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After that, our noisy, chaotic days went on.

Then summer came.

KanataI'm telling you, this phrase is way better! It'll get the crowd fired up at lives!

NatsumeI don't care about getting the crowd fired up. I care about the song's artistry.

KanataUgh, why don't you get it...!?

NatsumeThat's my line. Perfect timing. Let's use that to settle this.

KanataHey, nice~~ Guess we're on the same page there, at least.

KanataNatsume, let's do a jam session!

HoukaUm... Those two have already started jamming... Is it okay to just leave them to it?

NagiYeah, it's fine. Once they get like that, they usually find a way to land.

MahoroYeah, exactly. We're pretty used to it by now~ I guess this is just how we do things.

KanataYes! Total victory!! The great Kanata is unstoppable~~!!

NatsumeI didn't lose! I haven't lost yet!

KanataOh yeah? Then shouldn't it be, "Please, let me jam with you again?"

Houka...

NagiSo, uh... You said you were a Kanata fan, but... did that disappoint you?

HoukaNo...

HoukaI think this hot-blooded side of Kanata-san is ever so lovely too♡

Mahoro、NagiAhaha... Aha...

Autumn came, and then winter.

Kanata...

NatsumeWhat are we gonna do now...!? It's not even morning anymore—it's already noon!

NatsumeWho said we were here for a practice camp!? All we did was talk and play games all night!

NagiWell... You were totally enjoying it too, Natsume-senpai.

NatsumeUgh...

HoukaMahoro-san, please wake up.

MahoroMmm... Seconds, please...

HoukaMy, how delightfully cliché.

NatsumeMahoro! How long are you gonna keep sleeping!?

MahoroHuh? Ah!

NagiHaha. Still not a morning person, huh?

KanataHehe... Ahaha~

HoukaHm? Is something the matter, Kanata-san?

KanataNah... I was just thinking how stupidly happy I am right now. And that gave me a good idea.

NatsumeWhat? Wait, a phrase for a new song!?

KanataNah. A band name.

HoukaA band name...? You mean, not "Aqua Rapids?"

KanataThat was just a placeholder. I've been thinking... we need a real name!

KanataAnd... I just came up with a good one.

MahoroMm... Sorry... What are we talking about again...?

NagiKanata says she came up with our real band name.

KanataYup. A seriously awesome one.

Kanatamillsage

NagiSo... what's the meaning behind this "real" band name?

KanataYeah, so this is...

We laughed, had fun, and played lots of lives. They were special, yet ordinary days.

The seasons kept turning. Before we knew it, we were in high school, and it had been a little over one year since we formed the band.

MahoroHotaru Shiomi-chan?

KanataYeah. I met her recently. She's seriously amazing on piano, y'know.

HoukaFor you to speak so highly of her, Kanata-san... She must be truly remarkable.

HoukaI would love to meet her someday... But of course, Kanata-san, you are still my number one♡

KanataWell... I dunno. That girl might actually be better than me.

NagiMight?

KanataYeah. I dunno why, but she always holds something back when she plays.

KanataIt sounds like she's in pain... or something.

KanataIf she'd just go all out, she'd be absolutely unreal.

NatsumeWho knows? Maybe that's all she's actually got.

KanataNah, I can tell. Hotaru's the real deal when it comes to music.

KanataI mean, she's my apprentice, after all.

Then came September of last year.

Minase Girls' Academy - Cultural Festival Stage

MahoroSorry! It took me longer to get into my outfit than I thought...

KanataTook you long enough, Mahoro! Look, the gym's packed!

Mahoro! Wow... Th-This is crazy...! Is the whole school here!?

NatsumeHmph. Looks like our talent is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

NagiThe final act on the cultural festival stage... Well, would you look at that.

MahoroThis is so different from last year. Our middle school festival was kind of a disaster.

NagiYou could actually count the people in the audience.

NatsumeThirteen.

KanataHaha, brutal, Natsume~ Even delicate little me took a serious hit back then...

KanataBut! Now look at this full house! And our outfits are perfect. How is that not hype!?

MahoroYeah!

HoukaHehe. Mahoro-san, your outfit seems to fit you just fine too.

MahoroYeah...! This is amazing. It's so cool! It feels like... like we're a real band!

NagiAha. We were already a band, weren't we?

MahoroW-We were! But that's not what I mean!

MahoroUm, how do I put it... Right!

MahoroRight now, I feel like my whole life is about to begin!

Kanata...!

KanataHaha, nice. Until we step off this stage, the five of us are the main characters.

KanataLet's scream our lungs out!

KanataAnd let 'em hear us say, "We're right here!"

MahoroYeah...!

KanataYo, everybody! Thanks for coming! Enjoying the festival? Yeah, of course you are!

KanataNow let me introduce... the best bandmates I could ever ask for!

KanataOn guitar, Natsume Izawa!

KanataAnd our other guitarist, Nagi Kotohira!

KanataOn bass, Mahoro Hamasaki!

KanataOn drums, Houka Izumi!

KanataAnd last but not least! On keyboard and vocals, Kanata Sawami!

KanataTogether, the five of us are millsage! Now let's get the music started!

KanataLet's make this a night no one ever forgets!

That was the last time... the five of us ever played live together.

And then, just a few weeks later...

On a clear autumn day,

Kanata quietly passed away.

Mahoro...

NatsumeWhy...? Why...!?

NatsumeWe were just... getting started...! This was supposed to be just the beginning...!

NatsumeYou have to... take responsibility for this...!!

Houka...

HoukaThat’s right.

HoukaI'm... I am angry. After making me fall so deeply for all of this, how could you disappear?

HoukaThat is far too cruel.

HoukaBut... But...

HoukaI'm still... so very sad.

NagiHey... Kanata.

NagiWhy did you keep quiet about how much time you had left?

NagiSince the day we formed the band...? That's just...!

NagiWe could've handled this... so much better...!

NagiYou idiot. Seriously...!

MahoroWhat do I do...

MahoroI...

MahoroWhat am I supposed to do...?

MahoroThat was six months ago.

MahoroAfter that... we all talked it over. About what to do with millsage.

MahoroWe knew it wouldn't really be millsage's music without Kanata...

MahoroEven so... I was the one who asked everyone to keep the band going.

HotaruSo... that's what happened.

HotaruMy feelings are still... all over the place.

HotaruBut if I hadn't come here today, I... would've gone on never knowing the truth.

HotaruSo... thank you, for telling me all of this.

MahoroNo... I'm the one who should be thanking you for coming.

MahoroI'm glad I got to tell you... before it all ends.

HotaruHuh...?

Mahoro...

Nagimillsage. We've decided to disband.

HotaruWhat...!?

NagiAfter Kanata's funeral, Natsume-senpai... our lead guitarist, stopped coming around.

NagiShe said, "There's no point without Kanata," and "I don't want to play."

HoukaShe even began keeping her distance... from us.

MahoroI think she's hurting so much... I am too... We all are...

MahoroWe can't make her stay by our side when she's hurting so much, can we?

Hotaru...

NagiSo for the time being, the three of us decided we'd do what we could, but...

HoukaThe truth is, the music we made as a five-piece is simply hard to perform as a trio.

HoukaMahoro-san, in particular, ended up carrying far too much of that weight.

Mahoro...

HoukaSo the three of us talked about whether continuing like this was truly the right thing to do.

NagiThe band... If there's a way to keep it alive, I want to.

NagiBut if that means making Mahoro push herself past her limits... then that isn't right.

HoukaYes. And our audience's response is no longer what it was when there were five of us.

HoukaI think it's important to preserve our memories as something beautiful, too.

HotaruSo... that's why you're disbanding...

MahoroYeah... that's right.

HotaruNo...

HotaruKanata-san told me... millsage was her treasure...!

Nagi、Houka、Mahoro...

Hotaru...!

Hotaru(I can't.)

Hotaru(Someone like me... has no right to step in.)

Hotaru(I don't know anything about this band... or any of them...)

HotaruI'm sorry... I shouldn't have said anything...

MahoroNo... Thank you, Hotaru-chan.

MahoroI'd love for you to come see our last live, if you can.

MahoroOh, we haven't picked a date or anything yet, though.

HotaruI see...

MahoroHotaru-chan... Thank you for caring enough about Kanata to cry for her...

Hotaru(But...)

Hotaru(Is this really... how it should end...?)