"Well… it's nothing serious."
Matsueda Azusa waved it off.
"The live show matters more right now."
"…Really?"
Shiina Rikki still looked at him with concern, scanning him carefully.
Only after confirming there were no visible injuries did she finally relax—reluctantly.
"Really, really. More real than some couple's so-called 'forever.'"
Matsueda grabbed her by the shoulder, turned her around, and pushed her toward the backstage area.
"Come on—the main character always makes a grand entrance, right?"
The moment he stepped into the dressing room—
He saw Hachiman Karin, dressed in a leather jacket and pants, arms crossed, raising an eyebrow at him.
"It's almost our turn. No time for warm-ups."
"You're not going to mess this up, are you?"
Matsueda immediately gave a thumbs-up.
"Relax. Trust me—we've got this."
"Quit messing around."
Rikki bumped her fist lightly against his.
"If you screw this up, I won't forgive you."
Looking at Matsueda smiling like that—
Rikki suddenly remembered that night.
The night Toyokawa Sakiko left the band.
That day, she had been furious.
Tomori had been hurt.
Everything had fallen apart.
And she—
She needed someone to blame.
Sakiko had disappeared.
No replies. No explanation.
Mutsuki… even if she hit her, she probably wouldn't react.
So the only person left—
Was Matsueda Azusa.
And honestly, she didn't like him much to begin with.
As the rhythm guitarist, he felt… lacking.
And Sakiko leaving—
It seemed connected to him somehow.
So she acted.
She always did.
She tracked him down to the recording room.
She kicked the door open—
And froze.
Because what she saw—
Was Matsueda Azusa.
Crying.
Silent tears.
Red eyes.
Broken.
"…Seriously?"
Rikki's anger collapsed instantly.
How am I supposed to confront you like this?
This was just annoying.
Then—
Matsueda spoke.
A tear slid down his cheek.
"Hey… Drummer."
His voice was weak.
"Do you think… it's only natural… that someone like me gets abandoned?"
"A talentless nobody… a loser…"
"…Right?"
He looked completely shattered.
Rikki's prepared words vanished.
"…No."
She blurted out instinctively.
"Of course not."
Then—
"Cough—!"
She panicked.
"No, I mean—!"
"She didn't necessarily leave because of that!"
"…Maybe she just found you annoying. That's also possible."
—Wait.
That's worse.
WAY worse.
What am I even saying?!
Rikki internally spiraled.
Matsueda's eyes dimmed further.
"…I see."
And he believed her.
After all—
Girls understand girls better, right?
And they were bandmates.
So she must've noticed something.
Matsueda grabbed his head.
Was it really because I was annoying…?
"Hey, stop crying!"
Rikki snapped, grabbing her hair in frustration.
"What kind of face is that?! Why are you crying like that?!"
"What I said isn't necessarily true! Why are you trusting me so much?!"
"…No, that's not what I meant—wait, what am I even saying?!"
She stepped forward.
Grabbed his collar.
"Listen!"
"If you think she left because you're weak—then prove her wrong!"
"…Prove…?"
"Yes!"
Rikki clicked her tongue.
"Doesn't she think we're not good enough? That we can't keep up with her talent?"
"Then we prove it!"
"Even without her—we can become something better!"
"So what if we're mediocre?!"
"I don't have talent either!"
"But if we try—"
"If we keep trying—"
"We can do it!"
She stared straight into his eyes.
"We're continuing the band."
"We're continuing CRYCHIC."
"We're continuing live performances."
"…Got it?"
Matsueda's eyes slowly regained focus.
"…I understand."
"It has to be like this."
"It must be like this."
He suddenly pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you, Drummer."
Rikki froze.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks—
And when she came back to her senses—
She was already on stage.
The stage felt wider than she remembered.
Only three people stood there.
Bassist—Hachiman KarinDrummer—Shiina RikkiGuitarist & Vocal—Matsueda Azusa
Matsueda and Karin turned and nodded at her.
Bright lights flooded the stage.
Rikki gripped her drumsticks tightly.
She nodded back.
The music began.
Matsueda took a deep breath.
[I watch… my innocent self][Appear in a story without me][Waiting for my response][A reason… for how it came to this]
The lights flashed intensely.
Rikki's grip tightened.
Her fingers turned pale.
They had practiced this countless times.
Nothing should go wrong.
And yet—
Her heart wouldn't stop racing.
This was CRYCHIC's first performance after reforming.
And this song—
Was something she created together with Matsueda.
This time—
She wasn't just someone playing for others.
She wasn't a replaceable part.
She wasn't a shadow.
Loneliness isn't about how many people surround you.
It's about whether anyone truly understands you.
Even if others stand beside you—
If they aren't the same kind of person—
Your heart remains empty.
She had once been moved by Takamatsu Tomori's songs.
But maybe—
That was just projection.
Those songs weren't about her.
They were Tomori's.
"BOOM!"
The lights froze.
Silence.
Then—
Rikki struck the drums.
Hard.
Matsueda's voice roared from the front—
[He understands, he understands—I cannot give it][So he turns and walks into the mountains]
No substitutes needed.
The rhythm surged.
Her heartbeat matched the drums.
Rikki had never felt so alive.
Hey, Toyokawa Sakiko—are you watching?
These aren't your lyrics.
We don't need your arrangements.
Just me… and Azusa… that's enough.
The two "mediocrities" you abandoned—
Are standing on stage.
Singing their own truth.
If this can continue—
Anything is possible.
Matsueda turned back slightly.
Their eyes met.
The one who understood him—
Was right there.
To repay her—
He had to create the greatest moment.
Not love.
Not obsession.
Not jealousy.
Just—
Gratitude.
Camaraderie.
Under the lights—
He saw her smile.
Free.
Unrestrained.
Had Rikki ever smiled like that before?
…Maybe not.
But she would.
[He understands, he understands—I cannot give it][So he turns and walks into the sea]
In his memory—
Toyokawa Sakiko had never smiled like that.
Had he never made her happy?
He gave everything—
And got nothing.
But now—
Playing freely—
He earned a smile.
Love is a mistake.
Liking is a sin.
Matsueda reaffirmed it.
Of course—
He understood Nagasaki Soyo.
Her actions were natural.
When people are afraid—
They prioritize themselves.
Even if it means hurting others.