Where am I...?

You came so close on this test, Mafuyu.

It's Mafuyu...!

(What's going on here...?)

I know...
I miscalculated on one problem.

I apologize for dashing your hopes.
I promise to be more careful next time.

Yes, it is a bit of a shame since you knew how to solve the problem.

You'll need to focus on your studies much more if you really do intend to become a doctor.

Okay, I will!

Anyway, I'm going up to my room to review what I did wrong.

Okay. Keep doing your best, Mafuyu.

(Mom looked so disappointed...)

I need to study...
I have to get a perfect score next time.

(So that I can become a doctor...)

Let's see... The problem I got wrong was...

...

(This cake doesn't taste like much to me.
Mom said it was good, though, so it must be.)

(But it's not just the cake.
Everything tastes a little bland lately, even restaurant food and Mom's cooking.)

I wonder if I'm just overthinking this. Maybe I should do something I like to get my mind off things for a while.

Wait...

...What things DO I like?

Haha. How strange. I must just be tired from studying so much.

Oh, that reminds me. I still need to listen to that song everyone was telling me about yesterday.

They said it's really bright and cheerful.

What exactly is a cheerful song?

I'm not sure...

What was it I liked? What did I want to do again?

Where...is the real me...

(What are the things that I like...?)

We're having beef stew for dinner tonight, Mafuyu. I know it's your favorite. Please have as much as you like.

Oh...

Thank you, I will.
Let's eat.

(My favorite...?)

Is something wrong, Mafuyu?
You don't look very excited.

Oh, is it by chance not to your liking?

N-No, nothing's wrong.
I was just thinking about something, is all.

Alright, if you say so.

Oh, here's that book you lent me the other day. It was really interesting.

Really?!
That's great! I had a feeling you'd like it, Mafuyu! Can you tell me what your favorite scene was?!

My favorite scene...?
I thought they were all very good, but...

(No matter what I do... No matter who I talk to, I keep feeling that something's wrong...)

(It's as if I'm talking about someone other than myself.)

(Who am I talking about...?)

(Everything tastes bland.)

(Nothing feels interesting.)

(And the things I say that I like are really...)

(So, what does it mean to be me...?)

(How do I find out who the real me is...?)

(The real me...)

Oh...

Is this a fragment of a feeling...?

Based on her desire to find out who the real her is...?

...

(I've listened to a lot of different songs now, but they don't do what this one does...)

(K's song has such a cold and dark tone to it, but I feel compelled by it for some reason.)

Why is it that only K's makes me feel this way...?

None of the other songs have had this effect on me, and I don't understand why...

(I just don't know...
And there's no way for me to learn why.)

(Even if I were to ask someone about this...)

Oh...

(Would the person who wrote this song know...?)

<Thank you, Yuki...>

<I doubt I would've been able to do this without you. It encapsulates what I was hoping to express now thanks to you.>

<I see...
I'm glad I could help.>

<Can I ask you something, K?>

<Huh? S-Sure, go ahead...>

<What were you trying to express with this song?>

<Hmm...
That's hard to explain...>

<A blank sense of despair...?>

<Blank...?>

<Yes, you mentioned how this song needed to feel more stagnant. That may be the best way to look at this.>

<Not a harsh sense of despair, but something more silent and gradual...>

<Does that answer your question...?>

<I see...>

Oh...!

Does this mean...?

(A SEKAI is ready to be born...?)

Where am I...?

It's so quiet, and there's no one else...

It's completely empty.

...

She wants to find... The real her...

I see...
This SEKAI is empty because she doesn't know who the real her is.

She must be in so much pain...

I want to help her...

I don't know what I can do for her...

But I'll try doing what I can.

You can do it...