< The Vivid Old Tale | Story
Chapter 7: For Me, This City Is...
私は、この街が (? (edit))
私は、この街が (? (edit))
Character appearances:
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Approaching footsteps
Young An
...!
???
—So you were here after all.
Young An
...Eh?
Young An
N...Nagi-san...!?
Young An
W...Why are you here?
Nagi
Because I was worried about you, of course.
Young An
But...But, how did you know I was here? I didn't tell anybody...!
Nagi
I just gave it some thought. I knew you wouldn't wanna rely on anybody, and if it started raining you'd wanna go somewhere nobody could find you.
Nagi
And you said so before, didn't you? "I wanna try exploring", you said.
Nagi
Fufu, don't you know that Nagi-san remembers everything if it's about you, An?
Young An
...Nagi-saaan!!
Nagi
You're okay now, An.
Young An
*sob*...*sob*...It was so scary, Nagi-san...!!
— Some time later —
Young An
Ahhh...
Nagi
Fufu, I'm glad you've calmed down.
Nagi
Looks like the rain stopped...so let's head home together. Ken and the others are worried about you.
Young An
...!
Young An
—Don't wanna! I'm never going home!
Young An
Dad said he would watch me practice, but he never came...!
Young An
And everyone in town, they always take you guys away from me...!
Nagi
An...
Young An
That's why...that's why...I hate Dad and everyone in town! I'm never going home!
Nagi
... An, you're right to be mad.
Nagi
...Let me apologize first. That I couldn't come today...and that I couldn't let Ken come either. I'm really sorry.
Nagi
...You know, Ken really wanted to go see you, An.
Young An
...
Nagi
It's just that...a live house that has taken good care of us was in a lot of trouble, and the three of us had to go help.
Nagi
Ken, right up until the moment we got on stage, was asking if the message got to you...and was worried about you crying.
Nagi
The moment he heard that you ran off, his face went pale, and he ran out immediately.
Nagi
Ken really, really does care about you, An, and he loves you so much. I hope you can at least understand that.
Young An
...
Young An
But...If he really cared about me and loved me...He wouldn't break his promise, would he?
Young An
Wouldn't he be with me...?
Nagi
...Yeah...
Nagi
...There's a lot of things we care about. That's all it is.
Young An
...Eh?
Nagi
Of course, you're number one, An. But...
Nagi
We also love everybody in this town.
Young An
...
Young An
...Why do you and Dad and Uncle Taiga all love everybody in this town so much?
Nagi
Fufu. That's because...
Nagi
—I've been singing in this town since I was really little. Just like you, An.
Young An
You too?
Nagi
Yeah. There's always been tons of people who love music here. Whenever I sang, they'd always tell me to do my best, or give me advice...and at first it was really annoying.
Nagi
But thanks to it, I was able to grow a lot.
Nagi
Remember that technique to belt high notes that I taught you, An? That was something a passerby taught to me.
Young An
Is that really true?
Nagi
At first I couldn't do it and it was really tough, but everyone kept cheering me on. And then, when I managed it, everyone shared that happiness with me.
Nagi
Sometimes there were jerks that said I sucked! But I always thought "I'll show them!" and kept doing my best.
Nagi
I think I was only able to get to this point because I had that support.
Young An
Ah...
Flashback
An's Father
Yeah. Nagi, Taiga, and I were able to get this far because of this town.
End flashback
Young An
...Maybe that's what Dad meant, when he said that...?
Nagi
And even beyond that—I only met Ken because of this town. At first, he and Taiga didn't get along, and there was all sorts of trouble—
Young An
Eh? Dad and Uncle didn't get along?
Nagi
Yeah. Surprising, isn't it? But they were two guys whose musical direction and talents were on completely different tracks. They used to argue constantly.
Young An
Argue...like those rappers the other day?
Nagi
Ahaha. Yeah, there were times like that too.
Nagi
But...everybody in town thought they were good rivals for each other, so they stopped those fights, and somehow, they managed to become closer.
Nagi
...If everybody in town wasn't there for us, I don't think we'd have every formed a team.
Young An
...Everybody in town...
Young An
(...Thanks to everybody here, Dad and the others made a team, and they can sing so cool now...)
Nagi
There's all sorts of stuff like that, and that's why I love this town.
Young An
Really...
Nagi
...And everybody in this town loves you so much, did you know that, An?
Young An
Eh...?
Nagi
Like, y'know the manager from the local live house that always calls out to you when you're practicing?
Young An
Manager-san? Oh...
Flashback
Young An
Hm? Ah, Uncle~! Good morning! Doing well?
Live House Manager
Yeah! I'm doing very well!
End flashback
Nagi
That guy's known you since you were in your mom's belly, and he was so excited for you to be born.
Nagi
He's the one who pulled out his car for your mom when she was about to give birth.
Nagi
And he was the one who cried the most when you were born! Even your dad was surprised!
Young An
Uncle was...I didn't know that...
Nagi
Other than that...remember when you were about three, and you got lost?
Young An
Ah... I don't remember it, but Mom and Dad talk about it sometimes...
Nagi
When that happened, the whole town was looking for you...and this boy absolutely covered in piercings found you. He held your hand all the way home.
Young An
Piercings...do you mean the big brother, from the record store?
Nagi
Fufu, yeah, yeah. He's the boy working at the record store now.
Nagi
Also, that girl who's always working late and coming home in the mornings. She used to be pretty rough around the edges! But ever since you said her nails were sparkling and pretty, she started liking kids a lot more.
Nagi
She wants to study and become a preschool teacher now. She's working hard to earn enough money for that.
Nagi
She likes her job right now, but she was saying that someday, if she could have a kid like you, that'd make her pretty happy, so she's trying her best.
Young An
Like me...
Nagi
And, besides them—there's so, so many people who really truly care about you so much, An.
Nagi
That's why, I don't want you to hate anybody in this town. ...That's a selfish request from me, though.
Young An
...
Flashback
Live House Manager
An-chan! Do your best today, too!
Sexy Big Sister
I love your singing, An-chan♪
Record Store Employee with Curly Hair
...I have a song you might like. Wanna listen?
End flashback
Young An
(...That's right. Everyone's always calling out to me...)
Flashback
Record Store Employee with Curly Hair
...An-chan, you don't seem very energetic today, are you okay? Is your throat not feeling well?
Live House Manager
Could it be...that your dad is busy, and he can't watch you practice?
Sexy Big Sister
It'll be okay, An-chan. I'm sure whenever he finds time, he can–no, he'll definitely come watch you practice.
End flashback
Young An
(They worried about me, and listened to me sing...)
Young An
(Everybody's...so kind...)
Young An
(I'm sure that since everyone's always so nice to me, Dad wants to be nice to them, and is always helping them...)
Young An
(But, I was...)
???
An—!!
???
An-chan—!!
Young An
...Huh? Is someone calling for me?
Nagi
Hehe. Looks like they made it.
Young An
Eh, what do you mean...
Nagi
You'll see when we get out there. Let's go!
Young An
Wah...!
Nagi
Oooi—! Everyone, over here—!!
Crowd chattering
Young An
Eh...!? It's so late, and there's so many people...!!
An's Father
—An!!
Running, hug
Young An
Wah!!
An's Father
I'm so glad... I'm so glad you're safe...!
Young An
...Dad...
Young An
(Dad's soaking wet...)
Young An
(I wonder if he was looking for me in the rain...)
An's Father
—An. I'm really sorry for breaking my promise. ...I'm so sorry.
Young An
Ah...
Young An
(I've never seen Dad...make this face before...)
Live House Manager
An—chan! I'm so sorry! I didn't know anything about your situation and I kept asking Ken and the others for help...
Newbie Live House Staff
Even before then, I was the one who couldn't find you fast enough...! I'm so sorry!
Sexy Big Sister
But I'm so glad we found you~! Everyone was so worried!
Record Store Employee with Curly Hair
Ah...speaking of which, where's Taiga-san?
Newbie Live House Staff
He went off to go call for An-chan's mom! He'll come back with her soon.
Record Store Employee with Curly Hair
I see...as long as we're in contact with him, it's fine...
Resident
I'd better get in contact with my family, too. They're probably still searching.
Resident
Oh, Mom? They found An-chan! Yeah, she's fine!
Young An
Everyone...
Nagi
—See?
Nagi
Everyone in this town loves you, An.
Young An
(I...Even though I thought that I hated all of them...)
Young An
(Everyone, this much...)
Young An
—Everyone!
Young An
I worried you all, and I'm really...really sorry!!
Young An
And also—
Young An
Thank you for looking for me!
Young An
Everyone...I love you!
Live House Manager
Uu...! An-chan...thank you...!
Newbie Live House Staff
Manager, your face! Ah, let me get my handkerchief...
Sexy Big Sister
I love you too, An-chan~!
Record Store Employee with Curly Hair
Yeah... We do too.
An's Father
...Nagi, you saved me. You really helped out by finding her...and beyond that. Thank you so much.
Nagi
Hehe, if you're going to thank anyone, you should thank An for hearing me out properly.
An's Father
Ah—yeah, you're right.
Young An
Ah...Dad!
Running
An's Father
Hm? What is it, An?
Young An
Ummm...so.
Young An
My cool dad, who takes care of everyone in this town, I really love him, too!
An's Father
—Thank you, An. I can keep going forever, now that I've heard that.
Stomach growling
Young An
Ehehe...I'm so hungry. I wanna eat your curry, Dad!
An's Father
Then, let's head home. Look forward to some delicious curry.
Young An
—Yeah!!
Flashback ends