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One Week Later

Raika...

Raika(Miku... you didn't have to leave your guitar behind...)

Raika(I thought you were enjoying playing it though.)

MikuEating breakfast together, playing in a band... I hated the life here, all of it!

Raika...Every bit of it, huh...

ShizukuAh... Raika, good morning.

RaikaGood morning, Shizuku. I'll dish up the rice now.

ShizukuAbout that...

RaikaHuh, it's not cooked...! I forgot to turn it on again...!?

Raika*Sigh*... How many times have I done this now...

ShizukuShould we microwave the frozen rice?

RaikaYeah...

Raika、ShizukuAh...

ChieriYou're finally up! Now, stop spacing out and get ready for the meal!

RaikaAbout that... The rice isn't cooked, and there's no frozen rice left either.

Chieri*Sigh*... Seriously...

ChieriChieri's bread is on the shelf. Eat it with gratitude~!

RaikaYeah... Sorry.

Shizuku...

ChieriAlright, Chieri's heading out first! You've got the cleanup!

RaikaHmm...

Yomogi*Sniff*... Ugh...

Shizuku...Cherie, sorry, but today too—

ChieriToday, you want Chieri to drag spaced-out Raika to and from school again...?

ChieriAaaargh!!! Cut it out already!!

Raika、Yomogi、Shizuku!

ChieriHow long are you all going to keep moping before you're satisfied!?

ChieriAnd Yomogi keeps lying on the floor all gloomy!

YomogiUgh... I'm sorry for being a weak human who only generates an unpleasant aura...

ChieriRaika's got that spaced-out look and keeps messing up at work and practice! And Shizuku... hasn't changed much though.

ChieriChores, work, and band practice. The only one who's doing it properly is Chieri!

ShizukuYou set out Miku's chopsticks this morning too.

ChieriHuh!? Ah...

ChieriI-It was just a coincidence! I just happened to put them out, that's all...

ChieriAaaargh!! This is all Miku's fault!

ChieriEveryone being slack lately! And Chieri not being in top condition! All of it!

RaikaCherie... Sorry.

ChieriAnd Raika just keeps apologizing over and over and it's infuriating!! What is with you!?

RaikaI wonder if everything I did for "family" was all wrong.

RaikaThat's why Miku...

Chieri、Yomogi...

ShizukuI'll borrow this shared computer.

RaikaWait... Shizuku, you know how to use it...!?

YomogiWhen you were using my computer, you couldn't operate it at all...

ShizukuEveryone, I want you to listen to this.

RaikaOh... Ohh...! It's so cool...!!

ChieriHehe, this is a song that can make Chieri stand out...!!

YomogiDazzling and strong...! It might be a bit too soon for me right now...

ShizukuThis song was written by Miku.

Chieri、Raika、Yomogi...!!

RaikaMiku wrote this!? Wh-Why did you have this, Shizuku...?

ShizukuSorry for keeping it secret until now. It was given to me the day before Miku left.

ShizukuActually, I had intended to hand it over after understanding Miku's words...

ChieriWh-What do you mean!?

ShizukuActually, that night...

MikuSo, if you click here, the song plays. Did you get that?

ShizukuMm. I'm glad I had Yomogi teach me the basics beforehand. Thanks to that, I could understand what you said.

MikuThat's good. Then, please hand it over to everyone.

ShizukuWhy are you asking me?

MikuHmm... Just a feeling?

ShizukuJust a feeling...

MikuDon't overthink it. I'm counting on you.

Shizuku...

ShizukuAfter saying that, Miku went back to packing.

YomogiSo that's what happened...

ShizukuSince then, I've been thinking about "Just a feeling."

ShizukuThat Miku didn't hand over the song herself. That I ended up keeping it. And that I couldn't stop Miku from leaving...

ShizukuThat was all just a feeling. I thought if I couldn't understand what it meant, I had no right to hand over the song.

RaikaShizuku... you were thinking about it all on your own...

ShizukuI still don't understand what "Just a feeling" means... But after listening to the song, I understood something.

RaikaUnderstood something...?

ShizukuThe overall structure is simple, yet designed to create a lively atmosphere.

ShizukuEach part is written to bring out everyone's own strengths.

ShizukuFor Yomogi, a bassline that makes the bouncy rhythm work. For Cherie, a phrase that makes the drums stand out.

ShizukuFor me, parts to fill in what was reduced, and phrases that make me stand out. And for Raika, a guitar part and melody that are fun to sing and play.

ShizukuWithout respect and love for family, it couldn't be made like this.

Raika、Yomogi、Chieri...!

ShizukuDid Miku really leave because she hated family?

RaikaBut...

RaikaI always say "Because we're family," and involve everyone...

ChieriAaaargh!! We all knew that!! We've been going along with full knowledge of that!!

RaikaHuh...!

ChieriMiku's real feelings are packed in that song! Didn't Shizuku just explain that!

ChieriChieri believes in the subordinates in front of her! Raika, are you telling Chieri you can't trust the "family" in front of you!?

RaikaCherie...

RaikaHe... Ahaha...! That's right. You're absolutely right, Cherie.

RaikaI trust everyone. I trust my "family"!

ShizukuMm... I finally got to see Raika smile again.

ChieriHonestly... Please thank Chieri!

RaikaYeah, thank you, Cherie!

YomogiCherie-san, that was such a manly scolding...! It was so bancho-like and cool...!!

ChieriHehe, of course! You can respect me more!

RaikaAnd Shizuku, thank you so much.

RaikaTo understand a song like that is something only you can do, Shizuku.

RaikaMaybe Miku also understood that—"Just a feeling."

ShizukuIs that so...

RaikaThat day... Maybe Miku just couldn't be honest with herself.

ChieriShe wasn't exactly being adorable back then!

YomogiWe really got told off pretty badly, didn't we...?

RaikaYeah. She wrote a song this amazing, and yet...

ShizukuWhat shall we do?

RaikaLet's all go see Miku together, one more time!

RaikaLet's hear from Miku herself what she was really thinking.

Chieri、Yomogi、Shizuku...!

YomogiThat said... we don't even know where Miku-san is, do we?

ChieriIf that's the case, then there's only one thing to do!

That Night

Miku*Sigh*... I'm tired... The lesson was too long...

Miku(It's quiet. I can even hear my ears ringing.)

MikuRight, my smartphone...

MikuHuh...!? What's with this number of notifications...!

Ikka Dumb Rock!

🏠Raika🍚Mi~~ku~~~!! Answer the phone~~~!!

yomogiI'm so sorry for bothering you with all these messages...😭😭😭 But I just wanted to talk to you one more time...!

🏠Raika🍚Hey, Miku! Where are you?

Chieri Umezato👑Union LeaderHow dare you ignore Chieri! A subordinate of Chieri's should answer when she calls!😡😡⚡️⚡️

Miku(Those idiots...! Why are they still bothering with me...!)

Miku(Just deal with your own problem already. What did you think I wrote that song for...)

MikuOh... I forgot to block them...

MikuIt's complete...

MikuMaybe I'll play the guitar...

Miku(Oh... again. I've left that behind.)

Miku(Because I don't want to get involved in "family" anymore...)

MikuI did it... I was able to play it a little...!

Miku(Papa left, and it was just me and Mama. Mama took on more work, and gradually grew worn out.)

Miku(I used to help out a lot, but eventually I ended up doing all the housework...)

Miku(I filled the loneliness of not being able to spend time with Papa or my friends by playing guitar.)

Miku(But...)

MikuHmm... Papa played much better... Okay, once again...!

Miku's MotherI'm back...

MikuAh...! I need to hide it in the closet—

Miku's MotherMiku... You took that out and played with it again? What, is that supposed to be a jab at me?

MikuNo, it's not! This is—

Miku's MotherYou really wanted to leave with that person, didn't you...! You should have just left me behind!

Miku(I didn't want to make Mama angry, so I put the guitar in the back of the closet for a while.)

MikuM-Mama~ I got dinner ready.

Miku's Mother*Sniff*... Ugh... I've had enough...! Why is it always me...!

MikuIf you cry that much, your eyes are gonna swell up again. You've got work tomorrow, right?

Miku's MotherOh, yeah!! If I don't keep working tomorrow and the day after, we won't be able to eat, right!?

MikuAh... Y-Yeah. Sorry.

Miku's MotherAh... Ahh, sorry, Miku-chan...! I'm such a useless Mama, I'm sorry...!

Miku's MotherI can't live without Miku-chan...!

Miku...

MikuIt's okay. Miku will hold it together. So... It'll be alright.

Miku("I hope tomorrow Mama will smile." "I hope my family won't break any further.")

Miku(Every day I prayed like that, and all I thought about was how to hold my broken "family" together.)

Miku(Once I got used to that life, I also started finding time to play guitar, and made sure Mama never found out.)

Miku(If I tried hard enough, we could be happy, just me and Mama. I believed that, but...)

Miku's MotherMiku-chan, I'm back~!

MikuMama, welcome back! Ah... Did something good happen?

Miku's MotherHehe... Actually, there's someone I want you to meet soon, Miku-chan.

Miku's MotherHe's a really wonderful person. I think he'll make a great Papa for Miku-chan.

MikuHuh...

Miku's MotherMama is thinking of remarrying. Let's leave this hard life behind together, okay?

Miku...

Miku(I believed that if I tried hard enough, we could be happy as family one day.)

Miku(But reality was different. Mother eventually found another adult to rely on, and was saved by him.)

Miku(All those eight years of my effort were surpassed by someone else in an instant. That's all "family love" really is.)

Miku(Even I think I was really stupid back then.)

Miku("Mama is so happy. Miku-chan, thanks to your efforts.")

Miku(I thought she would say that to me one day.)

MikuUm... That data is...

Miku(I don't know what a "happy family" is. That doesn't matter. But...)

Miku(Those people don't have to go through something like this. They can just laugh like idiots, without a care.)

Miku(This song only fits people who can seriously scream like idiots, "As long as you've got family, life's the best.")

MikuI can't do that, huh...

MikuForget it...

MikuUm, tomorrow's schedule is... Vocal training, then dance lesson...