[...
[Zutto zutto hanasanaide ite.]
As the final lyric fell, cheers rose from beneath the stage.
This not-so-perfect Live had, at least, come to a somewhat satisfying conclusion.
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Tomori, did you bring your notebook?"
Chihaya Anon chatted cheerfully with Takamatsu Tomori beside her, completely failing to notice Nagasaki Soyo behind them, who had her head lowered and a dark expression.]
Something's off with Soyo's expression!
At this moment, the girls watching outside the screen had already sensed that something wasn't right.
["Was it… was it a big success?"
Backstage, the girls—who had just finished performing—were still immersed in the joy of the Live's success. Anon asked excitedly.
"A huge success!"
"You're so loud. It was a complete success!"
Shiina Taki also seemed unable to fully control her emotions.
"Is there even a difference in wording?"
"Tomori!"
"Tomori, that was amazing!"
"Tomori, really…"
The girls were all immersed in their joy, completely failing to notice that something was wrong with Soyo.
"Why?"
At this moment, Soyo finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Why did you play Haruhikage?!"
The girl practically shouted these words.
Her hair was disheveled, and she looked nothing like the gentle, motherly beauty she had been before.
At that moment, the ED song began playing, signaling the end of the episode.]
Wait… seriously?
The girls couldn't help but look at Soyo with somewhat subtle expressions.
Was that kind of reaction really necessary?
She had seriously scared them just now!
"Soyo, you…"
Anon looked at Soyo beside her, her expression hesitant.
At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
She had just dealt with Taki—was there now another one about to blow up the band?
The girl felt a little mentally exhausted.
"It was just one performance of Haruhikage."
Taki, on the other hand, was much more direct. She crossed her arms and looked at Soyo.
"Don't you think your reaction is a bit excessive?"
"I don't know either~"
The real-life Soyo, like Sakiko, had already been through so many emotional shocks that the events playing out in the anime couldn't break her composure anymore.
However, even so, the girl still couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed inside.
After all, the version of her in the anime had been way too out of control, hadn't she?
What if it ruined her perfect image within the band?
"After all, it's just an anime—it can't represent reality, right?"
Nagasaki Soyo skillfully distanced herself from her anime counterpart.
"Besides, Sakiko looks very sad…"
This, at least, was something she genuinely meant.
"Saki-chan…"
After hearing Soyo's words, before Shiina Taki could say anything, the one who reacted first was Takamatsu Tomori, who stood up directly.
"Did I… do something wrong again?"
She looked at the maid-version Sakiko Togawa, whose tear marks hadn't completely dried yet, and said this.
"Should I… not have played Haruhikage?"
"Tomori! What we play has nothing to do with her!"
Seeing Tomori's aggrieved expression, Taki couldn't help but get worked up.
"What you choose to play is your freedom. Tomori, you sang very well."
By now, Sakiko had already adjusted her emotions. She wiped the tear marks from her face and spoke.
"Then… why did you cry, Sakiko?"
However, this time, Tomori wasn't so easily brushed off.
Meanwhile, Nagasaki Soyo, who was watching the two of them talk, had a slight flicker in her eyes.
She seemed to have vaguely found a way to break through Sakiko's emotional defenses.
"..."
Yeah… why did she cry?
Even Sakiko herself wasn't entirely sure, but she could understand the feelings of her anime counterpart.
Perhaps… it was the sense of loss.
Back then, they had been so happy—but she could never go back to that anymore.
She could no longer hold Tomori's hand anymore.
So then… what was she thinking now?
"Um, Tomori, let's talk about the Live coming up next, okay?"
Seeing that Sakiko didn't want to answer, Chihaya Anon stepped in to change the subject.
"Live…"
Although she still had doubts in her heart, the single-threaded Takamatsu Tomori was quickly drawn to Anon's topic.
"…Didn't things go well later in the anime?"
Shiina Taki said from the side.
"The anime is just a reference."
However, Anon didn't sound nearly as optimistic.
"And the challenges we'll face aren't comparable to the anime—especially if we mess up like that at the beginning…"
"It was me… I didn't sing well."
Hearing this, Tomori immediately lowered her head.
After all, the success of the Live in the anime was largely thanks to Tomori's singing.
But the early failure and chaos were also mostly her responsibility.
"Tomori…"
Seeing this, Taki immediately showed a worried expression.
"However, I'll work hard to sing properly!"
Unexpectedly, this time Tomori quickly pulled herself together.
"But I hope… someone can really watch me."
"If that happens, I believe I'll have the courage to sing."
Although Tomori's words were somewhat disjointed, those who knew her could understand what she meant.
She hoped that during the Live, someone would be watching her from below the stage—someone who could become her emotional support.
Only then would she have the courage to sing out loud.
And who could become that support for Tomori?
Combining it with what they had just watched in the anime, the answer was already obvious.
"Don't worry, Tomori."
The maid-version Sakiko Togawa couldn't help but speak up.
"On the day of the Live, I will—"
"Mutsuki… on the day of the Live… can you watch me?"
Sakiko: ?
The person Tomori had been thinking about all this time—the one who could become her emotional support—who exactly was it?
Sakiko: That person is…
Mutsuki (covering his mouth): That's right, it is I!
Sakiko's era is over—now is the era of Kamijou Mutsuki!
After realizing she had misunderstood, Sakiko Togawa's cheeks instantly flushed red.
At that moment, she truly had the urge to flee back to her old rented apartment out of sheer embarrassment.
This villa might be large, but it no longer had a place for her, Sakiko Togawa.
Watching Sakiko's awkward reaction, Shiina Taki felt a strange sense of satisfaction in her heart.
Sakiko, how unforgettable do you think you are?
However, that feeling of satisfaction didn't last long.
Why was it always either Sakiko or Kamijou Mutsuki?
Why couldn't that person be her?
Tomori, why…
In the end, Taki instead became a bit emo.
"I… won't let Mutsuki down!"
Over on Tomori's side, after receiving Kamijou Mutsuki's affirmative reply, Takamatsu Tomori couldn't help but reveal a joyful expression.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned her head to look at the "Sakiko-sensei" beside her.
"Saki-chan, what were you just saying?"
Sakiko: "..."
Wait, why are you chasing me down like this?
Noticing the other girls' gazes turning toward her because of Tomori's question, Sakiko truly felt like dying from embarrassment at that moment.
P.S.: Thanks to the suggestions from all the readers, this author has come up with quite a few ideas, but none of them can be used right now. Episode 7 is clearly the first major highlight of the anime, but the author really couldn't think of much to write, so please bear with it.
.......................