Hoshino Ai was focusing on her idol work for the time being, diligently practicing her runway walk for the [TGC].
Soyo, in order to help her brother prepare for the joint exhibition and the first online sale, was even proactively reducing her time with him to run errands all over the place.
Even Sakiko had given up participating in her brother's August exhibition for the sake of her band.
"Eh... How come I feel like I'm the only one with nothing to do?"
Lying on her bed, Chihaya Anon belatedly lifted her head, only to flop right back down again.
"Well, it's not like I didn't want to work hard with everyone, it's just that Rana shot down my idea..."
Something about not thinking about the live, the band having no identity right now...
What's that about? I ws thinking completely about the live when I proposed the plan!
Like... hanging up my brother's brand logo during the performance, handing out flyers to everyone during the breaks, or maybe even doing a loop of performances in the surrounding area..
...
...
Huh, is it my imagination, or do all the things I was considering really have nothing to do with the content of the performance..?
Even Soyo had only revised the plan with her from the perspective of the exhibition. As for what to play and how to arrange the setlist, neither of them had considered it at all.
...
But, is there really a problem with that? As the one with the worst musical background, it's not my place to decide those things anyway. That should be Taki and Rana's job. As for what Tomori said about me not focusing on the performance... is she worried I'll make a mistake? But I think I did well enough at the last live, didn't I?
In the end, what exactly did Rana mean by "interesting" and "identity"? They had already performed on such an amazing stage, and they were about to sign with a record company... in her eyes, wasn't that enough?
"Rana loves lives more than anyone... what part of it did she think was no good?"
Anon scratched her head.
Even if the street performance plan didn't go through, it wouldn't have a major impact on the joint exhibition or the band's upcoming new song. But Anon couldn't shake an annoying feeling, like a fish bone stuck in her throat.
Being smart and sociable, she knew very well that this kind of temporary disagreement in philosophy could gradually evolve into deeper misunderstandings and conflicts over time. Her decision was now clearly at odds with Rana's ideals. If she just let it go, there would likely be more rejections and confusion like today in the future.
Although she wasn't like Tomori, who was always throwing around words like "a lifetime" or "forever," she still very much wanted this band to last for a long time.
So, how could she resolve this subtle conflict between herself and Rana?
After a very brief moment of hesitation, Anon rolled out of bed and threw open her door—
"Big Brother! There's something I need to talk to you about!!!"
...
"I see. To put it simply, you don't understand Rana's reason for rejecting you."
After listening to his sister's story, Chihaya Tetsuya put down his pencil.
"I often don't fully understand many of her words and actions either, but this time, I get where she's coming from... Anon, your and Soyo's plan was a little too rash."
"Eh?!"
A confused expression appeared on Anon's face.
"But I thought Soyo had considered everything so carefully! A street performance is a great way to show off your clothes and attract passersby! And when we're packing up our instruments, we could probably catch the eyes of a lot of guests..."
"Mhm, from the perspective of my brand and the joint exhibition, the plan is indeed a good one. But Anon... this band doesn't just belong to you and Soyo."
Tetsuya shook his head.
"Perhaps you and Soyo can indeed prioritize my affairs. But for Rana, Taki, and Tomori, can they do the same? Why did they join this band with you in the first place, and what is it that you are all pursuing?"
"...Ah."
At that, Anon's mouth fell open.
Come to think of it, in the beginning, she had been desperate for the band to make its major debut so she could compete with Hoshino Ai... Now, the "threat" of Hoshino Ai was gone, and under Sakiko's machinations, she and Soyo had seamlessly transferred that goal to promoting [Starry Sky].
But for the other three, they hadn't actually found their next goal yet. Or rather, what they were pursuing was no longer the same as what she and Soyo were.
"Anon."
"Yes?"
"You said before that you wanted to be the leader of this band, right?"
Tetsuya said.
"If that's the case, then your job isn't just to impose your own ideas on the whole band, but to properly communicate, coordinate, and reach a consensus with everyone. So, why don't you try to remember? Why did each of them join this band in the first place?"
"..."
Tomori wanted to change and to be with everyone for a long time. Taki, aside from wanting to continue being in a band with Tomori, also wanted to improve her own musical skills.
As for Rana... she didn't quite understand hre, but the time Anon had seen her look most excited and focused was during their first performance at [RiNG]. During the support gig at the K-Arena in Yokohama, although she still played with incredible skill, she didn't show the same excitement as she had at the first live. And the most crucial difference about that first live was that they weren't a support act, nor were they performing for someone else's sake. They were simply expressing their own feelings and thoughts.
That, perhaps, was the "identity" that Rana was talking about.
"But, if that's the case, then this seemingly rash plan... already represents all of my feelings and thoughts."
Anon said with a conflicted expression.
"Because for me right now, Big Brother, you're my entire motivation. No matter how much I think about it, I'll only ever make plans that revolve around you—"
"...If that's the case, then why don't you try telling everyone that idea more directly, and then let them judge or discuss it."
Tetsuya said suddenly.
"Although it seems like Rana was rejecting you, in reality, she doesn't really understand your thoughts, does she? So, the two of you haven't actually established any effective communication... Also, don't always think about how to convince the other person. You need to properly exchange your opinions, and then find the common ground between you to decide your future direction."
As a thoughtful expression appeared on Anon's face, Tetsuya continued.
"To become the leader of this band, try to understand every single person in it. That is your next assignment."