< BURN MY SOUL | Story
Chapter 3: One on One
一対一 (? (edit))
一対一 (? (edit))
Character appearances:
.png)
Live House
Akito
(Kh...!)
Toya
♪——————!!
Kohane & An
♪——————!!!!
Audience Member
Are those guys new?
Audience Member
Seems like it. Looks like they're pretty good at singing for their age, but...
Akito
(Shit...!)
Akito
(We're all singing at full power...but we can't build an atmosphere at all...!)
Akito
(But...I can't let it end like this.)
Akito
(I'll light a fire in the audience...hype 'em all up...and prove that I can win!!)
Akito
♪——————!!
Audience Member
...! That wasn't bad just now.
Audience Member
What's this team called? ...Vivid BAD SQUAD, huh.
Ken
...
Ken
(...Akito's grown quite a bit from this intensive training. But...)
Akito
♪——————!!
Ken
——It's like he's shackled.
After the event
Live House Dressing Room
Live House Dressing Room
Kohane
We won...somehow...
An
Yeah... It was seriously close though...
Toya
But one of the regular groups was absent today. If that team was present, who knows what the outcome would have been...
Akito
...Yeah, you're right...
An
...Ahhh, sorry, d'you mind if I rest a bit? I'm super worn out...
Kohane
M-Me too... But, is that okay?
Toya
If it's just for a little while, it shouldn't be any trouble. We've already said our goodbyes to everyone, so we should have a little bit of time before Ken-san brings the car around.
An
Ah, yeah... Then, just for a little bit...
Whump
Toya
Those two fell asleep in an instant...
Akito
...Toya, shouldn't you take five, too?
Toya
Eh? No, I'm...
Akito
You're barely keeping your eyes open. You haven't slept a lot 'cause of that thing, right?
Toya
That's... You might be right.
Akito
Sleep for a bit. I'll wake you up when Ken-san gets here.
Toya
...Alright. In that case, I'll rest for a moment.
Akito
'Course.
Akito
(...The exhaustion's seriously getting to everyone.)
Akito
(There's no helping it. With the intensive training and individual responsibilities riding on their shoulders, it figures that they're using all their strength every day.)
Akito
(We managed to win today...)
Flashback
.png)
Young Musicians in Town
——Hey, wait. Isn't that...Vivid BAD SQUAD?
Young Musicians in Town
Didn't those guys get trashed by Taiga-san the other day?
Young Musicians in Town
Yeah, that's the rumor going around. A public beatdown like that...Taiga-san's a demon.
Young Musicians in Town
I thought they were going down a good path, but I guess it was no good in the end. Nobody can surpass RAD WEEKEND, after all.
End flashback
Akito
(Even at this rate, it's not enough.)
Akito
(If I don't gain enough strength, lighting a fire in them will——)
Ken
Yo, kept you waiting. ...Oh, the others are asleep.
Akito
Ah, sorry. I'll wake them up right——
Ken
No, it's fine. We still have some time before they close.
Ken
You must be tired too, Akito. You can sleep a bit.
Akito
No...I'm fine. I've still got enough energy.
Ken
I see.
Ken
...How're you doing?
Akito
Ah...
Akito
...I'm not bad. We've faced off against some pretty tough teams recently, and I feel like we've gotten stronger.
Akito
...It's just...
Ken
It's not enough, huh?
Ken
——Don't get too tense, Akito.
Akito
Eh...
Ken
You've gained a lot of strength to become who you are today. It's all thanks to how desperately you've worked until now.
Ken
But because all you think about is going higher and higher...you're not able to use your body's full strength. You're hitting a ceiling that you created for yourself.
Ken
So, right now, you should just stand still, loosen up...and sing however your heart tells you.
Akito
How...my heart...
Akito
(...He might have a point that I'm tense. It's not my best habit.)
Akito
(But, however my heart tells me...huh. Is that separate from putting my feelings into it...?)
Ken
——Akito.
Ken
Why don't we sing together sometime, man to man?
Akito
...Eh?
Ken
It'd either be early in the morning, before training, or late at night after...but, I'll give you some personal instruction for a while. Sound good?
Akito
You'd be singing...one on one with me, Ken-san?
Ken
Yeah.
Akito
...! I'd like that very much! Please allow me to sing with you!!
Ken
Oi, oi, don't raise your voice like that. You'll wake An and the others.
Akito
Ah...sorry.
Akito
(...Are you serious? Ken-san will be training me...?)
Flashback
End flashback
Akito
(Ken-san is one of the people who gave me my dream——the person I look up to.)
Akito
(That person is going out of his way to train me, one on one.
Akito
(...There's no way I could turn down an offer like this!)
Akito
Ken-san, I'll be in your care!