Episode 8: “So, some trouble has occurred… (Kanon Festival Day 2 – Part 1)”

The morning of the second day of the Kanon Festival arrived with the soft chime of my alarm at five-thirty. The day I’d been both anticipating and dreading had finally come.

I left my room at six and knocked gently on Akira’s door, but silence greeted me. Somehow, I’d expected as much. Making my way downstairs, I found her already in the living room, hunched over her script and muttering lines under her breath with fierce concentration.

“Morning, Akira.”

“Morning, Aniki.” She didn’t look up from the pages, her voice carrying the weight of someone who’d been awake far too long.

“What time did you get up?”

“Around five. Couldn’t really sleep anymore.” The dark circles under her eyes confirmed what I’d suspected—she’d barely slept at all.

“Did you get enough rest?”

“Yeah, well…” Her noncommittal response told me everything I needed to know.

Today marked the drama club’s performance—the real deal, not just another rehearsal. Of course, Akira would be nervous. Truth be told, I’d tossed and turned for hours before finally drifting off around three in the morning. We were both running on fumes and adrenaline.

“Should we head out a bit early today?”

“Yeah.” Her reply came quick and decisively.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs announced Dad and Miyuki-san’s arrival. They paused in the doorway, clearly surprised to find us both already dressed and ready.

“Oh my, you’re up already, Akira? You must be nervous after all.”

“Yeah, I am. But I’ll do my best.” There was a steel in her voice that hadn’t been there weeks ago—a quiet determination that spoke of how much she’d grown.

“We’ll be there to watch, of course. It’s your big day, after all,” Dad said with a warm smile.

“Akira, good luck, okay? Mama will be cheering for you from the audience,” Miyuki-san added, her maternal warmth filling the space between them.

“Thank you, Taichi-san, Mom. I really will do my best!” The genuine gratitude in Akira’s voice made something warm settle in my chest.

It would be fine. Akira could handle this—I was certain of it. She’d changed so much over these past weeks, worked harder than anyone, taking one careful step forward at a time. No matter what happened today, I was determined to make this performance a success.

With that resolve burning in my chest, I headed upstairs to finish getting ready.

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We caught a train two departures earlier than usual, and since it was Saturday morning, the car was nearly empty. Akira and I settled into the long bench seat, letting the gentle sway of the train car wash over us in comfortable silence.

After one stop, I felt Akira’s hand settle softly on the back of mine.

“What’s up?”

“The usual… recharge… is that okay?” Her voice carried that familiar mixture of vulnerability and trust.

“Of course.”

It had become less frequent lately, but Akira still asked for these moments of closeness when anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. Slowly, the weight of her head came to rest against my shoulder, and I caught the soft, sweet scent of her shampoo. Today, my shoulder seemed to be enough comfort—she didn’t need to curl against my chest like she sometimes did.

Eventually, her hand shifted, and our palms pressed together. Then her slender, pale fingers intertwined with mine in the way that always made my heart skip.

“This is called lovers’ hand-holding, you know?” she murmured against my shoulder.

“I know.” The words came out rougher than I’d intended.

“Oh…” There was something almost disappointed in that single syllable. “I want to stay like this forever…”

“Forever might be a bit tough…” I glanced around the car—still no other students from Yūki Academy in sight. We could maintain this peaceful moment a little longer without worry.

“You feeling okay about today?” I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

“Who knows,” Akira murmured, pressing her head more firmly against my shoulder. “That might depend on you, Aniki…”

“On me?”

“There’s something I want to ask you… something important.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Important? What is it?”

“I’ll tell you after today’s performance.”

“Doesn’t that mess up the timing? Whatever it is, it might be better to ask before—”

“Even so, promise you’ll listen to my request first.” Her grip on my hand tightened slightly.

“That’s scary… What could it possibly be?”

“Ehehehe.” Her soft laughter did nothing to ease my growing anxiety.

“Don’t keep me in suspense like this. It’s making me nervous too.”

“Don’t be scared of me, Aniki…” She squeezed my hand in a rhythmic pattern, tightening and loosening her grip like a heartbeat.

Honestly, I was terrified of what she might say. What if Akira wanted to end this delicate relationship we’d built together? Just the thought made my chest constrict with fear. I gripped her glass-like, delicate hand more firmly, careful not to break something so precious.

“Don’t scare me too much. I may not look it, but I’m a coward when it comes to you…”

The words slipped out before I could stop them—another selfish attempt to bind her to me, to keep her from saying something that might shatter this fragile happiness.

The truth was, I couldn’t imagine a life without Akira by my side anymore.

“It’s okay. I’ll always be by your side.” Her voice was so soft I almost missed it over the train’s rumble.

“Then I’m relieved. I’ll listen, at least. But nothing too unreasonable, okay?”

“Ehehe, I knew you’d say that, Aniki.” Her smile was radiant as the train pulled into the station before Yūki Academy.

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After arriving at school and parting ways with Akira, I made my way to the classroom. Hoshino was already there, quietly absorbed in her smartphone, her usual composed demeanor intact despite the early hour.

“Huh? Morning, Majima-kun. You’re early today.”

“You’re early too, Hoshino-san. Morning.”

“What about Ueda-kun today?”

“Ah, I came a bit early, so I haven’t seen him this morning.”

“Oh…” Her disappointed expression was subtle but unmistakable. She set her phone down and suddenly blushed, fidgeting with the edge of her desk.

“Um, I think I should tell you this, Majima-kun…”

“What is it?”

“I’m going to confess to Ueda-kun today!” The words tumbled out in a rush, her cheeks burning bright red.

“Eh!?” The surprise in my voice was genuine.

“During the campfire at the after-party, I thought I’d call him aside…”

“R-Really…”

I was genuinely surprised, but being told about a confession like this… From what I’d observed of their interactions, Hoshino’s confession probably wouldn’t go the way she hoped.

“It seems hopeless, doesn’t it?” she said, reading my expression with uncomfortable accuracy.

“Ah, um…” I struggled for words.

“I know it’s hopeless myself…” Hoshino’s voice dropped, her earlier confidence crumbling into uncertainty.

“You know that, and you’re still planning to confess? Why?”

“I’ve tried all sorts of approaches, and I feel like there’s nothing more I can do. I just want him to know how I feel, that I care about him.” Her hands clenched into small fists on her desk.

“You want him to know…”

“If it doesn’t work out, then it doesn’t work out—I feel like I can finally move on then. It might be a bother to Ueda-kun, though.” The smile she offered was achingly poignant, full of resigned hope.

I managed to say “Good luck,” but found myself at a loss for any other words of comfort. Sometimes honesty was crueler than kindness.

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Time passed after my conversation with Hoshino, and the classroom gradually transformed into a Halloween wonderland like the day before. But one concern gnawed at me—Kousei still hadn’t arrived.

Normally, he’d be slouched at his desk by now, scrolling through his phone with that perpetually grumpy expression. But even as the starting bell approached, his seat remained empty. It bothered me more than it should have.

The chime for the start of class rang out across the school. Could he actually be absent? I checked my phone, but there were no notifications from him.

When the homeroom teacher entered and took attendance, Kousei’s absence was officially noted. Even after homeroom ended, he still hadn’t appeared. Hoshino, clearly concerned about her would-be confession target, approached my desk with worry written across her features.

“Majima-kun, um… is Ueda-kun absent today?”

“I don’t know. Let me try contacting him.”

I hurriedly pulled out my phone and dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail after several rings.

“No answer. I’ll send a LIME message for now.”

“Yeah, thanks.” The anxiety in Hoshino’s voice made my own unease grow stronger.

Then I remembered—Hinata might know something about her brother’s whereabouts. With a growing sense of foreboding, I headed toward the first-year classroom, but on the stair landing, I nearly collided with Akira.

“Aniki!” Her voice was tight with panic.

“Akira, what’s wrong?”

She looked completely flustered, her usual composure shattered. “Hinata-chan hasn’t come to school yet!”

“Eh!? Hinata-chan too?”

“‘Too’ means Ueda-senpai is also missing!?”

We both frantically pulled out our phones, trying to reach Kousei and Hinata respectively. The seconds stretched into an eternity as we waited for someone, anyone, to pick up.

“No good, it won’t connect!” Akira’s voice cracked with worry.

“Kousei isn’t answering either… I sent a LIME message earlier, but it’s still unread.”

“What could have happened?”

“I don’t know…” I tried to keep my voice steady for Akira’s sake, but the growing pit in my stomach suggested something was seriously wrong.

“Aniki, what should we do…?”

“It’s okay, Akira. Probably just something at home, and they’re running late. Don’t worry—”

My phone suddenly rang, cutting through my forced reassurance. The display showed Kousei’s name, and I nearly sagged with relief.

“Hello?”

『Ryouta, sorry for all the missed calls.』 His voice sounded strained, tired in a way that immediately set off alarm bells.

“No, it’s fine. Where are you now? What about Hinata-chan?”

『We’re at the hospital right now…』

“…Huh? Hospital…?” The word escaped before I could stop it, and I immediately regretted speaking so loud when I saw Akira’s face crumple in distress.

『Calm down and listen—』

“W-What happened?”

『Hinata had an accident…』

“…………Eh?”

Kousei’s subsequent explanation felt like it was coming from underwater, his words distant and muffled despite the clear connection. Even after the call ended, I stood frozen on the stairway landing, staring at my phone until Akira tugged at my sleeve.

“Aniki?” Her voice was small, frightened.

Right beside me was Akira’s face, painted with pure anxiety and fear. She deserved to know the truth, no matter how much it would hurt.

“What happened? What about Hinata-chan? Ueda-senpai?”

My throat constricted, but I forced the words out. “Hinata-chan… she got into an accident…”

The moment those words left my lips, Akira broke down completely. For the first time since we’d become siblings, I pulled her into a full embrace, holding her trembling form against my chest as sobs wracked her small frame.

“It’s okay, everything’s going to be fine… Just breathe, it’s okay…” The words were as much for my own reassurance as hers, a desperate attempt to convince myself that this nightmare would somehow work out.

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Once Akira had calmed down enough to stop shaking, I returned to class and filled Hoshino in on the situation. After hearing what had happened, she immediately said, “Leave the class arrangements to me.” I could see she was shaken too—her planned confession would definitely have to wait.

Next, I gathered the drama club members in their clubroom and explained the situation myself. The weight of their collective devastation pressed down on me like a physical force.

“What!? Is Hinata-chan okay!? How badly was she hurt!?” Nishiyama was the first to react, rushing toward me with panic written across her face.

I placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Calm down. Her brother Kousei is with her. It wasn’t a car accident—she collided with someone on a bicycle. It’s not life-threatening.”

The collective sigh of relief was audible, but then Nishiyama asked the question I’d been dreading: “So what about today’s performance?”

I couldn’t meet her eyes as I continued. “She hurt her leg… Kousei says it’s just a sprain, but with the collision and everything, there are medical tests and accident reports and all sorts of procedures to deal with.”

The words stuck in my throat, but there was no time for careful phrasing. “It’s going to be tough. Depending on the test results, she might not need to be hospitalized, and she wants to come herself. But even if she makes it in time for the performance, she probably won’t be able to go on stage…”

I stuck to the facts, brutal as they were.

Nishiyama’s shoulders began to shake violently, and the despair spread through the other members like a virus. Unable to bear watching her pain, I shifted my gaze to Akira, who had curled up in the corner of the clubroom, hugging her knees and crying silently.

The shock of her friend being hurt was probably far worse than the prospect of the performance being canceled. In moments like this, I wished I possessed some magical words of comfort, but nothing appropriate came to mind.

Then Nishiyama shook off my hand and turned to face the other members, forcing a bright expression that fooled no one.

“Th-That’s such a relief!” she announced with artificial cheer. “I thought it was a much more serious accident, so I’m just glad it’s not life-threatening!”

Her forced optimism was transparent and heartbreaking. Ito and the others felt the weight of Nishiyama’s desperate attempt to stay strong, and it only made the situation more painful.

“For now, today’s performance… is, um, canceled… I’ll go inform the student council, the event committee, the teachers…” Each word seemed to cost her something precious.

Ito stepped forward from among the gathered members and pulled Nishiyama into a tight embrace.

“Kazusa-chan…”

“I-I’m the club president, so I have to handle this…”

“I’ll go with you…” Ito was trying to stay strong too, but tears were already pooling in her eyes.

The other members began embracing each other, and soon everyone was crying openly. They had all poured their hearts into this performance, working tirelessly because they believed it was the club’s last chance for survival.

Nishiyama had her own reasons for wanting this performance to succeed—I suspected she wanted to leave something meaningful behind with this group before her family moved away. Seeing it all fall apart, she still tried to act tough as their president.

It was unbearable to watch. The frustration burned in my chest like acid.

Are we really going to end like this, without even trying? What have we been working toward these past three weeks?

The emotions swirling in my chest—anger, sadness, emptiness—drained the strength from my body until simply standing felt like an enormous effort.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Kousei’s name appeared on the screen.

“Ryouta, you got a minute?”

“Yeah. How’s Hinata-chan doing?”

“They finished the tests, and her bones are fine. It’s a bad sprain, they said.” His voice carried exhaustion and guilt in equal measure.

It was hard to feel honestly relieved under these circumstances.

“I-I see…”

“She feels responsible and has been crying nonstop. Says she’s causing trouble for everyone…” The pain in his voice was raw, unfiltered.

“Got it… But tell her we’re handling things over here, so she can focus on getting better.”

“Understood. Sorry about this, Ryouta…”

“Why are you apologizing to me?”

“You were right. If I’d stayed by her side and taken better care of her, Hinata wouldn’t have— Ah, damn it!” The sound of something being struck came through the phone.

“This is so pathetic…” His voice trembled with self-recrimination.

I clenched my teeth until my jaw ached. Is there anything I can do? For Nishiyama and the others, for Hinata who’s not here—and for Akira, I have to stand firm. As her brother, as a man, as the older one who’s supposed to protect what matters.

Crying now won’t change anything or save anyone.

Don’t give up.

The thought rose from somewhere deep inside me, quiet but insistent. But staging the performance in this situation seemed impossible. How could we possibly make ‘Romeo and Juliet’ work without our Juliet?

“The performance—is it getting canceled after all?”

“Yeah, that’s how it’s looking…”

“If only there was someone who could fill in for Hinata—”

In that instant, something clicked into place in my mind.

“A replacement… for Hinata-chan?”

“Ryouta, what’s going on…?”

“Hey, Kousei. When do you think Hinata-chan can be discharged?”

“Our parents are on their way here now. Probably by noon, somehow…”

“The performance starts at one-thirty.”

“Even if she makes it back, she probably can’t perform, right?”

“That’s fine. Once she’s discharged, can you bring her straight to school?”

“Ryouta, what are you planning?”

“We’re doing the performance as scheduled.”

“Huh? Who’s going to replace Hinata—”

“There’s one person who can handle the Juliet role. So tell Hinata-chan she can relax.”

“…Got it. But Ryouta, if this is going to make Hinata suffer more—”

“I understand. If that’s the case, don’t force her to come.”

“But is this really okay?”

“Kousei.”

“Yeah?”

“Man, I’m really glad you’re my friend.”

“Huh? What are you talking about—”

“Leave this to me. Take care of Hinata-chan. We’re running out of time, so I’m hanging up—”

I ended the call and called out to Nishiyama and the others, who were about to leave the clubroom with Ito supporting her. “Hold on a second.”

“Majima-senpai…?” Nishiyama and Ito stopped in their tracks.

“Nishiyama, Ito-san, listen carefully. We’re doing the performance.”

Nishiyama looked stunned along with the other members, but Ito regarded me with surprisingly calm eyes.

“How, without Hinata-chan?”

“I know someone who can play Juliet.”

“Who? It can’t be one of our club members—” As Ito started to protest, I looked toward the person in question.

“Akira!”

Akira lifted her tear-stained face and stared at me in shock.

“M-Me!?”

“You’ve memorized Juliet’s lines, right?”

“W-Well, yes, I have them memorized, but I’ve never actually performed…”

“As long as you know the lines, that’s enough.” With this plan, there was a glimmer of hope.

“Hold on a minute, Majima-senpai!” Nishiyama interjected, looking flustered. “Even if Akira-chan plays Juliet, we’ll be missing our Romeo!”

“No, I know someone who can play Romeo too.”

“Eh? Who?”

I took a deep breath and looked straight into Nishiyama’s eyes.

“Me.”

Thinking back, I’d spent these past three weeks practicing Romeo’s lines and movements with Akira. I had the dialogue memorized too. The only difference was that I’d never performed them in front of an audience.

“Aniki is…?” When I turned to Akira, her eyes were wide with shock.

“Majima-senpai, can you really do it?”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. But at this point, whether I could or couldn’t wasn’t the real issue.

“I’ll play Romeo.”

“Aniki, are you absolutely sure…?”

“Of course. Don’t underestimate your aniki, okay?” I flashed her a confident grin that I hoped looked more convincing than it felt.

“But…”

“I’m doing this. No—I want to do this!” I looked over at Nishiyama with determination burning in my chest.

“So, Nishiyama, will you let me play Romeo?”

Nishiyama hesitated, clearly surprised by this turn of events, but as the president, she made her decision quickly.

“Understood. Majima-senpai, we’re counting on you!”

I steeled myself for what was to come.