Author Note: Hi, I'm still alive. I spent some time going for podium in D4DJ and things irl have been blowing up lately. I'm still dedicated to finishing this fic. This chapter has been split into two chapters. Thank you for your patience and continued support!
Please listen to the first two minutes of Kiseki at the right time during Rinko's section. You'll know when.
Rinko sat at her piano, eyes shut, hands poised in a familiar position over the keys. Her fingers began to move, pressing the keys softly the same way they had hundreds of times before. The tune of Black Shout drifted through the room.
It washed over her, bringing a much needed sense of calm.
Ever since the meeting earlier, Rinko's heart had been in turmoil. Well, she'd been worried before then too, but she hoped the band would be able to come to a solution. Instead, she left with a new question and even more to dwell on.
In her mind Rinko could hear the other parts that went with hers, the blend of the band's oldest song. She could hear how their performance used to sound, how they used to fit together.
Their performance last week had been different. Rinko tried to remember as she played, to imagine the new sound of her bandmates that they presented on stage, but she couldn't. Their sound had changed so much, she could hardly recall it. Even Yukina's singing had morphed into something new.
Rinko opened her eyes, hands stilling against the keys.
She had been sent to ponder a specific question, to set a goal for the band. When Rinko suggested that they take a week to think about it, it was because she couldn't think of anything. That had never been her role.
No, Rinko's role had always been to create. She wrote songs and created outfits, all parts of how the band presented itself. Though Rinko herself lacked presence, she contributed to the band through her work and her playing.
She supported the band, and in turn she found a place to belong. Over the last three years Roselia had come to feel like home.
It was a home that was always moving, always seeking the next step. Together, they tried to achieve something until they succeeded. Now they weren't, and they were slowly drifting apart.
That was why Yukina thought they needed a new goal.
It wasn't going to be enough.
Rinko's thoughts had been trapped in this cycle, of being unable to come up with the next steps despite being desperate to do so. She'd hoped playing their music would help her think clearly, but it hadn't worked.
Her view of the band felt more out of focus than ever, unable to even imagine how they now sounded together.
Without thinking, Rinko again began to play. It was a different song, once much slower and quieter than Black Shout before it.
The opening notes of Kiseki rang softly from the heart of the piano.
They didn't perform this song often; it didn't quite match their usual image. Regardless, Rinko loved it. She still remembered when Yukina had given her the lyrics for it, more subdued than usual.
She told Rinko it was a, "Thank you for everything," with an uncharacteristic pink to her cheeks.
The accompanying tune flowed from Rinko's soul. She matched the words carefully, with a soft melody that she hoped enhanced their meaning.
When she first played the song for the rest of the band, Yukina singing the lyrics along with her piano, they listened in stunned silence.
As the piece ended nobody said a word, but even in the quiet Rinko could feel the emotion in the room. She could feel how close the band had become, represented by the song she and Yukina had created together.
Rinko longed to return to that closeness.
Surely there was something she could do to help, to restore the band to how they used to be. She grimaced as she hit the chorus of the song, pressing her hands harder against the keys.
Perhaps that was the problem.
They had all changed so much, even over just a few months. It was impossible to go back.
The song hit its peak, unrelenting in its pace. Rinko continued to play, with her emotions laid bare through the piano.
As the members changed, Roselia could only go forward. Rinko too had changed and grown, through her playing and her compositions. Instead of growing apart, they needed to grow together.
That was easier said than done.
As the chorus ended, Rinko's playing slowed to a halt. This was where the others would come in, bringing the whole band into the song. She could hear it in her mind. She wondered how it would sound if they played it now.
She needed to find out. Sitting here at her piano, yearning for the past, wasn't doing her any favors.
Even if she couldn't find a goal for the band, there were other things she could do.
Rinko's hands moved again, deftly across the keys.
The melody that emerged was a new one, something she'd been working on near the start of the semester. If everything worked out, this would be Roselia's next song.
No, that wasn't the right way to think about it. Rinko was determined to make this Roselia's next song. It still needed a lot of work and lyrics to go with it, but she was going to make sure it was a success. This was how she would support the band and bring them back together.
This song would carry them forward.
Rinko needed to spend more time listening to her bandmates from now on, adapting to the changes in their playing. Then she would be able to compose for the new Roselia.
If she tweaked it for her bandmates new sound, for the new sound of the band as a whole, that would help them find their path.
Rinko was sure of it.
Ako often found that playing video games provided a good distraction. Whether it be from school work or band troubles, they did the trick. Sayo had once specifically told her that video games provided escapist entertainment. They were playing NFO together at the time. Ako didn't really understand that concept; she just enjoyed playing them.
As Ako directed her character across a field of burning lava, it was slightly easier to not think about the band meeting they held a couple days ago.
It felt like the only thing she'd done since the meeting was worry about it, so she really needed the break.
For while, it worked. Ako teamed up with a few other players to do some quests. They saved a local village from a volcano by redirecting the lava, then had their celebratory party crashed by the culprit who made the volcano erupt in the first place.
The twist made for a satisfying quest line, with a cool boss fight at the end. Ako would definitely run it with Rinko again, when her friend had time. After, Ako said goodbye to her party members.
As fun as playing had been, when the screen in front of Ako flicked to black nothing had really changed. Her own smudged reflection stared back at her, far more tired looking than she should've been after a gaming session.
Without the flashing lights on the screen, her thoughts returned to where they were still stuck, to her friends disappointed faces as they sat around the table at the family restaurant.
Lisa told Ako it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't help but feel that it was. If she'd done a better job, this wouldn't have happened. The drums were supposed to keep the band together, and she couldn't do it. Now, it felt like they were on the verge of collapse.
Ako wouldn't let that happen. She hoped that the new goal they came up with would bring them all back together. She just needed to come up with something good. She wanted to keep playing with her friends, in the band that she loved.
Ako pushed her chair back from the computer, stretching her arms and back as she rose from it. She didn't like to sit and wallow.
No, it was time for action. Perhaps she would brainstorm best if she moved her body. That would at least alleviate the tension in her back, which still remained even after stretching.
With that thought, Ako pushed in her chair and stepped away from the desk. She started walking across the room, turning to come back as she reached the end of it. One hand rested on her chin as she wracked her brain for any ideas.
It took a few laps before she thought of something.
Ako paused mid step as an idea popped into her mind, perhaps they could work to perform overseas? That would be a huge accomplishment, even bigger than playing in Future World FES. Ako perked up, before sagging her shoulders as she continued to think about it.
No, that wouldn't work. She sighed as she started walking again. Her bandmates were all too busy with university to leave the country; they would never be able to get that kind of time off. Maybe during summer break, but that was too soon. There just wasn't enough time.
It would have to be something close by then. Future World FES had always been Yukina's dream, that the rest of them strived for with her. Ako wondered what Yukina was thinking now, what she thought about how far they'd fallen.
Though they'd accomplished their goal, they'd only grown apart since. They lost sight of what it meant to be Roselia.
Wasn't it Ako's job to remind them? Ako's eyes widened in realization as she again stopped, almost stumbling forward. That was what she said, all those many months ago.
After spending so much time apart and heading down splitting roads, the band clearly needed a reminder. They needed to remember what brought them together, so they could move forward with an even stronger goal.
If Roselia got off track, Ako had committed to bringing back Louder to remind them of their path. It was time to follow through on that promise.
At their next practice, she'd be sure to.
The park was quiet at this time of night. The local kids usually went home before sunset, leaving the swings and slides abandoned.
That suited Lisa well, as she sat on a swing near the edge of the lamppost's light. She dug her shoe into the dirt, rocking the swing back and forth slightly.
She liked to come here to think, to get away from the bustle of her house and family. It was peaceful and calm, only slightly warm today since the sun had fully set. A few bugs chirped nearby.
The stillness of the night directly contrasted Lisa's own tumultuous thoughts. She had seen the writing on the wall at their performance, which was only confirmed by the meeting last weekend; she knew the band was going downhill fast.
It was something she feared, something she dreaded. It was the reason she worked so hard to improve her skills, so she could help the band be the best. So that, even if things would never work out between them, she could stay by Yukina's side.
Despite all of their efforts, or perhaps because of them, everything the band built was crumbling around them. But they weren't giving up.
Yukina wanted to set a new goal.
Lisa believed in that, believed in her. Still, she was worried.
The problem wasn't just that they didn't have a goal. Ever since Future World FES they'd been looking in different directions, and their lack of focus was catching up to them.
Lisa should've realized it earlier, when she first heard hints of disunity during rehearsal. How foolish she'd been to just ignore it, to let things get this far. If only she'd realized and taken action, it wouldn't have become this bad.
Now though, it was too late. They needed to come up with a new plan.
When Lisa thought about what the goal for the band should be, she only thought of Yukina. The woman she'd been following since she was a child, who she was finally able to walk side by side with in Roselia, dominated her mind. Yukina's dreams had always lit the way for the band and propelled them forward. She was the guiding light that drove the band. Lisa filled more of a supporting role, helping Yukina and her bandmates as best she could.
This year Lisa had broken off to her own path, even more so than her bandmates. She was studying outside the realm of music, but still she longed to stay by Yukina's side. She couldn't bear it if the band were to fall apart.
Even though she was supposed to come up with a goal, Lisa was at a loss with what to do next. She suspected Sayo felt the same way, with the way her frown deepened over the course of the meeting.
Lisa knew that coming up with a goal wouldn't be enough to solve their problems. They had already changed so much in a short period of time. It would take more to bring their sound back together. She sighed, dragging the toe of her shoe through the dirt.
Lisa thought back to Yukina, whose light had been on when she left the house. Yukina had probably already come up with their next goal, the next target for the band to hit. Even at the meeting, her eyes hadn't wavered.
What could Lisa do to help?
Now she drew a pattern in the dirt, the outline of a rose. There had been so many times when she questioned her place in the band and her contribution to it. She'd learned from those experiences, about her role and what being in Roselia truly meant.
Cookies might be a good place to start. With their busy schedules, it had been a long time since the band had spent any quality time together. They really only met to practice, often without all their members.
Hanging out, even if it was just for long enough to eat cookies, could bring them closer once again. Lisa made a mental note to get some ingredients, so she could bake the finest batch of cookies she'd ever made.
No number of cookies would fix the bands problems of course; Lisa knew that. Getting the band together would only be the beginning. She needed to do more.
They only had a month until summer break, when everyone would be free. That sparked an idea in Lisa's mind, something that would help for sure.
Lisa rose from the swing, a burst of energy surging through her. Her mouth was set in determination. She was careful not to step on her drawing as she walked away, headed back towards home with a spring in her step.
She needed to look at her calendar and start making some plans.