MIYARIMA: A World Tour (A Your Lie in April AU Fanfiction) - DEEP HIATUS

Big Apple

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. 

"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.