Your Lie In April - The Second Sonata

Chapter 17: The Most Unexpected Guest

Different people were congratulating me as I walked through the halls of our school building the following day. Still, I felt like I wasn't used to the attention even after almost three years in Okutsu. I did not know most of the students who talked to me about the competition. This was Emi's world, not mine.

Speaking of whom, she was nowhere to be found. She was probably late for first period again. I looked outside towards the direction of her dormitory, but the snow covered park in between the buildings was empty. It made sense since the students were most likely preparing for class already. But these kinds of things never bothered her.

Emi always maximized the number of days a student can be tardy, but never went beyond the limit. It was also the same case with the absences. If she did not feel like it, she wouldn't. Her mood dictated her actions.

However, I really needed to talk about something with her. We needed to plan for an unexpected appearance in the Aiza siblings' school, thanks to Emi's impulsive decision making. The good thing was that stage wasn't something unfamiliar to me. I performed there before with Takeshi's sister, Aiza Nagi.

Come to think of it, I did not have any business being there to begin with. It was some sort of autumn festival for their students. What was I doing there again?

Oh yes. I needed to give you a punch.

Wait. Why am I talking as if you can hear me?

You're not in the afterlife. You're alive.

"Chiisa na kata wo..", I almost slipped upon hearing a familiar song coming from the intercom. It was definitely Miyazono Kaori's voice. It was "Orange". What was she doing in our school? But I immediately realized something and rushed towards the studio where the intercom was operated from.

"Stop that, Taka!", I yelled as I blasted through the recording studio.

"Why? It's a great song. Gotta say, you've got the ear to spot real talent, Kousei..", Taka replied with that stupid grin on his face, while he sat on a chair with his feet up on the table.

"You have no permission from the composer to play that publicly.. not to mention from the arranger, as well.. me!", I exclaimed. I was probably turning as red as whatever Emi was wearing that day even if I haven't seen her yet. It was really embarrassing to show a prematurely arranged song to the student body of Okutsu. And the thought of playing this behind Kaori's back really gave me a violent flush. I was fuming. "You've got no permission from the drummer as well!", I added.

"First of all, the song became my property the moment you sent the recording", Taka replied immediately. I was beginning to sense that he had prepared to say this to me a while back. "Well it was agreed that you send me the arrangement since I made the strings pieces", he added.

Then he continued after sighing. "Second, Ganryu was the drummer who worked under me since he lost the early bird bet.. no need to ask permission there. And lastly, it's not like I'm uploading it in the internet, anyway.. so chill man.. sheesh.."

"You should've told me to at least tell the owner of the song. She'll be pretty upset.."

"Relax man.. with that sweet arrangement of yours, and our pieces combined, I'm pretty sure people from our school would be interested.. so we actually did her a favor."

Taka had a point. Knowing Kaori, she always sought for everyone's approval when it came to her music. Reaching everyone was her top priority. Sharing her sound was the purpose of her performing. And she was in her final year in middle school so this would be beneficial if she decided to apply here.

"Anyway, here's what we're playing..", said Taka while handing me some unfamiliar sheet music. I got confused at first, but I just almost forgot that we had a deal with all the ruckus going on. I remembered that I was going to accompany him in his recital.