Shopping Mall
Toy Store

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1

Airi

Listen

...which is why I decided to buy these things for playing competitive Hanetsuki.
2

Airi

Listen

And now, we're looking at what other New Year's games this toy store has to offer.
3

KAITO

Listen

<Yes, that's excellent!
Not only would it make for a new and fun stream, you could form teams and play against each other.>
4

KAITO

Listen

<Oh, and since you're going to play Hanetsuki, it might be good to let the winners draw on the losers, as is tradition.>
5

KAITO

Listen

<If you're worried about the ink, you could substitute it with skin-safe stickers instead.>
6

Airi

Listen

Oh, good point...!
It'd be really cute if we got plastered with stickers every time we make a mistake. Lemme take a look...
7

Ena

Listen

Why are you muttering like that?

Sound Effect: Play

8

Airi

Listen

U-Uhh...!
9

Airi

Listen

I-I'm recording ideas for our stream on my phone! So that I don't forget!
10

Ena

Listen

Oh, I didn't realize you took notes like that. I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from you, Airi.
11

Airi

Listen

Y-Yeah!
Anyway, I'm just glad that we have everything we need for playing competitive Hanetsuki now!

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12

Akito

Listen

We sorta got lucky, huh? They were running surprisingly low.
13

Toya

Listen

Yes, we managed to secure our own sets, too.
...
14

Ena

Listen

...?
What's wrong, Toya?
15

Toya

Listen

Oh, it's just... I've never actually spent this much time in a toy store before...
16

Toya

Listen

It's been an interesting experience, since I'm seeing most of these toys for the very first time. Even the ones that look familiar are ones that I'd never played with.
17

Toya

Listen

Hm...?
18

Akito

Listen

What's up?
19

Toya

Listen

Oh, so...
I noticed that they have an interactive corner for their New Year's products.
20

Airi

Listen

An interactive corner?
21

Toya

Listen

Yes, where you can test out some of the toys they have on this floor.
22

Ena

Listen

Wow, I didn't know about that...
23

Airi

Listen

Hey, it sounds like fun, so wanna go check it out?
24

Ena

Listen

Huh?
25

Airi

Listen

It might help me come up with more ideas for our stream, so I wanna try what they have! Also, it's not every day that you get to play with spinning tops or Kendama.
26

Toya

Listen

Kendama...?!
27

Akito

Listen

Ah... You wanna give it a try?
28

Ena

Listen

Well, we don't have anything else planned, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out.
29

Airi

Listen

Cool!
Then, let's go see what they have!

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30

Toya

Listen

N-Now...!

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31

Toya

Listen

Th-This is very difficult...
I'm struggling to get the ball to land in even the biggest cup...
32

Akito

Listen

I mean, everyone has a hard time in the beginning.
33

Toya

Listen

But you had no trouble getting it to land in the smallest cup, Akito. Is there some sort of trick involved?
34

Akito

Listen

Oh, I don't know if I'd call it a trick...
Instead of just using your arm, you want to bend your knees like this to basically cushion the fall...
35

Airi

Listen

These look like the spinning tops.
Hehe. I remember playing with these over at my grandma's house.
36

Airi

Listen

If I recall, you're supposed to wrap the string around like this and...
37

Airi

Listen

Spin...!
Hey, not bad! There it goes!

Sound Effect: Play

38

Ena

Listen

Oh, that doesn't seem too hard.
I might be able to do that.
39

Ena

Listen

So, you wrap it around like this and... Spin?

Sound Effect: Play

40

Ena

Listen

Hey, it's not spinning at all! Why?!
41

Ena

Listen

There...!

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42

Airi

Listen

You've improved so much!
Look at it spin round and round.
43

Ena

Listen

Hehe. That's only natural, after you did such a good job of teaching me, Airi.
44

Airi

Listen

Then, I'm gonna have mine spin next to yours.
Go...!

Sound Effect: Play

45

Ena

Listen

You're so good at this, Airi...
46

Airi

Listen

My little sister and I used to play a lot together when we were kids. We even drew pictures on them and stuff!
47

Ena

Listen

Really...?
Oh...

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48

Airi

Listen

Huh? What are you doing, Ena?
49

Ena

Listen

I feel like drawing a sketch of our tops spinning.
50

Airi

Listen

A sketch?
51

Ena

Listen

Yeah, because they're spinning so beautifully together. I don't get many opportunities to draw many dynamic scenes like this.
52

Ena

Listen

But to be fair, all I'm gonna do is draw a quick sketch in my notebook.
53

Airi

Listen

Okay...

Sound Effect: Play

54

Airi

Listen

Hehe...
You've improved so much since junior high.
55

Ena

Listen

Well, duh.
It's been like an eternity since then.
56

Ena

Listen

Also, I've gotta be at least this good if I'm actually gonna get into art school somewhere.
57

Airi

Listen

Then, can you show me once you're done?
I'm gonna go see if there's anything we can use for our stream.
58

Ena

Listen

Hm? Okay, we can meet back up later.
59

Airi

Listen

Sounds good!

Sound Effect: Play

60

Airi

Listen

(A lot happened between then and now...)
61

Airi

Listen

(But thank goodness.
It's great to see that she's still serious about art.)
62

KAITO's Voice

Listen

<Airi.>
63

Airi

Listen

Oh...

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64

Airi

Listen

I'm really sorry about earlier, KAITO!
I didn't mean to force you to hide like that.

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65

KAITO

Listen

<That's okay! You don't need to apologize.>
66

KAITO

Listen

<Anyway, was that your friend you were talking to just now?>
67

Airi

Listen

Yes, she's my best friend from junior high.
That boy's her little brother, and that's his friend.
68

KAITO

Listen

<Really! It sounds like you're having a very lively New Year's Day.>
69

KAITO

Listen

<And Airi, you have such a big smile on your face.>
70

Airi

Listen

Huh? Oh...
71

Airi

Listen

Yeah...
I am feeling pretty happy right now.
72

KAITO

Listen

<Happy?>
73

Airi

Listen

Yes.
Because my friend hasn't turned her back on her dream.
74

Airi

Listen

Even though she loves to draw, there was a period in Ena's life when that became too painful...
75

Airi

Listen

But she managed to overcome all that, and is back to pursuing her dream.
76

Airi

Listen

Seeing her draw like this again makes me really happy.
77

KAITO

Listen

<I see...
Your friend must be a very hard-working person.>
78

Airi

Listen

Yes, she is!
79

Airi

Listen

And her brother, Akito, is no different.
He and his team are apparently going over to the United States as a part of making their dream come true.
80

KAITO

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<Wow...!
He's going overseas in pursuit of his dream! He also sounds like an incredible person.>
81

Airi

Listen

Hehe. I know, right?!
82

Airi

Listen

Akito's also been a huge source of support for Ena.
83

KAITO

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<He has...?>
84

Airi

Listen

Yes, he helped her when she was really down in the dumps.
85

Airi

Listen

After I asked him to look after her for me.
86

Airi

Listen

It sounds like he's been doing it faithfully, ever since I asked.

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87

Airi

Listen

I really appreciate him.
He was there for Ena when she really needed him.
88

KAITO

Listen

<I see...
That must've been very hard...>
89

Airi

Listen

Yeah...
90

Airi

Listen

This may sound strange, but I still feel a little guilty for asking Akito to do that.
91

Airi

Listen

I'm sure what I said put a burden on him...
92

KAITO

Listen

<A burden?>
93

Airi

Listen

It was super selfish of me to ask him that, you know?
94

Airi

Listen

I didn't want Ena to be all alone, but I ended up asking someone to be there for her. Because I couldn't.
95

KAITO

Listen

<Oh...>
96

Airi

Listen

So, I feel that I should apologize to him, as well as thank him...
97

KAITO

Listen

<Then, why don't you do that today?>
98

Airi

Listen

Huh?
99

KAITO

Listen

<You're all here together like this, so you may get a chance to do so today.>
100

Airi

Listen

Yes, KAITO, you're absolutely right.
101

Airi

Listen

This is a golden opportunity, so if I find the right time, I'll talk to him!
102

KAITO

Listen

<Wonderful. Good luck, Airi!>
Next Chapter: Exchanging Thanks