Text

A Little Over Ten Minutes Later

RaikaSo tomorrow, we'll play a live as family! Let's all pull ourselves together!

Miku、Shizuku、Chieri...

RaikaHuh? You seem kinda down?

Miku(So her head is in the clouds after all.)

Miku(She's putting her burdens on everyone else for her own sake again... "Family" sure is convenient.)

ShizukuMaybe we should call Yomogi too, just in case?

ChieriYomogi~~! Where are you, come out~!

YomogiOkay...!

ShizukuSo you were in the stage wing. Yomogi, did you hear—

YomogiSh, Shizuku-san...!! Waaaah! I'm so sorry for hiding, even though I'm the oldest...!

ShizukuWh-What happened...?

YomogiS-S-Sorry, when I thought I could talk properly for the first time, my heart felt like it was about to twist itself apart...!!

ChieriQuiet, please. Chieri is about to say something important now!

ChieriOkay, listen. Tomorrow's live, I won't perform as part of the family.

RaikaHuh, why!?

ChieriChieri is the leader of the Chieri Union. Chieri doesn't have time to take part in this.

ChieriBut... If it's as the Chieri Union, Chieri will perform at the live.

MikuSo you do support the live after all? You seemed like you weren't really into it.

ChieriOf course! Because "Family and home are important" only goes for Raika.

RaikaHuh? You all think family and home are the most important too, don't you?

YomogiThat's... honestly more of Raika-san's personal stance, I'd say...

MikuSorry, I think so too.

ShizukuI'm still in the stage of learning about "family." So I cannot say it's important... Sorry.

RaikaTh-That's how it was~~!?!?

Miku(She's finally facing reality...)

ChieriSo honestly, "family" and "home," Chieri couldn't care less.

ChieriBut...

RaikaMy voice has never reached Dad, not even once.

ChieriI can sort of understand how Raika feels.

RaikaCherie?

ChieriTh-This place will be the headquarters of the Chieri Union in the future! So it'll be Chieri's reason too!

ChieriOnce we beat Suzuki-san, you're next, Raika! Chieri will take this place, so you better be ready!

RaikaCherie~~~~~!!!

ChieriGrrr... I can't breathe...!

RaikaWhat is this feeling...!! It's like my chest is suddenly burning up...!

ChieriPlease... leave me!

RaikaI see... So that's how it is...!

RaikaI... had no idea what everyone was thinking...! I just assumed my feelings were the same as yours...!

RaikaBut even though we don't feel the same way, Cherie is still trying to help me!

RaikaIsn't this what love is all about?

ChieriThat kind of... makes me cringe! Aren't you embarrassed saying that...!?

RaikaNot at all! Because families show their love for each other!

ChieriI said... I'm not your family! Don't you understand!

RaikaNo way! I feel like I just got hit by Cherie's huge love!

RaikaCherie~ We're the best family!!

ChieriListen to me...!!

YomogiS-So scary...!! Even after Cherie-san said all that, Raika-san won't budge an inch...!!

ShizukuThe "family" that Raika speaks of seems like something unfathomable.

MikuYeah~ It's probably so unfathomable that even she herself hasn't realized it.

ShizukuI see...

ShizukuRaika, sorry for asking such a basic question. What is "family" to you, Raika?

RaikaHuh? Hm... When you ask me directly, it's difficult to answer...

RaikaOh, you see the calligraphy piece hanging in the living room? That's Granny's.

YomogiAh... the one that says "Ka Zoku Tai Hei" on it...

RaikaRight! Back when I couldn't read those kanji, I asked Granny what they meant.

RaikaThen she said, "They mean family shall be at peace." Peace as in peace and harmony!

ChieriCh-Chieri knew what those kanji meant from the beginning...!

Raika"Even if we fight, or we misunderstand each other, as long as we eat together, and play in a band, we are at peace."

Raika"Living with people like that is the greatest happiness." That's what Granny said.

RaikaI've always believed in those words! Granny's family is the proof!

Raika*Pant*... *Pant*... *Pant*...!

RaikaGranny, I'm back...!!

Raika's GrandmotherOh~ welcome back! Did you have fun at school today, too?

RaikaOf course! Huh? Where's everyone?

Grandmother's Band Member AI'm back~ Raika, do you have a minute to listen? Someone I met at work today was so mean to me~

Grandmother's Band Member BHey, don't let a kid hear you complain! What about the live prep?

Raika's GrandmotherWe'll do it now. Come on, let's get moving!

Grandmother's Band Member COuch, my knee suddenly started hurting~ Raika~ can you come help me~?

RaikaYeah! I'm a family member too, so I'll help you!

Grandmother's Band Member CWow, I'm so happy~! What are you gonna do for me?

RaikaHmm, umm... I'll carry you! Here, get on my back!

Raika's GrandmotherHey!! Don't make my precious granddaughter carry someone that heavy!

Grandmother's Band Member CNo, no, I just wanted her to do the "pain, pain, fly away~" thing for me!

RaikaI can carry you! I can't just always be the one getting carried!

Raika's GrandmotherRaika, you are such a sweet girl.

Grandmother's Band Member AYeah, she really grew up into a sweet girl, like me~

Raika's GrandmotherNo~ Raika takes after me!

EveryoneAhahaha.

RaikaEvery day, around sunset, everyone comes back and scrambles to prepare for the live.

RaikaGradually, more and more guests gather, and the floor gets so packed you can hardly move.

Raika's GrandmotherI'm back, "Nest!!"

RaikaWow~~~!!!

RaikaHot stage lights. And a sound so big it shakes my gut.

RaikaThe music Granny and others played, sometimes it sounded like a conversation, sometimes like a fight, and it seemed to wrap up the whole day in sound.

RaikaJoy, sadness, anger. All those feelings were thrown against each other and shared at "home."

Raika"As long as you've got family, life's the best." That's what I was taught by Granny!

RaikaIf we do a live here, we can become like that in no time! Because "The essence of family lies in the band!"

Miku...

YomogiUh... what was your question again, Shizuku-san...?

ShizukuAh, I asked "what is family," but... After hearing all that, I understand a little better how strongly Raika feels about it.

ShizukuAnd the history of this live house, which is also the "home."

ShizukuRaika. I'll help too.

RaikaShizuku...!

ShizukuI'm still learning about family and home. If I lose them, I can never understand them.

ShizukuRaika's feelings, and the essence of family. I want to understand them all.

RaikaYeah... I want to find out too. What it'll feel like to play a live together as a family.

RaikaAnd what you will feel.

YomogiThat's... impossible for me!!

RaikaYomogi...

YomogiA-After hearing all that, I realized even more clearly. Raika-san and I are complete opposites...!

YomogiJust expressing my feelings to someone is already scary enough. But having to do it in front of people, and feel happy about it...

YomogiFor a pathetic loser like me, just imagining it makes my heart feel like it's being wrung out like a rag...!

MikuYomogi-san, it's fine. That's normal~

YomogiHuh!? Mi, Mi, Miku-san, you too...!?

MikuYeah... It seems like Raika-chan and I are complete opposites too.

RaikaOh, I see...

MikuAnyway, about tomorrow's live, I've never played in a band before, so I can't do anything.

MikuGood luck, everyone♪ Well then.

RaikaWait!!

RaikaMiku, you can play guitar, right?

MikuI said I can't play it, didn't I?

RaikaYou did. But that's a lie, isn't it? The fact that only the strings are new, and the way you talked, both are telling something.

Miku...

RaikaYou don't need to think about home or family now, could you just play in the live with us?

RaikaI know I'm asking too much! But, please!!

Yomogi、Miku...

YomogiUgh... I said I won't do it, but you've got that look in your eye like you're definitely gonna make me do it~~!!

YomogiYou know I don't have the courage to say no, and you still pull this, you're so awful~~!!

ChieriThat kind of backward-facing courage is not necessary! It's only by stepping forward that you can truly stand out!

RaikaYomogi, please! Just playing in the wing like before is enough!

YomogiThat's already my limit~~!!

ShizukuMiku, what do you say?

Miku(So after all, you're just forcing your feelings on me.)

MikuOkay. I'll join, just this time.

RaikaBoth of you... thank you!

Miku(Fine. If that's how you want to play it.)

Miku(I will show you the complete opposite view of family.)