Tune Of The Rainbow

Chapter Forteen

"wake up Katari"! Annanse said and pulled up the blinds. "What's the big idea? Draw the blinds"! Katari said in a sore, pressed voice. He was sleepy. "It's the big event today. Did you forget"? Annanse asked rubbing the white towel on his wet hair. "Yes I know.  But it's not even six yet. The competition starts at nine. Plus I am sleepy we reached hotel at midnight". Katari said and covered himself under the blankets. "Crack head. The place is far away. Reaching the auditorium will take at least half an hour. Add the cab fuss time and you getting ready. We lose almost an hour and a half here. SO WAKE UP"! Annanse said and pulled his blankets.

"Yeah yeah okay". Katari said. "Me poor boy". He added and slipped his feet in the slippers laid aside the bed. "It's cold". Katari said and walked towards the bath place. It took him almost half an hour to get ready. "So half an hour. Now you broke the record of my perfect calculations". Annanse said. "Okay whatever". Katari's face flushed with red. He put on his long overcoat. "why style"? Annanse asked giggling. "I won't wear this at the concert anyway". Katari said.

"Yes. My thanks to you". Annanse said. "Are you making me talk"? Katari asked. "Why, yeah! I really wanted to know what it would be like. Well you aren't bad with the words flowing out". Annanse explained. "I don't know what all that means but you did say ' not bad ' so I'll go go with it as a compliment". Katari said. "Hey boys. Ready"? Melange came in from the joined part of the room (There were two rooms that had a linking door in between because she's a girl and they are boys, you know what I mean, yeah!).

"Ready! Let's go before he starts about his hairstyle"! Annanse said. "Don't you worry. I won't"! Katari said looking embarrassed. "Let's get going". Melange said smiling. They climbed in the cab. It drove them to the grand musical stadium of Osaka. Things were heated up and everything as usual, like the silence before a competition. "So our journey begins". Katari said. They all nodded their heads and looked around themselves. There were more than a hundred people who were participating to qualify for the grand piano championships which would be held in another country. One of these participants will be chosen to represent Japan.

"That's some nerve here". Annanse said looking around the back stage. "And now we have our contestant number one"! The host announced on the stage. "It has started"! Melange said. Her voice shook. They went in their practice rooms. It was ten minutes past nine when the event started. Some time later the host announced,"now there will be an interval. We'll resume from number ten after the interval"! Number twelve was Annanse. His heart beat raced to it's best nervous level. I am nervous now? After coming here? After the competition's first interval? No. I don't have to be. Taya, Semi, Melange, Katari, Teiki, Rachel, mother and sister. I'll show you how good I am. Watch me all of you. Watch me Sensei Bella. "Now we resume from number ten"! After ten minutes or so Annanse's roll was called out. He went on the stage and bowed to the audience. Everyone recognised him at once. The famous child pianist. He positioned himself on the seat cushion, took a deep breath and started playing. Un eve en mer ! The amazing piano piece. It sounded so perfect. He mixed his own feelings with the piece to make it sound like a whole new version.

Violet. Signifying pain. His pain that he had went through. All his worries, his self hatred, everything reflected through that colour he laid for the audience. "Why? Why is he playing that way"? Katari asked himself. After three minutes or so, Annanse bowed to the audience. There was a huge roar of claps. The host hit the points bar where points are given by the audience. 95%. The highest anyone can ever score. The winner last year itself scored 3 per cent less. Annanse really was something. The judges gave him full thirty points. Both the audience and judges enjoyed the play.

"Next we have number thirteen"! The host announced. Backstage, Katari kept repeating his notes in his mind. "Hey Annanse"! Melange walked towards him. His legs were shaking. He couldn't stand. His fingers were trembling too and continuous sweat came gushing all around his face. He unbuttoned his coat and sat down on the corridor and gave a laugh. "Fingers trembling, right? But I wasn't nervous at all". He said looking down, the blue shiny tiles. "Who knows what will happen next"! He added. "You were amazing. That's the highest score"! Melange said patting his back.

After the twentieth call, the host announced interval. This is where the judges decide about the coming plays. They decide to remove people who are not worth competing. After ten minutes or so a man came in with sheets in his hand and passed it on to certain candidates. "This is the new temporary list of competitors". He announced and left. "New"? Katari took a look. His roll was now shifted to twenty one and Melange's roll was shifted to thirty. "So they decided to ruin three contestants life and haunt me too"! Katari said.

"Haunt you"? Melange asked. "Yes well I had rehearsed for twenty three not twenty (the way of entering and things)". He replied. "Oh don't worry. You'll be fine! You're next. All the best"! She said. I have no idea whom I am playing for. My teacher? I never had one. My parents? They don't even know where I am. My friends? Why my friends? My idol? She left me hanging in the middle of everything. Myself? No. I am playing for my feelings. My pressed feelings. "Next we have number twenty"! The host announced. Katari walked up on the stage. ' la cathedral engloutie '. And as usual he was perfect too. He mixed green, the colour of unwanted spring and indigo, the colour of silence in his play. After two whole minutes the host hit the points bar. 97%. The judges gave his twenty nine points out of thirty. This was the new high score! With his roll call an interval was announced.