...No.

(This painting won't go well with the song Kanade and Mafuyu made.)

(...The colors are probably too bright. I gotta redo it.)

.........

(I feel like there's something wrong with my paintings lately.)

(This feeling started to grow ever since Mafuyu started writing lyrics with a different vibe than usual.)

(Just what is this feeling? It seems familiar...)

<Thanks for coming, everyone. Are you all here?>

<...Here.>

Oh, it's already time? Let me unmute...

<Hi. Yeah, I'm here.>

<Wow, everyone's on time today!>

<Alright then, let's get to work.>

<Ah... Before that, could I talk to you for a bit?>

<What's wrong, Enanan?>

<I'm a bit stuck on the rough for our next song. Mind looking at it?>

<Yeah, I could!>

<Same here. Could you send it on Nightcord?>

<...Sure. I just sent it.>

<Lemme see...>

<...How is it?>

<I don't think it's bad.>

<It matches the song and theme.>

<Although...it feels fuzzy.>

<Hmm, I see what you mean. It feels, like, lost?>

<Lost...>

<What do you think, Yuki?>

<.........>

<...The mood isn't bad.>

<It's not inaccurate for K's song, but⁠—‌>

<...But?>

<Is this all you have?>

<What?>

<It feels like something wants to be said, but it can't be put into words.>

<Is this all you have to say, Ena?>

<All I have to say...?>

(What I wanted to convey when I listened to Kanade's song and read Mafuyu's lyrics...)

(...Is definitely not this.)

I haven't seen any progress from you, Miss Shinonome.

...Gh.

<Are you okay, Enanan?>

<It's nothing. Don't worry about it.>

<Alright...?>

<Well, we still have time. Let's brainstorm together.>

<I'll come up with a storyboard too!>

<Mhm. Thanks.>

(Oh...)

(This is the same feeling I felt in the past.)

(From Mafuyu's lyrics to Kanade's song... Everyone's getting better at expressing themselves. I can't keep up—)

(If I'm the only one left behind...)

(If I can't express their songs—)

(...I can't let that happen.)

(...I gotta get better and better at drawing.)

(I gotta study more about composition, color, and techniques so that I can express their songs.)

(But...)

(I know it's not as easy as it looks. I've been there before.)

(Drawing doesn't come to you easily if you've been slacking off on it for two years.)

...Yep, this is good.

(Today's sketch isn't so bad! Maybe Ms. Yukihira'll even praise me.)

Time's up. I will now start my critique. Everyone, please show your paintings.

I'll start from here. Whose sketch is this?

T-That's mine, Ms. Yukihira!

Miss Futaba Natsuno, huh. Hmm... This is horrific.

!

There's no depth. What were you looking at this entire time?

I... Um...!

<.........>

You should be taking note of the plaster figure. Those are the basics. If you want to add depth, look at⁠—

(Her critiques are as harsh as usual... Everyone's shivering in fear.)

(But I won't get discouraged with just that.)

Moving on. Whose is this?

That's mine!

Miss Shinonome, hm? Let's begin.

Your composition isn't bad. I can clearly tell what the theme and focal point are.

...! Thank you so much!

(I-I got praised...! By THE Ms. Yukihira...!)

However, you get zero points for texture. This looks more bronze than plaster.

Huh...

Pay more mind to your midtones in the future. Alright, next.

Y-Yes!

.........

That's all for today. Class dismissed.

<Thank you very much!>

Damn... I know what midtones are! I've been here for over half a decade!

(Ms. Yukihira is just as strict as Dad said. I didn't really get any praise either...)

(She's a famous instructor that won tons of awards... I get that the class is rigid because it's for those who want to attend the Tokyo University of the Arts...)

(But she said my composition "wasn't bad" even though she'd never say that to anyone else.)

(Of COURSE I'd get that. After all, I'm gonna become an artist just like Dad—)