No seek No find - 8: The Best Song We Can

Tenma Household - Living Room

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1

Saki

Welcome, everyone...!

2

Ichika

*Nod*
Pardon the...

3

Ichika

Y-You're in your pajamas?

4

Saki

Oh no! I completely forgot!

5

Saki

This is so embarrassing!
I stayed up to work on my song and...

6

Shiho

You kept working even after I sent you that message...?

7

Honami

Does that mean you pulled another all-nighter? Are you sure you're feeling okay...?

8

Saki

I'm fine!
Not even a bit tired! See?

9

Saki

Oh, speaking of which, Ichi, Shiho, you sent me messages at the same time! I couldn't believe it!

10

Saki

And those delicious sandwiches you brought over really put a smile on my face, Hona! Thank you so much!

11

Honami

I'm glad to hear that.
Were they to your liking...?

12

Saki

Absolutely!
They were so good that I kinda want you to keep making midnight snacks for me!

13

Honami

Hehe. That's nice to hear.

14

Saki

But you were all pretty worried about me, huh? I'm really sorry...

15

Ichika

Saki...

16

Saki

However!
Because you were all willing to place your faith in me...

17

Saki

I finished writing our new song!

18

Ichika

You did?!

19

Shiho

Nice work, Saki.
You really delivered.

20

Saki

Heh heh heh.
You can praise me after you've had a chance to listen to it.

21

Saki

I'm sure you'll all be really surprised by it!

22

Shiho

Are you sure you want to raise the bar so high for it?

23

Saki

Yeah, totally!
I'm just that confident!

24

Saki

So, let's head up to my room!
Follow me!

25

Honami

Saki?!

26

Ichika

Are you sure you're okay?!

27

Saki

Hehe. Sorry...
Moving so suddenly made me feel a little light-headed...

28

Shiho

You really need to be more careful. Collapsing just after finishing a new song would sort of negate your efforts, right?

29

Honami

We know you did your very best, so please get in some well-deserved rest once we're done here.

30

Saki

Okay...
Thanks!

31

Saki

But I won't be able to sleep until I hear what you all think about this song! I need you to listen to it ASAP!

Sound Effect: Play

Saki's Room

32

Saki

Okay, here it goes...!

33

Honami

Okay...!

34

Ichika

(What kind of song did she come up with...?)

35

Ichika

(A song about Saki trying to better understand loneliness...)

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36

Ichika

...!

37

Shiho

(Right out of the gates...
This is nothing like what we've played before...)

38

Honami

(This is incredible...
Saki really came up with all this...?)

39

Ichika

(How do I put it into words...?
It's so sad and painful...)

40

Ichika

(But at the same time, it's so warm...)

41

Ichika

(I had no idea Saki was capable of creating this kind of music...)

42

Ichika

This is amazing...

43

Honami

It's like Saki's trying to cheer us up.

44

Ichika

Yeah, I can almost hear her voice...

45

Ichika

Like she's saying, “You're not alone. We're right here.”

46

Saki

Whew...

47

Saki

That about wraps it up...
H-How was it?

48

Shiho

...
I thought it was amazing.

49

Saki

R-Really...?!

50

Shiho

You said that you wanted to write a song about “understanding loneliness”, but I really wasn't expecting this...

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51

Shiho

And it definitely feels different from anemone's songs. This is something only you can write, Saki, and I think it suits Leo/need really well.

52

Saki

Shiho...

53

Shiho

Thank you for going the extra mile for us, Saki...

54

Saki

No, you were willing to give me this chance, so I should be the one thanking you. That made me really happy.

55

Saki

And through writing this song, I think I got a better idea of why Saku didn't think much of our music...

56

Saki

It was probably because I wasn't giving our songs as much thought as they deserve.

57

Ichika

Not enough thought...?

58

Saki

Yeah. I think I'm supposed to really dig deep and get more in touch with my feelings when I'm writing music...

59

Saki

Remember how Saku seemed to kinda like our second song?

60

Honami

Oh, the one you wrote for Hanano and her brother...?

61

Saki

Yeah.

62

Saki

For that song, I thought a lot about them and when I couldn't be with any of you...

63

Saki

I also thought about the happiness of being together and how to turn those feelings into music.

64

Saki

Which is why it probably sounded more complete.

65

Ichika

I see...

66

Saki

But outside of that, I was missing something...

67

Saki

Initially, I focused on what it means to feel “lonely” and believed that I found the answer after remembering what I went through in the past...

68

Saki

But that wasn't enough. I was only scratching the surface...

69

Shiho

I sort of understand what you mean...

70

Shiho

I mean, it's pretty clear that you put a ton of thought into this song...

71

Saki

Hehe. I couldn't be happier to hear that from you...!

72

Saki

All the pain and sadness I felt. All the things I really hated... I'm so glad I decided to take a hard look at all of that!

73

Ichika

Saki...

74

Shiho

But I still like the songs you wrote for us before...

75

Shiho

Since you really put everything you had into them.

76

Saki

Shiho...

77

Shiho

So, moving forward...
I promise to cherish the songs you've written for us and the ones you will write for us.

78

Saki

Thanks, Shiho!
That means so much!

79

Saki

This experience really taught me that you really gotta dig deep and think about what you're feeling when writing songs.

80

Saki

That's why I'm gonna do more of that in the future.

81

Saki

By doing that... Just maybe...
No, we're definitely gonna write a song that moves people's hearts!

82

Ichika

...

83

Ichika

You're so incredible, Saki...
No matter how hard things get, you keep thinking and doing what you can...

84

Ichika

It's really cool and I stand to learn a lot from you.

85

Honami

Me too. You're an incredible person, Saki.

86

Saki

Hehe. You think so?
I can't help but blush after hearing this kind of praise.

87

Shiho

Let's feature Saki's song during our next show...

88

Saki

Wait, you mean it?!

89

Shiho

Yes. I'm absolutely certain that this song will really hit home with everyone at that live house.

90

Saki

Whoa...

91

Saki

This is so cool! I can't wait!

92

Ichika

Then, we'll need to start practicing it right away...

93

Saki

Oh, hold on!
We still have to hammer out the details...

94

Honami

We'll take care of that, Saki.
You should take today to rest.

95

Saki

What?! But...

96

Shiho

You've done your part for us.
Now, it's our turn.

97

Saki

Shiho...

98

Saki

Okay, got it!

99

Saki

Good luck!
I'll leave the rest to all of you, so I'm gonna..
*Yawn*

Saki

Good night...

The next day

Live House

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Live House Staff

Alright, you just need to fill in these parts.

Shiho

Okay.

Sound Effect: Play

Ichika

Thanks to Saki, we have a great song in our repertoire now. I'm really looking forward to our next show.

Shiho

Yeah, and we can't let her efforts go to waste. We have to make this show a good one.

Saku's Voice

On second thought, I'd rather not.

Ichika

Wait, that voice...

Scout

Is there any way to change your mind?

Saku

Based on what you just told me, you want to sell us as a band made up of high school girls, no? We're not really interested in that.

Ichika

Is that an agency scout...?

Shiho

Looks like it.

Scout

You're getting the wrong idea!
We know that anemone's sound and style are things that no one else can copy.

Scout

However, it's always better to have an eye-catching trademark or two when it comes to marketing your brand...

Saku

If that's the case, please talk to someone else...

Saku

I know. How about that other band?
They're called... I forgot their name, but they mentioned that they want to debut with a big label...

Shiho

What...?

Saku

You should be able to see them perform if you really wish. Their music has that cute, mainstream pop sound you're after and they even look the part. A band made up of high school girls through and through.

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Saku

Honestly, you'll probably have better luck with them than us.

Saku

Oh, now I remember.
They're called Leo/need.

Saku

They'll likely be much more interested in such an offer.

Ichika

...!

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Ichika

Wait, Shiho...!

Shiho

Hey, what did you mean by that just now...?

Saku

Hm? Oh, perfect.
This is who I was just...

Shiho

Answer my question!

Saku

Why are you so angry...?
I was just about to introduce you all.

Saku

You want to debut with a label, right?
In that case...

Shiho

Yes, we want to go pro, but that doesn't mean we'll take whatever we're given...!

Shiho

I... We want to do that by getting recognized for our own music. We're no different from you guys!

Saku

Hm? Your music...?
Is that so?

Saku

Don't you know how many other girl bands have that same, cutesy sound as yours?

Saku

I mean, it just seems like the right way to go, no?

Shiho

...!

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Shiho

You have no right to make that sort of judgment about us... And...

Shiho

I'm through talking with you.

Saku

...

Shiho

We'll be performing here again in a month.

Shiho

If you think that little of our music, we'll just have to let it do the talking for us.

Shiho

We'll prove you wrong and make you eat those words.

Saku

Oh...?

Shiho

Let's go, Ichika.

Ichika

Huh? O-Okay...!

Sound Effect: Play

Saku

Hmm...

Saku

Not bad...

Saku

Hehe. I'm guessing they have a good song prepared if she's willing to say that much.

Saku

I'm looking forward to hearing it.