Unfading Wishing

Cafe

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1

Airi

Listen

I wasn't expecting the place to be so crowded that we'd be asked to share a table.
2

Ena

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Ugh... Why do I have to start off the new year by eating pancakes with you?
3

Akito

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If you don't wanna stay, then you're free to leave. I'll have the ones you ordered.
4

Ena

Listen

What? I am not leaving.
I've also been looking forward to having them.

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5

Waiter

Listen

Thank you for your patience.
I have three plates of our limited pancakes, and the toasted sandwich drink set.
6

Toya

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Thank you. I ordered the sandwich set.
The pancakes are for these three.
7

Ena

Listen

Wow, these look amazing...!
8

Ena

Listen

Talk about photogenic! They clearly put a lot of effort into these toppings, and they're so colorful!
9

Airi

Listen

There's apparently white bean paste inside the pancakes. I'm really looking forward to this!
10

Toya

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I see... So this is how they're making these pancakes look like kagami mochi...
11

Ena

Listen

Hehe. First, I'm gonna take some pics...
12

Akito

Listen

You're taking more pictures...?
13

Akito

Listen

Anyway...
I'm gonna have these while they're still hot.
14

Akito

Listen

So, let's eat.
15

Akito

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(These are good...)
16

Akito

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(I thought it'd be a lot sweeter since they covered this whole thing in white chocolate, but the fruit's acidity is doing a good job of balancing it out.)
17

Akito

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(I definitely wouldn't mind getting more.)
18

Toya

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You seem to like them very much.
19

Akito

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Hm?
Yeah, I do.
20

Airi

Listen

You get the pictures you wanted, Ena?
21

Ena

Listen

Yeah!
Check it out. Don't they look amazing?
22

Airi

Listen

Yeah, they do!
These look better on your screen than they do in real life!
23

Airi

Listen

I know you're good at taking selfies, but you've become such a great photographer. I might have you take pictures of me sometime.
24

Ena

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No problem! I feel like I know how to make you look the cutest, Airi!
25

Airi

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Hehe. Then, I'll be looking forward to our shoot!
26

Akito

Listen

(Those two really are close.)
27

Akito

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(But it still feels kinda weird that Ena has such a good friend.)
28

Akito

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(As far as I know, Momoi's had Ena's best interests at heart ever since they first met.)
29

Akito

Listen

(Not only do they hang out like this, she's always been there to listen and cheer Ena up.)
30

Akito

Listen

(Including that time...)
A few years earlier

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31

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Hey, how long do you plan on staying cooped up in there?
32

Junior High School Akito

Listen

You can always try talking to Dad again about your future. For now, you should at least have something to eat...
33

Junior High School Ena

Listen

Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!
34

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Nothing to do with me? Do you know how worried Mom is about you right now...?!
35

Junior High School Ena

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I said stop talking!
Just go away!!
36

Junior High School Akito

...
Vivid Street

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37

Junior High School Akito

Listen

*Sigh*
38

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Seriously, how long do I have to keep putting up with this...?
39

Junior High School Akito

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(Yeah, I get that she's mad at Dad for what he said about her future as an artist...)
40

Junior High School Akito

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(But she has to know that she can't keep sulking forever.)
41

Junior High School Akito

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(She's been leaving her art crap out in the hallway lately, and any time anyone tries to talk to her she starts throwing things.)

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42

Junior High School Akito

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(I should probably just wash my hands of the whole thing.)
43

Junior High School Akito

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(Not like she's going to listen to anything I—)
44

???

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Oh...! Akito!
45

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Huh?

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46

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Momoi...?
What are you doing here?
47

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Oh, so... I've actually been looking for you, Akito. There's something I'd like to discuss with you...
48

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Sorry, I know this is really sudden.
But Ena told me a little while back that you like to hang out in this area.
49

Junior High School Akito

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I see..
50

Junior High School Akito

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So, what is it that you'd like to discuss...?
51

Junior High School Airi

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Yeah, so...
52

Junior High School Airi

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How's Ena doing...?

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53

Junior High School Akito

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What?
54

Junior High School Airi

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She's just been kind of weird lately.
55

Junior High School Airi

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I haven't been able to talk to her much lately because of work, and she clams up whenever I ask if something's wrong.
56

Junior High School Airi

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Which is why I was hoping that you could tell me more, Akito.
57

Junior High School Airi

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I know I should wait until she's ready to tell me... But I'm worried about her...
58

Junior High School Akito

Listen

Oh, I see...
59

Junior High School Airi

Listen

So, is she okay?
60

Junior High School Akito

Listen

...
61

Junior High School Akito

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Not exactly... Some stuff happened with our folks, and she's been kind of a mess ever since...
62

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Your parents?
63

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Wait a second... Did she get into a fight with your dad about her future?
64

Junior High School Airi

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She's been acting strange ever since we got those surveys regarding our plans for the future... So I figured that was probably it.
65

Junior High School Akito

Listen

...
66

Junior High School Airi

Listen

I'm sorry...
I know I'm being really nosy.
67

Junior High School Airi

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Hey, Akito...
68

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Can you do me just one favor?
69

Junior High School Akito

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A favor?
70

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Yes. I know this is asking a lot of you, and this is going to sound really weird.
71

Junior High School Airi

Listen

But...
72

Junior High School Airi

Listen

I want you to keep an eye on Ena for me.
73

Junior High School Airi

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Ena won't tell me anything.

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74

Junior High School Airi

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Every single time I ask her about what happened between her and your guys' dad, she just says, “Nothing...”
75

Junior High School Airi

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Or even, “You made your dream come true, Airi, so you keep going...”
76

Junior High School Akito

Listen

...
77

Junior High School Airi

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Ena was a huge part of me becoming an idol, but I haven't been able to give back at all. It feels like I haven't been there for her...
78

Junior High School Airi

Listen

I know this might not sound right coming from me but...
79

Junior High School Airi

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I don't have anyone else that I can rely on like that... I don't think Ena does either...
80

Junior High School Airi

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So please... I need you to look after her...
81

Junior High School Akito

Listen

...
82

Junior High School Akito

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Why do you care about her so much, Momoi?
83

Junior High School Airi

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What?
84

Junior High School Akito

Listen

You're an idol. You're someone special.
85

Junior High School Akito

Listen

So, why are you hanging out with someone as selfish as her...?
86

Junior High School Airi

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Because she's my best friend, and I owe her a lot.
87

Junior High School Akito

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You owe her?
88

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Yeah.
89

Junior High School Airi

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Like I mentioned, she helped me get closer to my dream.
90

Junior High School Airi

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When I appeared on this one variety show a little while back, one of my classmates decided to make fun of me.
91

Junior High School Airi

Listen

That was when Ena stepped in to help me.
92

Junior High School Airi

Listen

It's not like they said anything that terribly mean.
93

Junior High School Airi

Listen

But I was relieved to find out that others out there were willing to stand up for me.
94

Junior High School Airi

Listen

Even now...
She's stuck between a rock and a hard place herself, but she told me to keep doing my best as an idol.
95

Junior High School Airi

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She's been a huge source of support...
96

Junior High School Airi

Listen

She's helped me so much until now.
So, I can't just stand idly by while she suffers.
97

Junior High School Akito

Listen

She really did those things...?
98

Junior High School Akito

Listen

(She owes Ena this...)

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99

Junior High School Akito

Listen

(I sort of get what Momoi's trying to say...
Also...)
100

Junior High School Akito

Listen

(She cares this much about Ena's well-being.)
101

Junior High School Akito

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(Which means...)
102

Junior High School Akito

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(I shouldn't be so quick to abandon her.)
103

Akito

Listen

(Compared to back then, Ena's like a different person now.)
104

Akito

Listen

(To be fair, making music as a group with Akiyama and the others has played a big role...)
105

Akito

Listen

(But so has Momoi.)
106

Akito

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(And it seems like Momoi's been staying in regular contact with her...)
107

Akito

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(Come to think of it, I haven't had a chance to talk to her about what happened back then.)
108

Akito

Listen

(I should try to thank her the next chance I get.)
Next Chapter: As Her Close Friend