Good Morning!

“……”

As soon as we got back, I started composing. Well, ‘Started’ isn’t the right word. It’s more like it just happened on its own. It was like the songs were flowing through my head, and I was just transcribing them.

Isn’t this what it means to go mad, Great Uncle? This is how it felt for you too, isn’t it?

If this really is a curse, then I’m sure it did. Unable to move forward or backwards, my feelings just festered and decayed.

“Gh…”

If you won’t stay by my side. If you won’t be mine.

Why did you hold my hand back then? Why did you acknowledge me and say you liked my songs? The Sun, the stars, and the Moon too, you showed me all of these beautiful things. Why would you give it all to me and then tell me I can’t have it?

“……”

―I buried my head in my hands.  I really have been driven to madness. What point is there in resenting his naivety, scolding him for it, and blaming him?

But to hell with it all.

Me, you, the world, this love― Everything.

— ✈︎

I sent the completed song to Unknown within the next few days.

I received an immediate reply.

It was only delayed by a few minutes, enough to make me assume they listened to it immediately after they got it.

“It’s amazing.” After that short reply, a longer message came through. I skimmed through it.

“This is exactly what I was looking for, the second coming of Nanakuma! The distinct characteristics of unlove still remain, yet despite the fact that it’s entirely different, it still carries Nanakuma’s scent! It’s spectacular!!!”

I wasn’t really expecting any reaction in particular from this person. What I managed to gouge out from inside myself after I peeled away at the surface was a curse. Just knowing that devastated me, and I was so exhausted.

“The lyrics also pass with flying colors! The key point was to contrast the fourth movement! A love that began to be tainted with madness! Though your words differ from his, you share the same feeling that Nanakuma reached!”

Is that so? It passed? That's good. Unknown seemed to be pleased as well. Without feeling any happy feelings in particular, I began to read the lyrics I wrote myself. My swollen eyelids burned hotly.

“By my side / you are always / dreaming of somewhere far away” “Before you run away / from this fading world,” “You foresee the colors in the sky / of the place I will never be / with a straight face.”

“……”

The list of their opinions continued to grow. It seemed like Unknown was pretty excited.

“At the end of the fourth movement, Nanakuma and “that person” reached a world of silence. Even in a world without meaning or joy like music, if the two could be together, it would have felt like reaching Heaven. But “that person”, from start to finish, never looked in Nanakuma’s direction! Of course, he could not endure a situation such as that! Nanakuma died, driven mad by love!”

Is that so? He was driven mad? That’s good. I think there are times where it would feel better to be dead. I was getting tired of reading all these comments, so I decided to send a text to cut them off.

“Have you heard the rumor about the sheet music being cursed?” “I have. But I don’t believe it, since I’m not cursed myself.”

Is that so? They’re not cursed? That’s good. So this curse only affects my great uncle and myself.

“You truly are the spitting image of Nanakuma! I look forward to seeing more from you. As promised, I will send over the information regarding the fifth movement now.” Then, the data they sent to me only contained the address to a particular place. I thanked them, but never received a reply back.

It seemed like they were looking forward to it a lot, which was good. If a future does exist, then I’m looking forward to it too. Seriously.

— ✈︎

I shared the address with Onii and we decided to head there as soon as possible.

“…Here?” “This is a music store… right? A second hand one.”

We arrived at a rundown music store. Antique pianos, acoustic guitars, broken clarinets… There were a lot of vintage-looking instruments lined up at the front of the store. They still looked usable, but they were extremely old and worn.

At the back of the shop, the unfriendly looking owner was polishing a trumpet. When we walked in, they glared at us like a cranky ramen shop owner who didn’t greet customers when they came in, but then their gaze softened lightly as they pointed to a lone piano.

Urged on, I walked up to the piano and lifted the slightly raised lid. …And a stack of papers were jammed inside.

“Are these music box punch cards?” “I’m pretty sure there were some at Gramps’s house.”

Each card had a variety of sounds punched into them. It wasn’t in a music sheet format, so I wasn’t able to decipher it or play it back in my head instantly, but… there’s no doubt this was the fifth movement.

“So it’s not sheet music, but punch cards huh…” “So you play each of the cards, record it, and then combine them all at the end to form a song. It’s a bit out there, but it’s definitely like our great uncle.” Onii shook his head, impressed, but I felt like I understood why Great Uncle decided to leave the song in this format.

Since I’m sure the song would probably just get more and more mad from here.

He couldn’t allow it to end on a beautiful note, so he had it sealed away within something that has a beautiful tone. He made the rest, but he never intended on letting anyone hear it. …That’s probably what it was.

“There are lyrics too.” There were two sheets of paper alongside the punch cards. One was a note that had “I’ll contact you again.” In beautiful handwriting.

On the otherーー These lyrics were written.

“The stars you had dropped / the sun that had burnt out / the moon that had broke,” “The molten and blackened sky / this crumbling love / this broken world.” “By your side / leeching / clinging / rotting / cursing.”

“……” I felt like I was slipping into my great uncle’s mind just by looking at it, so I averted my gaze. When I looked up, I saw Onii was also staring intently at the lyrics.

“Onii?” “Uh… Ahh, sorry. I just thought the atmosphere changed a lot from the fourth movement.” “Yeah. People change a lot. …In all sorts of ways.”

After that. I double checked with the store owner, but they obviously weren’t Unknown, It seemed like the punch cards weren’t store property either. In other words, someone must have chosen this particular spot and left it there for the pickup.

The owner was a quiet person. They even refused to tell me who left them there.

My guess is that Unknown is probably a regular at the store. I’m assuming so based on the owner’s attitude when we walked in. It might take a while for the owner to warm up to you, but once they have, they feels like the type who would forgive you for anything. Like if you wedged a personal stack of papers inside an important item until a young man arrived to pick them up, for example.

“So, is it right to assume Unknown had the fifth movement?” “I’m getting even more curious about who this guy is…”

We obtained the sheet music, but we still don’t know what the true identity of Unknown is. Nevertheless, we were satisfied with what we accomplished, and we headed back home. 

— ✈︎

“What’s your plan with your fifth movement, Nanaki? Maybe you should record it and drop it while you have the chance?” “I’m gonna pass on that. The song I’m planning to release is Great Uncle’s song. Mine’s more like some kind of deviation from that.” “Then I’ll make it my most cherished possession.” “That really is an exaggeration… but okay. I’ll send you the sheet music and the audio.”

Onii nodded, so I sent him the data immediately. Onii was thrilled and quickly began to check the data.

“…Who did you make this song for?”

For a brief second, it appeared in Onii’s eyes. “When you say who…” “You wrote this while thinking about someone, didn’t you? I can tell, y’know.”

Like a night sky devoid of stars, like a sun that was reduced to ashes, like a moon that fractured and lost its light…

“Was it for him?” “Huh?”

It felt like staring into a dark, bottomless void.

“…Well, I guess it’s pretty rude to ask a musician something like that.” He quickly bounced back to his usual self, so maybe it was just a joke, or maybe I misunderstood something, or maybe he was just swept up in the atmosphere of the lyricsーー

“Don’t scare me like that, Onii.” “Sorry, sorry. Maybe I was just jealous of the person who got you to write lyrics like this.” “Geez…”

Anyways, to sum it up… The results we got today were pretty satisfactory.

“No, I just came to deliver the equipment Nanaki asked for…” “There’s no need to be so shy, please come in! Right, Nanaki-kun?” “Since Chief asked, Onii… -san, you have some time to spare, right?”

And that’s how―― “Well, I guess I could stay for a little bit.” Onii ended up visiting the HAMA House.

Being led by the giddy and excited Chief, the three of us headed to the living room to talk a little bit.

“It would’ve been great if I could’ve left the equipment at our parent’s house.” “You have school and work, so it would’ve been hard for you to go back and forth between the dorms and the house, wouldn’t it? Plus, I’ve been wanting to see Kuguri again, so I thought it was perfect timing.” “What a thoughtful big brother…! Unfortunately, Kuguri-san is out on business at the moment…”

“I dropped in so suddenly, so it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. By the way, I’m sorry for introducing myself so late. Thank you for always looking after Nanaki.” Onii said with a smile as he bowed his head to Chief. Chief waved both of his hands frantically, looking embarrassed yet very happy at the same time.

“Not at all, Nanaki-kun is the one who always helps me out so much…! If it’s no trouble to you, I’d love to hear how things are going at home!” “Doesn’t that make it feel like a home visit? Chief, have you really become a teacher after all?” “Ahaha… Well, it is my job to protect all of your student lives!”

And so―― Something I would’ve never imagined happening occurred. A pleasant conversation between Onii and Chief broke out.

“I see, so Nanaki’s doing well. I knew it already, but it makes me happy to hear it directly. Nanaki is my treasure of a little brother, y’know. He’s thoughtful, handsome, and a natural genius. He’s the kind of kid who could do anything if he put his mind to it at such a young age. Even then, he works so hard, he really is a rare breed.” “Is that so…! No, I completely agree with you!”

“You’re going a bit too hard on the praise, Nii-san…” “Really? I’m only telling the truth though. Chief-san is nodding along too.” Onii said with a straight face, while Chief nodded along with a smile. Once I saw that, I felt less inclined to interject.

“And about home, Nanaki… Both of our parents say he’s a good kid pretty much all the time. For the Nanamegi family, their second child is their pride and joy. I think so as well. The other day was our mother’s birthday, and Nanaki got these new earrings for her. She loved them so much that she wears them around every single day. Nanaki isn’t just gifted musically, he’s also gifted at making other people happy. He has such good tastes too. There’s this other story…”

This is bad. Onii’s in his “bragging about his little brother” mode.

Maybe it’s just because he doesn’t have anyone he can talk about this kinda stuff with, but he’s just firing off like a machine gun without leaving any room to pause and take a breath. 

As for Chief, his eyes have been sparkling as he said things like, “What a loving family…!” So it wasn’t much of a problem, but… I was a bit embarrassed.

Well―― “Nanaki-kun, you have such a great big brother!” Chief seemed to be enjoying himself too, so――

“Nanaki really is an amazing kid… I feel convinced after hearing all of your stories…!” Thanks to Onii, it seems like my reputation with Chief has gone up a bit, so it’s all worth it… Yup. It is.

ー✈︎

“Sorry for getting carried away like that. I had a lot of fun.” “Thank you for today, I had fun too!”

“Then, I’ll walk back with you Nii-san.” “Mm, thanks. …Then Chief-san, good night.” “Good night! Please stop by for a little longer next time!”

Onii turned around as Chief waved goodbye to him. “Chief-san is a real easy guy to talk to.” “…Yeah. He really is.”

“‘Nii-san.’” “…I knew you’d say something about it. Obviously I can’t go around calling you Onii.” “But it’s so cute. I like when you call me Onii.” After seeing me glare at him, Onii’s expression relaxed into a smile. But then, he lowered his gaze and muttered.

“…Hey, Nanaki.” “Hm?” “Um, about Chief-san…” “Huh?”

“Nevermind. …I’m looking forward to the fifth movement you’re going to make.”

ー✈︎

After parting ways with Onii, I came back to the dorms and found Chief in the middle of cleaning up.

“Oh, I’ll help.” “Thanks! Your brother was right, Nanaki-kun is so thoughtful!” That’s what he said, but anyone would put away the cups left around from a guest. Chief was always appreciative during times like this, but it felt a little lonely to me. He seems like a parent who’s happy their child is helping out.

“……” I casually spoke to Chief, as if to change my mood.

“…It feels like the dorms are pretty quiet today.” “Yeah, a lot of people from the other groups are working overnight today. There’s only a few people from the Morning Squad and the five from the Day Squad here today.” “Is that… so…” That’s when my heart started to beat a little faster. It was so quiet, it felt like we were the only ones here, but it turns out that thought wasn’t too far from the truth.

Chief was humming to himself as he dried the cups he finished washing. As I wiped down the table, my heart started beating even faster. This might be what it’d be like if I were living alone with Chief. Tomorrow would be my day off, and it’d just be the two of us in the same house. Then, we’d talk about what we planned on doing next. Maybe we’d listen to music together, or go on a stroll together in the middle of the night, or something…

“And that’s a wrap on cleaning! It’s getting late, so you should hurry on to bed.” “Ah…” Then, I awkwardly fumbled my way back back to reality. Usually, I would just nod without saying anything and go back to my room. That would be the usual, routine thing to do.

But today.  It felt like it was just the two of us.  Stepping into something that felt a little forbidden.

“Together, could we g-g-go on a…” “Yeah?” I mustered up all my courage.

“Could we go to the convenience store tonight? Tomorrow’s my day off, but I had some work I needed to do, so I wanted to get some midnight snacks…” It wasn’t a stroll, though.

“I guess it can’t be helped… I can’t let you walk around alone at this time, so sure!” I was saved by Chief’s enthusiastic thumbs up.

ー✈︎

The city is quiet at night.

As we walked together side by side, a lot of different words floated around my mind. I felt a little antsy when there were occasional moments of silence, but Chief didn’t seem to mind at all, which made me feel weirdly frustrated. 

“What’re you going to buy?” “…I haven’t decided yet.” “Cool! Then you should get whatever catches your eye.”

We kept walking until we reached the convenience store, then we both went inside. “Oh, you want to eat now?” “…I’m hungry, so.” “Then, let’s eat together.” We bought steamed buns and canned coffee.  We ate as we walked.

In a silent world where everyone else is laid to rest. It reminded me of my great uncle’s lyrics, so my thoughts started to wander in that direction.

It felt like a waste to just walk around aimlessly. I want to go back to the reality from my dream. I want reality to be better than it was in my dream. I want to make a place where it’s just the two of us a reality.

I don’t want to go back like this.

“Should we drink the coffee in that park?”

The night made me feel bolder, so I invited Chief out. What that meant was: ‘Why don’t we run off somewhere, just the two of us?’

“Hmm, we could during the daytime, but it’s pretty dark, and it’s dangerous this time of night…” But Chief kept on checking the time. What this meant was probably:

‘Because I’m a kid.’

If the one asking was Oguro-san or Kamina-san, he gladly would’ve agreed to play at a park.  I’m a kid, so I have a curfew that stops me here.

“Then, I’ll give up.” “Let’s play together in the daytime next time.”

But these are the kinds of things I like about Chief too. He has a strong sense of responsibility, and he’d never put a kid in danger. He’s a mature person with good morals. He’s someone who understands my talent. He’s cheerful, kind, and a little oblivious. And― his hands are so warm.

I wish I could hold hands with him again. If Chief was with me, if he would hold my hand forever, maybe I could live without music. Maybe I’d be satisfied even if all sounds disappeared from inside my head.

“Oh, a car.” “Oops.”

A narrow road. The moment the car passed by us, I instinctively grabbed Chief’s arm and pulled him towards me.

But he slipped away from me like a bar of soap. Away from the passing car, and my hand.

“……” I’m aware that it was just bad timing. Chief is the type of person who’d take a hand that’s offered to him, not the type to avoid it.

But.

“Am I―”

Not good enough? It’s fine if it’s a lie, just say that I’m good enough.

“Let’s hurry back home! Nanaki-kun, you have work to do, right?” He’s smiling. He smiles as if there isn’t any ill intent in his body, as he slipped away from my hand.

Because I’m a kid. Because he sees things differently than I do. Because adults and kids perceive things differently.

I’m confident that I could vault over my age in one big step, but I’m sure you don’t feel the same way.

“Got it. …I’ll work hard on my job.”

I’ll always be ready to take that step, waiting for your go signal. If you’d let me, I’d chase after whatever bone you threw me forever.

Just a few years between us has closed the lid on that in your head.

In the scenario where you fall in love with someone else, but I’m still in love with you;

Would I be able to endure that? Would I be able to wish for your happiness?

“…Today, the moon is,”

I look up at the sky. A city that’s been laid to rest. A silent world. A beautiful moon.  This is like… A love curse.

I can feel myself stagnating, like a drain that’s stopped up. Great Uncle, I don’t think I could stand it.

Your happiness without me there― Just destroy it.

“……”

I could tell Akuta knew something was up, but I managed to hide my phone screen in time and quickly went back to my room. I jumped into my bed and pulled the covers over my head.

ー✈︎

A mysterious message sent by a mysterious person. Whoever this person was, how did they know my email? How did they know I was unlove?

I couldn’t figure it out no matter how many times I read over the message, but even though I could feel alarm bells ringing in my head, the curiosity in me welled up at the idea of learning more about my great uncle’s music.  I wanted to know more, I wanted to follow this lead, and I wanted to be the one to obtain it. So I’m convinced a fifth movement exists.

“Who am I speaking with?”

I sent. It wasn’t like this was the first time someone figured out I was unlove. Like how the kind-hearted music critic, Adolf-shi, did.

“I can’t tell you that right now. I’m just a fan of you and Nanakuma.”

I received.

As for how they found my email… I’m not sure, but anyone with a bit of experience in that kinda thing could probably figure it out if they wanted to.

Still, I can’t rule out the possibility that this is a troll, or that someone was trying to harass me or something. I had the passing thought that dealing with this kind of person might be more trouble than it’s worth.

But I couldn’t stop my fingers from typing.  That’s how captivated I was with “the fifth movement.”

“Then excuse my frankness, but what did you mean by the fifth movement?” “Anyone in certain circles already knows that you’ve been collecting the sheet music. The public only knows about the first four, but there’s more to that piece.”

I was wondering what “circles” they meant, but it’s no matter.

…I already figured that was the case.  Because if it were me, I wouldn’t have ended the piece there. 

“Even if you say that, I still have a lot of questions… But still.” Even if he’s suspicious and shady, it doesn’t matter. I’m gonna stick with this person.

…The continuation of my great uncle’s story of music and love. I want to see the proper conclusion through to the very end. 

“So? Where’s this fifth movement?” “In order for me to give it to you, you must fulfill my conditions first.” “Is it money or something?” “Not quite. I’d like you to write the fifth movement yourself.”

“Huh?” I never would’ve guessed they’d say something like that.

For a second, I thought the entire thing about the fifth movement was made up and they were just some fan who wanted someone to write a sequel to the original, but―

“I’m not asking you to create the perfect replica of the fifth movement or anything. I’d just like you to write it as if you were imagining what the sequel would be like… It should be based on your own interpretation, tastes, and sense.”

“So it’s fine if it’s original? Like one of those quizzes where there’s no wrong answers?” “Exactly. If the song satisfies me, then I’ll show you where the original fifth movement is. In that sense, you could say it’s something like a quiz. How does a two week deadline sound?”

“……” Things were progressing so quickly, I forgot to give them a reply. I just kept reading as they continued.

“Since you’re the spitting image of Nanakuma, Nanaki-san, I’m sure a challenge such as this will be a walk in the park for you. Well then, I’ll be in touch.”

…And the message ended there.  Snapping out of my daze, I tried replying with things like “Hold on a moment,” and “Wait,” but I didn’t receive a reply. 

“Seriously…?”

Could I even do something like that? Me? Continuing my great uncle’s song? Just to fulfill the demands of some person who could just be conning me?

I immediately started to send another message. The recipient was Onii, of course.

I told him about how I received a strange message. About the existence of a fifth movement.  Everything I knew from my exchange with the person called Unknown. And the conditions they set for me.

Then, Onii replied to me. “I’d like to meet up to talk ASAP.” “? Sure, I don’t mind, but…”

We had plenty of opportunities to talk about this, it didn’t even have to be in person… what had gotten into him?

I was a little confused, but I ultimately decided to go back to my parents house. I let Akuta know I was staying the night and I’d be going to school from there. 

ー✈︎

Before I could even catch my breath after making it to my parents’ house, Onii got straight to the point. “Maybe you should take a break from finding the sheet music for a while? I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep going until we verify the identity of this guy and find out everything we can about the fifth movement.” Maybe it’s just because he was worried for me, but Onii didn’t seem too thrilled about the discovery. His handsome face was twisted in concern as he stared at mine.

“…I get why you’re hesitant. But, don’t worry, I don’t plan on blindly believing this Unknown person.” “So we’re just gonna put a pin in it for now, yeah?” “Now you’re being too hasty. …I plan on making my own version of the fifth movement.” “WHY!?”

Onii yelled out in a loud voice. I thought that was a little weird. Onii has always supported my mission to collect the sheet music ever since we found the first movement. He’s always been the type to respect what I wanted to do.

Maybe Unknown is actually a much more dangerous threat. Well of course they are, they’re just some random person who dug up private information about me and contacted me out of nowhere… but…

“The fifth movement might be something I could only get with a chance like this.”

I couldn’t stop thinking about that.  Hearing me say that, Onii’s eyebrows furrowed a bit.

“I don’t feel any type of way about Unknown. I’d eliminate anyone in the world who would harm you, Nanaki, so you don’t have to worry about that.” “That’s a little extreme… but putting that aside, if you’re not worried about Unknown, then why are you so cautious over this?” “……”

Onii was silent for a moment, looking unusually hesitant before he finally spoke up.

“…You recorded up until the fourth movement. Of course, I was the first one to listen to it all. And it was amazing. It even has your own arrangement. I wanted to walk around boasting about just how talented my little brother is.” “…Thanks for that.”

“But, after I listened to it… I got a bit of an uneasy feeling… So I decided to do some research on the sheet music myself.” “An uneasy feeling?”

What in the world did he mean by that?Maybe this was something like his older brother instincts kicking in… Actually, what the hell is an older brother's instincts anyways?

“Instead of asking just our relatives, I looked into fanatics that were collecting all sorts of information related to Nanakuma… People who were in communities like Adolf-shi, underground websites, and things like that. When I was just looking for the sheet music, it was pretty straightforward, but this time was a bit more unusual.”

“Right. Did you find anything?”

Onii hesitated again before he slowly started speaking once more.

“‘The curse of our great uncle’s sheet music.’”

“…What’s that?”

“Our great uncle’s sheet music has a curse on it. If you collect all of them and play the whole thing, you’d go insane and die. That’s why he tore it apart and sold it in pieces rather than selling it whole.” “……” “Great Uncle died because of that very curse that his sheet music had.”

“…Uh, that’s…” I hesitated at that too. There are a lot of things in this world that can’t be proven with science, but… A curse…? And on top of that, Onii, who I considered to be more on the realist side, seems fully convinced…

“I get what you want to say, Nanaki. I mean, who would believe in a rumor like that? It’s not like I wholeheartedly believe it either.” “Then…” “But… What if it were true? What if you get cursed…? Your sense and your talent is very similar to our great uncle’s, so maybe it’s possible.”

I see, I got it now. So that’s what it boiled down to.

Onii’s typical overprotectiveness is coming out.

Onii had that kind of side to him. Like he cares about me a little too hard. I’m grateful for that side of him, though. So, as he sat there looking depressed, I decided to lightly pat his back and laugh it off. That's my job as a younger brother, after all.

“It’ll be fine, Onii will eliminate the curse.” “It’s not that simple, y’know… No, you’re right.” “Right? So I’m gonna do it. I might have to rely on you again, but I really want to know the conclusion of Great Uncle’s love and the song. “……”

Onii stared at me for a while before he shrugged his shoulders in defeat.  He agreed to help me, but added, “I’m not a fan of the idea, but if Nanaki really wants me to.” I knew that my Onii was the best brother ever.

Onii watched as I laughed cheerfully, unable to hold back the beaming smile on my faceーー

“It’s better if you don’t learn about love. Not other people’s… or your own, either.” He seemed to mutter something like that to himself, but my parents came back home before I could ask him what he meant, so it got glossed over in the end

ー✈︎

And so, the next day came, and I began to compose my own version of the fifth movement. 

With school, my club activities, and my work as a Ward Mayor, my free time was pretty limited, Since I didn’t have much time until the deadline was over, I tried to avoid making any other plans and focused solely on composing for the next two weeks.

I told everyone in the Day Squad that I had a job that suddenly popped up. Akuta promised to keep quiet as much as he could when he was in our room, and Kiroku told me he’d try to help out in any way he could. Muneuji taught me some breathing techniques to help with concentration, and even though Ushio didn’t say anything in particular, he offered me some broken chocolate that he said he had left over from baking.

And soー “Okay…” After preparing myself as much as possible, I holed myself up in my room and continued composing in silence. I tried checking my phone several times, but Unknown didn’t send me anything else.

“……”

About my great uncle. About the characteristics of his songs. His mannerisms. About what he must have been thinking. The world he saw. The things he felt. As if I fumbled around my imagination, I slipped into my great uncle’s world.

*knocking*

“?!”

Startled by the sudden knocking, I jumped in surprise. Then, I heard Chief’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Nanaki-kun, are you there? Your brother came to visit.” “Huh!?”

Location: Hama Asunaro High School Community Revitalization Club Room

Sakujiro: ――Alright, everyone. Good work on submitting your work experience reports. 

I have read through everything you submitted, and all of your reports were EXTREEEEEEEEMLY interesting!

Kiroku: Eh… you read… through everything…? In just… a few seconds…? 

Akuta: Kari-sen, your aura is INSANEEEE!!! How many eyes do you have!? 

Ushio: Literally. I find it hard to believe this guy isn’t an android himself. 

Sakujiro: Fufufu, you flatter me so. At any rate…

Your summer work experience assignment has been completed! Please give yourselves a round of applause for your efforts! 

All of the Day Squad: LET’S GOOO!!!

Location: HAMA House Living Room

Raito: ――I see. I’m glad everything turned out well. You all worked so hard. 

Nanaki: It’s all thanks to your investment, Raito-san. Thank you. 

Muneuji: I’m deeply grateful for the valuable experience you allowed us to have.

Akuta: Plus you even gave us some pocket money too… You’re way too generous, dude… Is this what it means to be a real man…? 

Raito: Haha. I didn’t do anything special. I just gave you back the profits you earned. Just think of it as something you worked for.

Nanaki: Right…!

Raito: Ah right, regarding the future of “Seafoam Coffee”, I’ve decided to entrust it to a reliable company. Of course, the name you all chose will remain the same. 

Nanaki: ! That’s great… Thank you so much!

Kafka: Ah, there you are. Nanaki and company.

Muneuji ＆ Nanaki ＆ Akuta: ?

Kafka: Do you all still accept coffee orders? I have to work a little harder, you see. Would you mind making a cup of coffee for me? 

Muneuji ＆ Nanaki ＆ Akuta: ――Of course!

Location: HAMA House Dining Room

Kafka: Mmm, it smells good.

Oh right, I’ve been wondering this for a while, but how did you come up with the name “Seafoam Coffee”?

Nanaki: Ahh, umm… “Sea” and “Coffee” are pretty self explanatory, but “foam” comes from thisーー

Nanaki: Look, when you pour hot water over coffee beans, foam appears. All of us were practicing hand-drip coffee and we got really into our conversation about the foam. 

Muneuji: Initially, it was created after we combined the words together, but Natsume-san interpreted it as the word “seafoam” in relation to the ocean. He thought it was beautiful sounding and it reminded him of The Little Mermaid.

Kafka: I see, that does sound like Yodaka. 

Daniel: Oh, what’s this? You’re making coffee? Niceee, I’ll take some too. Ahh, and I oughta bring some to Nayuki since he’s always working his ass off too.  

Kafka: Fufu, it looks like “Seafoam Coffee” won’t be going out of business anytime soon. 

Location: HAMA House Boar Room

Muneuji: Pardon my intrusion. I came to deliver your coffee. 

Location: HAMA House 3F Balcony

Nanaki: Here, Kugu-nii. I brewed the coffee you asked for. 

Kuguri: Ah, thank you. I’ve been waiting for this.

Location: HAMA House Terrace

Akuta: ーー‘n thennn, after you let it steep for 3 mins, you just press this bar on top anddd… 

You got a French press coffee! See!? It’s light work, right!? 

Well, I can only handle like 2 drops of it though!

Ten: Ughh… Tired. Nanaki～ Could I get some coffee? 

Liguang: My apologies, Kaguya. Could I ask you for some coffee? 

Netaro: Waru [1]!  One coffee with sugar and spice, and everything romantic and nice!

Location: HAMA House Dining Room

Nanaki: Ah, Natsume-san. Good work today. I heard the coffee roaster arrived todayーー 

Woah, is this it? It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d be…

Yodaka: Fufu. After hearing about the recent coffee trend going around at HAMA Tours, Raito decided to splurge a bit on one. It was quite generous of him. 

Nanaki: Haha, right. Since we’re here, do you want to roast some beans together? …A dark roast, just how Natsume-san likes it. 

Yodaka: Fufu, that sounds wonderful. Then if you’d like, how about we brew each other some coffee using those? With hand-drip coffee, even if we use the same beans, the taste will differ depending on the brewer, won’t it?  

Nanaki: That sounds nice.

Nanaki: …Mm, it’s delicious. As I’d expect from the coffee you’d brew, Natsume-san. It has a rich taste with a subtle and pleasant sense of bitterness. 

Yodaka: Thank you. The coffee you brew, Nanaki, tastes refreshing upon the first impression. But there are several different elements that intricately intertwine with one another, creating a beautiful sense of harmony on the tongue, almost like music. I really like it. 

Nanaki: …Haha, that’s a little embarrassing. 

Yodaka: There’s nothing embarrassing about it. Your skills are practically like a professional, Nanaki. I would love to have you serve coffee at Yumejuya one day. 

Nanaki: Were you planning on expanding the café menu? 

Yodaka: That would be a good idea… I was also thinking of making cocktails using espresso. 

Nanaki: Oh wow, those exist? 

Um, Natsume-san. If you don’t mind, could you teach me more sometime?

About coffee, and about Natsume-san as well.

Yodaka: Indeed, that sounds wonderful. I was also hoping to hear more about yourself as well, Nanaki. So we should definitely have a nice conversation with each other.

Perhaps we could have one over a nice cup of coffee. 

Previous — ✈︎ Masterlist

Notes — ✈︎

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Nanaki: I get being scared. But――

You’ve had the strength to carry these feelings with you for so long, so I’m sure you have the courage to take that next step forward.

Yodaka & Asumi: !

Nanaki: I don't think that courage is meaningless. There has to be worth in confessing, I know it.

Asumi: … …Yeah. I see. You're exactly right.

*waves crashing*

Asumi: —I'm going to go see her.

Yodaka & Nanaki: …—

Asumi: …After a lot of thought, I decided I wouldn't confess, and simply treasure these feelings inside me forever. But…

For me, that only made my feelings swell up, and I just ended up hurting myself more and more.

I don't know if confessing will lighten my feelings or make them unbearably painful, but… I think I should face them head-on, so I don't have any regrets.

Yodaka-san, Nanaki-kun. Thank you for giving me advice on this. All the things both of you said have cheered me up.

Yodaka: (Aah, I see…)

Nanaki: Glad to hear it… …Yeah. Now that you've said that, I can finally say this—

—I'll be rooting for you.

Asumi: Right…!

Yodaka: (Is that how it is—…?)

*waves crashing*

Location: Beach

*coffee brewing*

*coffee pouring*

Yodaka: —Here are your two coffees.

Asumi: Thank you. I'll get going to senpai's house, then.

Nanaki: Safe travels.

*walking*

Nanaki & Yodaka: ……

Nanaki: …I wonder if she'll be alright.

Yodaka: ?

Nanaki: It feels a little late to say this, but…

I'm a bit worried that I overstepped with what I said. Hopefully I didn't push her in the wrong direction.

Yodaka: Don't worry. I think your perspective is exactly what she needed to hear.

Nanaki: —…

Yodaka: I also told her what I thought about it… and I only said what I truly felt. But even so—

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Yodaka: Both of these options you gave yourself seem exceedingly cruel and painful, almost as if it were a potent poison. The only thing it would do is cause yourself to suffer. 

…If you were to consume that poison, you, along with your feelings of love, would dissolve into foam. If that were to happen… I cannot say I believe it’s the right course of action. 

Location: Beach

Yodaka: All this time, I only focused on ways to avoid hurting anyone, since I subconsciously thought that was the right thing to do… so all my advice hinged on that.

It's a bad habit of mine.

But listening to you both, watching you both… I began to truly believe that conveying your feelings would be nice.

Yodaka: As you said, communication is important, and just as valuable—that's what I realised.

Nanaki: —Right.

Nanaki: (In the past, I'd probably have thought the same way she did. But now—)

Akuta: Here ya go, thanks for waitin'! Uh, next customer! Let me take your order!

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Muneuji: Thank you for waiting. Here are your Turkish coffee and mocha blend iced coffee.

Raito: Haha, they're certainly doing well.

Yodaka: Aren't they? One of our regulars wrote an online article about us as thanks for giving her advice.

Nanaki: I didn't know Asumi-san did that kind of work.

Yodaka: It never came up in our discussions, did it.

Nanaki: Asumi-san… probably won't be coming here again.

Yodaka: I wonder. Whatever the case, she's moving forward, so there's likely no reason for her to look back anymore.

Nanaki: …That's true.

(That day…)

*waves crashing*

—That day, she was anxious all the way up until it was time for them to part, at which point she finally confessed.

Her senpai was shocked, thought for a moment, apologised for not being able to return her feelings, then said "Thank you for telling me, I'm glad that you like me."

When she told us, she was sobbing uncontrollably—

Yet weirdly enough, her face was free of worry.

It was such a lovely expression that I couldn't help but envy her.

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Nanaki: Ah, right, there was something I wanted to ask you, Raito-san.

Raito: Hm? What is it?

Nanaki: I want to try making lattes and espressos as well, so… could you lease an espresso machine for us?

Raito: You want to do that now? I know we've been able to bring in quite a bit of revenue and successfully turn a profit, but we'll be closing soon, you know? Getting an espresso machine for so few days would be…

Yodaka: Haha, apologies. It was actually me who said I wanted to make espressos.

Raito: Huh?

Yodaka: If we can't get a machine, I'd be happy with a moka pot and milk frother. I imagine they'll pay for themselves in no time, so would you consider it?

Raito: …Heh, I see. Got it. I'll arrange something right away, then.

Nanaki: …

Akuta: You've been speaking up a lot more lately, Yodaka-san. Finally feels like you're a real coro… co-owner!!

Muneuji: Indeed. There was a certain sophistication in the way you initially took a step back, but… it seemed quite lonely too, so I'm glad to see your current attitude.

Nanaki: —That reminds me, Natsume-san. Isn't it time for your break?

Yodaka: Aah, you're right. I'll excuse myself for a moment.

Nanaki: Want some coffee? Just let me know what kind you like, or if you’re in the mood for something in particular…

Yodaka: Perhaps a strong, dark roast coffee, then.

—That type of coffee is my favourite.

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Raito: Sorry for the wait. I brought the cooking utensils you guys requested. Could you make sure it’s all there? 

Akuta: Thanks a bunch! A hand mixer aaand the tiniest pot ever…! If you just looked at these, you prob wouldn’t be able to tell what kinda truck we run huh?

Raito: Hahah. I do find the idea to serve Dalgona coffee and Turkish coffee to be quite interesting though.

Nanaki: This area gets a lot of international tourists, plus we’re in the tourism industry ourselves.

I thought serving coffee from various different countries would be pretty unique and interesting.

Raito: I see. It’s certainly true that differentiating yourselves from other stores by highlighting unique features is a good idea. Any advice from you, Yodaka-san?

Yodaka: No, this was their plan. I trust the three of them to be able to handle other matters as well.

Raito: I see.

Muneuji: Natsume-san has held onto that firm stance since the very beginning. Although I’m honored that you have faith in us that much and entrust us with the responsibility, I can’t help but worry that you may have actual complaints or opinions that you’re not voicing.

Nanaki: True. Natsume-san, please feel free to tell us if anything comes up.

Yodaka: …Right, thank you both.

Location: Road by the Seaside

Akuta: It’s so hoottttt～ Let’s finish up these deliveries so we can have some snowcones at the beach… 

Nanaki: Yeah, sounds good. …Wait, huh? 

Akuta: ? What’s up?　

Nanaki: Over there, is that…? …Sorry, Akuta. Give me a sec. 

Akuta: EHHH!? WHERE ARE YOU GOING, NANAKIIIII!? 

Nanaki: ――Asumi-san!

Asumi: ! Nanaki…kun.　

Nanaki: S… Sorry to call out so suddenly… I was working on a delivery and I just happened to see you… 

Asumi: Ah, really…? What a coincidence…

Nanaki: …Are you okay?

(Her complexion is off… and her eyes are red…)

Asumi: ……

Nanaki: Did… something happen? 

Asumi: ………My senpai… Aika-senpai. She’s moving away. 

Nanaki: Eh?

Asumi: To another country no less.

Nanaki: …Why all of a sudden…? 

Asumi: I don’t know about the details or anything, but it seems to be because of her partner. 

Nanaki: …Ah.

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Touma: It’s not about buying coffee beans or anything, but… I actually had something I wanted to try doing overseas.

I was working myself hard to save up money to do it… But I just got so busy that I completely forgot about my goal and my feelings behind it.

Location: Road by the Seaside

Nanaki: ……

Asumi: What do I do…? I’ll never be able to see her again.

I decided not to confess my feelings, but I never thought I wouldn’t be able to see her again… Uuu… Sniff… 

Akuta: Heeey Nanaki, why’d you――……

Wait, woah, holding my horses…… I’m a guy who can read the room. 

Nanaki: …Asumi-san. I really can’t bring myself to root for you after all. 

Asumi: Eh?

Nanaki: Since you’re clearly not okay with this at all.

To keep suppressing your feelings like this until everything turns out okay again would――

(For example, if I put myself in her shoes. If I couldn’t say anything to that person, and then I found out that we’d never see each other ever again…)

――It’d feel more painful than dying.

Asumi: !

Nanaki: I understand what you’re feeling. I know just how much the feeling of love could feel like holding a deadly weapon against another person.

But unrequited feelings aren’t something that you can easily throw away. No matter how hard you try to keep them deep inside, you’ll always think about wanting to “convey” them, won’t you?

Plus―― Even if the other person doesn’t respond the way you hoped they would… 

Maybe if you expressed those feelings, and they’re properly received, maybe “something” could come out of it…!

Asumi: Nanaki-kun…

Nanaki: …I still want to believe in that possibility. Rather than just success or failure, these feelings could lead… to something beyond that…

Asumi: …But…

Nanaki: ………

Asumi: ………………

Akuta: ……RIGHT, RIGHT!! Excuse me for a bit, you twooo～

Nanaki: Akuta…

Akuta: This is just a suggestion buuuut…

If ya want, how about coming to my fave coffee truck in the whole world to drink some super yummy coffee and refresh our heads?

Akuta: SO, YODAKA-SAN! Make that thing! Y’know, that! The newest thing we have on our menu that’s super fluffy!

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Yodaka: Thank you for waiting. Here you are. This is the Dalgona coffee that Akuta recommended.

Asumi: Thank you…

Yodaka: I take it you heard about Aika-san’s plans to move? 

Nanaki: The way you phrase that… Did you know already, Natsume-san? 

Yodaka: I happened to run into her the other day.

Yodaka: ――Eh? You’re moving overseas?

Aika: Yes. …But, I haven’t even told the kouhai I’m closest to about it yet. It feels like I’m betraying her in a way, so I’m not sure how to go about telling her about it. 

Location: Seaside, in front of the Coffee Truck

Yodaka: I knew you would hear about it eventually, but… I suppose she finally told you, right? 

Asumi: …Yes.

Yodaka:  (…It truly is difficult, isn’t it? If you told the person, it’s inevitable that you would hurt her.)

(But if you were to keep it hidden, that would hurt the both of them even further.)

(So just what could you do to avoid an outcome where someone gets hurt?) 

Asumi: …It’s delicious. 

The first coffee I had with my senpai when we were students was sweet like this too.

I can’t remember when it started… Even back then, I already loved her so much… Uu… Uugh…

Yodaka: ……

Nanaki: Um… Asumi-san.

Asumi: ?

Nanaki: I know I’ve already said so much, but putting aside the question on whether or not you should confess, why don’t you meet with Aika-san in person and talk to each other?

To spend some time with each other again, even if it’s over one cup of coffee… That would be enough.

Yodaka: (Nanaki…)

Nanaki: I get being scared. But――

You’ve had the strength to carry these feelings with you for so long, so I’m sure you have the courage to take that next step forward.