A few days later
Rehearsal Studio

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1

Honami

Listen

Huff... Huff... Huff...
2

Honami

Listen

One more... Huh?

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3

Honami

Listen

My stick...
Ow...!
4

Shindo

Listen

You have a blister.
Let's stop here for today...
5

Honami

Listen

...
6

Honami

Listen

No, I want to continue...
7

Honami

Listen

I can keep going.
8

Shindo

Listen

But...
9

Honami

Listen

I don't want to stop here...
I know everyone will regret it if we're unable to put on a performance we're happy with...
10

Honami

Listen

Also, I...
11

Honami

Listen

I'm really happy.
12

Shindo

Listen

You're happy...?
13

Honami

Listen

Compared to the others, I'm really not that great a performer. Also, I can't write songs like Ichika and Saki.
14

Honami

Listen

I've been trying to make up for those things by putting our schedules together, editing our videos and such...
15

Honami

Listen

But even so, it's always bothered me that my music skills are lacking...
16

Honami

Listen

But now...
17

Honami

Listen

I feel like I'll finally be able to make real contributions to our performances.
18

Honami

Listen

So, I want to keep going...!
19

Honami

Listen

If my performance can be of help to the others, I want to master it...!
20

Shindo

Listen

...
21

Shindo

Listen

Understood.
Then... Let's continue for just thirty more minutes.
22

Honami

Listen

Thank you very much...!
A few days later

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23

Shiho

Listen

This is it. We're performing for Mr. Ota today.
24

Saki

Listen

Mr. Shindo said we should try to relax, but I'm still pretty nervous.
25

Ichika

Listen

Yeah, but we should be fine...
I mean, we practiced a ton and had all those lengthy discussions just for this day.
26

Honami

Listen

Right.
27

Honami

Listen

(I agree with Ichika...
We did everything we could to prepare for today. All that's left now is for us to execute.)
28

Honami

Listen

(So, we should be fine.)

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29

Rin

Listen

<Hiya, girls♪>
30

Ichika

Listen

Rin? Oh, you're all here?
Did you need something?
31

Miku

Listen

<You're performing for the president of the record company soon, right? We were wondering how you're all feeling. Nervous?>
32

Luka

Listen

<Do you think you'll be able to put on a good performance?>
33

Ichika

Listen

Oh, about that...
34

Honami

Listen

Yes, we're nervous...
But... We should do just fine.
35

Honami

Listen

We all carry these wonderful feelings with us as we play. So, if we can clearly present them through our performance...
36

Honami

Listen

No, we will. I'll make sure of that.
37

Shiho

Listen

Honami...
38

Honami

Listen

So, we should all feel confident about how we're going to perform.
39

Ichika

Listen

Okay, you're right...
40

Luka

Listen

<Looks like we got all worked up over nothing...>
41

MEIKO

Listen

<Looks like it... We'll be looking forward to seeing the new and improved you perform, Honami.>
42

Honami

Listen

Thank you...!
43

Ichika

Listen

Oh, I know.
I'll put my phone over in the corner so you can listen to us play.
44

Rin

Listen

<You will?! Thanks, Ichi!>
45

Miku

Listen

<Also, isn't it almost time?
Good luck, girls.>
46

Saki

Listen

Thanks! Bye bye!

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47

Ichika

Listen

Oh...
48

Shindo

Listen

Thank you all for your patience.
We're looking forward to seeing you perform today.
49

Saki

Listen

Thank you...!
We're also looking forward to playing!
50

President of Solis Records

Haha. You certainly sound excited.
Again, I apologize for making you do this today.
51

President of Solis Records

But I've genuinely been looking forward to your performance, so I'm hoping for something outstanding.
52

Shiho

Listen

Thank you...
53

Shindo

Listen

Do you by chance happen to be ready?
If so, then we'd like for you to play a song for us...
54

Honami

Listen

Yes, we're ready.
55

Honami

Listen

Here we go, everyone...

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56

Shindo

Listen

Wow...
57

Honami

Listen

(I've been wanting to help everyone like this for the longest time...)
58

Honami

Listen

(With their musical aspirations...)
59

Honami

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(Moving people's hearts, cheering them up, bringing them together...)
60

Honami

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(Those are all very wonderful wishes, and I love how they all care so much about our music...)
61

Honami

Listen

(Which is why I want to help them achieve those goals. I want to give them all the support I can...)
62

Honami

Listen

(But I made a stark realization while training for this day...)
63

Honami

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(Just helping them won't be enough.)
64

Honami

Listen

(Someone has to pull us in the right direction and keep us acting as a single unit... To ensure that our feelings, our performances, resonate in the best way possible.)
65

Honami

Listen

(Which is why...)
66

Honami

Listen

(I can't just provide support...
I have to...)
67

Honami

Listen

(I have to lead us...!)
68

President of Solis Records

Well now...
69

Honami

Listen

(Here we go...!)
70

Honami

Listen

(The first verse...
We talked about how it encapsulates our desire to move people's hearts.)
71

Honami

Listen

(It's designed to captivate our audience...!)
72

Honami

Listen

(And that's why...it starts with you, Shiho!)
73

Honami

Listen

(Yes, we're doing well...)
74

Honami

Listen

(Next, the second verse...
This song's feel begins to slowly make a transition.)
75

Honami

Listen

(Now we're trying to show empathy for those in pain... We want them to know that we're there to help...)
76

Honami

Listen

(It's about reassuring them, so we need a kind and delicate touch...)
77

Honami

Listen

(The others can just focus on what they're doing. I'll handle everything else...)
78

Honami

Listen

(Through my drumming, I'll relay to the others what we should be feeling and how we need to be playing... All in order to put on the best performance we possibly can.)
79

Honami

Listen

(The chorus is coming up.
Get ready, Ichika...!)
80

Ichika

Listen

...!
81

Ichika

Listen

(This is incredible... Singing has never felt so easy.)
82

Ichika

Listen

(Our performance and feelings are melding into one...)
83

Ichika

Listen

(My singing is going to bring everyone together... It's like the others are pushing me to make my hopes and wishes come true...)
84

Ichika

Listen

(Which means I can do this now.)
85

Honami

Listen

(Alright, Ichika... Go!)
86

Ichika

♪————————!!!!
87

Shindo

Listen

(Talk about a nice surprise...
They're still a little rough around the edges, but they've clearly improved.)
88

Shindo

Listen

(It's not that any of them have made any dramatic discoveries or improvements.)
89

Shindo

Listen

(They've just figured out how to take what they have now, unite and drive it to the limit.)
90

Shindo

Listen

(A band isn't a band if there's only one person involved. Every member has to believe in the cause. Only then can the whole exceed the sum.)
91

Shindo

Listen

(However, achieving that isn't easy.
You have to build trust and forge deep bonds.)
92

Shindo

Listen

(No, wait...)
93

Shindo

Listen

(Ms. Hinomori is the only one with real experience working with professional artists, but...)
94

Shindo

Listen

(The four of them already have these unbreakable bonds. They genuinely believe that they can best any other band in that.)
95

Shindo

Listen

(Which means... That's their secret weapon.)
96

President of Solis Records

I like their sound...
97

Shindo

Listen

Sir...
98

President of Solis Records

I can see why you like them so much.
99

Ichika

Listen

Thank you for listening!

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100

President of Solis Records

Nice work! That was a wonderful performance, and an outstanding expression of how you all feel.
101

President of Solis Records

Now I'm very much looking forward to how you do after you debut...
102

President of Solis Records

I'll be sure to keep you in mind for that festival.

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103

Saki

Listen

*Gasp*
104

Ichika

Listen

Thank you very much...!
105

Shindo

Listen

I also enjoyed your performance very much.
106

Shindo

Listen

You in particular did an excellent job of leading your band, Ms. Mochizuki.
107

Honami

Listen

It's all because of you, Mr. Shindo...
I can't thank you enough for what you did...!
108

Shindo

Listen

No, I was just doing my job...
109

Shindo

Listen

Ah, speaking of which...
I brought some good news with me today.
110

Saki

Listen

Good news?
Oh, tell us! Please!
111

Shiho

Listen

Saki...
112

Shindo

Listen

Your wait is over...
Your debut date has been set.
113

Saki

Listen

O-O-Our...
114

Saki

Listen

Our big debut?!?!?!

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115

Saki

Listen

D-D-D-Did you hear that?!
It's really happening!
116

Shiho

Listen

Yeah, at long last...
117

Honami

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(Wow, we're really debuting...)
118

Honami

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(I struggled to figure out what I want to aspire to as a professional musician, and what I can do for this band... But I have my answers now.)
119

Honami

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(I want to help the others.
And in order for me to do that...)
120

Honami

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(I'm not only going to support them...)
121

Honami

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(I'm going to lead Leo/need forward.)