章節 230: She Moved In Without Even Taking Off Her Shoes
It's a new week, and readers now know that *Your Lie in April* is nearing its conclusion.
In the latest chapter this week, Kaori's condition suddenly worsens. Shocked, Kousei falls back into despair and stops practicing the piano. However, Kaori, knowing him well, sends him a letter asking him to bring her some canelés.
Kousei carries Kaori to the rooftop as she requested. Just then, it starts to snow. Despite her pain, Kaori stands up using her numb limbs and pretends to play an imaginary violin.
Is Kaori's body in pain? Of course, it is. But she endures it because she has always loved Kousei. Her purpose in mimicking playing the violin with her last bit of strength is to show Kousei that miracles can happen.
But in the end, Kaori is just a girl. She gets scared; she worries. After pretending to play the imaginary violin on the rooftop, she collapses into Kousei's arms, unable to overcome her illness.
"I'm so scared! I'm so scared! Don't leave me alone!"
At that moment, many readers felt both joy and sorrow. The joy was because Kaori finally couldn't hide her feelings anymore and confessed her love to Kousei. The sorrow, however, came from the realization that Kaori's illness was likely terminal.
"She finally confessed!"
"Damn, I'm crying so hard."
"Especially when Kaori hugged Kousei and said that—my tears just won't stop."
"Don't stop me; I'm sending Claire a box of razor blades!"
"After all, she's about to undergo a life-threatening surgery. Even if I were in her shoes, I'd be terrified. And to think she's so young—it's heartbreaking."
Readers expressed their thoughts online.
But was Kaori truly only afraid of the helplessness and terror of the surgery? Maybe that was part of it, but Ren believed Kaori's real fear was that she might never see the person she loved again.
*Your Lie in April* is a powerful tearjerker, especially in its later chapters. Kaori's character was beautifully crafted.
Upon learning of her illness, she didn't wallow in self-pity. Instead, she decided to help the boy she once admired—Kousei—grow, even if it meant burning away the last of her life. To do this, she told a lie: that she liked Kousei's friend, Watari, so she could get closer to Kousei and appear in his gray life, helping him overcome his grief over his mother and return to playing the piano.
The reason she chose this indirect approach rather than confronting Kousei directly was likely because she wanted to remain just a fleeting presence in his life. Kaori knew her illness would eventually take her life. If she allowed Kousei to fall for her, he would be devastated when she died.
In Kaori's eyes, it was enough if the person she loved could live happily after she was gone. Her own fate didn't matter as much.
The first time Kousei visited her in the hospital, she quietly asked, "Do you want to elope with me?" Though it sounded like a dark joke, and Kousei didn't catch the underlying meaning, readers, with their omniscient perspective, recognized it as one of the most heart-wrenching confessions they had ever seen—a fragile yet genuine expression of Kaori's feelings for Kousei.
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Another week passed.
Daniel had rushed to buy the latest issues of *Picca Comics* and *Wandering Shrine*. He eagerly flipped open the manga to continue reading *Your Lie in April*.
This work by the Porter's student had truly surprised him. Although Claire couldn't update twice a week like the Porter, the wait for each chapter was worth it. The anticipation and the small moments of life that seeped into following the story made it a unique experience.
Daniel had grown fond of every character in the manga—Tsubaki, Kousei's childhood friend, who dazzled in her red dress, Emi, who shone in her own right, and the other supporting characters who each had their own touching moments. But his favorite was Kaori, with her golden hair and spirited personality.
Daniel had always preferred childhood friends over sudden newcomers in romance stories. He had once been hurt by a "newcomer" in his own life, so he wasn't fond of those types of characters. But this was the first time he found himself rooting for the "newcomer," Kaori, over the childhood friend.
As he followed the story through its final chapters, Daniel couldn't help but pray that Kaori would survive.
With this hope in mind, he began reading the new chapter. In Chapter 21, Kousei started his piano competition, and Kaori underwent her surgery.
But did Kaori's surgery succeed, or did it fail?
To Daniel's surprise, the beginning of Chapter 22 didn't show the typical hospital scene with a flatline to indicate Kaori's death. Instead, it depicted Kousei during his performance, where Kaori suddenly appeared beside him. The sound of an imaginary violin echoed in Kousei's ears, and Kaori's lively figure seemed almost tangible before him. This nonexistent duet was a vivid recollection of their joyful moments together.
After the performance, Kaori's sudden disappearance hinted at the outcome of her surgery.
Although the scene of their separation wasn't overly tragic, the image of Kousei playing the piano, coupled with the final, bittersweet farewell, echoed in Daniel's mind.
The scene then shifted to Kousei receiving a letter from Kaori. Even before reading it, Daniel could guess that this letter contained Kaori's final confession, the one she left before her passing.
As he read further, Daniel learned the reasons behind Kaori's actions. In her letter, Kaori explained when she first met Kousei, why she didn't approach him directly, and more.
But what struck Daniel the most was Kaori's heartfelt confession and the manga's accompanying illustration.
Kaori: "What do you think? Have I managed to find a place in your heart?"
Kousei: "You moved in without even taking off your shoes."
Beyond the confession, the letter continued with Kaori standing by the train tracks, smiling as she spoke:
"I'm sorry I couldn't finish the canelés you brought me."
"I'm sorry I kept hitting you."
"I'm sorry I was always so selfish."
"All this time, I'm sorry…"
"Thank you."
At this point, Daniel felt a lump in his throat. When Kaori finally turned away, saying her last "thank you," Daniel's tears broke free. His vision blurred, and the tears he'd held back all day finally spilled over.
"Damn it," he muttered, overcome with emotion.
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