Kono Oto Tomare! 2nd Season

My older brother would run back home from school in the afternoon.

He would dash straight to his koto and play his favorite pieces.

Mom would soon join him and the room would be filled with fun sounds.

I liked that gentle time.

I really loved it.

"The Tsubaki School First Performance of the Year"

"The Tsubaki School First Performance of the Year" "#19 Confrontation"

"#19 Confrontation"

Keishi's performance really does put adults' to shame.

You two must be so proud to have such an excellent heir.

Oh, well, um...

Akira. Did you like your brother's performance?

Yep! I loved it!

Since I received a passionate encore from my cute sister, I'll play another piece!

A song by the rock band that I'm so into right now, with my special arrangement!

Yaaaay!

I'm so exhausted! Grandma's scolding always takes forever!

It was a great performance, though.

I know, right?

Yep!

Will I be able to play like you?

You'll be able to play a lot better than I can... Akira!

"First Place" "Best Performance Award"

"First Place" "Best Performance Award" Keishi really is amazing! He gets first place in every competition he's in.

I saw your brother on TV the other day. I wish I had a big brother like him!

I'll enter a competition, too! I'll be a genius, too!

I'll get first place in a competition and shine like Keishi!

"Participation Award"

Participation Award...

When Keishi gets first place...

What's wrong with Akira?

She's feeling down because she didn't get first place.

Akira! Let's play the koto together!

No. I'm a failure as your sister.

Akira...

Keishi. How can I be first place like you?

You know, I was practicing backflips with my friends the other day.

What?! That's dangerous!

I failed many times and I even injured myself a little...

...but I kept trying to do it, and I did it!

Mom! I'll enter the next competition, too!

I'll keep entering them until I get first place!

Since then, I've participated in many competitions.

I wanted to catch up with Keishi. I wanted to shine.

But what I started seeing after working hard and becoming more skilled

was not me shining like my brother but his true self and talent.

I came to realize that he really was a true genius.

But still, he practiced and worked harder than anyone.

So I thought, "It's okay that I'm not a genius. I can still work hard."

Akira has been working hard lately, huh?

She finally got second place the other day!

I hope she can get first place soon.

It'll be fine. I'm sure she'll--

Akira! Grandma!

Keishi...

Then, all too suddenly and unexpectedly, our parents were gone.

"Dojima"

"Dojima" What?

What did you just say?

I said I decided to quit college and start working!

But aren't you gonna succeed the Tsubaki School?!

Forgive me, Akira.

I'm quitting koto. I'll leave the Tsubaki School to you.

W-Wait a sec!

Why are you quitting koto?!

Hey! Keishi!

Why...?

The income from the Tsubaki School alone

is nowhere near enough to support the two of you.

But Keishi is good enough to perform--

Things aren't easy in this industry. It'll take a while

before he can start earning money.

Then I'll quit high school and work!

Don't be ridiculous!

You're the only one who can succeed the Tsubaki School now!

Come to terms with that!

But to think that Keishi would quit koto...!

Keishi...

Keishi entrusted everything to you!

Are you saying that you're going to betray his wish?!

What...? Why is Keishi the one quitting?

Why...?

"Mizu no Hentai"?

That's right. Technique, singing, expression...

It's an unsurpassed masterpiece on all counts.

I'll have you focus on this piece for the next two years.

What?

Your current ability is nowhere near Keishi's.

Many of the disciples are unhappy, too.

So I'll intensely retrain you from the basics using this piece.

After your ability has improved, I'll have you get first place

in the competition that attracts the most attention in the koto industry.

Then no one should have any more complaints.

First place...

Understood? Work hard... on behalf of Keishi as well.

On that day... my days of devotedly facing the koto started.

I worked frantically... so that I could replace my brother...

...and so that the choice he made wouldn't become a mistake.

I heard that girl from Hozuki will also be in the upcoming competition.

What? Isn't she still a middle school student?

She is. What a conceited girl...!

Hozuki is the parent school that the Tsubaki School belongs to.

The Hozuki heir was a girl who was also called a genius.

I've heard her performance before. It was indeed incredible.

Perfect... No flaws... Hard to approach... It was a performance like that.

Akira. The competition is today, right?

I can't get away from work today to go see your performance.

That's okay.

A-Akira... Um...

Sorry. I have to go.

If I get through today, I'm sure something will change.

I'm sure the light is waiting for me! I'm sure...!

Entry number 5. Akira Dojima. "Mizu no Hentai."

She's good.

I wonder how much she devoted herself to playing the koto to get here...

I did it... I was able to give my best performance ever.

I did it!

That performance pretty much sealed first place for you.

That's not really...

Entry number 13. Satowa Hozuki.

"Yaegoromo."

The Hozuki girl...

It's amazing that she can play "Yaegoromo" at her age.

But it's okay. I know her performance. Even if she's a genius...

A single note was all it took...

The technique and expression I had attained

in the two years I devoted myself entirely to koto...

Her single note crushed them all.

Wh-What's this piece?! This isn't "Yaegoromo"!

This will get her disqualified!

I realized then... that no matter how hard I worked,

I would never be able to reach that place.

The best performance award goes to Akira Dojima.

See! Akira! They called you. Stop being dazed and go up already!

What? That girl isn't first place?

You dummy. She got disqualified, remember?

Oh, that's right.

Wait, what kind of piece did the first-place person play again?

"Second Place" "Outstanding Performance Award" "Third Place"

"The 36th National Koto Competition Best Performance Award"

Will I be able to play like you?

Disqualified?! That's BS!

After giving that performance?! Don't mock me!

"Participation Award" Don't insult me!

I thought the light was waiting for me.

But what I found there was...

"The 36th National Koto Competition Best Performance Award"

"The 36th National Koto Competition Best Performance Award" ...an even deeper darkness with no exit.