New Sound

Chapter 31: Heated Discussion

«Featured Song»
「Koe」
By: AliA

Nashry's PoV

We were busy setting up everything on the small stage in the coffee shop. I am on the rhythm guitar, Damond in lead, Emi on bass, Mark on drums. We have chosen Mark as a drummer, and it's his first time to play with us in front of an audience.

Despite having them, I still feel like, we are still lacking on something...

"Ready?" Natigil ako sa pagiisip nang ipatong ni Damond ang kamay n'ya sa balikat ko at itanong ito.

Tinangoan ko lang s'ya at tsaka isinuot ang guitar strap ng gitara ko. Napatingin tuloy ako rito.

It was the guitar that Yuki gave me. I like the sound, resonance and tone of it, so I decided to use this everytime I played here. But now that it came across my mind, it somehow distracts me.

Si Yuki,

Hindi na s'ya pumapasok sa school. 'Ni anino n'ya 'di ko na nakikita. Ano bang nangyari? Ang huling kita ko pa sakanya ay 'yung hinahanap n'ya 'yung score ng Uplifted sa music room.

Nang mapansin kong tapos nang mag-set up ang lahat, isinantabi ko nalang muna lahat ng mga iniisip ko, tsaka nag-focus. We will be performing two songs. The first one is titled "Voice" which I and Damond arranged the original piano part to fit for rhythm guitar and violin part for the lead guitar.

There were familar faces on the audience, Neuzin Matsumoto, Touma Grioso, Jack Antonio, and Ashley Coide. All from Mozart section. Sa kanilang lahat, kay Neuzin lang ako kumportable. In-invite ko talaga s'yang panoorin kami. Nasanay na kase akong magpa-critique sakanya, since noong unang sabay kaming nag-practice. Palagi naman n'yang sinamama ang mga kananda n'yang sina Ashley at Touma.

"That song. It was supposed to be on keyboards right?" tanong saakin ni Neuzin after naming mag-perform. He's in the same table as mine. Nagbe-break naman na kami ngayon, dahil mamaya pa naman namin ipe-perform 'yung pangalawang song.

"Oo, how was it?"

"Great, pero don't you consider recruiting a pianist?" tanong ni Neuzin.

Maybe, that is the thing that we're lacking of.

"You mean to do the original piano parts? Hmm, we were trying, pero wala pang pianist talaga kaming napipili"

"You asked advice from Ms. Garcia, 'di ba? Hayy" he sigh.

"B-Bakit may problema ba?"

"Nah, it's just... si Raid kase. I heard Ms. Garcia works with Raid for that. Metikuloso si Raid. I'm just worried that maybe they wouldn't agree with one auditionee and end up lengthening the process,"

"If you are looking for a good pianist then why don't you try inviting Eirin Lo—" "Neu," Natigil si Neuzin sa sinasabi n'ya dahil tinawag s'ya ni Ashley sa kalapit na table. Sa tono n'ya, mukhang binabalaan n'ya si Neuzin. "Ba't ka ba tumutulong sa mga kalaban? Aren't we here to look for their weaknesses?"

Weaknesses?

Tungkol ba 'to sa battle of the bands? Whoa, wait, I never knew that Ashley Coide was this...  competitive.