Arale Nakamachi and Yuno Sengoku

All right... Everything's set.

Staaaaare...

...

Staaaaaaaaare...

What is it...?

Th-The thing is... I've kind of... sort of... been wanting to ask you something for a while~

Ask me what?

It's about "Night of the Seagulls."

You mean "Night of the Seagulls," the theme song from "Nobishimo Chronicles"?

Exactly! It's the theme song to that legendary freeware game, and an absolute masterpiece by Yuno-san-chan!

You're way too close.

The way it ties so perfectly into the story and the world absolutely blew me away as a fan!

And every musical choice reveals little glimpses of what the characters are feeling! You couldn't pull that off without truly understanding the game!

What shook me most was the middle of the song! It captures that sudden, devastating turn when the party is torn apart so perfectly...

Didn't you have something you wanted to ask?

Ah! S-S-S-Sorry! I got carried away...!

I-I was just wonder-wondering how that masterpiece came to be~

When I made that song...

Only whatever you're comfortable sharing!

Hmm...

When I made "Night of the Seagulls," I'd only just started taking on work like that.

Wait, really?

Yeah. So it was pretty rough. I didn't have much experience yet.

...

I figured I could at least make up for my lack of skill by learning the game inside and out.

I imagined what kind of music would play in that world, almost like I was traveling alongside the characters.

I didn't want to miss a thing, so I unlocked every ending and collected every CG.

And after that...

Ugh...

Wait... are you crying?

You make unlocking every route and collecting every CG sound like it was nothing...

Your love for the game runs deeper than the Mariana Trench~~!

I mean... it was my job. I had to do at least that much...

Even so! That doesn't make it any less amazing!!

Thank you for bringing that song into the world... Ngh... I truly can't thank you enough...!!

(I don't think I did anything that amazing, though.)

(Still... if it means this much to her...)

Thanks...

*Sigh*...

Why do we even have to come in for classes...? Can't everything just be remote...?

I'm going straight home...

Uuuuuuuuuugh...

Hm...?

Yu...

Yuno-san-chaaaaaan...

A zombie...?

Almost...

Why?

I can't... finish the lyrics...

Ah.

Looks like things have settled down on your end... Yuno-san-chan...

Well, composing comes first.

H-Hehehe... You're always right on schedule, Yuno-san-chan...

I'm always down to the wire... with my stomach on fire...

This is no time to be dropping rhymes... I'll go finish the lyrics. See you...

*Sigh*...

Wait.

Huh?

Uh... well...

I think you should talk to the manager about the deadline.

The deadline they give you usually isn't the absolute cutoff. They leave a little buffer... some leeway, in case things run late.

...

R-Really...?

Sometimes things are just out of your control. What matters is talking to them about it.

Ngh...

Yuno-san-chaaaaaan!

W-Wait! Don't hug me...!

All this time, I couldn't stop thinking I'd have to get down on my knees and beg Ms. Manager for forgiveness...! So... Uuuugh...

Do you really have to cry that much...?

I thought it was the end of the woooorld...!

Oh. So that's why you were turning into a zombie.

Anyway... let go of me.

Huh...?

Contact the manager. And... I think you should blow your nose.

Okay. Good luck.

Y-Yesh!!

That should be about right.

What do you think, Nakamachi-san?

...

Nakamachi-san?

...

...

Looks like her connection dropped.

H-Hwaaah!!

I-I'm sorry! I was so busy taking in just how lucky I am that my soul kind of... left my body!

Isn't that a little dramatic?

But, but this is huge, isn't it?! We have a song of our very own!

And then hearing my own lyrics in it... I got all emotional all over again.

It's not like this is your first original song.

I know! I'm just... still not used to it, I guess...

Am I really allowed to be this happy again and again...?!

Heh...

Huh?

Nothing. I'm glad you feel that way.

There's a part I tweaked based on your lyrics, though.

Oh! You mean the part in the second half, right?

How was that part? I can change it if it wasn't what you had in mind.

It was absolutely perfect!!

You understood everything I was trying to convey, even the parts I couldn't put into words...

And you brought every feeling I poured into the lyrics straight into the song... I couldn't ask for anything more!

Yuno-san-chan, you're amazing!!

Okay, okay.

I am technically a professional, you know.

A professional...!

That's Yuno-san-chan for you! A genius! A true professional!

Thanks.

But...

Bringing the song to life is your job as a professional vocalist.

!

I'm counting on you.

Nghhhhh...!

Yes!!