"From the current situation, Muse's first live performance will still be without an audience, just like before, Yoshino. But there's nothing we can do about it, after all, as I said, no one in this school is looking forward to Muse's performance this time."
Arriving at the empty auditorium, Shiina said with a helpless tone. After all, they couldn't escape the inertia of history.
Yoshino also saw the empty hall and remembered how even the usually energetic Honoka almost cried when they saw this scene in the anime.
"Yo-Yoshino, do you have any way to solve this problem? I-I want to help Muse. I don't want them to face such a big blow during their first performance. I don't want things to still develop this way when I'm here."
Although a little unsure, Yoshino believed she could still do something.
"Yoshino..."
It's truly surprising, I didn't expect Yoshino to say such words for Muse. How much do you really like them?
"Then, Yoshino, to what extent can you do for them? You know, you are an extraordinary existence, you are the Fourth Spirit Yoshino. With your help, Muse can overcome this crisis. You have this power, Yoshino."
Seeing the self-doubt in Yoshino's eyes, Shiina encouraged her.
If Yoshino could make a decision now, then in the second and third times, she could eventually grow to love this feeling.
If it succeeded, Yoshino could gain a lot of experience points at once and grow a lot all at once.
"To what extent?" She looked at Shiina, a little confused, not knowing what it meant. If it was referring to doing something for Muse, then... thinking of the scene when she saw them dancing on stage in her previous life... "I can do anything, Shiina. If it's for my favorite two-dimensional group 'Muse' from my previous life, to give Honoka and the others a different outcome for their first live performance, Yoshino can do anything."
Yoshino's tone was unprecedentedly firm, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Shiina.
Now, she had all the people who loved 'Muse' as her backing.
Now, she was fearless.
'Wow~ Such an imposing aura all of a sudden, Yoshino. Why does it feel like there's something behind Yoshino?'
Sweating coldly, Shiina thought helplessly, 'How much do you really like Muse, Yoshino?'
"If you think that way, then you know this, and that, and finally..." Shiina indicated, 'Let me tell you slowly.'
And so, the two began their plan.
In the auditorium backstage, Kousaka Honoka, Minami Kotori, and Sonoda Umi were now sitting backstage, extremely nervous.
"I-Is there anything strange about my clothes right now?"
Sonoda Umi nervously looked at her performance outfit, looking left and right as if she could find some problem, constantly fiddling with the hem of her skirt. This feeling made her uneasy and very uncomfortable.
Hearing Sonoda Umi's words, Minami Kotori and Kousaka Honoka couldn't help but laugh, feeling their nervousness ease considerably.
"How many people do you think will come to watch our performance now, Koto?"
Minami Kotori asked Kousaka Honoka, who was sitting next to her, with a hint of curiosity.
"I don't know, Koto. Maybe a lot of people, maybe a few people, or maybe, as Shiina said, no one at all." Kousaka Honoka leaned against the wall, her gaze a little unfocused as she spoke.
"Honoka (Koto)." Sonoda Umi and Minami Kotori looked at Honoka with some worry. Seeing the usually energetic Kousaka Honoka show such a side, they were a little concerned.
"You don't need to worry about me so much, Kotori, Little Umi. I feel fine right now, I don't feel bad at all."
"It's just that I always feel like Yoshino might do something during this live performance. I don't know why I feel this way. We've only known Yoshino for less than a week, but I feel like I already like her so much."
Thinking of Yoshino, who had just come to see them, Kousaka Honoka's face once again bloomed with a captivating smile.
"Yes, she really is a very pure girl, isn't she? Every time I see Yoshino, I feel like her heart has no impurities at all. Every time I see her, I want to hug her. But Shiina seems to like to bully Koto."
Thinking of Yoshino's blushing and cute appearance every time she hugged her, Minami Kotori's smile grew brighter.
"Shiina is so annoying, why does she only like to bully people? Yoshino is so cute, why isn't Shiina cute at all?"
Kousaka Honoka sometimes wanted to hug Yoshino properly, but it was always because of Shiina that she couldn't, and Shiina often spoke sharp words to her, words that she couldn't refute.
"But it's fun to be friends with Yoshino, isn't it? Shy Yoshino is completely an angel. Doesn't Honoka really like the bento Yoshino brings every day? And she even acts cute to Yoshino to get food."
You really have no integrity at all, Kousaka Honoka.
"You say that as if you don't like it. Haven't you also eaten Yoshino's cooking? You even let Yoshino feed you, really..."
Thinking of Yoshino always feeding Sonoda Umi, Kousaka Honoka was very unhappy.
Every time she wanted Yoshino to feed her, she failed because of Shiina.
"Didn't Kotori also feed Yoshino? Why don't you talk about her?" Caught, Sonoda Umi tried to shift the topic to Minami Kotori.
"Because when I feed Yoshino, doesn't she look even cuter when she blushes and is shy?"
Minami Kotori was very happy thinking about how every time she fed Yoshino, Yoshino would clench her fists in front of her body and close her eyes, as if she wasn't being fed but being kissed.
"...Yoshino really is an amazing person. Our relationship with her has become so good without us even realizing it... except for Shiina."
It seemed Kousaka Honoka was still a bit angry at Shiina. Seeing her pouting, Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi shook their heads helplessly.
After they were almost ready, Kousaka Honoka stood up and looked at Sonoda Umi and Minami Kotori.
"Let's go on stage now! It's our turn. All our efforts will be shown now! Come on!" Kousaka Honoka held out her right hand in a V-shape and looked at Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
"Muse, fighting!"
Then the curtain began to open, but they only saw an empty, cold, and silent hall, which froze the smiles on their faces. They looked at the scene before them with a hint of disbelief.
"I didn't expect it. It's exactly as Yoshino said, there's not a single person here." Seeing the empty hall, Kousaka Honoka lowered her head and sniffled.
Although she had already imagined the scene Yoshino described, when it actually happened, she still couldn't quite bear it.
She really wanted to cry... They truly, truly wanted everyone's support.
Just as they felt sad, a tender yet firm voice suddenly appeared beside them.
"Don't be sad! Yoshino is here! Your beliefs, your efforts are not unseen! Your performance makes Yoshino want to support you wholeheartedly."
Yoshino appeared in front of the three, holding a guitar.
"Now, can I borrow the stage for a moment? I want to sing a song for you, for you. I don't want your efforts to be in vain."
Yoshino walked onto the stage, looking at Kousaka Honoka and the other two with a determined expression.
"Now, it's Yoshino's time."