Afterglow/Band Story/Chapter 19

Always Near
*The girls give it their all on stage. Ran feels a renewed kinship with her bandmates.*

 Dressing Room
**Himari**It looks like we're up next...**Tomoe**The crowd sounds pumped.**Tsugumi**Ahh... Phew... I'm okay...! It's all okay...! Same as always, same as always...!**Moca**I'll teach you a great trick, Tsugu. All you need to do is picture the whole audience as different types of bread~.**Moca**When I look out there, all I see are rows and rows of delicious, sweet buns~.**Himari**I think that's very specific to you, Moca...**Moca**Fufu~. Your face looks all round and delicious too, Hii-chan~.**Himari**That's so mean!!**Tsugumi**Ah, they finished their performance!**Himari**That mean's we're up!**Tomoe**It's finally here.**Ran**... Okay, everyone. The same as always. Our absolute best.**All**Okay~! Yeah! Yes!

 On Stage
**All**(The atmosphere up here... It's so different to anything we've done before.)**All**... This event, this stage, this crowd. We're here to make it ours. Open your eyes, open your hearts, and try to keep up. Here we go!

**Tsugumi**(Ran-chan... She's singing with so much more power today...!)**Tomoe**(It's like she never even lost it for a moment... She's feeding off the crowd's energy, and it's fueling a fire inside of her.)**Himari**(And it's up to us to match her! Follow her voice...!)

 A Few Songs Later
**Audience Member A**What are they called again? Afterglow? I've never seen them before, but... they're pretty good.**Audience Member B**Right? The vocalist just looks so cool up there!**Moca**Phew~. You're even better than usual, Ran~.**Ran**You too, Moca.**Ran**(... This next song will be the last...)**Ran**......**Ran**... Our last song today.**Ran**I sort of lost my way recently... but these girls helped me find myself again. It's because of these four that I'm standing here today.**Ran**... I promise you all. I won't lose my way again. I won't run away again.**Himari**Ran...!**Tsugumi**Ran-chan...!**Ran**... And I hope this next song will show my feelings are true!**Tomoe**That was incredible! We had the whole crowd in the palm of our hands!**Himari**Ahh~! I'm just so glad it went well~! I can finally relax...**Moca**Here comes Hii-chan's post-show cry. Let me get a picture~.**Himari**Hey, stop that~!**Tsugumi**You were so amazing today, Ran-chan! I felt so moved performing with you...!**Tomoe**You were the most intense I've seen you in a while, Ran. And thanks to you, we put on the best performance ever!**Ran**You're right. We put on a great performance, all of us. Thank you all, so much...**Himari**Ahh~, you'll make me cry again, Ran~!**Moca**Wait, I put my phone away, hold on~.**Tsugumi**M-Moca-chan~!**Ran's Dad**... Ran.**Ran**...! Dad...**Moca**Wow~, Ran's dad. Long time no see~.**Ran's Dad**Hello, Moca-chan. Everyone... Thank you for taking care of Ran.**Moca**It's hard work~.**Tomoe**O-oi...!**Ran's Dad**Hahaha. No, I'm sure it is. I listened to your performance today.**Ran's Dad**... To be frank, I'd always thought of you as just high school kids playing band together...**Ran's Dad**But today... I was moved by a wonderful, passionate performance. You made me recall a feeling I'd long forgotten, Ran.**Ran**......**Ran's Dad**Consider your feelings well-understood. You are obviously very serious about this band.**Ran's Dad**I hope you realize it's all thanks to these four, as well.**Ran**...! Does that mean...?**Ran's Dad**You can continue with the band. You clearly have some wonderful friends here.**Ran**...! Thank you... so much...!**Himari**You did it, Ran...!**Tomoe**I'm really happy for you. Today is just the best day...!**Tsugumi**Ahh... I... I'm so glad...!**Moca**Ran~. Let's keep on keeping on together~.**Ran**Yeah... Yeah...!**Ran**Thank you... All of you, thank you!