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TL: ALT
Chapter 35 – Mitsuru Wakai’s Comeback
It has been eight years since Mitsuru injured his throat.
Once in his thirties, Mitsuru has now reached forty.
Talented young artists are emerging one after another, and musicians like Mitsuru, who can no longer perform, are being forgotten.
Song popularity changes, and his sensibilities are becoming outdated.
Still, if he keeps fighting on the front lines, his loyal fans will stick with him.
However, Mitsuru no longer has even those loyal fans.
If his throat healed, however, he could make a comeback.
He wanted to start over, perform live again, and share wonderful moments with a large audience.
Driven solely by that desire, Mitsuru came to Osaka.
“Afternoon…”
The meeting place was a karaoke box, surprisingly.
Wataru had considered that Mitsuru would want to test the effectiveness of the potion on his throat right after drinking it.
He also thought that a private room would be better so that others wouldn’t know what they were doing.
When Mitsuru entered the reserved room, he found it to be large enough for a party.
One young man and three women were waiting for Mitsuru.
The speakers played a message that said, “Welcome to UTA Channel!” There was no music, but the muffled sound of the message made the room feel cold.
“Nice to meet you, Wakai-san. I’m Sakai. I look forward to working with you today.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Wakai.”
Exchanging greetings with someone you’ve never met before can be nerve-wracking.
Wataru was surprised by the unusual voice and felt himself freeze for a moment.
But he had been warned in advance, so…
He didn’t react at all, just smiling cheerfully.
“It’s an honor to meet you today and be here for your comeback, Wakai-san.”
“Even the doctors gave up on me, but now I can sing again. I never thought this day would come.”
“Depending on the severity of the symptoms, it’s unclear whether one bottle will be enough. So far, though, everyone has seen improvement with one bottle. Here you go.”
“This is…?”
“Yes, it’s a drink we provide.”
It’s not a medicine because that would violate the Medical Practitioners Act and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.
Despite the disclaimer, he had heard that it was being sold very discreetly, and he was initially skeptical.
If it’s such an amazing medicine, why not sell it openly?
Why are they selling it so secretly?
Mitusuru thought this way, but maybe that’s how secret medicines are sold.
There was also the expectation that it might be a special treatment known only to the upper class.
For Mitsuru, who desperately wanted to be cured, these expectations outweighed everything else.
He had already given up on standard treatment.
If there were a way to be cured, he would grasp at straws.
Ryota Endo, who introduced Mitsuru to the treatment, had also advised him that many people had been cured in the past.
Wataru, who offers such excellent treatment, must be quite an accomplished person, Mitsuru thought.
He looks confident when he looks at Mitsuru.
“You can drink it as soon as we confirm the transfer.”
“I understand.”
“Confirmed. Thank you for your purchase.”
He transfers the money to the account sent to him in advance.
He has some savings, but if this doesn’t cure him, he won’t be able to earn money.
The amount was so large that his hands trembled for a moment, even though he wasn’t buying luxury equipment or a car.
Mitsuru carefully removed the cap from the potion.
The amber-colored liquid was slightly viscous and made a sizzling sound.
“Aren’t you going to drink it?”
“No, I’ll drink it. I’m just scared.”
Will it really work?
Yes, I want it to work. Please let it work, he thought to himself.
Mitsuru put his mouth to the bottle and closed his eyes.
The potion filled his mouth, and he swallowed it.
It flowed down his throat.
Mitsuru’s body glowed, and his throat shone.
The cartilage that hadn’t fully healed after the fracture, as well as the vocal cords damaged by the harsh environment, began to recover.
He felt a vague warmth spreading through his body.
Once the light had subsided, Wataru spoke up.
“How’s your throat feeling?”
“…”
“What’s wrong? Can’t you speak?”
Mitsuru shook his head, but he couldn’t respond immediately.
…He’s scared.
A doctor had told him that his condition was incurable, and he had given up hope.
Now, however, because he had dared to hope, he was faced with the possibility of never being able to sing again if this didn’t work.
Thinking this, his throat tightened, and he couldn’t speak.
Seeing Wataru’s tense expression made him even more frightened.
Seeing Mitsuru like that, Aire spoke softly.
“If it doesn’t work, just sing with the voice you had earlier.”
“Hey, Aire! That’s rude!”
“But a voice like that is probably unique in the world. I didn’t dislike it. Depending on the song, I think it could be charming. You should use it as your selling point and sing without worrying.”
“Haha, yeah… my voice…”
“It’s coming back!”
“Oh, that’s good.”
Wataru smiled happily.
Mitsuru couldn’t help but cover his throat with his hand.
It’s coming back. It’s healed!
Mitsuru tried to speak again.
Slowly and carefully, as if checking his tone.
His voice wasn’t cracked anymore; it was sweet and smooth with a deep, rich low end that didn’t ring out sharply.
Even without accompaniment, her voice was mesmerizing.
“Ah! Ah—➖!” It’s coming back! It’s back! Lalalala—”
He experimented with singing in different ranges and with various voice qualities, including thin, thick, and sharp.
He experimented with different singing styles.
Tears welled in Mitsuru’s eyes.
He could sing again.
He had been given a second chance.
He was moved when he realized that his voice was coming out exactly as he wanted.
“Thank you… You’re truly a benefactor.”
“I just happened to have something that could help you. I’m glad I was there for your comeback.”
Out of gratitude, Mitsuru bowed deeply.
No matter how low he bowed, it didn’t seem enough.
He checked the tone of his voice and realized he had regained his prime.
In fact, it was even easier to sing than before.
Usually, high notes become more difficult with age, but even when he hit his highest note yet, a high A, he still had room to spare.
“I can sing high notes more easily than before. What’s going on?”
“Probably because you worked hard on voice training. It must have been painful when your throat was strained, but the effort you put in back then is paying off now.”
“I see… It wasn’t wasted after all.”
“It may have been unnecessary hardship, but it wasn’t completely wasted.”
“Thank you…”
Even the suffering that made him consider suicide is connected to the present.
With tears streaming down his face and his voice hoarse, Mitsuru thanked Wataru.
“Would you like to sing right now? I’m a fan of yours. Please let me hear you sing.”
“Sure. You guys will be my first audience since my comeback.”
In a karaoke box like any other, Wataru and the others listened to live singing that no one else could hear. They were severely reprimanded by Ryota later, but it was a meaningful time for them.
Then, Mitsuru Wakai’s comeback stage was held, becoming a huge topic of conversation.
In addition to his old hits, he performed new songs such as “Miracle” and “That Time Again,” fully demonstrating the charm of his voice. The songs reached number one on the Oricon charts* and appeared on the Kohaku Uta Gassen*. [T/N: Oricon is Japan’s main music ranking chart, and the Kohaku Uta Gassen is a famous annual Japanese music show that airs on New Year’s Eve on NHK.]
Seated in the front row were Wataru, Mariel, and others alongside a baseball player with whom they had been friends for a long time.
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