Come on, look at me.
Wow, we look so beautiful.
Thanks to the retouching.
What, seriously?
Oh yes, look.
Your nose looks much straighter.
No need to check it live!
We'll select the photos at the signing.
OK!
AND THE SKY DARKENS AGAIN
They are working?
You could have warned me.
Apparently, it's their very last day.
They wanted to go, since everything has always gone well.
Yes, understandable.
Sorry.
A whim of the president.
Having products with our name on them.
Imagine a Togenashi Togeari water.
My throat gets dry just thinking about it.
Well, all the papers seem to be in order.
Which means that from now on, you are working with our agency.
And it's me, Miura, who will be your agent. I am very proud of it.
And so are we.
Thank you.
And that's how we found an agency.
200,000 yen, you say?
Yeah. Which falls on the 25th of every month, if I understood correctly.
And we can spend it?
Of course, yes.
This is our salary.
For real?
You didn't read the whole contract.
Well, obviously, there are trade-offs.
Maybe one day...
you'll have to shoot in a dirty movie!
Because it'll be in the contract!
Calm down.
- But, did you hear her? - It won't go down like that.
The agency will just take a
certain percentage of our profits.
Goodies, concerts, and CDs.
They'll handle making us known, and if they succeed, bingo.
NEGOTIABLE PRICE Anyway,
you get the picture.
Let's hope we make it big.
Hey, it's rare to see you so hesitant.
It's the festival that's bothering you, isn't it?
If you didn't stay glued to social media...
I can't help it! We gave an amazing performance!
But online, it's all about DD!
Even though we did much better!
Calm down, I said.
We weren't even performing on the same stage.
Not to mention, we're talking about
idols who gave an incredible show.
Of course, people are talking about it.
We broke everything as well, so why?
I have no idea.
Afterwards, we still got a good reception.
- Look, we signed with an agency. - Yes, but...
Anyway, stop looking up our name on the internet.
Alright.
Don't get carried away. We’re just getting started.
You're right.
Come on, you must have been stressed too.
Ouch!
GYÛDON
Here.
Your contracts.
Congratulations on your last day, by the way.
What's this?
Just take it.
What can we get you?
- A medium combo. - Weren't we supposed to have a hot pot?
- Same, with a beer. - What, you're going to drink?
Don't worry, I'm doing it again tonight too.
Alright, a medium combo as well.
Okay, right away.
We used to come here often.
This is where I treated you to a meal for the first time.
Oh yeah?
She took forever to get here from the
station, whining about her keys or whatever.
You've got zero sense of direction.
Thank you. Beni-Shoga forever!
Tomo.
We did a good job.
You too. Even though the biggest part is yet to come.
And now, we toast to the contract signing!
Oh?
They shouldn't be much longer, they're coming after work.
Ah, okay.
They had a lot to wrap up.
Ouch.
I didn't know squashes were so hard to cut.
The bud is back.
Oh, come on, stop it.
We've talked about this already.
About what?
No, maybe deep down, you're not wrong.
After all, you taught me a bunch of things when I arrived.
It really shocked me, you know.
Realizing that I couldn't do anything,
that I knew so little about life.
Are you doing better now?
I think so, yes.
Well, not with the guitar.
And are you okay with that?
I want everything to be fine for everyone.
Alright, fine.
Here we are!
Sorry for the wait.
It's freezing.
Worse than outside!
Great! Beer, beer!
The drunk...
I wanted to tell you, I've been working on our logo.
Cheers!
Hey, wait for us, at least!
We haven't even made a toast, come on!
They're not listening to you.
It annoys me.
Well, we shouldn't hold back.
True.
I like Chinese cabbage when it's nice and tender.
- Same. - See!
You guys can be so annoying!
To each their own.
- Yeah. - Shut up.
It's much better when it's more cooked.
Here we go.
It gets all crumbly afterwards.
I'll change your mind, you'll see.
Try it, come on.
- Come on, give it a try. - It's too hot!
- Let's go together. - I'm telling you, it's boiling!
What's up?
An idea for a song.
I found the title.
A FEW DAYS LATER
Looks great!
Good day.
Here is Nakata, the sound engineer.
Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
And let me introduce his assistant Nakano.
Glad to see you.
Tanaka, journalist.
Nice to meet you.
Finally, Tano from marketing.
Hello!
What?
But I'll never remember all these names.
Well, it's part of the job.
Because you remember them?
Of course. That's what it means to be an adult, my dear.
Tell me the name of the sound engineer, let's see.
Tanaka.
No, Nakata.
Sorry.
Don't laugh.
If I'm not mistaken, is this the song from the other day?
I tried to scribble a few lyrics.
Here.
Aren't you done yet?
Sorry.
Wait, this title...
Yeah.
It's about you.
I thought our first song
should honor us.
Momoka...
Well, shall we get started?
Nina.
Put your heart into it if you really want to overshadow DD.
I promise.
For the first time, we're creating a song as five.
Goal: Budôkan!
BUDÔKAN
Isn't it too crowded?
You think? I like it like this.
We could move this verse and put it at the beginning.
Well, it's a possibility.
Not a bad idea. We just have to redo it.
Sorry, but we can't take too long.
Got it.
HEIWAJIMA STATION
We did well.
See you later.
I'll send you a message.
In any case, it was super fun.
What?
Composing a song with multiple people.
Just imagining that it could touch someone...
It doesn't happen just like that.
And sometimes, it doesn't achieve the success we hoped for.
It'll work out.
I mean, we're doing everything for it.
We're going to succeed.
I don't know, something's bothering me.
Do you want to listen, to see?
Yes.
Hey, where's Miura?
She went out to make a call.
We need to hear her opinion. Can you go get her?
OK.
- Miura... - DD?
Really?
Fine, I'll call you back later.
Momoka would like you to see how it turns out.
Did you hear?
Yes.
Oh well.
You were talking about Diamond Dust, right?
VALENTINE'S DAY BATTLE!
I just received this a moment ago.
Two concerts at Club Citta.
Day one, Diamond Dust.
Day two, Togenashi Togeari.
Seriously? Such a big venue?
They're planning it for February, right in time for our new compositions.
For Valentine's Day.
I'm in.
I'm ready, even.
Read the next page.
The band that makes the most sales and gathers the most audience
will be chosen to perform the theme song for a TV series.
Well...
Tough luck.
What?
CAFÉ MARUFUKU
Doomed from the start?
Why are you so pessimistic?
- Pull yourself together... - Stop it.
DD's subscribers have literally doubled.
It's already decided.
That's exactly why they picked us, you know.
So they can boast later and say they won.
But still...
we're going to face off on the same stage.
We just have to ignite the audience like we did at the festival!
Think a little.
What do you mean?
The catch is, we won't be playing in front of the same audience.
It's a competition, but on delay.
The crowd we attract, that's the most important thing. That's all.
The most popular group wins.
But that's not fair.
Getting angry won't change it.
What do you think DD members feel about this?
No idea.
They don't care at all.
Well, knowing Hina, that's probably the case.
Taking advantage of others, that's his thing.
It could turn into a dispute.
And it's wrong?
We often see this kind of scene on TV.
Throwing your drink in someone's face...
I've seen that before.
What, for real?
- Well, then... - ...we just need to vote.
Who wants to participate?
Who prefers to abstain?
Understood.
We discussed it together, and we think it's premature.
We need a bit more time.
Of course.
I'll inform them of your decision.
Thank you.
And you, what did you think?
Nina.
Honestly, I was torn.
I didn't see us winning, but challenging DD
would have given you a hell of a publicity boost.
But then...
Problem is, if they beat you hands
down, you'll look like an unpopular group.
That's the goal, right?
To pull ourselves up or pull ourselves down.
Impossible to know where things stand.
Impossible to be sure.
It wears me out...
You always have to be wary of everything.
This is what it means to be an adult.
What?
Do you think it's worth trying?
I just wonder if this is what it means to be a pro.
You're the one who wanted this life.
Here we are again.
I don't like it.
What if we went back to the previous version?
No, that wasn't good either.
At this point, we might as well rewrite everything.
Yeah, you're right.
Are you sure?
What, that verse again?
The same one. I don't know, it sounds a bit old-fashioned.
You think so? It's true that the trend is for alterations.
Like this?
That's right.
Momoka.
What?
You're overthinking it.
You're getting further and further away from the original idea.
I mean, it's a song you want to dedicate to us, right?
Maybe it's just fine as it is.
The important thing is knowing if you want it to represent us or not.
That's what's essential.
See you tomorrow, then.
See you tomorrow.
Guys.
Yes?
I want to be able to measure up to DD.
I know it involves quite a few things.
But it's also an opportunity to be the headliner.
- To play our songs. - That's one way to see things...
Exactly, we should go for it!
And not back down when an opportunity presents itself.
That way...
...we stumble.
Yeah.
Are you still against it, Momoka?
The decision is up to you.
You have history with Diamond Dust.
I guess you girls are up for it?
What do you choose?
CONSECRATION
It's cold.
You think so? I'm fine.
Yeah, perfect autumn weather.
What? Yeah, you're definitely from the north.
I'm bare-legged!
Poor little high school girl.
Come on, say what you really think.
Annoying.
You live around here, right, Nina?
Why take us to a shrine?
I thought it was a good time to visit.
You want to pray, then.
Why not.
Did you ever go there for New Year's with your band?
No, never.
We didn't really have the time, and it wasn't really my thing.
Yeah, understandable.
But today, we take all the help we can get.
If gods exist.
What's going on, Momoka?
You've been on edge lately.
Is that what's worrying you?
Just this composition that...
Liar.
You need to be honest with us.
I'm scared.
The more I get involved in our compositions,
the more I feel anxiety gripping my throat.
I'm scared of losing everything.
I knew it.
I knew you were freaking out.
We're all on our own in this world.
But we have music.
And your passion lives on in me.
It's what guided me to you all.
I have faith in this fire that burns in me and in our music.
So you need to trust yourself too.
I want to build the myth of Togenashi Togeari.
That we chase the same dream, together, all five of us.
I believe in the god of rock.
At least, I hope.
If he existed, what would you ask him?
To sell a million CDs, what else?
Let's think big, ten million!
More, still! A hundred million!
I'd like to beat DD.
Momoka.
What?
There you go.
What do you think? An opinion?
Sounds good to me.
I think so too. It's what sounds the best.
I like it as well.
Generally, I rarely give my opinion on what I record.
Understandable.
But here, I truly think this is the best version there is.
It meets all your requirements.
After these weeks together, I
can say this song resembles you.
Really?
It was a pleasure working on it.
Helping groups like yours
gives meaning to this job.
You should know that.
That's kind, thank you.
Thank you very much, Tanaka!
Nakata.
I'll keep you informed of the progress.
When will it be online?
If all goes well, it's scheduled for early next month.
On that note.
I love it too.
It's definitely going to be a hit.
Miura!
Yes?
Thank you for everything.
Thank you so much.
Keep your thanks for later. The hardest part is yet to come.
See you soon.
I'm freezing my ass off.
Alright, let's go.
God of rock,
I want a billion views... no, even ten thousand would be enough.
Please.
Please! Have mercy!
103 VIEWS
You've got to be kidding me...
To be continued: "Rock never dies."