Several minutes later
Nonogi Park

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1

Kohane

Listen

(Okay, we still haven't tried...
Oh, we could try a low-angle shot.)
2

Kohane

Listen

Aoyagi, I'd like to try a low-angle shot next. Can you try looking down at the camera for me?
3

Toya

Listen

Okay.

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4

Kohane

Listen

(Hmm...
This isn't bad, but...)
5

Toya

Listen

How'd that turn out, Azusawa?
6

Kohane

Listen

So, it looks great...
And you look cool and mature...
7

Kohane

Listen

But because of how our second photo went, I think we're going to have to find a way to do better...
8

Haruka

Listen

Yeah, we may need to try something completely different...
9

Haruka

Listen

For example, we could try for more charm like Airi and the others. Something that really catches people's attention.
10

Kohane

Listen

Charm...?
11

Kohane

Listen

Now that you mention it, I've been trying to take eye-catching photos, but haven't really been thinking about the whole picture like they have...
12

Kohane

Listen

Then, what if we tried using some props like them? But I don't have any good ideas from the top of my head...
13

Haruka

Listen

Why don't we take a quick break?
Some ideas might come to us after we've had a chance to rest a little...
14

Kohane

Listen

Oh, good idea...
Thanks for the suggestion, Haruka.
15

Toya

Listen

Then, I'm going to go get something to drink.
16

Haruka

Listen

I'll go with you.
Would you like anything, Kohane?
17

Kohane

Listen

No, I'm okay.
You two go without me.

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18

Kohane

Listen

(But how do you achieve that sort of charm? I need to think of a way...)
19

Kohane

Listen

(No, I won't be able to beat Ena and the others at their own game.)
20

Kohane

Listen

(Still, are we really going to be able to take something better by trying whatever comes to mind like this...?)
21

Kohane

Listen

I'm supposed to be taking a break, but my mind wants to keep trying to think of something...
22

???

Listen

<Heya, Kohane!>
23

Kohane

Listen

Huh?

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24

Kohane

Listen

Luka! KAITO!
25

Luka

Listen

<Sorry for dropping in so suddenly.
We came to visit since you said you'd be doing your shoot for that photo contest today!>

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26

KAITO

Listen

<So, how are things going?
Is something bothering you by chance...?>
27

Kohane

Listen

Actually, yes...
We've been able to take a couple of good photos, but we're having trouble getting back into the top ten...
28

Kohane

Listen

I want to take something better, but I'm not really sure what to do.
29

Luka

Listen

<Something better...?>
30

Luka

Listen

<First, can you show us what you've already taken? We might be able to help you after we've had a chance to look!>
31

Kohane

Listen

Oh, sure...!
Any advice would be really helpful right now...!
32

Kohane

Listen

So, here's what we've taken so far...
33

Luka

Listen

<Wow! Toya looks so cool!>
34

KAITO

Listen

<What a beautiful shot!
I really like how the light's hitting him.>
35

KAITO

Listen

<Hmm... I honestly only have good things to say about this.>
36

Luka

Listen

<Me too!>
37

Luka

Listen

<But you want to take an even better one, right, Kohane?>
38

Luka

Listen

<Actually...
In your mind, what makes a photo “good”?>
39

Kohane

Listen

Huh?
40

Luka

Listen

<If you clarified that, then we might be able to figure out the solution to this problem!>
41

Kohane

Listen

Uhh...
42

Kohane

Listen

To me, a good photo is...
43

Kohane

Listen

(That's really hard to put into words...)
44

Kohane

Listen

(I try to copy the way other people frame things and use lighting, but that alone doesn't guarantee quality...)
45

Kohane

Listen

(There are plenty of great photos out there that don't adhere to basic foundations.)
46

Kohane

Listen

(So, what is it that makes a photo “good”...?)
47

Kohane

Listen

...
48

Luka

Listen

<I'm sorry, Kohane! It wasn't meant to be such a hard question!>
49

Kohane

Listen

No, I'm sorry for not being able to find the right words...
50

KAITO

Listen

<That's understandable. If someone asked me what makes a song “good”, I probably wouldn't be able to give a quick response either.>
51

Luka

Listen

<I know...! Kohane, can you tell us about some of the times when you thought you took some really good pictures?>
52

Kohane

Listen

When I...? Uhh...
53

Kohane

Listen

Oh...
54

Kohane

Listen

I think the photos I took of a show I saw at PXL are the first ones that I thought were really good...

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55

Luka

Listen

<PXL? You mean that amusement park you really love?>
56

Kohane

Listen

Yes!
57

Kohane

Listen

I was in junior high school and it was the first time I took a photo using the camera my dad gave me...
58

Kohane

Listen

The show was so magical. I got so excited that I couldn't help but take so many photos.
59

Kohane

Listen

Most of them didn't turn out great. They were blurry and poorly framed...
60

Kohane

Listen

But I liked what I took...
I still feel that way even when I look at them now.
61

Luka

Listen

<Oh? Why's that?>
62

Kohane

Listen

Why...?
63

Kohane

Listen

I don't really know why...
But I get really excited whenever I look at them.
64

Kohane

Listen

Seeing the cast members' bright smiles and the sparkling lights puts me right back in that moment.
65

KAITO

Listen

<I see... Then, it sounds like those photos mean quite a lot to you.>
66

Kohane

Listen

Oh, yes...
They really do.
67

Luka

Listen

<But I feel like all the pictures you take are beautiful and compelling... I always get excited whenever I look at them...>
68

Kohane

Listen

Wait, you do...?
69

Luka

Listen

<Yes! I remember one of those flowers that looked so pretty in full bloom... Or that family of cats, which was so heartwarming...>
70

Luka

Listen

<It's clear what you were feeling each time you went to capture a scene.>
71

Luka

Listen

<Which is why I really love your work, Kohane. I think all the pictures you take are good.>
72

Kohane

Listen

Luka...
73

Kohane

Listen

(She understands what my photos are really about. That makes me so happy...)
74

Kohane

Listen

(Oh...)
75

Kohane

Listen

(So, all my photos...
I guess they're a record of what I felt after seeing those things...)
76

Kohane

Listen

(Which allows me to go back in time, relive them and even share them with others... Is that why I love photography so much?)
77

Kohane

Listen

So, to me, a “good” photo is...
78

Kohane

Listen

Thank you...
I think I know how to answer your question now.
79

KAITO

Listen

<Oh, really?>
80

Kohane

Listen

Yes... I want to leave a record of the things that really move my heart.
81

Kohane

Listen

And take photos in a way that others can understand what I was feeling. That's my aim...
82

Kohane

Listen

But I'm not really sure if that's the best way to receive likes from others...
83

KAITO

Listen

<Who cares?
You should take the photos you want, Kohane!>
84

Luka

Listen

<What he said! Because if you don't think what you took is good, then there's no way others will!>
85

KAITO

Listen

<However, based on that logic, Kohane, you'll need to take a picture of Toya that you personally like...>
86

Luka

Listen

<Hmm... What does that entail?>

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87

Kohane

Listen

Oh...
88

Luka

Listen

<Oh, was that a lightbulb?>
89

Kohane

Listen

Umm.... What if we took one of him smiling?

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90

KAITO

Listen

<Smiling?>
91

Kohane

Listen

Yes. When we first formed our team, Aoyagi's facial expressions didn't really change much.
92

Kohane

Listen

But as we spent more time together, he slowly began to learn how to smile and laugh...
93

Kohane

Listen

Which sort of felt like evidence that we'd become close enough that he's willing to open up to us. I remember how happy I was after realizing that.
94

Kohane

Listen

So, if we can somehow recreate that heartwarming atmosphere, then I think everyone who sees it will really like it...
95

Luka

Listen

<Yeah, that's a wonderful idea!>
96

Luka

Listen

<Then, for your last attempt, you'll be going for Toya's smile...?>
97

Kohane

Listen

Yes...!
98

Kohane

Listen

I genuinely believe that a photo of him smiling will end up being the best one we take today!
Next Chapter: The Best Shot