< Light Up the Fire | Story
CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains a depiction of terminal illness and death. Please read at your own discretion!
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The Next Day
Vivid Street
Vivid Street
Nagi
...
Nagi
(Only five months left...huh.)
Nagi
(I kinda...can't think of anything. Even though I have so little time left.)
Nagi
(Only five months left. I...)
Nagi
(What should I——)
Middle School An
——Alright, I'm gonna start! Nagi-san! You have to listen to me, okay?!
Nagi
(...It's no good. I promise I would teach her to sing...I have to keep it together in front of An.)
Nagi
...Then let me hear it.
Middle School An
Yeah! I went and practiced all the high notes, you know! I'm gonna start!
Middle School An
♪——————!
Nagi
(...An really has improved. She's like a different person from who she was a month ago.)
Nagi
(She's already absorbed what I taught her just recently...)
Middle School An
——How was that!?
Nagi
Yeah, look at you go! Your high notes are coming out so beautifully now!
Middle School An
Eh, really!?
Nagi
Really, really! I'd never lie to you, An.
Townsperson
Yeah! You were so cool! Your voice totally lifted off! Like, suuu——paaan! It felt amazing~
Middle School An
Ehehe, thanks!
Townsperson
But you're still a little uneven, like usual, and it might be better if you were able to control the finer details.
Middle School An
Hm——. I think I get it!
Middle School An
Then, maybe something like this?
Middle School An
♪————! ————!
Nagi
(Ah, she fixed it. She's got a really good sense for this.)
Nagi
(...Back when I was a kid, the people in town looked after me like this, too. They taught me to project my voice, and how to face my singing correctly.)
Flashback
Townsperson
That being said, Nagi, the fact that you're able to sing this well at this age, you've got a real bright future ahead of you!
Townsperson
Ah, you're saying you're gonna take the world, right? If you wanna do that, you've gotta have more tricks up your sleeve!
End flashback
Nagi
(...It's because I had this town that the me of today exists.)
Nagi
(I fell in love with music in this town. I practiced singing, and I met Ken. I dreamed so many dreams with them, and then——)
Middle School An
————♪
Nagi
(I——)
Nagi
(I...it's so simple...I want to celebrate my last days in this town. In this place I love so much——)
Nagi
(...Yeah, I've decided.)
Nagi
(What I'll do before the end.)
Middle School An
——Phew. Hey, how was that!?
Nagi
Yeah, you were so good, I almost took you for someone else. If it's you we're talking about, An, I bet you can go even further.
Middle School An
Yay! Alright, I'm gonna keep up the pace, and get even better than you, Nagi-san!
Middle School An
And when that happens, we have to do an event together, Nagi-san!
Nagi
Eh...
Nagi
(...Together...)
Nagi
(I'm sure if I was able to sing with a future An, who's improved even more...it'd be so much fun.)
Nagi
(But, when that time comes, I'll be...)
Nagi
(...I know...maybe——)
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That night
Ken
What'd you call us out for at a time like this, Nagi?
Taiga
...Are you feeling alright today?
Nagi
Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying about me.
Nagi
——You know, I've decided. What I wanna do before the end.
Ken
...You've already found your answer?
Nagi
Yeah. The decision was easier than I thought it'd be.
Nagi
——For my end, I wanna do an event in this town.
Ken
An event...?
Taiga
In this...town?
Nagi
Yeah.
Nagi
In this town that I love so much, I wanna make a super-heated event——enough that it'll go down in history! That's what I think!
Nagi
...I really do think it's selfish of me to ask this of you, but...
Nagi
Hey——Taiga, Ken.
Nagi
I want you to be there with me. For this event.
Ken
I understand how you feel, but...can you really do it, considering your health...?
Nagi
I already talked to the doctor about it. I said there's something I have to do before the end, so I needed his help for it.
Nagi
Well, he did say that he wouldn't recommend it because it was reckless...but he understood after I kept asking for it.
Ken
...But...
Nagi
...Today, when I was teaching An to sing, she said this to me.
Nagi
"I'm going to get even better than you, Nagi-san! And when that happens, we have to do an event together!"
Nagi
——I realized, when she said that. I'll never be able to stand on the same stage as An.
Nagi
But...you know what?
Nagi
When I'm gone, I'm sure An...no, not just An, I'm sure that in this town——someone will always, always keep singing.
Nagi
Like how I...how the three of us sang in this town. ...Just like us, when we were young.
Nagi
And, that got me thinking.
Nagi
If someone like us back then were to watch our event, and feel something from it, and then they went on to create the best music ever——
Nagi
——My dream, our dream, would be able to walk alongside theirs.
Ken
Nagi...
Ken
(The generation...that comes after us, huh...)
Ken
...I see how it is.
Ken
I'm a parent now, so...I understand, I think.
Ken
As the kids grow and move ahead of us...I'm sure that alone will create hope.
Nagi
...! Then——
Taiga
——You've gotta be kidding.
Ken
...!
Nagi
Taiga...
Taiga
I don't mind that you wanna do an event here, at the end. It's the end of your life, and I'll do anything to make it happen.
Taiga
But...y'know, "our dream will walk alongside the next generation"...I can't forgive that way of thinking.
Taiga
I——I have no intention of entrusting our dream to some bastards I don't even know the names or faces of..!
Ken
Taiga...that's not what Nagi's trying to say. Nagi wants to entrust her dream——
Taiga
It's not what she said, it's how she said it. Are you really alright with leaving your dream, our dream, in the hands of a bunch of strangers?
Taiga
——You can leave that dream to us!!
Taiga
Ken and I can still sing. We can carry it for you!
Taiga
We'll show you that our music can take over the world...!
Taiga
Then we'll show you——in the biggest venue in the world! We'll let you know, even if you're wearing headphones in the afterlife!!
Taiga
That without a doubt, our music is the best in the world!!
Taiga
That your dream——can come true!!
Taiga
That's...that's the only thing I can do for you...!
Taiga
...
Ken
Taiga...
Nagi
...But, you know.
Nagi
If that's for my sake, you don't have to.
Nagi
I want you two to go down the paths that you love.
Nagi
——Man, Taiga, you're always such a brute about everything, and Ken, you act so relaxed, but you're surprisingly reckless. You guys are a real handful.
Nagi
But when the two of you act so stupid for the things you love, I love that more than anything.
Taiga
...Kh.
Nagi
——In any case, what I'm trying to say is that we should do an event!
Nagi
At the end of my life as a musician, I want to gather the best teammates, in the best place, and have the best time ever.
Nagi
And for that, Taiga...you'll work with me too, right?
Taiga
...Yeah.
Nagi
Then it's decided. I'll go sort out the details for our venue, and you two should go look for teammates that'll work with us!
Ken
...Got it.
Ken
——Nagi.
Nagi
Hm?
Ken
When...are we telling An about this?
Nagi
Ahhh...mmm...
Nagi
...Sorry. I don't think I want to tell her for a while.
Ken
...Because, she won't be able to accept it?
Nagi
Uh...that's part of it, but——
Nagi
There's another reason.
Ken
...Another reason?
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A few days later
COL
COL
COL Owner
Is that so... It'll get lonely around these parts...
COL Owner
...If you're gonna be gone, maybe it's time I close up shop.
Nagi
Eh, why!? There's no reason for you to close up shop just because I'm dying!
COL Owner
How long do you plan on making me work? I may look young, but you know I'm almost 80. Let me rest already.
Nagi
...Ah, you're right. Sorry. If COL's disappearing too, it'll be lonely...
COL Owner
...
COL Owner
...Nagi, are you alright?
Nagi
Eh? Ahhh...ahaha. Yeah, I guess. I'm fine.
Nagi
Right now, all I've got in my head is stuff about this event! I've already thought of a name, too. It's still a secret, though.
COL Owner
...Is that so. Don't push yourself too far. Not just your body, but your heart, too.
COL Owner
I'm getting on in years too, so I think I understand how it feels to face death better than most. This is something that neither Ken nor Taiga will be able to understand.
COL Owner
...I used to think that I didn't want to get older, but experience is a useful tool. I can understand how a young girl like you must feel.
Nagi
Grams...
Nagi
...Honestly, you're always so perceptive. But, thanks.
A few days later
Practice Studio
Practice Studio
Ken
(Nagi's still at the hospital. She has been since early this morning...)
RUST Member
Yo, Ken. This is a nice studio.
Ken
Yeah, thanks for coming. Let's do our best during practice today.
RUST Member
And Taiga is...?
Ken
...I think he hasn't quite gotten his thoughts in order yet.
RUST Member
...Well, that's to be expected. So——did you end up gathering a good team for this event?
Ken
Yeah. Pretty easily. They should be showing up just about now...
GLaP day Member
——Ah, you're all here already. Sorry for making you wait!
RUST Member
Huh...are you serious, that's GLaP day! You seriously got them involved!?
Ken
We've been going up against them since our days as major artists. I knew that they'd agree if we invited them.
GLaP day Member
Thanks for inviting us, Ken, Taiga.
GLaP day Member
We were pretty on the fence about it, but when we heard that it would be Nagi's last event, we couldn't refuse. If we did, I'm sure we'd regret it for the rest of our lives.
Ken
We owe you for this, too. We're grateful that you're taking part.
Nagi
Sorry, I made you wait! It took longer than I thought it would!
RUST Member
Oh, Nagi! Are you feeling alright?
Nagi
Yeah! Doing just perfect...is what I'd like to say. But since we're gonna do this, I'll definitely make sure I'm in peak condition for the actual event!
Nagi
And when I think about the fact that we get to do this event, I work really hard during treatment.
Nagi
That aside——let's hurry up and practice! The hospital was so boring, so I'm feeling super restless now~
Ken
...Yeah. Now then——let's get this started!
— Some time later —
Nagi
♪———— ~ ~ !! ———— ~ ~ !!
GLap day Member
Nagi's singing is as mysterious as ever. How do I put it, it's like it gives me strength?
GLap Member
And for that matter...is she actually sick? Her singing feels even more powerful than usual.
RUST Member
Yeah...I've never seen spirit like this before.
Ken
...That's how much is riding on this next event for her.
GLap day Member
We can't lose to her either...
Nagi
♪—————— ~ ~ ~ !!
Two hours later
RUST Member
Well, see you tomorrow!
GLaP day Member
Take care on your way home!
Ken
Yeah, thanks.
Ken
Where's Nagi?
Taiga
...She said she left her jacket, so she's grabbing it.
Ken
...That right.
Ken
...Nagi seemed like she was doing alright today.
Taiga
...Yeah.
Taiga
I'd like for her...to make it all the way to the event.
Ken
...Yeah, me too.
???
...*pant*, *pant*...*pant*...
Taiga
Hm...? ...! Is that...!
Taiga
...Kh! Nagi!
Ken
Oi, are you okay!?
Nagi
——Eh, ah... Sorry, I'm fine. I didn't mean for you guys to see me like this...
Taiga
What are you talking about...! Now's not the time to be acting tough!
Ken
You're dripping sweat...! I'll go get you some water, hang on!
— Some time later —
Ken
Are you feeling better now?
Nagi
...Yeah. I think my painkillers wore off, but...I'm alright now.
Taiga
Alright... If that's all, then I guess it's fine...
Nagi
...Yeah...
Nagi
...Today's practice was so much fun.
Nagi
Singing with everyone, getting heated about little details, singing some more——
Nagi
It made me wish that times like this could last forever.
Nagi
But, when stuff like that happens, it makes me realize...that's not possible...
Ken
...
Nagi
...I can tell. That I'm getting worse.
Nagi
I feel nauseous more often, and my painkillers have stopped working too...
Nagi
I'll make it to the event by stubborness alone...
Nagi
But...after that, I'm sure...
Taiga
Nagi...
Nagi
Ahhh! I wish I could've kept singing in this town until I was an old woman.
Nagi
Taiga and I would be single forever! The Shiraishis would be a devoted couple, and An would grow up to be a great woman, just like me...
Nagi
...In this town, forever...and ever...
Nagi
And ever——
Nagi
...I don't...
Nagi
...I don't wanna die...
Nagi
I wanna...be here...
Nagi
I still...wanna sing...
Nagi
I wanna keep living here...with everybody...*sob*
Nagi
...*sob*...*sob*
Nagi
...Sorry. I'm being so pathetic.
Taiga
...You're so stupid...
Taiga
I told you to quit acting tough...! We're family, aren't we...!
Nagi
...Yeah. Sorry, Taiga.
Nagi
——Hey, Taiga, Ken.
Ken
——What?
Nagi
Can I ask you something weird?
Taiga
...Something weird?
Nagi
Yeah.
Nagi
When I'm gone——