Rehearsal

~~~🎸~~~

"Cut!"

I collapsed onto my knees again, defeated. The second day was a mirror image of the first: no progress, with time working against us. In just two days, we’d be performing on the streets of Umeda, according to Lucio’s plan.

“Damn… this is… really hard,” I groaned at the floor, my body worn out after the announcement of the Amane comet.

“No kidding. Aurora, you should work on your pitch in the pre-chorus. Most of the time, you’re not hitting the note.”

How many times had I heard the same thing over the past few days? That my timing was off, that the note was too high, that I wasn’t holding the volume long enough. There was always a problem with my voice.

"Lucio…" I stood up.

"Yeah?"

"I’ve been thinking… Can I sing that note like this?"

Lucio raised an eyebrow as if it was the first time he’d ever heard something like that.

"Like this? Hmm… no. It loses its essence."

After saying that, he grabbed his sheet music and avoided making eye contact with me, which was probably what made my blood boil. I frowned.

"I don’t think I can reach that note. Not with so little practice."

Lucio sighed. "I should’ve known better than to invite a shower singer."

And then it hit me, making me take a furious step toward him.

"Oh, so that’s how it is? Hey! What’s your problem?"

"My problem is that I want to play MY song on MY guitar, and the VOCALIST doesn’t know how to sing it, so now I have to change MY song to fit HER vocal range."

"Then why don’t YOU sing it?!"

All the alarms in my body blared the second I let those words slip out, like a missile fired straight at Lucio. He froze, stunned, his expression dark yet guilty.

"Oh… Lucio…"

It hurt to say that, but there was no taking it back. That’s how bands worked. Either I proved I was up to the task, or I walked out that door and never came back.

And though a part of me begged for the second option, there was no turning back since the moment I met him.

"Give me that."

I quickly grabbed his sheet music—the one with the lyrics written in—and started walking away, trying to cool off.

"My job here is to be your voice. Fine, then trust me… and forget what I just said, please," I managed to say before rushing out.

~~~🎧~~~

I spent the rest of the day in a sort of trance, going over the lyrics and the sheet music in my mind, analyzing every chord, every note. I stayed up all night, fighting exhaustion, but also fueled by a determination to change something—to find that spark that would let me sing that melody.

I locked myself in my room, sheet music in hand, and sat by the window. The moonlight seeped in timidly, and in that quiet space, with only the echo of my thoughts, I began to experiment.

"Maybe… if I lower this note here…"

I changed a few chords, raised the note in some parts, lowered it in others, almost as if I were stretching the song, trying to reach something hidden deep within. The song was transforming before my eyes, becoming more personal, more mine. And it felt right.

I went over the chords while eating my usual instant ramen. I stayed up late practicing the new arrangement.

The alarm rang, and I shot up with energy and determination. I ate breakfast while trying to make the lyrics feel more natural. I took the train to Suminoe, making minor final adjustments along the way.

And with my head full of excitement, I returned to the music room. I walked up to the table on the side and placed the sheet down with a solid thud, right between Lucio and me. But he only looked at my eyes.

"Again, at my breakfast time?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee. Where does he keep getting that coffee from?

"Am I bothering you too early, oh genius one?" I quipped, with no malice or smile.

"Not at all…" He took the sheet music with his left hand, not letting go of the cup. As he read it, his eyes widened slightly. "Is this…?"

"‘Your voice.’ Read it, please." I nodded toward the paper.

Still skeptical, his gaze returned to the sheet. Little by little, his eyes widened, as if my modifications were stronger than the caffeine he was drinking, though his cool expression never cracked.

I watched him, my mind tangled in confidence and doubt, in lingering frustration from yesterday and a hope for what we could create together. After a long pause, Lucio lifted his head and said:

"It’s… really good." Then, pointing to a section with his finger, he added, "Oh, did you change this part of the chords?"

A surge of pride swelled in my chest at his question. I nodded.

"Thanks. And yeah. As much as I loved your stream, I always felt like it needed a little twist. I can’t explain it, but… try playing the higher note in this section."

Lucio furrowed his brow, analyzing the sheet carefully. "In G-sharp?" he asked, double-checking.

"Yeah, that," I confirmed, despite having absolutely no technical knowledge of music. I watched as he studied every line, every symbol.

After a moment of contemplation, Lucio straightened up and said,

"Shall we play?"

As much as I wanted to keep my serious facade, I couldn’t help but smile at the proposal.

"Of course."

~~~🎶~~~

Without wasting a second, we began to play. The melody flowed effortlessly, our voices merging in a harmony that seemed to defy the sadness of the world. We played and sang with urgency, as if every note was a cry of life against the looming darkness. Before we knew it, the song had reached its climax with a powerful guitar strum.

When we finished, Lucio stopped and looked at me with a smile that momentarily brightened the dimly lit room.

"That’s the Aurora I wanted to see."

I couldn’t help but blush, but I also stood firm and spoke my mind.

"And the one you’re going to see," I crossed my arms. "Listen, your music is incredible. It made me feel something, took me to a place I thought I had lost forever…"

As I gathered the courage to say the rest, Lucio interrupted me briefly.

"Aurora… I’m glad."

"And I want to take you to that place with my voice," I continued. "But we’re a team. I want us to be equals in this." I tapped the sheet music and gently pointed at it. "I’ll help you compose, write, whatever you need. And together, we’ll make it. I promise… for her."

I held the small pendant hanging from my necklace and squeezed it in my fist, showing how much this promise meant to me. I saw a flicker in his eyes—a reflection—but he chose not to press further.

"So I can’t even be a little arrogant?" he asked playfully.

"Just a little," I shrugged.

"A little too much, and we’re fine."

"No," I said, my smile fully visible now.

We both laughed, and Lucio extended his fist but spoke before I could react.

"Sorry about yesterday. I trust you, Aurora."

I smiled warmly. "Yesterday’s Lucio spoke out of anger. This is the real one. And I’m sorry too."

We bumped fists, sealing the pact with a simple yet powerful gesture.

"Want some melonpan?" he offered. "Since someone interrupted my breakfast, maybe we can celebrate our first successful rehearsal."

"Your wish is my command," I said with an exaggerated bow. "Let me put this sheet away first."

"Huh?"

I walked toward the opposite wall, where a shelf filled with folders and scattered papers stood.

"I’ll just leave it—"

I froze.

On the highest shelf, just within my reach, where I was about to place the sheet, there was a photograph. It was covered in scribbles, but I could still make out three figures. One of them had reddish hair, just like—

A hand snatched the picture away.

Like a horror game character, Lucio appeared behind me.

"Thanks," he said with a nervous yet sharp smile before slipping the photo into his pocket and walking back to the table. "You coming? I’m not responsible if you don’t grab yours."

I stood there, recalculating. Who were they? Why did he rush to hide it?

"I'm coming."

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter just yet. I was happy—so was Lucio—and nothing would ruin this moment.

Tomorrow, we’d play in Umeda for the first time before an audience. But I felt unstoppable.

A bond had been forged between us. One that would go far beyond music.