Now we know what to do...!

Our mission, as Wonderlands×Showtime, is to crush the Phoenix Stage troupe!

Slow down, Tsukasa. Let's not change our priorities on a whim.

Our goal is, and has always been, to produce shows which will delight our audience. We must not forget that.

Yeah, listen to Rui! It's not good to get so tied up in knots!

M-My bad...
I need to cool off...

Yes, you should do that.
And that applies to you too, Nene.

Okay...

I didn't expect you to get so flustered, Nene, considering how shy you are.

I couldn't help it...

She was making fun of our shows.

Hehe, that is true...
That was quite unforgivable.

But the only way we should get revenge is by putting on an amazing show that knocks her socks off!

For show! Something really super amazing!

Was that supposed to be, for sure?

Yeah, for show!

Hehe. You're proud of coming up with that, huh...

Well, let's forget about that unpleasant encounter, clear our heads and get back to rehearsing!!

Yeah!

♪♪♪

How was that...?

That was good. You conveyed the girl's loneliness very well with your voice.

Yeah! It made me feel so sorry for her! I think I started to tear up...!

Thanks...

(But I'm nowhere near as good as her...)

All that's left is the final song, so shall we try it out?

The girl bursts into song as her emotions well up while watching Santa's young apprentice disappear into the snowy night.

This is the climax of the play.

Okay. Got it.

♪♪♪

Aww...! That's so beautiful...!

(I can do it, and I'm not losing control of my voice like last time...)

(And yet...)

(Her voice was stronger, richer...)

(I... I just can't sing like her...)

Alright, everybody! That's it for today.
Let's pack up and go home!

Roger♪

...

Nene, what's the matter?

Huh? Wh-Why do you ask?

You seemed a bit down, so I thought something was wrong...

Is something bothering you?

Well...

I keep thinking that my singing isn't as good as that other girl's...

Huh?

The girl from earlier? You mean Sakurako Seiryuin?

She certainly is an excellent singer and can stir her audience's emotions with the power of her voice alone...

But I believe you're in the same league as her, Nene.

Same! That puffed-up girl isn't any better at singing than you!

Maybe that's how it seems to you all...

But Seiryuin's singing is... Just so different. I can tell because I've spent so much time learning about songs from musicals.

I don't know how to put it into words, but she has a way of breathing life into each note. I don't know how I can...

Sorry. Go ahead without me. I'll stay back and practice some more.

Nene...

...

(I feel that it's my responsibility, as the stage director, to help Nene overcome her insecurity.)

Sigh... In the end, my singing was nothing special.

Is it even possible for me to ever sing like her?

(A musical with mediocre singing will only flop.)

(Which means we won't win the contest, and it'll all be my fault.)

(My fault, again...)

No... I can't let that happen again...!

I have to practice more.

I have to learn to sing better than her and make our show a success...!