Why Play in a Band for a Lifetime

"Did you have a fight?"

Shiko gently wiped the tears from Ichiri's face.

"With... 'her'."

This time, I won't be fooled. The 1600-character youth edition of Shimamura Blade that I spent all afternoon writing must...

Chapter 34: Paranoia

"Did you have a fight? With... 'her'."

Silence fell upon the scene, so thick you could hear a pin drop.

"'Her'... you mean..." Kita emerged from her hiding spot, her eyes still red, but she no longer bothered to hide it.

"Hm? I said it clearly, I mean—" Shiko sat in the Beach House, packed with customers, and spoke softly so no one else could hear. But her voice remained unchanged, "the other me."

"You... know?" Shiko turned her head. Beside her, Shizuku Minori, a girl with sky-blue long hair and a mature figure, looked at her calmly.

Shiko gave her a slight smile. "Senior Shizuku, no, Shizuku. And..." A golden-haired girl resembling a doll, and a brown-haired boy, emerged from the kitchen.

"Tsumugi, Hiyori." Shiko spoke their names.

"Nice to meet you," Hiyori greeted politely.

"Mph! Hello~" Tsumugi also greeted naturally.

They were all characters from Summer Pockets. Shiko had checked; in this world, Summer Pockets was just a game.

Shiko looked at the three of them and smiled. But the hand clenched behind her back was pale white. After a long moment, she seemed to make up her mind.

Her eyelids drooped. "You... are all fake, aren't you?"

As Shiko's voice fell, the world in her eyes froze for an instant. The other customers in the Beach House stopped all movement, and the sounds of conversation abruptly ceased. Except for Kita, Ichiri, Shizuku, Tsumugi, and Hiyori, the entire world lost its color.

The three of them continued to look at her with their original expressions.

"Why did you have to point it out?" Hiyori spoke. "You could have just continued like this, no one would have blamed you."

Shiko turned her back and said, "I often find that one moment everyone is talking to me about something, and the next moment the topic completely changes. Also, even though I have no memory of it, everyone says I wrote the music scores."

"There are many other things like this. I also had some strange dreams. In them, I was fighting disgusting monsters with others. Getting injured was commonplace."

"I gradually began to suspect that perhaps there was another me, living in a world completely different from mine. And a world vastly different from reality, where my existence would only cause trouble. I could only try to make up for that trouble, to do what little I could for everyone, so I said, 'to make you smile'."

Shiko stood up and paced between the five of them and the plaster-like customers. "But a patient is a patient. A second personality with paranoia will eventually have to be dealt with."

"We will find a suitable way," Ichiri calmed down slightly, controlling her emotions. "We will absolutely—not hurt Shiko."

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Shiko's eyes as she looked at Ichiri. "I know, everyone is kind and wouldn't really want to get rid of me. I was just a little worried myself, so I pretended not to know anything. But when I woke up this morning, I saw Ichiri crying so sadly."

"Ichiri has never been this sad before. It must be that the other me did something awful? Perhaps the time has come. I thought. It has to be done sooner or later anyway, so I might as well steel myself and resolve everything now. I can still do something."

"Do something?" Kita asked.

"If we're going to mediate, both parties need to be present," Shizuku said.

"Then, let's go. Go and bring her back." Hiyori walked to the kitchen door and took out a key.

Shiko saw it and grinned. "That's the Gull's Key, why do you have it?"

Hiyori tapped his own head. "Ask yourself. You ran out of material, didn't you?" He opened the door. Inside was only darkness, as if inviting Shiko to step in. He turned back and waved at Shiko. "Have a safe trip."

A duck plushie fell to the floor.

Then came Tsumugi. She was still smiling, but tears welled up in her eyes. "Are we going back?"

"Yeah." Shiko picked up the duck plushie and, with Shizuku, took Tsumugi's hands on either side, saying goodbye to her as if in a game, "Happy birthday, Tsumugi."

What they were holding were two small bear plushies.

"Finally, is it me?" Shizuku covered her chest with one hand, looking a little dejected.

At some point, Shiko's face was covered in tears. But she continued, "Thank you, Shizuku, you helped me a lot." She looked at Kita and Ichiri. "When those two were having a fight, you were the one who helped me counsel Ichiri."

Shizuku shook her head. "That was you. But if you think it was my doing, then let me help you one last time." She magically produced a notebook and handed it to Shiko.

"You know what's inside, right?"

"Mm." Shiko accepted it with a smile. "It's a record of Shizuku helping others."

She was talking to the cow plushie in front of her.

"Shiko..." Ichiri leaned closer.

Shiko immediately wiped away her tears with her sleeve. She placed the three plushies on the counter, hugged the notebook, and walked to the kitchen door. She looked back one last time and struck a cool pose. "Ichiri, Kita, I'll be right back."

Then she leaped into the abyss.

The sounds from behind quickly faded. Shiko felt as if ten thousand years had passed, and yet it was only an instant.

Darkness.

After this infinitely long yet infinitely short moment, she adapted to the darkness and could move within it. She couldn't distinguish up from down, but she knew she was moving and where she was going. She naturally floated up—

Towards the only spot of color in the distance.

Shiko was floating in the darkness, her eyes closed. Shiko floated next to her and poked her cheek.

"From a third-person perspective, I'm actually quite cute," she muttered, trying a few more times, her grip gradually tightening on her hands. "Wake up, wake up, Shiko."

Shiko's tightly closed eyelids fluttered slightly. Finally, she opened her eyes.

"Where... where is this?" She saw Shiko. "Who are you?"

"I'm you," Shiko said, shaking her head helplessly.

Shiko suddenly understood. "So it's me!"

"So it's me," Shiko nodded, casually echoing the other's line. "You made Ichiri cry. She's never been this sad before. What happened?"

Shiko gave a wry smile. "It's just that I said things I shouldn't have." She explained the reason. Shiko gradually understood. "I see, so that's what you were thinking."

Shiko asked, "Then what do you think? About Kessoku Band."

Shiko rubbed her chin, organizing her words. "Before... I was just like you. I thought Kessoku Band had to be four people, no more, no less. Gradually, that idea started to change, until a certain moment, around the beginning of summer vacation, that thought disappeared. I just wanted to form the closest bond with the girls I love, forever. Nothing else mattered."

"What happened when summer vacation started?" she asked Shiko.

Shiko was silent for a long time before replying, "Miss Marina died."

Chapter 35: Rainbow Butterflies

"Huh?" Shiko's pupils trembled. "It's no wonder. Without something like that, I wouldn't have been born, would I?"

Shiko lowered her eyelids. "Moreover, from that point on, contrary to you, my original idea became even more stubborn. Also... it was because of Miss Marina."

"Anyway, what are you here for?" she changed the subject, raising her face to look at Shiko.

"Didn't I already say? Ichiri is very sad." Shiko picked up a notebook and tapped it on Shiko's head. The notebook turned into stardust and flew into Shiko's head. "Go comfort her quickly."

"Just to get me out sooner, you came to see me yourself?" Shiko found it absurd. "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you right here? Then I'll become a normal person directly." A long sword appeared in Shiko's hand at some point.

Looking at the sword, Shiko let out a chuckle. "Could you really do it? I know myself best—you're the last person who could kill me." She deliberately raised the sword and brought it to her own neck.

"Go on?"

Shiko remained motionless.

Shiko's expression was mocking as she continued, "But I know myself, I can't appear so frequently anymore. Miss Marina is dead, and your world must be dangerous, right?"

Shiko sighed, and the long sword in her hand dissolved into particles and scattered. "I'm thinking of a way to achieve both goals, like creating a body for you and then finding a way to transfer you into it."

"Can you do it?" Shiko's eyes lit up. She grabbed Shiko's shoulders, trying to see hope in the other's eyes.

"...Not yet. A body that can move normally and be controlled by a soul is too complex for me to create casually. There's just one thing—" Shiko broke free from her grasp, and a jade slip appeared in her hand. "I've made some progress in analyzing this thing. I can transfer you into it."

"Then, can we shape it into a human form?" Shiko rubbed her chin.

Shiko seriously considered it. "I will try my best," Shiko solemnly promised Shiko.

Shiko finally felt relieved and waved her hand. "Then hurry back. We'll discuss this later. Ichiri is waiting."

However, Shiko lowered her head. "Not yet."

"Huh?"

"How should I reply to Ichiri? You know, I initially firmly wanted to leave the band. And I only started hesitating recently—when I began interacting with you." Shiko was distressed. "I'm still hesitating even now."

"Even after she threw herself at you and performed the Shimamura Blade, it didn't change your mind?" Shiko looked at her with disgust. "Scum."

"That's exactly it," Shiko sighed. "She likes me, and I'm happy about that... but when I think about Ichiri actually falling for someone who shouldn't exist under normal circumstances, I start to feel bad. I must be crazy, for that first feeling not to be able to suppress the second one. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll develop another personality."

"You're already sick..." Shiko replied reflexively, but then started rubbing her chin, lost in thought. "My love for them is completely incomparable to my adherence to the original work... whereas I completely love them and don't care as much about the original work..." She seemed to have thought of a possibility.

Shiko held her forehead. "Haa~ This is so troublesome."

"I understand. Then, let me share my feelings with you."

Shiko was stunned. "You can do that?"

"It's feelings I took from you in the first place, just returning them. You have to return your feelings to me too," Shiko said, not entirely sure. "Our current feelings for them are both incomplete. You lack love for them as individuals, and I lack love for the original work. Both should have been one, which is why I took the initiative to greet Ichiri and arranged for Kita to join the band."

Shiko recalled past experiences.

"Perhaps we haven't completely separated," she said. "I still participated in band practice for Nijika."

"Isn't that good enough?" Shiko extended her hand to Shiko. "Since we already have a tendency to influence each other, why not speed things up?"

After a moment of hesitation, Shiko took her hand. Shiko placed her forehead against Shiko's. Faintly glowing blue butterflies emerged from within both Shikos. These were the Seven Shadow Butterflies, Shiko's memories. More and more Seven Shadow Butterflies gathered in the darkness, fluttering and gradually enveloping the two of them.

"You know what to do, right?" Shiko asked, closing her eyes.

"Of course."

A wisp of light, like a butterfly, flew out from between their fingertips and was caught by the other.

The light shone in the boundless darkness, unceasingly.

When the butterflies dispersed, the two stood facing each other, their eyes filled with emotion.

"So, the band means that much to me."

"So, you've been living in a world like this all along."

They looked at each other and smiled.

"See you later, Shiko." Shiko's figure gradually faded.

"See you later, Shiko." Shiko's figure gradually faded.

A white light flashed before Shiko's eyes. The darkness began to recede. Gravity returned, and she found herself standing in a study.

"Where is this..." She scanned the room, and forgotten memories began to return.

This was her home in her past life. The bookshelves, desk and chairs, test papers, and reference books were all neatly arranged. She pulled out a chair, sat down, picked up a pen, and opened a test paper.

She couldn't even answer the first question anymore.

She let out a light chuckle, tossed the pen aside, stood up, and looked out the window.

The scenery outside the window was familiar. Cars were speeding down the road. Across the street was a high school, next to it were other residential areas, and office buildings. In the distance, two streets away, was the riverbank. She passed through the glass, spread her arms, and flew towards the riverbank.

A tide was coming in. It wasn't high, only the level of waves. She watched a few people taking pictures by the shore. So, she slowly descended towards the bank. Standing on the ground, the scene in front of her changed to the gate of a high school. Shiko, with her backpack slung over her shoulder, looked up. A banner at the school entrance indicated that today was the day of the college entrance exam.

"College entrance exam? I can't even answer a single question." Shiko timidly walked into the school.

She stepped through the gate of the examination hall. In an instant, she was standing in a university classroom, with no one around. She crossed her arms, walked to the window, glanced at the university landscape, and then turned away without any lingering attachment, walking out the door.

She stood in mid-air, at the edge of a metal platform. Below her feet were thin clouds, and beneath them, the bustling traffic of the city. She saw the Tokyo Tower. The strong winds of the stratosphere blew her long hair and the hem of her clothes. Yet, she could stand steadily.

At the edge of the city, the world was collapsing. Steel and concrete silently shattered, falling into the void. Beyond it was boundless darkness, the same as where Shiko had been before.

"The illusion has been broken," a voice said from behind her.

Shiko turned around. Her hair blew into her eyes, and she pushed it away.

"I understand."

A giraffe stood behind her.