FIRST_IMPACT
(Vol. 1 Track 4)

[sfx: footsteps]

Tsugumi: Ermm… According to the map it should be… this place? Hm? Damn, what’s with this crowd?

Tobikura: Ah, Tsugumi-kun!

Tsugumi: There he is! Tobi-chan! 

[sfx: Tsugumi running]

Tsugumi: Sorry I’m late! Work ran over a little, so…

Tobikura: No, I’m sorry I couldn’t come to pick you up. The map I gave you is a little difficult to follow, isn’t it?

Tsugumi: Eh, it’s fine, really, but… What’s all this commotion about?

Tobikura: It’s a concert! The band, RUBIA Leopard, work under our talent agency, but… Have you heard of them?

Tsugumi: Well, I know a little from what Toki and Hibari have said, but… Sorry! I didn’t really pick up on much.

Tobikura: No, that’s alright! I wanted you to learn about them tonight!

Tsugumi: Huh? Me…?

Fan: Excuse me!

Tsugumi and Tobikura: Hm?

Fan: Uhm, would you happen to be… Tsugumi-san from Inkuro?

Tsugumi: Uhh, I’ve been told we look pretty similar, but…

Fan: Eh? Ah, I’m so sorry! I must have been mistaken…!

Tsugumi: You’re good, I get it a lot! Don’t worry about it!

Fan: Sorry again!

[sfx: fan walking away]

Tsugumi: I’m sure I’ve seen her before. At one of our concerts maybe?

Tobikura: Uh…?

Tsugumi: What’s up, Tobi-chan? You’re making a weird face…

Tobikura: Uh, nothing! Just… does that kind of thing happen a lot?

Tsugumi: Hrmm… I guess, sometimes?  Normally I don’t like lying to people, but if I just straight up said ‘Yup! That’s me!’ it could cause some trouble, so…

Tobikura: Ah… I’m sorry…

Tsugumi: What are you apologising for now, Tobi-chan?  

Tobikura: I really should have been more thoughtful…!

Tsugumi: I already told you, it’s fine! You don’t need to treat me like one of your talents. We’re just plain old friends! I can handle myself, you don’t need to worry. Anyways, look! Seems us VIPs are supposed to use a different entrance. Which way we goin’?

Tobikura: Oh, right! Let’s go, it’s this way!

[sfx: RISE instrumental]

Toki: Tsugu… Oi, Tsugumi!

[sfx: music stops]

Toki: How many times is that today?

Tsugumi: My bad. 

Mitsuru: Tsugumi, you’ve been acting kind of weird lately. Did something happen?

Tsugumi: Nah, it’s nothing. I’m real sorry, let’s try one…!

[sfx: Hibari hitting the cymbals once, packing up his things]

Hibari: I think that’s practice over for today.

Mitsuru: Hibari…!

Hibari: There’s no point in practicing if you’re not going to put your heart into it.  

Tsugumi: …

Hibari: Now, if you’ll excuse me.

[sfx: door opening, Hibari leaving]

Mitsuru: Toki, I…

Toki: Let’s leave it there for today, then.

Mitsuru: Yeah. 

[sfx: Mitsuru grabbing his bag]

Mitsuru: Then, thanks for today, guys. See you!

[sfx: door opening, Mitsuru running]

Mitsuru: Hibari!

Hibari: Hm? Huh? You’re leaving as well?

Mitsuru: Mhm. Toki said we’re done for the day.

Hibari: Oh, right.

Mitsuru: Hey, Hibari. 

Hibari: Hm? Yes?

Mitsuru: Are you angry?

Hibari: Not even a little! What about you? Are you angry?

Mitsuru: Nope. Not even a little.

Hibari: Right?  I mean, I definitely get the feeling something’s bothering Tsugu-chan. But it’s alright! We’re just following his lead, after all. That summer, five years ago… If he hadn’t reached out to us, we wouldn’t be where we are now.

[sfx: birdsong and cicadas, someone collapsing, crowd murmuring]

Mitsuru: Are you okay?! Stay with us…!

Hibari: Mitsuru, you shouldn’t shake him! He could have hit his head when he fell, we don’t know for sure.

Mitsuru: Ah, right. I’m sorry.  

Hibari: For now, let’s carry him to the festival’s first aid area. If he regains consciousness…!

Band Member: If he regains consciousness? What the hell are you on about?! Are you really still thinking of going on with the show, even after this?!

Hibari:   That’s, I…!

Band Member: One of our band members has collapsed! And you’re not even worried, going around acting like you’re in charge! Cut it the fuck out! 

Mitsuru: I know you’re worried, of course we are too! But, we’ve worked so hard to get to this point…!

Band Member: ‘We can still be a band even if we don’t bother with the festival’ That’s what he was always saying! He didn’t even want to do this shit. He said he didn’t have the confidence!

Mitsuru: Why are you saying this? After we spent however many weeks practicing, just for today, I thought…!

Hibari: Mitsuru, stop. 

Mitsuru: Hibari…

Staff: Stretcher coming through! Where’s the person who collapsed?

Hibari: Ah, over here!

Staff: Sorry, if you could just give us some room… What’s happened here?

Hibari: He’s lost consciousness. I don’t know whether or not he hit his head. 

Staff: Understood. We’ll take things from here. Just to be safe, we’ll call an ambulance, so we’ll have to contact his family, if someone could accompany us…?

Band Member: I’ll go with you!

Staff: Okay, thank you.  Alright, get ready to lift! Three, two…!

[sfx: stretcher rattling]

Staff: Now, if you could please follow us.

Band Member: Of course!

[sfx: footsteps, crowd murmuring]

Hibari:  It looks like our chance to perform is well and gone, now, doesn’t it? Mitsuru! Thank you, for getting angry on my behalf.

Mitsuru:  … I just couldn’t believe he would try to blame you like that.

Hibari: It’s alright. Plus, he was right, I really was thinking about it. I thought we could just pick up the pieces, and sing our song as planned.

Mitsuru: I thought so too. And, if they really didn’t want to do the festival, they should have told us sooner!

Hibari: Just hearing you say that makes me feel better, Mitsuru.

Mitsuru: I’m mad. ‘Cuz you never get mad for yourself.

Hibari: (laugh) Alright, I hear you! Though, if we’re being practical, we can’t really put on a show with only bass and drums.  Let’s head back to the main building and withdraw our entry.

Mitsuru: Mm. 

Hibari: I really didn’t expect this to be over so abruptly, but… Well, nothing we can do about it now! 

Tsugumi: How ‘bout I sing instead?

Hibari: It’s you guys…!

Tsugumi: You’ve still got time, right? I only heard the melody once, but I’m pretty sure I remember most of it!

Toki: Oi, Tsugu!

Tsugumi: And this guy here plays guitar! You guys are the bassist and drummer, right? So it should work out just fine!

Mitsuru: I mean, you’re not wrong, but… Aren’t you guys also participating?

Tsugumi: No worries there! We already had our performance slot this morning, so we’re totally free!

Toki: You dumbass! You think that’s what they’re worried about?

Hibari: I thought I’d seen you guys somewhere before! You’re Nonaka Tsugumi-kun and Mizukawa Toki-kun, right?

Tsugumi: You know who we are?!

Hibari: I checked out all the participating bands in advance. I remember you two in particular. I heard rumours you guys were set to win! Though, personally, I felt like while your vocals and guitar are winning material, by comparison your bassist and drummer are nothing special.

Tsugumi: Gk! You don’t have to be so blunt about it, you’re killing the vibe!

 Hibari: Oh, so you already knew that, did you? That’s good!

Tsugumi: Hey, watch it…!

Toki:  Uhm! I’m really sorry, about him being so sudden earlier, but… Even though I don’t want to interfere any more than we already have, are you really going to give up? Shibasaki Hibari-san.

Hibari: Oh, Mizukawa-kun, you know who I am as well?

Toki: I do. I know you, and I know that you’re Hayama Mitsuru-san as well.

Mitsuru: Eh? Me too? I didn’t really think our band was all that well-known…

Toki: Actually, I also checked out all of the participating bands in advance. I remember a crazy bassist and drummer in particular.

Hibari: (laughs) I see now! 

Toki: And Tsugu, cut it out already!

Tsugumi: Ehh?

Toki: Don’t ‘ehh’ me. If they were to play with another band…

Tsugumi: But, I mean, just look at these two! Those are totally not the faces of guys who’d be fine just letting this chance go! 

Mitsuru: Ah, guilty.

Hibari: (laughs, sighs) You’ve got us there…

Tsugumi: Hey, Toki, any chance these two are any worse than our guys?

Toki: Uh, no… They’re really amazing. 

Tsugumi: Thought so! Otherwise there’s no way you’d remember their names! Then, this is perfect! Let’s perform together, all four of us!

[sfx: cicadas and birdsong fading away, footsteps]

Mitsuru: That was a warm day, wasn’t it?

Hibari: Yeah, it was. The cicadas were so loud, and the sky was so blue… 

Mitsuru: And on the way back, we stopped for milkshakes.

Hibari: Vanilla, right?

Mitsuru: I remember you saying you liked vanilla.

Hibari: Huh? Did I say that?

Mitsuru: You did.

Hibari: Those were delicious, weren’t they?

Mitsuru: On the way home, you looked really happy.

Hibari: Did I really? I don’t remember.

Mitsuru: You really love Tsugumi’s singing, don’t you?

Hibari: Don’t you, Mitsuru?

Mitsuru: Yeah. I like it a lot. And, in the end, we were right about that day.

Hibari: (laughs, speaks a little tearfully) Yeah! We were!

Mitsuru and Hibari: (laughing happily)