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The Next Morning

MikuZzz... zzz...

RaikaMi~~ku~~~!! Good morning—!!

MikuKyaah!?

RaikaDid you sleep well? The weather is amazing today~!

RaikaLook, sunny skies!

MikuR-Really... It's amazing...

Miku(Huh... What...? Am I getting attacked first thing in the morning?)

RaikaThis room feels different now~! It's so clean!

RaikaHm? It smells nice... Is it from this bundle of stick-like stuff?

MikuRa, Raika-chan. I'd rather you didn't come into the room.

MikuMy room's not tidied up yet, and I'm not really comfortable with people seeing me right after I wake up.

RaikaI see... Sorry! I'll be careful starting tomorrow.

Miku(Not starting tomorrow. I'm telling you to stop right now.)

RaikaAh! Your guitar is so cool, Miku!

RaikaWhat kind of songs do you usually play, Miku? Covers of other bands? Or original ones?

RaikaIf you have any favorite songs, let me hear them! I wanna be able to play the songs that my family loves—

MikuRaika-chan. I want to change my clothes.

RaikaHuh? Of course, please!

MikuCould you leave the room and close the door for me?

MikuNo matter what kind of relationship it is, there's always an appropriate distance, right?

RaikaOh... yeah...

ChieriNewcomer, you finally got up!

MikuOh, morning~

MikuOh, there's breakfast. I thought this dorm didn't come with meals though...

ChieriMiso soup, grilled salmon, and boiled greens. Chieri procured all of them this morning!

ChieriHow's that? Amazing, isn't it!

MikuYeah, it's amazing. You're good at cooking, Chieri-chan.

ChieriChieri doesn't cook. Getting shared food from the neighborhood and the shopping street is the basics of food procurement!

ChieriChieri got food from Aunt Akemi at the bento shop, and Raika got hers from Aunt Keiko at the diner!

ChieriIn return, we pick up trash around the shopping street and change lightbulbs for them. It's a give-and-take thing.

ChieriHow's that! This is P-Stay's "neighborhood network!"

Miku(Getting meals in exchange for odd jobs? What era is this? Edo?)

RaikaOh, everyone's here! This is how breakfast should be!

YomogiUgh... Raika-san, you're choking me...

MikuHuh... Yomogi-san is being dragged...

RaikaIf I leave her alone, she'll stay in that dark room until noon. Come on, you need some morning sun!

YomogiUgh, my eyes...! The morning sunlight... is too strong for me...

ChieriStand up straight as Chieri's subordinate, Yomogi!

RaikaYou heard her? Here, have a seat~

YomogiHere, we go...! *Sigh*... I can't move an inch anymore...

RaikaAlright, my family gathering around the table! Let's put our hands together...

RaikaLet's eat—

ChieriChieri has already finished eating!

MikuI don't eat breakfast. Sorry.

RaikaHuh~~!! "The day's plan lies in the breakfast with family," you know!?

ChieriThe day's P...!? Then Chieri is A! Chieri won't give up the first place!

RaikaThen I take the F from family! No, that's not the point! This is something important that Granny told me!

Miku(This kind of dumb, simple-minded conversation... It's giving me a headache...)

RaikaMiku~ You actually want breakfast, don't you? Freshly cooked rice gives you energy, you know~?

RaikaSince it's the first breakfast after Miku came here, I went all out and cooked five whole cups of rice! And I cooked it with plenty of love♪

MikuWow~ Thank you. But I must go to school now. Bye.

RaikaWait, wait! Then the band! You'll do the band, right?

RaikaLet's gather on stage after our part-time work! Your guitar's gonna be on fire tonight, don't you think, Miku~?

MikuOh, that? It's just interior decoration. I can't actually play guitar.

RaikaHuh? But the strings looked brand-new?

Miku...!

RaikaThat guitar has a history. Both in the past, and the present.

RaikaBecause it's a cool guitar, overflowing with love.

Miku(Love...?)

MikuNo, Papa, please! Don't go!

Miku's Biological FatherSorry, Miku. I'll leave my guitar here.

MikuYou're going to leave Miku here too...!?

Miku's Biological Father...

MikuPlease! Papa—

Miku's MotherStop it, Miku!!

Miku's MotherHe's not your Papa anymore, Miku.

Miku...

MikuUwaaaaaah...!

Miku(There's no love in it.)

Miku(We're both the ones who got left behind. It's the only partner I can trust, that's all.)

RaikaMiku?

MikuLove, huh... I might be pouring some into it! Just as a favorite decoration though.

MikuWell then, see you at the part-time job♪

RaikaAh... Take care~!

RaikaHmm...?

ChieriChieri's going too! I'm such a genius that I've already finished everything!

ChieriYomogi, you're not asleep, are you? Chieri'll leave the dishes to you!

YomogiHuh...!? Yeah... Um, what were you saying...?

ChieriSo you were asleep after all...! You weren't even listening to what Chieri said!

ChieriRaika, say something too! At this rate, Yomogi will be a useless subordinate—

RaikaCherie, we've got big trouble. I don't get Miku at all.

ChieriMm... Is that more important than what Chieri has to say?

RaikaHow should I put it~ It's like... when an omurice has "curry" written on it in ketchup...

ChieriSo...?

RaikaEven though it's actually an omurice inside, if someone serves it to you saying "This is curry!" you'd be confused, right?

RaikaWhen the outside and inside don't match, you don't know how to make up your mind to eat it, right?

Chieri*Sigh*... When you have a subordinate who can't explain things clearly, being the union leader is tough.

RaikaWhat'd you say~?

ChieriI don't really get it, but you just have to give it a try, don't you?

ChieriYou never know how it tastes until you eat it.

RaikaJust have to... give it a try...

RaikaYeah, you're right! Wow~ You're a genius, Cherie!

ChieriHuh!? Fi... Finally you get it! Chieri has always been a genius!

YomogiZzz...

RaikaMiku, let's try playing guitar together! I'm pretty good at teaching, you know~

MikuMore importantly, the deputy manager was looking for you earlier. She said the register doesn't balance.

RaikaHey, Miku!! If we use castanets, we could probably play in a band together, don't you think!?

MikuHehe, that's cute~ But I don't really have a sense of rhythm.

RaikaI've been the one singing until now, but don't you think you could be a vocalist too?

MikuI can't really sing in front of people~

RaikaHmmm...

???Oh my~ Rai-chan! It's rare to see you making a face like that.

RaikaOh, Aunt Keiko~! Sorry I haven't been able to go to your place for a set meal lately.

Aunt KeikoIt's fine, just come whenever you want! How's the dorm going?

RaikaHmm... We did have a new family member, but...

Aunt KeikoHehehe, she refused to join your band too, right?

RaikaThat's true, but maybe that's not all...

Aunt KeikoFeeling down is a sign that you're hungry! Wait a second, I'll get you some of my simmered dish!

RaikaHuh, really!? Aunt Keiko, thank you~!

RaikaHm...? I think the trash behind the diner moved...

RaikaMaybe that's the cat called Nekotaro we always see around here? Let me get a little closer...

???Um... Uh...

RaikaHuuuuuuh!?!? A girl is lying on the ground!?

RaikaHey, are you okay!? Are you hurt anywhere!?

???Mmm...

RaikaOh no, I should get her to the hospital...! But wait, what if her family's out there looking for her...!?

RaikaAlright! Just sleep on my back for a while, okay?

???Uh... Um...?

RaikaExcuse me~~~!! Is there anyone around here looking for a little girl~!?

Miku(The family idiot went out and hasn't come back. I don't see the other two either... But just in case.)

MikuChieri-chan~ Yomogi-san~

Miku...

MikuOkay. Now's the time.

MikuNo, this phrase should be more...

Miku(Like that insensitive girl, being so direct and pushy actually fits the song better...!)

Miku(She comes into my room without asking, keeps pushing me to do the band, and even touches my guitar...!!)

Miku(And the girl who keeps asking for compliments, and the girl who stares at me all the time...!!)

Miku(I'll pour all the stress into a song and let it all out!)

MikuPhew...

Miku(Composing is going... really well!)

Miku(That just shows how much stress I have. But pouring it into a song makes me feel better.)

Miku(As long as I have this time, even in a jungle of rare animals, I feel like I could make it...!)

Miku...

Miku(When I started composing... It was more...)

Miku's Biological FatherWell then, what kind of song should we make next?

MikuHmm, then... "The Yummy Stew Song"! Papa, play something! Miku'll sing!

Miku's Biological FatherAll right! Here we go...

MikuPotatoes, nice and fluffy♪ Onions, soft and gooey♪ Papa can't eat mushrooms~♪

Miku's Biological FatherUgh... Miku, you really hit a sore spot there...!

Miku's MotherHehehe. Miku-chan, you're great at both singing and songwriting! That's absolutely right~

EveryoneAhahaha.

Miku(Come to think of it, that was the beginning of my composing.)

Miku("Papa" would casually play guitar, I'd casually sing, and the three of us would laugh together.)

Miku(The songs I wrote back then, they all came from feelings like joy and happiness.)

Miku(But all that changed, when it became just me and "Mama...")

ChieriNewcomer!! Chieri is ultra amazing today!

MikuHuh!?

ChieriWha... What is that~~!! You can play guitar, can't you!!

MikuChi, Chieri-chan, shhhh...!!

ChieriYou said you can't play it before, so that was a lie!?

MikuPlease, shhhh...!!

Yomogi*Inhale*... *Exhale*...

YomogiOkay, my heart's calmed down a bit...! I should be able to talk to her now. I can do this...!!

MikuHuh...!! Yomogi-san too, since when have you been there...!?

YomogiGyaaaah, I'm sorry!! I just wanted to know your hobbies~~!!

Miku(A single moment of carelessness can be fatal. That's what this place is, a jungle of rare animals.)

Miku(I thought I could make it as long as I had time for composing... But living in a place like this is too hard for me!!)

RaikaEveryone, where are you~~!? We've got big trouble!!

ChieriWe're all in the newcomer's room!! What happened!?

RaikaWhat should I do? I have to save this girl!!

???Hm...

Chieri、Miku、YomogiHuh...!?

YomogiWhat's that? Who's that~~!?

RaikaI dunno...! But—

RaikaThere might be a "family" somewhere waiting for her! So let's help her!!

Miku...

ChieriTh-There's nothing Chieri can't do.

YomogiHuh, what? What's going on!? What do you mean by helping her!?

Miku(Why was I trying to live in a place like this...?)

Miku(I left home because I don't want to be pushed around by "family." But I ended up being involved in another one.)

RaikaMiku, you too, please!!

MikuOkay, let's all head to the living room first♪

Miku(I can't change, if I don't leave this dorm.)