Burn My Soul

A few weeks later

Sound Effect: Play

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

1

Akito

♪————!! ————!!
2

Ken

Listen

Akito, you're still too tense!
3

Akito

♪——! ——...!
4

Akito

♪...——!
5

Akito

Listen

(How many hours have we been practicing...?)
6

Akito

Listen

(My brain's not getting enough oxygen because of all this singing...)
7

Ken

Listen

Let's stop here for today...
You're at your limit.
8

Akito

Listen

...
9

Akito

Listen

Okay...
Got it...
10

Akito

Listen

(No... Again, why...?)

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

11

Akito

Listen

(Even though Ken's working with me one-on-one, I can't produce any results...still...)
12

Ken

Listen

(I've been trying every trick I know, but those shackles won't come off easily...)
13

Ken

Listen

(I guess that's only natural...
After all, this is what brought Akito this far.)
14

Ken

Listen

...
Hey, Akito?
15

Ken

Listen

Why don't we go for a drive?
16

Akito

Listen

Now...?
One hour later

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Sound Effect: Play

17

Ken

Listen

Let's make a pit stop here.
Want something to drink?
18

Akito

Listen

Uh, sure...
19

Akito

Listen

(Well, I accepted Ken's invitation, and now we're here...)
20

Akito

Listen

(So, he actually just felt like going for a drive...?)
21

Akito

Listen

(Or was he trying to give me a breath of fresh air because I was having trouble focusing?)

Sound Effect: Play

22

Ken

Listen

Here, have a cafe au lait.
It's hot, so be careful.
23

Akito

Listen

Thank you.

Sound Effect: Play

Sound Effect: Play

24

Akito

Listen

(How long has it been since the last time I just sat and did nothing like this?)
25

Akito

Listen

(Lately, I've been practicing as soon as I wake up, then going to school, a live house after that and singing with Ken at the end... There's been no time in that schedule for me to relax...)
26

Akito

Listen

(But...)
27

Akito

Listen

(Is it okay for me to be doing this right now?)
28

Akito

Listen

(Wouldn't it be better for me to use this time to practice instead...?)
29

Ken

Listen

...
30

Ken

Listen

This reminds me of the first time I met you.
31

Akito

Listen

What?
32

Ken

Listen

Do you remember?
The first time we spoke to each other on Vivid Street.
33

Akito

Listen

Oh...

Sound Effect: Play

34

Ken

Listen

What's wrong, kid?

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

35

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Huh? You're from RADder... What are you...?
36

Ken

Listen

Here, drink this.
Mind if I sit next to you?
37

Akito

Listen

You remember how we met, Ken?
38

Ken

Listen

Yeah, like it happened yesterday.
The way you looked like you were about to start sobbing is hard to forget.
39

Akito

Listen

No, you should definitely forget about that...
40

Ken

Listen

You've changed so much since then.
41

Ken

Listen

You came this far by following your heart. I couldn't be more impressed.
42

Akito

Listen

Thank you very much.
43

Ken

Listen

So, tell me.
What was it like sprinting at full speed until now?
44

Akito

Listen

What was it like...?

Sound Effect: Play

45

Akito

Listen

I dunno...
46

Akito

Listen

So much has happened. I'm not sure how to put it into words...
47

Ken

Listen

Just like that.

Sound Effect: Play

48

Akito

Listen

Ow...!
Wh-Why'd you flick my forehead...?
49

Ken

Listen

So that you don't forget how you felt just now.
50

Ken

Listen

Akito. Next time, sing with that feeling in mind.
51

Akito

Listen

Wait, you mean...?
52

Ken

Listen

Don't worry.
You already have everything you need.
53

Ken

Listen

All you have to do now is realize that and sing.
54

Akito

Listen

...
55

Ken

Listen

Oh, it's getting late.
We should start heading back.
56

Akito

Listen

Oh...
57

Akito

Listen

Okay.
Scramble Crossing

Sound Effect: Play

58

Ken

Listen

You're sure you don't want me to take you further than the station?

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

59

Akito

Listen

Yes, since the trains are still running.
Thank you for working with me this late.
60

Ken

Listen

No problem.
Just make sure to get some rest. See you later.

Sound Effect: Play

Sound Effect: Play

61

Ken

Listen

Don't worry.
You already have everything you need.
62

Ken

Listen

All you have to do now is realize that and sing.
63

Akito

Listen

I just need to realize it, huh?
64

Akito

Listen

(Based on what Ken said, it feels like the answer should be right in front of me.)
65

Akito

Listen

(I'm one step away from finding that thing I've been missing...)

Sound Effect: Play

66

Kohane

Listen

I have all of you to thank...
67

Kohane

Listen

Miku, you guys...
Shinonome, Aoyagi, An...
68

Kohane

Listen

I am who I am now because of all of you.
69

Akito

Listen

(Yeah...)
70

Akito

Listen

(I don't have to worry about everything on my own.)
71

Akito

Listen

I should head over there.
The next day
Crase Cafe

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Sound Effect: Play

72

Luka

Listen

Oh, Akito, hello!
73

Len

Listen

Welcome!
Were you guys practicing again today?
74

Akito

Listen

Yeah, we were.
75

MEIKO

Listen

Then, please take a seat.
I'm sure you're tired, so let me get you something to drink.
76

Akito

Listen

Oh, thank you...
77

Luka

Listen

MEIKO told me everything!
You've all been going around to different live houses to perform at them, right?
78

Luka

Listen

That sounds like so much fun.
I'd love to see the live houses in your world.
79

MEIKO

Listen

Luka, remember what I told you the other day? You shouldn't interrupt them needlessly.
80

Luka

Listen

I know.
81

Luka

Listen

Still, what has training at these live houses involved? You must have been singing with some really good performers.
82

Akito

Listen

Yeah, we have...
83

Akito

Listen

They're on a completely different level compared to us. We have to do everything we can just to keep up with them.
84

Akito

Listen

We have a planning meeting during the drive over after school, sing at the live house, do a debrief on our way home, then do it all over again...
85

Akito

Listen

Fortunately, we've somehow been managing to hold our ground...
...
86

Akito

Listen

With that in mind, can I ask you guys something?
87

Len

Listen

Wait, Akito, you've been practicing with An's dad...?!
88

Akito

Listen

Yeah.
For a few weeks now.
89

Akito

Listen

But I'm having a lot of trouble making any progress...
90

Akito

Listen

I understand what Ken's telling me to do, but I can't figure out how to put that into practice.
91

MEIKO

Listen

Yes, based on what you just told us, that does seem very tricky...
92

MEIKO

Listen

Relax and sing from your heart.
Turn your feelings into song.
93

MEIKO

Listen

That's easier said than done.
In terms of actually accomplishing those things...
94

Luka

Listen

Hmmm... That's a tough one.
This is all about intuition...
95

Luka

Listen

Wait, I know...!
96

Luka

Listen

Akito.
Would you mind singing something for us?
97

Akito

Listen

Huh? Now...?
98

Luka

Listen

Yes!
I think hearing you actually sing will make it easier for us to give you proper advice.
99

MEIKO

Listen

She has a point.
I think we'd all like to hear you sing.
100

Akito

Listen

Okay, then...
If you all don't mind listening...
101

Akito

Listen

(A lot of time's passed since I last sang here because I've been practicing in our world so much...)
102

Akito

Listen

(But this is my chance to hear from Luka and the others about my singing.)
103

Akito

Listen

(This might lead me to the answer...!)
104

Akito

Listen

(Take your feelings...and turn them into song...)
105

Akito

♪————!!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

106

Akito

Listen

*Sigh*
How did I do...?
107

MEIKO

Listen

That was incredible.
I think I've got goosebumps...

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

108

Len

Listen

Yeah...! You sent shivers down my spine!
You've gotten so much better, Akito!!
109

Akito

Listen

I mean, I have been practicing basically nonstop.
110

Akito

Listen

But tell me more.
What else did you guys notice?
111

Luka

Listen

Hmm...
112

MEIKO

Listen

Luka...?
113

Luka

Listen

You sounded really amazing just now, Akito...
114

Luka

Listen

But I feel like you can do a lot more! Like, pow!
115

Akito

Listen

Pow...?
116

MEIKO

Listen

I know what you're trying to say, but you need to be more specific with your advice...
117

Luka

Listen

Wh-What?!
But!
118

Luka

Listen

I mean, Akito, I'm guessing that you're feeling a lot of different things right now...
119

Luka

Listen

You're happy about getting to practice with Ken. You're excited, and you want to make him proud, but you're nervous at the same time...
120

Luka

Listen

You should just let that all out. Pow!
121

Len

Listen

Hmm...
122

Akito

Listen

In other words, I'm not letting my feelings flow freely...
123

Luka

Listen

There's that...
But... How do I put it...? Oh.
124

Luka

Listen

Akito!
125

Luka

Listen

Why don't we do what you and Ken have been doing? Let's sing together.
126

Akito

Listen

What...?
Next Chapter: What's Inside