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Reaching For Brilliance |  |
Kasumi
Aa-chan~! Look at this~!
Asuka
You just walked in the door, what is it?! ... Oh, a magazine? That's quite a famous music magazine too. I always see it in bookstores.
Kasumi
Yeah! Poppin'Party were featured in their girl band issue~. Umm~, what page was it...? Here it is!
Asuka
Where, where...? Whoa, that's quite a big picture...
Kasumi
Fufuuun~, it's awesome, right~? I was so happy, I thought I might even buy ten copies of it!
Asuka
You don't need that many copies... Ah, your interview is here too.
Kasumi
Wah, you found it~āŖ Shall I read it out loud for you?
Asuka
No, I can read it myself... Sis, is your whole interview about the sweets you ate the dressing room?
Kasumi
Well the dressing room was so much fun~. Rimi-rin brought us special treats to eat that day~.
Kasumi
Apparently Yuri-senpai sent them to her from overseas! I took a photo of them... Ah, this one!
Kasumi
Aren't they amazing?! The edges were kinda chocolatey, and the middle was like castella! Anyway, they were super sweet!
Asuka
It's a music magazine, so you should've talked more about music. Wasn't the journalist a bit put out?
Kasumi
Not at all, we got all excited over the sweets together!
Asuka
So they went along with it then... This venue looks quite big, but what show was this?
Kasumi
Look, it's the one I gave you a ticket for that time, remember? That show!
Asuka
Ahh, something else came up, so I couldn't go... Whoa, you're smiling a lot in this photo.
Kasumi
Oh, that one~. I think that's from when I started laughing cause I made eye contact with O-Tae during the show. Probably.
Kasumi
And I think this is when we were talking to the audience. Arisa and I did impressions of a school teacher!
Asuka
So that's why Arisa-chan is pulling that face...
Asuka
Sigh... Don't you get nervous? Singing in front of huge crowds like this...
Kasumi
I get nervous! But my excitement is bigger than my nerves!
Kasumi
I always feel like that during a show. That's why I can't wait for our next one!
Kasumi
We've been practicing to put on a show even better than this one~. Next weekend, we're gonna practice intensely from morning till night!
Asuka
... You always give it your all, don't you?
Kasumi
Of course I give it my all~. It'd be a waste if I didn't! It's a rehearsal or a show, I always give it my all!
Kasumi
... Ah, and even right now!
Asuka
... Sigh~.
Kasumi
... So that's what happened~.
Saaya
I see~. So you told Asuka-chan about that?
Rimi
The reason you give it your all~...
Kasumi
Yeah~. I only thought about it because Aa-chan asked me, but I didn't really know why~.
Arisa
Wait, isn't the answer obvious? You're Kasumi, that's why you always give it your all.
Kasumi
Arisa...?
Tae
Oh~, nice one, Arisa. You like that part of Kasumi, don't you?
Arisa
N-not particularly!
Saaya
Fufu. But I get it... It might be harder than you'd think to put your reason for working so hard into words.
Rimi
Y-yes. To us, all of our shows are special, but...
Kasumi
Ngh, you're right~... I couldn't explain it to Aa-chan yesterday, so I've been feeling kind of uneasy~.
Arisa
... Well, I guess it might be hard to explain. I never understood that feeling until I stood on the stage either.
Tae
It's easy.
Kasumi
Huh?
Tae
You just need to get her to come and watch one of our shows.
Saaya
But hasn't Asuka-chan come to quite a lot of our shows?
Tae
Yeah. She has come to them before, which is why I think she'll be able to understand.
Kasumi
I see! She just has to compare the last show of ours that she saw with our next one!
Rimi
Wah, that's it! That way, she will surely understand what you are trying to tell her, Kasumi-chan.
Arisa
Sounds alright to me. We'll be there giving it our all alongside Kasumi anyway.
Kasumi
Th-thanks, everybody~! I swear, I'm gonna really try my best! I really will~! Okay, Arisa?!
Arisa
Wh-why're you looking at me like that!
Saaya
Fufu. Then let's go and give our next show our all!
Kasumi
I'm kinda fired up~. Let's do this~. Ready?!
All
Popipa! Pipopa! Popipapa! Pipopa!
Transcript
Kasumi
Aa-chan! Over here, over here!
Asuka
Ah, there you are. Is it okay for you to be out here right before the show?
Kasumi
It's totally fine! I've still got time anyway!
Kasumi
But thanks so much for coming today! I'm gonna do my best, okay?!
Asuka
There's no surprise coming from you... Fufu.
Kasumi
I know, I'll tell you where you'll be able to see the stage best! I'll be standing in the middle, so probably-
Asuka
It's fine! I've seen your shows many times before.
Asuka
Ah, but... something kinds of feels a bit different today than it did last time.
Kasumi
Ah~, maybe it's because the bands today are a bit "cooler" than usual! The people who have come to watch are way different too!
Asuka
You're right...
Kasumi
And it also started a little earlier last time, didn't it? And, look, the venue is totally different!
Asuka
Right, the last show I saw was at Galaxy, wasn't it...?
Kasumi
That's right!
Saaya
Kasumi, we're heading to the waiting room now.
Kasumi
Ah! Sorry~. Thanks, Saaya! Okay, Aa-chan, I'll see you again after the show!
Asuka
Yeah, see you then.
Kasumi
Hello! We are~...
All
Poppin'Party!
Kasumi
I hope you all enjoy our show today! Now, for our first song...
Asuka
(This song... I've heard it before at a previous show, but... I wonder why it sounds different from how it did then...)
Asuka
(It sounded fun and strong that time, but today I can hear other sounds too, not just my sister's voice...)
Asuka
(... Is it because the people around me are trying hard to listen to their performance?)
Asuka
...!
Asuka
(I get it... Sis is trying to sing it so I can hear it properly.)
Asuka
(And I... might be listening to her sing because I want to know why she is always giving it her all.)
Kasumi
Pant... Pant... Did you all enjoy your performance?!
Kasumi
Thank you very much for listening!
Arisa
Kasumi, I see Asuka-chan!
Kasumi
Huh, where, where?!
Tae
Look, over there at the counter. She just got a drink.
Kasumi
You're right! Oiii, Aa-chan~!
Asuka
Sis... And all of Poppin'Party. Good show today. You were very cool!
Rimi
Wah, I am happy to hear that~.
Saaya
Thanks for coming to watch us, Asuka-chan.
Kasumi
Aa-chan, did you have fun today?
Asuka
Yeah... And I think I understood a little why you're always giving it your all.
Kasumi
Really?!
Asuka
I'd heard that song before, but it felt completely different today... I felt like I had to listen with everything I had, or it would be a waste.
Asuka
Shows can be completely different each time. They're really quite special, aren't they?
Kasumi
Yeah! No matter how many times you play a song, it sounds different at every show!
Kasumi
That's why you treasure and give your all to every single show, right?
Kasumi
Aa-chaaan~! That's it exactly~!
Asuka
Whoa, don't hug me so suddenly like that! Everyone's looking!
Kasumi
Well everything I wanted to say got across to you, so I'm so happy!
Kasumi
None of our shows are ever the same, so I... No, we, always want to do our best to put on a sparkling, heart-pounding show!
Arisa
I can't believe she's saying such cheesy stuff to a family member...
Saaya
Ahaha. That might also be Kasumi giving it her all.
Asuka
I saw you do it again today. You had that sparkling smile on your face like you did in that magazine... Just like you always do.
Kasumi
Ehehe... Thanks, Aa-chan!
Asuka
Anyway, I'm going to go home no. You're having a party after this, right?
Kasumi
Yeah! Ah, tell Mom I won't be needing dinner tonight!
Asuka
Yeah, yeah, see you later... I'll come and watch you again sometime.
Kasumi
You have to! You really, reaaally have to~! Promise me!
Asuka
Yeah, yeah, I've got it...
Kasumi
Okay, then pinky promise me! Make a pinky promise with your sister!
Asuka
Ugh~, I'm already in high school, you know~...
Kasumi
So what~? Let's do it, Aa-chan~.