What I'm about to share with you is the play of a girl with all her secrets... the story of Hatsune Misumi.

My father is Sadaharu Togawa. Saki-chan's grandfather.

I was born to a father who was devastated by the death of his longtime wife, and a mother who mourned for her as well, a woman who had been the caretaker of the Togawa family's villa.

When my father found out about me, he invited my mother and me to live together in Tokyo.

However, since my father was an adopted son-in-law, officially acknowledging me, a daughter who did not carry the Togawa bloodline, would essentially mean his downfall.

Upon realizing this, my mother decided to raise me alone on this island, determined not to cause any trouble for my father.

My foster father, who was a fisherman on the island, accepted my mother along with me.

In our happy home, a new life eventually began to take shape.

"I wasn't happy."

Yes, I gained a little sister.

Her name is Uika. She looked a lot like me, but her personality was bright and proactive, the complete opposite of me.

Uika

"When I grow up, I'm going to be an idol! I'm definitely going to Tokyo!"

To Uika who always said that, I said,

"You're cute, Uika, so I'm sure you can become one."

While offering her words of support, I was filled with insecurity about my sister.

My foster father cherished me despite my feelings, but his kindness only made me feel even more like an outsider within the family.

"I was the only one who wasn't truly family."

I felt suffocated. Every time I felt like I was about to choke, I would go outside.

Haa... Haa...! Haa!

Only when I gazed at the starry sky in the mountains at night, did I feel like I could breathe. I would take deep breaths. Again and again, deeply, deeply...

Phew... It was like a great sigh.

Summer arrived. It was summer break, Uika and I had a daily routine of bringing the lunch our mother made to our father at the fishing port.

Uika

"Not fair! It's always you, big sis!"

"There are also your favorite sweets, Uika."

Uika grabbed a slightly larger handful of sweets than she could eat alone and cheerfully dashed up the steep slope.

Uika

"Big sis, hurry up!"

I looked up at her voice urging me to hurry. At the top of the mountain, I saw the Togawa family's villa.

I knew. In the summer, my niece, who was the same age as me, would come. It was my mother who told me.

The name of the girl I was absolutely forbidden to meet was... Sakiko Togawa.

Even though we are both children of the Togawa family, she is blessed and lives happily. Yet I... am all alone.

Perhaps wondering why I had stopped, Uika followed my gaze and then smiled brightly.

Uika

"I played with the girl from there two days ago! Saki-chan was so cute~!"

"Huh?"

Uika

"Saki-chan knows everything, can do anything! And told me all about Tokyo!"

Uika

"When I said I wanted to become an idol in Tokyo, she promised to support me~!"

Uika

"Hatsune, you should come with me too~!"

I had been strictly told by my mother that I must never meet her. Otherwise, we would both be doomed to unhappiness...

"I'm not going. Uika, you shouldn't go either."

Uika

"Huh? Why? That's weird! I already promised to play with her!"

No matter what I said, she wouldn't listen to me. The sweets she held in her hand were surely meant for Saki-chan.

It's so unfair.

Uika told me everything she had played and talked about with Saki-chan in vivid detail as if she were sharing her very memories with me.

She told me how Saki-chan had invited her to go bug hunting. How she had caught a big rhinoceros beetle for her.

How they both screamed together when a huge spider suddenly appeared.

Throughout the summer nights, I listened to countless stories about Saki-chan from Uika.

What kind of girl is she? What kind of girl is she? What kind of girl is she!?

I imagined and dreamed, what if it were me by Saki-chan's side instead of Uika?

It's not fair that only Uika gets to have fun. I want to play too. It's unfair. Unfair, unfair! UNFAIR!

As summer break neared its end, Uika came down with a fever.

Uika

"I promised to play with Saki-chan..."

I want to play with her too.

Uika

"She's going back to Tokyo tomorrow, and I really wanted to see her..."

I want to see her too!

Haa... Haa... Haa...!

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the villa. You must never go to that villa. I remembered my mother's quiet voice.

But...!

"Kiyotsugu-san, it's great that we came here!"

"How was it, Sakiko?"

Sakiko's Voice

"It was fun!"

The sound of joyful laughter... I had never laughed like that before.

Sakiko

"Morning's greetings."

Our eyes met! I tried to run away, but...

Sakiko

"Uika, what shall we play today?"

I'm not Uika...

Sakiko

"Uika?"

I'm...

"Let's go catch bugs! I know a place where there are big butterflies!"

I imitated Uika's smile. And just like that, I spent the entire day playing with Saki-chan.

I shouted with excitement like Uika, laughed like Uika, and had an unbelievably wonderful time!

*Sigh*...

Before I knew it, it was evening.

"You're leaving tomorrow, right?"

Sakiko

"Yes, I wish we could have played more."

"Then... shall we play at night too?"

Sakiko

"Huh!? But... it's scary at night."

"I'll come for you! I'll knock on the window as a signal!"

I threw a small stone at the window of the room Saki-chan had shown me.

There. Click... click.

I could see Saki-chan through the open window.

We took each other's hands and started running!

Haa... Haa...!

"Eheheh! Aren't you scared?"

Sakiko

"Not as long as Uika is with me! I'm so excited because it feels like the start of an adventure!"

The two of us ran on in a world where no one else was around.

Sakiko

"It's glowing!"

We raised our voices to the countless stars spread across the deep blue night sky.

Sakiko

"There are so many stars!"

"Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila... Hehe, and the Summer Triangle!"

"Orion, Scorpius, Sagittarius, and the Big Dipper."

I traced the stars with my fingertips. It felt like the two of us were traveling through the night sky.

This is fun!

I thought from the bottom of my heart. I named every star I knew, and when I glanced to the side, I found Saki-chan staring at me.

Sakiko

"Uika, you are such a mysterious person. You're usually bright like the sun, but today, you're gentle like the moon..."

Moon...

A beam of light shone through. Light filled this dim world of mine. I felt as if I had been reborn.

I had always longed to be illuminated like this! I was so happy!

Ever since I was born, I have always been a pitiful child! You turned me, a pitiful being, into a "human"!

I LOVE YOU!

Sweet Saki-chan, my very own Saki-chan! Saki-chan, Saki-chan! Let's stay together forever!

Sakiko

"Uika will definitely become an idol!"

Huh...?

That's Uika's dream...

But, when Saki-chan looked at me with eyes sparkling like the Milky Way, I couldn't say anything...

This is the beginning of the "liar." This is the beginning of the "secret."

No one knows, and no one must ever know. She tightened her own hands around her neck. The story of a girl burdened with secrets...

My foster father died. He never returned from the sea.

I comforted Uika, who kept crying. I'm the older sister, so I shouldn't cry. I must support my mother and Uika.

I was desperately trying to hold back my tears, but...

Uika

"Hatsune, you aren't sad because he's not your dad!"

"I loved him as well!"

Weren't you feeling suffocated?

!

He treated you with care, yet all you do is complain!

I was grateful for being raised as if I were his own child!

You're probably enjoying playing the sad one, right?

I want to see Saki-chan...

Is it because you want Saki-chan to see how pitiful you are? You're good at playing the victim and getting sympathy, aren't you?

! That's not it!

"You like Saki-chan"? Really? It's all a lie! Nothing but lies!

How pitiful you are! The heroine of a tragedy! But you can't play the role if there's no happy child.

No! No...!

Saki-chan is the stage prop for the tragedy!

No. No. NO! NO! NO......!! I want to see...

Saki-chan, Saki-chan, Saki-chan... Saki-chan, Saki-chan, Saki-chan, Saki-chan, Saki-chan, Saki-chan!!!

SAKI-CHAN!!!!!

If I go to Tokyo... will I be able to see Saki-chan?

That night, I left the house with just a small bag, and the pocket money I had saved up.

The deck of the last ferry was strangely vast and lonely.

As the cold night wind howled beside my ears, the shadow of the island growing smaller, reminded me of my mother crying with her back hunched at the funeral...

And I cried a little.

As soon as I arrived in Tokyo, I was scouted.

"I'm Mana Sumita, the five-time consecutive champion of the national singing contest! Let's become idols together!"

If I become an idol, Saki-chan might notice me.

"What's your name?"

I can't use "my name"... It can't be "Hatsune." I have to become someone Saki-chan knows.

Uika

"Uika... I'm Uika Misumi."

Uika

I'm the worst... I've abandoned my mother, my family, even my name.

Uika

As a minor, I would need my parents' permission to live in Tokyo. Sadaharu Togawa. I gave the name of my real father.

Uika

I could get a little closer to Saki-chan by doing that. The people at the agency were slightly surprised.

Uika

I didn't understand why they didn't ask more questions. I didn't understand why I didn't have to go back to the island. At that time, I knew nothing.

Uika

As Uika, I was set to debut as sumimi.

Uika

The opening event was in a large, new commercial building in the city. It was such a glamorous stage that it felt strange for a rookie before their debut to be standing on it.

Uika

The world I saw while singing was filled with sparkling adults, and it seemed like a world completely out of my reach.

Uika

"Thank you!"

Uika

But, there was one voice I knew.

Uika

Kiyotsugu Togawa. Saki-chan's father. I saw it as my chance when I spotted him stepping out of the constant chatter for a breather.

Uika

Maybe I could see Saki-chan!

Uika

"Excuse me, are you Saki-chan's father?"

Uika

Uika, who had gotten along with his daughter on the island. That was enough for him to remember.

Uika

Uika-chan, who aimed to become an idol. It seems that Saki-chan talked about Uika so much every day that even her father remembered her.

Uika

A sharp pain struck my chest.

"Congratulations. You've made your dream come true."

Uika

He was so happy for me as if it was his own achievement. I was happy.

Uika

Maybe I could open up to this person. I opened up about my father.

Uika

I said I believed my debut was made possible with his support. I wanted him to know how grateful I am.

Uika

That was a mistake.

Uika

"And so, I want to see Saki-chan..."

Uika

"You must not go to the villa." Why did my mother only say that to me?

Uika

Everything was a mistake. The tragedy began.

Aren't you ashamed as a parent? That girl said she was grateful!

To you, who abandoned your responsibilities as a parent, without recognition or support!

It's not too late. You should bring up at the next family meeting that she would be welcomed into the Togawa family.

Don't pretend to be so sincere. If the Togawa family finds out, not only will it affect us, but it will also reach Sakiko.

Ugh... ugh...

Make sure to tell Hatsune clearly, so she never gets close to the Togawa family again.

But...!

You don't understand the terrifying power of the Togawa family!

...!

I'll pretend I didn't hear that. If you care about Sakiko, keep your mouth shut.

Uika

Saki-chan's father lost everything because of me! No, that's not it!

Uika

I took him away from Saki-chan! I took Saki-chan's father from her! The grand house she was born and raised in! Her entire life!

Uika

I never thought it would turn out like this! I just... wanted to see her...

Uika

I wanted to see her so badly...

Uika

A house smaller than the entrance of the mansion she had lived in until yesterday.

Uika

To help support the household, she worked, worked, worked, and worked... Her family, her friends, and even her smiles... I took away everything from her.

Uika

And yet...

Uika

What, a band?

Sakiko

Yes. We will be professional as well.

Uika

All right. I'm in.

Uika

It's a request from you, Saki-chan.

Uika

Even though I shouldn't...

Uika

You can stay here as long as you want. I'll always stay by your side...

Uika

Even though I shouldn't...

Uika

Shared destiny, huh...

Uika

You can stay here as long as you want. Even without Mujica, will you... stay with me?

Uika

Let's reunite Ave Mujica! Let's stay together forever...!

Uika

Even though I shouldn't...

Uika

The fact that I keep deceiving Saki-chan by saying things like that...

Uika

makesmefeeldisgusted...

Hatsune. Go back home.

Uika

...

Sakiko

? Hatsune?

Uika

...

Don't ever see Hatsune again. You don't need to go to school either.

Sakiko

Eh?

You're going to Switzerland. Don't leave the house until all the procedures are done.

Sakiko

(What's going on?)

Sakiko

Uika, why aren't you answering?

Sakiko

Uika...

Sakiko

! That must be Uika!

Umiri

"Togawa-san, why did Misumi-san skip practice today?"

Umiri

"I'm talking about Ave Mujica's practice!"

Umiri

"I want you to stop doing this without any notice! It's traumatic!"

Umiri

"What exactly did I do wrong? Are you still not able to trust me, even now?"

Umiri

"As for Misumi-san, I can't even get in touch with her, and she's not coming to school either!"

Sakiko

!

Umiri

"When I visited her home, I found last week's town newsletter still in the mailbox!"

Farewell, Saki-chan.