Author Note: Before you start the chapter, what song do you think each member will perform? I have digital cookies for anyone who can guess at least 3/5. Hint: Nothing 4th single or older.

When morning came, the band went down into the studio for their individual performances. All last night Yukina imagined her bandmates playing in her mind, the sound of Lisa in particular was the strongest. During the afternoon yesterday, Yukina could hear her during practice. She listened as Lisa drilled the same passages over and over again. Unlike Sayo and Rinko, Yukina stayed where she was.

Now, it was time to perform.

"Who wants to go first?" Sayo asked once they were all in the studio. Ako stood near the drums, while the others still carried their instrument cases.

"I will." Yukina volunteered immediately. As the singer of Roselia, as the leader, it was only fitting. She was ready to take charge, just like she did since the founding of the band.

"Alright." Sayo replied with a nod. The rest of the band set their instruments down and each pulled up a chair, so they could watch. Sayo took a notebook and pencil out of her guitar case, while the others sat empty handed. The notebook was probably a good idea, considering why they were holding these performances.

Yukina carried the mic stand a few feet from her bandmates, setting it up so she could face them. They were all watching her, waiting as her gaze flicked between them.

The song Yukina chose was one that was both dear to her and challenged her singing technique. It was a song they wrote a long time ago, but always pushed Yukina to sing her best. It forced her, high in her range, to sing with power and precision.

Now was the right time for this song, for Fire Bird.

As Yukina started to sing, the first couple lines slow and deliberate, she focused on control of the notes. She had learned much over the first semester, especially in the smoothness of her singing and in transitions. Through this song, she would show them.

She held her hands on the mic stand, as if she were performing on stage.

It hadn't felt strange to practice Fire Bird alone, but now that Yukina was standing in front of her bandmates, singing a line that they usually sang together, the oddness washed over her. Their eyes, unblinking, were all locked on her. Even Sayo, who had her pencil pressed against the notepad, wasn't moving.

The song continued, picking up into the faster tempo. Yukina sang each line with precision, hearing the background vocals of her bandmates in her mind. She counted the eight beats between the verse and the chorus, where they would sing.

When she came in, she attacked each phrase, pouring her energy into the song. She hoped her bandmates were listening to not just her technique, but the lyrics as well.

Yukina sang boldly through the next verse and chorus. She skipped the music break, but not the whole bridge. After singing her line, which was the first of the bridge, Yukina looked at each of her band members in turn.

Though none of them sang, she could still hear their parts. Yukina knew they could hear it too. Sayo's hand had visibly tightened around her pencil, mouth set in with visible determination. Lisa's eyes glimmered in the studio light, as she blinked rapidly to clear them. Ako leaned forward in her seat, hands clenched to make small fists. Rinko's chin was up, her gaze focused and clear.

They all heard Yukina's message.

The last chorus was the strongest one, the point where the song hit its height. Roselia too would soon return to the peak, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Yukina firmly believed that as she finished the song, the last high note echoing through the studio. She held the note perfectly on pitch.

As the note faded into silence, Yukina again looked at her bandmates. Only Sayo had moved; she started writing in her notebook.

Lisa brought her hands up to clap softly, a small smile on her face.

Without a word, Yukina picked up the mic stand to move it aside, and then approached the others. As she stopped in front of them, Rinko rose to her feet.

"I'll go next." Rinko spoke quietly like she always did, but her tone exuded confidence. As she went to get her keyboard, Yukina sat in her now empty chair.

Rinko started setting up the keyboard where Yukina had performed, which took a few minutes. While she waited, Yukina turned to her bandmates. Sayo was still writing, scribbling quickly on her paper. Ako was bouncing slightly in her seat as she watched Rinko get ready.

Lisa was looking Yukina's way. "I didn't realize how much your singing had changed this year." She said, leaning slightly towards Yukina.

That was why they were doing this, wasn't it? To see what their bandmates had learned. Yukina nodded in reply, allowing the corner of her lip to raise in a small smile. "I'm looking forward to seeing your growth as well." She had always enjoyed listening to Lisa play.

Lisa's cheeks dusted pink at the comment, though Yukina wasn't sure what was embarrassing about it. The sight of her like this rustled something in Yukina's chest, something she'd been trying to suppress. Suddenly the room was far too warm. It felt unbearable to maintain eye contact, to sit so close.

Yukina tore her eyes away, turning back to face Rinko. The pianist was almost ready to begin, as she was turning on her keyboard.

Rinko pushed a few buttons on the keyboard, then looked up at the group. Sayo, who had finally finished writing on her notebook, gestured for her to go ahead.

Rinko set her hands on the keyboard, took a deep breath, and began to play.

The sequence she started with was incredibly familiar, an introduction Yukina had heard hundreds, if not thousands of times. Ringing Bloom was a good choice, an excellent song to feature the piano.

Even without the other instruments, the opening still built a sense of energy as Rinko played. This was different than how she'd played before. Yukina could feel the intention behind each note, the care in the way each was placed.

Rinko continued to play through the first verse, not singing the background parts or even her solo. Instead, the piano was the only point of focus.

Some of her phrasing had changed too, leading to slightly different timing in a few spots. Yukina could hear it now, could clearly see how it was happening. She would remember the change.

As the song reached the music break, where the piano was featured heavily, Rinko's playing grew even more intense. She played with unparalleled confidence, claiming the phrase and the song as her own.

She carried the energy through the rest of the song, her fingers light on the keys for the last few notes. They filled the room, before fading away softly.

Rinko lowered her hands from the keys and bowed at her bandmates, tilting her head forward slightly. She turned the keyboard off and started packing it up.

As Rinko put the keyboard away, Ako jumped up out of her seat. "Ako next!" She declared as she scurried behind the chairs, which was where the drum set was.

Yukina and the others turned their chairs to face that direction, as Ako grabbed her drumsticks and sat down at the drums. She stretched her fingers out for a couple minutes, while Rinko finished putting her keyboard away.

Once Rinko had taken the seat Ako left, turning it to face the new direction, it was time for the next performance to begin.

Ako counted herself off, then started to play. This song, like the others that were already performed today, started off slow. It was harder to tell which it was from just the drums, but once Ako started playing the rolls Yukina knew which song it was.

Opera of the Wasteland wasn't a song the band performed often, especially as their repertoire grew. The drum parts in it were fast and prevalent, a major element of the song. It required precision to play well.

Even on these early rolls, Yukina could hear the difference in Ako's playing. She hadn't noticed it with the whole band, but it was easy to hear with just the drums. They were tighter and cleaner than they'd ever been before.

As the song picked up in tempo, and the drum part with it, that continued to be true. Ako grinned from ear to ear as she played.

Her control over dynamics had improved as well, Yukina realized as the song shifted between the verse and chorus. She changed much more smoothly between volumes, creating a stronger transition.

It gave the drums a different sound than they had before, one that was better overall but would need adapting to.

As the song neared the end, Ako flourished with a stick flip off the drums. She must've learned that this year too.

After the last beat was played, as the last cymbal hit faded, Ako pointed one drumstick straight up and thrust her fist in the air.

"G-great job, Ako-chan." Rinko said as Ako stood from the drum set.

Sayo was jotting something in her notes. "I'm impressed." She said, as she finished writing. "You've been working hard this year."

"Thanks Sayo-san!" Ako beamed back at her, with a bounce in her step as she moved towards the chairs.

Sayo drew a horizontal line across her paper, before looking over at Lisa. The bassist met her gaze, and for a moment the two just stared. Lisa lifted one open palm in a pushing gesture, which seemed to be what Sayo was looking for.

"I will play next." Sayo rose from her chair, taking her guitar case from the wall. Ako quickly claimed the empty seat.

They all turned their chairs back around again as Sayo went to set up on the other side, where Yukina and Rinko had performed. She opened her guitar case and checked the tuning, adjusting it as needed.

After tuning the last string, she strummed them once all together. Without an amp they barely made a sound. Once Sayo was plugged into the amp, she was ready to begin.

Sayo started without a count off, jumping right into the song. After just a few seconds Yukina knew what song this was.

The way the guitar came up for loud clashing chords could only be Neo-Aspect. Their dissonant sound was expected, as part of the song, but they didn't sound exactly as Yukina remembered them.

Sayo played every note perfectly, as she always had, but the differences in her playing were clear.

Her phrases were more expressive, more dynamic. There was less stiffness in her chords, and less rigid precision in her notes. She played with a stronger tone than before.

She bobbed her head as the chorus hit, mouth set in the same expression as earlier. The guitar echoed through the studio, filling the room completely.

When Sayo reached the guitar solo, that was where she truly shined. The emotion of this song, that Neo-Aspect carried for the band, came clearly through each note. It built over the course of the solo, climbing higher and higher.

The song dropped down after the solo, to something much softer for the bridge. Sayo matched the change in tone perfectly, before coming back full strength for the last chorus.

The guitar continued to the very end of the song, finishing with a long held note. Sayo let it ring, until the sound had completely faded.

Sayo didn't wait for a reaction, immediately unplugging from the amp and putting her guitar away.

Lisa, the only one left, stood to take her place. "I guess I'm up." She said, with a cheerful smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Before Yukina could ask what was wrong, Lisa had grabbed her bass and moved away. Sayo took her seat, the last in the chair rotation.

Lisa took out her bass and tuned it, plugging into the amp after doing so. Her smile had disappeared, replaced with a furrowed brow and slight frown.

She looked up when she was done, eyes locking on Yukina's. Again, Yukina had the urge to ask what was bothering her. She didn't have the chance, as Lisa started to play.

The distinct bass line was instantly recognizable as the opening to R. It was one of their more prominent bass songs, which Yukina thought was a great choice for this performance.

Lisa played it smoothly, moving through the phrase with ease. The way she held the bass, it looked like an extension of her body. Yukina could only watch as she played through the song.

Clearly Lisa had improved as well, in her technique and overall performance. That was evident in the quieter parts of the bass line as well as the more exposed ones.

It was difficult for Yukina to focus on that, watching her play alone like this. The feelings she'd stuffed down earlier, that she'd turned away from, were growing harder and harder to ignore.

Lisa was physically farther away now, but she still sent Yukina's heart racing. Even in the plain studio light, she was stunning. Her frown had vanished, replaced with a look of sharp focus. Just by playing the bass, pouring her heart into the music, she had Yukina entranced.

The more Yukina fought these feelings, the stronger they seemed to become.

Lisa leaned into the bass solo, bringing out the best sound of every note. The sound was strong and sturdy, fitting for the pillar of the band.

She played consistently through the whole song, until she reached the end. After playing the last note, Lisa smiled up at her bandmates. Playing seemed to have calmed her nerves. Yukina, despite the flips her stomach was doing, smiled back.

Sayo rose to her feet, closing her notebook. "Shall we rehearse then?" She asked, looking between the others. Lisa nodded in response.

"Yes." Rinko stood as well.

"Let's do it!" Ako hopped to her feet.

Yukina rose slowly, nodding once at Sayo. "Let's begin."

They reorganized the room for practice, getting rid of the chairs and setting up their instruments. Yukina started them with Song I Am, just like the day before.

Unlike yesterday, today they started making progress.

Yukina felt tired, though it was a good sort of tired. Band practice had gone well, almost surprisingly so.

After listening to her bandmates, Yukina was much better able to work with their new sounds. She assumed the same was true for them, as they made quick progress in multiple songs. There were still some issues, particularly with the bass for Yukina, but they could handle it.

The mood of the band improved over the course of the day, leaving the group in high spirits in the evening.

Well, Ako was in high spirits. Everyone else seemed the same as usual.

It was after dinner now and the band was winding down for the night. The five of them were all together in the room where they slept, hanging out and talking in groups. Ako and Rinko were on one side of the room talking in low voices; Yukina didn't know about what. Yukina sat on the floor with Lisa and Sayo, discussing changes to the schedule for the upcoming days.

"Are we going to record something while we're here?" Sayo was asking, referencing the recording equipment in the basement. "It seems like a waste not to."

"I'd like to." Yukina replied, remembering how exited Lisa was to show them the studio. She went through all the effort to get this studio for them, it was only right to use it.

"What'll we record though?" Lisa tilted her head as she thought.

Yukina had an answer for that, though it wasn't quite ready for recording. "I've been working on new lyrics." She admitted, telling them for the first time. Though she had been writing these lyrics for a while, she finally felt ready to finish them.

"Have you talked with Rinko about an arrangement?" Sayo, always practical, asked an important question.

"I will soon." Yukina glanced over, catching both Rinko and Ako staring at her. They looked away abruptly. They were clearly up to something.

"We might want to block some time for song writing then." Lisa was clicking through the digital calendar. "There's not a lot of time left, how about tomorrow morning?"

"That's a good idea." Sayo nodded in agreement. "If we want to record, it needs to be ready soon. You and Rinko can work on it together. Then we'll have full band practice in the afternoon." She sounded confident in the plan.

"What will you do?" Yukina asked, not fully on board yet since the other three would be left out. She wondered if Sayo wanted to get involved with composing.

"We'll find something, don't worry." Lisa winked, the gesture sending a trill down Yukina's spine.

A tinny ringing sound interrupted the conversation, reminding Yukina of a small bell being struck. It was a ringtone, not one she used. She glanced at her phone anyway, but it wasn't hers.

No, it was Lisa's. The other teen rose to her feet as she answered the phone, greeting the caller warmly. She stepped out into the hall and shut the door before Yukina could figure out who she was talking to.

"I'm marking it in the calendar." Sayo didn't seem to care who the call was from, as she continued with the conversation. Yukina watched her fiddle on her phone for a moment, before the sound of someone clearing their throat snagged her attention.

Ako and Rinko, who had previously been huddled on the opposite end of the room, were now standing next to Sayo and Yukina. Ako had both hands behind her back, likely hiding something there.

"Ahem." Ako cleared her throat again, waiting until Sayo looked up as well. "Will you please join us for a game?" She asked more politely than she usually would, bringing the object out from behind her back. It was a large cardboard box, with the word Monopoly written in large letters across it. Yukina was surprised it fit behind Ako's back.

She didn't have time to play a board game, especially not this one. In fact, she didn't like board games at all. "No, thank you." Yukina stood, shaking her head. "I need to work on something tonight." She grabbed the notebook from her bag and excused herself from the room, leaving Sayo to fend off the other two alone.

"Actually, I need to tell you about the schedule for tomorrow." Yukina could hear Sayo say as she stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind her.

Surprisingly, she could hear a conversation in the hallway too. This was a different one, drifting down from one end of the hall. Yukina could hear Lisa's voice, quiet but still understandable, from a room near the end of the hallway.

"Sorry I couldn't see you this week." Lisa sounded apologetic, to whoever she was speaking to. "And that I haven't had much time to talk."

She paused for a moment, likely listening to the other person's reply. Yukina told herself she should walk away, that it wasn't right to eavesdrop like this. Her feet didn't move.

"I promise I'll make it up to you!" Lisa exclaimed, then giggled after a moment. The sound was like music to Yukina's ears. "You're such a charmer, Ai." Here tone was light and happy, missing the stresses of rehearsal. That name, Yukina had heard that name before. Her stomach churned at the realization, veins turning to ice.

Now her feet couldn't move fast enough, taking her the opposite direction and away from Lisa. She hurried out to the kitchen, where it was blissfully silent. Yukina collapsed into one of the chairs, feeling like she had just run there.

Pretending not to care hurt. Hearing Lisa on the phone with another woman hurt even worse.

Yukina took a deep breath to try and center herself, placing her notepad on the table. She made her decision, now she needed to live with it. It was time to work on the lyrics.

Before she could start, another interruption arrived. Sayo, likely fleeing the board game duo, appeared from the hallway.

She took a seat across from Yukina, placing her hands together on the table.

"How's it going?" Sayo asked, glancing down at the still closed notebook.

"I'm about to start." Yukina tapped the front of the book for emphasis, assuming she was asking about the lyrics.

"I see." Sayo glanced away, hands fidgeting, then back at Yukina. She hesitated, then spoke again. "Is everything alright?" Her words were slow, measured.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine." Yukina answered without waiting for the explanation.

Sayo's hands came down off the table. "You still tore from the bass this afternoon."

"It'll be fixed by tomorrow." It was true that Yukina hadn't picked up on Lisa's changes as well as the others, but she was getting it the longer they rehearsed. The band was coming together well.

"I heard who Imai-san is on the phone with." Sayo's eyes were locked onto Yukina, deadly serious. This was not a topic Yukina wanted to discuss.

"There's nothing wrong with that, she can speak with whoever she wants to." Yukina's tone was cold and biting, the words coming out more defensive than she intended. She desperately wanted to believe them.

Sayo sighed deeply, waiting a moment before responding. "If there's a problem, I'm sure she'd want you to tell her." That was a pointed message, a direct attack, a sign that Yukina had done a poor job hiding her feelings. "That's the kind of person Imai-san is."

Yukina knew that, but still, she couldn't. She couldn't handle the reaction she'd face, the damage to their friendship. Yukina swallowed, just staring at Sayo.

"Think about it." Sayo stood from the table, pushing her chair back in. "And watch your step when you come back, there are monopoly pieces everywhere."

Yukina watched her go back down the hallway, leaving as quickly as she came.

Now she sat here alone, but a part of her still felt exposed. She shook off the feeling, resetting her emotions and turning to her notebook. She needed to focus, especially if she was working on the song with Rinko tomorrow.

She opened to the middle, finding the page where she wrote them. She had a few ideas already, about the sky and looking towards the future, but they weren't held together by anything.

Yukina scrunched up her forehead as she thought, writing a few different phrases on the page. Today, each member had played for the rest. They performed alone in order to bring the band back together.

What if they each sang a line of the verse, passing it around the band. Yukina's eyes widened at the idea, and she started to outline it. As just one of five parts, she could be involved too, perhaps even in the middle.

They could count each member, then all sing together. It would be a fitting new format as the band relearned to play together.

For a while she was able to set her complicated feelings aside, as she channeled her energy into Roselia. Yukina continued to write down the lyrics, polishing them into the perfect new song.

End Note: I will be tiering in the Rondo event on D4DJ starting tonight, so the next chapter will be delayed. Tell me in the comments how many songs you guessed right, and I will send your digital cookies.