Watari, Tsubaki and I enter the auditorium.
"There's a lot of people here for the preliminary round", I comment.
"Well to me there's hardly anyone, Kaori deserves a better crowd", Tsubaki crosses her arms and pouts. Some people just ask for too much.

Soon enough the lights dim and the first performer plays the set piece. He starts off really well, but as he nears the end, he becomes off tempo and the piano isn't in sync with him. Come on! You can do it! My hands forcefully grip the armrest of the seat in suspense. Tsubaki notices, amd I could have sworn that she smiled. Unfortunately, the guy messed it up until the very end, he looks disappointed with himself. There are still others, you still have a chance! The next contestant walks into the stage and plays the piece.
"What! You're already asleep?!", I hear Tsubaki exclaim. I'm pretty sure Watari was out of it even during the first performance.
"Hey could you quiet down? Others are trying to listen.....", people are looking at us in disgust. They just want to listen to the musicians play, they don't want some boisterous teenagers ruining their experience. You really are too obnoxious Tsubaki.

After for what seems like forever, Kaori appears on stage. Her dress is so beautiful, it's as if she is floating across the stage to take her position. Her accompanist seems to be a good match with her. They take a seat at the piano and wait for her go ahead. Kaori appears to mumble something. What did she say? Is it a sort of chant? She nods at her accompanist and they begin.

Their melody starts off sweet and harmonious, it's just as the composer Beethoven would have liked. Maybe this will be a breeze and she'll totally ace this performance. A little boring though, I'm disappointed.

My initial dissatisfaction is eliminated when Kaori REALLY starts playing.

I have been swept up and carried become part of her music, I'm that amazed by her symphony. Her violin is doing everything exactly she tells it to, to engulf the whole audience in her performance. The sound is strong, passionate and resonating. I can tell that she is putting everything into it, her crazy personality and slightly eccentric ways. It is all coming together in this piece. My eyes can't look away, even for one split second, her pure existence has me captivated.

It's like she's the only thing in the entire universe that I can see.

This is just like before, but this time she's the radiant sun, her rays subtly touching each and every one of us.

Kaori is keeping me alive, her music excites me so much that I forget just who I am.

Watari suddenly wakes up from his slumber.
"GO KAORI! WOOOOO!" He stands up and shouts.
"YEAH!" Tsubaki joins in. If they keep causing a scene, we might just get kicked out. I try to look as if I don't know them. I focus on Kaori's performance. It's like it's a totally different piece of music all together, it's so lively. It's now Kaori's Kreutzer. Soon it's all over and she stops playing. Even from back here, she looks to me as if she has run a marathon. She huffs and waves her bow in the air as she is showered by an overwhelming applause. I almost don't clap myself, I'm completely stunned.

"Hey, Kaori is sure to win after that!" Tsubaki is so sure of this, I hate to tell her the bitter truth.
"No she won't. It's sad, but in a competition like that you have to play it exactly as the composer wanted it. She doesn't have a chance." I understand Tsubaki's annoyance as she listens to me.
"But, that's totally not right! She was the best by far!", Tsubaki frowns.
"It can't be helped, that's the way it is for musicians in competitions. It all to please the judges, it's all they are looking for." I watch Kaori stumble off the stage in exhaustion.

I'm perplexed, what is wrong with this girl?! She must have known she would be instantly taken off the list, she basically created her own tempo, or song for that matter. That's not what the Kreutzer is supposed to sound like.

If it isn't for herself, just who is she playing for?

♪........