A/N: I make Kousei and Kaori a bit like but not carbon-copy of a Korean pianist by the name of Yiruma in terms of the style of original pieces they make, but as a duet.

July 1st, 2024, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Kousei and Kaori's first stop: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Their managers get them one of the city's oldest and one of the most expensive hotel and resort, Moana Hotel, in the neighborhood of Waikiki.

They have been in the United States before in individual concerts and world competitions, but not Hawaii.

Right now, they are enjoying each other's company by swimming at the beach in front of the hotel surrounded by their bodyguards after a grueling practice session in the hotel. Kaori wears a yellow swimsuit while her husband's only cover was a sky-blue short.

In testament of their fame, they were always accompanied by eight bodyguards, four each.  

The arrangement were in place since both Kousei and Kaori have encountered stalkers back in Japan over the year, and one of them, by the name of Enomoto Takeshima even sent both him and Kaori letters which exposed his intent to kidnap the couple. Luckily, he's already committed to a Tokyo mental hospital by his family. 

The tired Kousei soon went into, and sat on one of the lounge chairs of the beach, while Kaori, grinning happily, sat beside his own, accompanied by fresh young coconut water.

"To be honest, I feel like a prisoner due to those people surrounding us." She said to her husband, referring to their bodyguards, armed with pistols and Tasers. "I finally understand what to be in your position back in the day. Imprisoned by perfection." The violinist had once again put out Kousei's hellish childhood into the conversation.

"Well, your affliction also imprisoned you back then." Kousei replied.

"But it helps me to get free and enjoy life as I want to." Kaori said again while drinking the coconut water. Her husband can only ponder in silence, expressionless. He'd accepted his past. But still, if someone brought out such thing to him, in some cases it felt like his entire body paralyzed due to pain.

He soon get closer to Kaori and hug her in order to calm himself down. 

"And that time made me meet you. You know that I will always be with you. Oh, yeah, speaking about kids, let me be honest in advance. I'm more than ready to do that, anytime, as we spread our music around the world. But, as a man, you are the lead. You can do it, my dear!" She pulled her husband to intensify the skinship, and kissed him in his forehead.

Kousei answered his wife. "Not here, not now. But one day we will do that as we enjoy this long trip. Trust me, Kaori. And I am willing to have more than two. We're both only child so let's ensure our heirs won't be like us too.. I'm always want a quite large family anyway." 

"You know me so well, my dear." 

---

Two days later, in one of the rehearsals prior to the D-Day in Neal. S. Blaisdell Center. 

"It seems the tune was slightly inaccurate" said somebody before Kousei could get into the piano for the exercise.

"What?" The pianist asked.

"Worry not, Mr. Arima, This particular piano had just finish it's scheduled maintenance and of course, it need retuning." said the director of the community center, Lee Jones.

"Thank God you told me before this" Kousei sighed, but also felt relieved that the promoter detected the problem in advance before the concert began.

Kaori patted his back to calm him down further.

"Mr and Mrs. Arima, you can follow us to other room which you can play too." the director led the couple into another hall with piano inside to allow them to prepare themselves despite the unexpected problem with the one that supposed to be used for the concert, followed by two of their closest bodyguards.

They are not just musician anymore; they also an aspiring, multi-genre, composer. So along with existing classical pieces such as Listz Liebesträume and Mendelssohn Confidence (Song Without Words) Op.19 No.4 arr Ernst, they also play two original, contemporary classical pieces from their album Miyarima Rises, titled Rise from the Ashes, and Red Sun Shines.

The exercise went well. Or rather, excessively well.

"Honey, don't push yourself too hard.." Kaori detected her husband sign of fatigue, which mean he pushed himself too much. 

Kousei smiled, despite his body start to looked otherwise. "You know I don't want our first concert since marriage to be a flop. Besides, your mere presence pumped me up to play."

"Still, too much this and what you fear might be the case. Remember, tomorrow is final rehearsal and you must be in the best form." She stowed her violin and went closer to Kousei.

And so that's the end of their session.

---

The final rehearsal went without a hitch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Miyarima! " the MC announced as the couple walked on stage wearing their best clothes. It's the D-Day.

"Kousei!"

"Kaori!"

Asian-Americans constitute almost 40% of Honolulu's populace and the significant number of it was Japanese. Despite that, the audience are as diverse as what someone expect in a country like the US of A. Still, the particularity of it caused both Kousei and Kaori felt somewhat "still at home". But also increased pressure for sake of their fellow Asians.

They took up their respective stations and start playing Liebesträume.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpOtuoHL45Y

Their style of playing brought the audience into the dream state, with high hopes of their lives but the music also brought them to reality in many parts of it. They also felt that the couple shows that love, in many cases, are truly a risky dream but worth fighting for.

The Hawaiian hall, in short, was awashed with meaning of love.

Upon the end, thundering applause ensued, despite the piece its just a beginning.

The second piece is Mendelssohn Song Without Words Op.19 No.4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRVOAhxIrJM

Unlike the first, it's meaning was deliberately made by the composer, Felix Mendelssohn to be uncertain with heavy emphasize on contemplation about anything in someone's life, up close and personal and sometimes incommunicable. Both couple can feel numbers of audience went into tears as the result. 

The standing ovation ensued was more intense than the first.

After several performances from guests, it's time for Kousei and Kaori to deploy two of their original pieces.

The first, Rise from the Ashes, like the title implied, it's about how people rise after their lives went upside down. They were brought into Kousei's journey about his abusive childhood and somewhat absent but loving father, which resulted in his trauma but with an angel entered his life, he finally overcame it all.

In addition, some audiences interpret the piece to be anti-war, despite Kousei and Kaori never intend for the particular piece they composed to be used for political purposes, due to the music reminded themselves of nations and families destroyed in war and ensuing rebuilding like Japan or Germany after World War II or recently, Iraq and Syria after the decisive defeat of ISIL in 2019. 

And the couple closed their Honolulu performance by playing Red Sun Rises. Unlike the first, the song had implicit political tone, about their nation's challenge of coming into terms with the past but in other side, with a need of a stronger hard (e.g. military) power to balance it's well known soft power in international arena. In fact, it has been adopted as one of the soundtrack of a video game called Heart of Iron V, a grand strategy war game developed by a Swedish developer Paradox Interactive.

Upon the final part of the song, which extensively used high spirited tune with medium tempos and then lower regime to finally end it, the audience once again honored the Japanese couple with standing ovations.

"Magnificent!"  said a Hawaiian entrepreneur.

"Bravo!" shouts of praise echoed inside the hall, regardless of their views.

"I wish they stayed here for longer in Hawaii. But they have their own agenda. I'm honored to saw our Japanese friend showered this state with the wholesome music. Proficiat!" the Governor of Hawaii speaks for himself upon the conclusion of the performance.

---

"Excellent work, you two!" said their managers upon the end of their concert. 

"Thank you!" both Kousei and Kaori said.

Hours later. "So, my dear, are you ready for our next destination?" Kousei asked his wife upon their return to the hotel that night.

"Of course. We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again! They has been moved by ours, others will know who we are." 

"Hawaiian girls are gorgeous, but no one better than you" Kousei kissed Kaori in the lips before they went to bed. "I'll strangle you with my melodica if you dare said otherwise." the blonde said as she pretend to threaten him.

A/N:

1. About Asian American Demographics: http://proximityone.com/cen2010_asian.htm

2. Hearts of Iron V is not yet released, but as this story was set in 2024 it's safe to predict that the game might be there during that period. Before you ask, yes, I play Heart of Iron IV.

3. Vote and Comment!