Rekindle the Flame - 7: This Drive

A few minutes later

Shibuya Park

Slade

Listen

Alright, are you ready?

Akito

Listen

Yeah, I'm ready whenever...

Sound Effect: Play

Slade

♪————————!

Akito

Listen

(I felt something different while hearing him sing just now.)

Akito

Listen

(What if this is the special something that KAITO said I might come across?)

Akito

Listen

(If that's the case...)

Slade

Listen

Okay, Akito, you start us off!

Akito

Listen

Alright.

Sound Effect: Play

Listen

Phew...

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Listen

Morning runs really are the best!
They do such a great job of getting your brain going!

Kohane

Listen

Yeah, and since they get us warmed up, we can start singing as soon as we're done.

Listen

Yeah!
We need to practice a lot more, so let's use our time wisely!

Listen

Because if we really are gonna set out into the world, we've gotta make use of every minute and second we have...!

Listen

I'm sure Akito's doing that as we speak!

Kohane

Listen

Right.

Listen

Huh...?

Listen

Do you hear that? I think it's coming from the park.

Kohane

Listen

Oh, you're right... Are people singing?

Listen

What if him and Toya already started practicing...? Let's go see!

Sound Effect: Play

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Kohane

Listen

That's Shinonome... But who are those other two...?

Sound Effect: Play

Toya

Listen

Azusawa! Shiraishi!

Listen

Oh, Toya! What's going on here?

Toya

Listen

I don't know yet either.
They were already singing by the time I arrived here at our normal time.

Akito

♪————————!

Cedric & Slade

Listen

...

Akito

Listen

(Give it your all...!)

Akito

Listen

(Sing with everything you have!)

Akito

♪————————!

Cedric

Listen

...

Slade

Listen

Wait.

Akito

Listen

...!

Slade

Listen

Sorry for interrupting you.
But...

Slade

Listen

What's going on? Why are you singing like that?

Akito

Listen

“What's going on”...?

Slade

Listen

Is it because it's so early in the morning?
Or are you not feeling well...?

Slade

Listen

Oh, did you need a little more time to warm up? I did sorta rush you!

Cedric

Listen

Slade...

Slade

Listen

I mean...

Slade

Listen

This isn't what you really sound like, is it...?

Akito

Listen

...

Slade

Listen

Why...?

Slade

Listen

Why aren't you saying anything?

Slade

Listen

We agreed not to hold back. Sing with everything you have. You did during that event, right...?

Akito

Listen

...

Slade

Listen

What's going on...?

Slade

Listen

Is your resolve really that weak?

Akito

Listen

My resolve...?

Slade

Listen

You're gonna stand on top of the world, right? But you're never going to get there singing like that...

Akito

Listen

Wait, why do you know about—

Slade

Listen

Forget it.

Slade

Listen

We're gonna be the ones who stand on top of the world!

Slade

♪————————!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Toya

Listen

(...!
The way he's singing!)

Kohane

Listen

(It's so piercing and straightforward... But more importantly...)

Akito

Listen

...

Akito

Listen

(He wasn't singing at 100% before...!)

Slade

♪————————!
♪————————!

Akito

Listen

Whoa...

Sound Effect: Play

Akito

Listen

(How's he doing this...?!)

Akito

Listen

(It's like I'm being shaken from the core...!)

Slade

♪————————!

Akito

Listen

(I'm not about to let him walk away with this.)

Akito

Listen

(I can't let things end here!!)

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Akito

♪————————————————!

Slade

Listen

...!

Akito

Listen

(Just keep singing! Make full use of this feeling...!)

Akito

♪————————!
♪————————!

Slade

Listen

Oh...!

Cedric

Listen

This is incredible...

Akito

Listen

Huff... Huff...

Akito

Listen

(It's been a while since I last sang like my life depended on it.)

Slade

Listen

Akito!

Sound Effect: Play

Akito

Listen

Whoa! Why are you—

Slade

Listen

I knew it!
You can sing like a pro!!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Slade

Listen

Thank you!
That was totally awesome!

Akito

Listen

Th-Thanks...

Cedric

Listen

Sorry for my brother letting his emotions get the better of him just now.

Akito

Listen

That's fine.
What he said actually opened my eyes.

Cedric

Listen

Really? That's good to hear.

Akito

Listen

But more importantly...
What you said about us standing on top of the world—

Cedric

Listen

I need to apologize to all of you as well. I'm sorry if we interrupted your practice.

Akito

Listen

Huh...?

Sound Effect: Play

Akito

Listen

Wait, you guys were already here?

Toya

Listen

Yes, but only for a little bit.

Slade

Listen

Huh? All of Vivid BAD SQUAD's here now...!
I didn't notice at all...!

Slade

Listen

Whoa... There's so much I wanna ask you guys! Man, where do I even begin...?!

Cedric

Listen

We're out of time, Slade.
If we don't start heading over now, we're really going to miss our flight.

Slade

Listen

Y-Yeah, I know...!

Slade

Listen

*Sigh*
Then, let's go, Ceddy.
Thanks for agreeing to do this with me, Akito!

Akito

Listen

Oh, you guys are leaving?

Cedric

Listen

Sorry, but we really are out of time.

Cedric

Listen

That being said, we're aiming for the same place as you, so I'm sure we'll meet again...

Listen

The same place...?

Slade

Listen

That's right!
We need to at least tell you guys this!

Slade

Listen

You guys put on an absolutely amazing performance during RAD BLAST. But...

Slade

Listen

We're the ones who are gonna see what lies beyond Nagi's dream!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

Kohane

Listen

Huh?

Slade

Listen

So, we'll be waiting for you in the states!

Slade

Listen

See you guys!

Sound Effect: Play

100

Listen

Was he talking about Aunt Nagi just now...?

101

Kohane

Listen

Yeah... We all heard the same thing just now, right?

102

Toya

Listen

Yes...

103

Akito

Listen

So many questions left unanswered...

104

Akito

Listen

(But...)

105

Akito

Listen

(I guess the world must be full of guys like them...)

106

Akito

Listen

(Singers who can put on unbelievable performances like it's nothing...!)

107

Akito

Listen

Hm...?
What is it, Toya? Why are you staring at me like that?

108

Toya

Listen

No, it's just...

109

Toya

Listen

I feel like you're back to being your usual self.

110

Akito

Listen

Yeah, me too.

Next Chapter: The Flame Rekindled