Okay, that's all the mics...

I should be able to head out now that I've finished putting everything away.

Nice work, Hinomori.
Thanks for helping out again today.

Oh, hi.
Thank you for having me again.

How's your band been doing lately?
You must be really busy now that you've had your big debut.

Yes, though things have been ramping up slowly.

And I'm sorry about all the trouble I've been causing you. I just haven't been able to work as much...

Ah, don't worry about that.

I'm just happy that I get to see someone I know become a success! Let me know if you have any questions regarding shifts and stuff.

Okay, thank you.

Is the manager here?

...!
Iori! Mio...!

Oh, Hinomori...!
Long time no see.

I'm glad we bumped into each other. We didn't know you were scheduled to work today.

Wait, you both came?
Is something the matter?

Actually, yeah.
We wanted to discuss something regarding our next show.

But if Hinomori's on her way out, mind if we talked to her for a bit first?

Huh? Me?

Haha, sure thing. I'll be taking care of some stuff over there, so let me know once you're done chatting.

See you later, Hinomori.

Oh... O-Okay, see you.

Umm... Sorry, we didn't mean to startle you or anything...

It's okay. I was just a bit surprised, is all.

So, umm...

Hehe. Try to relax.

And congratulations on your big debut, Hinomori.

Oh...

Thank you very much...

Hehe. You don't know how much Iori's been wanting to congratulate you, Hinomori.

I told her that she should just shoot you a message, but she was so adamant about congratulating you in person.

Hey, she doesn't need to know all that.

I had no idea.
Again, thank you...

No, Hinomori, don't laugh.

You girls made a really good song.
Your bass sounded so alive.

I guess it's proof that Leo/need allows you to shine at your brightest.

I appreciate you saying that.

And thank you again, for everything...

Hm?

We wouldn't have been able to go pro if it weren't for you two, Iori.

If you hadn't invited me to join your band back then, I don't think we would've ever decided to try to go pro.

Because me leaving Leo/need had become a real possibility...

Hinomori...

So, thank you.

I see...
That certainly was a path you could've taken.

But even if you did decide to leave, I doubt it would've been easy for you to actually do it.

Huh?

I mean, deep down, Hinomori, you've always wanted to keep playing music with your friends, right?

It was written all over your face back then.

Yeah, maybe you're right...

Anyway, the hard part starts here.

Because you have to keep getting better in order to stay competitive. And we're not about to let you hog all the glory.

Right!!

We promise to keep doing our best to keep up with STANDOUT.

(Phew...
It's gotten pretty late.)

Oh...

<——♪ ——♪>

(Our song's playing again...
It's coming from that billboard.)

(The music video turned out so well. We all look so serious...)

...

(She's right.)

(When I was in junior high, I tried forming a band with other people... But it didn't go well.)

(I'd convinced myself somewhere along the way that my bandmates had to be as serious as I was.)

(Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to succeed.)

(That's why... When Ichika and Saki wanted to get the band back together, I thought it wouldn't work out.)

(I mean, they didn't initially have careers as musicians on their radar.)

(But...)

(In the end, I realized that I wanted to keep playing with them.)

(My desire to go pro had always been strong...)

(But so was my desire to keep playing with them.)

<Umm... Shiho...?>

Huh?
Who just...?

Oh, KAITO...!
Is something the matter?

<I was going to ask if you'd come over and play your bass with me...>

<But I'm sorry...
I overheard your conversation at the live house.>

Oh, I see.

But that's okay.
Nothing we talked about needed to stay hidden or anything.

<Really? Thank goodness...>

More importantly, I do feel like practicing, so would you like to join me?

<Wait, now? But it's getting pretty late...>

I know. But I really feel like playing my bass right now. Just for a little bit?

<Okay, understood...
Then, I'll meet you in SEKAI and... Oh...>

<That reminds me...
Have you heard about the new area that appeared over here...?>

What new area...?