第9話: 屋上のスカイデッキで七海がエイコに正体を明かす

9

Nanami answers the call from her manager Karasawa, revealing that she is in fact Nanami Kuon of Azalea. Karasawa chastises Nanami for her disobedience, forbidding her from street performing or meeting with Eiko. Eiko meanwhile performs another session with Kido, and while Kido concedes Eiko has improved, he points out she still hasn't found her reason for singing. Frustrated, Eiko goes with Nanami to a rooftop skydeck using a ticket Kongming had provided her. There, Nanami comes clean with Eiko, revealing her identity as Nanami Kuon. She explains that she formed Azalea with two of her high school friends and while they initially weren't very successful, they had fun playing the music they wanted. However, it all changed when they met the music producer Toshihiko Karasawa from Key Time. Karasawa promised them success, but only if they sang his music. They initially refused, but when Azalea's lack of success threatened to bankrupt them, they turned to Karasawa in desperation. Following Karasawa's strict instructions, Azalea did find success, but Nanami later found it to be at the cost of Azalea being more about fame and profit rather than music. Realizing Nanami was hiding troubles of her own, Eiko feels the desire to use music to save her, just like how she herself was saved by it. Inspired, Eiko signs her own rendition of "I'm Still Alive Today", which moves Nanami to tears. Nanami parts ways, warning that next they meet will likely be as rivals, but Eiko still expresses her wish to sing with her again someday. Kongming then arrives, having heard Eiko's singing, and tells her now that she has found her reason to sing, she's ready to move to the next stage of the plan. (Source: Wikipedia)