Why not ask to replace the pianist when you have a substitution on scene? It is a kids competition, so they should have allowed such deviation
Anyway, still, the build up for this trauma arc was awful and out of nowhere, the story itself is passable. But I still cannot understand how his older sister got out of the mother's hook
Well I mean he wasn't going to tell them he wasn't feeling well because he wanted to succeed and make him mok proud.
Why didn't the teacher notice? Maybe she did but didn't want to suggest him stepping aside because of how excited he was to do it.
I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me if the Mom decided to give the older sister freedom after she saw how her desire for perfection had basically destroyed her son's confidence and joy.
I do think it's way to selective that he was able to agree to help but got a sudden blast of trauma that was presumably constant.
It would actually make more sense for it to happen during the event but I imagine they want the story to be about him taking the 1st step in recovery.