That night
Saki's Room

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

1

Saki

Listen

I have to keep trying...
They're all counting on me.
2

Saki

Listen

I have to write a song that resonates with that crowd. And absolutely have to make our next show a success...
3

Saki

Listen

So, here we go!
4

Saki

Listen

Alright, I'll stop here for my draft of the first verse and come back to it after working on the rest...
5

Saki

Listen

Hnng... My shoulders are getting all stiff from sitting in the same position for so long!
6

Saki

Listen

What?! I've already spent two hours working on this?! I guess time flies when you're really focused...

Sound Effect: Play

7

Saki

Listen

Hm?
Who is it?

Sound Effect: Play

8

Mother

I see you're hard at work, Saki.

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

9

Saki

Listen

Mom!
10

Saki

Listen

What's up?
Wait, are you carrying...?
11

Mother

Honami just stopped by and dropped off a midnight snack for you. I think she made it herself.
12

Saki

Listen

Really?!
And she came all this way to deliver it?
13

Mother

Yes.
She even said, “I wanted to help Saki somehow since she's trying her absolute best.”
14

Mother

Hehe. She really is a wonderful friend.
15

Saki

Listen

Hona...
16

Saki

Listen

B-But she left already, right?
You could've told me a little sooner...
17

Mother

I tried to get her to stay but she said that she didn't want to interrupt you as you worked.
18

Saki

Listen

I see...
19

Mother

I'll be rooting for you as well, so keep at it. I'll leave the snack Honami made right here.
20

Saki

Listen

Okay...
Thanks, Mom!

Sound Effect: Play

Sound Effect: Play

21

Saki

Listen

Hehe. You're such a nice person, Hona. I wonder what you made for me...

Sound Effect: Play

22

Saki

Listen

Oh wow...!
Sandwiches packed with lots of fruits!
23

Saki

Listen

She even wrote a little message for me.
“Thought you'd be craving something sweet while you're working, so I hope you enjoy these.”
24

Saki

Listen

Hehe. That's so sweet.
I'll take a pic and show these off to everyone! And I should message her later to thank her!
25

Saki

Listen

Now, Hona's given me a boost of energy, so let's get back to work!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

26

Saki

Listen

Hmm...
Oh, it's already this late...
27

Saki

Listen

(It's about eighty percent done, but it still isn't exactly what I imagined...)
28

Saki

Listen

(I have to keep tweaking how it sounds. It needs to match how I felt back then...)
29

Saki

Listen

...
30

Saki

Listen

How about this phrase here...?
No, I can go down half a step and make it sound a little darker...

Sound Effect: Play

31

Saki

Listen

It's closer but still not what I'm looking for... There has to be a better chord...
32

Saki

Listen

What if I switched to a major key just for this part? As it stands, it just doesn't fit in right...
33

Saki

Listen

...
34

Saki

Listen

Huh...? It's already this late? I only wanted to sleep for thirty minutes but ended up sleeping for three hours...!
35

Saki

Listen

It's okay. Just stay calm...
Rushing isn't the answer.
36

Saki

Listen

I still have time, so I can keep trying different sounds...
37

Saki

Listen

Yeah, I'll be fine... Let's get back to work.

Sound Effect: Play

38

Saki

Listen

...
39

Saki

Listen

No, it still doesn't feel right...
I got stuck in the same spot yesterday. Something just seems off about it...

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

40

Saki

Listen

It needs to feel sadder...
No, it has to be about the despair that lies ahead, I think...? Like wanting everyone to just go away...
41

Saki

Listen

Hmm... I'm so close...
Just a little bit more and it's gonna be so good...!
42

Saki

Listen

Uh oh...
43

Saki

Listen

I felt a little light-headed just now...
44

Saki

Listen

Maybe I should stop for now...
Shiho and the others said that I shouldn't push myself too hard.
45

Saki

Listen

But I have to finish this...
I have to do it now... Or else, I probably won't be able to produce a good sound...

Sound Effect: Play

46

Saki

Listen

Huh?
It's so late. Who's sending me a message...?
47

Saki

Listen

What...?!
It's Shiho and Ichi!
48

Saki

Listen

Hehe. They sent me messages at the exact same time! Talk about a coincidence! Maybe it's fate...
49

Saki

Listen

Let's see... Shiho said...
50

Shiho

Listen

<Are you still working, Saki?
I figured that you'd get stuck about now, so I decided to let you know that you're free to ask for help whenever.>

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

51

Saki

Listen

Haha. Shiho knows me so well.
52

Saki

Listen

<I just got an idea for this one part. I'll let you know if it doesn't work out. Thanks♪>

Sound Effect: Play

53

Saki

Listen

They're still up this late...
They must be really worried.
54

Saki

Listen

Especially Ichi...
55

Saki

Listen

Huh? A picture...?
Of what...?
56

Ichika

Listen

<How's your song going?
Maybe you can open your window for a breath of fresh air. The stars looks really pretty tonight.>
57

Ichika

Listen

<What do you see, Saki?
Can you see the same stars in the picture?>
58

Saki

Listen

Oh...

Sound Effect: Play

59

Junior High School Saki

Listen

<Ichi.
I can see a little ice cream cone from here.>
60

Ichika's Message

Listen

<Really?! That's incredible...!>
61

Junior High School Saki

Listen

I'm looking up at the same sky as Ichi...
62

Junior High School Saki

Listen

It's like we're sitting right next to each other...
63

Saki

Listen

It's the same as that time...

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

64

Saki

Listen

Even when I got sick, they'd all make me feel better by sending me messages like this...
65

Saki

Listen

(For as long as I can remember, I hated how my body wouldn't do what I wanted it to...)
66

Saki

Listen

(However...)

Sound Effect: Play

67

Saki

Listen

(They kept my spirits up by saying, “You're not alone.”)
68

Saki

Listen

(They showed me that there's a fun future waiting for me up ahead.)
69

Saki

Listen

(Even when I started hating everything else, I held onto that...)
70

Saki

Listen

(The hope of really living life each and every day...)
71

Saki

Listen

That's what I felt...
I was someone who just wasn't able to live a normal life.
72

Saki

Listen

And that's what I have to convey.
73

Saki

Listen

“You're not alone.”
“There's a fun future ahead.”
74

Saki

Listen

That's how I'll understand their loneliness...
75

Saki

Listen

Yeah, I can do it...
76

Saki

Listen

I can make this song better... A lot better.
77

Saki

Listen

I can keep going...!!

Sound Effect: Play

78

Len

Listen

<Saki...
She seems so focused.>
79

KAITO

Listen

<And this melody...
It's kind of nice.>
80

Len

Listen

<Yeah, I think she finally found what she was looking for.>
81

Len

Listen

<I can't wait to hear the finished product.>

Sound Effect: Play

82

Saki

Listen

Huff... Huff...
83

Saki

Listen

I-It's finished...!
My song's done...!

BGM: --:-- / --:-- Play

84

Saki

Listen

Thank goodness...
85

Saki

Listen

I want everyone to hear it ASAP...

Sound Effect: Play

86

Saki

Listen

Wait, huh...?
It's already morning...?
87

Saki

Listen

Oh no!
Everyone's supposed to come over to talk about our next show...

Sound Effect: Play

88

Saki

Listen

Oh, that must be them...
89

Saki

Listen

I'm so glad I finished this in time...
90

Saki

Listen

This song...
I need them to hear it.
91

Saki

Listen

Hang on! I'll be right there!

Sound Effect: Play

Sound Effect: Play

Next Chapter: The Best Song We Can