The next day
School SEKAI
1
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Rin

Whoa! A big music festival?!

2
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Shiho

Yeah, we'll get suggested for it depending on how our performance goes.

3
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Len

Which means you'll need to practice really hard for it.

4
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Ichika

Yeah, that's the plan...

5
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Ichika

Also, the festival is important, but I'd like for us to put on the best performance we can for Mr. Shindo and Mr. Ota too.

6
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Shiho

Ichika...

7
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Shiho

Me too...

As pros, we need to be ready to do that for anyone on demand.

8
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Luka

Then, you should take this energy and do your best during practice today.

9
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Honami

We will!

Several dozen minutes later
10
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MEIKO

They certainly sound motivated.

11
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Miku

Yes. Honami in particular...

12
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Miku

Her mind seems clearer now that she knows what she wants to do for this band. She's focusing much better as a result.

13
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Luka

Yes, and becoming the leader must also have something to do with that. Something about the way she's playing is more compelling than ever before.

14
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KAITO

Right...

15
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KAITO

(They're putting on a compelling performance. I can feel their confidence resonating through each note...)

16
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KAITO

(At the same time, something feels off...)

17
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KAITO

(This sound...)

18
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Shiho

Stop.

19
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Shiho

We fell out of sync again...

20
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Shiho

We're achieving the same sort of momentum as before, but we're also all over the place for some reason...

21
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Ichika

Yeah, something didn't feel right to me either...

22
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Saki

But why...?

I'm being super careful not to rush ahead...

23
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Shiho

We can't blame one person, since we've had trouble getting on the same page all the time lately.

24
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Honami

Right...

25
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Honami

(I thought I was the one causing all this...)

26
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Honami

(I mean, not having an answer to that question was distracting me. I was having trouble focusing and keeping up with the others because of it.)

27
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Honami

(But I have my answer now.

I'm having a much easier time focusing.)

28
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Honami

(And yet...)

29
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Saki

I don't get it! How do we keep ending up all over the place?!

30
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Shiho

I don't know, but it's almost as if...

We're all pointed in different directions or something.

31
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KAITO

Different directions...?

32
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KAITO

You may be right...

33
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Rin

Huh? What do you mean?

34
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KAITO

It's just a guess, but...

35
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KAITO

I think this has something to do with you all hashing out what your aspirations are.

36
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Miku

It's because they hashed that out...?

37
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KAITO

Each of you now knows what you wish to do in terms of your music. You feel more confident as a result.

38
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KAITO

However, you're also trying to accomplish slightly different goals from one another.

39
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KAITO

What if you're all subconsciously doing what you can to make your own aspirations a reality?

40
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Honami

Oh...

41
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Miku

I see...

That would certainly explain why they can't stay in sync.

42
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Ichika

Yeah...

KAITO may be right.

43
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Luka

You wish to move people's hearts, Shiho, which results in you producing this powerful energy. Meanwhile, Saki exudes kindness because she wants to cheer everybody up...

44
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Luka

In other words, because you're all prioritizing different things, you're struggling to stay on the same page.

45
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Rin

Wait, so... Them deciding what they want their music to be about was a bad thing?

46
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MEIKO

No, I doubt that's the case.

They're clearly playing a lot better and really letting their feelings flow through each note.

47
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MEIKO

How they each feel as individuals is important, but they need to be a single unit when performing together.

48
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Rin

What?! That sounds really hard...!

How are they supposed to do that?!

49
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Honami

...

50
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KAITO

You may want to discuss what you should be feeling as you play...

51
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Ichika

What we should be feeling...?

52
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Luka

Yes.

For instance, the intro for this song...

53
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Luka

It screams, “Cheering everyone up is what's most important right now, so let's put on a performance which does that.”

54
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Honami

I see...

55
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Honami

Alright, let's give that a try.

56
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Saki

Huh?

57
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Honami

I know getting on the same page so to speak isn't going to be easy...

58
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Honami

But I'm sure we're going to sound even better if we figure out how to do that.

59
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Honami

So, let's do our best...!

For Mr. Ota, Mr. Shindo and everyone who we want to feel moved by our music.

60
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Ichika

Okay...!