November 12, 2015

Kono Oto Tomare [Chapter 40]

After being moved by Sane’s perseverance, Akira finally stops crying. She wipes her tear and apologizes for that. Chika and the three guys are very nervous that they say, “Yes, yes!!? What is it!!?” Gesturing to the snacks on her lap, Akira says that even if she is very happy that they have this feeling..but this amount is also..besides, she also has.. Chika and the others start taking the snacks back and nervously say ah, it is as she said, hahahah!! Sorry. Sane whispers how come she suddenly cried and is it because he played it so awful. Chika exclaims how should he know and girls frequently cry suddenly!! Akira says that it is really nothing at all, it is just that some dust got into her eye.. Chika and Sane look at her. Relieved Sane says wh-at, hahaha, dust getting into the eye, of course, it will hurt. Chika tells her not to scare him. The other two guys laugh and say that it turns out to be just dust. Takezou and Hiro couldn’t believe the others believe that lie. Akira apologizes for scaring them and they should continue. Satowa looks surprised at Akira.
Soon, everyone continues playing again. Akira watches Chika and Sane. Later on, Suzuka arrives and asks what kind of practice is this. Takezou tells him about the two grouping practice. Kouta tearfully says that he is the only one deviating from the others and even if he used the metronome, he would still wander from the melody. Hiro tells Kouta that it is okay, don’t mind that. Suzuka stops the metronome so Hiro asks what is he doing. Suzuka smiles and says that from today on, they are not allowed to use a metronome. Kouta freaks out like ‘The Scream’. This surprises Takezou and Akira. Kouta asks how can that be, his sense of tempo is already quite crappy. Suzuka tells him that if he doesn’t have a sense of tempo then there isn’t a huge change even if he doesn’t use this thing. Kouta calls him, meanie!!! Holding the music sheet, Suzuka says that besides, THIS PIECE doesn’t have the metronome sound so they don’t have to be desperate in wanting to match with a sound that doesn’t exist in the piece.
“You guys are to go match with EACH OTHER’S SOUND [/voice] and that is playing as an ensemble. Suzuka suggests that Akira and Satowa simply demonstrate an example of an ensemble. Akira will play the 17 string part while Satowa will play the solo part. This made everyone excited that they all shout that they want to hear it. Akira tries to protest but Suzuka tells her that compared to using language, it is better and faster for them to understand it by listening to it. Akira seems hesitant so Satowa also asks her to please do it for she also wants to try it once, together with her. And, Akira finally says okay. Soon, the two are sitting in front of their koto. Akira tells Satowa that they’ll start at the part from when 17 string goes in. Satowa says okay. She starts to play. Chika thinks that speaking of that, this is the first time he’ll hear Satowa playing an ensemble with someone else aside from them. He thinks that there should be some change if the level of the person in the ensemble is different—
Then, Akira starts to play. Chika and the others look amazed as the sound of the two intertwining with their happy and bitter memories. The more they play, the more it surpasses. The more they play, the deeper it is. The gradual nurturing out of the new color. Performer’s mutual understanding. Receiving, improving and making the tone spread and overlap. And, finally, it becomes a musical composition. Chika is teary-eyed. Akira looks at Satowa who smiles at her. This made Satowa smile back. The others are bawling. Sane says that the heart is what’s puts together the ensemble, right!! Suzuka smiles and asks isn’t that what they can do best. “With Doujima [Akira]-sensei’s coaching, you guys learn the attitude on how to treat each note as well as skill [to play]. The major foundation has already been laid. Then, it continues on to the stage of matching with each other. But it isn’t just matching with each other, you guys have to seriously look at the whole piece. Understand the piece’s flow. Go see what is one’s own sound in the piece, and interweave it together with the surrounding sound. Go and think of the existing meaning and responsibility of one’s own sound in the piece.”
Aghast Michi says that the things that he says are always difficult to understand. Sane exclaims that he totally doesn’t understand. Kouta already has flowers and butterfly on his head. Suzuka laughs and tells them to go feel distressed [/worried] as much as they want. “Go worry. Go reflect on it. Vigorously go face it. By vigorously facing it, your timbre would all the more become profound, deep and resounding. *everyone looks amazed* So that’s it, okay, quickly go back to practice.” While Michi is all pumped up, Sane does some air punches and says that he feels that vigorously all over. Suzuka glances at serious Chika and smiles. Later on, Akira says that practice is up to this point for today so everyone pack up. Everyone thanks her for her coaching. Akira overhears Kouta telling Sane about the practice after school. Akira asks Takezou what does ‘practice after club activity’ refer to and she heard Satowa mention about that.
Takezou explains that there is a very considerate boss of a music shop who agreed to lend the place and instruments to them so they can practice there after club activity. Surprised Akira says that they would continue to practice afterwards, and she recalls that they are also doing morning and afternoon practice. Takezou laughs and says yes, they are in front of the koto the whole day. “But, this is very fun [/delightful]. It is truly very fun.” Akira mutters that everyone really likes the koto, huh. After looking surprised, Takezou smiles and says, “Sensei, isn’t it the same with you too?” This surprises Akira. Later on, Akira returns home to Houdzuki Group. Doujima welcomes her back and asks how is the club. “Those club members should more or less start to whine, right? I casually investigated that club and it is truly considered as a club of the lowest level. It really makes me feel disgusted by that awful gathering place. In any case, the people there, no one among them is really seriously playing koto, right? *this slightly startles Akira* Staying together with those dubious people, that child has really fallen down to the end. *turns to Akira* Isn’t it so, Akira..”
She is surprised to see Akira just looking at her. She calls out to Akira. Akira apologizes and says that today, she is already very tired so can she first go to her room to rest. Doujima says ah, yes, of course, she can.. Akira excuses herself and walks ahead. Doujima looks suspicious of her. Meanwhile, in an apartment, Isaki calls out to Chika not to sleep there [at the sofa]. Removing the pillow he’s hugging, Isaki asks if he’s listening, he’ll catch a co.. Isaki exclaims in surprise to see Chika wide awake. Isaki asks what up, he’s awake and what is he listening to. Chika says that it is his own playing. He asks his sister what she feels that is still lacking of him. Isaki sits down beside him and asks that if there is something lacking from him..ah, sugar because he always eat sweets. Chika calls her an idiot. Isaki laughs and asks what he is being difficult about [/tantrum].
Chika calls her a jerk old woman. Irked Isaki asks what did you say, dead brat and let her say clearly that she is still not in that age [to be called an old woman]. Chika thinks that today, that ensemble, if someone of Satowa’s level is playing the 17 string, it turns out that the piece would be like that.. “She played really well and besides, Houdzuki looks like she can also play it very easily. She made Houdzuki play a higher level compared to when we are practicing.” Then, he recalls Suzuka telling them to ‘go and think of the existing meaning and responsibility of one’s own sound in the piece’. The next day, Akira goes out of Houdzuki Group mansion and looks up the sky. She sees the images of everyone in the club. She recalls saying that everyone really likes playing the koto, and Takezou telling her that it is the same with her, too. At school, Suzuka comes out of the faculty room when Akira calls out to him. He says that she shouldn’t have come today.. Akira apologizes and says that there is something.. He asks, something? Akira says yes, before there is a question that she wants to confirm first.. Suzuka asks what question.
Akira asks him how serious he is regarding advancing into the Nationals. “During the very first time we met, I felt that what you said is true but afterwards in the practice, you do not come over even once. Just when I thought that you will be the same as before, you suddenly came and gave a suggestion yesterday. So, I’m thinking did you casually decide on that?” Suzuka says about that, even if he doesn’t mind how others see him but he is quite serious. “I only felt that it isn’t necessary for me to be there during training for the [basic] foundation and it is okay for me to let you freely do things.” This surprises Akira that she repeats, freely do things.. Suzuka says that even if he didn’t specially come, she also won’t goof around. Akira says that he may say that but she still thinks that leaving the students to someone who doesn’t quite understand them is not very suitable..  Suzuka interrupts by saying, two whole years. This surprises Akira. Suzuka says that for two whole years, she is the person who persevered and poured all of her energy into a piece and in the end, she handed over a good result. “She came here while carrying a determination to be dismissed at any time in case her strength is insufficient. Towards that kind of person, do I have any reason not to trust her?”
Akira looks surprised. Suzuka turns around and says that is what he wanted to say and he still has class-- Akira asks him to please let her exert herself one more time for them. Suzuka turns towards Akira. Akira apologizes for obviously yesterday she wanted to quit and right now, for her to say this. “Indeed it already caused you trouble. I also perhaps really have insufficient strength *looks at Suzuka* but, I still want to, so please, one more time, give me one more opportunity, okay?” She is surprised when Suzuka smiles at her. He bows to her and says that he’ll leave it to her. On the verge of tears, Akira thinks that it has meaning that wasted time. “It has given the current me strength to stand here. It is absolutely not futile [/fruitless] at all.” Later on, Doujima calls out to someone and asks if she has seen Akira. The woman says that Akira went out early in the morning. After being surprised by it, Doujima says is that so. She starts to think, “Could it be that child— Just in case, I have to do a bit of precaution as early as possible.”
Comment: Hehe, Chika and the three idiots can be really clueless with girls. They are really weak against crying girls. =P It is like how they treat a crying child, give the child some treats and hopes the child will stop crying. I wonder if Satowa figured out something about Akira’s tears. And, Suzuka now gives his input to help out the others. It seems that he is more on teaching them how to interpret and other non-technical aspect of the piece. I guess it would be how they intertwined their happiness and pain to this piece. So, it seems that Akira will indeed be part of the group. Chinese readers are already pairing her with Suzuka.

So, thanks to everyone, Akira is finding the reason again why she wants to play koto. Her self-confidence should get a boost to be able to play with a ‘genius’ without someone comparing them as to who is better. Then, Suzuka recognizes the two years she worked on and trusting her. Akira can only want to repay them. She must also know that it will help her a lot to be with this group ^^ And, when things are going smoothly, someone who have bad intention/own selfish goals would try to ruin things. What could Doujima be plotting? I’m not sure if she can just ask/force Akira to stop teaching the others since Akira has found her ‘path’ and Doujima was the one who insisted on it. I’m not sure how much influence she has but hopefully, she’ll not do some things to make the club fail in getting the nationals or even the qualifiers. Though, even if she did, I’m sure the club will find a way to surpass it. ^^ Scans by 二次元秘店

Quote of the day:
Hard work pays off most of the time but keep at it and you'll do just fine. ~ Author Unknown

10 comments:

  1. Thank you very much :]

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  2. Thank you very much for summarizing this chapter!!! :D

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  3. Thanks for the summary. Keep up the good work! :)

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  4. Thank you so much! Looking forward to the next chapter. And yeah, just like some of those Chinese readers you mentioned, I'm also starting to think Suzuka and Akira are cute together... Hehe!

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