Miku Mahashi and Shizuku Shinomiya

Maybe this part should be simpler... No, but...

Miku, are you not taking a break?

Hm? Oh, do not worry about me. You can take your break outside with Raika and the others.

But you have been studying the score with a troubled look on your face. You have looked that way throughout practice.

If something is bothering you, I would like you to tell me. I was taught to make sure I understand the composer's instructions.

No, there is nothing I need to say about your playing, Shizuku.

It is just... the arrangement still feels one step short. Something is not clicking.

Is that so?

Yeah. There are quite a few places where the parts are not landing the way I intended.

Those three monsters play everything completely differently every time, so no matter how much I adjust it, it still does not feel right...

Does it not bother you, Shizuku?

No...

I see... Then maybe I am overthinking it.

No... I do not think I had been paying attention to it.

I have always focused on properly playing the part and score I was given.

I have never really thought of it any other way.

But you can play that well. Do you not ever feel that something is lacking, or that something feels off?

I am still learning about band music, so I do not know. Classical music usually has a correct answer, so I do not feel that kind of dissonance.

There are details open to interpretation, but in principle, what is written in the score is the correct answer.

I see... If those three monsters had that mindset, maybe this would all be a little easier.

When I was composing alone, I never had to think about this. Finding the right answer is harder than I thought.

...

Shizuku?

There are things you do not know either, Miku.

Huh? Of course there are. This is the first band I have ever been in.

It is also my first time having someone else play my songs, and my first time having them get completely messed up like this.

I see... I thought I was the only one who did not know the right answer for band music.

Hehe, that is not true. I am sure none of us...

Oh, I see... None of us knows the right answer for this band's music.

Hm? What do you mean?

I think you, me, and those three monsters have all run into something new that "we do not know" yet.

Maybe we need to make new music, different from anything we have made before.

So, Shizuku. Will you help me look for our answer together?

! Together...?

Yeah. I think I was stuck because I was trying to work it all out by myself.

All right. I will think about it too.

I do not know whether I can be of help, but I still want to try it with you.

Good. Then, to start with, this part has been bothering me...

There's half the milk left... And the eggs...

I'm home... Wait, what are you doing!?

I'm checking what we have in the refrigerator.

Checking it...!? Sorry, I need to close it for now!

Ugh... The air around here is cold too... Shizuku, how long has the refrigerator been open?

It has been about ten minutes...

Ten minutes...?!

Is that a problem?

That is... You know, you can't leave the refrigerator open. The food inside can spoil.

And when the air inside gets warm, it takes power to cool it down again.

So close it right after you open it, okay? Please remember that from now on.

Understood. Sorry to have caused you trouble.

No, it's fine. But what were you "checking" for?

I was looking for things that might be running low.

You always know when we're running low on something around the house, Miku. I heard that shows "how well you look after the home."

So I thought that if I "looked after" things properly too, I could contribute to the family.

Well, that is true...

You do not have to go out of your way. Everyone has things they are good at and things they are not.

But at this rate, I will only keep relying on everyone.

There is so much I do not know. I want to learn so I can do those things myself.

I want to share "everyday life" with everyone.

Oh...

If you use it, it decreases. If it decreases, it runs out. So you restock it before that.

Life is about repeating that cycle... And everyone is doing that... It's amazing...!

So that is what you meant...

Shizuku, I am sorry. I should have asked why before I jumped in to correct you.

Hm? You do not need to apologize, Miku. It helps me when someone corrects my mistakes.

I suppose...

(What would have been the right thing to say?)

(If I were in Shizuku's shoes... If I were a child just beginning to learn housework...)

Then... how about this? Let your first goal be noticing just one thing that is running low.

Just one is enough?

Yeah. Even I would find it hard to notice everything at once.

For example, when you pour yourself a glass of milk, tell someone if you notice that there is not much left.

Then you will have noticed something was running low all by yourself, Shizuku.

I see. Noticing when something is running low is the first step to living with everyone.

Thank you, Miku. I have learned something new again.

No... I learned something too. We will take it one step at a time, together.

Yes.

Hm...? I think I got this wrong last time too...

Shizuku, you can come in.

Miku, you are amazing. How did you know it was me?

Because you are the only one in this house who knocks properly and waits for an answer, Shizuku.

That is true...

Also, how long are you going to stand in the corridor? Come in already.

Excuse me.

You don't have to... It's not like you're walking into the teachers' lounge.

Hm? That is how I enter anyone's room at home.

I see...

Um, you came to see me about something, right? Is something wrong?

There was something I wanted to ask you, Miku. I am sorry to keep troubling you with such small questions, but... This.

Whoa! What happened to these clothes? They're covered in mud...!

What am I supposed to do with dirty laundry?

Oh, wait, how did they get like this?

The strong wind had blown them all over the yard. I have not collected everything yet.

Oh no, I didn't notice at all... We need to bring them in right away.

Shizuku, let's run to the yard!

Got it.

Phew... Is that all of them?

What do we do after we bring them in?

We start over. We need to wash all of it again and hang it up indoors.

Did I do something terribly wrong...?

No, the wind is to blame. Well... I am too, for forgetting to check the forecast.

Ugh... I messed up...

...

Miku, do you make mistakes in "everyday life" too?

What? Of course I do.

Sometimes I forget I just bought eggs and buy more. Or I wash new clothes and the colors run.

That is surprising... I thought you knew everything about "everyday life," Miku.

No matter what I asked, you always had exactly the right answer. I had never seen you make a mistake.

I made lots of mistakes and learned one thing at a time.

Even when you have learned something, you can still mess up, like today... Ah... I have to run another load of laundry.

We have to start all over...

It cannot be helped. That is just part of "everyday life," I guess.

I see... So making mistakes is simply part of "everyday life."

Exactly. Come on, let's take everything we brought in to the laundry room.

All right.