Hotaru

(I need to get better... Better still.)

Hotaru

(To make everyone's wishes come true, I need to get better... Better—)

Wow... Who is she? Is she a professional?

I've never heard piano like that before...

Hotaru

Thank you so much! Oh...?

Mahoro

Hey! I came to watch.

Hotaru

Mahoro-san! Hi!

Mahoro

Good work, Hotaru-chan. Even on days without band practice, you come here and play piano?

Hotaru

Yes. I can practice at home, of course. But only here can I play for someone and let the music reach them.

Mahoro

That is so admirable... Playing all by yourself in front of people you don't even know.

Mahoro

I'd probably get too scared and start shaking.

Hotaru

Hehe. I was the same at first.

Hotaru

Unlike a competition, you do not know who might listen... or whether anyone will be there at all.

Hotaru

I never would have thought to try it either... until Kanata-san invited me.

Mahoro

I see... Kanata played here too, didn't she?

Hotaru

Yes... She made so many people smile.

Mahoro

Kanata... she really never told anyone what she was doing...

Mahoro

We had never even heard that she played at a street piano.

Mahoro

Then again, we were pretty used to Kanata suddenly starting something new.

Mahoro

She was really something when we were little, you know? "I'll find a tsuchinoko!" or "I'll become a writer and win some big award!"

Hotaru

Hehe... Is that so?

Mahoro

Yeah. And, well... Kanata must have had friends besides us too...

Mahoro

I just thought it might be wrong to intrude, so I never ended up going to watch.

Hotaru

...

Mahoro

I wanted to hear it. Kanata and you, Hotaru-chan... playing piano together.

Mahoro

If I had gone to watch back then... maybe we would have met much sooner.

Hotaru

If only... Back then...

Hotaru

(If I had met Mahoro-san... if I had met everyone in millsage...)

Hotaru

(Or...)

Hotaru

(If I had never met Kanata-san...)

Hotaru

(Then...)

Mahoro

Hotaru-chan?

Hotaru

Oh! Sorry.

Hotaru

(No. There is no point thinking about "if only.")

Hotaru

Mahoro-san, do you have a request? I'll play anything you would like to hear!

Mahoro

Huh... Really? Then... Hmm... Oh, I know!

Hotaru

(I am going to give this story a happy ending!)