< Kick it up a notch | Story
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Crawl Green
An
Excuse us! Uncle, we're here~!
Kohane
(...So this is Crawl Green. It's a little more open than COL was...)
Flashback
End flashback
Kohane
(This is where that legend started... The three of them sang for the first time on that stage.)
Toya
...So Ken-san stood and sang on that stage when he was in high school.
Toya
The ceiling is very high... If it's like this, we'll have to project more than usual, otherwise we won't be heard at the back of the venue.
Toya
...Even though it was their first live, Ken-san and the others were able to heat up the floor so much. How incredible...
Akito
...
Toya
...Akito?
Akito
...I was just thinking that this place hasn't changed a bit since I was last here. Well, I guess people don't change up interiors that much.
Akito
...But, it's good that it hasn't changed. If it wasn't this exact place, I wouldn't be able to take back the mistake I made.
Flashback
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Akito
(Why can't I sing more like them?)
Akito
(I didn't wanna smear mud all over the place I admire...)
End flashback
Akito
——I won't make the same mistake again. This time, I'll hype everyone up.
Backstage
Crawl Green Owner
Right, is this everyone?
Crawl Green Owner
I heard that Arata wouldn't be able to make it, but I wasn't expecting all four of you would show up.
Crawl Green Owner
——And the guy from before, you're not gonna run away this time, right?
Crawl Green Owner
Since you're here, I'd like to have a little chat, but...well, we don't have time. Let's discuss the acoustics first.
An
Yeah!
— Some time later —
Crawl Green Owner
Alright, I've got no problems with that.
Crawl Green Owner
All done~! Thanks for talking us through the details, Uncle!
Toya
That being said, it was something of a surprise. Seeing the owner himself adjust the equipment, instead of leaving it to the staff.
Crawl Green Owner
Of course it is. I'm starting to show my age, and I'd love to leave it to the younger folk, but...I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to things like this.
Crawl Green Owner
Especially——when it comes to an event put on by passionate people, I wouldn't be satisfied if I didn't put in my best, as well.
An
Ehehe. That sounds like you, Uncle!
Crawl Green Owner
——Well, enough about that, I've been meaning to meet with you face to face for a while, so today's perfect for that.
Crawl Green Owner
Shinonome-kun, you haven't shown your face here since that event.
Akito
...Yes. I'm very sorry for disgracing myself like that back then.
Akito
But...thank you for allowing me to sing that day. I'm very grateful that you didn't cut my performance short.
Kohane
Shinonome-kun...
Akito
Because of my failure that day, my resolve was hardened. I won't ever leave the audience hanging like that again.
Crawl Green Owner
...Right. Well then——I'll let your results speak for themselves.
An
——C'mon, Uncle. Leave it at that. You're gonna scare everyone, y'know?
Crawl Green Owner
...Right, my bad. So, that one over there is Aoyagi-kun, and the one next to him is An's partner——
Kohane
Y-Yes. I'm Azusawa Kohane! It's nice to meet you!
Crawl Green Owner
Yeah, nice to meet you. You sang a good song at your event the other day. It's what I'd expect from someone An hand-picked.
Kohane
Th-That's...thank you very much...
An
Kohane really is amazing! Uncle Taiga thinks so too, and he likes her enough that he's even teaching her to sing.
Crawl Green Owner
...What'd you say? You're the one Taiga's been looking after?
Kohane
...Eh? Ah, yes...! Taiga-san's always taking care of me...
Crawl Green Owner
I see...I wouldn't have believed it from the kid I knew. The only people I can remember him doing that for are Nagi and Ken.
Kohane
Kid... So you've known Taiga-san for a very long time.
Crawl Green Owner
Yeah, well, I've been watching him since he started singing.
Kohane
Th-That long...
Crawl Green Owner
Yeah, most of the folks in my generation are like that. Taiga and Nagi stood out, so we were always listening to them.
Crawl Green Owner
The fact that they had skill was one thing, but...beyond that, they had a crazy dream of "taking over the world".
Kohane
The world...?
An
Yeah. "Becoming the number one musicians in the world" was Nagi-san and the others' dream.
An
At first it was just Uncle Taiga singing alone. Because she liked his songs, Nagi-san started singing too...