Our Poland!
Th-That caught me off guard.
Could a kid from Japan really understand the soul of Poland so deeply?
Years ago,
when I first assigned you this piece,
your performance was reckless.
You would unleash energy in all directions.
But little by little, you learned to channel that energy within yourself.
Don't go too far.
No chasing after fish.
Even if I see a baby turtle?
Yes, even if you see a baby turtle.
Got it.
Channeling the energy inside me instead of sending it out...
What does that mean?
This is not something I can teach you.
Feel it.
Experience and grasp it.
I get all excited when I get to the exposition part.
Right here...
The sea is so huge!
There's an even larger world waiting for you beyond this sea.
Really?
Kai.
Let's go to the world stage.
Seen from the world stage, Forest's Edge doesn't even register.
I know things have been hard on you,
but you mustn't take it all too seriously and drown in your worries.
Because, one day,
you'll take flight into the world by your own power.
"I already possess everything I need"?
Exactly,
so do your best.
I'm sure the world will demand you and what you have to offer.
Then would Rei be able to go out into the world too?
Of course.
By that point, no one will be able to stop you.
But after that,
how can I ever repay you?
Don't worry about that now. You have nothing to repay.
But, I mean, say it happens...
It absolutely will, Kai.
So, promise me this.
Deliver onto this world a sound that only you can play.
Kai plays the main and middle sections brilliantly,
and then, against all expectations...
I couldn't believe my ears.
Huh? I can't hear.
No, he is playing.
It just sounds far away.
As if it's coming from outside...
...from the beautiful forests of Warsaw's outskirts...
...in extreme pianissimo.
Such an amazingly light touch...
Is this a miracle?
This is
nothing less than Kai's unique expression.
That old piano I got rid of, which would become the forest piano...
Kai breathed new life into it and used it to forge a sound entirely his own.
A miraculous sound.
Ajino,
am I doing it?
Am I making my playing be heard around the world?
How far is the sound reaching?
Am I managing to make my playing heard around the world?
Don't worry.
It's resonating far and wide.
Sosuke,
so this is what you wanted.
Yes, that's right.
So, you mean you're not worried about winning?
Correct.
Besides, wanting and trying to win isn't enough to get you there.
That may be true, but I'm sure Kai will be trying.
Seeing such enthusiasm from him is marvelous,
but winning is not the true goal.
If we can only get them to hear Kai's playing in that hall...
You're being too modest.
Quite the contrary, in fact.
This is my aspiration.
Aspiration?
Yes.
You might even call it a wager.
We'll let them hear a sound that can be produced by no one in the world other than Kai.
If we can do that,
the world will never leave him alone.
If the world puts him in the spotlight,
those who inhabit the rougher side of society in Forest's Edge
will likely be forced to cast Kai aside.
If he becomes the "World-Famous Kai Ichinose," I'm confident...
I want to let him take flight freely.
I'd do anything to that end.
Scores and rankings come second to that.
Such brilliance...
He saved all this power for the end of his program?
What driving force...
And he just played that miraculous pianissimo...
How is he able to switch gears like this?
Sosuke Ajino...
Just...
what on earth have you pitted my son against?
Kai,
continue like that.
Kai's final sounds...
...pierced me...
...and...
turned into golden brilliance before disappearing into the light.
Why...
...did I have to end up with a rival this boundless?
If I can't win against this performance,
I have no right to stand before Sosuke Ajino.
Welling up from deep within my stomach...
What is this immense impulse I have that makes me want to utterly crush him?
I shouldn't have listened.
Emilia, what should I do?
He's too dangerous to let into the final.
Jean, I...
will exceed Ajino's aspiration.
If I don't,
I can't truly repay him.
If I don't,
I feel like I'll lose Ajino forever.
Ichinose!
That was beyond incredible!
Mukai!
Thank you!
After hearing a performance that good, I can resign myself and play at ease!
All right, the totals are in.
12 people will proceed to the final.
Let's start by looking at the 'yes' counts.
There were 19 judges, so a score of 19 means it was unanimous.
I wish it were as simple as selecting the top 12 players,
but four people have tied for 11th place.
The judiciary process is based on votes of 'yes' and 'no.'
Each judge votes 'yes' for the contestants they believe should advance,
and the results depend on the totals.
The stars indicate the number of judges who abstained from scoring their own students.
In that case, please reveal the names of the four who tied so we can discuss.
Not, not just those four!
The one in 15th place with two stars is my student, Gardocki.
He's only two votes short, the poor child.
Frankly, I'm amazed he managed even 13 votes.
Oh dear.
Amamiya Jr. ended up in an unfortunate spot.
T-True, he made some mistakes, but I really can't agree with these scores.
At the very least, it makes no sense for Gardocki and Shuhei to be this close.
Wh-What are you saying?
I'll have you know that I took no part in scoring my own student!
Are you making an accusation?
Not at all,
but it's only right that there be a clear difference in points between them.
I see.
So Anna may have been discussing scores with the other judges, after all.
Why don't we simply increase the number of finalists?
I cannot accept Gardocki continuing to the final.
H-How rude!
Mr. Jasinski, please say something!
To be perfectly honest,
I don't believe there were even ten contestants who understood the soul of Chopin.
Still, I'm willing to pass as many as 12 contestants, per regulations.
Please raise your hand if you agree.
12 people it is, then.
Damn it...
I don't care about those on bottom.
The real threat here is Kai Ichinose.
He'll get in the way of Poland birthing a true, Polish champion.
I have a proposal regarding Amamiya.
The Japanese contestant Kai Ichinose is likely...
somewhere in the concealed area of places eight through ten.
It can't be unanimous, as I voted 'no.'
You see,
Ichinose's performance far exceeded the standards for this competition.
This may sound ridiculous,
but I'd say it's to an extent that, if we pass Ichinose, we'll be forced to fail all the others.
Therefore, I believe we should remove Ichinose...
...and let Amamiya pass instead.
Besides, Amamiya has a great background.
Ichinose never even attended music school.
Moreover, he barely has any competitions under his belt.
In other words,
by the standards heretofore, he shouldn't even be examined at this level.
My logic is absurd, I know.
But if this goes my way, we can redo the list of acceptees.
Hopefully the Polish judges understand my intent.
Please give it some thought.
Yeah, sure thing,
but one at a time.
All right, this is an update on the status of our evaluation.
The initial list of acceptees has been rescinded, and we are now compiling a new list.
Please wait a little while longer for the announcement.
Hello there...
I'm here about Wei Pang.
You're in luck.
Huh?
You want to ask about my son, right?
Right now, I'm willing to tell you just about anything you could want to know.
U-Um...
I'm told I could die at any moment, you see.
Before we redo the scoring, I'd like to clarify something with you all.
The change in regulations this year
was announced five years ago, after the previous competition.
We announced that we'd abolish video screenings
and focus less on prior competition experience.
Only people of means are generally able to attempt international competitions.
The Chopin competition, however,
will now attempt to discover exceptional talent, regardless of economic background.
I only ask that you approach your roles as judges of this competition with proper reverence.
Kai Ichinose is winning this!
I'm rooting for Ichinose too!
Me too!
Children are so honest.
Honest, but incorrect.
I wonder when Dad will stop being so tense.
Surely once the results are announced...
We are sorry to have kept you waiting.
We shall now announce who has passed the second stage of the Chopin competition.
We'll announce the names in alphabetical order.
In alphabetical order, I'm the first they'll announce.
I don't care if it's close.
Just let him reach the final...
I can't imagine failing.
Not after I finally found my own sound at the last second!
Without further ado, the results.
Please!
Say Shuhei's name!
Number 3, Chang Soo An, from South Korea.
Number 4, Chang Woo An, from South Korea.
Number 22, Evgenii—
I...
...failed.
I did it!
Great job, Satoru!
Congratulations!
Yeah!
I only heard the last three.
Ajino... Jean... Where are you?
Did I make it?