Flashback
"Mom, Dad, look! I got full marks on my test!" Little Mafuyu said with a proud smile.
"That's great, Mafuyu. Looks like all that hard work paid off." Mafuyu's Mother said.
"I hear you've been studying hard every day. I'm proud of you, Mafuyu." Mafuyu's Father said.
"Hehehe! Thanks! I'll work even harder to make sure I do good on the next one too!" Little Mafuyu said.
Years Later
"I'm home." JHS (Junior High School) Mafuyu said.
"Welcome back, Mafuyu. Dinner's ready, so come sit down." Mafuyu's Mother said.
JHS Mafuyu nodded as she took a seat and looks at the dinner.
"Wow, it looks delicious! Thanks." JHS Mafuyu said.
"What does your homework look like today, Mafuyu?" Mafuyu's Father asked her.
"I've got some math and an essay to write about what I want to be in the future." JHS Mafuyu said with a smile.
"Oh, and what is it you'd like to be in the future?" Mafuyu's Mother asked her.
"I want to become a nurse so I can help people who are sick." JHS Mafuyu said.
"Is that so... But if you really want to help those who are sick, there are even better jobs than that, you know." Mafuyu's Mother said.
"Huh?"
"Being nurse is wonderful, but if you're going to get into medicine, why not become a doctor instead?" Mafuyu's Mother said.
"But I..." Mafuyu said.
"That's right. You'd make a great doctor. And you're more than capable of handling the amount of study required." Mafuyu's Father said.
"If you become a doctor, you can even take care of us when we're old and gray. Hehe." Mafuyu's Mother said.
"......."
"Don't worry about tuition, either. You just focus on getting into the best school you can." Mafuyu's Father said.
"I'll be supporting you as well, so good luck!" Mafuyu's Mother said.
"Oh... Okay... Thanks for always thinking about me, Mom, Dad. I'll do my best.
- Mafuyu's Room -
"..... If Mom and Dad are both going to support me, maybe this is the better option. This... will make them happy, right?" JHS Mafuyu said.
At School
"Hey, Mafuyu. Are you free tomorrow?" Classmate A said.
"A bunch of us from class are planning on going to that new arcade. You wanna come?" Classmate B said.
"Ah, sure. I'd—" Before Mafuyu could continue someone cutted her off.
"Of course she doesn't want to go! She's the top student in our grade! She's too busy with club and all those tournaments, not to mention studying. She never has time to go have any fun." Classmate C said.
"Oh, I guess you're right. Sorry for bothering you, Mafuyu." Classmate A said.
"Oh... It's okay. Maybe next time." JHS Mafuyu said.
In Class
"Ms. Asahina, I read your essay. So you'd like to be a doctor?" Her Teacher asked.
"Yes, that's right." JHS Mafuyu said.
"That's a wonderful goal. I think you'll make a great doctor." Her Teacher said.
"Thank you. I'll be sure to study harder." JHS Mafuyu said.
"Good luck. Make sure to let me know if there's anything you need help with." Her Teacher said.
"Okay, thank you." JHS Mafuyu said.
"What? You're going to be a doctor! That's so cool!" Her friend said.
"That's perfect for you! You're always so nice, looking out for everyone else!" Her other friend said which made JHS Mafuyu smiled.
"It's not like I even know if I'll be able to yet. I appreciate the vote of confidence, though." JHS Mafuyu said.
(Everyone's so excited for me. If they're happy for me, that must mean this is the right decision. If my Mom, Dad, my classmates, and even my teachers are happy, then I suppose this is right...) JHS Mafuyu thought and smiled.
- Mafuyu's Room -
"Mafuyu, I bought you some cake, since you've been studying so hard lately. The shop is really popular, so I'm sure it's delicious." Mafuyu's Mother said.
"Thanks, Mom." JHS Mafuyu said.
Her mother put the cake on the table next to Mafuyu and left.
"Maybe I should take a break." Mafuyu said as she took the cake and ate it.
"...."
(This cake doesn't taste like much to me. Mom said it was good, though, so it must be. But it's not just the cake. Everything tastes a little bland lately, even restaurant food and Mom's cooking.) JHS Mafuyu thought.
"I wonder if I'm just overthinking this. Maybe I should do something I like to get my mind off things for a while." JHS Mafuyu said.
".... Wait... What things DO I like? Haha. How strange. I must just be tired from studying so much. Oh, that reminds me. I still need to listen to that song everyone was telling me about yesterday. They said it's really bright and cheerful." JHS Mafuyu said then her smile faded.
"What exactly is a cheerful song? I'm not sure... What was it I liked? What did I want to do again? Where... is the real me..."
Present
".... I searched and I searched. I made song after song. But I still couldn't find it. It's alright to give up now, right Miku?" Mafuyu said.