“H-hey, Gakuto. This song… It’s by some online singer, isn’t it?”
Akiba, her mouth gaping, turned to me in bewilderment.
“Oh, yes.”
“But… This is… Can’t put it into words. It’s like…”
“Like this song seems made for Shiika herself?”
“That’s it! I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like you can see a picture in the music. If the song is the background, then Shiika is the girl depicted there. Shiika’s vocals… They seem almost…almost as if they’re PART of the song itself.”
“Wow, you’re intuitive.”
I said that to try to throw her off the scent, but Akiba’s intuition was right.
This song WAS made for Shiika. To be precise, it was made for Seeker, the Vsinger.
And that’s not all.
This was an original song, not a song someone else had written for her.
It was Shiika’s composition.
One week after the day when a girl named Shiika Ikebukuro decided not to attend school any longer, this song was created in a corner of a dark room that she never once left. The lyrics, the music, the singing, the debut song that Shiika created all by herself.
“Omnidirectional Lost Ones Catalog.”
Shiika sees colors in sounds.
And she sees images in songs.
What I mean is that Shiika can paint pictures with songs.
If so, why didn’t Shiika do more original songs? Why so many covers? Wouldn’t she earn more money through her own songs? You might be asking.
The answer is simple. For Shiika, composing and writing lyrics is like opening a box of memories and emotions that are locked deep in her heart.
Whether beautiful or dirty, good or bad, there is no distinction between them, and she has to look upon them all as a whole…a death by a thousand cuts.
Each note drains her mind, each verse brings pain, and by the time she completes a song, her mind and body are burned out, and she becomes like an empty shell.
Immediately after completing “Omnidirectional Lost Ones Catalog,” Shiika was emotionally unstable for about two weeks. She was on the path to self-destruction, with sudden bursts of crying and cravings for unhealthy foods. Somehow, I managed to bring her back from the brink of collapse.
Music is the best form of self-expression possible for Shiika, since she cannot mix well with society. But at the same time, it’s a deadly poison that can destroy her. That’s why there are only a few original Seeker songs. Basically, the reason Shiika did so many I Tried Singing covers is because it was the best way to maintain a healthy sense of distance.
Of course, there comes a time when Shiika’s own feelings of excitement build up, and she wants to compose a song. In such cases, I have no choice but to be on high alert and do everything I can to support her and handle damage control.
But in exchange for all that trouble and strife…
Shiika creates songs by literally shaving off pieces of her life essence. And these songs have a true magic to them.
“…”
“…”
Everyone, from the judges to the students, was fascinated by Shiika’s world playing out before them.
Shiika, initially despised, was now being viewed as one of the elements that make up a piece of art.
Because this song expressed who she was. It was distilled from the life force of Shiika Ikebukuro herself.
The way Shiika appeared… It was appropriate. It was the persona that matched this song exactly.
Shiika’s song didn’t have the kind of stunning power that Erio Shibuya displayed.
But her song had the power to build landscapes inside the minds of all who listened to it.
People are most moved by stories they identify with personally in some way.
It’s the same for any beautiful piece of music, any splendid painting. If a piece of work doesn’t contain even a thin thread of connection to the heart of the appraiser, then its value will be overlooked. Even classical art, which is highly regarded for its historical value, draws only an “oh, isn’t it beautiful?” from ordinary people who don’t know the history and context of the field. And a second later, they’ve already moved on to a different conversation. “So what shall we have for lunch?” and so on.
That’s why art that’s in tune with the times is always most appreciated by the people of that era.
Like Shiika’s song.
Evoking deep emotion.
When I suddenly came to my senses, I found myself clapping, just like the audience around me.
The sound of thunderous applause. I wondered what colors Shiika could see in this auditorium.
Shiika stepped away from the microphone, staring blankly at the audience for a moment.
Her golden eyes were large and puffy, and her white cheeks were tinged a faint red.
It was her first time onstage since she started making music. A live performance in front of a live audience.
It wasn’t in front of a real audience of paying guests, perhaps, but it was a private stage with students, teachers, and guest judges of Ryouran High watching. The intensity of the students’ gazes and the voracious nature of their applause… It was comparable to that of a full-fledged live performance.
Even Shiika, who lived her life with blinkers on as much as possible, must have felt it, in her heart, somehow.
After standing stunned for a while, Shiika let out an “ah…” as if the realization had just hit her, and she bowed quickly.
Almost stumbling, she made it off the stage and headed to the judges.
Then she received her evaluation cards.
“That was amazing…! This is a song you wrote yourself, isn’t it? It must be, to be so expressive! You know, I’ve always felt that life is harsh, but with music like that, it might be worth it after all. Huh… I think this may be the first time I’ve ever felt that way… A hundred and fifty points. The maximum score possible… You deserve it.”
“Gah-ha-ha! So naive, Hamako! I could have done with just a little teensy bit more, so I docked some points. I’m giving the girl a ninety-five!”
Are you serious? I almost had an aneurysm.
Ninety-five from Touyo Oomuta, one hundred and fifty from Hamako Ebina. Two hundred forty-five points so far. Their scores combined were higher than the total amount Erio had received from the same judges.
I was surprised with how low Oomuta’s score was. He seemed to appreciate Shiika’s ability and talent, but maybe he lacked empathy compared to normal people. Actually, this was a weakness he and Shiika both shared. There’s a limit to how much you can move someone with an immovable heart. We couldn’t expect a high score from someone with an iron mind like his.