A/N: 

1. I obtained Amtrak Schedule from this website: www.amtrak.com/timetables.html

2. Hope you enjoy!

July 27th, 2024.

At 2.20 pm, they continued their journey with final destination, New York aboard Amtrak.

First, Kousei and Kaori took Texas Eagle to Chicago, an almost 23 hour trip through the Southern United States in sleeper car. They have a little sightseeing inside Chicago before they went back to Chicago Union Station to board Capitol Limited  to Washington Union Station, which departed at 6.40 pm local time.

Inside they obtained wi-fi connectivity allowed them to remain connected to their family. In fact Kousei's father surprisingly contacted them via Skype. It's 5.00 am in Japan.

"Konnichiwa, Kousei and Kaori. I'm very proud of your performances, and Kaori, your parents will definitely be the same too." Takahiko greeted and immediately praised them.

"Konnichiwa, otoo-san, It's 07.00 in Chicago time." Kousei replied

"How's Kaori?" 

"We all happy and healthy, dad. We are going to enjoy a long train ride up to New York. No rushing."

"That's why I heard a clank of wheels.." Takahiko smiled.

"How's Tokyo, Dad?" Kousei asked his father again.

"Seto and Koharu are not yet awake, but they send their regards to you." Koharu Seto, now Arima, is currently a 13 years old normal junior high girl and while she likes playing piano like Kousei, she regard it more like a hobby for releasing stress. Instead, shows more interest in science especially space-related topics and in fact, has a dream for being an astronaut which resulted in her begin to be more serious on science related subjects and PE. 

After minutes of catching-up, Takahiko concluded the video call by saying. "Oh, yeah, I need to get myself ready as today the House is in session and your Mom has completed making breakfast for us. Wish your father a success, my son."

"Ganbatte, pray for us too, and God bless, Dad!" 

At 12.50 pm "Miyarima" reached Washington D.C Union Station and from there, they were already booked for the final leg to New York aboard Amtrak's flagship train, high-speed Avelia Liberty, replacement of the Acela Express. 

https://youtu.be/LiKrC14aqm0

"I never know the Americans have trains like our Shinkansens!"  Kaori said in excitement upon looking at the Alstom-built train sitting on the track.

"Those people are smart to not neglect passenger railways despite their cultural affinity toward automobiles and planes. In fact, Henry, one of our American friends, said that the outgoing Trump administration, while cutting its subsidy, helped improving their intercity passenger trains by encouraging the states to contribute more on it, along with the increased investment on the national infrastructure in general and don't forget, better management as Amtrak was once known with its bad management which made it loss-making." replied Kousei as they board the train with their bodyguards.

The "Henry" that they referred to was Henry Pence, a music critic from Boston with no relation to a former Vice President of the US, Mike Pence. Unfortunately he was unable to attend their concert in NY as he is attending the Massachusetts State Piano Competition in Boston as a judge.

At 1.40 pm, the whistle blow and Avelia Liberty left DC Union Station. Just another uneventful, fully booked, run on the Northeast Corridor. Their managers booked a quiet car, and as the train gains speed to up to 186 mph (237 km/h) they passed Baltimore, then Wilmington, followed by Philadelphia, Trenton, Iselin, Newark, and after 2 hours and five minutes from DC, they arrived in New York Penn Station.

For Kousei and Kaori, it's their third time visiting the Big Apple, but the first time by train.

In NYC Sakura and Doi has arranged them to sleep in the Ritz-Carlton Central Park. Like the name suggests its location is near the Central Park.

---

Next day, their first rehearsal in their planned venue, the Carnegie Hall, when they will play alongside the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO).

Upon the end of their first rehearsal, the NYPO conductor, by the name of Caleb Johnson, an Afro-American violinist, said to them, in praise. "Mr and Mrs. Arima, I don't know what's inside your head but you two are almost immediately in tune with ours in today's rehearsal despite you are just arrived here in New York. I heard you are taking Amtrak back then, am I correct?"

"Exactly" Kaori said and smiled towards Caleb.

The conductor continued his assessment. "Of course there are still many mistakes from you and us like the tempo which in some part are bit too fast, or the tune, but to be honest. I am amazed with your talent. Especially you, Mr. Arima. Your folks back home were not wrong to call you a prodigy. Furthermore, my predecessor, Jaap van Zweden, also highly regarded you and your companion, sorry, your wife, and today, you are living up to our expectation. To be honest, even the Israelis with their stock of high-caliber classical musicians could learn one or two from you."

"Thank you sir!" Both Kousei and Kaori replied to Caleb's remark, with pride.

"Anyway, on behalf of the NYPO I cordially invited you to dine with us, 7 pm." The conductor handed them two envelopes with the dinner invitation, signed by Caleb himself, which alongside being the Principal Conductor, also the NYPO's Music Director Designate.

"Count us in, Mr. Caleb" Kousei said upon reading the invitation.

"See you then" the conductor said as he and the NYPO leave the hall.

---

"You seem distraught today, honey, As your wife please tell me what's troubling you." asked Kaori as they are inside their hotel room. She saw that her husband were quite less joyful and his head somewhat lowered.

"I don't know why but I just remembered that time. Back in my "Human Metronome" days, she said to me that she wants me to be able to play here in New York, before her ultimately death. Besides, today I'm sure that my playing is not as good as yesterday."

"How many praises you need for you to be more sure of yourselves, Kousei." She sighed, but she decided to deploy one of her favorite method to calm her emotional husband; massaging his back, stiff after hours sitting in front of the piano.

"This is only for you, enjoy this.." she whispered inside Kousei's ear as she proceeded to massage him. Sure enough, he looks more calm and even managed to show a smile to Kaori and said. "Thanks for that treatment. So, how about we bath together?"

"Let's go!" Kaori burst with happiness when her husband invited her to go to the bath together and have more skinship along with the way. Being married have its advantages indeed...

---

They went to dinner at an American steakhouse restaurant named K Rico, located in the 772nd 9th Avenue.

As they dine with officials of the NYPO and their managers, they are talking about almost anything. Including the upcoming US Presidential Election, and despite their differences they managed to keep it civilized.

In musical related topic the main focus of their discussion was the state of readiness of the orchestra for their collaboration as they also rehearsed in separate session along with a joint session with Kousei and Kaori. They left the restaurant with more joy than before particularly due to the entire NYPO is more than ready and excited for their third concert in New York as "Miyarima", and first as a married couple.

Inside the convoy of sedan bringing them back to the hotel Kousei pulls out his smartphone and opened Tripadvisor app inside the phone to review the restaurant that they just visited with the NYPO.

"Tripadvisor is definitely right to recommend this place. They deserved 4 star." 

"Let me say this is one of the best steakhouse with good value of money" replied Kaori.

Their driver, by the name of Tomoyuki Yamagawa, also part of Kousei and Kaori's security detail further echoed his client's point, teasingly. "Taste buds can't lie, not like a certain girl who said in that summer that she like a best friend of a pianist."

"Don't tease us too much, Yamagawa." Kousei and Kaori laughed together.

Meanwhile, their managers said to each other in the second car. "Celebrity endorsement will help them further develop the business."

Doi decided it's time to show his own feelings toward Kousei's manager. "You know, Sakura, I have things for you, and it's not accidental if we are working together handling a love bird in the first place." 

"Well, I'm glad you are honest to me but we are better to be just a friend and fellow talent managers. Because there are many fish in the sea." Sakura replied to Doi's statement as she already engaged to another man in Japan and the preparation for her marriage will be done after Miyarima's World Tour.

On the other hand, Doi was a divorced man.

Luckily for Sakura, the man took the rejection well, to the benefit of Kousei and Kaori's career they handled since the latter's day in the university.

---

The next three days of grueling rehearsal went without any problem, technical and non technical, along with a day for an exclusive interview for Vice.

But the night before the concert, at 2000 pm, Kousei felt his phone shaking. The American number shown in the screen is Caleb's one.

This is definitely important. Kousei said to himself.

"Hello, Mr. Arima"

"Mr. Caleb, what's going on?"

"Sarah fell ill this afternoon after the rehearsal. Her boyfriend, David, called me that she was down with fever and unable to play tomorrow!"

One of the NYPO members scheduled to play for the concert, a cellist by the name of Sarah Nguyen, suddenly fell ill and was unable to do her part. Speaking of the American's boyfriend, that man by the name of David Nhu is also member of NYPO as a harpist.

"Damn" Kousei silently cursed to avoid offending his wife. 

Both Kousei and Kaori family and themselves are conservative Japanese in terms of value and political view, but Kaori was much more on it compared to Kousei. In particular, after surviving cancer, she personally discouraged herself and Kousei to use profanities especially words which could be considered as "taking God's name in vain".

"Please, don't be panic for this. Pray that the replacement could be in tune with us in the day." Kaori reassured him, as he told her the news.

---

August 2, 2024. Carnegie Hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is Miyarima!!"

Both Japanese, with Kousei wearing his dark blue suit and black shoes and Kaori wears a beautiful white dress, bowed in front of the audience before they went to their instruments. They opened their third New York concert with the rendition of Bach's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra- BWV 1052.

https://youtu.be/m8ZJSxyOnLs

Loneliness was a main theme of the piece, particularly in light of it's background when the composer lost his first wife due to illness, while in both Kousei and Kaori's mind, the "loneliness" are interpreted in a different, more joyful perspective; a man and women so madly in love and content with the world, which made them feel they are the only human in their own, fantasy world, echoed by the orchestra, representing that world which revolved in theirs, not vice versa.

As a joyful applause ended their performance, both Kousei and Kaori smiled, knowing that their own interpretation of Bach has touched New Yorkers watching the collaboration. 

---

Soon the duo continued their performance with four more pieces. 

"We'll not giving up here!" they said to themselves, silently, before proceeding to play their fifth, and final piece for their North American part of the world tour, accompanied by the NYPO.

Their original piece, Red Sun Rises.

This time, their playing interpreted the nationalistic tone of the piece in frame of Japanese and American close economic, political, and especially, military relationship, Sad tones in the beginning of the piece throw the audience back to the immediate aftermath of the World War II, with Japan devastated and occupied by the United States and British Commonwealth forces, along with the representation and implied apology of Japanese war crimes during the war.

The tones are slowly building up to a more spirited and free one. The audience, further glued to their seats, were sent back in the time of the massive rebuilding of Japan under American protection especially during the economic miracle (1960s - early 1990s) and it's development as a soft power in Asia, and the vibrant, while complex, alignment with the Western Bloc during the Cold War. 

Basically, Kousei and Kaori represent Japan in the piece, meanwhile the NYPO represents the United States in this interpretation.

In the third arc, the rhythm of their playing emphasize the nation's effort in dealing with a prolonged, 20 years of economic stagnation known as the Lost Decade which subsequently known as the Lost Score while maintaining the alliance with the US and further visibility of the nation's soft power projection abroad in form of technology and culture. 

The fourth, and the climax, the audience are brought to answer the question of the nation's need to renew it's "stick" in this case, military power, to balance its already massive clout as an economic, cultural, and technological power, but also with the reality of it's ageing population. The end was deliberately made for personal interpretation by the audience or in the game using that piece, the players. but it's strong and generally optimistic tone reverberating through the hall, confirming the close bond between US and Japan.

Some audience interpret the climax in light of the emergence of China and Russia with a more positive tone of the need to slowly reduce the country's dependence on American forces while remaining a major ally and committed toward democratic values and strong, peaceful friendship with Asian countries. The others, mostly in the left side of the equation, choose to decipher Kousei and Kaori's playing as an endorsement for Japan to cross a very thin line towards "fascism." 

Politics aside, the audience booming with cheers and standing ovations, more than the other pieces they played in that day.

No encore, but Miyarima know that the Americans loved their playing as even those who disagree with the tone of the piece are showing their maturity by not booing or heckling the performers during the concert.

"You will be proud of me, Mom." Kousei said to himself, again, as he and Kaori bowed in front of the spectators, still applauding them.

"Enchanter is real. Much respect to the Japanese!" said one man in the front seat, a Wall Street honcho.

"Agreed with you" said his wife, in his left side.

"They should be called Japan's Warriors" a music critique by the name of Sharon McNamara said.

---

"Say it again, I'm proud of my playing today" Kaori told her husband as they arrived in their hotel room and went into the terrace in front of their room, under the view of New York's lights.

Kousei said the exact word to his heart. Then he continued "You and the NYPO has done the best!"

The violinist replied. "You know that you should be more sure of yourself, and look, you, no, we, had touched North America more with our music. That's why I love you, Kousei!" 

Both musicians stood up, and kissed passionately in the lips. Kousei can see Kaori's eyes went glassy as they parted to get their very much needed fresh air after the kiss.

---

They concluded their North America tour by roaming around the NYC for two days, started from the Central Park, in which they are meeting with some of their fans and have a good time talking and giving their autograph to their admirers in the city. 

Later, they took pictures in front of the famous Times Square and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, before having lunch in the One World Trade Center Observatory, still the part of the WTC complex along with the Guggenheim Museum.

Next day, Kousei and Kaori are for the first time visiting the Statue of Liberty. Luckily they were permitted to climb to the crown of the statue and as the couple admiring the view outside the balcony, Kousei suddenly said.

"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance" 

"What?" Kaori was taken by surprise of Kousei's statement.

"Just remind you and I what makes America great, which helped our nation to be great too." he replied.

They hold hands together as they subsequently went down into the base and leave the statue to take pictures below it, signifying the end of their North American part of the tour.

---

A/N:

1. Source of that interpretation of Bach: Sei Solo: Symbolum?

Link in Google Books: https://books.google.co.id/books?id=KEyDDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=bwv+1052+meaning&source=bl&ots=GlutmBN9fz&sig=WOv3pbbT-l7jTqFDIJdWK-KDE5Q&hl=id&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjxubruhPPcAhVYfX0KHY8XCsY4ChDoATACegQICBAB#v=onepage&q=bwv%201052%20meaning&f=false

2. Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified rail line primarily owned by Amtrak, serving Northeast megalopolis, the most populous megalopolis (a chain of linked metropolitan areas) in the Western Hemisphere and the United States with over 50 million resident, often called as Boston-Washington corridor.

3. Jaap van Zweden is a real life Dutch conductor and violinist. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaap_van_Zweden

4. Vote and comment!!