Summary
In order to determine the soloist of the approaching choir competition the students are asked to draw lots- and much to her concern -and relief of many others- Uta is the fortunate student. She hurriedly approaches their choir teacher and asks him to choose someone else because she isn't convinced she can sing very well, but he believes this will be a good experience for her and points out that the others will be backing her up.
Hearing some other girls express relief they weren't chose, Uta continues worrying as she thinks about how nervous she gets even trying to speak up in class. She then hears a girl say Miyu should have gotten the part, and Uta mentally agrees noting how easily it is for Miyu to speak clearly. Miyu claims not to care very much and she suggests they go out for Karaoke before Uta can speak to her, and she attempts to locate another student to swap positions with, only to realize she's the only one in class left.
In defeat she heads for home, where she practices singing until crestfallen, she collapses in tears. More than anything she wishes Miyu would take her place.
The next day Uta awakens to notice something strange with her throat. She calms down at the thought she might be catching a cold, since it would mean she couldn't perform any longer.
At choir she anxiously waits for her solo while everyone expresses boredom or makes fun of the song they'll be performing when their teacher announces that she will be starting and asks them to quiet down. Mentally, Uta begs that something happens to save her; but to her shock when she begins to sing she sounds amazing!
Everyone is amazed by Uta's beautiful voice and she is startled by her sudden improvement as the song ends. She remains speechless as everyone surrounds her to shower her with praise and they take off, along with the observant Miyu as the Teacher compliments her. He brings up a student with an equally pretty voice that sounded like her own. She was a student from a few years back and she loved to sing, even remaining behind at school to sing every day. She was delighted when she got the solo, but the day prior to the competition she died in a traffic accident. This is why he chose this specific song for them to sing, because they were unable to last time.
Uta remains humbled and tries to deny having any sort of talent until a pair of girls approach to ask her for advice, feeling inspired. Uta is surprised to see more classmates agreeing with them, and she is happy feeling their acceptance. Seeing them want to do better and work together makes her calm down further, and while she isn't sure how to explain her improvement she wants to enjoy it.
Uta begins to wonder if the spirit of the girl has shown up to support her when one of the girls notice her throat seems swollen and asks if she is feeling okay. Uta attempts to check when she overhears someone else in the room start to sing, distracting everyone as she realizes it's Miyu. She isn't surprised by how amazingly she sings and realizes that because of the impact she has on others, she could still get the solo. Uta decides to speak to everyone about this but before she gets the chance she starts coughing. Miyu asks if she will be okay by next week, only to bluntly point out that Uta's body is probably tired because she's making it work more than usual.
Frustrated by this Uta retreats for the nearest restroom to clean her face. She doesn't think it was fair of Miyu to speak so rudely when she acted like she didn't even want the solo to begin with; but Miyu could still get it because she doesn't even have the basics down yet. But now that she's beginning to improve she doesn't want it to be taken away. Now worried that she could be catching a cold, Uta opens her mouth in the mirror to try to check her throat when she finds a grotesque lump with a face.
She recoils in fright and covers her mouth until she hears singing, coming from the strange lump. Worried over being able to keep this to herself, it dons on Uta that this lump is responsible for her improved singing. It was providing the voice and all she did was open her mouth. Nobody could tell there was anything odd about it. She realizes that the lump must have been the spirit manifestation of the girl who died when someone suddenly joins her in the restroom.
Uta runs past the girl in a hurry and heads straight to the classroom to find her items. Grabbing her led pencil she reasons that she must get rid of the lump- only to pause as she brings it to her mouth and think about what the others said, about how they felt inspiration from her improvements. She is unable to destroy it knowing she would let everyone down, and when she hears more footsteps she hides to see Miyu and her friends walk by. She remains in her spot as one of the girls ask Miyu why she spoke so briskly to Uta earlier, but Miyu claims not to have any real reason. She's frustrated because of how easily shaken Uta is, and her friend agrees, calling the girl pathetic. She laughs as Miyu calls her a baby.
Enraged, Uta approaches Miyu preparing to stab her when she freezes hearing Miyu say that she didn't mean to sound rude. Uta is the representative of everyone there, and as such she needs more confidence or else the group will lose their own. She notices Uta standing near her and stops momentarily, only to resume walking when she tells Uta that being chosen as the best means she has to be at her best. She then apologizes for how she spoke to her and leaves.
Uta is horrified by what almost happened and she drops her pencil. She realizes that Miyu is actually very kind and she decides that to make her happy she must do her best.
After a week the day of the competition arrives. Miyu and Uta exchange a glance, and Uta is still nervous but she's sure she will be fine- only to realize that the swelling in her throat has gone down and the lump is missing!
Internally she resumes to panic now that her solo is approaching, but when it comes time for her to begin she starts, and to her surprise she still sings wonderfully. Everyone is stunned and she mentally thanks them as she continues, determining the lump left because it was satisfied and it left her an amazing singing voice. Once her solo ends everyone applauds for Uta and she congratulates herself for being more confident... however, her classmates are shown to be uneasy and attempt to get her attention, now aware of the much larger lump now covering a large portion of the back of her head.
Tropes:
- Disproportionate Retribution: Uta's violent mood swings when she's stressed out, which led her to nearly stab the lump and Miyu with a lead pencil. In both cases, she realized what she was about to do and stopped.
- Failed a Spot Check: Averted, Uta's choir group sees the large grotesque swelling on her head as she sings her solo, but the audience don't notice it or their reactions.
- Kids Are Cruel: Miyu and her friend seem like this towards Uta by the way they behave. But Miyu eventually explains that she does it hoping Uta will realize that she needs to be more confident.
- Meaningful Name: Mixed with Ironic Name, Uta means song.
- Shrinking Violet: Uta is extremely gentle and nervous, to the point she can hardly speak clearly to most people, and she comes close to crying multiple times in the story.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: After discovering the lump is gone, Uta fears the worst as her solo approaches, but after she's able to sing amazingly well she confidently continues and appears to entirely shed her shy personality - unaware of the grotesque lump now growing out of her head.
- In the epilogue, Yomi states that it will eventually cover her body.
- You Are Not Alone: Because of her mousy nature, Uta doesn't seem to have any friends. But when she begins to get support from everyone, she gains newfound confidence.
