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TomoriEven before I could feel sad...

TomoriI couldn't help thinking that I could keep the tears aside somewhere.

TomoriI think I've always lived slightly out of step with everyone else.

TomoriI first felt that way when I was in kindergarten.

ChildTomori-chan, do you like leaves, too? I like them too!

Tomori...!

Tomori's MotherI'm so sorry. My daughter likes to collect things that roll. She probably thought it would be all right. No, I'm very sorry. Yes... please forgive us.

Tomori's MotherI know you like pill bugs, but I don't think I'd like it either if you gave me a whole bunch.

TomoriI felt sad because I was out of step, like I was the only one missing something.

TomoriSo I, like everyone else, try not to get out of step with the world.

TomoriThen, I became a middle school student...

Friend AYesterday's drama was so moving~! I cried so much~!

Friend BI cried~! My mom cried too~! Tomori-chan, did you watch it too?

TomoriYeah... it was sort of scary...

Friend AHuh? It was scary? I don't think there was such a scene though...

Friend BHey, wasn't that insane!? Ai-chan was—

TomoriI made friends like everyone else, but...

TomoriEven when I'm with everyone, it still feels like I'm alone.

TomoriI just want to live like everyone else.

TomoriI want to become a human.

TomoriThat was when I met Saki-chan...

???No, don't!!

TomoriUgh...

SakikoOuch... Are you all right?

SakikoI'm sorry for pushing you... But you mustn't die!

TomoriWhat...?

SakikoYou were trying to die, weren't you!?

TomoriN-No... The wind took the flower I was holding... I just reached out my hand...

SakikoFlower...?

SakikoWhich is more important, a flower or your life!?

SakikoOh, wait... Flowers have life too, don't they...?

TomoriIt was a falling flower, so I think it was already dead.

SakikoDead!? What!?

Tomori...

SakikoI completely misunderstood... You didn't mean to do that...

TomoriYeah...

TomoriOh, your knee...

Sakiko...? Oh my, I've done it... It seems I scraped it when I pushed you away.

SakikoIt's all right. This is not a problem. Well then, farewell.

TomoriW-Wait! My home is close, so...

SakikoWhat...?

Takamatsu's Home - Tomori's Room

TomoriUm... Bandages...

SakikoIt was my misunderstanding, yet you treated my wound... I feel terribly sorry.

SakikoStill, what a lovely room. So many pretty cans and boxes...

SakikoOh, these notebooks...

SakikoI used to use these, too. There are so many different covers, I always had difficulty choosing—

Tomori...! I have all of them!

TomoriThis is sweet pea...! It flutters like a butterfly... And here are cosmos and flower mantis...!

SakikoMy, there are so many. I'm amazed you collected them all. This is bringing back memories. I often used the one with the rhinoceros beetle...

TomoriRhinoceros beetle? Um...!

SakikoOh, don't mind me... I've used this sweet pea too. Actually, the grid was large and easy to use...

Sakiko...!

SakikoDid you write this article?

TomoriWhat?

Sakiko"I made friends like everyone else, but even when I'm with everyone, it still feels like I'm alone—"

TomoriThat's... um...

SakikoAre they song lyrics!?

TomoriWhat...?

TomoriU-Um... Where are we...?

SakikoThis is my home.

TomoriAh...

Tomori...

Sakiko"The Song About Wanting to Become a Human"... These truly are wonderful lyrics...! It's amazing that you can write this.

SakikoI apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Sakiko Togawa.

SakikoWhat's your name?

TomoriTomori...

SakikoTomori-san... won't you start a band with me?

SoyoTomori-chan, you live behind Tsukinomori, don't you? We might have passed each other somewhere!

TomoriAh...

SakikoSoyo-san will play bass.

SakikoShe plays contrabass for the wind instrument club. Their performance the other day at the Tsukinomori Music Festival was so wonderful, I just had to ask her!

SoyoI was surprised when she asked me out of the blue.

SakikoThis is Mutsumi. She's had an interest in guitar since she was very young, so we can rely on her.

Mutsumi...

SakikoYou're being modest again?

TomoriAre the two of you... Sakiko-chan's friends...?

SakikoI've known Mutsumi since we were little. Soyo-san and I are in the same grade, but...

SoyoBut this is practically the first time we've talked, isn't it? And the same goes for Mutsumi-chan!

MutsumiYeah...

SakikoThere's one more. The drummer. This is the first time I'll be meeting her.

Hazawa Coffee Shop

SakikoWell then, Taki-san. Could we ask you to introduce yourself?

TakiI'm Shiina.

Taki...

SoyoTaki-chan's older sister is really amazing!

SoyoShe was the leader of the wind instrument club, and she was in the local orchestra at the same time. She even placed first in competitions!

SakikoThat connection is actually why I reached out to her.

TakiDoes that have anything to do with this?

SoyoWhat...? Oh, it doesn't have anything to do with this. I'm sorry.

SakikoApologies. Once again, thank you all for coming today.

SakikoI have been greatly looking forward to meeting all of you!

SakikoStarting now, we are a band... We'll play music together and our destinies will become one!

SoyoDestiny, huh...?

MutsumiWhat kind of music will we play?

SakikoThat's a good question. Tomori-san and Taki-san, have you heard of the band Morfonica?

Taki、TomoriDon't know it. No.

SakikoIt's a band made of seniors from Tsukinomori. I'd like to play the song they performed for the music festival!

SoyoIt was wonderful, wasn't it? The student council recorded it, so I'll ask them later so that Tomori-chan and Taki-chan can watch it.

SakikoThe strength hidden beneath that elegance... I was deeply moved by it!

SakikoAnd I also think that one day I'd like for us to perform our own original songs.

SoyoWhat, original?

TakiWe've never even played together, you're aiming pretty high, aren't you?

SakikoNo, not at all. I can compose music...

SakikoAnd Tomori-san is a lyrical genius!

Tomori...!? What...?

TakiReally...?

SakikoTomori-san, will you allow us to look at those notes of yours?

Tomori...

TakiWe won't know until we take a look.

SoyoI'd like to see them, too~

TomoriSakiko-chan...

SakikoDon't worry!

TomoriY-Yeah. Then, here...

MutsumiI finished reading.

TakiThat kind of thing, huh?

SoyoI've never written lyrics, so just the fact that you were able to do it is amazing~

SakikoTomori-san has lots of notebooks filled with lyrics at her home!

SakikoI have music I played on the piano. I'll play it for you in the studio later.

Tomori...? The studio...?

Studio

SoyoCiRCLE was completely booked. Sakiko-chan, It's a shame, isn't it?

SakikoA shame? Their success is a wonderful thing.

SoyoWhat? But if it were at CiRCLE, I thought we might run into someone from Morfonica, right?

SakikoWhat...? That's so disingenuous.

Tomori...

TakiWhy are you just standing there?

SakikoOh, Tomori-san, could you stand in the middle?

TomoriWhy?

SakikoBecause you're the vocalist!

TomoriWhat?

SakikoI'll get your mic ready!

TomoriEh... Ugh...

Sakiko...?

TomoriI'm... going to sing...?

The Way Home

Tomori...

SakikoTomori-san, don't be too discouraged. Failure is a natural part of the first attempt.

TomoriBut... I couldn't sing at all...

SakikoYou're just not used to singing in front of people. With enough practice, I'm sure...

TomoriWhy...

Sakiko...?

TomoriWhy me...?

SakikoThey're lyrics that you wrote. It's obvious that it would be better for the writer herself to sing them.

SakikoTomori, the lyrics that you wrote are screams from your heart.

SakikoI want to! Become a human!

TomoriSaki-chan!? Please don't raise your voice that loudly...

SakikoWith the car noise being this loud, no one can hear my voice at all.

SakikoYou can scream as much as you like on this pedestrian bridge. Now, Tomori-san, do it with me!

TomoriEh... But...

SakikoTomori!

TomoriO-Okay...

TomoriI just want to... live like everyone else...! I want to... become a human!!

SakikoYou can do it if you try...! That's the spirit!

TomoriBut I get nervous in the studio... It's different from here...

SakikoDon't worry, there must be a good way! Next time we practice, let's discuss it with everyone!

TomoriYeah.