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A Few Days Later

After Practice

NagiStaying late to practice?

MahoroI'll drop the key in your mailbox later, okay, Nagi-chan?

NagiI mean, you can use the place, but... why?

Hotaru? I wonder what's going on with those two...

HoukaMy. It seems that old habit of hers has shown itself again.

HotaruOld habit?

Houka...Let us just say Mahoro-san is what one might call a "hard worker."♪

MahoroA-ahaha~ well... I figured I should be doing more too!

MahoroSee? Hotaru-chan is settling in little by little, and we're starting to sound pretty good, right?

MahoroThen once I get the vocals down, that solves everything, right?

NagiI guess, but... wait. What happened with the bass part?

NagiWeren't you going to ask Natsume-senpai to make it easier?

MahoroAh... about that...

NatsumeShe turned me down. Said she wants to play it as-is.

NagiWait... what? Why?

NatsumeHow should I know? You should ask her yourself.

NagiMahoro...?

Mahoro...Please! Just let me try one more time.

MahoroThanks to Hotaru-chan, we don't have to disband anymore. We finally have a chance to make music like we used to.

MahoroIf we're really going to keep this band going... and for whatever comes next, I don't think we should compromise here.

HotaruMahoro-san...

NagiWhatever comes next...? It's not like we're trying to go pro or anything.

MahoroR-right, I know that, but...

NatsumeNo harm in trying, right? If it really starts looking impossible, we can rethink it then.

NatsumeThough I'm not sure you can handle that on top of writing lyrics.

NagiWait, wait. You're writing the lyrics too, Mahoro? That's even more work than before.

NatsumeYou didn't tell them that either?

HotaruHuh...? Then your burden hasn't gotten lighter, Mahoro-san?

MahoroAhaha... But it's fine! If everything I've done so far still isn't enough, I'll just work even harder!

MahoroI still haven't given it everything I have. So I have to push harder.

Nagi...!

Nagi*Sigh*...

NagiI'm staying too.

MahoroAww, you really are such a worrywart~

NagiYou hid this from us, Mahoro. You don't get to complain.

MahoroNgh...

HotaruI-I can help with something too!

NatsumeNope. You, kiddo, are going home. You don't live close enough to walk here like I do.

HotaruKiddo...

HoukaI am afraid if I stayed late now, I would be cutting it rather close to curfew... My apologies.

MahoroAww, come on, everyone. You don't have to worry about me! Thanks for today. See you!

HotaruAll right... I'll be going, then.

The Way Home

Hotaru...

Hotaru(I hope Mahoro-san is okay...)

HoukaAre you worried about Mahoro-san?

HotaruMahoro-san... said she wants to keep trying, but...

HotaruHer burden hasn't gotten any lighter, and now she's writing lyrics too... On top of that, she's been looking after me so much.

HotaruBut I can't just ignore how badly Mahoro-san wants to keep trying...

HotaruI keep wondering if there's something more I can do.

Houka...

HoukaThere is♡

HotaruHuh? Please tell me!

HoukaHotaru-san. Have you ever watched one of our live videos?

HotaruYes. Natsume-san showed me one.

HoukaKanata-san was extraordinary, was she not?

HotaruYes...! She looked like she was having so much fun singing while playing such difficult phrases.

HotaruI already knew how incredible Kanata-san was from the street piano, but... I thought, maybe this is what people mean by a genius.

HoukaAh...

HoukaSo that is how she appeared to you as well.

Hotaru...?

HoukaI just adore geniuses♡

HoukaOne of a kind, flawless and unbound. An existence from another realm, beyond anyone's imitation.

HoukaI want them to shine, to glitter, with everything they have...

HoukaAnd I want them to burn me away completely.

HotaruU-um...?

HoukaBut God can be cruel. One day, He simply took that away from me...

Hotaru(What is she talking about...?)

HoukaI seem to have strayed from the topic.

HoukaMahoro-san is trying to stand in for a genius named "Kanata Sawami."

HoukaA glass bead desperately polishing itself in hopes of becoming a diamond...

HoukaBut you, of all people, can save Mahoro-san.

HotaruPlease tell me! What should I do?!

HoukaIt is simple. Share the pain with her, and cut it in half...

HoukaYou should take on vocals too, Hotaru-san.

HotaruVocals...?

HoukaYour performance at our last practice drew high praise. I found myself captivated as well.

HoukaThat was when I noticed. Hotaru-san... you were singing softly to yourself, were you not?

HotaruHuh...?

HoukaHehe. Was it unconscious?

HoukaThen that only makes it clearer. You should sing too, Hotaru-san.

HoukaIf you do it without even realizing it, surely that means you love singing♡

Hotaru...

Hotaru(Me, sing...?)

Hotaru(Actually, back when I used to play with Kanata-san... no, even before that...)

Hotaru(When I was little, I did sing while I played.)

HotaruBut... loving something and being able to sing properly are two different things, aren't they...?

HoukaWho can say? There is a saying, after all. Passion is the best teacher.

HoukaAt the very least, with Mahoro-san in that state, I believe this is the only way to lighten her burden for now.

HoukaMy, we have reached the station already. Well then, Hotaru-san. I shall see you at practice♡

HotaruAh, yes...! Thank you for today...!

Hotaru...

Hotaru(Would doing that really help Mahoro-san...?)

Hotaru(What would Kanata-san do... in a situation like this?)

Hotaru(Kanata-san...)

Hamasaki House - Mahoro's Room

Mahoro—♪

Mahoro*Cough* Cough, cough...!

MahoroNgh... Hah, hah...

MahoroThis isn't good enough... Not even close...!

Mahoro(This time, I have to get it right.)

Mahoro(For everyone.)

Mahoro(And for Kanata's dream... the dream she never got to fulfill.)

Six Months Earlier

After the School Festival Live

Minase Girls' Academy - Roof

MahoroOh... So, that's why we're "millsage"...? The French word for "thousand," and...

KanataCorsage, a flower for celebration. millsage.

KanataIt's happiness I wanna share, more than we could ever hold in both hands.

Mahoro...!

Back then, my heart felt like it might overflow.

KanataHey, Mahoro. Truth is, I...

KanataI wanna enter Comet Rising.

MahoroHuh...?

KanataComet Rising. You know it, right? The proving ground for student bands.

KanataIt's a teen-only contest, and if you win, you get to play the open-air stage!

MahoroOh, yeah. I think I've heard of it. They call it the Koshien for bands, right?

MahoroWait... Did you just say you want us to enter that?

KanataI did!

KanataHonestly, this is what made me wanna start a band in the first place.

KanataHow cool is that?! The open-air stage, Mahoro! Suzuya Music Hall! The holy ground for bands!

KanataLet's enter the next Comet Rising! Let's make our music ring out at Suzuya!

I had let myself be content with what we already had.

MahoroHuh~? Kanata, you really do spring things on people~ I think it's still a little early for us.

KanataNo way! millsage can do it! Today's school festival convinced me!

KanataSuzuya Music Hall, huh? Not bad. That's a pretty good goal!

MahoroBut... You just said you were happy, Kanata. Then isn't it okay for things to stay the way they are?

KanataDreams gotta be big!

I was afraid of flying higher than where we were.

MahoroThen... next time! It doesn't have to be this one. Maybe the one after?

KanataUh...

MahoroYeah! Let's do that! By then, I'm sure we'll be even better and totally ready!

MahoroIt's still a little early for us, right?

KanataHmm... I guess so.

KanataIf that's what you think, Mahoro, then let's do that!

MahoroRight, right! That's better.

I had no idea.

That Kanata did not have much time left.

Mahoro(Kanata's dream never came true...)

Mahoro(Because I never tried hard enough.)

Mahoro(Because I was a coward, spoiled and weak.)

Mahoro(The disappointed smile Kanata gave me back then... is burned into me and won't let go.)

Mahoro(I have to atone...)

Mahoro(I have to stand onstage at Suzuya Music Hall with millsage and send our music beyond the sky, all the way to Kanata.)

Mahoro(Otherwise, I...)

Mahoro(I could never forgive myself. Not even in death.)