Fan Letter To a Musician
Good morning, Sylvette.
Oh! Good morning, Lag, Niche.
What a lovely morning.
That song is just the thing when you're waking up.
It's performed by a female pianist named Mathilda Rein.
I'm a big fan of her's.
Bigfon?
It means that Sylvette really loves the pieces of music she plays.
This is it, Niche.
On today's delivery, we're picking up a letter from this cotton mill.
President? The Bee is here to see you.
Come in.
President.
Good morning. I have come to collect the letter.
Thanks for coming.
This is the letter I'd like you to deliver.
I'll take good care of it.
Let's see...
It's addressed to... Mathilda Rein? That pianist?
You know of her?
Yes. A housemate of mine has her records.
Oh, your housemate has good taste.
I'm also a really big fan of hers.
That's a fan letter, see.
I see.
Um, President, sir? About tomorrow's meeting...
Sorry, but cancel that would you?
I forgot I promised to have dinner with Melany...
Another new girlfriend?
Oh, she's not that kind of girlfriend...
Handle it, 'kay?
I'll treat you to lunch next time.
Fine. If I must.
But only just this once.
Sorry about that.
Here's the postage.
Thank you.
Um, actually...
You only wrote your name on the letter.
Ah, don't worry about it.
I'm just her number one fan, cheering her on from the shadows.
Oh...
Lag.
That person also said he was a bigfon.
Yeah, he did...
Then why wasn't he listening to music?
Because that was his workplace.
Although...
He didn't seem the kind who would let that stop him...
Ms. Mathilda, delivery!
I'm here to deliver you a letter!
It's just a fan letter from one of those creepy stalkers, I'm sure.
Sorry, but please send it back.
Um, the person who sent it is a Mr. Joey.
Joey?! Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?
Ms. Mathil-
On a sleepless night, the sounds of your tantalizing,
tender piano fills my breast with warmth and guides me to dreamland...
Oh, Joey... You're such a poet.
Ms. Mathilda!
I need your signature on the delivery receipt!
Sorry about that.
Thank you.
I don't know what he's like, but this Joey person understands my music better than anyone.
When I was feeling down or in a slump, it's amazing how much his letters helped me get over it.
He's surely a man blessed with intelligence and delicacy.
Okay, sure... I'll leave the schedule adjustments to you.
I wonder about that...
He smells like liquor!
My manager, Belushi.
Nice to meet you.
How many times have I told you to knock before coming into my house.
Whatever... Have you come up with a new piece yet, Mathilda?
I can't work that fast.
It takes time for me to write a good piece.
That's just an excuse people with no talent make!
How dare you! What the hell?
Hit close to home? Then finish it this week!
Um, my delivery is over so I'm going back now...
Ms. Mathilda, I know you can handle it. Right Ms. Mathilda?
Hey, wait a second!
I want to say thanks to Joey in person.
Would you tell me where he lives?
I'm very sorry, but I can't do that.
Isn't there some way?
I cannot.
I'm not allowed to tell you the address of the sender without their permission.
Then would you bring a letter to him, at least?
Huh? A letter?
I see. So she sent me this...
Yes. She'd love to meet you once and express her thanks.
All right! My plan was a complete success!
You did great, Lag Seeing!
Huh?
You see, I've been waiting for those words.
What do you mean?
Well, not to brag, but as you can see I'm handsome, rich, and popular with women.
But I wanted Mathilda to know what I truly felt without considering my outward appearance or position.
I see.
I predicted this moment would come and have prepared a response.
Lag. Please take this letter to Mathilda.
Okay?
What am I going to do?
He wants to go out for drinks this Sunday?
This is... asking me out on a date, isn't it?
Oh, this is a problem... What am I to do?
Lag, it's weird.
What is?
If it's a problem, why is she smiling?
She probably just said that to hide her embarrassment.
Hide-her-embarrassment?
In other words, she's happy but also embarrassed, or...
Hey...
Might I ask you for another favor?
Um, why did you want me to come?
Actually I'm quite shy.
Would you stay here with me, at least in the beginning?
You can speak normally with Mr. Belushi, though...
Well, he's a business partner.
And he's been completely shameless ever since I met him.
Man, I feel sorry for this piano.
Played by a disgruntled pianist like this, there's no way it could sound any good.
Even if I played seriously, I couldn't get anyone in this run-down bar to lend an ear.
Only someone who actually tries her best has the right to say that.
Try playing as if you want every customer in the place to turn around and listen.
After that, he told me he'd make me the number one pianist in Yuusari.
I've teamed up with Belushi ever since, and we've been together so long we don't hold anything back.
Lately it's been nothing but fights...
Why is that?
Adults aren't that straightforward.
Lag, thanks for waiting.
Oh, Mr. Joey!
I'm Joey. Nice to meet you.
That sounds out of place, doesn't it?
I've enjoyed listening to your performances all this time.
N-Nice to meet you...
She's like a different person...
Aw, dang...
Mr. Belushi, are you okay?
Hey...
That's a whole lot of mail...
I was thinking of doing some direct mail to sell Mathilda's new work.
How is Ms. Mathilda doing since then?
Both her public and private life are going great.
She's going on another date with him today, the little vixen...
See you later.
Lag, he forgot one.
Look at that...
I'll go take it to him.
These characters...
That damn Mathilda... After spending all this money, if it doesn't get any results there'll be hell to pay.
Mr. Belushi!
You dropped this.
Oh, thank you.
This handwriting is the same as the letters from Mr. Joey to Ms. Mathilda.
It's just a coincidence.
Um, maybe...
Me and Joey have been friends since we were kids.
Half a year ago, I invited him to one of Mathilda's performances.
He fell in love with Mathilda right then and there.
At first I thought it was just him being his usual frivolous self, but this time was different.
I told him to send a fan letter first and test the waters.
But then, why did you write them?
I'm the one that understands Mathilda's music more than anyone, after all.
Ms. Mathilda said the same thing!
She also said that they really helped her get out of slumps.
Strange...
I'm too embarrassed to say it to her face, but I can be honest in the letters.
But it's what you truly feel, right?
Yeah, I suppose.
So Lag, I hope you don't mind, but please keep this all to yourself, okay?
Why?
In the end, those two hit it off.
We don't want to pour cold water on it, right?
But that was lying to Ms. Mathilda, and...
There are times when you need lies to make someone happy.
I knew you'd be here.
So how did today's date go?
...proposed...
Huh?
He... proposed to me.
He asked me to marry him.
Is that really for the best?
You're quitting being my manager?
I found me a new pianist, see...
I'm thinking this kid's gonna hit the big time.
Then who is going to manage me?
What am I going to do?
You've got yourself a really nice sponsor now, don't you?
You always had the talent.
All that's left is for your fiancé to roll out the red carpet for you.
Later.
Mr. Belushi!
Is it true that you're leaving the city?
I don't see how that concerns you.
I asked you here to pick up a letter, if I recall.
Take this record to Mathilda.
This is...
It's her latest album. A true masterpiece.
You are Mathilda's dingo.
And yet you are running away?
He left without even saying a word...
That's so like him.
What an irresponsible jerk.
After these three long years of hard work together...
Ms. Mathilda, please give me back this record!
Um, actually, it's a package that Mr. Belushi requested be sent, but he didn't write the name of the recipient.
What are you talking about?
He told you to bring it to me, right?
Uh... Maybe he said something like that, and maybe he didn't...
Who would he send this record to other than me?
Then, please let me double check!
What is this?
W-What did you say?
I said that Mathilda girl's quite the looker.
Oh, give her up already, man.
That woman's a piece of work! She don't think of anything except playing the piano!
Sounds refreshing. Nothing like the type of women around me.
Well look, Joey...
I've made up my mind.
I'm gonna attack her straight on.
Belushi, help me write the letters.
What?
You know her personality and what makes her music great better than anyone, right?
Are you... serious about this?
Joey...
Yeah?
I have something to say to you.
If you do anything to make her cry, I'll beat the crap out of you.
So those fan letters were...
Mr. Belushi told me that he could only say what he really felt in those letters.
That fool.
Hey, Mathilda...
Joey, I have a piece of advice for you.
Even if you lack confidence writing letters, you should still write them yourself!
But, thanks...
Sorry...
Um, I'm sorry!
Ms. Mathilda...
I'm such a fool.
I lost sight of what was most important to me.
It was so close to me that I completely overlooked it.
Ms. Mathilda...
Lag!
Belushi?
Mr. Belushi, why are you here?
Um, I kind of... got on the wrong carriage.
I had to come back, unfortunately.
You-
Don't go away again, Belushi!
Mathilda...
Was it a lie when you promised to make me the number one pianist in Yuusari?
That was...
Yeah...
I'm your partner. And partners shouldn't run away.
Belushi!
Okay, Mathilda.
Let's go back and make plans for a concert right away.
Hey! We finally had a moment there, and you talk about work?
You're the one who said you wanted to be the number one pianist in Yuusari, right?
You can't pamper me a bit, even just for today?
No!
You have any idea how much advertising I've done for you?
You are such a boar.
Without me you'd have been stuck in that bar your whole life!
If I hadn't partnered with you, then...
I'm kind of worried now...
Man, those two were a lot of trouble.
Mr. Joey!
I actually asked Belushi to write those fan letters on purpose.
What do you mean?
You've seen how he is.
He'd never just come out and say, "I love you."
So as his best friend, I put on a little show.
Wait, then you did it all for his sake?
All? Well, I wouldn't go that far...
As I was playing the role, it became more and more for real.
What a pity...
Lag, let's go out for some booze, my treat!
What? But I'm still a minor...
Then I'll go!
You can't go either, Niche!
Next: Letter Bee and Dingo