Six months later, in Tokyo.
At last, the day of the big performance had arrived.
Just before Hiroki was due to take the stage, Saki and Hiroki were sitting side by side on a bench in a calm, quiet park near the venue.
The city's crowds were only a few streets away, yet this place felt as if it had slipped out of time.
Hiroki rested his guitar across his knees.
As his fingers lightly brushed the strings, he rehearsed his song.
Saki had her eyes closed, keeping the rhythm with her hands; she already knew the melody by heart.
"With this song, you'll definitely be the star of the stage, Hiroki," Saki said with a sincere smile.
Hiroki smiled faintly, but his gaze drifted into the distance.
"That's for sure," he said.
"But what matters to me is… that my mother can see me on stage, even if it's just one last time."
Saki lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"I'm sure she'll be proud of you," she said softly.
"Will she be able to come?"
Hiroki gently silenced the guitar, placed it in its case, and stood up.
"I'm sure she will," he said with a determined expression.
"That's why… I'll be the star of the stage."
Saki stood up as well.
"Let's go before it gets too late," she said.
When they arrived at the venue, the crowd had already begun to gather.
Students from other clubs were preparing; there was a light bustle backstage and a sweet excitement hanging in the air.
Saki and Hiroki made their way to the area assigned to the music club.
Miyuki was waiting for them with her arms crossed.
"Where have you two been?" she said angrily.
Saki giggled.
"Relax, Miyuki. We still have time."
Miyuki frowned.
"What number are we in the lineup, Saki?"
"We're first," Saki said.
"Then yes… we do need to panic. The performance has to be perfect," Miyuki said.
Hiroki joined in.
"Is everything ready, Miyuki?"
"Almost," Miyuki said.
"There are a few small things left—we could use some help."
Saki immediately started helping Miyuki.
Before long, the final checks were complete, and it was almost time to go on stage.
Saki folded her arms and sat down cross-legged.
"Everything's ready, right?"
Miyuki wiped her forehead.
"Yes. We're ready."
"I'll go take my seat, then," Saki said.
"Good luck, Miyuki."
"Thank you, Saki."
Saki walked over to Hiroki, who was lightly strumming his guitar backstage, and whispered,
"I believe in you, Hiroki."
Hiroki smiled.
"Thank you, Saki."
Saki left the backstage area and blended into the audience.
She noticed the crowd, then spotted Yusuke and Hana sitting beside her seat.
"Is everything ready backstage, President Saki?" Yusuke asked.
"Ready," Saki said with a laugh.
"But getting everything prepared was really exhausting."
Hana laughed.
"Good thing we left the presidency to Saki, right, Yusuke?"
"Definitely," Yusuke said.
"She saved us from a lot of trouble."
"How long until the performance starts?" Hana asked.
Saki checked her phone.
"The curtains will open any moment now," she said.
"Are you excited?"
"Honestly," Hana said, "I'm not that interested in the other clubs."
"Same here," Yusuke said.
Saki giggled.
"The first performance is the music club's anyway."
The lights went out.
The curtains opened.
Saki couldn't control her racing heartbeat or her excitement.
When the music started, her foot began tapping to the rhythm on its own.
When the song ended, a single thought crossed her mind:
I wish I could hear it again.
The curtains closed.
The music club returned backstage.
As people were talking about the performance, Hiroki's phone suddenly rang.
On the screen, there was only one word: Hospital.
Hiroki moved to a place where no one could hear him and answered the call.
A few seconds later, the phone slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
Saki stood up.
"Where are you going?" Yusuke asked.
"I'm going to congratulate them and come back," Saki said as she started walking.
When she reached backstage, her eyes searched for Hiroki, but he was nowhere to be found.
She walked over to Miyuki.
"Congratulations, Miyuki," she said.
"You were amazing on stage."
"Thank you," Miyuki said.
Saki looked around.
"Where's Hiroki?"
"I don't know," Miyuki said.
"After the phone call, he didn't say anything—he just took his guitar and left."
Saki's heart began to race.
"I think…" she said.
Then she turned around and rushed out of the venue.
She went straight to the park.
It was even quieter than before.
And Hiroki…
He was sitting on the same bench.
Saki approached slowly and sat down beside him.
For a while, there was silence.
Then Hiroki spoke.
"You know, Saki…"
"I'm sure now that I've found the person I've been looking for."
He took his guitar out of its case.
"This song… my mother and I wrote it together a long time ago."
He turned his gaze to Saki.
"This song… is just for you."
When the song ended, Saki took out the keychain Hiroki had given her and pulled it from her pocket.
She quietly placed it in his palm.
"I'm here, Hiroki," she said.