Light Up the Fire - 7: RAD WEEKEND

One month before RAD WEEKEND

COL

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Locals

Whoa, this place is packed...

Locals

This looks like everyone from Vivid Street. Why do you think Nagi asked us to gather here?

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Locals

Whoa, the lights...!
What's going on...?!

Locals

Hey, look! On stage! Isn't that Nagi?

Nagi

Listen

Thank you all for joining me here today!

Owner of Crawl Green

That was quite an entrance, Nagi.
Mind telling us why we're all gathered here today?

Nagi

Listen

Straight to the point!
I've always liked that about you!

Nagi

Listen

I have something incredibly important to tell you all today.

Owner of Crawl Green

Something important...?

Nagi

Listen

So, the thing is...

Nagi

Listen

I have just a few months left to live.

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Live House Manager

What...?

Nagi

Listen

A little while ago, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer... It's already too late for me.

Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

Wh-What...? You have cancer...?

Nagi

Listen

Yes...
I know this is a lot to process...

Nagi

Listen

I can see how startled you all are...
But I owe all of you everything, so I felt it was my duty to tell you this without hiding anything.

Attractive Lady

So it's true...

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Nagi

Listen

Which is why I want to ask you all a couple of favors today.

Nagi

Listen

One month from now, we're going to put on my last event here!

Nagi

Listen

It's going to be the most amazing event Vivid Street has ever seen, and this place is going to be packed with everyone from around here... No, with non-locals too!

Nagi

Listen

My first wish is for you to all come and see it!

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Owner of Crawl Green

You want to do your last event here...?

Nagi

Listen

I do! And I've already come up with a name for it!

Nagi

Listen

It's going to be called RAD WEEKEND!

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Owner of COL

RAD...WEEKEND...?

Nagi

Listen

COL has a special place in our hearts, so I want to relive our youth one more time here!

Nagi

Listen

Just like when we gathered here on weekends way back when and sang so intensely that we lost track of day and night! That sort of energy!

Experienced Staff

RAD WEEKEND...

Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

Your last hurrah...

Attractive Lady

I'll be there. I promise...

Attractive Lady

I want to give you the right send-off!

Live House Manager

...
M-Me too...!

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Locals

Us too!

Locals

Anything for you, Nagi! Let's blow the roof off this place!

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Nagi

Listen

Hehe. Thanks, you guys.

Nagi

Listen

But I have one more wish...!

Nagi

Listen

This is going to sound a little weird...

Nagi

Listen

But, when I'm dead... Please don't say that I am.

Experienced Staff

Huh...?

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Live House Manager

Wh-What do you mean?

Nagi

Listen

Haha. Yeah, I know it sounds strange...

Nagi

Listen

So, to be more specific, I'd like for you all to tell everyone that I'm off somewhere far away instead of dead...

Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

Wait, why...?

Nagi

Listen

Because I love this city just that much.

Nagi

Listen

I want to keep living and loving life with all of you.

Nagi

Listen

But that's not going to be possible...

Nagi

Listen

So, I...

Nagi

Listen

I want all of you to say that I'm off singing somewhere else.

Nagi

Listen

That way, I feel that I'll always be in your hearts even after I'm gone.

Locals

...

Nagi

Listen

I know. What I'm asking is really strange...

Nagi

Listen

But this is one last favor... I mean, really my last.

Nagi

Listen

Can you do this? For me?

Owner of Crawl Green

Just when I thought you were all grown up, you start acting like a little kid again.

Owner of Crawl Green

So, in other words, you want us all to bend over backwards to lie to everyone we talk to, right?

Nagi

Listen

Oh...

Owner of Crawl Green

...

Owner of Crawl Green

Then, how about we do this?

Owner of Crawl Green

Nagi, in order to become a better singer, you've decided to train overseas where you'll get to experience real street music, while also having to overcome cultural and language barriers.

Nagi

Listen

What...?

Owner of Crawl Green

We'll be lying to everyone anyway, so why not make it so you never stopped chasing after your dream, right?

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Owner of Crawl Green

By telling others that story, we'll always be able to look back on the time you were with us, when we were waiting for you three to make your dreams come true.

Nagi

Listen

Sir...?

Owner of Crawl Green

How does that sound, everyone?

Owner of COL

I think it suits her. After all, she always liked reaching for the stars...

Owner of COL

You spent entire nights here as a kid singing alongside grown-ups, so it only makes sense that you want to keep rocking the world in dreams even after you close your eyes for the last time.

Owner of COL

You shot for the moon in life, Nagi, so I believe this fits you perfectly.

Locals

I agree...

Locals

Yeah, it's a crazy story... But a fun one too.

Nagi

Listen

You guys...

Nagi

Listen

Thank you.

Live House Manager

Hey, Nagi's crying like she used to when she was little!

Attractive Lady

Hehe.
What's An going to say when she sees you like this?

Nagi

Listen

N-No fair! Don't bring her up now...

Nagi

Listen

Wait, I forgot about An!
I'm really sorry, but I have one last wish!

Owner of Crawl Green

Hm? Yes?

Nagi

Listen

Please don't tell An about any of this.

Locals

What...?

Frizzly-Haired Record Store Clerk

Oh, I see...

Live House Manager

Hah hah hah! An's gonna hate us all so much when she finds out!

Nagi

Listen

I'm sorry. I know I'm asking a lot...

Owner of COL

It's okay, Nagi.

Nagi

Listen

What...?

Owner of COL

An won't like it when she learns the truth, but I also have a feeling that she'll eventually understand why you did this.

Nagi

Listen

You think so...? I hope you're right...

Taiga's Voice

Listen

Nagi, we're sick of waiting.
Can we join you already?

Nagi

Listen

Oh, sorry!
Yeah, come on up, you two!

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Nagi

Listen

So, everyone!
We'll see you at RAD WEEKEND one month from now! Get ready for a show the likes of which you've never seen before!

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Taiga

Listen

What she said! It's gonna be such an unbelievable night that no one's gonna know what to do with themselves!

Ken

Listen

We'd better see you there!
It's going to be the best event any of us have ever put on in our lives!

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Owner of COL

Hehe. That takes me back...
It reminds me of all the times they sang until they dropped.

Owner of COL

RAD WEEKEND...
I'll be looking forward to it.

RAD WEEKEND

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Nagi

Listen

Oh, look. The crowd's starting to file in.

RUST Member

Hey, you're right.
Hang on... Everybody from around town's gotta be here.

Ken

Listen

Haha. Yeah.
I recognize pretty much everyone.

Nagi

Listen

Same. I'm so glad they came...
This means we need to go out there and sing like there's no tomorrow!

Taiga

Listen

Yeah...

Ken

Listen

Are you guys all ready?

GLaP day Member

Of course. We're ready to blast off whenever.

100

Nagi

Listen

Hehe. That's what I like to hear!

101

Nagi

Listen

Thank you all so much for joining us today.

102

Nagi

Listen

My time's fast approaching, so I've been really worried about falling asleep...

103

Nagi

Listen

I've been so afraid that I wouldn't wake up.

104

RUST Member

...

105

Nagi

Listen

But practicing with you guys made me forget what's happening to me and how little time I have left.

106

Nagi

Listen

So, again, thank you.

107

Nagi

Listen

Let's make this a night to remember.
The kind of event no one's ever seen before... A night that everyone will look back on with zero regrets!

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Nagi

Listen

Let's go out there and give RAD WEEKEND absolutely everything we have!

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Everyone

Listen

Yeah!

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Nagi

Listen

Well then, I'll go start us off!

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111

Taiga

Listen

...

112

Nagi

Listen

(This atmosphere... The electricity I feel in my bones when I close my eyes...)

113

Nagi

Listen

(I love it so much.)

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114

Audience

Something seems wrong...

115

Audience

What's going on?

116

Junior High School An

Listen

Aunt Nagi...?

117

Nagi

Listen

(As much as I want to keep savoring this, I don't have time to dawdle by myself...)

118

Nagi

Listen

(With my next breath, everything begins. Including my final chapter...)

119

Nagi

Listen

(So, open your eyes. Take a deep breath...)

120

Nagi

Listen

(As long as everyone in this city keeps on living, I'll keep on singing!)

121

Nagi

♪————————!!

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122

Nagi

♪————————!!
♪————————!!

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123

Nagi

Listen

Everyone...
I'm giving this show absolutely everything I have!
So try to keep up, okay?!

124

Nagi

♪————————!!

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125

Taiga

Listen

...

126

Ken

Listen

Is something wrong, Taiga?

127

Taiga

Listen

This atmosphere feels different...

128

Taiga

Listen

It's like nothing I've ever felt before.
Not here. Not overseas...

129

Taiga

Listen

This heat. This burning sensation. It's like my body's melting from the inside out...

130

Taiga

Listen

And Nagi's singing is the source.

131

Taiga

Listen

She's lighting the way for the next generation.

132

Taiga

Listen

Look at their faces...
They have no idea what it's really like.

133

Ken

Listen

Oh, they'll find out...

134

Ken

Listen

In due time, they'll learn just how hard this life is.

135

Taiga

Listen

...

136

Nagi's Voice

Listen

Next, we have RUST!
They're all yours!

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137

GLaP day Member

Thanks, everyone!

138

Nagi

Listen

And last but not least... Us!

139

Nagi

Listen

RADder!!

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140

Ken

Listen

That's our cue, Taiga. Let's go.

141

Taiga

Listen

Alright, I heard you.

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142

Nagi

Listen

Get it together, boys.
Quit looking like grumpy old men.

143

Nagi

Listen

Let's just try to have fun today, alright?

144

Nagi

Listen

And make this an unforgettable day.

145

Ken

Listen

Yeah, she's right...

146

Taiga

Listen

...

147

Taiga

Listen

Let's do this...

148

Nagi

Listen

Okay!

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149

Ken, Nagi & Taiga

♪————~~!! ♪————~~~~!!

150

Ken

Listen

(Wow, this energy...)

151

Ken

Listen

(Us, the crowd, this venue...
It's like we're all being melted down together.)

152

Ken

Listen

(Like back in the day.)

153

Ken

Listen

(When we spent entire weekends together singing at COL. We didn't care who listened to us and never thought about going pro. We were free.)

154

Ken

Listen

(We got to sing our music the way we wanted. It's all that mattered to us... Haha. Our thought process was so simple.)

155

Ken

Listen

(This is all we want to do...!!)

156

Ken

♪————! ♪————!!

157

Ken

Listen

(An...)

158

Ken

Listen

(That's right. You'll want to stand up here someday...)

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Ken

Listen

(And it's my job to...)

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Taiga

♪————!

161

Taiga

Listen

(Man, this is the best!)

162

Taiga

Listen

(Nagi won't like me thinking this, but I wouldn't mind taking my last breath here!!!)

163

Taiga

Listen

(Nagi, Ken, everyone from around town... They're all here...)

164

Taiga

Listen

(This is the best place to be in the world right now!!!)

165

Ken & Nagi

♪————~~~~!!

166

Taiga

Listen

(Nagi, Ken...)

167

Taiga

Listen

(I... I don't want this to ever end...)

168

Taiga

Listen

(What we made together...
The best music in the world...)

169

Taiga

Listen

(I'll keep singing even in the afterlife.
I'm never letting go of it.)

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170

Nagi

Listen

I don't want you to do that for me.

171

Nagi

Listen

I want you two to walk your own paths and follow your own dreams.

172

Taiga

Listen

(Nagi...
I'm not doing this for you.)

173

Taiga

Listen

(I'm...!)

174

Taiga

♪————! ♪————~~!

175

Ken, Nagi & Taiga

♪————~~!! ♪————~~~~!!

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176

Ken

Listen

(It's over...?
Is that really it...?)

177

Nagi

Listen

Nice work, everyone!

178

Nagi

Listen

That was such an incredible event!
Like seriously the best!

179

Nagi

Listen

Thank you guys so much for agreeing to do this!

180

Taiga

Listen

Nagi...

181

Taiga

Listen

It doesn't matter what you say.
My goals aren't gonna change.

182

Taiga

Listen

I'm gonna show the world that our music is the best.

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183

Taiga

Listen

For me. No one else...

184

Taiga

Listen

So, Ken, how about you...?

185

Ken

Listen

I...

186

Ken

Listen

I realized something today.

187

Ken

Listen

All we want to do is sing like nothing else matters and feel that exhilaration we always used to.

188

Taiga

Listen

Huh?
Of course that's what we wanna do. Just because you're that dense doesn't mean the rest of us are.

189

Ken

Listen

True.
Still, I saw An's face right after that and thought...

190

Ken

Listen

I want to see what happens next.

191

Ken

Listen

I want to see how the seeds we planted today grow.

192

Ken

Listen

I want to see what the next generation looks like.

193

Ken

Listen

I want to see what happens. That's how I feel.

194

Nagi

Listen

Heh, I see.

195

Taiga

Listen

*Sigh*
I knew that people's brains turned to mush after having kids, but to think that it'd happen to you.

196

Ken

Listen

Hey, can't you just say that I'm seeing things more clearly now?

197

Nagi

Listen

Hehe...

198

Nagi

Listen

Then, I'll just have to keep watching how you two do from up above!

199

Taiga

Listen

Geez, talk about being nosy...

200

Ken

Listen

I agree. I'm not sure how I feel about having you constantly looking over my shoulder.

201

Nagi

Listen

What?! You guys are so awful!

202

Nagi

Listen

Anyway, that's it for me as a musician!

203

Nagi

Listen

And I have a feeling...

204

Nagi

Listen

That the next generation of singers is going to help keep our dream alive.

Two weeks later

Hospital

205

Ken

Listen

Nagi...

206

Ken

Listen

(I've never seen Nagi in such a frail state...)

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207

Ken

Listen

(It hasn't even been a month since RAD WEEKEND...)

208

Nagi

Listen

Oh, you two came...
Sorry, I didn't see you there...

209

Ken

Listen

No, we just got here a second ago.

210

Taiga

Listen

And we brought you some snacks. Mom visits sometimes too, right? If it seems like too much, you two can split them.

211

Nagi

Listen

Okay, thanks.
So how have things been since that night?

212

Ken

Listen

For better or worse, Vivid Street's never been crazier. We've been seeing all sorts of musicians. Some seem serious, but others not so much.

213

Taiga

Listen

Yeah. Some have already given up after realizing that they're never gonna surpass us. But others are still trying despite that.

214

Nagi

Listen

I see... What about An?

215

Ken

Listen

Do you really need to ask?
She's been asking all her friends about putting on their own event.

216

Nagi

Listen

She has...?! That's my girl. Way to take the initiative!

217

Ken

Listen

Yeah, she always leaps before she looks. Like a certain someone...

218

Taiga

Listen

Quit acting like you're any different. What about you?

219

Taiga

Listen

I mean, retiring to start a cafe?
Where's Ken and what did you do with him...?

220

Nagi

Listen

You're opening up a cafe? That's a pretty big decision. What did Yuka say? Was she mad?

221

Ken

Listen

Yeah, a little.
But she understood after we talked it out.

222

Ken

Listen

I have a feeling that the next generation is going to have its fair share of struggles, so I want to provide them with a place where they can rest and take a break...

223

Ken

Listen

Oh, while we're on the subject...
An's been looking for a partner she can trust because she wants to become just like us.

224

Nagi

Listen

Interesting. An's partner. I wonder who that's going to be. But someone just as cheerful and energetic might not be a good idea. I feel like they'd fight and argue a lot.

225

Taiga

Listen

Could be someone much more mild-mannered, you know? I mean, you used to be such a crybaby who clung to people for comfort, but you were so stubborn too.

226

Nagi

Listen

Shut up. This isn't about me.
But I do agree that someone less excitable might be best for her...

227

Nagi

Listen

An hates losing, but she's also great at looking after others.

228

Nagi

Listen

I really hope she finds someone she likes.
But it might take a while to find someone as good a singer as An.

229

Nagi

Listen

I wish I could see who she ends up with...

230

Ken

Listen

...
You're really sure about not telling An what's happening?

231

Nagi

Listen

...

232

Ken

Listen

I can bring An by if you let me tell her. I mean, don't you want to talk to her one last time?

233

Nagi

Listen

I do, but...

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Nagi

Listen

It's okay, Ken. Don't tell her.

235

Nagi

Listen

Because I believe in what I said.

236

Nagi

Listen

If anyone's going to succeed us, I'm absolutely positive that An will be one of those people.

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237

Nagi

Listen

She grew up on Vivid Street being showered with so much love and affection. And she loves everyone back. That's why I think she's so great at expressing herself through song.

238

Nagi

Listen

She's always willing to lend those in need a hand. She has no trouble cheering others up when they feel scared. She can sing for someone else's sake...

239

Nagi

Listen

Vivid Street taught me what's most important when it comes to singing, and she already knows all of that.

240

Nagi

Listen

So, I believe...
I believe An will be able to carry our dreams forward.

241

Ken

Listen

...

242

Nagi

Listen

But An's still just a girl...

243

Nagi

Listen

Things are going to be so painful for her if she learns that I'm gone for good.

244

Nagi

Listen

Everything we did together, including singing... All those good memories might turn into things she never wants to think about again.

245

Nagi

Listen

Which might cause her to quit music.

246

Nagi

Listen

I really don't want that to happen.

247

Ken

Listen

I see...

248

Nagi

Listen

I know. I'm acting like a little kid.

249

Nagi

Listen

Asking everyone to pretend that I'm still out there somewhere.

250

Nagi

Listen

A part of why I did that is because I want to stay with them forever...

251

Nagi

Listen

But I also want to see An and the next generation take up our mantle. I want to see what that future holds.

252

Nagi

Listen

Even after I'm just reduced to a name on a headstone, I want to see it happen.

253

Nagi

Listen

That's why I'm doing this...

254

Taiga

Listen

...

255

Nagi

Listen

So, um...

256

Nagi

Listen

Once you feel An is strong enough to handle hearing about what happened to me...

257

Nagi

Listen

Please, tell her everything.

258

Nagi

Listen

Tell her... Tell her I believe in her...

259

Nagi

Listen

Including what we talked about today.

260

Nagi

Listen

By that point, she won't be the little girl who always sulks whenever I can't practice with her.

261

Nagi

Listen

She'll have blossomed into a beautiful, cool young woman, who can move the hearts of everyone in this city. She'll be one of the best musicians out there.

262

Ken

Listen

Yeah, okay...
I'll tell her then. I promise...

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Nagi

Listen

Got it... Thanks.

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Nagi

Listen

Taiga...