< Walk on and on | Story
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Street SEKAI
Miku
Alright. I've watered everything in this row, so all that's left is...
Entering SEKAI
Miku
Oh, Toya. Welcome——or, well, I guess that's not something you're supposed to say outside the shop.
Toya
Miku. Are you watering the flowerbeds in this area?
Miku
I need these guys to start growing quick.
Miku
——Oh, right. Kohane came by just now.
Toya
Azusawa did?
Miku
Yeah. I heard from Kohane that An and Akito finished the demo, didn't they?
Toya
It seems so. I also received notice from Akito that "tomorrow we'll be singing the demo at practice".
Miku
Huh, tomorrow's practice sounds like it'll be fun then.
Toya
Yes. I'll have to respond to their song with the best performance I can.
Miku
Yeah, do your best.
Miku
——There. That's the last one, so I'm finished. Thanks for chatting with me, Toya.
Miku
Alright, welcome for real this time. Can I take your order?
Kohane
Ah, Aoyagi-kun!
Toya
Azusawa, what a coincidence.
KAITO
Ah~ it's Toya-kun! It's been a while.
Toya
Sorry I haven't been able to drop by. I've been rather preoccupied lately...
MEIKO
Don't worry about it, I'm glad to see you're doing well. Is your usual coffee alright?
Toya
Yes. I would appreciate it.
Rin
Hmmm——ah! Hey, hey! Why don't we ask Toya-kun for help?
KAITO
Ah! C'mon, Rin! Shh!
Toya
Help...?
Rin
Eh? But...I'm sorry!
Toya
...What's the matter?
Kohane
Ah, it's just...
Kohane
...But, maybe it'd be reassuring if you helped out, Aoyagi-kun...
Kohane
...Um, it's actually still a secret to everyone else.
Kohane
Recently, I've been making tracks by myself.
Kohane
Ah, but there's still a lot of stuff I can't figure out by myself, so Kaito-san and Rin-chan are lending me their help...
KAITO
No, no. Kohane-chan, you're a hard-working girl, so we're basically just watching over you.
Rin
Yeah, yeah! Kohane-chan really is trying her very best!
Toya
So that's how it is... But, why did Azusawa start track-making?
Kohane
Um, An-chan and Shinonome-kun, and even you, Aoyagi-kun...you can all make songs, and I can't.
Toya
That's...there's no helping that, is there? You're still a beginner in music, Azusawa.
Kohane
I know that, but, it's a bit frustrating...
Kohane
The reason I'm writing songs right now is——I'm being selfish. I know I should be focusing on my performance, but...
Flashback
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Toya
...I——am I just being greedy?
Souma
——No, I think it's fine. That's just how it is.
End flashback
...I see.
Toya
(So Azusawa feels the same as me.)
Toya
I personally think that sounds fine——
Kohane
Eh?
Toya
Isn't it alright to be selfish sometimes? If I were in your postiion, I would do the same, Azusawa.
Toya
So, what should I help you out with?
Kohane
Oh, right...! I'm still in the middle of making it, but I'd like you to listen to what I wrote, and give me your thoughts on it.
Kohane
While I went back and forth writing it and rewriting it, I started questioning if it was good or not, and even what kind of song I wanted to make. It felt like I started getting lost.
Toya
...I see, I understand.
Toya
I'd like to hear what sort of song you wrote, Azusawa.
Kohane
Ah, thank you! Then, I'm gonna play it...!
Song plays
Toya
(...Hm? This melody is——)
— Some time later —
Kohane
...How was that?
Toya
Let's see...
Toya
...I still haven't managed to write a song I'm satisfied with. I don't feel as though I'm in any position to critique you, but...
Toya
As far as pure quality goes, it's still very rough. The was you've constructed the beat feels amateurish, and overall, it isn't cohesive.
Kohane
It's not cohesive...
Toya
When the cohesion is disrupted, the harmonies of your chords become hard to identify. What should be visible becomes a blurry image.
Kohane
...I get it. Maybe that's why I felt apprehensive the whole time. While I was looking at my music, I kept getting further away from the feelings that I wanted to put into it...
Kohane
...Writing music is really hard.
Toya
But I don't think it's bad by any means. I think this is a song only you could write, Azusawa.
Toya
For the chorus, did you sample Shiraishi's music?
Kohane
...Eh? Y-Yeah. You could tell?
Toya
Yes. I thought the sound was similar to one that Shiraishi had sent before.
Toya
I'm sure you must have listened carefully to the particulars of how she constructed those sounds, and considered how you could best use them in your song. I felt there was a lot of respect for Shiraishi.
Toya
It was clear to me that you were being very careful about building toward the chorus.
Toya
The feeling of your heart racing in your first attempt at this music, and the happiness that comes along with it, they were relayed to me properly.
Kohane
——That's amazing, Aoyagi-kun. I wrote that song thinking about how I felt when I first listened to An-chan's singing.
Kohane
But, how did you know?
Toya
How, you ask...
KAITO
——Could it be a skill you learned through classical?
Toya
Eh?
Miku
Ah. You mean his song analysis?
Kohane
Song analysis?
KAITO
Yeah. In classical, first you need to figure out exactly how the composer intended for the music to be read, so you have to study the score really carefully——
KAITO
Before you perform, you do research on the composer's background and what they were like as a person, and analyze how the song was written in the first place.
KAITO
From what I saw just now, I'm gonna guess that Toya-kun is pretty good at song analysis, isn't he?
Toya
Ah...
Flashback
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Piano plays
Toya's Father
——Wrong. How many times do I have to tell you? Do it again. You're rhythm's off. This song must be played slowly, with your heart at ease.
Piano plays
Toya's Father
Again. Why are you off rhythm? You always speed up when you become self-conscious. Can't you play it more relaxed?
Paper rustles
Toya's Father
This song was a practice piece that the composer sent to his family. In the midst of a whirpool of unhappiness, the feelings he put in this song... If you knew how he felt, you wouldn't play it like that.
Toya's Father
Toya, are you really reading the score? There's a motif from another movement written into that passage. Think carefully about those intentions. We're done practicing, go read the score.
End flashback
Toya
...It's true that my father instructed me quite strictly that it was a necessity to be able to perform any given song properly.
Toya
My father's piano playing, in particular, was thourough in its ability to accurately portray the feelings and imagery poured into the score, and reconstruct that tone.
Toya
And I admired my father's performance...so, while I can't say I was good at it, I did take music analysis seriously.
Toya
Since I've been active with you for a whhile now, Azusawa——perhaps it was easier for me to sense the feelings you poured into your song.
Miku
Toya, you have the ability to find what feelings a song was written with.
KAITO
Toya's a kind person, so it doesn't surprise me.
Toya
...
Kohane
Aoyagi-kun, thank you.
Kohane
When I, um... When I was thinking about what kind of track I wanted to write, I thought that it would be nice if I could write one that would make everybody feel special if they listened to it.
Kohane
So that's why I wanted to put the feeling I got when I met An-chan into song form.
Kohane
Ever since An-chan brought me into the world of music, every day has been so heart-racing, and I wanted to convey just how happy it made me——
Kohane
But I have no experience in composing, so I was still anxious that I wasn't able to make it a proper song...
Kohane
So it made me really happy to have you tell me that my feelings got across through my music, Aoyagi-kun.
Toya
I see... In that case, I'm glad I was able to pick up on your feelings, Azusawa.
Toya
The things I was trying so hard to do back then——it's still with me, even today.
Toya
——I owe you my thanks as well, Azusawa.
Kohane
Eh? You're welcome...?
Toya
(That being said, Azusawa really is amazing. She's perfectly aware of how she feels, and is composing with that in mind.)
Toya
(...I can't fall behind.)