Ep 12. Twinkle Little Star

Kousei Arima is a piano prodigy who lost the ability to hear the sound of his own playing after the death of his abusive mother. Two years later, Kousei meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono who brings color and excitement back into his life. In season 1 episode 12, titled "Twinkle Little Star," Kousei and Kaori perform together in a music competition.

The episode begins with Kousei practicing his piano alone in the music room. He's nervous about the upcoming competition and is struggling to find the motivation to keep playing. Kaori enters the room and catches Kousei off guard. She tells him that she's here to practice with him, and that he should think of her as his accompanist rather than a soloist.

Kousei and Kaori begin to play together, and Kousei is surprised at how well they sound together. He's never had the opportunity to perform with someone else before, and he starts to realize that playing music with someone else is completely different than playing alone.

After the practice session, Kousei and Kaori head to the competition venue. As they wait backstage, Kousei starts to have second thoughts about performing. He tells Kaori that he's afraid of failing, but she reassures him that everything will be okay.

It's finally time for Kousei and Kaori to take the stage. They start playing "Twinkle Little Star," but Kousei starts to struggle with the piece. He's nervous and doubting himself, and it's affecting his playing. Kaori notices and tries to encourage him, but Kousei keeps making mistakes.

As they get to the end of the piece, Kousei freezes up and can't play anymore. Kaori steps forward and starts to play a solo, but she stumbles as well. Kousei is devastated and thinks that he's let everyone down.

After the performance, Kousei retreats to a quiet spot outside the venue. Kaori finds him and tells him that she's proud of him, regardless of the outcome of the competition. Kousei starts to realize that he's been so focused on winning that he's forgotten why he started playing music in the first place.

The episode ends with Kousei and Kaori playing piano and violin together on a hill overlooking the city. Kousei is finally starting to understand that music isn't about competition or winning, but about expressing himself and connecting with others through his playing.