Nico and Kotori got up early, as had become a habit by now. They ate a quick breakfast so they could get to school early: Kotori said they should stop in and see Principal Minami, who was back from her trip. Nico wasn't told why, and it was hard to speculate. Surely, with only two days left in their "relationship," Kotori wouldn't tell her mother that they were dating. That seemed really far-fetched. More likely, it was yet another project. Nico and Kotori had listened to Chrysanthemum during breakfast, and Nico was already spending her lunch time studying instead of socializing; so, if it was too arduous, Nico would have to say no, she guessed. But she didn't intend to say anything until after they had talked with the principal. Now that she was back on the schedule she'd had when she started school, Nico realized how wise Kotori had been to say they needed to learn to just be there, side by side, doing the important things without feeling obligated to entertain each other.
Nico thought about Maki suddenly, while they were en route to school, with a pang of guilt. She had probably — no, definitely — not considered Maki's time a lot. Their ability to communicate hadn't matched Kotori's, and Nico had been too addicted to lovey-dovey stuff with Maki, even to just clinging to her like, if she had heard the other girls talking about her clearly, "a baby koala." Well, probably so. She was now, in retrospect, not entirely proud of herself. Still, how often did someone make you their whole world, the way Nico had with Maki? Where was everyone's sense of romance, again? She still wished that Maki had at least acknowledged that, and they'd come to some sort of workable compromise. But she hadn't, she wouldn't, and they hadn't. That was all wishful thinking on Nico's part.
She no longer felt guilty about such thoughts. As the end of their time grew near, thinking about long-term stuff like that would help Nico be less clingy and dependent with Kotori. Besides, she couldn't control her roving Maki thoughts. All she could do was stop dwelling on them. Today, as usual, she needed to focus on her existing responsibilities, as well as Kotori's plans.
Ah. Kotori. She looked over at her for a second as they neared the school. Kotori looked back at her and gave her her shy, charming, somehow knowing smile. Had Nico made her a little more like Nozomi? But anyway. Nico decided she would never forget her. This whole crazy situation was her idea, and she'd stuck with it. Nico would have bet her life savings against this all happening. She should tell her, tonight. How grateful she was, and how impressed.
When they reached the principal's office, Principal Minami smiled at Nico. She knew Nico was more inclined than her daughter to consider a visit with the principal an ordeal. After having Kotori close the door, she beckoned them to two chairs in front of her desk.
"Please, don't be mystified, Yazawa-san. Kotori came to me with a request, and I wished to briefly discuss it with you. In essence, she wants permission for you to miss going to classes, either in the morning or the afternoon, depending on other things you need to do.
"Your grades are even better than they were in your first year, Yazawa-san. They weren't bad in your second year, but they were much less than you showed you were capable of. And of course, You, Kousaka-san and Hoshizora-san had a big slump the first part of your third year. I think that was a problem with adjusting to your hectic practice schedules. My daughter told me what happened to you during that first year, and how it carried forward the next year. It's probably good she waited, because if I had had your past misfortune in mind, I wouldn't have approved a school idol group for anyone this time around. I talked with Ayase-san on the phone, and with my daughter, and they both say you're caught up and trying your hardest at school. Kotori has pointed out to me that soon you need to be furthering your career goals. She showed me the video she shot, and it's very good — a credit to the school.
"So, you have my permission to skip a morning or afternoon period when you need to, as long as it doesn't interfere with your grades or your progress towards taking the entrance exams. I realize some of what you are doing is just as necessary, if you choose a performance-oriented school, or want a scholarship. I had concerns like that for you, Koizumi-san and Ayase-san in mind when I gave you all permission to enter Love Live! Your teachers are familiar with people leaving even just to study for the exams, so simply notify them the day before if you can. And good luck, today! No, I won't tell you what Kotori and the others have in mind, my lips are sealed." At that point, the bell rang, and they had to go to their first classes.
Kotori said they would, in fact, be taking the afternoon off. "I got special permission from Mom, I won't be able to do this going forward." She told Nico to meet her by the library before lunch. After meeting up again, they dashed to the station and hopped on a train Nico didn't remember taking before. To her great surprise, she recognized the building near where they got off as a recording studio. Just as she was realizing that, Kotori told her they probably both wouldn't make it back in time for idol practice or drama club, but the girls involved were forewarned that that was likely.
With Love Live! itself coming up, the µ's members had wanted at least the option of daily practices. Sometimes, Eli, Umi or Rin had been too busy, and one time Nozomi had stayed back and done Eli's paperwork so Eli could join. Today was NicoTori's day to be absent, apparently. She made the mistake of saying that, and Kotori corrected her: "It's KotoNico, Nico-chan." For some reason that made her laugh out loud. Kotori hugged her side and then held her hand and they walked in, both laughing. Kotori whispered in Nico's ear as they approached the group of girls waiting inside, "I see all a girl has to do to have a fun dating relationship with Nico-chan is put out, no?" Nico turned bright red, but it broke any nervous tension she'd started to accumulate.
She recognized one of the girls - Yuki Anju, the princess of A-RISE (and the one that looked the most like Maki. Stop. Just stop.), but Nico didn't know the other three. Anju waved and said, "Just leaving, Nico-chan, but I had to introduce you to my friends." Without further ado, she introduced Kurobane Sakuya, an elegantly dressed girl who looked like she could be Tsubasa's little sister; Takamagahara Mutsuki, a childish-looking girl with glasses and carrot orange hair in twin-tails that stuck out of her head like ears; and Tsukishima Yuka, a tomboyish girl who looked like a skateboarder version of Kotori. They were all from Shion Girls Academy, and all, apparently, friends with the A-RISE girls. With a wave and a "Good luck, Nico-chan!" she was off.
Kurobane was warming up at a lovely grand piano (much like the one used by ... okay, she had this under control. She did. 'Go, me!' Nico thought to herself). Takamagahara had an acoustic bass she was practicing bowing and picking, and Tsukushima was seated behind a complex drum machine. Kotori had brought along her favorite outfit from middle school, which she had grown out of. Kotori handed it to Nico, and, like the professional show woman she was probably training to be, she ducked partly behind Kurobane and the grand piano and stripped down and put it on.
Nico assumed Kotori would handle the sound, as she had at the karaoke place, but not so: she took Tsukushima's place behind the drum machine. That girl moved Kotori's arms into a better position, showed her how to work all the pedals first, then indicated which buttons, pads and switches she should work, and told her to avoid the rest of the machine. She patiently took Kotori through the rhythm of the various parts of the songs they would be recording. Nico recognized most of them, but not all. Kotori must have liked the order they had at the karaoke place, because Nico recognized she was starting up the distinctive rhythm for "Train, Train."
Nico tentatively started to warm up vocally for the song, and the other four girls just stared at her. Tsukushima, at the sound controls, said, "Don't sing, Yazawa-san!" Apparently, it was "way too early" in their multiple takes for each song. This run-through was for Kotori, and for Nico to listen to the music and re-acquaint herself with the song. She could, if she wanted, hum or sing along in a near-whisper to practice the lyrics, but the worry was that she'd exhaust her voice long before the last take of the last song. What they were doing, using one half-day in a studio to record what amounted to an album's worth of songs, was similar both to a live performance and to a studio session for a new act without much funds. Nico was encouraged to lip-sync and get a feel for how she wanted to move during a song.
"And if we shoot any video, Nico-chan, you will have to do at least five takes. And the one with the best movement won't be the one with the best vocals. It's the way of the world," Tsukushima said. The other three girls all nodded, sagely.
The three Shion girls were all aspiring school, and later professional, idols, but like Maki, two of them were also very good instrumentalists. They tore into "Train, Train," which was a mellow song for the Japanese punk band that performed it, and made it hard-charging and edgy with how they attacked it. Kotori kept up, it was her usual hyper competence. In a way, they shared that, along with the experience of creating and living with a persona. Nico chose to whisper chant along with the song. The lyrics were there on a screen, but the more you memorized, the more natural you'd sound.
The second time through, Kotori had improved a lot — with a more simple drum part — and Nico felt she'd internalized the song somewhat. The sound girl seemed to be directing everything. She had Nico start to sing the song, without full force, then cut her off and made several adjustments. Start over. Cut. Start over. On to another part. Start over. Adjust. In the end it took ten minutes for the second take of a three minute and 45 second song. Kotori never complained about all the start-overs, so Nico didn't, either. The actual run-through was mainly for Kotori again, and Nico was told not to sing the whole song. That waited for the third take. Nico was praised by Tsukushima for getting it right in one run-through: "I think this song suits Yazawa-san, somehow, even though it's both sad and hopeful." Nico didn't comment except to thank her for the praise.
The next two songs went quickly, as both Kotori and Nico were now accustomed to the process. Then came a song Nico didn't know, that she'd have to learn. It turned out to be one written by Kira Tsubasa, Yuki Anju and Todo Erena. Kurobane explained as she started playing that this was a song that A-RISE didn't think could be "made danceable, so they're donating it to Yazawa-san." Kotori was probably pleased, because Nico's eyes teared up at that. The song "Aijou fukaku no tomodachi" or "Loving Friends" was A-RISE's slow loving tribute to each other, clearly. But it worked just as well for Nico and her µ's friends — no, more like saviors lately. The three new girls taught Nico the song during the run-throughs for the drums and Nico's vocal checks. Then, just as they had with "Train, Train," they had Nico sing the song all the way through. After just one take, they were satisfied. Of course, they'd chosen the one song where Nico had tears in her eyes to video record. Nico thought of objecting, but then thought again: playing along with everything had gotten her pretty far. In a way, people were giving her what she'd tearfully asked for in the club room. They were telling her what to do until she could get her confidence and motivation back. The video was shot carefully to keep Kotori's face out of it, and she'd somehow managed to change out of her school uniform into street clothes, too. It would be obvious to Minalinsky fans whose arms and legs they were seeing, though. At least, contrary to the warning, the video had been shot in a single take.
This time, when she saw the album with just one word on it, "MAKI," she was simply amused. Nico had had enough time to get accustomed to the bass, piano and drum machine. She realized that in all her idol aspirations, she'd never really learned to *feel* music washing through her, synchronizing with her, before. She resolved to learn an instrument. What kind didn't matter, so she guessed she'd try the guitar. It wouldn't help with dancing, nor acting, and only a little with singing, but the urge to feel music with her body was overwhelming. It actually took three singing takes, the first at half volume, but her version of "Blue Spirit Blues" sounded a lot better than the live karaoke version had. She glanced at the album cover image again. Was the sad Asakawa Maki going to be her role model? Time would tell, she decided.
It turned out the Shion Academy girls had donated two of their songs to the cause, as well. Neither were dance-type songs, but they were lively. "We couldn't debut these at idol try-outs, so it means a lot if Yazawa-san likes them enough to put on her first album," Takamagahara explained. She did, they were distinctive and well-written, just perfect as a break from the songs in the Minalinsky video. Of course, it took several takes to get them. At that point, they had arrived at the angry "Good Day" song by the American woman whose band was called Dresden Dolls. On an impulse, Nico asked if she could say something first, before the final take, and keep it in the recording. Everyone agreed she could.
"There is someone that will hear this, and she will think it is about her. It is not you.
It could never be you. Never, ever would I see you like this. I want you to know that."
Kotori grasped what Nico was talking about immediately and gave her a thumbs up. She'd had a vague premonition about the song, even though she loved Nico's attack on it. Now, she realized what the problem was. Given Maki was already paranoid and angry about the whole Nico Project, if she saw that song, and assumed Nico was saying she'd get on with her life and survive just to spite Maki ... well. Yes. Necessary correction there, Nico-chan. Of course, the one most sensitive to Maki-chan's thoughts and feelings would always be Nico. That was the big problem. But this time, it helped.
After that, it was like rounding the last corner in a footrace. Her experience with Chrysanthemum made her accent (she unconsciously imitated Amy Winehouse's working class British intonation) almost perfect on "Back to Black." By the time she arrived at their duet (Kotori hadn't sung any of her solo karaoke efforts, of course) Nico was more relaxed, more letting the music move her feelings and motion. The sound girl decided to film them, so first Kotori had to wear her Minalinsky outfit again. The look Nico gave her was perfect for the song. World-weary. Wistful. Sweet. Knowing. And rather loving. The Girlfriend Singer X rumors would be flying for weeks. Nico thought to ask what she'd be called. Kotori suggested they stick with "Singer X," and Nico had nothing better to come back with. As for what they'd call it, Nico said, I don't know, you picked everything. I think of it as the only songs I know how to sing besides the ones in µ's, and being very heavy on blues, but other than that. Kotori perked up and decided. "The Only Songs I Know Right Now" was a wonderful title. It was humble, but humorous.
" Ura Mado" by Maki was, again, her last song. She tensed up a little and actually looked out the small window of the studio. Kotori came over and rubbed her shoulders. "Relax, Nico-chan. Relax. But keep looking out the window, it suits Nico-chan." So Nico did. She did several takes, never taking her gaze from the window. Of course, it wasn't as heart-wrenching as her karaoke take, but this time, with suitable live music, that she simply sat and absorbed as it swirled around her, Nico gave a more mature, bluesy feel to the song. This time, she was able to hold back the tears, although a little sadness settled in her shoulders. Tsukushima surprised her by snapping a picture suddenly. It caught Nico with a sad, nearly blank expression reflected in the little window.
It fit Ura Mado, the key song on the album, so well, they pronounced it ideal for the album cover. Kotori copied it to her laptop, which had a lot of design software. She had already filled in the songs and their creators, and the musicians and their credits on the back part in her jewel case template, so she centered the image of Nico on the front cover, and added Singer X's name and the title "THE ONLY SONGS I KNOW RIGHT NOW" over it. For such quick work, it was amazingly perfect. As a bonus, she had the three Shion girls, Minalinsky, and Singer X add liner notes. She uploaded the audio and video and the cover art to a service they had contacted in advance. They would sell the album as a download, as singles, and as pressed CDs, and figure out all royalties owed, since none of the songs were "Singer X's" originals. Since the Shion girls had registered themselves as songwriters, those calculations would include them.
Unsurprisingly, Nico was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Tsukushima had, it turned out, brought plenty of beer, which they all drank. The big sister of one of the girls was called to come pick up the Shion trio, and after thanking them repeatedly and exchanging contact numbers, Kotori and Nico helped each other walk to the train station. A worry Nico had had came out: weren't they at the studio a long time? Kotori assured her she'd gotten a deal on extended time there through her Minalinsky contacts. That said, she also admitted it wasn't cheap. She, Honoka and Umi had all chipped in and paid in advance. Nico looked abashed. In her current situation, she really wouldn't be able to pay them back for ages. Kotori assured her it was a gift, and if she wanted, she could think of it as an early birthday or Christmas present. Nico had no choice but to accept it, and be grateful.
By the time they got back to the Minami's, Nico was quite tired, but, just as on their first night, Kotori made espresso and they had the same snacks she'd brought out that first time. And of course, she also brought out heated plum wine for the two of them, and she made Nico drink it with locked arms with her. Idol training had been good to both of them, so they managed it without spilling.
It turned out to be another night of tear-filled lovemaking; not only did Nico feel the "Maki blues" (meaning, in this case, Maki-chan, not the singer Nico had been covering that night), but also her imminent parting from Kotori. They would have only one more night together. Nico couldn't believe how attached she'd become in such a short time. It bothered her to think Maki-chan was right to say she was naturally clingy. But there wasn't anything awkward about sex for the two anymore. It was pleasant, warm and comfortable by now. They communicated with little noises instead of words, but that was completely adequate. Before she'd gotten in bed, Nico had memorized Kotori's naked body, head to foot. Amused, Kotori had told Nico to lie down so she could do the same. She explored Nico's body with her eyes, then her fingers. Then her lips and tongue. Being kissed all over like that definitely built up Nico's sex drive, and when Kotori finally crawled back in bed, breaking their usual pattern, Nico attacked her.
