Number 37, Kai Ichinose, from Japan.
Sosuke!
What should I do now?
What are you talking about?
Just be happy for him!
We have to tell Kai right away!
Those kids were holding him up at the entrance.
True,
he probably hasn't heard.
Mom, I'm sorry.
I failed.
Dad,
you were right, after all.
Huh?
I really wanted to make it to the final and wipe the uneasiness off your face.
Shuhei...
It's a shame I couldn't do that.
It really is too bad, but—
You don't have to say anything.
I'm the one who couldn't pull it off.
Shuhei...
Mr. Pavlas.
How could you let him fail?
Why do you think I entrusted Shuhei to you?
Shuhei!
I'm so sorry about the results.
Mr. Pavlas...
But now you're past the starting line in your career as a real pianist.
You've nothing to be ashamed of, especially after such a brilliant performance.
Thank you.
Well, if it isn't Mr. Pavlas.
Dad, is it all right if I excuse myself?
I know I'm supposed to take interviews, but...
O-Oh, don't worry about that.
You can leave that all to me.
Apologies, Mr. Pavlas.
I'll be leaving now.
We'll have to make some time later to discuss where to go from here.
Yes.
What is he saying?
Does he really intend to stay involved with Shuhei going forward?
Oh, Lech! Congratulations!
Well yeah, same to you.
What?!
Did I really pass?
I only heard the end of the list.
Yes, you passed.
Oh, Amamiya.
You ought to go congratulate him, as well.
Awesome, so he passed too.
Lech! Hurry up, would you?
Amamiya!
Amamiya?
Are you hoping I'll congratulate you?
Huh?
Amamiya?
Th-This is the worst.
You could not have shown up at a worse time.
I won't congratulate you.
Go ahead and laugh at me.
Bye.
No way.
This can't be!
Amamiya!
Was it shocking that you weren't selected for the final?
Yes, of course.
Now, though, my only concern is where to go from here.
Planning for interviews the day after the results...
Just how confident was I?
Were there any other contestants that piqued your interest?
Huh?
Well... I'd say everyone who passed on to the final interested me.
That's a lie.
The only performance on my mind is Kai's.
Well, that's enough for today.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
Ever since yesterday, my mind has been consumed
not by sadness, but by anger.
Since then.
That smile he wore...
I'm sure that was just Kai's carefree self.
He probably didn't even know the results.
What really bothers me...
is the face he made after.
You pick things up quickly, so you probably understood when you saw my face.
But that troubled expression of yours changes my sadness into rage.
Damn it!
I can handle insults and laughter, but not pity.
A-Amamiya...
You really have a knack for showing up in the worst possible moments.
S-Sorry about yesterday!
Oh, you mean showing up grinning after I failed?
I'm sorry.
I had no idea.
That was rude and stupid of me.
Please, you have nothing to apologize for.
I'm the one who lost the fight.
I never thought it was a fight!
Right. I'm sure you didn't, Kai.
I have obsessed over how to win against your playing,
yet you obviously never even thought enough of me to be your rival.
But please, don't pity me.
That angers me most of all.
That hurts me more than anything else.
I don't pity you!
It's too bad about the results,
but luck is part of any competition.
Besides, I wasn't thinking about winning or losing.
I mean, I really love your playing.
Your second stage performance was a new way of playing for you, wasn't it?
It really pumped me up!
It's the best you ever played!
Are you trying to cheer me up?
After I told you not to pity me?
Kai,
I know you're a great guy,
but right now, I want a world without you.
Actually, I've wanted that for a very long time.
Sorry, but I've always hated you.
Probably ever since elementary school.
I wish I'd never met you.
I think I've been jealous of your talent ever since back then,
and I've hated myself for it.
You bring out the worst in me, and you make me see nothing but my own faults over and over again.
I just want to be a good person... a good guy.
I see.
There have been times I thought it might be like that,
but I never took it seriously.
But I definitely get it now – that you really do hate me.
Sorry.
This isn't your fault in the slightest.
This is my problem.
I...
love both you and your playing...
Kai, sorry, but...
I gotta say, it kinda bugs me
how you don't want to see your own talent,
but you see it in other people.
Sorry, but I'll be taking my leave.
I have interviews soon.
Okay.
Bye.
Oh, and good luck in the final.
Right, thanks.
And now he's crying?
I hate Kai.
But right now,
I mostly just hate myself.
All those knives I threw in Kai's direction are coming back and painfully piercing my heart.
Dad...
I see.
So Shuhei was right on the verge of passing.
That's right.
I preferred Shuhei's musicianship myself,
but there were many judges who put surprising emphasis on mistakes.
I'll bet.
Pavlas acted bemused when I pointed out Shuhei's mistakes, but he's too soft.
Don't use Pavlas as your scapegoat.
That's not what I'm doing.
He's a fine mentor.
I'm sure he did all he could to help Shuhei reach the final.
You're right, Christina.
So, where's Shuhei now?
Oh, he's busy with interviews all afternoon.
Will he be okay after yesterday?
Keeping busy might help distract him.
I see.
So you helped him come to terms with it?
Oh... No, yesterday...
I was still in shock myself...
Huh?
But we've texted each other,
and I plan to take my time talking to him tonight after we go to church.
Ah, so you're attending Chopin's memorial mass?
Yes, we're meeting up shortly.
Oh, speak of the devil, it seems.
Pardon me.
Yes, hello?
What's wrong?
Shuhei is missing.
What?
He's not in the apartment or anywhere else.
I can't believe Shuhei would neglect interviews.
Don't worry. I'm sure he's at the church.
I know I told you I'm not using him to fighting a proxy war,
but you may have been right.
Huh?
I failed to tend to Shuhei, who must be having it harder than anyone else.
Yoichiro?
Thinking back, this is all my fault.
Did I get it into his head that he has no future if he can't win against Kai Ichinose?
I may have placed an unreasonable burden on Shuhei's shoulders
to free me from Ajino's curse as I couldn't do myself.
I'm a terrible father.
If anything happens to Shuhei...
Nothing will happen to him.
Didn't you hear his awakened performance?
Hm?
He's a pianist.
I don't think someone capable of such playing would do something too stupid.
You can't give up the pianist life after feeling that pleasure.
You, of all people, should understand, Yoichiro.
His playing really was on that level.
Kai isn't here.
Indeed.
Is he coming?
Probably.
I should've asked him what happened yesterday.
He seemed a bit off.
Though I do agree with your approach of leaving him to his own devices.
I wouldn't quite characterize it that way.
I still watch over him.
Is that right?
So you understand what Kai is thinking?
I wouldn't go that far, but I know when he needs help.
Kai!
Sorry!
I ran late!
Hm?
Seems something did happen.
Something definitely happened.
I'm really sorry!
Don't worry about it!
As long as you're safe!
Kai!
You sure took your time. We were getting worried.
My stomach started hurting in the forest.
In the Holy Cross Church where Chopin's heart lies,
worshippers offer up prayers for him
on this anniversary of his death.
Just as when music first moved me as a child,
Mozart's Requiem is enveloping my entire being.
I forced Shuhei to make a great mistake.
When I'm in here,
I feel the ugly, black stuff inside me being purified.
My anger, hatred, and jealousy...
I can feel them disappearing.
I don't believe it is a bad thing to admire someone and yearn to compete and win against them.
On the other hand, however...
It appears I've forgotten about the fundamental joy of being a musician.
Ichinose was supposed to be just a fellow pianist,
but I led Shuhei into the mistake of competing against him rather than alongside.
Shuhei...
Have I done anything that hasn't made you suffer?
Amamiya's old man?
What's he doing here so early?
Excuse me, Wei Pang!
Sorry to ask you this, but if you spot Shuhei,
would you please contact me on this number?
He's not in his room?
No, as much as it shames me, I haven't been able to get in contact with him since yesterday afternoon.
I understand.
I'll let you know if I see him.
U-Um...
Both of your performances were wonderful.
Today's the first day of the final, and you're playing, right?
That's right.
Here's to another great performance.
Thank you.
Damn it, what a lousy start to my morning walk.
What's that Amamiya brat doing?
Good morning.
Sorry, I ran a bit late.
What's wrong?
Are you kidding me? Right on my usual walk?
Hey, get up.
If you're not dead, get up.
W-Wei Pang?
What are you thinking, sleeping here this time of year?
If you want to freeze to death, do it elsewhere.
Oh, no, I didn't mean to fall asleep.
I was just lost in thought when this dog came by, and it was so warm that I...
Your old man is occupying the entrance to the apartment building.
Go do something about it.
You know, you really need to accept the results already.
Are you so desperate for your father's concern that you'd run away for attention?
I deeply despise spoiled weaklings like you.
Don't appear before me again.
Mr. Pang, I have accepted the results!
I played my genuine best,
so this is a new start for me.
Great, so go home already.
I don't have time today for dealing with a spoiled brat like you.
Oh right, today is the final.
Sorry for bothering you.
Mr. Pang!
What? I told you, I don't have time to deal with you.
How are you able to keep yourself so full of confidence?
Full of confidence?
Yes.
I'm always standing on the edge of a cliff.
Thank you.
I might have frozen if it weren't for you.
Oh right, I was in the middle of my story.
How much did I tell you?
You see, I met Kai in elementary school – in fifth grade.
Is the dog his?
The bullies wasted no time when I transferred in,
and I wasted no time becoming Kai's friend after he helped me.
The first time I heard him play on the forest piano,
I was moved from the bottom of my heart.
If it hadn't been for that moment, I probably would have quit piano long ago.
Deep down, I've always resented having met Kai.
But the truth is, if I hadn't met him,
I would have let go of my precious piano by now.
If Kai hadn't gone up on the big stage,
I would never have been lifted this far.
I doubt I ever would have found my own sound if Kai hadn't been there for me.
Sh-Shuhei!
D-Dad! I'm so sorry for worrying you!
It's okay, as long as you're safe.
There's so much I have to tell you!
Yeah.
We have nothing but time.
There's much I must tell you, too.
Time is all that we have.
That's exactly right.