Unica via.

Welcome to the stage of the girls.

What you are about to see is— her story, with a secret.

What awaits ahead? Bliss or doom? Until the moment the curtain falls, let us witness together the opera of the dolls.

Doloris

...

Oblivionis

Doloris... Now, it's the night of the awakening.

Amoris

Shall I wake her up?

Timoris

If you force her to wake up, you might break her soul.

Mortis

Onee-sama.

Oblivionis

It's alright. The moonlight will wake her up.

Oblivionis

The moon swallowed by shadows comes back to life, and the poor doll once again takes on a temporal life...

Doloris

...!

Oblivionis

Now, let's begin... tonight's masquerade!

That was another breathtaking performance! Could you share your enthusiasm for the upcoming Budokan performance?

Sakiko

Our mission is to create a dream-like experience for our guests.

Sakiko

We would be delighted if you also immerse yourself in the world of Ave Mujica at Budokan next time.

Uika

Budokan is amazing!

Umiri

It hasn't been long since our debut.

Nyamu

Emphasize that it's the "fastest ever"!

O-Okay. How about you, Mortis-san?

Mutsumi

! I... ......

Sakiko

As you can see, Mortis is a little shy. Mortis, let's end with a gratitude.

Mutsumi

Thank you very much...

Thank you for your time. I'll take my leave now.

Sakiko

Have a good evening.

Nyamu

Phew... finally, I can take it off~

Sakiko

Don't take it off until you are back in the dressing room. You never know who is watching.

Nyamu

Huh? Am I getting exposed? Amoris is actually Nyamuchi—

Sakiko

Amoris

Nyamu

So, do you mean that... we are going to keep these masks on forever? It's messing with our faces and numbers.

Sakiko

...

Nyamu

Uika from sumimi. Daughter of the great comedian Wakaba and the star actress Minami Mori.

Nyamu

We could simply take the masks off to make the whole world notice us.

Sakiko

Ave Mujica does not undersell. First, we need to build a track record, then work on our music—

Nyamu

"I liked it yesterday, but got bored of it today."

Sakiko

!

Nyamu

The world is cruel, and they might get bored if you keep messing around.

Mutsumi

...

Sakiko

I am not going to let this band be just a passing fad.

Sakiko

I told you. Give me the rest of your life.

Uika

Saki-chan...

Nyamu

Hmm...

Sakiko

I know the proper moment to play my card. We will take the masks off at the best stage and at the best moment.

Uika

Saki-chan, wait. Let's go back together.

Sakiko

Uika

Uika

I was touched. I realized how much you care about Ave Mujica.

Sakiko

That's right. I am entrusted with your lives.

Uika

I can't believe how popular we've become upon debut. Saki-chan really is amazing!

Sakiko

It's all thanks to you, Uika.

Sakiko

I couldn't have asked for a better frontwoman for Ave Mujica.

Sakiko

Was it okay? At (・)that (・)time(・), you didn't even ask anything.

Uika

Yes.

Sakiko

Uika, you're surely the type to get talked into buying crystals.

Uika

That was mean~

Sakiko

Even under the same agency, it must be tough to work as sumimi simultaneously. I'll try not to make it a burden for you.

Uika

It's not a burden, not at all. It's actually quite refreshing... And...

Uika

My dream of being with you forever came true...

Sakiko

Uika...

Sakiko

Excuse me... ...!

Uika

Is it for work?

Sakiko

Yes... See you later.

Sakiko

Hey, pull yourself together! How many times is this now that you've ended up in trouble with the police?

Ugh... You're better off without me...

Sakiko

Stop talking nonsense...! Please sleep properly in the futon.

Sakiko

Phew...

Sakiko

...

Sakiko

(Four more songs before Budokan. I need to write at least two songs by this weekend to give Uika time to write lyrics...)

Sakiko

(For me, there is no other path left...)

Sakiko

Looking back, I was truly a happy child.

Sakiko

Surrounded by loving parents, spending every day playing the piano I adored... Those carefree days truly seemed to sparkle.

Sakiko

But those days came to an end when mother passed away.

Sakiko

Father did his best to protect me... but he simply couldn't recover from that deep sorrow...

Sakiko

Yet, what saved me was—

It's the music festival in the afternoon. Let's go to the auditorium.

Mutsumi

Saki, let's go.

Sakiko

Okay...

Sakiko

...!

Sakiko

Mutsumi, who are those people?

Mutsumi

They are seniors who formed a band for the first time in Tsukinomori.

Sakiko

Band... Mutsumi! We should start a band too!

Mutsumi

Eh?

Sakiko

A band!

Sakiko

Soyo Nagasaki-san. I'm glad she's a pleasant person. And then the vocal...

Tomori

...

Sakiko

...? What's that girl doing, leaning so far over the bridge...?

Tomori

Ah...

Sakiko

!!

Sakiko

No, don't!!

Tomori

Ugh...

Sakiko

Ouch... Are you all right?

Sakiko

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

Tomori

What...?

Sakiko

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

Tomori

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

Sakiko

Flower...?

Sakiko

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

Sakiko

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

Tomori

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

Sakiko

Dead!? What!?

Tomori

...

Sakiko

...It seems I misunderstood. You weren't trying to do anything like that...

Sakiko

She stopped me as I was about to leave, and invited me to her home to tend to my injury.

Sakiko

When I found the songwriting notebook in her room, my heart truly raced with excitement.

Sakiko

I still believe that our encounter at that time was destiny...

Sakiko

—♪

Tomori

...

Sakiko

"The Song About Wanting to Become a Human"... These truly are wonderful lyrics...!

Sakiko

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

Sakiko

What's your name?

Tomori

Tomori...

Sakiko

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

Sakiko

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

Mutsumi

...

Sakiko

After that, every day was truly wonderful. Practicing in a studio for the first time, going to karaoke...

Sakiko

I even did things like shouting my heart out from the pedestrian bridge.

Sakiko

All of those exciting days eventually found their way into that song.

Tomori

This...

Sakiko

What is this...?

Tomori

This is the first time I've written lyrics.

Sakiko

I understand. This is...

Sakiko

......

Tomori・Taki・Soyo・Mutsumi

!

Soyo

Saki-chan, are you okay?

Sakiko

"Haruhikage" is... our song, isn't it?

Sakiko

I will write music worthy of Tomori's lyrics.

Haa... Haa...

Tomori

Thank you... very much...

Sakiko

(Uika... you came to see us...!)

Sakiko

(...? Father?)

Taki

Huh? What's with this reaction!? They don't understand anything about Tomori's songs!

Taki

I'm blocking them.

Soyo

Taki-chan, it's better to mute than to block.

Sakiko

(What happened to father?)

Sakiko

What...?

Mutsumi

...?

Sakiko

Grandfather! Where is my father? You know, right?

That one is no longer with Togawa. He took responsibility for the fraud and quit.

Sakiko

Fraud...?

It's a loss of 16.8 billion yen.

Sakiko

No way...!

It was bad luck. Forget your father and become my daughter. You're Mizuho's memento. I don't want you to have a hard time.

Sakiko

...!

Sakiko! How is a sheltered person like you going to survive?

Sakiko

I ended up rushing out... But at least I was able to bring along the memento doll.

Sakiko

Is here... father's new residence...?

Sakiko

! Empty beer cans...

Ugh...

Sakiko

Father! Wake up, father!

Mmm...

Sakiko

He's breathing... Thank god...

Sakiko

After that, I was simply desperate. I had to earn money to cover our living expenses. I had to somehow make things work in Father's stead...

Sakiko

I know I'm asking for the impossible. But please, would you hire me?

"Even if you say that, we can't hire junior high school students. What about your parents? What are they doing?"

Sakiko

That's...

"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. I'm so sorry."

Sakiko

Okay... Sorry for bothering you.

Sakiko

The balance is almost gone... Even if I deliver more newspapers... it's only a drop in the bucket. At this rate...

Mutsumi

Are you really going to quit?

Sakiko

Mutsumi, did you know? The tuition at Tsukinomori is very expensive.

Mutsumi

What about CRYCHIC?

Sakiko

...

Sakiko

I'll find time for it somehow. Don't tell anyone yet.

Sakiko

I don't want to... cause any trouble or worry for the members. I absolutely don't want to quit CRYCHIC...!

Sakiko

I have to make this work. I have to... I have to—!

Sakiko

I finished earlier than expected. I can still make it to practice.

Sakiko

? Who could that be...?

Sakiko

Yes... this is Togawa. What...?

Sakiko

Why do you need alcohol...?

Sakiko... I'll do my best...

Sakiko

Father...

Sakiko

...

Sakiko

(I can't... take anymore...)

Sakiko

I came today because I have something to say.

Sakiko

I am quitting CRYCHIC.

Taki

...!

Soyo・Tomori

Eh?

Taki

Seriously, isn't that a bit irresponsible?

Tomori

But Saki-chan, if you're not here...

Sakiko

Could you please not talk like a spoiled child? Tomori, you need to practice more than anyone else. What have you been doing all this time?

Soyo

Wait...! Let's talk this out! After all, we've had so much fun getting to where we are... Mutsumi-chan, you think so too, don't you?

Mutsumi

...

Mutsumi

I... I've never thought being in this band was fun, not even once.

Sakiko

But... it felt like my chest would tear apart.

Sakiko

If only I could have told them the truth. If only I could have told them I wanted CRYCHIC to go on.

Sakiko

I hurt everyone. So... this pain in my chest is my punishment.

Sakiko

Waaaaahhh...

Sakiko

(All I have left is, Ave Mujica.)

Sakiko

(That's why the Budokan must be a success. There's no turning back now.)

Sakiko

(I want to forget everything as soon as possible...)