It was five in the morning, when Yuki woke up out of nervousness and tension, to find that she was not sleepy anymore. Why is that? Finally, the most awaited day, the day of the first cultural festival meeting arrives. And every year, the cultural festival always starts with the music band of the school, banging the onset of the most awaited event for every high school student.
"Alright then, Yuki, you will perform in the welcoming performance. But not as a background player, but as a lead singer...", following Kaito's advice, Yuki gave her name to perform as a lead singer. At first, no one thought of it as a good idea. But, Yuki proved it with her sweet and soothing voice that melted everyone's heart in a few seconds. But she was able to do it in front of only a few band members. The real problem is that she has stage fear.
At the time of daybreak, under the clear skies, with the weather forecast showing no signs of bad weather or fall, Misaki, Yuki, Aoi, Haruto, and Kaito sets off for school, pretty much very early. At school, Yuki sat at the back of the auditorium, her hands wrapped tightly around the neck of her guitar as she watched the stage crew set up for the cultural festival. The large space was empty for now, but she couldn't stop imagining it filled with students, teachers, and parents - all of them staring at her as she stood up on that stage. Her heart raced just by thinking about it.
She had practiced her song countless times. The chords, the rhythm, the lyrics, all of it was in her mind. But no matter how prepared she was, the idea of performing in front of a crowd terrified her. What if she messes up? What if her hands shook too much to play? What if her voice cracked? She tried to shake the thoughts away, but they clung to her like shadows.
The sound of approaching footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. Yuki looked up to see Kaito, along with Aoi, walking down the stairs to the backstage, his usual relaxed. He spotted her sitting alone and raised an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Thought I'd find you here," Kaito said, sitting beside her. "Nervous about the big show?"
Yuki swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah… a little."
"Hey Yuki, long time no see. I heard from Kaito and Misaki that you are going to be the lead singer today. I was not able to swallow it down my throat, but it's good to see you overcoming your weaknesses," says Aoi, with her cheerful face, "I will be cheering for you from the audience, all the best."
"I... I don't think I can do this, Aoi. I feel like I am going to mess this up."
"Yuki, do you remember why you started playing guitar?"
Yuki blinked at the unexpected question. Her hands tightened on her guitar as she thought back to the first time she picked it up. "Because… I loved the sound of it. It made me feel calm, like I could express things I couldn't say out loud." said Yuki, very softly.
"Exactly, Yuki. You play because you love it. You're not here to impress anyone or to be perfect. You're here because music is part of who you are."
"But what if I freeze? What if I can't play? Everyone will be watching…"
"Again, you don't need to be perfect and flawless. You just need to be yourself. No one's expecting you to be flawless, they just want to hear your music, Yuki. And I know, deep inside, you're stronger than you think you are." Aoi tries to encourage Yuki with her words.
Yuki, hesitantly, "But... But what if I still mess up?"
"Then we will laugh about it afterwards. But I know you won't. You've practiced so much, and you have all of us here to support you. You're not alone in this." Aoi gave her a kind, sincere smile. "You're going to do great, Yuki. Just remember, no matter what happens out there, you've already won by getting on that stage."
Meanwhile, throughout the cultural festival preparation, Misaki has been quietly working on the mural in the art room, often staying late after school. While she is passionate about her work, she begins to feel overwhelmed by her perfectionism. She's afraid that the mural won't live up to her vision or the expectations of others, and this stress starts affecting her mood. When she was struggling with it, words spoken by Kaito which encouraged Yuki, which let her become the lead singer by overcoming her fear, also encouraged Misaki.
As the welcoming performance is nearing, Misaki's mural is nearing completion. Aoi takes Yuki on a walk before the performance for some fresh air.
As Yuki prepares for her performance, she walks past the mural, finding inspiration in its intricate design. Misaki's work finished before she expected it to. It serves as a visual representation of the characters' interconnected lives. As Yuki and Aoi were looking at the mural, Misaki took notice of Yuki and Aoi. "Hey, Yuki. How is it looking? It's almost done. By the way, how are you holding up?"
"I don't know if I can do this, Misaki. What if I mess up? Everyone's counting on me, and I don't want to let them down."
"Come on, you are talking about messing up again. Why do you think I took you outside for a walk?" said Aoi, angrily.
"I get it. Believe me, I do. I've been staring at that mural for days, worrying if it'll ever look the way I imagined. I kept telling myself that I had to make it perfect… like it was some kind of representation of everything I've ever done as an artist."
"But your art is always so amazing, Misaki. How could you ever doubt yourself?"
"Even artists have doubts. I spent so long trying to make every detail perfect that I forgot why I started the mural in the first place. It wasn't supposed to be about perfection. It was supposed to be about connection, about capturing the moments that mean something." says Misaki, smiling. "And I think that's what matters for you too. This isn't about playing the perfect song. It's about sharing something you love with everyone. It's about being brave enough to show them a piece of yourself."
Yuki swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears.
"And that's all you need to do. Put your heart into your music, and I promise, that'll be enough."
"Thank you, Misaki. That… really helps."
As Yuki and Aoi went back to backstage, Kaito still tries to erase all her doubts about existence. She appreciated Kaito's carefree attitude, but it wasn't enough to calm the storm of doubt inside her.
As the three sat in silence, another figure quietly entered the auditorium, Haruto. He had been overseeing some of the festival setups, making sure the lighting and sound were perfect for the performances. When he noticed Yuki sitting with Kaito and Aoi, he headed down to join them.
Haruto approached slowly, his gaze being set on Yuki. He could sense the tension in Yuki's posture and tremble in her hands. He didn't say anything at first, but sat down next to her, offering a smile.
"You look worried," Haruto said softly, with his reassuring voice.
"Yeah, but I'm feeling better now." says Yuki.
Haruto paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "Remember, you're not alone up there. You'll have us, and everyone in the audience to support you, not to judge you. And if you do make a mistake? It's okay. No one is expecting perfection, least of all from someone who's pouring their heart into what they love."
Kaito, who had been quietly listening, with a grin, he said, "Exactly! It's a school festival, not some international competition. Have fun with it!"
It was almost the time for performance to begin. Kaito stretched and stood up, "And hey, if things go south, I'll just cause a distraction or something. Nobody will even notice! Easy."
"Your 'easy' makes me a little worried - I don't know why?" sarcastically says Aoi.
Yuki couldn't help but laugh, though she knew Kaito was only half-joking. His carefree attitude, paired with Haruto's steady reassurance, helped her feel a little bit lighter.
Before the audience got inside the auditorium, there was already a ruckus in the schoolyard. It is about Misaki's mural!! Everyone gathered there, with nothing but only praises and applause. Even Aoi, Haruto, and Kaito were surprised to see so many people gather around it. Misaki, seeing such a scene, in front of her own eyes, was not able to believe it. Misaki's eyes, filled with tears, was proud of herself. All her hard work paid off.
As Misaki's mural was becoming more and more famous throughout the school, now it was time for Yuki to shine bright with her talent. Misaki, Aoi, Haruto, and Kaito, as the four of them sat together in the auditorium, Yuki began to realize that she didn't have to face her fear alone. Her friends were there for her, ready to support her no matter what happened. And while the fear of the stage still lingered, it didn't feel quite so overwhelming anymore.
To be continued....