A/N:

1. This will be a back-to-back chapter consist of two cities in the Latin America, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

2. Hope you enjoy this conclusion of "the Americas" arc!

3. This chapter mentioned real life Japanese celebrities and I took liberty for their friendship with Kousei and Kaori.

4. All hotels mentioned in this story is real and Tripadvisor helped me much.

August 5th, 2024. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are to be landing shortly" The announcement signed the imminent landing on board American Airlines Flight 973, after another normal 9 hour flight from New York - JFK to Rio - Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Kousei and Kaori's first Latin American destination.

During the flight Kousei had his personal notebook went out in order to write his own review of the airline's service which will also written in an airline rating website, Skytrax.

He wrote, "Major US airlines had surely improved their in flight service. This is one of my best experience ever aboard American Airlines so far with fast check in back in JFK and excellent lounge service, in fact we pushed back ahead of schedule while it turned out to compensate for a long holding time before takeoff.

As my wife is a cancer survivor she is quite concerned in terms of diet. For that sake she choose a vegetarian in-flight meal for herself. Turns out it's very delicious, along with my own.

On board immigration service went on like a breeze, further complemented by friendly crew.

The IFE also works well with good amount of movie and music selection. As we are classical type musicians, we mainly indulge ourselves with classical symphonies on the menu.

Going to recommend American Airlines more, particularly to my friends often flying to the United States. No wonder they deserved 4-star rating.

---

Upon landing, we are surprised by extensive presence of Brazilian army soldiers along with state military police officers (1) and regular airport security inside arrival terminal.

"What's going on?" I asked my chief bodyguard, Takashima Kenta, a former Tokyo police SAT operative (2).

"Rio had just have another security crisis with three favelas attacked and occupied by drug traffickers, Mr. and Mrs. Arima, 25 police officers were killed and many more wounded." He said to us, still maintaining his composure as his fellow bodyguards prepared their pistols for worst-case scenario as the entourage went out from the arrival area of the Galeao International Airport, Rio de Janeiro.

"Thankfully it is under control now but the military and police are still on increased alert in case of another clash." said Mako Nishizumi, another of my guards.

For their Brazilian concert they sleep at Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel and Resort.

"Welcome to Rio, Mr and Mrs. Arima! We glad of your first visit to our country. And please accept our apologize for your inconvenience during your arrival" said the head of the Brazilian organizer of their concert. Mauricio Leal, as they are arrived in their scheduled venue, Sala Cecilia Meireles theatre, in Lapa district, Rio.

"We cannot quit now as we already here." I replied.

He can feel his resolve to keep going with the concert despite the security risk embolden everyone in the theater especially Kaori.

The theater also a home for the country's prominent symphonic orchestra; Brazil Symphony Orchestra.

As the situation in the city is still under heightened alert, the theater isn't only guarded by the local security; the state government has even deployed a part of it's elite police unit, the dreaded BOPE (3) to specifically protect the area which Kousei and Kaori can recognize from their well-known patch, a knife in a skull over crossed pistols.

Nonetheless, two days before the concert the couple managed to make time to visit the city's famous Christ the Redeemer statue and have some tranquility above the Corcovado Mountain by taking an early morning guided tour with their accompanying bodyguards. Those people need recreation and enjoy too while still keeping eye on Kousei and Kaori.

In fact they took time to do a small prayer inside the statue's chapel, despite they aren't Roman Catholics.

They loved the sight of the statue and the view of Rio atop the mountain, especially as this is their first visit to Rio and spend hours to took picture of theirs together, and another session with their bodyguards, helped by fact that Kousei and Kaori treated their bodyguards like their own family. Before leaving the area however, some of their Brazilian fans arrived and like usual, Kousei and Kaori give them their combined signature.

"Have a good time!" They said.

---

Soon, it's time for the performance.

They are ready to show their light to the Brazilians for the first time in their career. Interestingly, some of the audiences were people from Rio's many favelas. Yes, this particular concert also show the youth part of the BSC which some of its members are youths from the slums in a community funded program not unlike Venezuela's El Sistema, a free music education program founded in 1975 by an economist and pianist by the name of Jose Antonio Abreau, specifically aimed for at-risk and poor youngsters.

Kaori said to herself as they listened to the orchestra playing their piece, Mozart's Symphony No. 31 after they played two pieces of their own. "I hate socialism (as the system in Venezuela was particularly promoted, funded, and known to the world during rule of socialist Hugo Chavez despite prior administration had supported it to some degree), but just like me and Kousei believe, music is for everyone as mankind is a musical creature."

Like Kaori and Kousei expected, the fully-packed audience inside the theater, with a spirit of defiance against cartels plastered on their face, stood up to applaud the orchestra.

They soon played their newest, sacrifice themed composition in their second album, Flight of Miyarima, titled Die to Live. The melody brought the Brazilian audience and others who watched it via paid streaming to experience the importance of sacrifice with moderate notes opened the song, followed by fast and high one showing the main character's sacrificial effort for one he/she loves. "So others may live" become the main vocal point of the piece, strongly and openly admitted by Miyarima themselves, inspired by a motto of an United States Air Force unit.

Then, the slower and sad part of the piece symbolizing the loss of things the hero sacrificed for his/her loved ones which for some, brought tears, in light of the recent attack on Rio de Janeiro. But the part doesn't last long with somewhat hopeful and happier tone symbolizing hope and others that was impacted by the hero's sacrifice.

With no doubt, they received another standing ovation from the Brazilians inside the theater.

"Encore!"

"Encore!"

"Bravo!"

They soon go back to their instruments and played another of their original piece, Blossom with Grace. With a seemingly accurate reading of the Brazilian audience's mood, they choose the piece that emphasize God's grace and strength for facing a loss of loved one. In fact the song was composed by the couple back in their high school days mainly inspired by Kousei's coping of his mother's death, and the couple first played it in a memorial concert for the former Emperor Akihito, abdicated in 2018 than passed away two years ago.

Unlike the former piece, the audience are generally left to ponder to themselves about the practical side of facing loss and go on with live with their memory alive with one implied message shown by the poignant but hopeful and optimistic tone of the piece; to not wallowing in sorrow.

The theater burst in applause and shouts of approval for the couple, signing their first concert in Latin America as an astounding success.

---

Buenos Aires, Argentina

It's their final destination in their American part of the tour.

Buenos Aires, nicknamed Queen of El Plata, one of the best city in terms of quality of life in Latin America.

Musically speaking, the city also has one of the most known classical type music performance theater in the region, the Teatro Colon.

"How's Hanakana doing?" Kaori asked her husband as they enjoyed their flight to Argentina aboard an Airbus A321neo operated by LATAM Brasil.

The name they mentioned, Hanazawa Kana, is a Japanese voice actress known to voice Kanade Tachibana in Angel Beats, Kosaki Onodera in Nisekoi, and Red Blood Cell/Erythrocyte in Hataraku Saibou, which they become acquainted when their popularity started to climb in their final year in high-school. They met her when she watched their graduation concert along with some other Japanese celebrities from many sector; music, acting, and visual arts such as manga creators.

== Flashback ==

"Ms. Hana Kanazawa, I presume?" Kousei asked upon a seemingly familiar woman and a man which presumably her husband/boyfriend after he and Kaori's majestic performance at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.

"How do you know I am?" the woman replied.

"Well, we watched some of animes with characters you voiced, Ms. Kanazawa-san. And we say, you have a great voice." Kaori said again, with pride.

In short, after some introduction, Kousei and Kaori befriend voice actress Hana Kanazawa and Kensho Ono, her boyfriend and then husband, which soon become one of their fans and endorsers. In fact, the friendship opened their name for further exposure and recognition from the world of Japanese entertainment.

It's good to become famous, and Kousei and Kaori enjoyed being befriended by Japanese celebrities beyond music..

== Flashback ends ==

"According to the latest news she sadly still in coma, as well as her husband." Kousei replied. She was involved in a car crash with her husband a week prior to Kousei and Kaori departure to Hawaii for the world tour.

The couple is one out of many celebrities showing their concern particularly in Twitter.

A day after their arrival in Buenos Aires, they took time to first visit the city's main square along with the Presidential Palace, Casa Rosada.

"You know, Kousei. I can imagine how Evita (Peron) address her husband's supporter decades ago as she's dying" Being cancer survivor, Kaori extensively read and reflect on people, particularly famous ones, encounter and struggle with cancer, either healed like her, or in case of the famous Argentine First Lady, dying in the process.

Especially as a woman, political spectrum differences aside, she commended Evita's struggle for women's suffrage in Argentina in concert with her husband, then President Juan Peron, along with her much publicized Rainbow Tour to Europe with Juan, and extensive involvement to charity with her own foundation.

Along with the city tour, for the first time they were invited for a dinner with officials from the Japanese embassy.

That night, they get themselves acquainted with the diplomats in one of the city's famous local restaurant, Arambu.

"Mr and Mrs. Arima, we glad to meet one of our people showing our country to the world with their talent. Especially to young people as you are pretty much in your prime. Anyway, I'm Ryo Takumi, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Argentina."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Ambassador" both musician replied.

"By the way, you can call me Mr. Takumi here" the 47 years-old diplomat said.

As they enjoyed Argentinian cuisine on their tables, Kousei asked Takumi.

"What do you think about state of our relations with the Argentinians?"

"Our overall trade with the Argentinians still in our favor despite increased imports. You know, Argentinians are having a good time, economically with pro-market (Mauricio) Macri and current Ritchie Costa administration which resulted with 45% rise in their export compared to when Mr. Macri was inaugurated."

"So desu ka" Kousei responded.

"We also intensify our bilateral cooperation with them in education, technical, cultural, and defense, particularly as we and them are Major Non-NATO allies, further helped by the revision of Article 9 and encouragement of our partners (esp. the United States) and the new administration's move to renounce claim on Falklands."

"So far so good, in short?" Kaori asked Takumi.

"Indeed, Mrs. Arima. And we want it that way."

"Anyway" the ambassador continued after almost three minutes of digestion, as they all finished eating. "I have quite a surprise for you musicians."

Takumi pulls out a violin.

"As you see, Mrs. Arima, I played violin like you. Not as good as you, just a hobby since my childhood in Gotemba."

Soon the guests of Arambu enjoyed Takumi's impromptu performance as he played a classical piece; Mozart - Sonata No. 17 in C and a contemporary piece titled Element - Lindsey Stirling. It turned out Takumi is quite good in handling the instrument, to the delight of Kaori, Kousei, and the rest of the patrons.

"Bravo!"

"Huu-ray!"

The encouragements from the Japanese diplomatic corps in Argentina only further intensify the fire of confidence. Especially Kousei with his own past, encouragements, particularly from people with higher stature such as the government officials they recently met helped him to believe and willing to face the storm.

And four days later, showdown in Teatro Colon.

Their performance was described in this military term. "Shock and Awe". Overwhelming skill and raw emotions shown by the couple, particularly in four original pieces they showcased; What Home Means, Die to Live, and two newer composition; a powerful and explosive March to Love and Freedom of Life. The latter, just as the title implied, emphasized what means to be free and implied responsibility it entails, particularly aimed for young adults in their crossroads of life.

"The Americas is a success. Europe, here we come." Their managers, watching as their final piece ends and the Argentinians inside greeted Miyarima with standing ovations, said to themselves, proud of their part in the success of the World Tour, so far.

How Europe, facing problem with security as the results of primarily illegal, immigration along with a perceived decline of its culture, will receive them?

---

A/N:

1. Hope you enjoy the ending of the first arc of their World Tour!

2. Vote and comment!

Glossary:

1. Military Police or Policia Militar in Portuguese, is a preventative, militarized police in every states in Brazil, a reserve of the Brazilian Army. Detective, prosecution, and forensic work are undertaken by state's Civil Police (Policia Civil).

2. Special Assault Team, Japanese equivalent to SWAT Team in the USA.

3. An abbreviation for Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais (Battalion of Special Operations of the Police in English). Rio de Janeiro's Military Police (PMERJ in Portuguese) SWAT Team, excelled in urban warfare particularly in Rio's slums/favelas. Many Brazilian media nicknamed the battalion as "Death Squad", along with allegations of brutality and extrajudicial killings shared with, and considered common in, the entire Brazilian police system.