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“Get pumped up for this everyone! Watch as this man will now stack balls and boxes of varying shapes on top of each other!”\nDressed in a ninja outfit while holding a microphone, Hikawa Genkiro, gestured to the man beside him, Tsurayuki, who had a solemn expression.  In the blink of an eye, a miraculously balanced tower formed on Tsurayuki’s left hand. 
“And how was that! Did you like it everyone!?”\nWith Hikawa’s shout, everyone erupted into applause.
“Amazing! What is with that freshman!?”
 “I was surprised when he came out of nowhere, but his act was incredible!” 
Seeing the positive reception, Hikawa was also envigored with energy.
“Dear guests please give him a round of applause!”
The audience’s claps lavished over the venue.
“I’m sorry for suddenly getting you involved Hikawa.”
 “Don’t worry ‘bout it! A tenet of mine is to help friends in trouble.” \n Hikawa gave a thumbs up and replied with a smile.
“Yeah…..that’s for sure.”
Tsurayuki nodded.
“Kyouya, Hurry up…….!”
He waited for their arrival as he supported the exquisitely balanced tower.
\n
Kyouya-kun! …And Nanako-san!?”
Kakihara was waiting for us at the entrance.
“Hurry inside!”
Rushing along we found Sugimoto-san waiting stage-side.
“Thanks….You came back!”
Kakihara-san smiled happily
“Yeah……..I’m sorry I’m late
“It’s all good. You had to prepare yourself, no tiptoeing about it.”
Then Sugimoto-san brought out some music scores.
“Which one do you want?”
“Eh?”
\n
“The song you’ll be singing. It’s songs you’ve practiced, it includes songs that you like Kogure-san. These are the choices. Pick one.”\n“These are the ones I sang over karaoke…..”
“Thank you for the support!”
Tsurayuki did his last big trick and received a hearty applause.
“But the next performance is sure to be better! Look forward to it!”
After that he withdrew to the backstage
“What a surprise performance from the 1st year student team~”
The band members then appeared on the main stage and began to prepare for the show.
“Shinoaki, Hikawa-kun, Tsurayuki, thank you.”\nBefore her appearance on-stage, Nanako thanked everyone for keeping the show rolling.
“It was Tsurayuki who worked the hardest!”\n“It was a great trick….it went poiyaa!”\nTsurayuki looked at Nanako’s face and silently motioned for a fist bump\n“All that’s left is for you to do the rest. Don’t run away now.”
Nanako laughs and bumps her fists
“Who’s running away? I’ll get 100 times more applause than you.”\nNice one, that should help relieve some of the tension.
“Now then, Nanako”\nI signal her with my eyes.
 “Kyouya, if possible, watch me from the audience stands instead of backstage” \n "Can I ask why?”
“I want you to see if I could properly sing from the perspective of the audience”
Nanako’s words contained a hint of resolve\n“….Okay. As soon as it starts I’ll head over there.”\n“Please do”\nNanako laughed and made her way up the stairs onto the stage.
 "Okay then!  It's for real this time! This is the final act!” 
After confirming all the band members are accounted for, the MC signals offstage.
A girl nervously walked slowly from the side\n“What? A maid….?”
“Is that the theme of the band?”\nNanako Kogure appeared on stage dressed unusually for the occasion 
\n
“It’s about time I go……..”
After seeing Nanako off, I made my way to the stands. It was completely filled front right down through the center row. I could barely get a spot from a slight opening in the back.\nI go to a seat, and to the vacant spot next to it--
“Shinoaki, over here.”
“Thanks”
--The girl who came with me sat there. I handed her a bottle of ginger ale.\n“Thanks Shinoaki, for buying time earlier.”\n “Nah I didn’t do anything. Tsurayuki-kun and Hikawa-kun were the ones going at it.” \n Everyone’s such swell guys.\n“Nanako….good luck”\n I can still see the nervousness in her movements.\n “Nanako is strong. I’m sure she can do it.”
Her hands were clenched tightly together. I nodded and turned toward the stage.\nÂ