*Sigh*...

I was hoping to finish writing my lyrics by today's practice, but that didn't really go as planned...

Our show's coming up too.
If I don't get my act together, we won't have enough time to practice...

(I just don't understand.
No matter how many times I try, I can't seem to find the right words for this...)

(When I first heard Saki's song, I thought I knew what I wanted to write...)

(But how do I put those thoughts into words...)

Ichi!
Wanna head to practice?

Oh, uh... Sure!

Hi, everyone!
You seem good, Shihoppy♪

You want to see how I react, don't you, Rin...?

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Miku, would you mind helping us with practice again?

Of course.
Are you practicing for your next show?

Yes, there's that and...

...?

We still need to practice our song.

Oh, the one you finished the other day?

Yeah♪
I've been so excited about finally getting to play it as a band!

Me too.
I'm sure you all pretty much know it by heart now, but we still need to polish it up for our show.

Did you bring your lyrics, Ichika?

Um, about that...

Ichi, what's wrong?

I'm sorry, they're still not done yet.

Oh, okay.

I'm sorry for making you rush like this. You still have plenty of time.

No, I'm the one holding you all up.
I'll keep doing what I can to actually finish them.

Anyway, shall we get started with practice? We can start with Miku's songs that are gonna be in our show...

Oh, wait!
Can you hang on just one second?!

Hm? Is something the matter?

Actually, I have some special news that's gonna knock your socks off!

Special news?! Tell us! Tell us!

Okay, here it goes...!
We have a really cool new addition to our group!

I can take it from here, Rin...

Huh...?

KAITO...?!

Hello...

I wasn't sure what you mean by special news at first but...

This is so amazing!
It's KAITO! Like, the real deal!

Yeah, this is pretty big news.

...

You didn't have to go that far, Rin...

Hey, you wouldn't have come out of your hidey hole if I didn't!

You sounded so eager to meet them yesterday too! But lo and behold, you were too scared to actually meet them!

And the worst part is how you tried to slyly walk in after the girls had left! Isn't it fair to say you were gonna do the same thing today?

I mean...

I'm with Rin on this one. To be honest, I would've forced you out of hiding if she didn't do what she just did.

Right. This is all on you, KAITO.

...

Um... If now isn't a good time, we can wait until later to properly introduce ourselves to each other...

Oh, it's nothing like that.
He's just shy is all.

Shy...?

Hehe. Yes, very.

...

However, he's also very good at what he does. It's as if he can converse through music.

Yeah☆
He really knows how to create a great atmosphere during performances!

He's taught me so much already!

I see...

Then, would like to stay and watch us practice?

Please!

Sure...

Oh, why don't we all greet each other by playing something together?!

Wait, right now?

Yeah! I'm totally for that!
I really wanna hear what KAITO's like when he plays!

If he really can converse through music, I'd like to hear that as well.

Yeah, me too.

Me as well...!
That is, if you're both okay with that, Miku, KAITO.

What do you think, KAITO?

Okay, I'll do it...

Okay, here we go!

————♪ ————♪

Oh wow...

...!

(I wasn't expecting anything like this...!)

(So powerful...!
It's like I'm being pulled into the song...)

(It's not like he's just showing off either. He's playing so that his sound compliments everybody else's, but he still has this incredible presence...)

(Also...)

(It almost feels like the music is somehow alive... As if he's trying to tell us something.)

(This sound...)

(Is this what they meant by conversing through music...?)

You really are something else, KAITO.
Can you tell us what was going through your mind while you were playing that?

...

I wanted you all to see a new door opening in front of you...

A new door...?

Yes...

Does that mean you were trying to cheer us on?!

Yes, it certainly did have that feel to it.

Yeah. The way he played went so well with how everyone else was playing too. I'd love to learn how to do that.

Me too...!

Thank you very much for that, KAITO!

(I need to finish writing those lyrics if we're going to fully open that door KAITO just showed us...)

...