"You see, it's already summer now. Looking at all the dramas aired this winter, spring, and summer—so far, not a single female character can compare to Kaori Miyazono. If the autumn dramas airing in October end up at the same level, then I think, by January next year, you'll have a real shot at winning the award." Su Yan spoke softly.
"Eh? The... Xia Flame Award for Best Actress…" Shen Liqian's voice faltered slightly.
"Normally, a drama needs to top the season's ratings to even be nominated for something like that. 'Your Lie in April' is only ranked fourth right now, isn't it? Su Yan-sensei, you're already thinking that far ahead?" she asked with visible doubt.
Looking at her expression, Su Yan felt a sense of déjà vu.
Ah… wasn't this just like when he used to play games and heard some famous jungler say, "I'm already researching the opponents for the finals!"? That same look.
But he wasn't popping the champagne early.
He had been following all the A-tier dramas this summer, and honestly—
'Your Lie in April' was better.
Viewer ratings backed this up.
If 'Your Lie in April' hadn't aired on Aozora TV and been dragged down by its status, it might've already beaten 'Summer Splendor' in viewership.
But now that its reputation and popularity were climbing, Su Yan knew what came next.
He'd experienced this with his past three dramas.
And of all his works, 'Your Lie in April' was the one he had the most confidence in.
After all, it had been a critically acclaimed masterpiece in his previous life, validated by multiple markets.
"Yeah. 'Your Lie in April' will hit number one in ratings. And it'll get nominated," Su Yan said seriously.
"You—and Kaori Miyazono—might not just be the biggest stars this quarter, but possibly the biggest names in the TV industry this entire year."
Shen Liqian, who usually liked to argue, was about to retort—but then remembered Su Yan's track record.
And just like that, most of her doubts faded away.
After all, everyone who had ever questioned Su Yan's potential had been proven wrong.
"If things really turn out the way you say… that would be amazing." Her eyes shone with longing. "I've been in this industry for five years, and I've never once been nominated for the Xia Flame Award's Best Actress category."
"Then you'd better get ready," Su Yan smiled.
"Become Kaori Miyazono. Dive into the script. In the final few episodes, deliver a performance you may never surpass in your lifetime."
"Kaori Miyazono will die in the script. But I hope you can make her come alive in the hearts of every viewer."
Shen Liqian was visibly moved.
"Su Yan-sensei… you really have that much faith in me?"
"Of course," Su Yan said. This was the moment to encourage her.
Despite her early fame, Shen Liqian was only twenty years old. Her acting was excellent, but she clearly still had room to grow.
She worked based on passion.
If she was interested in something, she'd research it obsessively. If not, she wouldn't waste even a second thinking about it.
"I got it. Starting today, I'll read the script nonstop. I'll try to understand Kaori Miyazono from the inside out. Besides eating and sleeping, I'll pretend—no, I'll be Kaori Miyazono." Her eyes gleamed.
Su Yan smiled and nodded. So pure, he thought.
Only someone genuine would be moved by empty encouragement like "you'll get a nomination."
Though he truly believed it, most actors with five years in the industry wouldn't take those words seriously without hard proof.
Su Yan had cold, hard data from his past life proving 'Your Lie in April' was a masterpiece.
What did Shen Liqian have?
Just a few hopeful words from him.
But it made sense. After all, this was the same woman who had once cursed out Akasaka Yoshitoki and his team at a press conference. That said enough about her personality.
Early November. Episode 5 of 'Your Lie in April' aired.
This episode took place during the music competition. The story alternated between Arima Kousei's flashbacks and the perspectives of supporting characters.
Before this episode, viewers simply thought Arima Kousei hated the piano because of the trauma caused by his mother's intense deathbed training.
But there was another reason—
Before his mother passed, Arima had rebelled.
He'd been so fed up with the training that he angrily threw his sheet music to the ground.
In return, his mother had struck him on the head with her cane—so hard it bled.
"I just wanted to make mom happy…"
The broken boy cried, head lowered.
"I just wanted her to feel better, but—"
Covered in bruises, his body bore the marks of every beating.
Blood still ran from the fresh wound on his scalp.
He looked up.
"People like you… should just die."
At that moment, as Arima Kousei performed at the competition, this memory hit him—and his performance unraveled.
His mother, seated weakly in her wheelchair, looked at him with shock and sorrow.
The viewers could feel it too.
Her heart had shattered.
That had been the last thing Arima ever said to his mother.
After that, her condition rapidly worsened.
And Arima, unable to forget the cruel words he had once spoken in anger, lived in guilt from that day on.
From then—
He could no longer play the piano.
The first half of the episode left viewers suffocating.
After watching Aiza Takeshi and Emi Igawa's performances in Episode 4, everyone expected Arima to dominate the stage next.
Instead, his trauma overwhelmed him.
Haunted by the memory of his last words to his mother—
The sound of the piano slipped away from him again.
The music he played turned into a cry of pain.
Kaori Miyazono watched from the audience, her expression a mix of encouragement and concern.
Arima's rivals looked on in disappointment.
The scene kept cutting between their faces.
And then—he stopped playing again.
He looked up at the stage lights.
Lost.
But he thought of Kaori.
Then turned his head slightly, looking at her seated in the audience.
She didn't say a word.
But he understood what she wanted to say.
The ranking didn't matter.
The competition didn't matter.
What mattered was finding a reason to play.
"I want to play for you."
That line echoed in Arima's heart.
And with that, the story shifted—from tragedy to hope.
He began playing again.
To viewers across Xia Nation, it felt as if they were truly in that music hall, listening to a gentle, heartfelt performance.
No longer did he think of the painful memories tied to his mother.
He thought only of Kaori Miyazono—the girl who stood by his side, who had encouraged him, who had changed everything.
"If just one person remembers me, that's enough. As long as you remember me—that girl who liked my friend, Watari Ryota…"
As the piano solo—played only for Kaori—came to an end,
He bowed to the audience.
But his eyes were fixed only on Kaori Miyazono.
Whether it was love or something else—
Viewers across the country didn't have time to dissect the emotion.
All they knew was that their hearts were full.
This episode flawlessly blended romance with music.
Two storylines, perfectly intertwined.
From beginning to end, viewers followed Arima's journey—from inner turmoil and fear to personal growth and emotional expression.
Many felt that they, too, had just lived through a love story.
All those emotions boiled down to one thing:
They were moved.
Episode 5's rating jumped from 9.4 to 9.5.
On RaccoonNet, the comment section exploded with twice as many live comments as the previous week.
["Was that a confession? That was Arima Kousei confessing to Kaori, right?!"]
["The first half of the episode crushed me. The second half filled me with sweetness."]
["Su Yan, you absolute tear thief!"]
["The emotional depth of these characters is too real. I actually cried."]
["Kaori is so healing—her smile, her voice... She's the sunlight that helped Arima move past his trauma."]
["I'm calling it. These two need to get married. Now."]
["But Kaori likes Arima's best friend, Watari, right? What do we do about that?"]
["Wait… why do I feel like Kaori actually likes Arima?"]
["Just your imagination. Kaori cares about Arima because he used to be everyone's inspiration. She doesn't want to see him fall apart."]
["So it's a one-sided love from Arima?"]
["I don't know! I'm so confused!"]
["Su Yan, why would you write in a character like Watari? Why not just let Arima and Kaori be together?!"]
["What if Su Yan's real plan is to make Kaori and Watari a tragic pairing, and lean into that bittersweet aesthetic?"]
["I swear, if Kaori and Arima don't end up together, I'm going to Su Yan's house and force him to rewrite the script!"]
["I'm getting everyone I know to watch this drama. It's the most moving show I've seen all year. That piano scene made me cry."]
["I don't care what anyone else says—after this episode, 'Your Lie in April' is a masterpiece in my heart."]
That entire night, Your Lie in April fans couldn't stop posting online, pouring out their emotions over Episode 5.
The next day, at noon:
'Your Lie in April' Episode 5's viewership was released:
4.33%.
In the fifth week of the summer season, Episode 5 of 'Your Lie in April' overtook Episode 5 of 'The Hopeful,' which had 4.29%.
Its ranking rose to third place.
That week, the biggest star in Xia's television industry was no longer 'Summer Splendor'.
Although it still held the highest overall rating—
The show everyone was talking about, the show filling headlines and social media...
Was 'Your Lie in April'.