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Chapter 14
Kuroneko (Gokō Ruri) continued reading the manuscript.
Next.
After Kousei Arima had nowhere to escape, he finally agreed to perform together under the sincere plea of Kaori Miyazono.
But with the competition about to begin, Tsubaki Sawabe and Ryota Watari hurriedly sent the two of them to the concert hall.
The pair had never performed together before.
Yet, Saint-Saëns's "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" was already etched deeply in their memories.
In the second round of the Towa Music Competition, Kousei returned to the stage once more, this time in his first-ever ensemble with Kaori.
As if to signal his resolve, the words resounded in his mind:
"Saint-Saëns, I've been waiting for this moment."
And then, the melody of "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" by Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns began to flow, drifting like an ocean tide.
In the first half, the ensemble of the two young prodigies was breathtakingly stable.
Everyone in the audience believed they would advance without a hitch.
But then—
Kousei's trauma resurfaced. His nightmare returned, and once again, the music disappeared from his world…
Kousei faltered. Pain and despair pressed down on him. He almost gave up, sinking into the silence of his broken world.
But then, he saw Kaori.
Her stubborn persistence.
Her desperate encouragement.
Her radiant figure standing beneath the stage lights, pouring her soul into music.
Kaori's voice and her presence echoed in his heart.
At that moment, Kousei realized something.
He liked this person.
What did it matter if they didn't advance in the competition?
What did it matter if he couldn't hear the notes?
Forget Saint-Saëns. Forget the sheet music. Forget the judges. Forget the audience.
There was only Kaori.
This wasn't about winning—it was about her.
This was Kaori's stage.
And so, Kousei awoke from his nightmare, breaking through his inner chains.
He began to play again.
—
Seeing this, Kuroneko's own breathing shifted from tense to calm.
But beneath that calm, her chest trembled with an emotion she couldn't describe, swelling higher and higher with each phrase of Saint-Saëns's music described in the manuscript.
Cherry blossoms drifted across the page, and a mood called April seemed to suffuse the words.
The audience in the novel was enchanted by Kousei's performance.
Kuroneko herself felt her heart ache.
At that moment, she suddenly felt a release of emotions.
Her throat tightened, and tears welled in her eyes.
She had been touched—completely overtaken—by the text.
The first ensemble of Kousei Arima and Kaori Miyazono had reached its climax.
Though they lost their chance to advance because of Kousei's earlier breakdown, his return—his raw, emotional performance—captivated the entire hall.
And in the end, their moving performance earned them an invitation to the Towa Music Festival.
—
By the time she reached this part, Kuroneko's eyes were sore. Tears streamed down her cheeks as countless emotions swirled in her chest.
She wiped her tears, slowly closed the manuscript, and made her decision.
She didn't want to spoil herself any further. She wanted to save the rest for when the book officially released, together with the illustrations.
For now, she would cast her vote.
Kuroneko voted for "Your Lie in April."
Turning back to the cover page, she checked the author's pseudonym once more.
It read: Burning Ikaros.
Obviously a pen name.
Kuroneko recalled the myth of Icarus—the boy who flew too close to the sun with wings of wax, intoxicated by freedom, only to fall when the wax melted.
The story was a metaphor, a warning against arrogance and unchecked desire.
To use such a name, this "Ikaros" must be someone with humility hidden beneath ambition.
Kuroneko engraved the name in her memory, planning to watch for future works by this author.
Finally, she opened the judges' group chat to share her impressions of Your Lie in April.
But before she typed, she glanced at the special guest LINE group.
Kuroneko couldn't help but smile.
Naturally, light novel enthusiasts couldn't resist discussing a work of this level while reading it.
The chat was already buzzing:
> "This Your Lie in April is incredible!"
> "That Burning Ikaros guy is going to be huge. Forget just the gold prize—he might actually take the Grand Prize this year!"
> "Wait, you're all talking about Your Lie in April? I haven't gotten to it yet. Is it really that good?"
> "You have no idea. It's powerful. The emotions hit hard—especially that part with the Towa Music Festival, where Kousei reconciles with his late mother in his heart. Even I cried—and I never cry!"
> "Mark my words, even the professional editors at Dengeki will back this one. At the very least, 'April' will take the gold. But honestly? I think it could win the whole thing."
> "Just finished it—kneeling! This year is too competitive, but Ikaros-sensei is already a lock for the top prize. Plans have changed—he might just sweep it all!"
As writers themselves, the group understood better than anyone how rare it was to encounter a manuscript of this level.
And for them, Your Lie in April was nothing short of a banquet.
—
Meanwhile, in another corner of the competition, the professional reviewers of Dengeki Bunko were equally shaken by the manuscript.
END of the chapter
200ps=1 extra chapter