I reach out my hands and gathered up...
the scattered music notes in the 88th scene.
I don't know how to put my feelings in words.
I put them in the music score as the days passed by.
When we come across...
at the third time, the feelings will ring out here.
Let me put it straight forwardly like a song.
I write all of them in a song.
This endless crescendo is so strong...
and reaching out to someone.
The melody is heading to the pianist on the stage.
It's the melody of everything about life.
It's the real face.
A whole new world...
has opened up before my eyes.
A new prelude repeats.
She stopped!?
Oh? She picked it up again.
But this isn't Petrouchka. Right?
This is...
Did she forget the tune!?
What kind of image is this?
On my god...
Being kicked by the puppet master... the clown doll,
Petrouchka is about to be confined to a cabin prison.
The fear and anger of the puppet master...
The happiness when dreaming of something beyond yourself...
The pitiful end of the clown...
unable to distinguish the dream from reality anymore...
Even if you play brilliantly...
deviating from the score is just not done at a competition
She wasn't ready in time, after all.
Still...
The girl was very different, unexpected.
Like finding a bomb and seeing it suddenly explode.
Exactly! She did captivate the audience's hearts.
This is not a laughing matter.
But really she did great.
Number 18, Megumi Noda...
Well, let's get on with it.
What should we do? Who's the winner of this competition?
Megumi Noda, huh?
4th place... number 8, Ryuji Tsuboi!
3rd place, number 10,
- Hidemi Uchidate! - I'm so glad for Tsuboi.
the 2nd place with no 1st place...
Number 21, Yuto Segawa!
No winner, I get it.
Why is there no 1st place!?
How could this happen?
If I'd known this competition was this much fun,
I would've come to see it from the very first tryout.
Shinichi, can we have a little chat with her after this?
Oh!? Where'd he go?
Nodame.
I just can't let her go like this.
Next year... will you go to Europe with me?
If you're going to continue with your piano,
it would be better for you to go over there
than going to our university grad school.
You're more suited to school there.
You would see many things, feel and experience something new.
With me...
Why? Why do I have to study that hard?
What? Why? Well...
because you started to feel like studying piano more, didn't you?
That's why you entered this competition.
I entered this competition for the prize money.
- What? - I was just after the money.
I wanted the money so I could have some fun!
Money?
Why does everybody keep telling me what to do!?
They always force on me their own points of view.
You must aim higher!
Ever since I was little...
Make a big splash!
Why don't you play as I say!?
Being told what I should do... I've had enough of that!
What's wrong with playing piano just for fun!?
Nodame... When you were on that stage playing,
didn't you enjoy it?
No, I didn't.
I see. Never mind then.
It was the first time I'd heard you playing the piano
and following the score beautifully.
It was a good performance.
But still... I couldn't do it right.
"December"
Totally forgotten about the test for graduation!
What do I do!?
Why's our next concert in January!?
It's exactly same time as the test!
It was you who suggested holding a New Year's concert.
Why didn't anybody say something, then?
Aren't we having the test at the same time?
It's only you being freaked out because you haven't studied.
Maybe I can help you with your German.
Give it back!
I don't want you to make a fool of me in the academic arena!
But you are a fool.
Chiaki, would you please help me out again?
No. I swore that I'd never teach you again.
C'mon! At least tutor me on piano, for my minor, please.
No. I'm also busy with a lot of things.
Ryu. Why don't you ask Nodame to tutor you in piano?
Dad! Great idea! Nodame can help me!
Nodame?
Chiaki, ask her about having a study camp here.
We'll feed her. Anyway she needs to study too.
Ask her yourself. I've not seen her for a while.
What? Fighting with your wife?
She's not my wife!
Did you break up with her?
Why do you say stuff like that?
Oh! So Chiaki's got a girlfriend. What's she like?
Simply put, she's a strange woman.
Huh?
The world's most bizarre, abnormal creature in existence.
Huh?
But Chiaki, you should patch things up with her.
Christmas is coming
Unfortunately I can't hang out with you guys this year.
Fine with me!
Masumi and Takahashi are going to jump you.
Oh, speaking of Nodame,
she was talking about going back home for the holidays this year.
Woah, now what am I going to do without a piano accompanist!?
Oh my god!
Since I last saw Nodame...
I haven't heard any piano from her room.
It's okay...
Well, it has nothing to do with me.
"Ohkawa city, Fukuoka"
- Happy new year! - Happy new year!
Well, it's sure been a while
since we had everybody together for New Year's Day.
It's the first time in two years for Megumi.
That's right. She hasn't come home once.
I hope you're not having too much fun in Tokyo.
She didn't have to repeat a year this time
She must've worked hard for that.
- Well, yes! - You did great, really.
Here. Megumi, Yoshitaka, my New Year's gift to you.
Yeah! Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma!
Actually, this is the last year for Megumi
to receive New Year's money, isn't it?
It would be great if it would be the last one...
Megumi, what are you planning to do this year?
It won't matter what her plans are!
She didn't do the student teaching program!
Seems she wasn't job hunting either.
She's going to be our family's nonperforming loan!
Non...
Nonperforming loan!?
Megumi, do you want to go into the seaweed business with me?
Are you crazy? Do you want to bankrupt our business!?
What is this!? Why does she get more than I do?
She's got a thousand yen more!
But Megumi is your older sister and you have a part time job.
Well, whose fault is it that I had to get a part time job!?
You are spending a lot on her!
Sending her to such an expensive music university
that's only going to end up as a nonperforming loan!
But, what would be left if Megumi doesn't play the piano?
Anyway, she wouldn't have made it in a regular university!
"Assertion"
That's right! If she graduates from a music university,
people would think of Megumi as a music school graduate debutante
no matter what she does.
It might make it possible for Megumi to get married to someone.
No way!
Thank you for the meal.
Megumi! Don't you want to have some rice cake soup?
What could be wrong with Megumi?
She's been wrong since she was little.
Knock it off. There is something up with her.
Since she's been back, she hasn't played the piano once.
It's the first time Megumi hasn't played the piano since that time.
How many times do I have to tell you?
Why you don't play the way you're told!?
After that incident happened... After that incident,
Megumi didn't touch the piano for the longest time.
"Tokyo"
Happy New Year!
Hope we're blessed with another good year...
Thank you.
You look like you've been camping in the mountains?
Well I've been busy with studying and rehearsals.
It's like camping, I guess.
And, what's going on with that thing about Mr. Matsuda?
Yeah, he likes the R. S. Orchestra a lot.
But he's concerned about losing most of the principal members.
Ah, that won't be a problem.
He'll understand when he sees our next concert.
Coffee and a ham sandwich, please.
You are very confident as usual.
I can't wait to see the next one.
I heard you're playing all new pieces.
I'll bring a lot of people again.
After all, it's your last concert.
- Mr. Sakuma... - What?
Thank you for everything. The information about Europe, too...
I've been thinking about that a lot.
I think I should do as you suggested.
Will you, really!? Oh, that's great!
Yes, I'm sure you'll do great!
Tell me, why have you been so kind to me?
What?
I mean, I'm happy you've put so much faith in me but...
As Brahms had Kossel and Joseph...
Musicians who become a part of history
must not only have the talent,
but also important encounters in their lives.
And I want to be one of those people.
Was that a bit over the top?
"January 3"
"R. S. Orchestra New Year Concert"
"Evolution and Change"
"Claude Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun"
The principal flutist is different!
The principal oboist too...
Cello too...
Horns, too...
And...
Even the concertmaster is different!
He's so cute!
Oh I recognize him! He took third in the Buffon competition.
Noriyuki Takahashi!
And...
I've seen the two women somewhere...
The "Celeb sisters of the Classic World,"
Moe and Kaoru Suzuki!
Their debt CD was sold at the entrance.
They've improved so much! Good for you, Moe and Kaoru.
This is so great!
So many new members and so many cute ones, too!
My man, Takahashi!
Right. And they are all excellent musicians,
familiar faces at big competitions.
Now the next piece is...
Kiyora Miki's violin concerto.
"Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy, Op.25"
This is the golden chance to introduce our new member.
So I give you my concertmaster seat!
I am not a loser! Remember that!
Kiyora... My red ruby...
Still it's sad to lose Kiyora Miki.
Don't you think, Mr. Matsuda?
Yes, but... this orchestra...
"Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op.28"
They changed.
They really evolved.
What's happened to the R. S. Orchestra?
Lots of music students graduate every year.
While the number of professional musicians are limited
No matter how great the musician
many of them just won't be able to become professionals.
There are so many with great skills...
without the opportunity to display them...
Their passion has to go somewhere...
and... the R. S. Orchestra is it!
We'll be having a 15 minute break.
The last piece is Beethoven's 7th symphony.
It's the first piece you conducted for the S Orchestra.
The piece that the maestro disqualified you on,
saying "You're not good enough."
Right. The piece I never got to finish until now.
It's time!
Oh, yeah!
This is the end of my university life in Japan...
My last piece.
Pow! Ouch!
This dazzling voice...
will last forever.
The mark of summer...
carved on my shaking heart...
will last forever.
When our paths overlap,
I will close my eyes and feel you.
I will never forget you...
All the blue tears and stars...
in the sky.
Nowhere...
can they be disappeared.
A light shines suddenly.
This very light...
shines on my dream...
Somewhere...
I will never forget.