Whip Yourself into Shape! - 7: What Partners Are

Vivid Street

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Kotaro

Listen

Whoa! Look at this crowd...!
There's gotta be like a hundred people here!

Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

Oh...!
You're the rest of Vivid BAD SQUAD!

Toya

Listen

And you're all—

Experienced Staff Member

H-Hey, what's going on?!
Why are those two battling it out?!

Live House Manager

I started hearing some amazing singing out on the street. I couldn't believe it was them!

Attractive Lady

This isn't like those two...
Are they having a fight or something...?

Owner of Crawl Green

There must be a reason...

Toya

Listen

Yes, there is.

Toya

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I have a feeling that this is something Shiraishi needs to do.

Owner of Crawl Green

She...needs to do this...?

Toya

Listen

Yes, so we'd appreciate it if you just sat back and watched.

Toya

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While they sort things out.

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Akito

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Okazaki...!

Tatsuya

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Looks like we won't be able to leave any time soon.

Listen

Huff... Huff...

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Kohane

♪————————!!

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...!

Listen

(She really is amazing...)

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(The way her voice pierces my heart...
She's really just like...)

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(But...!)

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(I'm not about to lose here!!)

♪————————!!

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Kohane

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...

Kohane

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(The way An's singing...
I can tell she's absolutely determined to win...!)

Kohane

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(This is nothing like when we sing together on stage. I've been getting goosebumps just listening to her...)

Kohane

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(She really is incredible...)

Kohane

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(The way she sings really has this way of exciting me. It makes me want to sing like her...)

Kohane

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(But...)

Kohane

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(I also don't want to lose.)

Kohane

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(I've learned a lot since meeting her and learning how to sing.)

Kohane

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(Singing's a part of my identity now.)

Kohane

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(And I've learned how sour defeat can taste.)

Kohane

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(So... I want to win!)

Kohane

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(I don't want to lose, even to An!!)

Kohane

♪————————!!

Listen

...!

Kotaro

Listen

Huh...?! Did Azusawa just...?!

Tatsuya

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Seriously, how high is her ceiling...?

Akito

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Dunno.
But...

Toya

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One could say the same of Shiraishi.

Kohane

♪————————!!

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(Kohane...)

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(Thanks for throwing everything you have at me.)

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(I've been hearing you sing for a long time now, but this is easily your best performance yet.)

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(And you get that you need to give me everything you've got, or this battle won't matter...)

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(To be honest...)

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(I'm really scared about doing this. Even right now.)

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(Because losing means having to live with this doubt.)

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(We'll keep singing together...
But I'll be in fear while I do.)

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(Which is why... I'm going to win.)

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(In order to keep standing proud by your side.)

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(I have to win!!!)

Tatsuya

Listen

Why...?

Tatsuya

Listen

Why's Shiraishi willing to go this far...?

Toya

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Okazaki...
Have you ever felt afraid?

Tatsuya

Listen

Afraid...?

Toya

Listen

Of the way somebody sings.

Tatsuya

Listen

I mean...

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Tatsuya

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...

Akito

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She's been afraid this whole time.

Akito

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But not of Taiga...

Tatsuya

Listen

...!
She's afraid of Azusawa...?

Akito

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She's doing this to overcome that fear.

Tatsuya

Listen

Shiraishi is...?

Listen

Huff... Huff... Huff...!

Listen

(She's so good...)

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...!

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(When did all these people show up...?)

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(Toya... Akito... Kotaro...
EVER's also here...?)

Listen

(Oh...)

Owner of Crawl Green

...

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(Thank goodness.
They all came to watch.)

Listen

(I was sure they'd all show up if we sang here.)

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(Because they...)

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(They watched me grow up.)

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(To be fair, I lost sight of everything else once our battle started.)

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But this is the perfect stage for it.

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Kohane!!

Kohane

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...!

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Let's settle it with this next one.

Kohane

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*Nod*

Kohane

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I was just thinking the same thing.

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Kohane

♪————————!!!!

Listen

...!!!

Kotaro

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H-How much higher can she go...?!

Akito

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Geez, how does she do it...?

Owner of Crawl Green

An...

Listen

(Kohane...)

Listen

(You just keep finding ways to get better.)

Listen

(Even during this battle...
It's both scary and unbelievable how you're able to do that.)

Listen

(But...)

Tatsuya

Listen

She's...smiling...

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(That's why you make my heart race so much.)

Listen

(You still don't fully understand why you're the best partner I could ever ask for.)

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(You have this way of digging up everything that's been laying dormant inside of me. My doubts, how lame I really am...)

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(I never wanted to face those things, but I'm really glad that I did now.)

Kohane

♪————————!!!!

Listen

(Still, Kohane...)

Listen

(That isn't enough for me.)

100

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(I want to do the same to you.)

101

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(I want to draw everything out of you.
Hidden talents, emotions you didn't know you felt... All of it...)

102

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(I want my singing to do that!)

103

Kohane

Listen

...
Huff... Huff... Huff...!

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104

Kotaro

Listen

Whoa...!
That's the best she's done so far today!

105

Tatsuya

Listen

...

106

Tatsuya

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How's Shiraishi going to respond...?

107

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Just listen.

108

Listen

You're not gonna know what to do with yourselves.

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Owner of Crawl Green

Nagi...?

110

♪————————!!

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Owner of Crawl Green

No, wait...

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Owner of Crawl Green

This is...

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Live House Manager

...!
You can do it, An!!

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Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

You're doing great, An!!! You can win this!

115

Attractive Lady

An...!!

116

Experienced Staff Member

Finish it, An!!!

117

♪————————!!

118

Listen

(Higher...! Higher!)

119

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(I can keep going...!
I'm not about to stop here...!)

120

Listen

(Because.... I'm An Shiraishi!)

121

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(I grew up here, I trained with Nagi and her team, and everyone showered me with love and affection.)

122

Live House Manager

An...!!

123

Owner of Crawl Green

An!!

124

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(We made the commitment to take up that mantle, and we've been able to come this far!)

125

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(So, I know I can surpass her!
No...)

126

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(I'm going to!)

127

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(I'm going to surpass her!!)

128

♪————————!!!!

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Kohane

Listen

Oh...!

130

Kohane

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(My heart...)

131

Kohane

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(It's beating so fast.)

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132

Kotaro

Listen

Whoa!!
Did you see what she just did...?! That was awesome...!!

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Toya

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...
That settles it.

134

Tatsuya

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...

135

Live House Manager

Way to go, An!
That was awesome!!!

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Musicians

Nice performance, Kohane!
That was an incredible battle!!!

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Owner of Crawl Green

...

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

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Kohane

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I guess I lost.

140

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Huh...?

141

Kohane

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You really are amazing, An.

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Kohane

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To be perfectly honest, I got so excited that I forgot we were having a battle.

143

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Kohane...

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Kohane

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But... I also don't like losing...

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Kohane

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So, An, let's do this again sometime.

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Kohane

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Next time, I'm going to win.

147

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You got it!

148

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But... I'm gonna win again when we do.

149

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So I can keep being the best partner you could ever ask for!

150

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(Oh...)

151

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(Now I see. It all makes sense now...)

152

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(Sometimes I'll win, sometimes she will.
I'll be in the lead for one minute, and she will the next.)

153

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(But we'll keep pushing each other forward.)

154

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(That's what I've always wanted. A real partner.)

Next Chapter: Standing Tall