The Next Day
Kamiyama High School Class 1B
Kamiyama High School Class 1B
Toya
(It was a good thing I decided to go to the forest to facilitate our team's shared image—)
Toya
(About 70% of Japan's land is covered with forests. Which forest do I go to...)
Toya
(Alright. I'll check the library during lunch.)
— Some time later —
Akito
Oi, Toya. Let's have lunch...huh?
Akito
Oi, where do you think you're going without your lunch?
Toya
The library. I'm going to find out which forest has just the right amount of forest-ness to it.
Toya
So I'm sorry, but we're going to have to split up for lunch today.
Akito
O-Oh.
Akito
That's the thing... You don't really have to do that, y'know?
Akito
It's not like you absolutely have to go. If you want, you can just talk to Taiga-san and ask him to give you the song that Kohane listened to—
Toya
No, it's a good opportunity. I want to do everything I can for our team.
Toya
Also, even if it solved the problem this time, there's no guarantee that it won't happen again in the future. I want to find some kind of solution.
Toya
So I'm going to do as much as I can without interfering with my practice... Would that be wrong?
Akito
I'm not stopping you. I don't wanna discourage you, but have you even travelled alone before?
Toya
No, I haven't. Up until middle school, my family went to the Vienna Music Festival every year. We weren't allowed to go anywhere alone.
Toya
All I could do was...stare out the hotel window at the city and the stars.
Toya
My mom used to drive me to school and back when I went away for competitions.
Akito
Once again, that's one hell of a house...
Toya
Yeah... I understand that I was living in a unique environment compared to my surroundings.
Toya
I haven't...experienced anything that a normal person would experience in life.
Toya
That's why I want to make sure I have the right experiences now.
Akito
...If that's the case, just do whatever you want.
Toya
Thanks, Akito. Then I'm off to the library.
Akito
(I don't think he's gonna budge even a little bit. Once he decides to do something, he'll see it all the way through.)
An
Ah, it's Akito! Lunch with Toya again today?
Akito
I was gonna, but Toya went to the library to research forests.
An
Eh? He's really going to go for it!
An
Well, if he wants to go, then I guess it's fine...
An
Forests can be dangerous in some places, and it might snow this time of year, so I can't help but be a little bit worried.
Akito
I'm sure Toya will do his homework before going but—
Akito
In some places, you won't know if it's dangerous or not until you go there.
An
Hmm...
An
Ah, then how about this?
Akito
—Hmm?
The Next Day
Toya
(...Don't be worried.)
Toya
(Shirakami-Sanchi and Yakushima Island, which are registered World Heritage sites, are pure forests, partly because they haven't been touched by humans. You could say they are ideal forests.)
Toya
(But...both are too far away. It's going to take a lot of time just to get there and back.)
Toya
(On the other hand, the mountains and forests in the suburbs are more touristy and crowded. If I want to experience a quiet forest, I have to go to a different—)
An
Ah, Toya! Sorry to bother you!
Akito
Bad time for a midday break.
Toya
Shiraishi, Akito. What's going on?
An
Hey, you said you were going to a forest, have you decided which one to go to?
Toya
No, not yet. I just can't find the right place.
An
Oh good! Then here's a suggestion.
An
Since we're here, why don't we all go to the forest?
Toya
All of us?
Akito
You said you wanted to go to a forest so we could grow as a team.
Akito
But then again, maybe we're not imagining the same place in the forests we know.
Akito
If we're gonna make a team image, it'd be more efficient if we all went together.
Toya
That...might be true.
Toya
But, I don't want to take up too much of everyone's practice time...
An
You won't! You'd learn a lot more if we all went together!
An
Besides, if we all go together, I'm sure you'll be able to experience a lot more instead of going alone, right?
Toya
Experience more?
An
Yeah! Like camping!
Toya
Camping... You're right, I've never done that before.
Toya
I know you do things like pitch tents and cook rice in rice cookers...
An
Then while we're in the forest, let's experience some camping!
An
I heard that Akito knows a good place.
Toya
Akito does?
Akito
A while ago, my father wanted to paint in a quiet place, so we went to a campground with my family, and there was a big forest nearby.
Akito
It would only take about two hours to get there by train or bus.
Toya
Is there such a place?
An
Plus, we used to go camping a lot, so we have a lot of tents and outdoor goods.
An
Let's all stay at a campground for a night and enjoy the forest and camping! I'm sure we'll be able to use that experience in our singing.
Toya
For a night... Are we planning to stay overnight?
An
Yeah! We wouldn't be able to relax if we went back and forth in a day. I asked Kohane if we could go yesterday, and she said okay!
Toya
Azusawa thought it was a good idea?
Akito
I hear you. I thought it would be hard cause her father can be overprotective, but when Kohane talked to him, she said he gave her the okay.
An
Yeah, when I convinced him to let us go, I told him we were going on a trip to train our singing, and he told me it'd be okay if it was us!
An
It's a good thing we said hello that one time!
Toya
...I see. I'm sorry, you had to go through all this trouble just to keep me company.
Akito
Hey, like I said before, this isn't just for you.
Akito
We all want to do everything we can to perform well as a team.
Toya
...I see.
Toya
If we can grow as a team by all going together...that might be the best option.
Toya
Thank you. Shiraishi, Akito. I'm looking forward to it.