Alright, I think we have a decent idea of what kinds of songs we want to write for this.

Yeah! I'm gonna come up with something awesome!

Yes, we'll all be looking forward to hearing it.

You seem pretty calm...

Haha. But I'm also looking forward to hearing what your song will be like.

Same with me. Tono, your songs are usually very easy to get into and your performances are usually a cut above the rest of ours.

Thank you.

I really appreciate you saying that.

When did you start writing your own songs, Tono?

When...? About four or five years ago...

But I started taking it seriously around three years ago when I was in the States.

As in America...?!

Whoa! That's so cool!

Thank you, but I didn't do anything special, really. I simply got to listen to a lot of good tracks while I was there, and I was greatly influenced by them.

Good tracks...

Um, Tono... What do you believe to be the most ideal track?

Well...

I've been moved by many of them...

But I believe it's one that makes me think, “I couldn't put on a performance this good without this track,” while I'm singing it.

It has to be that particular one?

Yes, how should I put it...? A song that not only moves the listener's heart, but also the performer's.

A song that compels me to sing it.

A song that makes me believe that it's the one.

You've got me curious if you're willing to say that much. What was that song called?

It doesn't have a title. It isn't available for others to hear either.

Maybe it's better for you all to just hear it...

Here, it's this song...

...!

(What is this? It's like... It's grabbed hold of my heart...)

(It's so liberating. Like I'm running free. But I also feel this kindness within the turbulence.)

(It's an incredible song...

If I could somehow write a song like this...)

Huh...?

Amazing, right?

Um, Tono... That song sounded like ended partway through...

Yes, that's because it's still unfortunately incomplete.

Who wrote it?

It almost sounded professional.

My partner.

Soma...?

Which is why it's still incomplete...

But it's good, no?

I'm glad I got to share it with all of you.

(It really was good...

I didn't realize Soma was capable of writing something like this...)

Man, I'm beat!

You have been singing pretty hard since the morning, An.

Haha. Yeah, I sorta couldn't help it.

But this is no time for me to be saying that I'm tired, since I wanna give our next event everything I have!

And we'll need to start coming up with ideas for our next song.

Right. I'll let you know if any good ideas come to mind.

Thanks, you two...!

I can't wait to hear what you come up with!

Whoa, it's already this late.

I've gotta get to work soon.

Oh, I forgot that I need to help my dad out!

Yeah, we did practice for a pretty long time.

Haha. As much as I want to come up with ideas for our new song, it's gonna have to wait until I'm done closing up shop.

Yeah, I'll try giving it some thought on my way home from work.

Um... Is there any way for me to help...?

Huh?

I don't know how to write songs or make them sound beautiful like Aoyagi... But I still want to help you guys somehow.

Azusawa...

Don't worry about writing the song.

If anything, we need you to focus on how you're gonna perform.

What...?

You've improved a lot since just a little while ago, and now you can sing in a way that blows other people away.

But you still need experience.

In time, as you grow, you'll be able to support us even more.

So, you should focus on singing in a way that only you can.

Shinonome...

Especially since we're gonna need you there if we really are gonna surpass RAD WEEKEND.

So, for now, you can leave the songwriting to us! How does that sound...?

An...

Okay, I understand...

Thank you! I promise to do my best!

(I don't have time to be feeling lost either...)

(I need to do everything I can right now.)

————♪

I can't seem to focus...

I should probably take a quick break.

(I know there isn't much use in me thinking about it, but I keep going back to what we discussed yesterday...)

(I still don't know how to compose a song that moves people's hearts. Not only that, we ended up having Akito and Shiraishi write the new one for our next event...)

(The only thing I'm able to do at this point is to make sure I sing in a way that does their song justice.)

(Which means, if I want to help them, I'll have to practice even more.)

But I definitely wasn't expecting the place where I usually practice to be undergoing construction. Practicing somewhere new honestly felt a bit strange.

But it was also a nice change of pace.

Hm...?

Isn't the hospital where Soma's staying just nearby?

Soma did say that he wanted to hear more about our next event. I think I'll pay him a visit.

Wow, you're all gonna come up with new songs?! You guys just keep churning out great ideas!

Yes, we're trying to create more harmony, so to speak, and will be discussing how to create songs in a way which will help achieve that.

That sounds awesome!

By the way, what kind of theme did you guys choose?

“Silence & Action”.

We thought that if we're going to attempt to surpass RAD WEEKEND, we should sing the way Nagi did then...

We want to sing compelling songs that are able to light a fire inside of everybody's hearts in a split second.

Yeah, I get that. Nagi really was awesome when she sang the first song during RAD WEEKEND.

The second she began singing, not only did she turn the entire place on its head, she brought everyone together...!

Hehe. I can tell that witnessing it in person meant quite a lot to you...

Of course!

I'm never gonna forget how amazing that event was!

Which means you guys are probably gonna set everything on fire. Do you know who's gonna make the Vivid BAD SQUAD track?

That will be Akito and Shiraishi.

Wait, Aoyagi, you're not gonna write it? I was convinced that you would since you seem to know a ton about music.

Tono said something very similar.

However, I tend to compose based on music theory. As a result, I'm yet to achieve the effects I'm after.

Hang on. Don't tell me that you can put songs together entirely from scratch without any sampling. That's so cool!

No, I'm only able to do that because of my classical background. Sampling is unique to street music, and I still haven't been able to grasp all the ins and outs of it.

That's why I've been putting songs together from scratch, but I'm yet to find a sound that feels satisfying...

I see... Just for reference, Aoyagi, what sort of sound are you after?

Hmm... How do I describe it...?

Something with a good groove...

Or rather, something powerful that moves the listener's heart...

Hmm... A song with a good groove, power and...

The silence I mentioned before is easy for me to envision in terms of a theme.

I'd probably try to string together a small number of notes in an elegant manner while keeping in mind the individual characteristics of each instrument being played.

However, I'm not sure how I'd go about producing a powerful and riveting sound that suits the latter half of our theme.

And I believe we're going to need a lot of that if we're going to surpass RAD WEEKEND. So, my current goal is to get a grasp on how to create that power.

Yeah, I totally get what you mean!

But how do you turn “action” into music?

Oh, I think that incomplete track of yours is very close to the right answer...

Wait, mine?

Yes. Tono shared it with us while we were discussing how we'll be making our new songs.

Your track sounded very liberating. It felt like I was running free.

There was kindness there, amid the powerful sound...

I was moved by how it was trying to take the listener by the hand.

I sort of began to admire what you'd made.

Come on, it's not that praiseworthy.

No, Tono even said, “It's an astounding track,” and how it compels him to want to sing it.

Arata said that?

Yes, and it seems to mean quite a lot to him. I'm very glad that I had an opportunity to listen to it.

...

Um, Soma...

How did you go about making that track? Would it be alright if I asked for some advice in terms of writing my own?

Because I...

I want to learn how to write moving songs like that.

Oh, advice about songwriting...?

Sorry, I'm afraid that I can't really help you there. Arata usually did all of the songwriting.

Wait, Tono said that you wrote that one...

Actually, we wrote it together...

Even though I like sampling sounds and coming up with fun phrases, I'm not all that good at putting them together and turning them into songs. That's Arata's job.

So, my songwriting skill set is incomplete. Aoyagi, I'm not sure I can teach you much.

I see...

I apologize for asking too much.

(That's unfortunate. I was sure that I'd be able to help the others if I learned how to achieve such a groove...)

(Regardless, for the sake of our next event, I need to keep trying.)

(I have to keep doing everything I can.)

You really are a hard worker, huh...?

What?

Okay, I'm not sure if this is gonna help you, Aoyagi, but I may be able to give you some advice about sampling sounds.

About sampling...?

(I have no idea if that's going to help, but if there's even a slight chance that it'll help me get close to my goal...)

Yes, I would like that very much.

You don't have to be so formal with me, but okay.

But it's also getting pretty late.

Mind if we pick this up another time?

Oh, you're right...

I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time.

Don't worry about that.

I'll be ready to teach you whenever, so stop by again when you're free, Aoyagi.

Thank you very much.

Then, I'll visit again after practice.

Sure thing. I'll be waiting.

I really didn't expect to offer him sampling lessons...

But teaching Aoyagi could help me learn to support Arata better...

Which means I also gotta do what I can right now.