The first week of February had quietly slipped by.
On an unusually cold morning, Haruki arrived early at the recording studio. Today, the band Flō was scheduled to begin the official session for the opening theme. He had already sent them the music sheets weeks in advance, ensuring they had time to prepare.
The studio they had rented was only a short walk from Echo Shroud's main building. It wasn't extravagant, but it had everything they needed: high ceilings for acoustics and a booth large enough to handle a full band.
As Haruki stepped through the doors, the familiar smell of coffee filled the air. The sound engineer, already tinkering with levels on the board, looked up and greeted him warmly.
"Morning, Yuuki-san. We'll start testing once the band arrives."
Haruki nodded, setting down his bag. "Let's go over the pre-production plan."
They ran through the checklist, instrument balance, vocal mic placement, the order of takes. By the time they were done, footsteps echoed from the hallway. The members of Flō filed in, carrying instrument cases and exchanging polite bows before setting up.
One month earlier.
At a studio across town, the four members of Flō had been recording until noon when their agent beckoned them over during the lunch break. He had reserved a private booth at a restaurant next door, and the group followed him.
As soon as they sat down, the agent said excitedly,
"I've got something big lined up for you. The opening theme for a new Mizushiro anime, scheduled for release this summer."
The room went quiet for a moment.
Koshi, lead singer and guitarist, frowned. "An anime tie-in? That's short notice. There's barely time to put something together."
"No worries about that," the agent said, sliding a folder onto the table. "They've already prepared the music sheets and lyrics. All you need to do is perform it. Think about it, guys. This is a massive chance, it could put you on the global map."
Hiroshi, the drummer, blinked. "Hold up. You mean Mizushiro's next project?" His voice carried a mix of disbelief and excitement, like someone trying not to jinx a good thing.
"Yes," the agent said, catching their reactions with a nod. He'd called in more than a few favors to secure this spot. "Come on, you can see what this means, right?"
Takeshi, the lead guitarist, the one who usually wrote most of their music, looked uneasy. Having to just play someone else's work didn't sit right with him. "All because Mizushiro's attached? I don't think he's that popular internationally."
"You're right. Mizushiro alone isn't a big name overseas," the agent admitted. "But there's more. What most people don't know yet is that Mizushiro and Kazuya have brought in three world-class production groups for his new anime, Code Geass. It's still under wraps, but insiders are already clearing their calendars. With this opportunity, your music gets carried straight into the spotlight. And your band's style fits perfectly. If it didn't, you wouldn't even be in the running."
For a few seconds, no one spoke. Each of them was lost in thought.
Takeshi tapped his fingers against the menu. "So we just… play it as-is? That's not really how we work. Our music's our identity."
"I get that," the agent said quickly. "But look, nobody's asking you to change who you are. You'll bring your own sound to it. The sheets are just a framework. People will hear your band in the song, not just some studio filler."
For a moment, no one moved.
Koshi glanced at the folder again, then at the others. "It's not ideal. But if we take it, we'll get more publicity."
Hiroshi let out a breath, his tone a mix of relief and excitement. "Well, I'm fine either way if our music's gonna be on Mizushiro's anime."
Takeshi gave a dry smile. "Guess we'd better not screw it up."
The quietest of the four, Kōtaro, finally spoke. "Then let's play it our way."
The agent leaned back, pleased. "That's all I wanted to hear."
Back in the present, the members of Flō tuned their instruments in the booth. The sharp twang of a brass guitar filled the room, followed by the rising hum of a synth pad. Drums joined in, gradually building into rhythm.
Behind the glass, Haruki had all the notes and finished products laid out. Guided by him, the engineer adjusted sliders and marked takes. Haruki gave precise instructions, "Raise the vocals here," "Keep the raw edge on that guitar line," "The synth needs more weight in the second chorus."
By the end of the week, the track was complete.
The following Monday.
The meeting room was filled with anticipation. Everyone had gathered, because today Haruki would play music that would be used in the opening for Code Geass.
Haruki entered, crossed the room, spoke briefly with the operator, and gave a single nod.
The room stilled.
A bold synth brass line erupted from the speakers, brash and commanding. The drums punched in, steady and relentless, locking everything into motion. Then, cutting across it all, the lead vocal rang out,
"Jibun wo,"
Layer after layer stacked over it, guitar snarling, bass grinding, rhythm surging like a current. The sound didn't ask for attention; it seized it, daring anyone to look away.
Three minutes vanished in an instant.
When the final chord crashed and fell into silence, no one spoke at first. Then came the subtle signs, faces lit up with excitement, and murmurs spread through the room.
Now, with more new people having joined the studio, they weren't aware of just how much talent Haruki had. They had heard of him writing and drawing multiple manga and anime, but now they realized he could write music too, and not just any music. This was a song that could certainly be called a classic.
[Note:- While writing this chapter, I think I listened to "COLORS" by FLOW at least 10 times 🎧🎶🔥]
Shout out to eatwithbread, Mo for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
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