Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
◦ ◦ ◦
The screen finally shuts from the previous bands performance which went on about 20 minutes longer than planned. Everyone is still a little antsy, but Mafu and Ue made up. Haru is being an airhead like usual and Akihiko is chill like normal.
There should be no unwanted surprises this performance, hopefully. The last thing we need is for someone guitar to just not work.
"Looks like they kept the mic up," Haru notes when he sees Mafu bent over. The mic is looming over him like some giant. It shares a lot more meaning than most realize.
"Well," I but into the conversation. "It's not like it's bothering anyone, we should just leave it up, right Haru?" I say his name sharply and elbow him one the side. he nods his head slowly and Mafu glances at the mic.
"You decided not to sing, right?" Haru asks. Everyone is working on their particular instruments. I turn around and retune my guitar for the fifteenth time. "Or are we going with the 'lalala' strategy?"
"Mafuyu!" Ue calls out to the ginger. "Hey, you're staring off into space. Where are you looking?" Ue asks and waves his hand in front of his face. Mafu's eyes vaguely represent Saitama's with the amount of deadness I see in them.
"Got it all out of your system, Uecchi?" Haru questions and Ue glances over to him, his hand his still raised to Mafu's eye level.
"Yeah, when I accidentally snapped the string..." He sighs. Mafu looks sad tonight. It's really hard to read him usually, but tonight you can really tell. It's like he's a sad puppy or something.
I frown, but I think that right now, Ue is the only person who understands what he's going through. There is still the light feel of tension in the air whenever we're alone. I'm sure he's thinking of Yuki. And so am I.
There isn't a day that passes where I don't think of him. I try to pretend he never existed, that I was never born at the same time as someone else. Or I pretend he never died, he's going to pop out and invite us all to the beach and say it was all one big joke. But he's never there, is he?
"I mean, there's no point in dwelling on the things we can't do right now," Ue says. He's definitely acting more normal than he was before. Though, he does seem a bit wiser. "Let's just have fun."
"Good luck everyone," I say and stick my tongue out at Akihiko and stares directly back at me with little to no emotion. Way to make it awkward.
The sheet raises slowly, revealing each of our faces one-by-one. Akihiko claps his drumsticks together and the lights flip on. Blinding me for a second but I quickly find my rhythm and go with the flow of everyone else.
◦
◦
'Just like...
And he sung. Like we had practiced hundreds of times. And he sounded so sad. His words bounced off the ceilings and walls. And no one expected it.
Snow that hasn't completely melted
In the shade
I continue on with these feelings inside me
Please tell me how I'm supposed to close the door on this love
Your everything has lost its tomorrow
And is now wandering around eternally
Along with me
Who was unable to say goodbye or move on
Just like
We met when we were young. Still in kindergarten actually. Yuki met him first. He was by himself. All alone. And for years, the two of them, then three of us, then five of us became closer than anything else in the world.
A spell that still won't break
Or some kind of curse
I'm still holding on to some heavy baggage
Hey, what kind of tomorrow
Am I supposed to look for in this town?
Ah...
The cold tears that fall
Freeze under the sky
They pretend to be kind
And around the time they fall down my face
Two people who were always together are torn apart
That's all there is to this story
Even if your everything loses its shape one day
You'll always be here within me
As I try to move forward again, even though I couldn't say goodbye
You'll always be here with me'
The colorful lights shut off. And just like that, the song is over. It fealt like it lasted a lifetime. A song dedicated to Yuki. A final goodbye so that Mafuyu, Yuki, and me can all move on.
Salty tears roll down my already very sweaty cheeks, and I'm pretty sure the same thing is happening with Mafu. The crowd is silent and then bursts into a cheer. Shouts of praise ring throughout the square building.
Mafu slowly walks to Ue. Who slowly embraces him. He looks back at me and gives the weakest willed smile I've ever seen and then walks of stage. I smile back as Haru tries to stop them.
I'd say that this was a good surprise.
~~~
:(( everytime i watch this episode i cry no matter how i feel.
