Caramel Waffles with Apples and Nuts
Thanks for waiting!
Here are your caramel waffles with apples and nuts!
Wow! I've always wanted to try this!
Oh, boy! This is amazing! Hey, where...
...do you think I should start?
Huh?
Where should I start?
Hmm...
Should I take a picture?
First I was an extra... now I'm a substitute, huh?
Okay! That's all she wrote!
Is baking sweets your hobby or something?
No, no... I don't make them.
So...good!
She's such an amazing musician, but all she looks like now is an ordinary girl.
Hey... I thought it was just a prop, but you can really play it, huh?
That piano... is such a happy piano...
That piano's grinning from ear to ear!
It's a sad little piano, you know.
You should never put a piano near water, but they've decorated it with fresh flowers.
I learned it in piano class!
Megu-chan, that's awesome!
Oh? That's Mozart, huh?
I learned this the other day. But I still can't play it well.
Is that right? Well, it is pretty hard, huh?
Onee-chan, can you play the piano?
She sure knows how to get along with kids. I guess her mental age is low?
No. But...
that Onii-chan over there is an unbelievable pianist,
so why don't we ask him to teach us?
For real?
Play for us!
Show me how!
No, I... I don't play piano anymore...
Ouch!
Don't embarrass me in front of those children!
Okay... just a little, then.
Yay!
Three, two...
See, what did I tell you? It's a happy piano, after all!
Huh? Why are you stopping?
You can't stop playing!
You were so cool!
Sorry... I'm really... sorry...
Thank you very much!
Oh, boy, I'm stuffed!
I am one satisfied girl!
Huh?
It's a kitty!
You like cats?
I used to have a black cat just like this one.
You did?
So you're not gonna play the piano anymore?
You know about that.
Winner of the Moriwaki Students' Piano Competition...
The youngest winner in history of the Saiki Competition.
And so on...
Your playing style was accurate and disciplined - a human metronome.
You were a prodigy who performed with an orchestra at eight.
You've done your homework.
It's common knowledge. There isn't a musician of our generation who hasn't heard of you.
Since you're who we look up to.
Why did you quit playing?
Why?
I can't hear the sound of the piano.
How cliché is that, right?
But you were just playing at that café, weren't you?
Sure, I can hear it at first.
But... somewhere along the way...
The more I concentrate... the more I get consumed by my performance...
The sounds I play...
fade away from my reach, tangling up like flowers seized by the spring wind...
...and vanish.
So that's why, just now...
It doesn't affect me at all in my daily life.
It's only the sound of my own playing that I can't hear.
It's a punishment...
Even though I can hear the sounds of my fingers striking the keys,
and the sounds of the keys sinking...
the only thing I can't hear is the sound of my own playing.
This has to be... a punishment.
Don't be such a baby!
Wh-What...
You're so negative! Play even if you can't play!
Have you tried playing with a stick between your teeth, like Beethoven?
If you can't move your hands, then play with your feet!
That's crazy...
If you don't have enough fingers, then use your nose as well!
Mozart?
Whether you're sad, you're a mess,
or you've hit rock bottom, you still have to play!
That's how people like us survive.
People like us...
Yeah, maybe that's true for you.
Since you're in love with her, she sparkles in your eyes.
When I'm with you, what Watari said kind of makes sense to me.
You're in love with food,
you're in love with the violin, you're in love with music.
I guess that's why you sparkle?
What do you call this kind of feeling again? This is probably...
This is probably what you call yearning, I bet.
I've made up my mind.
I'm appointing you as my accompanist.
Whaaat?
Since I won the Audience Award, I'll be playing in the second round.
My accompanist for that.
Huh? Did you hear a word I said?
I can't play, all right? I can't hear what I'm playing.
Quit your whining. My mind's made up. Just give in to your fate like a good boy.
You exist inside spring.
You exist inside a spring that can't be replaced.
I hereby appoint Friend A as my accompanist.
Morning, Tsubaki!
Morning!
Come back here, you!
I said I just can't do it, all right?
Just shut up and be my accompanist!
What the heck?
Ambushing me at this hour!
For our set piece,
I decided on Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso,
so I'll bring you the sheet music tomorrow.
Home Economics Room
Have Kousei play the accompaniment for your violin?
I got dumped by my accompanist from the other day...
That guy's insanely good on the piano, right?
You knew about that, Kao-chan?
Well, to anyone who plays music, he's a total celebrity.
That's why I thought I'd ask him.
You don't think... he'll do it?
I'm totally psyched!
Did I just feel a chill?
Like I could eat that.
Huh? Classical music?
I thought they always played pop.
Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso?
Not only that, but it's on repeat...
What the...?
Tsubaki Kaori
Accompaniment, accompaniment, accompaniment, accompaniment...
All right, open up your textbooks to page 17.
What the heck is going on today?
Huh?
I know it's you, Tsubaki!
When did she do this? Even my wallpaper's...
Play the accompaniment!
Classical again?
They've been playing this same song for a week now!
I just can't do it...
It's tomorrow, huh?
I wonder if it'll be nice out?
The way he's been acting, Kousei will bail for sure.
I'm gonna drag him there no matter what.
But are you sure it's really okay? To force him to accompany me?
It's fine, it's fine. With Kousei, you have to be at least this pushy.
It's a good idea! A good idea!
Hey, I'm gonna make Watari help, too. If it's for a girl...
If it's for you, Kao-chan, no way will he say no.
I'm so going to make you play the piano!
You really like Arima-kun, don't you, Tsubaki-chan?
Well...
It's not quite like that. To me...
Kousei is...
Even though I'm an only child, it's like having a high-maintenance big sister.
He's like a hopeless kid brother...
To be honest, it doesn't matter to me whether Kousei plays the piano or not.
The thing is, though...
If he's gonna quit, I want him to quit on his own terms. It hurts to see him like this.
Because right now, Kousei's only living his life halfway.
Ever since that day...
Ever since that day, Kousei's been trapped with nowhere to go.
Time just stops, doesn't it?
So I want him to play the piano... Because I'm sure something will change if he does...
Next stop,
Totsuhara University Hospital Entrance... Totsuhara University Hospital Entrance
Stop Requested
We'll be making the next stop.
We will now commence judging the second round of preliminaries for the Violin Competition.
Towa Music Competition Committee Sponsor Second Annual Towa Music Competition Violin - Middle School Division
Wh-What...
...are you doing at school?
Isn't this the day of the prelims?
What do you think you're doing?
I came to pick you up!
Hiding out in a place like this! I looked all over for you, so let's get going!
But I've been telling you all this time, I'm not gonna accompany you!
What's that?
I mean, there are people who train to specialize in that. No way could I ever do it!
And besides, even if we headed over right now,
I couldn't give a performance that I could live with...
I can't play the piano.
Once again, I'm casting about for a reason.
So what are you saying?
It's not that you can't play. You just won't play.
"I can't hear the sound of the piano..."
You're just using that as your excuse to run away.
I...
I... I'm afraid.
It's like I'm at the bottom of a dark sea where I can't hear anything.
There's no one here...
So dark... So dark...
Weren't you relieved the moment you stopped being able to hear?
You found yourself an excuse. An excuse not to ever appear onstage again.
After all, you're no Beethoven!
Help me...
I can't hear anything!
Did his mind just go blank?
Why isn't he playing?
Did he forget how to play?
Weird kid.
I've never seen this happen before.
Someone...
Arima's self-destructed!
It's over.
Lucky break!
That's one less competitor.
...help...
This is the frontrunner?
He cracked under the pressure.
Mom...
I'm going to be alone again at the bottom of a dark sea.
But you have me.
I know that can't hear the sound of your playing, and that you haven't been playing.
I know everything. But I want you.
Just like you said, we might not be able to turn in a performance that we can live with.
But we're going to play. As long as I have a chance to play,
and there's an audience that will listen.
Kousei!
I'm going to play with everything I've got.
So that the people who've heard me will never forget me.
So that I can live in their hearts forever.
That's my reason for existing.
I'm a musician, after all! Just like you.
So... I'm asking you to do this for me.
Please be my accompanist.
Huh? What? Um...
A tiny bit will do... Please give me your support.
Please support me in this moment that I'm about to lose heart.
Watari was totally right.
Whether or not it's impossible...
The girl will let you know.
I'll do it. I'll be your accompanist.
I'm not making any guarantees, all right?
Found you!
What are you doing? We've been looking for you!
Don't you dare run away! Not if you call yourself a man!
If we make a run for it, we'll be there in 20 minutes!
20 minutes? I won't be able to play decently!
Hey, I've got an idea.
Let's go!
But will you be okay? What about practice? Have you rehearsed together?
No worries! We'll figure it out! Because we rule!
Don't underestimate us jocks! I can make you time to rehearse!
Wait, shouldn't you guys be in school? And whose bike is this?
Hey, don't sweat the small stuff!
The town that I live in... is starting to take on color...
Inside Spring
Episode 4 Set Out
Watch Again Next Week!
Two People on a Bike is Forbidden By Law