Dreams, Freedom, and Death

They began playing on the streets, and Hitori tried her best to immerse herself in the music, trying to forget the crowd around her.

But her nervousness doubled every time she felt someone stop to watch.

Finally, after playing several wrong notes in a row, passersby began to whisper, some even laughed.

(Ahhhh!!! I want to escape so badly, I want to hide. But Nanaba-san is here beside me, and he looks so calm and confident. I can't disappoint him, so I have to keep playing!)

As song ended, Hitori felt relieved. The reaction of the passersby was not enthusiastic, some even shook their heads and left.

Nagi gave her a warm smile, "Goto-san, you did a good job. It's your first time performing on the street, and the effect was quite bad. Let's continue. Just consider it like air."

He started playing again, the music smooth and confident, as if he was setting an example for her.

Hitori held her guitar tightly and tried her best to blend herself into the rhythm of the music.

She began playing along with Nagi's rhythm, trying her best to integrate herself into the musical rhythm. Her fingers danced on the strings, playing beautiful melodies, although there were still many mistakes she made.

As the music fluctuated, gradually Hitori found her own rhythm and feelings. She forgot about the hustle and bustle of the street around her, leaving only herself and her guitar.

Her playing became smoother and more comfortable, as if merging with Nagi's music.

In this way, an hour passed, the reactions of the passersby were less enthusiastic, she still made many mistakes.

"Goto-san, you did a good job." Nagi packed his electronic keyboard into his bag and turned to her.

"Thank you, Nanaba-san." Hitori trembled slightly, "Without you, I probably wouldn't have been able to endure..."

They packed up their instruments and prepared to leave.

"Goto-san, would you like to play on the street again sometime?" Nagi suddenly asked.

"Of course!"

"Then let's meet up tomorrow."

"Yes!"

They continued walking on the commercial street, and there were many pedestrians on the street. Hitori felt a little tired, but Nagi was by her side, he was like a lighthouse, guiding her sailboat forward in this mocking ocean.

Back home, Hitori hid in the closet and pondered today's experience, her mood started to feel depressed again.

"Nanaba-san was disturbed by my performance on the street. I clearly did a good job... No, no, no!"

Hitori shook her head, trying to dispel those negative emotions, "Let's think positively, this is just the first street performance of Guitar Hero, and I'll do better next time. It will be more worthy for Nanaba-san's performance."

With that thought in mind, she picked up her guitar and began practicing seriously until late at night.

The next day, she didn't go to school because of a slight fever.

＊＊＊

This weekend, Nagi and everyone in the Service Club planned to go to the zoo.

In the morning, Nagi woke up early, packed his things, and went to Mahiru's floor to wait for her to come out.

Her door opened, Mahiru looked a little strange today and seemed a little heavy.

"Good morning, Shiina. Are you ready?" Nagi asked with a smile.

"Let's go." Her voice sounded a little deep.

They took the North-South Line MRT. The subway car was crowded with people, Nagi and Mahiru sat in adjacent seats.

"Shiina, what's wrong with you? You look a little unhappy."

"It's nothing, it's just something bothering me."

"If you want, you can share your problem with me. Maybe I can give you some advice."

Mahiru hesitated for a moment, seeming to consider whether to tell Nagi. Finally, she decided to be honest.

"My mother came last night and we... Ended in a bad relationship."

Nagi knew from the beginning that Mahiru and her parents didn't get along. Since they had lunch together for the first time, Mahiru showed a cold expression when she mentioned her parents.

"Is that so? Then when we first met, was it also because of your parents?"

"Yes."

Nagi looked out the window.

Parents.... In his previous life, his family background was very ordinary, and his father received an elite education and asked him to attend a top private school. His father helped him apply to various cram schools...

In this way, he lived step by step according to his father's expectations.

But such behavior brought great pressure on him, he felt restrained, controlled, and not free.

After he went to work, his father also arranged many blind dates in an effort to marry him as soon as possible.

When his father arranged a blind date with the only daughter of a company's boss, Nagi watched a movie with his blind date friend called "The Sun Shines".

The protagonist's words touched his heart deeply.

"The most miraculous and necessary thing in the world is the sun. Wherever you are on earth, you will experience the alternation of day and night throughout the year, and the day and night are evenly divided in every place."

What he wanted to express briefly was that he had tried to fulfill his parents' expectations and become a good child in their eyes. Always stay bright and positive, don't let himself have a dark side. Like a 24-hour sun, he shines on everything around him selflessly, but forgets himself.

He didn't want to be a sun without a dark side forever, he also wanted to have his own darkness and vulnerability.

When the movie ended, the woman on the blind date couldn't hold it anymore, she got up from the seat next to him, sat on him, held his head, and wanted to kiss him. However, when she saw tears streaming down his face and asked him, Nagi ignored her and left her and went home.

Unfortunately, he chose the same path as the protagonist after leaving a few years' worth of work savings for his father to spend his old age.

Seeing Nagi not speaking, Mahiru began to speak to herself.

"I envy Yukino." There was a hint of bitterness in Mahiru's voice.

"Why?"

"Although Yukino's parents are very strict with her, they also sincerely do their best for her."

Nagi saw that Mahiru's envy did not come from discipline, but from feeling expected and noticed.

"Why should they be good to you?" Nagi looked at her calmly, as if waiting for her wise answer.

Mahiru was silent for a moment, then spoke softly. "Maybe because I always feel that I'm not good enough and don't deserve others to treat me well."

"Not just your parents. Aren't all the students and your friends treating you, the Angel, as someone worthy of attention?"

Mahiru raised her head and looked at him in amazement.

"Maybe all this time you've been looking for affirmation, but in fact you already have it. Don't be too hard on yourself, and don't ignore the people around you who silently support you."

Mahiru turned her face away, her voice almost inaudible. "Don't call me Angel."

Nagi lightly patted her shoulder. "Whatever happens, they are there for you and support you."

"They?"

"I dare not say anything more, but everyone in the Service Club surely knows."

A glimmer of light slowly filled Mahiru's eyes, perhaps courage wasn't an impossible thing to achieve.