*Sigh*

<Feel better, Kanade?>

Yes, thank you...

<Thank goodness! Man, you had us worried there for a second. We were all working and then we heard this big thud!>

<I thought my heart was gonna stop when I heard that you'd collapsed, Kanade.>

Oh... I-I'm sorry...

<Rin and Mafuyu told us everything earlier.>

<The song you're composing really has you stuck, huh?>

Oh...

<We can't really give you any advice when it comes to composing music...>

<But if there's something else bothering you, we'd like it if you could tell us.>

<Yeah. Telling us might help clear your head and make way for some good ideas.>

...

Right...

I'm struggling to capture it...

The warmth Mafuyu felt.

<You're struggling to capture it, huh...>

<Can you tell us exactly why you feel that way?>

So, I realized something after hearing that story and talking to Mafuyu's dad...

The warmth Mafuyu felt when having those apple slices was an expression of her mom's love...

I've been trying to work that into this song...
But it hasn't been going very well.

<I see...>

<Still, that's really surprising.
I feel like you'd have no trouble capturing that.>

...

<Do you know what's causing this, Kanade?>

I had a dream just now...

It was about Mafuyu being taken somewhere by her mom.

<What...?>

That was when I realized...

I'm having trouble composing this song because I still don't entirely trust her.

<You don't trust her?>

*Nod*

In Mafuyu's memories of her, as well as the story Mr. Asahina told me... She's a devoted, and deeply loving person.

But...

When I'm composing...
I keep being reminded of the coldness I felt when I actually met her.

<Oh...>

I think that's what's getting in the way of me fully realizing that warmth they talked about.

As a result, I've spent all this time running around in circles...

I just can't align the person they remember with the person I spoke to...

<...>

<I kinda get what you mean, Kanade.>

<I haven't talked to her in person like you, Kanade, but I have over the phone... And even from that, I could hardly believe a word of what Mafuyu was telling us earlier.>

<And Kanade, you've been doing so much to protect Mafuyu all this time.>

<Maybe that's helped widen this gap you're feeling.>

...

<But if you think about it...>

<It's completely normal for you to feel that way, isn't it?>

Huh...?

<I mean, how you see someone can be totally different from the way others view them.>

<And of course, understanding how someone else sees something isn't as simple as just hearing a few stories from them.>

<At least, that's my experience.>

<Yeah, you might be right...
And we're talking about a person's family here.>

<Some people can only act a certain way when they're with their families, you know? Others don't get to see that behavior...>

<We have no way of knowing what happens behind closed doors. The good and the bad.>

T-True...

(They're both right...)

(I don't think there's any way to make the way Mafuyu sees her mom align perfectly with how I picture her.)

(But unless I find some way to do it, I won't ever be able to finish this song...)

(Is that even possible...?)

(I mean...)

<Hey, Kanade?>

<At this point, I feel that all you can do is go and see for yourself.>

What?

<If I were you, I wouldn't be happy with whatever it is that I made unless I solved the puzzle you're dealing with first.>

<So, I think you should go, see for yourself... And then put that sensation, whatever you find, into your song.>

Oh...

<That might help bring your vision closer to Mafuyu's. Or, it could make things even harder for you...>

<But as long as you don't know for sure, I don't think you'll be able to move from where you are now.>

I agree...

Honestly, I didn't want to learn any more than I had to about Mafuyu's mom.

Because I was so convinced that we'd never see eye to eye. I felt that I didn't have to make an effort to understand her...

But...

That won't be enough.

I can't compose based on information that I don't have. It's impossible for me to turn a feeling I don't hold within myself into sound.

That's how things have always been for me...

<Kanade...>

Which is why...
I feel that I should get to know Mafuyu's mom better.

<You're looking a lot better already, Kanade.>

*Nod*
I'm sorry for making you worry so much, Rin.

<No, that's okay. Anyway, good luck.>

Thank you.

Then, I'll contact Mafuyu's mom now and...

<What?! Now?! Are you crazy?!
You need to keep resting!!>

Oh, right...
But sleeping feels like such a waste.
I want to keep working on...

<Are you still there, Mafuyu?! Get in here and put Kanade to bed already!>

What was that?

Oh, Mafuyu...

I heard Ena shouting just now.

<Kanade said she's gonna keep working on that song! She needs to take it easy for the rest of the day!!>

...!

Is that true, Kanade?

U-Uhh...

I said I don't want you to push yourself so hard, didn't I?

I-I'm sorry.
I promise to spend today resting.

I'm really sorry, Mafuyu...

About what?

About not being able to properly compose this song.

I want to know more...

About you and your mom.

Once I do...once I have a grasp on that warmth, I know I'll be able to do it right.

So, please bear with me for a bit longer.

Kanade...

...

I...

What?

I also want to know more.

I'm scared, but...

I want to see if what I felt was real.

Mafuyu...

Okay. Then, let's go find out together.