In the land of the rising sun, the day is ending. Evening shows on the roof of the town hall, the inhabitants are flocking in from a good day's work. And just like that, time has passed. But one girl, Hizashi Hanae, is still awake. For she's a lonely girl. Although she is surrounded by people, she feels as if there's no one in the world. It's been so long since she was with someone, she's even forgotten how to smile. In the gathering dusk of that winter's night, she listens to the sound of feet coming down the stairs and sees the silhouettes of couples and groups of friends approaching. They talk to each other as they make their way to the veranda, where the evening shows are on. Hanae watches them, her gaze so desolate that even the passersby can tell she is lonely. Who knows how long she's been standing there. But then, she sees one figure she recognizes. She had seen her from a distance before, coming towards the town hall, but only now does she recognize her. Her eyes are filled with questions. Does she know this girl? Has she ever seen her before? Are they friends? And is this girl the one who will cheer Hanae up? Hanae herself was born and raised in this town, but as time went by, she found herself living a life she barely recognized. Like an animal in its cage, she pined for the outside world. One day, she took her suitcases to a travel agency. The manager, Soichi, saw her there and decided to hire her for the next day's show. She left the town and began her travels, never to return. But now she had met someone who made her feel like she was back in the town she had left. Hanae begins to work the crowd. She wonders to herself why she's there and what it means that she's not anywhere else. Or does it mean that she already is somewhere else? Wherever she is, whatever she wants to be, it all seems so distant, as if it's been far away for a long time. But how far away could she be? Hanae is in a place where time is strange. When she opened her eyes in her dream, she was already in a different place. She spent a long time there. And since then, she hasn't been back. She wishes she had time to spend in that other place, but her dream is
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