continued

Ken slept in for few days straight. while that time, kari and masato took turns looking after ken, practicing trumpet, and on.  after Ken woke up, he was fine again and since that day, he was able to sleep again daily. in few days, ken was completely well.
during breakfast..
'ken, now that you are well, i want to take you and kari to my music studio.'
'your studio?'
'yeah. the one at our university. i was able to get a room for myself. we will leave in about an hour.'

Ken, masato, and kari left the house by masato's car. in about 30 min, they were all at the university. it was a large clean place. looked more like office bulding rather than a university. masato lead them to third floor. kari realized that ken was looking around the university. he seemed happy to be back there again. since it was sunday, no one was around campus. but when masato opened the door to his room, a swarm of sound hit kari and ken.

'hey guys!' masato entered the room and the noise disappeared.
'hey. oh! ken??' they all looked at ken.
'yeah. hey guys. long time no see.' ken was smiling happily.
'guys, this is kari. she's the trumpet player that i talked about. wel, are you guys ready??'

masato took out his own trumpet and sat down with the band. one of his friends stood up at front, ready to conduct the music.
'kari, this is for you.' masato said and nodded to the conductor.

1.2.3..

the music started. it was the piece that kari was going to play at the concert. kari listened to it frantically.
'one day, i want to perform like this..' was the only thing that she could think of when listening to the band playing.

after the performance, ken and masato talked with their friends. kari sat back and looked at them talking. all she wanted to do was to go back home and practice the music until she's satisfied. it was few hours later that they all returned home. some of the friends came over to masato's house but kari went ahead and practiced her trumpet at her room.

continued..

'hm..good job Ken. its not too often you find a student like this.' Masato said after he listened to Kari play her piece.
'Ken, go take a rest, you look dead. i wil teach Kari and give her final brush up' Ken followed the maid who came to lead him to the guest room. after he left, Masato gave out a small sigh.
'Mr masato...' Kari started.
'yes?'
'i want to ask you something.'

Kari told him about what she saw at the final application.
'so Ken met Mr and Mrs Okamoto?'
'yes. they didn't speak to each other at all but i knew there were something. after they came across each other, mr iwata didn't speak at all..he didn't answer me or anything.'
'wel..i am not sure if i am allowed to tell this to you. but as you know, Ken is under great stress. there must be a reason for him not telling you what happened before, but you might as well know it.'
'i just want to help him..'
'alrite then. listen to me...

  Ken was born in a rich family. His family was a line of trumpet players. Every child born in to that family played trumpet and eventually became a professional trumpet player or a composer. Ken was one of them and he especially had godlike ability when playing trumpet. One day, another family who had a famous trumpet player in their line, the Okamotos had a daughter.  The Okamotos wanted to marry that daughter off to Ken in order to flourish more.  But Ken refused and left the house for some reason that i don't know. After he left the house, he did whatever he can to avoid the member of the family.  That is why he started to work at the school you used to attend; The school was located far from his home.  But there, he faced a big problem. His fiance attended that school. Some age difference i know, but arranged marriage. what do you expect? wel, you might have known his fiance. Her name was Okamoto Kasahara. '
Kari was shocked. 'Oka..'
'I guess you did know her.'
'yes..but how can she be mr iwata's fiance? she fired him!'
'maybe she thought..if he is fired, he might come back to the family. Ken didn't like her, but she liked Ken a lot.'
..maybe that's why she disliked me so much..Kari thought.

'is that why mr iwata is under a stress?'
'i don't think so. he left by his own will. he's probably stressed because he got you in to his trouble. if it wasn't for him, you will still be in school.'
'thank you..mr masato for telling me this..'
'no problem. wel, lets get back to our business shall we?'   

Kari practiced the trumpet for a long time.  Masato was like a different person when teaching trumpet but Kari felt that she was improving every moment. After masato finally let her have a break, Kari went to visit mr iwata. when she went in to the guest room, the bed was empty.
'mr iwata?' Kari called but there were no answer. she looked around the room and saw the door open to the balcony.
'mr iwata?'
'yes kari.' a voice sounded.
'how are you feeling?'
'fine thank you'

'mr iwata?'
'yes?'
'thank you.'
'thanks for what?'
'for giving me a life that i have right now. i've always wanted to be a professional trumpet player and you allowed me to have a chance. if i stayed in that school, maybe i would have gotten more training in trumpet. but, because i met you, you lead me to a different and unique path, unlike the others. and i really appreciate it.'

Ken listened to Kari.
'thank you Kari' he sighed and looked up at the sky.
'wel, mr iwata. i need to go back and return to..mr iwata!?'

Ken was leaning against the balcony not being able to stand on his own. His face looked very pale. 
'oh my gosh. are you ok?'
"what's going on?" mr masato came.
'mr masato! mr iwata is sick..'
'maid, call the docotor. Kari, help me carry him to the bed.'

Ken slept for a long time. Mr masato and Kari time by time dropped by to see how Ken is doing. Other than that,  they practiced playing trumpet. when they were taking a rest, mr masato spoke
'Kari, what ever you said to Ken, helped him a lot. believe me, after he wakes up, he will be fine again.'
'how do you know? you are not a doctor..'
'i am.'
'you are a trumpet player.'
'i am.'
'what..?'
'i had a double major.'

Moving On

"Kari, come! quickly!"
the night train took off as soon as they boarded. "did you catch your breath?"
"yes..mr iwata. ok. lets see where our seat is" Kari took the ticket from his hands and searched for the seat number. "R28 and R29..oh there it is." mr iwata first placed his trumpet on the baggage loft and then Kari's. he had her sit by the window first.  
"about five hours to the capital..why does it take so long..? "
"wel, Kari. once we get there, we will have to first turn in the final application for the concert. after that, we are gonig to see my friend. he majored in trumpet also and i want him to listen to your playing. he's a better teacher. until then, rest. im going to go to sleep." mr iwata fell alseep as soon as he said that. Kari looked at him and gave out a small sigh. She knew that after mr iwata got fired from school, he was working as private trumpet tutor. but she also knew that at night, mr iwata couldn't sleep much from stress. Eventually, the light of the train got turned off, and whoever wanted to, had to turn on their seat lights. Kari switched hers on and turned it off quickly when she found it too strong; she did not want to wake mr iwata up. She took out a small book lamp from her bag and latched it on to her book. She put on her glasses and begin to read.

"ugh..what time is it?" ken woke up. he looked next to him and saw Kari asleep. she had her glasses on and held a book with a book lamp. with that light, he looked at the time. "only an hour has passed since we got on..i really need to get some sleep." ken gently reached out for Kari and tired to take her glasses off but when he touched it, she woke up. "mr iwata?" she looked at her watch and sighed.
"only an hour has passed .."
"haha. i just thought that too." they both laughed.
"couldn't sleep again?" kari asked mr iwata.
"yeah. and i can't keep on taking sleeping pills."
"im sorry..mr iwata"
"kari."
"yes?"
"how many times do i have to tell you? 'ken' not mr iwata."
he smiled and went back to sleep again.  Kari tried to go back to reading, but knowing that it was useless, she also went to sleep.

Applicants this way
Ken and kari lined up in order to turn in the application.  One by one, the applicants went up to the front desk to turn in the papers to the manager. When it was Kari's turn, manager suddenly stood up. Kari look at him in surprise. the managaer bowed to someone who walked up to him.
"welcome, Mr and Mrs Okamoto." every one in the line looked.
         who are they??
      you don't know? they are the host of the concert. the Okamotos have famous trumpet player in their     family.

conversations as such went through people. Mr and Mrs Okamoto smiled and looked at people in the line. when they looked at Kari, they smiled also but when they looked at Ken, their expression stiffend. Kari didn't miss that but said nothing.
"good work, managaer." Mr Okamoto said and left. Kari stepped up to turn in the application and Ken silently followed. On the way to friend's house, Kari spoke.
"mr iwata.."
he didn't answer.
"mr iwata, which station are we headed to?"
he stil didn't asnwer. Kari became silent after that.

When they got to the friend's house, kari was amazed by the size of it. Ken rang the door bell and a maid came out. "may i..oh! mr iwata! Mr masato! your friend has arrived!" a young man came from the room.
" is that you? Ken?"
" hi masato!" they both smiled and greeted each other. masato looked at Kari.
"is she your student?"
"yes. Kari."
masato held out his hand to her. She shook it.
"wel, what are we waiting for? come in!"

Ego

"why in the world did you do this!!" mr iwata made kari sit in front of him.
"i dont plan on being somewhere where i will be giving bad lucks to people for no reason."
"but kari..."
"mr iwata. i made my decision.  besides, if i make it through the audition, and the concert, i can be a pro trumpet player. at that time, i have to quit school anywayz."
"...."
"you are not going to send me back there...right..?"
mr iwata sighed.
"no..but i just dont.."
"then please dont say anything."

kari started to fix supper for mr iwata when he turned the television on. he watched it from the sofa. kari stood in the kitchen busily working of the dinner when a scene from school shot across her. she was in home making class learning how to make some dishes.
when i am away from there, the memory becomes more vivid..she thought as she made the food.

she put the food on the table and brought out the plates. she was about to sit down when the door bell rang.
"help yourself, mr iwata. i will be right back." she smiled and left.

'yes?' she picked up the bell phone.
'is ken here?'
'hold on please'

"mr iwata, i think it is for you."
"ok. i will be right back."

kari went to the kitchen to get some drinks when she heard voices from the door.
'mr iwata!'
'oka, why are you here?'
'may i please come in, i want to explain something.'
'wel, no. not after i got fired for letting an student in to my apartment'
'then..' she started to cry.
'anything wrong?'
'it was all kari.'
'kari? what about her?'
'she asked me to play a part in to firing you so she can stay with you.'
kari almost dropped the glass cup when the quickly put it down on the counter.
'are you sure about that? oka?'
'yes. so please dont blame me...'
'well, do you have anyone to prove it?'
'no..'
'well, maybe i do'  okas expression whitened.
'hey, come over here.' mr iwata called.

"kari! why in the world are you still in here? you now want me to expel you from school? i will do anything to get rid of you..you.." she closed her mouth. kari took a small breath and began to spoke.
"if you didnt know oka..i withdrew from school today. so i am no longer  a student in school. and what you just said, is very ironic from what you said previously to mr iwata."
oka pierced kari with her eyes.
"for one thing i didnt get in my hand is you, ken. and to get rid of you, kari from him. i will have everything i want in my hand. you guys see..."

mr iwata started to walk back towards the dining room and kari closed the door.

"lemme ask you kari. what did you do to oka?"
"nothing..really..i dont know what i did to her.."

they said nothing else but when kari was about to leave, mr iwata said.
"kari, call me from now, Ken. your practice time will increase so you will have to stay here longer each day. i will tell you the schedule soon."
kari smiled and closed to door behind her to and cool fall air.

(sorry people..my english is getting really bad. cant express anything ><!!! should write more huh...forgive me for it)

with draw

" i am sorry mr iwata. " kari sat in front of him on a couch. they were at mr iwatas apartment. 
" i just dont understand why the principal and oka dislike you so much kari.." he said but that didnt matter now. kari was filled with feeling of guilt for making mr iwata lose his job. she wanted to quit practicing for the international concert becaue she thought that that will only make his feeling worse but at the same time, she also thought that she cant quit since it got to the point of someone losing his job.  mr iwata fell asleep on the sofa. kari brought the comfortors from his room and lay it on him. she turned off the lights and wondered if she should leave or not. she got out bottle of cool water and left a memo on the table.

 mr iwata, if you dont mind, i will be back here around 3 tomorrow after noon.

"good morning" kari entered the classroom. oka proudly sat at the place where kari used to sit and a substitue teacher was standing at the podium. classmates looked at her with mixure of sympathy and antipathy. oka just looked at kari and looked away. kari still couldnt undersatnd why oka hated her so much.

at lunch time, kari entered the teachers office.
"excuse me.." she went up to the principal.
"yes? oh hello kari" he said cooly.
"i came here today to.."
"ask to take back iwatas lose of job?"
"no"
principal looked at her and saw her handing over an evelope.
"from today, i wish not to be the student of this school any more. i plan to withdraw from this school."
the teachers in the room were now looking at kari.
"kari. you have your future still you cant stop that here." several  teachers said but she replied, "i will be able to find a better future if i dont stay here. thank you for your time."  after she went out of the office, she went to her locker and cleared everthing out. with out saying good bye to her friends, she left school, thinking never to return.