After school
Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Class 1-C
1
Character icon
Ichika

*Sigh*...

2
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Ichika

I was hoping to finish writing my lyrics by today's practice, but that didn't really go as planned...

3
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Ichika

Our show's coming up too.

If I don't get my act together, we won't have enough time to practice...

4
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Ichika

(I just don't understand.

No matter how many times I try, I can't seem to find the right words for this...)

5
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Ichika

(When I first heard Saki's song, I thought I knew what I wanted to write...)

6
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Ichika

(But how do I put those thoughts into words...)

7
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Saki

Ichi!

Wanna head to practice?

8
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Ichika

Oh, uh... Sure!

School SEKAI
9
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Rin

Hi, everyone!

You seem good, Shihoppy♪

10
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Shiho

You want to see how I react, don't you, Rin...?

11
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Rin

I have no idea what you're talking about.

12
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Ichika

Miku, would you mind helping us with practice again?

13
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Miku

Of course.

Are you practicing for your next show?

14
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Ichika

Yes, there's that and...

15
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Miku

...?

16
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Honami

We still need to practice our song.

17
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MEIKO

Oh, the one you finished the other day?

18
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Saki

Yeah♪

I've been so excited about finally getting to play it as a band!

19
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Shiho

Me too.

I'm sure you all pretty much know it by heart now, but we still need to polish it up for our show.

20
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Shiho

Did you bring your lyrics, Ichika?

21
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Ichika

Um, about that...

22
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Saki

Ichi, what's wrong?

23
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Ichika

I'm sorry, they're still not done yet.

24
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Shiho

Oh, okay.

25
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Shiho

I'm sorry for making you rush like this. You still have plenty of time.

26
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Ichika

No, I'm the one holding you all up.

I'll keep doing what I can to actually finish them.

27
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Shiho

Anyway, shall we get started with practice? We can start with Miku's songs that are gonna be in our show...

28
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Rin

Oh, wait!

Can you hang on just one second?!

29
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Ichika

Hm? Is something the matter?

30
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Rin

Actually, I have some special news that's gonna knock your socks off!

31
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Saki

Special news?! Tell us! Tell us!

32
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Rin

Okay, here it goes...!

We have a really cool new addition to our group!

33
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???

I can take it from here, Rin...

34
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Ichika

Huh...?

35
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Ichika

KAITO...?!

36
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KAITO

Hello...

37
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Honami

I wasn't sure what you mean by special news at first but...

38
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Saki

This is so amazing!

It's KAITO! Like, the real deal!

39
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Shiho

Yeah, this is pretty big news.

40
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KAITO

...

41
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KAITO

You didn't have to go that far, Rin...

42
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Rin

Hey, you wouldn't have come out of your hidey hole if I didn't!

43
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Rin

You sounded so eager to meet them yesterday too! But lo and behold, you were too scared to actually meet them!

44
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Rin

And the worst part is how you tried to slyly walk in after the girls had left! Isn't it fair to say you were gonna do the same thing today?

45
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KAITO

I mean...

46
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Luka

I'm with Rin on this one. To be honest, I would've forced you out of hiding if she didn't do what she just did.

47
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Miku

Right. This is all on you, KAITO.

48
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KAITO

...

49
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Honami

Um... If now isn't a good time, we can wait until later to properly introduce ourselves to each other...

50
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MEIKO

Oh, it's nothing like that.

He's just shy is all.

51
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Shiho

Shy...?

52
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Luka

Hehe. Yes, very.

53
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KAITO

...

54
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Miku

However, he's also very good at what he does. It's as if he can converse through music.

55
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Rin

Yeah☆

He really knows how to create a great atmosphere during performances!

56
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Rin

He's taught me so much already!

57
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Ichika

I see...

58
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Ichika

Then, would like to stay and watch us practice?

59
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Saki & Honami

Please!

60
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KAITO

Sure...

61
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Rin

Oh, why don't we all greet each other by playing something together?!

62
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Miku

Wait, right now?

63
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Saki

Yeah! I'm totally for that!

I really wanna hear what KAITO's like when he plays!

64
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Honami

If he really can converse through music, I'd like to hear that as well.

65
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Shiho

Yeah, me too.

66
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Ichika

Me as well...!

That is, if you're both okay with that, Miku, KAITO.

67
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Miku

What do you think, KAITO?

68
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KAITO

Okay, I'll do it...

69
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Miku

Okay, here we go!

70
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Miku

————♪ ————♪

71
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Honami

Oh wow...

72
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Shiho

...!

73
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Ichika

(I wasn't expecting anything like this...!)

74
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Saki

(So powerful...!

It's like I'm being pulled into the song...)

75
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Shiho

(It's not like he's just showing off either. He's playing so that his sound compliments everybody else's, but he still has this incredible presence...)

76
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Shiho

(Also...)

77
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Honami

(It almost feels like the music is somehow alive... As if he's trying to tell us something.)

78
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Honami

(This sound...)

79
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Ichika

(Is this what they meant by conversing through music...?)

80
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MEIKO

You really are something else, KAITO.

Can you tell us what was going through your mind while you were playing that?

81
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KAITO

...

82
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KAITO

I wanted you all to see a new door opening in front of you...

83
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Ichika

A new door...?

84
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KAITO

Yes...

85
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Saki

Does that mean you were trying to cheer us on?!

86
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Honami

Yes, it certainly did have that feel to it.

87
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Shiho

Yeah. The way he played went so well with how everyone else was playing too. I'd love to learn how to do that.

88
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Ichika

Me too...!

89
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Ichika

Thank you very much for that, KAITO!

90
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Ichika

(I need to finish writing those lyrics if we're going to fully open that door KAITO just showed us...)

91
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KAITO

...

Next Chapter: Expressions