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Live House - Dressing Room

Hotaru...

HotaruW-Wait, please. Um... what?

HotaruNo... I can't believe this...

HotaruBut... Kanata-san was so full of life. Whenever I saw her, she always seemed so happy...!

Nagi、Houka...

MahoroYeah... We felt the same way.

MahoroKanata had a condition she was born with. She'd been in and out of the hospital since she was little.

MahoroBut after we formed the band... Once we started high school, she said she'd be okay...

MahoroThings were going well with the band, too...

Hotaru...!

Audience BOh, that's the one, right? The tragedy band.

Hotaru(Tragedy...)

Hotaru(So that's why Mahoro-san was singing instead of Kanata-san...)

Hotaru(Why it sounded so sad...)

Hotaru(All of it...)

HotaruNo...

Hotaru(She said... she'd see me again...!)

Hotaru(She helped me so much... so, so much...!)

Hotaru(And I still...!)

Hotaru(I never even... got to say thank you...!)

Hotaru...

MahoroI'm sorry... I should have told you when we first met.

MahoroI'm really sorry this is how you had to find out...

HotaruNo...

HotaruI was the one who got my hopes up... You didn't do anything wrong, Mahoro-san. Really...

Mahoro...

HotaruSo... so...!

HotaruNgh...

HotaruUgh... waaaaaah...!

Hotaru*Sniff*... I-I'm sorry... for breaking down like this.

MahoroNo, it's okay. Here, tissues. Use these.

HotaruThank you... *Sniff*...

Nagi、Houka、Mahoro...

NagiWe've heard a lot about you. From Kanata.

HoukaYes. She spoke very highly of your piano playing.

MahoroShe would get all smug and say, "Hotaru makes seriously amazing music. She is my prized apprentice."

HotaruKanata-san...

HotaruKanata-san... Kanata-san told me so much about everyone in millsage, too.

HotaruShe said all of you were the best... that all of you were her treasure.

Mahoro...!

HotaruSo that's why... you're still going, right?

HotaruEven after Kanata-san... left us. You are still here, as a band...

Nagi、Houka、Mahoro...

NagiMahoro. Should I say it?

MahoroNo... I will. I'll explain it myself, all the way through.

MahoroI owe you the truth, Hotaru-chan. You were Kanata's apprentice, after all.

HotaruMahoro-san...?

MahoroHotaru-chan, will you hear me out?

MahoroAbout us, and Kanata... about everything millsage has been through. And about where we go from here.

Ever since we were little, it had always been the three of us: Kanata, Nagi-chan, and me.

Kanata, always charging headfirst into everything with everything she had.

Me, getting swept along in her wake and trying to keep up. Nagi-chan, somehow always going along with us in the end.

I used to think... we were the ultimate trio of childhood friends.

Most of the time, Kanata was so energetic, over-the-top, and foul-mouthed that you'd never believe she was sick...

But sometimes, she'd be in the hospital for long stretches.

In our third year of middle school, she was in the hospital for a really long time... I was so worried back then...

Two Years Ago

MahoroI wonder if Kanata's still not getting any better... And today was supposed to be the start of a new school year...

NagiShe's been in the hospital for a while this time, hasn’t she? We haven't even heard from her since we visited last week...

KanataDefinitely. Took forever, didn’t it?

MahoroYeah... Huh?

KanataYo.

MahoroK-Kanata!?

KanataHehe. Surprise!

NagiYou scared me... Finally getting out of the hospital?

KanataYep! Kanata Sawami is fully, totally back!

KanataJust when you thought I was done for, I go and flip the script! Pretty hype entrance, right?

Mahoro...!

KanataWhoa!? H-Hey, what the heck, Mahoro!?

MahoroI'm so glad... I'm so glad...!

KanataHuh? Wait, are you crying!?

NagiThis one's kind of on you, Kanata.

MahoroYou were in the hospital longer than usual, and you told us not to visit! I thought... maybe...! I was worried about you!

KanataC'mon... I said I was sorry...!

KanataThe doctor said after this hospital stay, I'm all good. Cured for real, y'know?

Mahoro、NagiWhat!?

MahoroReally?

KanataFor real. So don't be too mad, okay...?

Mahoro~~~! Fine, you're forgiven!

NagiHaha. There you go.

KanataI'm forgiven~!

MahoroWait, if you're wearing your uniform, does that mean you're back at school too?

KanataYup! That means the ultimate trio is finally back together!

NagiAh... This is going to get loud.

KanataCome on, Nagi. You say that, but you're happy, right~?

NagiLet's leave it at that.

KanataMan, you're bad at being honest~

KanataAnyway, today, I've got something to tell you two!

MahoroHuh? Not the "I'm out of the hospital" announcement?

NagiA love confession, maybe?

KanataYes, I love you!

NagiHuh. I was right.

KanataA band! Let's start one! The three of us!

Nagi、MahoroHuh...?

MahoroA b-b-b-band?! I don't know how to play any instruments!

NagiSame here.

KanataRelax, I've played the piano before!

MahoroI know that! I'm saying I'm the one who's never done this before...

KanataCome on, it'll be fine. Pleeease~?

KanataWe can do practice camps, play school festival lives, all that stuff! Let's make the whole world remember our music!

Mahoro...!

NagiMahoro... You're kidding, right? You're not seriously getting swayed by this, are you?

MahoroH-Huh~? N-No, no, nothing like that...

NagiYeah, she's caving.

MahoroW-Well... It sounds kind of like one of those classic high school memories. And I actually really like that kind of thing...

KanataYes! Then Mahoro's in!

MahoroYeah. I've got you and Nagi-chan with me, Kanata! I'm starting to feel like we can make this work.

NagiI never said I was in...

MahoroN-Nagi-chan...!

Nagi*Sigh*... Fine. I'll do it, but I don't know much about bands.

NagiSo even if you two come running to me for help like always, there won't be much I can do.

KanataI know, I know~! Leave it to the great Kanata, the one who started this whole thing!

NagiThis pattern has never once ended without a hitch...

MahoroI-I'll help too! Okay?

KanataAll right! Our ultimate band life starts now~!

KanataWhoa! They actually brought the piano in! This place is awesome, like our own secret base!

MahoroBut Nagi-chan, are you sure it's okay for us to use this garage?

NagiYeah. My older sister used to practice basketball here... But nobody uses the place anymore.

KanataNice! Practice space problem solved!

NagiHappy to be of service.

MahoroAhaha. So... that leaves one more problem we need to solve, right?

???What are you guys up to...?

KanataSo? Feel like joining our band now?

???Like hell I do! You dragged me all the way here by force!

KanataI mean, come on~ You were just up on the roof playing guitar all by yourself~

KanataSo obviously I had to invite you!

NagiKanata... You're skipping way too many steps.

???What is her deal?! No matter how many times I told her to let go, she wouldn't listen! I'm going home.

MahoroI-I'm so sorry! Kanata caused you a lot of trouble...

MahoroUm, your name is...

NatsumeNatsume Izawa...

KanataYep! Same age as me and Mahoro! Different class, though.

MahoroNow that you mention it... I think we might have crossed paths before...?

NatsumeHmph. Unlike you mediocrities, I don't need to flock together with anyone.

MahoroM-Mediocrities...?

NagiRight... I remember now. You're that rumored senior who took over the roof and won't let anyone near.

NagiA girl in my class mentioned it.

NatsumeYou're in middle school, right? What year?

NagiHuh? I'm a second-year.

NatsumeHmph. I'm a third-year. Do you get what that means?

NagiUh... Sure.

KanataHey, why are you saying no to the band? You're good at guitar, so why not~?

NatsumeYou're basically all beginners, aren't you? I'm not interested in hanging around with bad players.

KanataI can play the piano, you know?

NatsumeSure. Probably "Chopsticks" or something.

KanataHey now, that hurts~ I'm delicate, y'know?

KanataIf you're gonna talk like that, I'll grace you with a listen. My piano.

KanataThough I dunno if a lonely roof guitarist like you will get how good it is~

NatsumeBring it on. Since we're here, I'll do you the favor of playing along.

KanataOh yeah?

NatsumeI'm going to improvise a phrase. You listen, then come in wherever you want.

NatsumeI'll show you just how far out of your league I am.

KanataOkay, okay, a jam session it is! Good thing I had them bring the upright piano in!

MahoroN-Nagi-chan, is this really okay...? Doesn't this feel kind of like a showdown now...?

NagiIt'll turn out however it turns out. This is Kanata we're talking about.

NatsumeIf by some miracle you manage to impress me, I might even consider joining your band.

NatsumeStill, it's not like a genius guitarist like me could ever lose to some amateur like you.

And after that jam-session showdown, there were four of us.

From there, we practiced and practiced, and our first live was a huge success.

Our first time playing at a live house, our first cheers, our first applause... Every bit of it made my heart race...

I felt light and floaty, like something was gently tickling my heart.

KanataReady...

EveryoneCheeeers!!

MahoroPhew... So good!

NagiAha. You sound like an old man.

MahoroCome on! It's the after-party for our first live! And it was a huge success!

NatsumeI was playing, so of course it was a success.

KanataExactly! My eye for talent was spot-on even back then!

KanataNatsume, your guitar was seriously cool!

NatsumeYeah... whatever.

MahoroHehe. Natsume-chan, you like being called cool, don't you?

NatsumeOf course I do. It means stylish and awesome, doesn't it?

MahoroR-Right...

NatsumeWhat? If you've got something to say, say it.

MahoroNatsume-chan! Cool! Cool down!

NatsumeThat's not the cool I meant!

MahoroEek!

NagiOkay, sorry, but let's call it there. Go easy on her, please.

NatsumeThere it is, Mahoro's knight.

NagiNot just Mahoro, actually. And as for the knight thing, it's more like I have no choice...

KanataNagi! Look at this, a huge crab! It was walking right over there!

NagiMm. This crab has a home too, so let's let it go.

MahoroNagiii-chan... I spilled my juice...

NagiAll right, all right. Will a handkerchief and some wet wipes do?

NagiSo... what were we talking about again?

NatsumeAre you sure... you're younger than these people?

NagiAha. I get that a lot.

HoukaExcuse me!

Kanata...?

HoukaI'm sorry to interrupt. My name is... Houka Izumi.

MahoroOh... You're one of the girls from yesterday's band battle.

HoukaMy, yes. To think you remembered someone like me...!

NatsumeWhat do you want?

HoukaI must confess... After yesterday's live show, I became a fan of yours, Kanata-san...♡

NagiWow...

MahoroA-A-A-A fan?!

NatsumeWhy Kanata and not me...!?

KanataAhahaha! Guess my charisma got to you!

HoukaYes... And on that note, there is a favor I would very much like to ask of you...

KanataYeah, yeah, go ahead. Autograph, handshake, whatever you want.

NagiGetting cocky...

HoukaWould you please... allow me to join your band, Kanata-san?

Natsume、MahoroHuh...

KanataSure!

Natsume、MahoroWhaaaat!?

NagiShe didn't even hesitate...

KanataWhat? It's fine, isn't it? She seems pretty interesting!

HoukaThank you so much...! I promise I'll do my very best♡

And that was how our band officially began as a five-piece.