Text

A Few Days Later

Café

HoukaPlease, choose anything that catches your eye♪

HotaruY-yes...

HoukaShiomi-san...? Your menu is upside down~

HotaruWhat...? Ah! I-I'm so sorry...!

HoukaHehe. There is no need to be so tense. Plenty of students come here as well.

HotaruO-oh, I see...

HotaruActually, um... this is my first time going somewhere with someone outside my family...!

HoukaMy, then I am truly honored♪

HoukaIf you are comfortable with it, Shiomi-san, shall we order a few things to share?

HotaruMay I...!?

HoukaOf course♪

HoukaI do have rather discerning tastes, and this café is especially renowned for its pancakes.

HotaruPancakes...!

HoukaHehe. Then let us place our order first.

HoukaNow then... shall we turn to the subject that brought us here today?

HoukaAbout millsage... you said you hoped to help us somehow...

HotaruY-yes...!

HoukaWhat exactly did you have in mind?

HotaruUm... After I went home yesterday, I thought about what I might be able to do...

HotaruLike... if you ever needed me for an important rehearsal or live show, I could play piano...

Hotaruand maybe that would bring your sound a little closer... to how it was when there were five of you...

HoukaI see. So you would be helping us as a support member.

HotaruSupport...?

HoukaA support member is not a formal member of the band, but someone who joins in when needed to help with performances.

HotaruYes...! I think that's exactly what I meant!

HoukaThat is a very generous offer. Truly.

HoukaIf there were any way for us to avoid disbanding, I wanted to find it as well.

HotaruI'm so relieved...!

HoukaHowever... I am afraid that alone would not be enough to change where we stand.

HotaruHuh...?

HoukaAllow me to explain where millsage stands at the moment.

HoukaThe main reason was the departure of Kanata-san and Natsume-san... Natsume-san was our lead guitarist. Losing both of them had a major impact.

HoukaAs a result, music that was once performed by five people is now being carried by three.

HoukaWe have managed to cover the guitar and piano parts with programmed tracks, but...

HoukaThe vocals, however, are different. Someone still needs to take on that role.

HoukaThat was when Mahoro-san volunteered to sing.

HoukaNagi-san said singing was not her strength, and in my case... handling vocals while drumming would not be realistic.

HoukaEven if it was by process of elimination, Mahoro-san was the only real option.

HoukaBut... millsage's songs were written around Kanata-san's voice.

HoukaTo be frank, Kanata-san was in a class of her own, both in her piano playing and her vocal performance.

HoukaMahoro-san is giving it everything she has, but she also began learning bass with no prior experience...

HoukaBetween the thinner sound I mentioned earlier and the absence of Kanata-san's presence, the audience has judged us rather severely.

Hotaru...!

Hotaru(That must be why yesterday's audience felt so distant...)

HoukaAnd... there is another difficulty.

HoukaWith Natsume-san, who composed our songs, gone as well, work on new music has come to a halt.

HoukaOf course, it would be possible for us to continue performing lives with only the songs we already have, but...

HoukaIn other words, that would amount to little more than maintaining the status quo. We would not be moving forward, merely standing still.

HoukaIf we were to continue under such circumstances, we would only wear ourselves down little by little.

Hotaru...

Hotaru(So... just playing piano would not be enough.)

Hotaru(Mahoro-san's burden, the new songs... We would have to solve both of those problems...)

Houka...

HoukaPlease don't worry. There is indeed a way.

HoukaWe simply need to have Natsume-san come back to us♪

HotaruHuh...?

HoukaWith Natsume-san back with us, we would be able to resume work on new songs.

HoukaAnd as for Mahoro-san, we could ease her burden as well by having Natsume-san adjust the bass part accordingly.

HotaruThat's true...!

HotaruWait... But if that is the case, wouldn't that mean you don't need me...?

HoukaNo, that is not the case at all. The piano remains an essential part of this band, and that has not changed.

HoukaBesides, Shiomi-san, there is a task of the utmost importance that I would like to entrust to you: persuading Natsume-san.

HotaruM-Me? You want me to persuade her!?

HoukaYes. You, Shiomi-san♪

HotaruBut Natsume-san... stopped even coming to practice, didn't she...?

HoukaIf you were to join us as a support member, Shiomi-san, that would change matters entirely. I am certain she would agree to sit down and speak with us.

HotaruB-but would she really listen to someone like me, when we have never even met...?

HoukaThere is no need for concern. I have every confidence that you can do it.

HoukaYou are the "Angel of the Music World," after all.

Hotaru!

HoukaI understand you were held in exceptionally high regard in the classical music world, Shiomi-san.

HoukaForgive my presumption, but I took the liberty of watching the video of your street piano performance.

HoukaIt was so... truly beautiful♡

HotaruU-um...

HoukaWith your music, I truly believe we can make it a reality.

Houka"A future where everyone can be happy."

HotaruWith... my music...?

KanataBut y'know, "music that makes everyone happy..."

KanataIf anyone can make that happen, it's you, Hotaru!

Hotaru...

Hotaru(I still don't know what I can do... or whether I can really do it properly...)

Hotaru(But if it would help everyone...)

Hotaru(then I want to try believing in Houka-san.)

HotaruAll right... I'll give it a try!

HoukaMy, thank you very much♪

HoukaLet us strive together, shall we?

Izawa House - Natsume's Room

Natsume...

Natsume(I haven't touched my guitar at all lately.)

Natsume(Every time I so much as touch music, my chest starts to hurt.)

Natsume(Maybe I should just... leave things as they are.)

Natsume...? From Houka?

HoukaHey, hope you’re doing well.

Houka

HoukaWe had a rather unusual guest at our live the other day.

HoukaHotaru Shiomi-san.

HoukaThe girl Kanata-san mentioned before, if I recall correctly.

HoukaApparently she's really good at piano🎹

Natsume...?

NatsumeWhat is this supposed to be? Some kind of report? This has nothing to do with me...

NatsumeI don't get it. Whatever. I'm ignoring this...

Houka

HoukaI am thinking of having Shiomi-san join millsage.

NatsumeWhat...?