Until You Shine Like Deneb ch1: A Big, Little Star in the Distance

In the end,
my mother never once sung me a lullaby.
Good girl!
Raika-chan!

The reason why

was because what my mother sang was way too loud to be called a lullaby.

I'm talking REALLY loud.
More than anything,
Good night!

her pitch was something straight out of a musical.
Not feeling sleepy? How terrible!
I'll sing a song to drift you to sleep~

It wasn't just lullabies. Anything that could be considered music
my mother would supplement with acting and dancing.
Lalala~

Even as a baby, I found it baffling.

But seeing how much fun my mother was having,
I gradually came to love that daily routine.

What's more,
Oh, are you into it too, Atori-chan!?
Ai~

it looked like that girl was the same...

Hmm...

What's wrong, Ecchan?

The trumpet isn't making any sounds!
And the culture festival's tomorrow!! What do I do!?
Oh dear.

Try now.
!!

It played! How!?
Ah, was it a buildup of spit!?
Hmm~

That must be it.
I just gave it a tap.
Thank goodness!! And thank you!

Man~ Still, you're as amazing as ever.
"Everything goes well when Raika's around."
That's what everyone's been saying.
Ahaha~ I'm just glad to be of service.

You're just a bundle of luck on legs!!
You're so reliable, Raika-sama~!!
Kya~<3
Hahaha. Don't squeeze me.

Hoshimisaki Raika.
First year student at Kousei Girls' High School.

I love
being useful to others.

Let me carry your things.
Oh my.
Helping others feels nice.
Making someone smile is like a magic spell that makes everyone happy.
Thank you for the candy too.
Ah.

There you are! Granny!
If reaching my hand out can help someone be happy,

I couldn't ask for anything more.
Wah! You won some candy!

Oh.

p10

Atori.

Raika!

p11

That song again? You sure like it, huh?
Hello to you too, Cosmo.
Singing in this spot feels the best.

Ah!!
Hey, wait!
Your hair's a mess! At least braid it!

Your ribbon's crooked!

Your bel-...

Her hips...
...

...Sort it out.
It's cos you always do it for me, Raika.

p12

Never mind that!
Hey, Raika.

Could we do "Wonder" again today?
Eh? Already...? You know how bad I am at singing and acting.

That's not true!
Geez...

If you like it that much, you should just join the drama club.
That way you'll have plenty of partners and have lots of people to show your acting to.

...But

p13

the drama club doesn't have you in it, Raika.

...So you're fine with anywhere as long as I'm there?

Yep.
As long as you're watching me, Raika, that's all I need.

...Well,

if you really insist.
Let's do it!

p14

My childhood friend Ayaha Atori
loves musicals.

♪Thrown about by an unseen magic

Even if I lose sight of you

p15

Please... believe in... miracles
♪I'll be sure to find you
S-Stay the way you are

Now,
stretch out your hand

p16

Acting is usually difficult to do on your own,
so she always asks me to play her partner.

As far as I'm aware, Atori's singing and acting has more passion than any professional.
She's that good.

It makes my amateurish acting, which hasn't improved in the slightest, stand out even more for how strange it is.

On the way home,
the two of us stand in the center of the high ground and sing, dance and act.

That's been our routine since we were little.
It was our moment of happiness.

p17

I wonder...
what Atori thinks of me.

...As for
how I feel about you...

...No.

p18

This feeling must be kept a secret.
Day of the culture festival.

Culture Festival

Raika~!! Help me!

What's wrong?
My earphones have disappeared somewhere!
I'm sure you could find them easily!

Alright. Let's look together.
Thank you! I think they were around here...

Ayaha-san
is always just standing behind Raika...
Wanna try asking her for help?

p19

Um... Ayaha-san.
We'd like your help carrying these boxes to Class 3... Is that okay?

Sure... Alright.
Thank you!

By the way, Ayaha-san, what's your relationship with Raika like?
Relationship...?

You're usually right next to her, right?
We were wondering if you had a special relationship or something.

Came back after finding the headphones.

Atori...? Are they talking about me?

Raika is...

p20

a meddlesome childhood friend who's been with me since we were little.

Ah... so you're not relatives or anything.
No.
We're just friends.

p21

She's really kind.
Yeah, we know~

Okay, let's go.

Hah.
What am I taking it that way!?
Never mind that!

Atori! You're carrying that by yourself?
I'll be fi-...

p22

Atori!!
Urk

The box... escaped from my hands...
Don't force yourself!
Is she okay!? Sorry...

It's fine. Sorry to you too.
She's bad when it comes to manual labor...

But Atori always gives me a mysterious power whenever she's around.

p23

That's why we're always together.

...They sure are
close, huh...?

Raika, help!!
Oh, what is it this time?

The drama club president... What's wrong?
Hah Hah
It's an emergency!

The thing is...

p24

The lead for the musical got involved an accident!?

Well, she's fine. She just sprained her ankle.
Phew.
I see...

But it looks like she won't be able to perform today.
So I was hoping...

that you could fill in for her, Raika.

Eh?
Me...!?
I heard a rumor that everything goes well with you around
so I figured you could do acting too...!

p25

But... it's so sudden.
All the other club members are occupied with their own duties!
Please! I'll lend you a script, so could you give it a shot?

...Ng

♪Ooh, the sight of you is...
Ah...

Th-The sight of...

This is...

p26

Sorry... I know I'm the one who asked you, but...
I told you, didn't I?
I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kinda girl.

So starring in a musical
and in the lead role no less is...

♪Ooh

The sight of you is as wonderous as a divine beast

p27

...!

If my eyes are real,

then I can believe this illusion is real.

Atori...
Woooah...

Ayaha-san!

p28

Could I ask you to play the lead!?

Eh...?

M-Me?
Please...! You're our only hope!
But...
Go for it, Atori!

p29

I want
to see you sing and dance in front of everyone!

Are you sure...?

p30

Of course I am.

...
If you'll
be watching me, then...

p31

"The Wolf Princess", a musical in which a human is raised as in the image of a wolf and becomes a "god"...

Memorised the lines yet? You can check your surroundings for the dance part.
Think you can sing? Here's the song.

I think...?
L-Let's do a quick review...

Will that girl be okay...?

It's her first time in front of a huge crowd,
but she should have no problems with the play.

After all,

p32-33

Atori has acted out
thousands of musicals in front of me.

My name is Wolf Princess.

I rule this forest.

You shall all
bow down to me.

p34

I don't know a lot
about memorising lines
or watching my surroundings while dancing.
Poor lost soul.
Where did you come from?
Ever since I was little, musicals have been a part of me.

By putting myself in the story, my voice naturally comes out.
That attire. You're no oridinary person.
My heart overflows with song and dance.

That's right.
Aah... It makes me want to take a bite out of you!!

p35

Right now, I am
the "Wolf Princess"!
It's fun
and interesting
That girl...
She's unbelievably good...
Wow...
♪Ooh
The sight of you is as wonderous as a divine beast.

It's like I'm in a real forest...!
If my eyes are real,
then I can believe this illusion is real.
and it feels good!

p36

You have found my dwelling!

Atori... is sparkling!
The radiance she would only show me really wasn't
...a lie.

♪ However, I sense you have an ulterior motive.
You can't deceive these eyes of mine.

p37

I have a secret.

When I put my hands together and think of someone,
it causes a small bit of good luck to happen.

Like, for example, fixing a trumpet that wouldn't make sound,
or winning candy in a lottery.
Each of them small little fortunes.
Even so,

p38

to the person in question, it can bring them great happiness.

I need to get these to the student coucil~...
My turn's almost up.
Hah~ I'm getting nervous!
Phew~
This is nervewracking~
*A performance by the wind instrument club is up next.

But man, this musical sure is lively.

I wonder who's playing the lead...

p39

Kyah!
Wah!
Ah...

♪ Let's go together.
Aah!
You and I shall be invincible.
This power that helps others and brings them happiness...

p40-41

is what I call a "miracle".

Eh? What? Petals?
Pretty~
So this is where she was.

The baby swan...!!

And that's all from the drama club...

Atori.

Good work out-
Waah!

p42-43

Roar.

p44

Seeing an Atori
that's different from usual fascinated me.

Your sharp gaze.

Your ruffled hair.

p45

Your sweat.
Your breathing.

It makes get excited.
It makes my heart pound.

It makes me unable to think of anything but you.

p46

Just kidding!
How'd you like my acting, Raika?

...!
I could see you from the stage, so I wasn't nervous at all.

...As if you've ever been nervous up until now.
That was amazing.
I almost got sucked into her acting...

Hey, you there.

p47

...A grade schooler?
Are you lost?
No!

Even if I were a child, there's an adult right there, isn't she!?

Or rather, I'm a high schooler just like you two!
No way!!

Ahem

p48

Hm?

She's pulling something from her pocket...!!
She's coming this way...!!

Theater Troupe Cycnus - Ishiwatari Sasori

I'm Ishiwatari Sasori
from the Theater Troupe Cycnus.

Do you...

p49

have any interest in musical theater troupes?
Atori starring in the culture festival's musical happened so quickly.
But I never imagined

p50

that the "miracle"
Hey, did you see that play during the culture festival?
The lead girl was amazing.

I used on that stage
The last part was so moving!
But apparently those petals...

weren't part of the production?
would lead to something like that.

Warning