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A happy ending.

A happy ending with no tears, no sorrow, and smiles blooming on every face.

Hotaru's MotherAnd so, everyone lived happily ever after.

Hotaru's MotherThe end.

Young Hotaru...!

Young HotaruAgain, again! Read it again, please!

Hotaru's MotherAgain~? Haha. You never get tired of this story, do you, Hotaru?

Young HotaruNope! Because everyone is happy!

Hotaru's MotherOh, right. There's a concert based on this story coming up. Want to go see it?

Young Hotaru! Yeah!

Ever since I was little, I loved seeing people smile.

Hotaru's MotherHow was the concert?

Young HotaruIt was fun! The singing and the piano were amazing! Everyone... Everyone was smiling!

Hotaru's MotherHehe. I'm glad.

Young HotaruI wanna...

Hotaru's Mother?

Young HotaruI wanna... try singing and playing the piano, too!

That must have been the magic of music.

Young HotaruLa~ la-la~...♪

Young HotaruA-And that's it.

Hotaru's MotherThat was wonderful, Hotaru! You've gotten so good at the piano! Your singing was lovely too!

Young Hotaru!

Seeing people smile as they listened...

Hotaru's MotherMommy wants to hear more~ Can I ask for another song?

Young HotaruYeah! Hehe.

made my heart feel warm too.

When I made music with a happy heart...

Young HotaruLa, la...♪

Young Hotaru(Huh...? Why is everything...)

Young Hotaru(so sparkly...?)

Young Hotaru(Wow, amazing...! It's so pretty!)

...the whole world seemed to shine in rainbow colors.

Young HotaruA competition?

Hotaru's MotherYes. Your teacher said you should give it a try.

Piano TeacherHotaru-chan, you play so, so much better than most kids your age.

Piano TeacherA competition is different from a recital, so it might feel a little overwhelming at first... though I think more people should get to hear you play, Hotaru-chan.

Hotaru's MotherWhat do you think, Hotaru?

Young HotaruI want to try!

Young HotaruIf I play well, everyone will smile, right?

And that was my happiness too.

AnnouncerNext is the middle elementary grades division. The Gold Prize goes to... Hotaru Shiomi-san.

Young Hotaru!

Hotaru's MotherThis is amazing, Hotaru! You won Gold!

Young HotaruGold Prize...

Hotaru's MotherThat means your performance touched everyone!

Young Hotaru...! I did it...!

I believed those rainbow colors were proof that my music had made someone happy.

It was the light I felt whenever I gave a really good performance.

It felt like God Himself was praising me, so I believed they had to be something wonderful.

But...

Girl AWhy is Hotaru-chan always the one who wins gold?! I'm trying just as hard!!

Young HotaruHuh...?

Girl BThe teachers said it too. They said Hotaru-chan's on a whole different level. That you're a genius.

Girl BThen go take an advanced course or something. Piano isn't fun with you here, Hotaru-chan!

Young Hotaru...!

Girl CYeah, exactly. Everyone who quit said the same thing. They said it was because of you, Hotaru-chan!

Girl CWait, Hotaru-chan... You seriously didn't know? Yikes.

Young Hotaru...

My music, and that rainbow light...

...seemed like something bad, something that hurt people.

Judge A"The Angel of the Music World..." Such a shame. She used to win gold all the time, and now look how low she ranks.

Judge BIt's not unusual, is it? A child prodigy grows up and becomes perfectly ordinary.

But even then, I couldn't quit music.

So...

Don't look. Don't look. Just keep playing...

Hotaru's MotherHotaru, are you really sure you're done with competitions?

Young HotaruYeah... I still enjoy just playing the piano.

Hotaru's MotherDo you? Well, if you're happy, that's what matters... I'm just happy I still get to hear you play, Hotaru.

Young Hotaru...

Hotaru's MotherOh, that's right. I brought home some information on Geijutsu. It looks like their middle school has a music department too.

Hotaru's MotherThey offer all kinds of courses, but for you, Hotaru... The piano, I suppose. You've loved the piano ever since you were tiny.

Young HotaruYeah... I guess so.

That wasn't a lie.

But little by little, I no longer knew how to face music.

Opening Ceremony

Geijutsu Middle School of Fine Arts - Class 2-A

Classmate AHello, Shiomi-san!

HotaruH-Hello!

Classmate AThis is the first time we've had seats next to each other. We didn't get to talk much in first year, so I'm glad.

Classmate ASo, the whole class is doing a little get-together after this. You should come too, Shiomi-san!

HotaruHuh...? Is that really okay?

Classmate AOf course! The teacher even said we could use the music room! We're gonna introduce ourselves with a little ensemble—

Hotaru!

HotaruOh... I-I'm sorry! I just remembered I have something to do today...!

HotaruUm, so... please excuse me!

Classmate AShiomi-san, wait...

What if I saw those rainbow colors again?

What if that hurt someone again?

Just thinking about it made me anxious. Scared.

Hotaru*Pant*...!

Hotaru*Pant*...

Everyone else was facing the music so earnestly, and all I could do was run away. I felt ashamed.

Before I knew it, I was keeping my distance not only from competitions, but from people too.

Hotaru...

HotaruI really wanted to go.

Hotaru...?

Hotaru(What's that...? People are gathering.)

Hotaru(Piano... and singing?)

Hotaru(Right... There was a street piano here, I think.)

???Hey, hey, heeey~!

???You all just gonna stand there spacing out? Come on, my audience! Give me something to work with!

???What do you have hands and feet for? What do you have a heart for?

???To make it beat!

Hotaru(Wh-What is with her...!?)

Hotaru(Is she... working the crowd?)

???Hear something good? Throw your hands up! Come on, vibe with me!

Hotaru(! She's incredible...)

Hotaru(Wait, is that how you're supposed to play a street piano...?)

???—♪

Hotaru(But... what is this?)

Hotaru(The more I listen to her music... the more I...)

???All right, hands up already! Or clap your hands! Mine are busy, so I need you all!

High School Girl AAhaha! What is this? She's ridiculous!

High School Girl BShould we try it? It looks fun!

Hotaru...!

ChildMommy, I wanna do it too!

Child's MotherSure. Let's do what she's doing!

Hotaru(Everyone's actually joining in...!)

???Yeah, that's it! You guys are the best!

Hotaru(She's smiling... and so is everyone listening...!)

???Hm? Hey, you! Yeah, you, the one staring off into space!

Hotaru...?

???Yeah, you. You! The one giving off sad little puppy vibes!

HotaruHuh...? M-Me!?

???Listen, I seriously hate seeing someone look bored when I'm playing my music!

???I'm delicate, okay!

HotaruI-I'm sorry!?

???Come here, come here! Sit next to me!

HotaruHuh...? But next to you...

???Just do it! Come on, sit!

HotaruO-Okay...

???Hands out! Put them on the keys! And then—

???Play however you want!

HotaruWhaaaat!?

HotaruI-I can't do that...! I don't even know the song you're playing...!

???Huh... So you didn't say you can't play.

HotaruAh...

???I knew it! You smell like someone who can play. Now that I know, play already! Play!

HotaruBut... my playing isn't...

???Haah? What are you talking about?

???Music's something you can do however you want. Obviously.

Hotaru!

???Here, copy the phrase I play! Then I'll go wild on top of it!

HotaruUgh...

Hotaru(I don't think anything I say will get me out of this...)

Hotaru(If I'm only copying her, maybe... it'll be okay?)

ChildYou can do it, miss!

High School Girl ARelax, you got this~

???All right, here we go!

HotaruY-Yes!

Hotaru...!

Hotaru(How long has it been...)

Hotaru(Since I faced the piano like this?)

???Oh... Whoa!? Wait, you're actually pretty good!

???Hehe. Not bad at all!

High School Girl AWooow! That girl is amazing!!

ChildThis is so fun~~! More, more! Ahaha!

Hotaru(Since I’ve seen people smile as they listened?)

???All right, you take the melody too! Special privilege, just for you!

Hotaru(Huh...?)

Hotaru(I'm not afraid to touch the keys anymore...)

Hotaru*Pant*...

???Geez. You really played piano with that face right to the very end.

HotaruHuh...?

???You didn't notice? You looked like you had a stomachache the whole time.

HotaruOh... My stomach is fine.

???Listen. I want every single person who hears my music to be happy.

Hotaru...!

???I dunno what you're carrying around, but...

???you're the only one here making that face, you know?

???Come on, look.

High School Girl AThat was so fun! Thank you both!

High School Girl BOne more song, please!

ChildMommy, I wanna play the piano, too!

???Hehe, thank you, thank you! You're all gonna have sweet dreams tonight!

Hotaru(Everyone is smiling...)

Hotaru(Even though this is so different from the music I know...!)

HotaruThis is amazing...

Hotaru(I want to play music like this too...)

Hotaru(Music that can make everyone happy... the way hers does.)

Hotaru(Music that exists for someone else...!)

Hotaru*Sniff*...

???Huh? What?! Hey, why are you crying?!

HotaruHuh...? Wait...

???Whoa, whoa, hold up! This makes it look like I made you cry! D-Do you want me to play something?

???Do you know Nikopan-chan? That baby goat anime? I'll play the OP for you!

???Nikopan-chan's great, right? She's got a pretty sharp tongue, like, "Guess I gotta dance!" and—

HotaruHehe...

???Hey, you laughed!

HotaruSorry... I was just a little surprised.

HotaruUm... may I ask your name?

KanataMe? I'm Kanata. Kanata Sawami.

—It was the spring of my second year in middle school.

Into my heavy, suffocating world...

HotaruKanata-san...

HotaruWould you teach me music?

A dazzling light came pouring in.