A few days later
Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Rooftop

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1

Minori

Listen

Humhumhuum♪
Today's the day we get Hasegawa's demo!
2

Shizuku

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You sound very excited, Minori.
3

Airi

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She's been bouncing off the walls like this for a little while now.
4

Minori

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Because it's our very own song!
I can't wait to hear what it's like!
5

Haruka

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Hehe. I know what you mean.

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6

Haruka

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Oh, I've got mail...
From Hasegawa.
7

Minori

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Really?!
Does that mean our original song's...!
8

Haruka

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But there's no file attached...
Let's see...
9

Haruka

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<I apologize for being unable to deliver your demo to you as planned today. I'm going to need a little more time.>
10

Haruka

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<I promise to finish it, so I hope you'll bear with me for just a bit longer.>
11

Minori

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Oh no! Is she okay...?!

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12

Shizuku

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That's hard to say.
I really hope she's feeling well...
13

Airi

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She could just be busy dealing with the response to the Yuporin dance.
14

Airi

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She promised to finish it, so let's give her some time.
15

Minori

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Okay...
16

Haruka

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(Busy, huh...?)

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17

Student C

That means they're gonna be really famous! I mean, Yuporin's using their song!
18

Student C

That's like five million followers right there. Imagine what's gonna happen when other people start posting their own content using this song.
19

Haruka

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(Something about this really bothers me...)
20

Haruka

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Sorry, but would you three be okay with starting practice without me...?
21

Airi

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Huh? Sure, but... What's up?
22

Haruka

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There's something I need to look up. I'll be right back.
23

Airi

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Alright...
In that case, let's start with some strength training!
24

Shizuku & Minori

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Okay!
25

Haruka

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(I really hope I'm wrong...)
26

Haruka

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(But let's start by looking at that song's video. Down to the comments section...)
27

Comment

<I came here after seeing the Yuporin dance! This song's so good!>
<I'm never gonna get tired of this.>
<Masterpiece.>
28

Haruka

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(Alright, a lot of positive comments as I saw before...)
29

Haruka

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Oh...
30

Comment

<I swear I've heard this before somewhere.>
<Yeah, did they copy someone else?>
<Wait, they stole this?>

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31

Comment

<Yuporin, don't use this poser's song...>
<LOL! The part about “spreading hope” in the overview.>
<Hope as in going viral by copying someone else?>

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32

Haruka

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(I knew it...
It's not just this video. People are saying the same thing on TrickTrick and PicShare.)
33

Haruka

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...
34

Haruka

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(Anyone would be happy about getting this much attention for something they did...)
35

Haruka

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(But not everyone watching or listening is going to have her best interests in mind. Some will simply have a different opinion, but others will have less wholesome intentions.)
36

Haruka

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(The more attention and positive comments someone receives, others begin writing more of these kinds of remarks. If Hasegawa's already seen these comments...)
37

Haruka

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(I had to go through a lot when I first debuted too...)
38

Haruka

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(Some criticized me for not smiling enough, some called me a terrible dancer, and some even claimed that I used my agency connections to get where I was...)
39

Haruka

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(I'm used to it now, but it felt so awful back then. No matter how hard I tried, it was like no one would acknowledge me as an idol.)
40

Haruka

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(This may very well be the first time Hasegawa's received so much attention...)
41

Haruka

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Sorry about that..!
I know we need to start practice, but mind looking at this for me really quick?
42

Minori

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What's the matter, Haruka?

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43

Minori

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Wh-What?! That's horrible!!
44

Shizuku

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Stolen...?
I seriously doubt she'd ever do that.
45

Minori

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Exactly!
I mean, the melodies Hasegawa can come up with are all so sparkly and dazzling!
46

Minori

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There's no way you can come up with that by copying someone else...!
47

Haruka

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I'm with you there.
Also...

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48

Hasegawa

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All to spread hope to others the way ASRUN did with me...
49

Hasegawa

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So I decided that I also want to write songs that can give someone hope...
50

Haruka

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You can't spread hope to others by copying someone else. Hasegawa must already know that.
51

Airi

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Yeah, you're right!
52

Airi

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At the same time, I'm surprised by how people have been going after creators like this lately.
53

Airi

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This song blowing up overnight's probably why it's attracting so many jealous or prickly people.
54

Shizuku

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Do you think these negative comments are having an effect on Hasegawa...?
55

Haruka

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That's a strong possibility.
56

Minori

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...
57

Minori

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How can people write such awful things...? On top of hurting the people they write about, they don't really benefit from writing these mean things.
58

Airi

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I don't like it either, but I kinda see where they're coming from...
59

Airi

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It's sad, but people become jealous of others when they see them succeed instead of themselves...
60

Shizuku

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Airi...
61

Airi

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However, that's no reason to hurt someone like this!
62

Haruka

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Yeah, exactly.
63

Minori

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...
64

Shizuku

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Are you okay, Minori...?
65

Minori

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Oh... Yeah...
This just reminded me what happened way back when.
66

Minori

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Remember what everyone used to say about me not so long ago?
67

Minori

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<One of these girls is not like the others.>
<What's she doing here with Haruka and company?>
68

Haruka

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Minori...
69

Minori

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But I really couldn't do anything compared to the rest of you, so I was prepared to see people write those sorts of comments...!
70

Minori

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Still, it's hard not to feel even a little deflated when they say stuff like that...
71

Minori

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Which is why I'm wondering if Hasegawa's going through what I did back then...
72

Haruka

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Hey, what if we all gave her a call...?
73

Minori

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Huh?
74

Haruka

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I think we should start by seeing how she really feels.
75

Haruka

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We've speculated for a while about her, but what if we're getting the wrong idea?
76

Airi

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Right...
But she could be stressing over what we were just talking about. What do you plan on doing if that's the case?
77

Haruka

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Then, we'll just have to help her deal with that pain.

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78

Haruka

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It's never easy for any one person to have to carry this sort of weight.
79

Minori

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Haruka...
80

Haruka

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Just after I first debuted, I remember hearing a lot of terrible things being said about me.
81

Haruka

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But my group was there to help me through that...
82

Shizuku

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Hasegawa's one of us now, so we should be there for her during her time of need.
83

Airi

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To be fair, we've all gone through something like this at some point. I'm no exception to that fact.
84

Airi

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Popular idols like you two, Shizuku, Haruka... Or rather, idols who are known throughout Japan are bound to attract some unsavory customers.
85

Haruka

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Right...
86

Haruka

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Anyway, let's try calling her.
87

Minori

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Yeah!
88

Haruka

Listen

Alright, here we go.
Ready?
89

Minori

Listen

Yeah! Hit it!

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90

Hasegawa

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<Um... Hello?>
91

Minori

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Hasegawa!
92

Minori

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Oh...
93

Haruka

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(She looks exhausted...)

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94

Haruka

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(Is it because of what happened...?)
95

Hasegawa

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<I'm so sorry about not sending you the demo on time like we agreed...>
96

Airi

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No, don't worry about that!
We get that everybody has their ups and down.
97

Shizuku

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Exactly.
You're free to work at your own pace.
98

Hasegawa

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<Thank you...>
99

Haruka

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I'm sure you've been busy too.
Especially with Yuporin's dance video and all...
100

Hasegawa

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<...>
101

Minori

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Oh...
102

Hasegawa

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<I'll put a rush on your song... I don't feel that well right now, so I'm not sure when it'll be complete... But I promise to finish it...>
103

Minori

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W-Wait...!
104

Hasegawa

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<Yes...?>
105

Minori

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Is it those awful comments...?
Is that why you're not feeling well...?
106

Hasegawa

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<...!>