A few days later
Rehearsal Studio
Shiho
Okay, let's end things here for today.
Honami
Nice work, everyone.
Saki
Great job!
And it's sooo hot!
And it's sooo hot!
Ichika
Hehe. You were really giving it 110% today, Saki.
Honami
I thought so too. You made it so much fun to drum to your beat.
Saki
Hehe. That's because it's so much to play like this with everyone♪
Saki
(But still, I fell way behind everyone today in some spots...)
Saki
(That means I need to practice even more...!)
Shiho
Uh, Saki...
After practice the other day, did you stay behind to keep working on your part?
After practice the other day, did you stay behind to keep working on your part?
Saki
Huh? Yeah, I did.
Saki
Even when we don't have practice together, I still try to play my synth as much as I can. Why do you ask?
Shiho
You just seemed a little tired is all. Are you sure you're feeling okay?
Saki
Yeah! I'm being careful like I said♪
I'm even taking fewer shifts at work because we're practicing so much.
I'm even taking fewer shifts at work because we're practicing so much.
Honami
That's good but try not to overdo it, okay? You're free to say so if things aren't alright.
Saki
I know♪ Thanks, Hona!
Ichika
We're also sharing the phrases we came up with after this, right?
Shiho
Right. I came up with some ideas, but how about the rest of you...?
Ichika
I have a couple. It was more of a challenge than I expected...
Saki
Oh! Oh! Me next!
I came up with three!
I came up with three!
Honami
That's amazing...!
I could only come up with one.
I could only come up with one.
Shiho
It's your first time, so one is more than plenty.
Saki
It'd be nice to have Miku and the others hear what we came up with too...
Ichika
Sure... But I am a little worried about having everyone hear something I made myself, so I'm sort of glad we're doing this today.
Shiho
Okay, and we can go in the same order as we did just now. I'll start.
Honami
That should be everything...
So what did everyone think...?
So what did everyone think...?
Saki
I really liked Ichi's second one!
The part when it switches to a minor key sounded so cool!
The part when it switches to a minor key sounded so cool!
Honami
Me too. I thought it was cool too.
Ichika
Really? Thanks.
Ichika
Actually, I wasn't really sure what to do or where to go with that part...
Shiho
Maybe you tried to include too many things like you weren't sure which you should say yes or no to...?
Ichika
Oh, you might be right.
I listened to quite a few songs as references and did get overloaded a little...
I listened to quite a few songs as references and did get overloaded a little...
Honami
I see...
Shiho
Overall, I thought it sounded pretty good.
Ichika
Okay... But I feel like if we're going to be playing it together, there are better options out there.
Saki
Should we try a different one then?
Honami
A different one...?
I had Shiho's first one as another candidate.
I had Shiho's first one as another candidate.
Shiho
About that... It's based on a song by an artist I've been heavily influenced by...
Shiho
It's sort of in the same boat as Ichika's. I'm not sure it's the best option for Leo/need...
Honami
Okay...
Ichika
It just seems even more difficult after actually putting pen to paper and listening to everything.
Ichika
It sounded alright when I was putting it together, but it's not what I thought it was anymore.
Honami
I agree... It's hard to say what's good or bad, so it doesn't feel right to make a judgment even after listening to everything.
Saki
Ugh... This is starting to make my head hurt...
Shiho
It might be because we don't know exactly what kind of music we want to play yet.
Ichika
The kind of music we want to play...
Honami
I never knew it was so hard to create a song from scratch...
Ichika
My thoughts exactly.
Will we ever be able to...?
Will we ever be able to...?
Saki
I think we will...!
Saki
As long as we're together, I'm sure we can! They say everybody goes through this in the beginning, right?
Shiho
Who's “they”?
Saki
Huh? Uh, well... I forgot...
Honami
Oh, Saki...
Shiho
It felt like the right thing to say.
Ichika
That's our Saki for you.
Saki
Hehe...
Shiho
But she's right. Nobody's expecting us to come up with something right off the bat, so there's no need to rush.
Shiho
It's going to take time for us to figure things out, so let's just keep trying...
Shiho
Someday, we will be able to compose our own songs.
Honami
Right!
Scramble Crossing
Saki
Okay, see you tomorrow!
Saki
Hmm...
Saki
Our own original song.
What would work best...?
What would work best...?
Saki
(Hey, hold on a second...)
Saki
On a different note... Ichi, I came up with this tune while we were practicing. Want to hear it?
Ichika
An original tune? Sure.
Saki
Really? Yay! I'll play it now!
Saki
That's it...
Ichika
Huh, that's really neat.
Saki
You think so? Yay! You used to write song lyrics at one point, remember? Since then I've been composing little bits in my head every now and then!
Saki
(Right after we decided to form our band, I tried coming up with something and Ichi ended up really liking it...)
Saki
(That one part has a good flow to it too, and I'm glad we all got to play it together...)
Saki
(Wait, does this mean I can pull my weight by writing songs for us...?!)
Saki
(That's it! I might not be as good as everyone is when it comes to actually playing yet, so I can come up with music in the meantime!)
Saki
But what kind of music suits us best?! I can't figure that part out...!
Saki
I wish someone would give me a hint or something...
Saki
Hm? This song's...
Saki
Yeah, it is!
It's that song STANDOUT played during that show!
It's that song STANDOUT played during that show!
Saki
That's so cool... It's really them on the big screen... This song and video are so amazing too...!
Saki
If only we could come up with a song like that...
Saki
Wait, I know!
Music Shop
Saki
(Oh, here it is!
Just the CD I was looking for♪)
Just the CD I was looking for♪)
Shiho
Saki...?
You came here too?
You came here too?
Saki
Oh, Shiho!
Are you getting something too?
Are you getting something too?
Shiho
Yeah. This band I like released a new single and I came to buy a copy...
Shiho
And you, Saki?
That's a STANDOUT CD.
That's a STANDOUT CD.
Saki
Hehe. Yup! I want to use it as a reference...
Saki
Oh, also!
Are there any albums by your favorite bands that you recommend?
Are there any albums by your favorite bands that you recommend?
Shiho
Huh? Well...
Shiho
How about this...?
It's a “best of” but it has songs from when they just debuted all the way up to their new stuff.
It's a “best of” but it has songs from when they just debuted all the way up to their new stuff.
Shiho
These three songs here are among my absolute favorites.
Saki
Really?
Shiho
Yes. There was a time when I wasn't feeling too sure about myself, but listening to those songs made me feel so much better.
Saki
I never knew that...!
Saki
Then I'll get that too!
I really want to listen to it now since you're willing to say so much about it♪
I really want to listen to it now since you're willing to say so much about it♪
Shiho
Are you gonna use it as a reference too? That's awfully diligent of you...
Saki
Hehe. I want to learn about as much music as I can!
Saki
Huh? It's already this late...?!
I'm gonna be late for my shift!
I'm gonna be late for my shift!
Saki
Sorry, Shiho!
I'll see you tomorrow at school!
I'll see you tomorrow at school!
Shiho
Hey, wait...!
Shiho
She might be overdoing things again...
Saki's Room
Saki
Hehe. I ended up getting two CDs. Now to check online for some videos♪
Saki
I'll start with STANDOUT!
Saki
STANDOUT songs have so much power behind them...
Saki
They really get the crowd going too, so that might be something I could try!
Saki
That one phrase had a nice flow to it, so I can sort of copy that and...
Saki
Okay, that should do it...
Saki
Let's keep listening to more songs and come up with more!
Saki
Phew. That makes six.
Saki
All these songs have given me so many good ideas...
Saki
What do I have left...?
Saki
Oh, that one song I heard during Tsukasa's show had a good melody to it too!
Saki
It might not work with a band like ours, but I can still learn something from it... Yeah!
Saki's Voice
Tsukasa!
What was that song you guys used during that one show...?
What was that song you guys used during that one show...?
Next Chapter: Still Not There Yet