Minami sat on the couches, waiting to be called into the recording studio. She placed her hands on her knees and tapped them anxiously. Ever since the concert, she'd been a confused mess.
In the end, she had attended with Akina.
5year's experience in the industry was obvious with their fantastic performance. So many fans were screaming the members' names, singing and dancing along to their songs, and creating an unforgettable energy within the dome that the concert was held.
Akina had even bought the two of the light sticks which they bopped along to the music with in unison with the rest of the sea of fans.
She was happy to have gone with Akina and had a great time. The problem was Naoto.
He had been messaging her almost nonstop since she'd left his apartment on the day of her birthday.
"Are you seriously going with Akina?"
"Really, you're not going to bring me with you?"
"Why are you even my girlfriend if we're never going to do anything together?"
"I keep telling you that you're being ridiculous. No one cares about you enough to notice if you're with someone or not."
"You're being really stupid Minami, let's go together."
All of those messages had really weighed her down.
She simply responded with, "Yes. I'm taking Akina."
Since the concert, their messages between each other had stopped completely.
Had they broken up? Were they still together? What WAS the point of them being in a relationship if they couldn't do things together? He was right about that. But then again, didn't he know that going into this?
Suddenly, Makoto's voice intruded into her thoughts. "Minami, let's go!"
Startled, she jumped up and looked towards the door. He stood there in a button-up white t-shirt and dress pants with a vest over it. A classic look for him.
Minami stood up and walked into the studio, half in a daze, as he held the door open for her.
"Did you not get enough sleep last night or something?" Irritation filled his voice.
"I did." Minami replied dejectedly.
"I want to see a better attitude from you then. We have work to do. Focus!"
His reaction wasn't helping at all. In addition to her issues with Naoto, it seemed like Makoto was getting harsher and harsher with her as her debut got closer.
It was confusing. Before he gave her the song, before he'd offered to debut her as an artist, they had been very friendly. In fact, she even considered him one of her closest friends and thought of him as such before thinking of him as a boss. Now he just seemed like a grouchy old businessman.
Had this always been the real him? Or was it her? Was she doing something wrong to make him not like her anymore?
Now her mind was even more occupied than it was before she got in there.
She stepped into the booth and put the headphones on.
Makoto's voice came on over the speaker, "Let's do 'Run to You' first."
Minami nodded and sighed. Perfect, the song about her boyfriend when she was fighting with her boyfriend, was JUST the song she wanted to sing right now.
She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply while wiggling her body around in an attempt to shake out her negative thoughts.
"Whatever Minami. Your biggest dream is about to come true. We're recording your DEBUT! Get over it and lets savor this moment." She put a wide smile on as she gave the OK signal to Makoto.
"I'm ready!"
The music started and Minami bopped her head along to the intro.
"With my heart full of love, I turn towards you.
Looking no other way, I run and run, like a magnet's pulling me.
If I call out to you, will you turn back towards me though?
Hoping to see your smiling face run right towards mine.
As fast as the wind will take me, I'll run to you.
Praying you'll be right there, will you be waiting for me too?
My heart's beating faster and faster again,
Can I find my way to your side, don't pretend!
As fast as the speed of light itself, I run to you.
Wishing you'll be right there, will you please wait for me too?
My legs carry me faster and faster again
Can I find my way to your side, don't pretend!....Hey!"
The music cut.
"Okay rough cut. I want for the first part though, make sure that you don't hold out 'Looking', but hold out 'way'. Also hold out the 'like' and 'me'. I want you to say 'me' more like 'may' too. So like this," He took a deep breath and began singing the line, "Looking no other waaay, I run and run, liiiiiike a magnet's pulling meeee~"
Minami nodded, "Okay, I got it!"
This time, the music started shortly before her cue. She sang it as he had told her, but he cut the music off right as she had finished.
Makoto's voice came on again, this time a note of confusion and annoyance, "Why are you singing it weird? Sing it like you mean it. You wrote most of these lyrics, why did you write them? Sing them with the feeling you had when you wrote them."
Minami bit her lip and nodded.
When she had written them, she had envisioned herself running towards Naoto. It was a happier feeling because she thought for sure 'Of course I'll find my way back to his side.' However, now that they were in an argument and she wasn't even sure if they were together or not, it felt more like a sad song.
She wasn't sure how to sing it. The instrumental was upbeat and powerful. How could she make her sadness into a power?
The music started again and she sang the song softer than she had before. Makoto cut her off just like he had before.
"What's wrong with you today, huh? Let's just take five and figure out what you're doing. I don't want you leaving this booth until you've figured it out."
There was a small rolling chair in the corner of the studio, which Minami grabbed and sat on as Makoto walked out of the studio.
She wracked her brain and read the lyrics over and over again. Slowly, but surely, Naoto crept back into her mind.
It was annoying how he kept taking over her thoughts. Who gave him permission to do that anyways?! Why was he mad in the first place actually? He knew she was going to debut soon. They'd already had a conversation about why she didn't want people to see them. Had he just agreed to brush the issue under the rug back then? Why wasn't he being respectful about how she felt, he knew what he was getting himself into!
She jumped up, her fists curled into a ball, shaking as she yelled in her mind, "HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS AGREEING TO!"
Her body and mind suddenly froze. This was it.
She ran up and put the headphones back on, waiting for Makoto to enter the room again.
"Can you do it this time?" He asked through the speaker.
Minami nodded confidently, "Yes! I've got it!"
The music cued.
She sang the song applying what Makoto had said and with her newfound emotional inspiration. She poured her heart into the first portion, filling the words with love and care, treating each word as if it were something precious that needed to be protected.
"As fast as the wind will take me, I'll run to you…..
…..My heart's beating fast and faster again…." This time, she added a desperate plea.
"Can I find my way to your side, don't pretend!" On this final part, she mixed the desperation from before into an amplifying passion which she then blended into a sense of anger and betrayal with the 'don't pretend' lyric.
The music cut.
Makoto sat in silence as he stared at her, his lips pursed.
Minami awkwardly stared back.
"Did I do something wrong? Was it bad? Is he going to yell at me?" She thought as multiple other similar ideas jumped into her mind.
After a few moments, he finally pushed the button to speak.
He hesitated before sighing, "That was…..really well done."
"Huh?" Minami's eyes widened.
"I don't have anything else to say other than that was really well done. Let's continue."
"O-okay." She wasn't sure what to say in response, but a giant smile crept up on her face as she prepared to continue with the song.
It was refreshing to hear such praise and suddenly she felt like her confidence was boosted once again.
They completed the recording of the song with minimal interruptions of Makoto saying, "do this, not that!"
The main track, My Days, was also recorded without a hitch causing Minami to feel as though she were on top of the world. Nothing could faze her at this point, she was absolutely invincible!