Hotaru

Thank you very much...!

Hotaru-chan~, your piano playing was wonderful today as always!

We'll keep cheering you on~!

Hotaru

! Hehe. Thank you so much!

Hotaru

(Okay...!)

Hotaru

(I think I played better than usual today.)

Hotaru

(No rainbow colors are showing up, and there are more people smiling for me now...!)

Hotaru! Kanata didn't come by again today, huh?

Hotaru

Ah... I guess not. Her band must be keeping her busy.

Aww... I want to see you two play together again~

Hotaru

It'll be okay! I'm sure she'll come back soon.

Wow...! I'll look forward to it!

Hotaru

Yeah! Leave it to me!

Hotaru

On that day one year ago...

Hotaru

After I met Kanata-san, we started playing piano together here from time to time.

Hotaru

E-everyone...!

Hotaru

H-Ha... Ha... Hands...!

Oh? Is today the day you finally say it?

Hotaru

Ra... raise... raise your...

Keep going! You're almost there!

Hotaru

~~~!

Hotaru

Please... raise your hands...

Gaaah, come on! There you go being a goody-goody again! You're supposed to say, "Get those hands up!"

Keep that up and you'll never play like me, y'know?

Hotaru

Ugh...

Whatever happened to "my master's word is law?"

Hotaru

B-But...! I still don't think it's right to tell the audience what to do!

Man, you really don't get it. That's not telling them what to do. It's communication. A conversation!

You've gotta reach out and pull 'em in yourself! That's what you're after, right? "Music that makes everyone happy."

Hotaru

Ugh... I know, but...!

Band lives are all kinda like that, y'know? Like, "You ready?!" "Yeeaah!" Stuff like that.

Hotaru

I've never been to a live, so I wouldn't know...

Ah... Mom said no, huh? No live houses until you're in high school, right?

Hotaru

Right...

Well, if that's how your family does things, I guess there's no helping it. Still, I really wish you'd come see my band's live sometime.

Hotaru

Your band... millsage, right? I've always wanted to go, but... ugh.

Well, maybe a live house would be too much for our little goody-goody Hotaru~

Hotaru

Ugh, I want to be in high school already...!

You're in your second year of middle school now, so... that's still about two years away. Long time. Haha.

I really wanted to show you my incredible band, too.

Hotaru

I want to see it! I absolutely, absolutely want to see it...!

Hotaru

Because, Kanata-san... I just know you'd be so, so cool up there, singing and playing with your band!

Hotaru

In two years, I promise I'll be there! Just wait for me!

...

Hahaha, yeah! I'm super cool, obviously. You'd better come see me someday.

Hotaru

Yes!

And y'know, my members are cooool too~

It started out with me and two childhood friends. And those two are seriously such a pain, it's hilarious.

Hotaru

"And the two who joined later are total weirdos, which makes it the best band ever." I know... Hehe. You've told me that one a bunch of times.

Huh? Well, listen to me talk about it some more! You're my apprentice, after all! I'm delicate, y'know?

Hotaru

Hehe... Kanata-san, you really do love millsage, don’t you?

Of course! More than anything, I just want them to be happy.

They're my treasure.

Hotaru

...!

Hotaru

Treasure...

Hotaru

But about six months ago...

Hotaru

(Kanata-san isn't coming... I wonder what happened.)

Hotaru

!

Hotaru

(A message... It's from Kanata-san.)

Hotaru

...!

Hotaru

(Kanata-san...!)

Hotaru

After that message, Kanata-san stopped coming here.

Hotaru

...

Um! Could you maybe play one more song~?

Hotaru

Ah, yes! Of course!

Hotaru

Since then, I've kept making music here.

Hotaru

So that the next time I see Kanata-san, I can give her my answer to that homework.

Hotaru

I'm still not very good at it. But I want to make the kind of music that can make everyone happy, like Kanata-san's—

Hotaru

Well then... This is a song by my friend... or rather, my master's band...

Hotaru

(I still haven't been to one of their lives, but we played this together here so many times that I remember it.)

Hotaru

(It's a really wonderful song, and I love it.)

Hotaru

—♪

??? (Mahoro)

...!

??? (Mahoro)

It really is a millsage song... She's playing it...!

Hotaru

Whew...

Hotaru

(I wonder if everyone who listened is smiling...)

??? (Mahoro)

…

Hotaru

(Huh? Is that person staring at me...?)

Hotaru

Ah...!

Hotaru

S-Sorry! You're waiting your turn, right!? I'll switch with you right away, so could you wait just—

??? (Mahoro)

Ah, no, that's not it!

??? (Mahoro)

You're the girl from that video... right?

Hotaru

The girl from that video?

??? (Mahoro)

Here, this video. The one titled "Mysterious Street Piano Girl Plays Insanely Well."

Hotaru

Huh...? Wh-What is this!? That's me!

??? (Mahoro)

Ah, so someone really did upload it without asking...

Hotaru

Yes...

??? (Mahoro)

I see... Sorry, I startled you. It's been getting a little attention on social media.

??? (Mahoro)

That got me curious, so I came to see you, but...

Hotaru

I don't really understand social media...

??? (Mahoro)

I see. Then it might be better to ask someone who knows about filing a takedown request.

Mahoro

Oh, sorry for springing all this on you... I'm Mahoro Hamasaki, a second-year high school student at Minase Girls' Academy.

Mahoro

I promise I'm not suspicious, so don't worry... Okay?

Hotaru

Ah... My name is Hotaru Shiomi.

Mahoro

...!

Hotaru

? Is something wrong?

Mahoro

Ah... no. Nothing.

Mahoro

Um... do you always play piano here? You're really good.

Hotaru

Thank you. Kanata-san used to... Oh, um, someone used to play here with me...

Hotaru

But she's been busy lately, and I haven't been able to see her much.

Mahoro

I see...

Mahoro

Um, listen. Actually, I—

Ah! There she is, the girl from the video!

It really is her! She's so cute! Excuse me, could we request something!?

Hotaru

What!? Ah, um...

You always play that millsage song, right? "everscape"!

That song is so good!

Mahoro

...!

Hotaru

Um, you know millsage?

Yeah. They're pretty well-known around here, aren't they?

They have a live this weekend too~

Hotaru

They do!? I-I had no idea...

Oh, are you interested?

This is a flyer for that show. We have a few, so take one if you would like!

Hotaru

Wow, thank you!

Hotaru

(That's right...! If I go to their live, I should be able to see Kanata-san!)

Hotaru

(If waiting won't bring her here, I'll go see her.)

Hotaru

(There's still a year left on my promise with Mom... and I thought maybe I would be a bother, but...)

Hotaru

(Still, I want to see Kanata-san!)

Hotaru

Huh...? Mahoro-san?

Hotaru

(Did she leave...?)