Raika

So tomorrow, we'll play a live as family! Let's all pull ourselves together!

Miku・Shizuku・Chieri

...

Raika

Huh? You seem kinda down?

Miku

(So her head is in the clouds after all.)

Miku

(She's putting her burdens on everyone else for her own sake again... "Family" sure is convenient.)

Shizuku

Maybe we should call Yomogi too, just in case?

Chieri

Yomogi~~! Where are you, come out~!

Yomogi

Okay...!

Shizuku

So you were in the stage wing. Yomogi, did you hear—

Yomogi

Sh, Shizuku-san...!! Waaaah! I'm so sorry for hiding, even though I'm the oldest...!

Shizuku

Wh-What happened...?

Yomogi

S-S-Sorry, when I thought I could talk properly for the first time, my heart felt like it was about to twist itself apart...!!

Chieri

Quiet, please. Chieri is about to say something important now!

Chieri

Okay, listen. Tomorrow's live, I won't perform as part of the family.

Raika

Huh, why!?

Chieri

Chieri is the leader of the Chieri Union. Chieri doesn't have time to take part in this.

Chieri

But... If it's as the Chieri Union, Chieri will perform at the live.

Miku

So you do support the live after all? You seemed like you weren't really into it.

Chieri

Of course! Because "Family and home are important" only goes for Raika.

Raika

Huh? You all think family and home are the most important too, don't you?

Yomogi

That's... honestly more of Raika-san's personal stance, I'd say...

Miku

Sorry, I think so too.

Shizuku

I'm still in the stage of learning about "family." So I cannot say it's important... Sorry.

Raika

Th-That's how it was~~!?!?

Miku

(She's finally facing reality...)

Chieri

So honestly, "family" and "home," Chieri couldn't care less.

Chieri

But...

Raika

My voice has never reached Dad, not even once.

Chieri

I can sort of understand how Raika feels.

Raika

Cherie?

Chieri

Th-This place will be the headquarters of the Chieri Union in the future! So it'll be Chieri's reason too!

Chieri

Once we beat Suzuki-san, you're next, Raika! Chieri will take this place, so you better be ready!

Raika

Cherie~~~~~!!!

Chieri

Grrr... I can't breathe...!

Raika

What is this feeling...!! It's like my chest is suddenly burning up...!

Chieri

Please... leave me!

Raika

I see... So that's how it is...!

Raika

I... had no idea what everyone was thinking...! I just assumed my feelings were the same as yours...!

Raika

But even though we don't feel the same way, Cherie is still trying to help me!

Raika

Isn't this what love is all about?

Chieri

That kind of... makes me cringe! Aren't you embarrassed saying that...!?

Raika

Not at all! Because families show their love for each other!

Chieri

I said... I'm not your family! Don't you understand!

Raika

No way! I feel like I just got hit by Cherie's huge love!

Raika

Cherie~ We're the best family!!

Chieri

Listen to me...!!

Yomogi

S-So scary...!! Even after Cherie-san said all that, Raika-san won't budge an inch...!!

Shizuku

The "family" that Raika speaks of seems like something unfathomable.

Miku

Yeah~ It's probably so unfathomable that even she herself hasn't realized it.

Shizuku

I see...

Shizuku

Raika, sorry for asking such a basic question. What is "family" to you, Raika?

Raika

Huh? Hm... When you ask me directly, it's difficult to answer...

Raika

Oh, you see the calligraphy piece hanging in the living room? That's Granny's.

Yomogi

Ah... the one that says "Ka Zoku Tai Hei" on it...

Raika

Right! Back when I couldn't read those kanji, I asked Granny what they meant.

Raika

Then she said, "They mean family shall be at peace." Peace as in peace and harmony!

Chieri

Ch-Chieri knew what those kanji meant from the beginning...!

Raika

"Even if we fight, or we misunderstand each other, as long as we eat together, and play in a band, we are at peace."

Raika

"Living with people like that is the greatest happiness." That's what Granny said.

Raika

I've always believed in those words! Granny's family is the proof!

Raika

*Pant*... *Pant*... *Pant*...!

Raika

Granny, I'm back...!!

Raika's Grandmother

Oh~ welcome back! Did you have fun at school today, too?

Raika

Of course! Huh? Where's everyone?

I'm back~ Raika, do you have a minute to listen? Someone I met at work today was so mean to me~

Hey, don't let a kid hear you complain! What about the live prep?

Raika's Grandmother

We'll do it now. Come on, let's get moving!

Ouch, my knee suddenly started hurting~ Raika~ can you come help me~?

Raika

Yeah! I'm a family member too, so I'll help you!

Wow, I'm so happy~! What are you gonna do for me?

Raika

Hmm, umm... I'll carry you! Here, get on my back!

Raika's Grandmother

Hey!! Don't make my precious granddaughter carry someone that heavy!

No, no, I just wanted her to do the "pain, pain, fly away~" thing for me!

Raika

I can carry you! I can't just always be the one getting carried!

Raika's Grandmother

Raika, you are such a sweet girl.

Yeah, she really grew up into a sweet girl, like me~

Raika's Grandmother

No~ Raika takes after me!

Ahahaha.

Raika

Every day, around sunset, everyone comes back and scrambles to prepare for the live.

Raika

Gradually, more and more guests gather, and the floor gets so packed you can hardly move.

Raika's Grandmother

I'm back, "Nest!!"

Raika

Wow~~~!!!

Raika

Hot stage lights. And a sound so big it shakes my gut.

Raika

The music Granny and others played, sometimes it sounded like a conversation, sometimes like a fight, and it seemed to wrap up the whole day in sound.

Raika

Joy, sadness, anger. All those feelings were thrown against each other and shared at "home."

Raika

"As long as you've got family, life's the best." That's what I was taught by Granny!

Raika

If we do a live here, we can become like that in no time! Because "The essence of family lies in the band!"

Miku

...

Yomogi

Uh... what was your question again, Shizuku-san...?

Shizuku

Ah, I asked "what is family," but... After hearing all that, I understand a little better how strongly Raika feels about it.

Shizuku

And the history of this live house, which is also the "home."

Shizuku

Raika. I'll help too.

Raika

Shizuku...!

Shizuku

I'm still learning about family and home. If I lose them, I can never understand them.

Shizuku

Raika's feelings, and the essence of family. I want to understand them all.

Raika

Yeah... I want to find out too. What it'll feel like to play a live together as a family.

Raika

And what you will feel.

Yomogi

That's... impossible for me!!

Raika

Yomogi...

Yomogi

A-After hearing all that, I realized even more clearly. Raika-san and I are complete opposites...!

Yomogi

Just expressing my feelings to someone is already scary enough. But having to do it in front of people, and feel happy about it...

Yomogi

For a pathetic loser like me, just imagining it makes my heart feel like it's being wrung out like a rag...!

Miku

Yomogi-san, it's fine. That's normal~

Yomogi

Huh!? Mi, Mi, Miku-san, you too...!?

Miku

Yeah... It seems like Raika-chan and I are complete opposites too.

Raika

Oh, I see...

Miku

Anyway, about tomorrow's live, I've never played in a band before, so I can't do anything.

Miku

Good luck, everyone♪ Well then.

Raika

Wait!!

Raika

Miku, you can play guitar, right?

Miku

I said I can't play it, didn't I?

Raika

You did. But that's a lie, isn't it? The fact that only the strings are new, and the way you talked, both are telling something.

Miku

...

Raika

You don't need to think about home or family now, could you just play in the live with us?

Raika

I know I'm asking too much! But, please!!

Yomogi・Miku

...

Yomogi

Ugh... I said I won't do it, but you've got that look in your eye like you're definitely gonna make me do it~~!!

Yomogi

You know I don't have the courage to say no, and you still pull this, you're so awful~~!!

Chieri

That kind of backward-facing courage is not necessary! It's only by stepping forward that you can truly stand out!

Raika

Yomogi, please! Just playing in the wing like before is enough!

Yomogi

That's already my limit~~!!

Shizuku

Miku, what do you say?

Miku

(So after all, you're just forcing your feelings on me.)

Miku

Okay. I'll join, just this time.

Raika

Both of you... thank you!

Miku

(Fine. If that's how you want to play it.)

Miku

(I will show you the complete opposite view of family.)