[Serialized Novel] "A Love Song for You" #13 Awakening

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40. The Story After That...

<Reika>

　The miracle brought about by the power of song continued. Surprisingly, we all began to grow younger with each passing day, and before we knew it, we had returned to the appearance we had when Southern Cross was first formed. It was a mysterious phenomenon that felt as if time had been rewound. The only difference was that Takumi had lost his voice.

　At first, we communicated through writing. However, I couldn't bear to see Takumi, who intuitively felt stressed about not being able to speak, so we eventually agreed to learn sign language together. It seemed difficult to learn something new at our age, but it turned out to suit us well in addition to our physical and mental rejuvenation, and fortunately, we were able to master it quickly.

◇◇◇

　Around the time the cherry blossom buds began to swell, we each moved out of our respective apartments and relocated to a used detached house where the three of us could live together. To play and sing without worrying about the neighbors, we converted one of the rooms into a music studio. We are satisfied with how the studio turned out, and we will likely spend much of our time in this room.

"I still feel like I'm dreaming. I never imagined that a day like this would actually come."

　--It's not a dream. This is the best future we chose for ourselves.--

　I read Takumi's hand movements and translate them into his voice in my mind. This is something I do on my own, but I like it because it makes me feel like he is speaking directly to me.

"That might be true, but I agree with Rei-chan that it feels like a dream. When we reunited Southern Cross, I couldn't have imagined a future like this. Back then, I seriously thought about seeing Takumi off, hating Rei-chan to the core, and quitting Southern Cross."

　He, who had not been happy about the reunion, had initially said that he would probably quit the band once Takumi overcame his illness and could sing again. Now, he is here, living with us and trying to continue the band's activities. There must be many reasons why he changed his mind, but Takumi's illness is undoubtedly one of them. If the life or death of one person can sway the lives of others, perhaps I should think more seriously about how I live and die.

　--Thank you for staying.--
　Tomo-kun, having read Takumi's hand movements, shakes his head.

"My place, having forgiven everything, is here now. ...Or rather, I have an obligation to fulfill the responsibility of keeping you alive. I intend to dedicate the rest of my life to you."

　--Dedicating your life... That's a bit heavy...--

"Ah, I see... Then..."
　Tomo-kun thinks for a moment before answering.
"I'll follow you, our leader, for the rest of my life. How's that?"

　Takumi breaks into a wide smile and makes a large circle with both hands.

<Takumi>

It was around this time last year that my illness was diagnosed. Honestly, I never thought I would be able to see the cherry blossom season once more.

(I'm alive, aren't I... Just as Reika declared, I've been kept alive...)

This life that was saved. Since I have already done everything I wanted to do, all I can do is use the remainder of my life for their sake. In other words, I will spare no effort to achieve "world domination."

It is no longer a question of whether I can do it, but rather that I intend to make it happen no matter what. If the two of them hesitate, I will be the one to break through. Even if the whole world is against us. A man who has faced death has nothing to fear.

◇◇◇

In the end, I wasn't able to leave behind my live voice until today, the day of the street performance we talked about. However, the two of them didn't give up. They turned my final song, "Sunrise," into a digital recording and preserved it officially. We plan to reproduce my voice by playing this during the street performance. I have nothing but words of gratitude for their efforts.

The street performance is a complete secret. Just like in our younger days, the plan is to head to the station front without any prior announcement and start playing suddenly. However, unlike back then, we are no longer amateurs. Believing that we can definitely gather a crowd once we start playing, we begin preparing our guitars in front of the station at night, where many people are passing by during Golden Week.

It's not like it's my first time doing a street performance, and I should know the procedure, but for some reason, I'm feeling nervous, perhaps because it's been several decades. When I repeat deep breaths over and over, Tomonori laughs at me.

"Hey, you look like you're doing a street performance for the first time. If the leader is like that, I worry about what's to come..."

—Shut up! If you're going to say that, make sure you don't mess up your playing, okay?

"...Well, if I make a mistake, then so be it. Unexpected things are part of the thrill of a live performance, after all."
I expected a rebuttal, but I find myself laughing at his unexpected reply.

(Tomonori has really changed... Yeah, I can rest easy with this.)

Although this is a life that the two of them kept alive for me, in reality, I don't even know how long it will last. So, when I truly die next time, I intend to leave Reika to Tomonori, just as I requested before.

Right now, it's assumed that Reika and I are a couple, but in the end, as long as Reika is happy, that's all that matters, and honestly, I don't care if the partner is me or Tomonori. In fact, Tomonori seems to be secretly pining for the rejuvenated Reika, and Reika doesn't seem to mind it either. At this point, I have no desire to fight, so I intend to just go with the flow regarding this matter. Well, I'm sure I'd get scolded if I said something like this.

<Tomonori>

Ever since our fervent prayers caused a miracle and truly cured Takumi's illness, I have been living my days feeling as if I myself have been reborn. First, I realized that it was meaningless to put on a brave front for my |comrades<family>, and I stopped arguing back. I feel so calm now that I wish I had been honest with my own feelings sooner.

However, I intend to rebel against society more than ever before, capture the hearts of many people with the power of our songs, and shake the world. Some might ask, what can the three of you do? But our songs, the power of our prayers, are so immense that even we are surprised. If the power of the audience is added to that, the world will surely change. Because, isn't that right? There is nothing in this world that doesn't change.

As the first step toward building a new world with the three of us, today we will perform a song we created together. The title is "Awakening." This contains two meanings: the awakening of the three of us and the awakening of the world.

I stand in the same place as before, guitar in hand, just as I did back then. At this moment, there are zero passersby looking to see us. I feel a sense of nostalgia in this feeling.

“Alright, then, let’s give them a shock. Let’s grab the attention of those who are indifferent to us.”

I gave the signal in place of Takumi, who had lost his voice. The two nodded, and the leader himself began by setting the opening rhythm. After a short intro, Rei-chan’s singing voice rang out.

#

You guys are crazy, aren't you?
Wake up already!
Raise the signal fire of a counterattack
We aren't puppets forever

“Zip your lips” is something that
doesn't work anymore! That's what I say

Stop pretending to be a good kid
If you want to live, raise your voice
Otherwise you'll get taken for a ride, won't you?
On the bus to the afterlife

Are you okay with just being swept away?
It’s your life, right? Let’s decide our own path, okay?

#

You know it, don't you, you guys?
Start moving already!

It doesn't fit, let's throw away these cloudy glasses
“Do as you're told”
is a no, even for kids

The era of good kids is over
Don't underestimate our power
Otherwise you'll have a painful experience, won't you?
I'll flip this world upside down

Are you okay with just being told what to do?
I am the protagonist, I should be able to decide my own life

Dawn is approaching
Let’s say goodbye to the self of yesterday
Because a new world is waiting for us...

Stop pretending to be a good kid
If you want to live, raise your voice
Otherwise you'll get taken for a ride, won't you?
On the bus to the afterlife

The era of good kids is over
Don't underestimate our power
Otherwise you'll have a painful experience, won't you?
I'll remake it into a brand new world

#
(*If you want to listen to the song, go to this article. The following songs are also available *)

As we began to sing, people gradually gathered. The lyrics were more radical than anything Southern Cross had done before. Yet, rather than just lamenting the world, the lyrics seemed to inspire, and many people appeared captivated by them.

“We’re just getting started!”
I said it, channeling Takumi, as I was sure that’s what he would say. Takumi grinned, and then quietly began to play the intro for the next song.

#

Why did you leave at that time?
Without even looking back at me as I chased you
My tears dried up and the earth parched
I continued to sing with a raspy voice

Turning my love for you into hatred
Days spent struggling in the darkness
My heart and body eaten away
You, whom death brought back to me
I swear while crying
That I will never forgive you

If I could shed tears of hatred
I would be saved
But if I don't say that it's your fault that I can't shed them
I will surely break

When I forgive you
I will be forgiven
And once forgiven
I will die in peace

But before that, I want to tell you of my love
These feelings for you, who have become so wonderful
To you who loved my voice
That I love you, always and forever

#

A complete change from the previous song, this one is "LOVE LETTER," created based on letters between me and Takumi. Because of that, only Rei-chan can sing it with such deep emotion, and even I, who have heard it many times, get goosebumps. As she sang with all her heart, I noticed a few people starting to realize it was Reika and whispering to each other.

If Takumi had died back then, this song would never have been completed or sung. It is precisely because Takumi is alive and here that we were able to use the word "death" and finish the lyrics with more reality.

After that, we played a few more songs, including "Sunrise," which Takumi had left behind, and before I knew it, a considerable crowd had gathered in front of the station.

"That's an amazing number of people..."

"I told you, didn't I? That with our songs, we can gather people even without being in an event."
I replied confidently to the overwhelmed Rei-chan.

--Even though we're still unknown, it's completely different from when we were young. I wonder if it means we've really gained some skill?
I read Takumi's sign language and replied strongly, "Of course it does."

--...Still, we've gathered a bit too many. Shall we call it a day?

As soon as Takumi conveyed that, he asked the audience for tips and started packing up. Bills were thrown into the empty guitar case one after another, and in no time, a mountain of paper had formed.

I couldn't help but smile bitterly as people called out things like, "I look forward to your future success," "When are you coming back?" and "That was cool." Aside from those who recognized Rei-chan, I wondered how many people could possibly tell that we were seasoned veterans who had been active in music for over thirty years, seeing us in these rejuvenated forms. Probably almost none.

(Hmph... If you look closely, the world is overflowing with mysterious things... I couldn't notice it when I had a biased perspective, but this world isn't so bad after all...)

Things that seem impossible can happen in reality. Events that were thought to be unchangeable can be changed if you take action. It was because I realized that, that I decided not to be alone, but to continue my musical activities as a member of Southern Cross. I learned that while one person's power is always just onefold, three people together become many times stronger.

Following Takumi's instructions, I spoke up on his behalf.
"Thank you very much! Please continue to support Southern Cross!"

✨Part 1 Complete. To be continued in Part 2 (planned...!)✨

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