A few days later
Ichika's Room
1
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Little Ichika

Okay, for this chord...

2
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Little Ichika

N-No, it sounds funny when I play it...

3
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Ichika's Father

Oh, your fingers are touching the other strings. Try curling your fingers a bit more so you're only pressing the strings you want to fret.

4
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Little Ichika

L-Like this...?

5
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Ichika's Father

Yes, that's it!

You're such a quick study, Ichika.

6
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Little Ichika

Hehe...

7
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Little Ichika

Alright, I think I've memorized all the basic chords you told me about.

8
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Little Ichika

I'm still having trouble playing a couple of them, but...

9
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Ichika's Father

Haha. That's okay.

Now you just have to practice and get your fingers to remember where they need to be for each chord.

10
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Ichika's Father

You can also practice by learning any songs that you'd like to try playing.

11
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Little Ichika

Really...?!

12
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Little Ichika

Oh, then! I want to try playing this song, Dad!

13
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Ichika's Father

Hm? What's this...?

14
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Little Ichika

It's a Hatsune Miku song!

Shiho and the others said they'd try playing it with me, so I had Mom print out the sheet music for it...!

15
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Little Ichika

Also, I want to learn how to sing while playing it...

16
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Ichika's Father

Oh, you're going to sing?

But this song looks pretty tricky.

You might need to practice quite a lot.

17
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Little Ichika

Th-That's okay...!

I learned how to play those chords today, so I'm going to keep practicing lots and lots.

18
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Ichika's Father

Then, let's learn it bit by bit.

I'll do my best to help you where I can.

19
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Little Ichika

...!

20
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Little Ichika

Thanks, Dad!

21
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Little Ichika

Listen, everyone!

I learned how to play some guitar chords yesterday!

22
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Little Saki

Really?! That's awesome, Ichi!

23
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Little Saki

I can play a part of that song now after asking my mom for some help.

24
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Little Shiho

Hey, that's pretty cool.

25
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Music Teacher

Oh, Mochizuki, you're getting pretty good with that snare drum. Your drum rolls sound much cleaner.

26
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Little Honami

R-Really...?!

Thank goodness...

27
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Little Honami

I was worried that I wouldn't be able to move my hands and feet at the same time, but I feel more comfortable with the snare now thanks to you.

28
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Music Teacher

Hehe. Your hard work is simply paying off, Mochizuki. You've improved quite a lot since you seem to be able to keep a steady rhythm now.

29
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Little Honami

Thank you...!

30
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Little Honami

Oh, also...!

Umm, as for my feet... I'd like to learn how to play the bass drum...!

31
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Music Teacher

Yes, I can show you how.

Let's learn how to create a beat with your foot. First, remember what we covered when playing the snare drum...

A few weeks later
Music Room
32
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Little Ichika

Okay, here we go!

33
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Little Shiho

*Nod*

Count us in, Honami.

34
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Little Honami

Oh... O-Okay...!

35
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Little Ichika

♪——! ♪——!!

36
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Little Ichika

(Wow... This is amazing...!)

37
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Little Saki

(Our sounds are all mixing together. We're playing as one...!)

38
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Little Honami

(So this is what it's like to be in a band...)

39
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Little Honami

(U-Uh oh... What part are we on now...?

I think I'm lost... Umm...)

40
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Little Shiho

(Honami seems a little lost...)

41
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Little Shiho

(Saki and Ichika are also making a bunch of mistakes, which is making them fall behind...)

42
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Little Ichika

♪——! ♪————!!

43
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Little Shiho

(But I guess we can keep going until the end, since they all seem to be having fun...)

44
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Little Ichika

♪——! ♪————!!

45
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Little Ichika

♪——...!

46
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Little Ichika

Huff... Huff...

47
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Little Ichika

W-We did it...

48
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Little Saki

We did it!!!

49
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Little Shiho

No, not really.

50
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Little Saki

What?! But that was my best run since I started practicing this song!

51
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Little Honami

I'm so sorry, Shiho!

I got lost and forgot what I was supposed to play partway through...

52
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Little Ichika

Wait, really?

I couldn't tell.

53
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Little Honami

Y-You couldn't?

54
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Little Shiho

I mean, all of you made mistakes.

You were all over the place by the time we got to the middle, Saki.

55
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Little Saki

Wait, I was?

56
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Little Shiho

Yeah.

We weren't in sync at all. At this rate, we'll never...

57
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Little Ichika

But...

58
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Little Shiho

Huh?

59
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Little Ichika

I had a lot of fun...!

60
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Little Ichika

Playing that Miku song with all of you was really fun!

61
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Little Shiho

Ichika...

62
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Little Shiho

Yeah, I know what you mean...

I had fun too.

63
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Little Honami

Shiho...

64
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Little Shiho

But I don't want to leave things here.

65
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Little Shiho

Since we get to play together like this, I want us to get it right.

66
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Little Saki

Then, let's try playing it again!

67
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Little Ichika

Yeah, let's do it!

68
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Little Ichika

Better. A lot better...!

The four of us. As a band!

69
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Little Shiho

Alright, Honami, count us in.

70
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Little Honami

Wait, now?

One second...!

71
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Little Honami

Umm... One, two, three, four.

Next Chapter: What Miku Gave Me