Episode 19: Honor Begins At Home

Nagi controlled her breath, hitting the piano keys with a gentle lilt as she approached the end of the passage. Beethoven's Fur Elise was no slouch, sure, but she was a trained pianist; she could handle this.

"Come on, the Alberti bass part is coming up next. Focus. Breathe..."

Her hands obeyed her for once! The first two measures were executed flawlessly...

And then the sweat on her fingertips caused them to slip yet again as they ascended the black keys.

"Ugh, come on!" Nagi shouted, slamming her fist on the keys in frustration. She took deep breaths in and out, willing the anger to go away. The faint scent of Febreze sprayed by Nagi's mother just an hour ago still hung in the air of her home's practice room. The gray walls hardly matched the lively classical repertoire that the young pianist had been rehearsing day in and day out, but thankfully the sliding door on the right opened up into a quaint back porch. The trampoline in the backyard was looking awfully tempting right now, and Nagi was about to rise from the piano bench until she heard a familiar voice.

"You're sounding a lot better!" her brother complimented, creaking open the door and walking into the room.

Nagi stared at the keys, wanting to say a dozen irritated words. It'd been five whole days since her resentment towards her brother's excuses had boiled over, and only now he was saying something?

"Thanks," Nagi muttered instead, arms crossed and face red from her cranky mood.

"Here," Takeshi said, sitting down on the piano bench to the left of his younger sister. "There's a simple little technique that'll help you out a lot. Watch."

Nagi reluctantly turned her head to watch, seeing her older brother's very large hand play the same passage she'd just stumbled on, only this time without tripping over itself.

"Your fingers are clawed like a cat when you play," Takeshi instructed. "Just relax them and spread them out a bit more. Now come on, try it."

Nagi raised her hands to the piano in a more halfhearted manner, adjusting her fingers to be more splayed out like her brother had described. Playing the passage for what must've been the sixtieth time today, she found that the simple correction did indeed aid her execution.

"Thanks," she mumbled under her breath, still refusing to look her brother in the eye.

"Hey," Takeshi said again, his voice more compassionate this time. "What's the matter, Nagi? Please tell me."

"It's fine," Nagi cut him off, staring at her stocking feet. "Don't worry about it."

"We both know that there's something more behind those words, sis," Takeshi smiled, ruffling his sister's frizzy blonde hair. "You can say what's on your mind."

Nagi said nothing, her arms having returned to their former crossed position across her chest.

"Alrighty then, I'll just cut to the chase," Takeshi shrugged. "I'm sorry I haven't made time to listen to you play lately."

"No kidding!" Nagi finally blurted out. Then she was filled with regret. "I'm sorry, I—,"

"No Nagi," Takeshi insisted, putting his arm around her shoulders. "You just wanted some feedback on your playing. I didn't make time to give you that. And for that I am sorry."

"But why?" Nagi's seventh grade voice almost squeaked. "What were you so caught up with anyway? Besides the practice for your karate tournament and spring recital."

Takeshi sighed. "Sis, I've never talked to you about this, but I think it's time I put it out there. Please just listen, okay?"

"Okay," Nagi nodded, finally looking up at her older brother.

"I know this may sound dumb, but—ever since third grade, back when our dad passed away—I've always felt like I had to fill his shoes. He did a lot to take care of us and keep us safe."
Takeshi paused, a weak smile crossing his face as he looked down at his sister.

"So when I was finally able to start taking those karate lessons, I guess I felt like even missing a second of practice meant not being strong enough to protect you and mom."

Nagi felt her eyes water, but she quickly wiped them away with her sleeve as she hugged her brother.

"But Takeshi, you are strong!" Nagi said, wanting to uplift her brother. "You're one of the most determined people I know! That's why you worked so hard to surpass Arima!"

"You mean the one you took lessons with behind my back and then tried to trick me into thinking he was hitting on you?" Takeshi winked.

"Heeeey!" Nagi whined, unwrapping her arms and giving her brother's hip a playful punch. "At least I didn't go through my middle school years with spiky pineapple hair!"

"What was that?" Takeshi teased, his arms moving towards his sister's exposed ribs. Nagi tried to squirm away as soon as she detected the gangly fingers, but it was too late.

"Takeshi don't! Takeshi don't, don't!" She squealed and giggled and wiggled and kicked.

"Nuh-uh," Takeshi said with a kind yet tormenting tone. "Who promised to never bring that up again?"

"Okay okay fine, I'm sorry!" Nagi said between spurts of laughter, and her brother finally freed her from his evil clutches. Takeshi put his arms around his sister again, only this time, in a strong embrace that held her with gentle brotherly love.

"I love you, sis," Takeshi said, blinking back some tears. He didn't want to let himself be too much of a mush heart after all. "You can always tell me what's wrong, okay?"

"I love you too, big brother," Nagi said, grateful for Takeshi's support.

"Takeshi? Nagi?" their mother's voice sounded in the hallway. "It's almost lunchtime!"

"We're coming mom!" Takeshi said, then turned to his sister. "How about a short trip to the shrine after lunch? It is the weekend after all."

"Sounds good!" Nagi said, her attitude now much more perky.

An hour later, the dynamic brother and sister duo stood at the foot of the staircase which led up to the neighborhood shrine. It'd been quite some time since they'd had a race here, and Nagi was itching for a win after all these years of her brother outpacing her.

"So, you ready?" Takeshi grinned.

"Read—,"

But Nagi was unable to finish her retort as her brother—whose legs were much longer than hers—bolted off towards the top, skipping at least three steps with every stride.

"No fair!" Nagi whined as she tried to catch up, but in vain as her shorter stride constrained her to a much slower progression. Then, she felt the concrete steps coming towards her face as she tripped and just barely caught herself in time.

The hairs on the back of Takeshi's neck rose as he heard a sudden outcry of pain behind him, and his eyes grew wide upon seeing Nagi's body sprawled out on the steps below.

"Nagi!" he exclaimed, running back down to her position as fast as his legs could carry him. But as Takeshi knelt down to help her up, he was greeted by a cunning smile from his sister as she looked up and revealed her uninjured, unscratched face.

"You fell for it!" she boasted, rising to her feet and sprinting up the steps with all her might. In the end, Nagi's charade didn't count for much as Takeshi still ended up overtaking her and taking his rightful place at the top of the steps. The penalty for her foul cheating was yet another tickle attack, and a high-pitched squeal emitted from Nagi's lips as she fought to free herself from her brother's tyranny.

"You win, you win!" she giggled.

As the siblings walked home together, Takeshi offered to give Nagi a piggyback ride for the last few blocks, to which she agreed with a big smile on her face.

"I'm learning one of Clementi's sonatina's next!" Nagi informed him. "You better listen to that one too!"

"Sure thing, sis," Takeshi promised, smiling as he felt Nagi's hands grip the short, blonde hair on his head.

After they returned home, Takeshi practiced his spring recital piece—Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2—before retiring to his bedroom. He glanced at the calendar before his head hit the pillow; there were only five weeks left in his freshman year!

Ensuring his alarm clock was set, Takeshi turned off his lamp and closed his eyes as his head sank into the pillow. Before he knew it, it was Sunday morning and it was time to go help his mother with brunch.

Then the day after that, a new school week started...

And a new school year started just a few months later...

Weeks turned into months, then months turned into years. 

Until finally, at long last...

It was time for graduation.

.......................................

"I'm going to miss you all so much!" Emi sobbed as she hugged her group of friends. Naomi Onzai had graduated some time ago of course. But these three friends with whom Emi shared this joyous moment had been by her side ever since the dance team captain had walked Emi over to their lunch table.

"Our performances were always so much better when you played!" exclaimed Hina, one of Emi's friends. "Please stay in touch with us okay?!"

Kousei and Kaori were no exception, their eyes welling up with tears as the emotional post-graduation euphoria filled their hearts.

"That has to be one of the best duets we've played!" Kaori cried as she and Kousei shared a tight embrace.

"You played that melody so wonderfully!" Kousei praised back, stroking her silky blonde hair. He felt her move her head around his, and their eyes met. The couple shared a passionate kiss as their classmates around them celebrated with wild cheers and group photos.

"Congratulations you two!" Yoshiyuki celebrated as he, his wife, Takahiko, Hiroko, and Koharu—now eight years old—finally caught up to them. "You earned it!"

"Aogeba Toutoshi, huh?" Hiroko smirked. "That's what they asked you guys to play?"

"What? It's an amazing graduation song!" Takahiko said, fist-bumping his son.

"No fair! I want a nice gown and a hat like that!" Koharu pointed at their graduation uniforms.

"Be patient, little one," Ryouko smiled, then sent a knowing wink to Hiroko. "It'll come before you know it!"

The group had planned to celebrate at Ma Fille after the ceremony, and soon Kousei found himself having to choose from a delectable assortment of sweet bread and pastries. Koharu was the most excited of course, begging her mother to let her sample every last blasted treat in the bakery. Just then, Kousei heard the bell above the door give its signature ding! and turned to see Watari and Tsubaki enter the cafe.

"Happy graduation day, my man!" Watari's upbeat voice said. "We did it!"

"Congratulations to you too, my friend!" Kousei grinned.

"I'm gonna go use the restroom real quick, but I'll be right back, okay?" Tsubaki told Watari. 

"No problem, Tsubaki," Watari smiled, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll get a plate for you."

Kousei gave his friend a firm handshake as Tsubaki walked off. 

"I must admit, I was afraid you and Tsubaki wouldn't be able to reconcile," Kousei said. "But here you are, having proven me wrong."

"Well, it didn't come quick and easy, that's for sure," Watari chucked. "It may have been back in sophomore year, sure, but I still remember that conversation I had with her and her mom, word for word. But it was worth it in the end, because I wouldn't trade Tsubaki for any other girl."

"I'm glad to hear that Watari," Kousei encouraged his friend. "Please come to me if you ever start having those issues again, okay?"

"Don't worry, Kousei. That NoSearch24/7 app has helped me stay clean for four years," Watari answered, his voice filled with much more resolve. "I plan to keep it that way. On that note, I met with Officer Shouya Ishida at the job fair earlier today! I'm planning to become an officer first, then hopefully enter a unit that combats human trafficking!"

"That's awesome dude!" Kousei praised. "Be sure to let me know how it goes!"

"Sure thing, bro!" Watari replied. 

"Hey Kousei," Kaori said as she walked up to the two friends. "Are we finally going to tell Ms. Hiroko the big news now?"

"Wait, what news?" Watari asked. Kousei ignored his friend's question, a grand excitement filling the blue in his eyes. 

"Of course! How could I forget that!"

When Hiroko heard the astounding news, her eyes lit up in astonishment.

"You're both going to the Manhattan School of Music on the Stark Music Scholarship?!" Hiroko cried. "And you guys didn't even tell me?!"