I'm at the main gate!
Okay, good...! I should make it in time!

Still, Rui said he wanted to talk to all of us... What could this be about...?

No, I have to hurry...!
I'm gonna be late if I keep stopping to think!

Morning, everyone!

Oh, Emu, there you are...!

Sorry I couldn't come sooner!
So, what do you wanna talk to us about...?

Rui...?

We're all here now, Rui.

What is it you want to talk about that's putting such a serious look on your face? Mind telling us what's going on?

First, let's all take a seat.

This is going to take quite a bit of time.

Going freelance...?

Yeah...
If we went independent, we could perform elsewhere while also continuing to do shows at the Wonder Stage...!

Well done, Rui!
I didn't know you'd come up with such an excellent idea!

But I can't ignore the fact that you went to discuss this with Emu's brothers on your own. You should've been more forthcoming!

Look who's talking...

I apologize for keeping that from all of you...

But I didn't want to raise your hopes before actually seeing if this would be possible.

That makes sense...
Well, it's great that they agreed to consider your idea.

Yes.
Of course, gaining their full approval won't be easy since this idea directly affects the park's profitability...

At the same time, based on what I could sense from them, our chances aren't zero...

Ah, that's wonderful!

Then, if things go well for us...!

Oh...
Wait a second...

Where does that leave Emu...?

Yes, you bring up a good point.
Your dream is to keep this park a smile-filled place, right, Emu?

Performing elsewhere means spending less time here. Staying with us may mean having to set your dream aside...

Yeah...
So...

I'll stay here.

What...?

You're saying...

Alright...!
I'm gonna go ask them myself about you guys freelancing! I'll be like, “Pretty please!”

Oh, but that might be tough since Shosuke can be really stubborn...!
Hmm... Wait, what if we bribed him with...?!

Emu...

You made your decision clear last time.

You don't plan on coming with us.
You wish to protect this place...

However, with that in mind... Please allow me to ask you one last time.

Are you sure you don't want to join us?

...!

Yes, becoming a freelancer means no longer being a member of the Wonder Stage's cast...

Thus, you choosing to go with us does mean spending less time at this park...

Which may make it difficult for you to fulfill your dream of protecting Phoenix Wonderland and keeping it filled with smiles.

It's perfectly natural for you to believe that...

But I see it a different way.

I believe your dream isn't bound to just this place.

What...?

Remember what you said when we talked about our dreams on that desert island?

You wish to make the masses smile just as your grandfather did.

I mean...

Yeah...

It'd be really wonderhoy if I could make everyone around the world smile like that.

If that's the case... If that's how you feel, you should be able to do the same with us.

Our collective goal is to make people around the world smile through our shows.

So...

You should join us, Emu.

Let's make the whole world smile.

Rui...

(Rui must've thought about this a whole lot...)

(About our dream... About my dream...)

(He wants all our dreams to come true. He wants us all to smile.)

(But...)

No.

I'm staying.

...!

Because...

You guys are gonna make the entire world smile, right?

B-But...!

You won't be making your dream come true!

If making everyone around the world smile is your dream, you need to do it yourself!

...

Yeah, Nene, you're right...

Then...

But...

I want to protect this park.

...

When people stopped coming to the Wonder Stage, I felt sad... Really sad...

Because it had always been a place that made everyone smile from ear to ear...

Emu...

I want to learn how to protect this place on my own.

I want to make sure this park keeps being a place that makes everyone smile forever and ever.

This place Grandpa loved so much...

(I see...)

(She seems very adamant...)

So, I'm really sorry...

No...
You don't need to apologize.

I'm glad we had a chance to hear how you really feel, Emu...

...

Emu, I...!

Don't look so sad, you guys...!
You're all about to take a huge step towards achieving your dreams!

And I'll be rooting for you all the way!

So, good luck!
Make your dreams come true, you guys!

...

Isn't there anything we can do...?

What if we tried a different approach...?

Nene...

When you said that we should start freelancing, Rui, I honestly felt really happy...

If they give us the green light, we'll be able to grow as actors by performing elsewhere with other people...

And it felt like maybe we wouldn't have to go our separate ways like I thought, and we'd get to keep doing shows together...

All of us. Including Emu...

But...

Protecting Phoenix Wonderland is Emu's top priority...

Even after we start freelancing, we'll still get to do shows there. We'll still get to be with her.

But it'll mean us slowly drifting apart as we pursue our individual goals...

Right...

Things will likely change.
We won't be able to put on shows together as we have been...

Which means...
We won't really be a part of the same troupe. We'll essentially cease being Wonderlands×Showtime.

I was hoping that Emu would accept our offer and come with us...

But if she's this determined to stay, then...

Right.

We're out of options.

If Emu does not wish to join us, then the three of us will just have to go on without her.

What...?

Wait, Tsukasa, just like that...?
You're really okay with...?!

Oh...

To think it would be this difficult...

To “happily” go our separate ways...

Tsukasa...

A call...?

...!
It's Emu's brothers!

What?!

Yes, this is Kamishiro.
Yes. Yes...

...which means you're allowing us to become freelancers, yes?

Thank you very much...

Understood...
Then, I'll be there to discuss the specifics at a later date.