got this!
Kazuhiro Oyama Umena Middle School
Well, that was too bad. And he started off so well, too.
He made two or three mistakes.
Is he one of Mr. Sato's students?
No wonder, then.
Midway through, he started flailing with his bow. Guess he panicked.
Head Judge
Still, what consistency. That was raw, but the overall level was high. He played it well.
You're absolutely right, Mr. Kazama!
Well, it got interesting after he messed up. At this rate I'm going to fall asleep.
Now, then, who's next?
Hey! Kao-chan's up next!
Hey, wake up, Watari!
Oh, crap, I messed up...
- Kao-chan looks so pretty!
- I've been waiting for this, yo!
This is making me nervous.
My music...
Will it reach them?
Elohim, Essaim... Elohim, Essaim... I implore you...
So cute!
Is this...
This is the same song, right?
No question, it's the set piece, the Kreutzer.
But...
This is blasphemy! Both the tempo and the dynamics are all over the place!
She's even ignoring the pianist and going off on her own!
She might as well be picking a fight with the composer!
It's the Kreutzer... but this piece is no longer Beethoven's.
This piece...
There's no denying that she owns it.
She's ultra-violent, her personality blows, and she leaves the worst impression.
But...
She's beautiful.
Kao-chan, you're gorgeous!
Kaori-chan, you're the best!
Aha, now that was stunning.
An overwhelming personality, refusing to blindly obey the composer.
Though I'm sure it's not Mr. Kazama's cup of tea...
During a serious competition!
What she has is on a whole different level.
Kaori Miyazono Sumitani Junior Highschool [Piano: Satomi Sakakibara] Previous Awards: None
How on earth is this girl not famous?
This is amazing. They're still buzzing about her. It's like a concert venue! You think she'll win?
What? Uh...
But what a shame. What a crying shame.
This is a competition, after all.
There's no way she'll win or even place. Too many deductions.
Not playing the way the score's written is a total taboo.
But why? You saw how everyone loved it!
I could see it if this were a recital, but no way in a competition.
But... I'm sure... That's probably not what she's seeking.
I wonder how she can seem so happy while she's performing?
We will now take a fifteen-minute break.
That No. 4 was totally awesome, huh?
Is what she did allowed?
You mean Kaori Miyazono, right?
I even know her name now!
I think I'm a fan!
Talk about a huge impact!
She's so cute.
Amazing! They're all talking about Kao-chan. Well, she was really cool, wasn't she?
Wasn't it like we were at a concert? She was the only one I could stay awake for.
It was beyond lame of you to snooze from the get-go.
Well, I couldn't help it!
Uh... um...
U-Um... Here...
Flowers for you...
We were so moved!
Wow, they're so pretty! Thanks!
Oh, Ms. Miyazono. We'll be posting the result thirty minutes after the panel's done.
Oh, don't mind me.
Because I really don't care about that stuff.
It means nothing unless you come in first.
Kao-chan!
Tsubaki-chan!
Bye now. Thanks for the flowers!
Sure!
The violinist who just finished performing...
Comes running towards those who await her.
Weaving through the crowd...
Flowers in her arms...
It's just like...
...a scene out of a movie...
That was awesome! You were so cute!
Thanks!
It was incredible.
Hey, Friend A!
Oh, one sec.
Sure.
Hey!
What did you think?
Huh? M-Me?
Wasn't I amazing?
Uh... See...
What... did you... think?
Uh... Um... Not bad...
I've never seen anyone get flowers after the prelims.
Not only that, but you don't even know them, right?
They couldn't have known to bring them, so for those girls...
hearing your performance, then rushing out to buy flowers to give to you...
It must've been an unforgettable day.
I think it was that kind of performance.
How do you like that?
It's just like...
...a scene out of a movie.
Although I only played Friend A.
We will now be announcing the names of the contestants who cleared the preliminaries.
All right! I see my name!
Huh? No. 8 didn't make it?
There's my name!
I'm gonna take a picture.
Passed First Preliminaries
Chie-chan, I see your name. Hey...
Audience Choice: Kaori Miyazono
The Audience Award winner makes it to the second round, too.
Music Preparation Room
Huh? Watari?
Man, you gave me a heart attack.
You weren't in the nurse's office, so I came to find you,
and you're passed out on the floor! I thought you were dead!
Arima?
Use this to ice the spot where you got clobbered.
Thanks.
So? What were you up to, ditching class and screaming bloody murder?
Nothing... I was just clearing my mind.
Well, you're acting pretty strange today. Even more spaced out than usual.
Hey! Could it be that you... You were thinking about a girl you like, right?
Wh-Where did that come from?
That pretty much defines the idle thoughts of adolescence, man.
Was it the timely Kaori-chan? Hey, I get it. She was so darned cute, huh?
Never in a million years and you know it! Besides...
She's...
You're in a supporting role. Kao-chan...
She likes you, Watari.
No way would she ever like me.
But that doesn't make any difference.
It's only natural for the girl you're crushing on to be in love with someone else.
Since you're in love with her,
she sparkles in your eyes.
That's why people fall so irrationally in love.
I think I kind of get why you're such a chick-magnet, Watari.
You bet. There are plenty of girls that I like!
But for me, it's impossible.
I'm sure...
Whether or not it's impossible,
the girl will let you know.
You give good advice, Watari.
Don't I though?
Hey, you! Watari!
You made Keiko cry again, didn't you?
C-Calm down!
What do you mean, calm down?
I was gonna ditch practice today and go home with Keiko-chan!
Seeing as I've neglected her for a while.
You're awful, after all.
Watari's right.
I'm not myself today. I'm out of here...
Before I know it...
Against a screen of bright red clouds...
I hear the refrain against the black curtain of my closed eyes.
Over and over... Again and again...
Again and again...
And every time, my heart...
It's like what my mother left me scatters away...
I want to hear it again, yet I don't want to hear it again...
One more time...
I want to see her,
yet I don't want to see her.
This kind of feeling...
What was it called again?
What do you call this kind of feeling again?
Friend A.
You exist inside spring.
She's wearing our school uniform. So you really are a student here.
Wh-What are you staring at?
You were gonna sneak another shot, weren't you? Pervert!
I would never, and I didn't!
Liar! You're gonna spread it all over the internet!
I won't, I won't!
Oh, never mind. It'll only make my popularity explode anyway.
Talk about over-confident...
Anyway, where's Watari-kun?
Watari?
I want to scare him, so I'm lying in wait.
I was gonna ditch practice today and go home with Keiko-chan!
Think he'll be here soon?
Nah, no sign of him showing up at all.
Watari's...
He's still in practice.
I think!
I see.
Then maybe I'll go take a peek at the soccer team.
Huh?
They've got their summer tournament coming up, see!
I don't know if you should barge in on practice...
Yeah! Right! I don't think it's a good idea!
Watari's quite nervous about it...
Hmm, you do have a point.
If I disrupt him, he'll hate me, huh?
I'm appointing you as his substitute!
Friend A
Huh?
Episode 3 Inside Spring