I Just Want A Single Ending!

"I'm giving up the bass."

After hearing his performance, Yamada Ryo declared this with utmost seriousness.

"Are you for real?"

Kamigawa Saku, who had just stopped playing, couldn't help but confirm.

"Of course not. I'm not that fragile." Yamada Ryo stretched, looking totally at ease. "I just didn't expect your bass skills to improve this much, that's all."

"What can I say? I'm a bass genius," Kamigawa Saku replied, sounding incredibly smug.

"A bass genius? I guess that's actually fitting."

Yamada Ryo repeated the words, not bothering to dispute them.

"But are you really learning all this from Nagasaki Soyo?"

Judging by the last time she'd seen him perform with his band, Nagasaki Soyo's skills alone shouldn't have brought him this far.

It almost felt like he was catching up to her.

"I've been practicing on my own, plus I got some tips from Yahata Umiri. And I even hired Kikuri-senpai to teach me bass," Kamigawa Saku replied, clearly pleased with himself. "Oh, and Yahata Umiri was the one who told me I was a bass genius."

Once she'd called him that, it felt right to showcase his progress more confidently.

After all, if a pro like Yahata Umiri declared him a genius, who was going to argue?

A well-earned validation, if there ever was one.

Dare to doubt his genius? Could you even play the bass like Yahata Umiri?

Better than her? Younger than her?

With Yahata Umiri—a prodigious bassist at only fifteen or sixteen—saying he was also a genius, there was simply no room for doubt.

Not to mention, it wasn't as if he didn't have talent. He was well on his way to professional skill level, too.

Now he had a perfectly legitimate explanation for his rapid progress on bass.

"Kikuri-senpai? You mean Hiroi Kikuri?"

At the mention of that name, Yamada Ryo's interest piqued.

"Yep."

Kamigawa Saku nodded. Though Kikuri hadn't formally taught him yet, he'd prepaid for several lessons.

Close enough.

"I see."

Yamada Ryo seemed to understand right away.

With two professional bassists, Hiroi Kikuri and Yahata Umiri, teaching a bass genius, it would be stranger if he didn't reach this level.

"When I taught you bass, I told you then that you had talent," Yamada Ryo nodded approvingly. "Seems that I, too, have a keen eye, just like those two."

She calmly accepted Kamigawa Saku's talent for bass, throwing in a bit of self-praise.

In music, geniuses are a dime a dozen.

He was just one more.

No matter how gifted you are, how talented you may be, there will always be someone even more so in the world.

So, there was no need to overthink it.

"Fair point."

Kamigawa Saku had to admit, her observation skills were sharp.

Yamada Ryo offered a sincere reminder: "Though you're a bass genius, don't slack off. Keep working hard to improve."

"No worries."

"Let's hope you have some talent for composing, too," Yamada Ryo said, finishing her juice. "Where's the computer you usually use? It's about time I taught you to compose."

"In my study."

"Let's go then."

With that, Yamada Ryo stood, and Kamigawa Saku led the way.

---

"You've never tried composing or arranging music before, right?"

In the study, while he was downloading the necessary software on his computer, Yamada Ryo double-checked.

"Yeah, that's right."

He'd thought about reading some music theory books beforehand, but Yamada Ryo had told him that if he just paid her extra, he could skip that. So, he paid up.

There was no helping it—his time was limited.

Lately, he'd already been reading various books to have topics to discuss with Takamatsu Tomori.

Adding music theory on top of that? That would definitely break him.

"Alright, I'll give you a simple introduction."

With her payment secured, Yamada Ryo got down to business.

"Composing and arranging are two completely different things; don't mix them up."

"I get that much. But the details are all yours to explain."

With his limited understanding of music, it was easy to mix the two up and think they were the same thing.

"Composition, in simple terms, is the process of creating something from nothing. For example, if you randomly hum a tune, that could count as composition."

Yamada Ryo began a more detailed explanation.

"Arranging, on the other hand, is about building on that initial melody. It involves considering how different instruments will work together, refining the piece step-by-step. You could call it the process from one to ten."

"And because you'll need to write sheet music, you'll also need a basic understanding of various instruments."

"Huh? Other instruments?"

Being only a bassist, Kamigawa Saku was slightly troubled by this.

Yamada Ryo patted him on the shoulder, reassuring him, "Don't worry—you don't need to master them all. Just understanding them is enough. The requirements aren't that high."

She didn't want him to feel overwhelmed; the longer he took lessons from her, the more she would earn.

"What about you? I think you're good at pretty much everything."

Kamigawa Saku wanted to use her as a benchmark.

"Exactly. I'm good at everything!" Yamada Ryo admitted proudly.

"…"

Kamigawa Saku suddenly felt that two hours of lesson time might not be enough.

No, even the time itself wouldn't be enough.

There was just too much to learn.

"Relax; I'll teach you slowly," Yamada Ryo emphasized the word "slowly."

"Got it."

Kamigawa Saku sighed, resigned.

And with that, he began his first lesson in music composition.

---

Time flew, and before he knew it, it was evening.

After escorting Yamada Ryo to the train station, Kamigawa Saku started contemplating his future.

His plan had been to learn composition and arrangement quickly so he could help with composing and arranging music for Takamatsu Tomori's lyrics, which would give him more opportunities to interact with Shiina Taki and strengthen their bond.

But he'd underestimated the complexity of both.

Learning it all at once wasn't going to be easy.

Both composition and arrangement required a solid foundation of musical experience.

In other words, he needed to listen to a lot of music.

However, since he hadn't been a big music listener before, he'd have to start catching up now.

Those were the minor issues.

The real challenge was understanding other instruments.

That would take some studying.

At this rate, two hours of lesson time really wouldn't be enough.

Wasn't there any shortcut to success?

Kamigawa Saku couldn't help but sigh at life's hardships.

---

Ahem! Gather close, esteemed audience! Do you comprehend the privilege of basking in my radiance? Truly, you're witnessing history in the making—a performance unparalleled in the annals of Fontaine!

Ah, but don't get distracted! Let me be clear: this brilliance isn't conjured from thin air. No, no, no! It requires effort, dedication, and… well, a touch of your generosity. If you fancy being part of something truly extraordinary, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

Oh, but wait! You're probably wondering, "Furina, how can someone as magnificent as you need assistance?" To that, I say: why deny mortals the honor of contributing to such greatness? Supporting me is supporting art, and who doesn't want to say they were instrumental in a legend's rise?

Now, off you go. Make your offerings, and perhaps, perhaps, I'll acknowledge you in my next soliloquy!

— Furina ✨