(K...? Is that a person's name or the name of a group...?)

(That didn't work...

Just “K” is way too short. I'm not getting any good search results.)

(Some people left comments, but they're all just saying, “K's so amazing,” and, “What do you think K's like?”)

...

(Also, I decided to listen to their music on a whim. It's not like I really want to find out who...)

Oh...

(Hang on... This illustration on PicShare... Is it fan art?)

(“Based on music by K”...

Yeah, it has to be.)

(A girl's crying as she sits beneath the moonlit sky. Based on her expression, she must've gotten lost in this forest and doesn't know where to go...)

(This illustration... It goes so well with that first song I heard.)

(There's pain... But also kindness.)

(I'm gonna give it another listen.)

Yeah, they go perfectly together...

(They should have this as the thumbnail for that song instead of just a black rectangle.)

(And if it were up to me, I'd use it to make a video that...)

(A video that begins with the moon from this illustration coming into focus... And it'd have this sort of retro color scheme to it...)

(It wouldn't be easy, but if I were to break it into parts, I might be able to animate it... Also...)

I could throw in a few other effects...

Just a few...

Finished...!

This is so awesome, if I do say so myself...! And I stayed faithful to the song's theme from start to finish...!

I totally captured that strange mix of pain and kindness! Plus...

Wait, no...!

I shouldn't be using someone else's art without asking them first!

Using art without asking first... I get that some people get carried away and do it without thinking, but I still hate when people do that...

(I can enjoy it for myself since I haven't uploaded it...)

But since I went through the trouble of actually making it, I kinda want to...

(I could just send the artist a message with the expectation in mind that they'll turn me down...)

(Let's see... This person's account is...)

(Enanan...

That's pretty cute... I never would've guessed based on their art.)

(How should I start my DM?

I guess I should introduce myself, so...)

And that was the first music video I'd ever made...

I didn't know that...

So you discovered the music Kanade and Mafuyu had made, as well as Ena's art, during a time when you didn't want to go to school?

Why didn't you want to go to school, Mizuki...?

Why...? Well, a lot of reasons...

Most of all, it just felt like such a drag...

I see...

And what happened after you sent Ena that message...?

Oh, after I sent it...

Aha, there you all are...

Huh? Oh...

Hello, Ena...

Fancy seeing you here at this time.

What's up?

I got up at a normal time and felt pretty refreshed, so I decided to work on my illustration.

But I think I went a bit overboard. After a while, my body started feeling really tense, so I came over to take a quick break.

I see.

Hehe. As for us, you arrived right on cue.

Right on cue? Were you talking about me just now?

Yup. Well, to be fair, it wasn't about you specifically, but the time when we decided to join N25.

We were just at the part when I made a music video using your art without asking for your permission.

Oh, I remember...!

I was totally floored by that message you sent me.

I mean, imagine being asked, “I apologize if this is sudden, but I made a music video using your art. I'd like to ask you for permission to upload it online,” completely out of the blue.

Haha. Yeah, sorry about that.

And how did you feel after receiving that message, Ena...?

Me?

Surprised, to say the least...

But happy too...

Back then, art was sort of ruling my life.

Ruling your life...?

Were you also going through a tough period?

Yeah, kinda...

You could say that I was at my wit's end...

I'd like to hear more about what things were like back then for you, Ena. Along with how you discovered Kanade's music.

Oh, I don't know much about what happened before we started working together either...

Yeah, well... I mean...

Oh, Ena, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to...

I-It's not that don't want to...!

Oh, who am I kidding...?

What's the point of trying to hide anything at this point?

Are you sure...?

Yes, I'm sure. It's not exactly a happy story, so try not to be disappointed, okay?

Okay...!

Hmm... Where should I start...? Maybe just before the time I entered high school...

High school...?

Don't you and Mizuki attend the same one?

Yeah, but I take classes at night.

And a lot happened before I ended up enrolling there. Simply put...

I couldn't get into the art school that I desperately wanted to go to...

...

(What do I do...?)

(My hand won't stop shaking...

And it feels like everyone else here is a better artist than me...)

*Sigh*

(Alright, just calm down...

I've been drawing literally forever...)

(Ever since I was really little...

Plus, until just recently, I attended that art class for sooo long...)

...!

(No...! They're wrong!

I... I can...)

It's time to start the exam.

*Gasp*

Begin!

(Crap, I lost my concentration...!

Where's the exam prompt...? Here it is... We're supposed to...)

(Sketch a glass vase using pencils...! Nice...! That's right up my alley!)

(Just watch! I'm gonna draw the perfect sketch...!)

(No...)

(It's so unbalanced...

Once more time... I have to redraw it...!)

(You've gotta be kidding me... Why am I having so much trouble with this? I had never had any issues when I was still going to that art class...)

(No, I still can't get it right...

What do I do...?!)

(I was being delusional... I thought I was a good artist, but in reality...)

Five minutes remain.

What...?

(No, no, no...!

How's there so little time left?! I haven't made any progress at all! This isn't right!!)

(I... I just have to clean it up and finish it...! B-But at this rate, I'm probably gonna...)

(No! I absolutely don't want that to happen! If I fail... If I don't get accepted...)

Sh-Sh...!

Sh...

You don't have the talent to become an artist.

Shut up!!

Shut up...!

Shut up! Shut up!! Shut up!!

Huff... Huff... Huff...

Was I dreaming...?

Ena?! Is everything okay?!

I'm fine! Leave me alone...!

Thank goodness you're not hurt...

But try not to push yourself too hard. I mean, I know art was...

Seriously, I'm fine...!

Okay...

Also, I bought some cake, so why don't you have some once you've settled down?

...

(What kind of daughter am I...? Taking my anger out on my own mother like that...)

(Why did things have to turn out this way...?)

(I just wanted to draw...

I just wanted to become an artist...)

An artist...

(If I still want to... I have to keep drawing...)

Just wait... I'm gonna keep drawing and prove you wrong...