Hotaru Shiomi and Mahoro Hamasaki

(I need to get better... Better still.)

(To make everyone's wishes come true, I need to get better... Better...)

Wow... Who is she? Is she a professional?

I've never heard piano like that before...

Thank you so much! Oh...?

Hey! I came to watch.

Mahoro-san! Hi!

Good work, Hotaru-chan. Even on days without band practice, you come here and play piano?

Yes. I can practice at home, of course. But only here can I play for someone and let the music reach them.

That is so admirable... Playing all by yourself in front of people you don't even know.

I'd probably get too scared and start shaking.

Hehe. I was the same at first.

Unlike a competition, you do not know who might listen... or whether anyone will be there at all.

I never would have thought to try it either... until Kanata-san invited me.

I see... Kanata played here too, didn't she?

Yes... She made so many people smile.

Kanata... she really never told anyone what she was doing...

We had never even heard that she played at a street piano.

Then again, we were pretty used to Kanata suddenly starting something new.

She was really something when we were little, you know? "I'll find a tsuchinoko!" or "I'll become a writer and win some big award!"

Hehe... Is that so?

Yeah. And, well... Kanata must have had friends besides us too...

I just thought it might be wrong to intrude, so I never ended up going to watch.

...

I wanted to hear it. Kanata and you, Hotaru-chan... playing piano together.

If I had gone to watch back then... maybe we would have met much sooner.

If only... Back then...

(If I had met Mahoro-san... if I had met everyone in millsage...)

(Or...)

(If I had never met Kanata-san...)

(Then...)

Hotaru-chan?

Oh! Sorry.

(No. There is no point thinking about "if only.")

Mahoro-san, do you have a request? I'll play anything you would like to hear!

Huh... Really? Then... Hmm... Oh, I know!

(I am going to give this story a happy ending!)

Phew, I'm glad we got in right away! I really didn't want to wait around after practice.

Yes. Thank you for inviting me.

Oh, don't be so formal! I was the one who asked you.

Everyone said they had things to do today, after all.

That's true. They all rushed off as soon as practice was over.

Oh... Hotaru-chan, are you okay with your curfew?

I let my mother know, so it's okay.

Oh, good! But you'll be having dinner later, so we should keep this light.

Hmm... What should I get? Maybe fries would be okay... Yeah, fries are okay!

Here, take the tablet. You can choose whatever you like!

Oh, okay...

I really like the fries here~ The kind with the skin still on... I think?

...

Hotaru-chan...? You froze up. Is something wrong?

Um... I haven't really been to family restaurants much, so I don't know what I should order...

...!

Don't worry. Leave it to me!

I work at a family restaurant. Not this one, but still! You could say I'm an expert!

I've tried pretty much everything on the menu, so ask me anything! What sounds good? Something light? Or dessert?

Um... Well...

Ahaha, that was a lot to throw at you all at once, huh? Let's look through it together.

I'll borrow the tablet for a second.

The seasonal pasta was really good. The fair will be ending soon, so it might be worth trying while you can.

And the vegetable soup is a hidden gem! It's packed with nutrients, and you can get free refills!

For dessert, you just open this screen, and...

...

Oh... I kind of got carried away on my own, didn't I?

Oh, no...! I was just watching because I thought it was amazing.

Aww, thanks... Seeing you all stuck like that just made me want to take care of you, Hotaru-chan.

Take care of me...?

I'm an only child, you see. When we were little, I used to act like Nagi-chan's big sister and look after her.

But around the time we started middle school, Nagi-chan somehow became the more dependable one.

Before I knew it, she was the one taking care of me instead~

...

Maybe that is why it felt a little nostalgic. Sorry for taking it on myself.

No... You don't need to apologize.

If there is ever something I'm not doing well, please feel free to look after me anytime!

H-Hotaru-chan...! Aww, you're tugging at my big-sis heart...!

If you're saying that, then leave it to me! I'll give you the best family restaurant experience ever...

Eek!?

Oh! The water...!

Ahh, something to wipe it up with...! Hotaru-chan, did any get on you?

I'm okay...!

Th-Thank goodness...!

Hmm... Before I start looking after someone else, I need to learn to take care of myself first...

Hello...

(It's still early. Maybe I'm the first one here...?)

!?

(What was that sound...? It came from the kitchen...?)

H-Hello...!

!? Oh... It's Hotaru-chan.

S-Sorry for startling you... Um, what are you doing over there...?

Ah... Um... Actually, maybe it's a good thing that it's you, Hotaru-chan...?

Huh? What do you mean...?

Hehe... Now that you've seen it, there's no turning back for you, Hotaru-chan...!

Huh...? Huh...?

Look at this...!

Are these... eclairs?

Yep! My mom brought them home. They're the nice kind you can only get at the department store food hall!

They really are... They're filled with plenty of cream, and they have so many toppings, too. They're so fancy.

Right? They have to be delicious~! But when I opened the box, I realized there are only three...

What do I do...? There is no way to divide three between four people...

Four people...?

Yeah. Nagi-chan does not like whipped cream, so she'll probably say she does not want one.

But even then, we're still one short...

I see... So that is what you were worried about.

Then I will be fine without one too. Please let everyone else have them.

N-No, that won't do! You're our junior, Hotaru-chan!

If anyone is going without, then I... I...!

Ugh... But they look so good...! B-But I will not... I will not eat one...!

P-Please do not force yourself. I think the people who want to eat them should be the ones to eat them!

Hmm... What if we got Houka-chan involved and the three of us ate them in secret...?

No, we can't do that. If Natsume-chan found out we'd been hiding something like this, she'd definitely get mad...!

Um, then maybe I could...

No! Good food is meant to be shared with everyone!

Because I think that is what makes everyone happy!

...

There has to be a way... Three eclairs, shared equally between four people... So everyone can be happy...

Oh! I know!

Around here...? Should I cut it around here, Hotaru-chan?

Y-Yes. I think that will make four equal pieces!

Okay... If we cut all three into four pieces, that makes twelve. Then we can divide them between all four of us...!

Well, they might not look quite as nice anymore, though...

But I am sure they will taste just as good!

You're right...! We did it! It is finished! Now everyone can be happy!

Yes! Happy! We could!

Okay! Then, let's plate them up right away!