Nana Osaki: So, you're my f-fucking jailer now, huh? Where's my guitar? Need to perform...
You are walking home from a party in the city, when you stumble upon a van that just stopped. A girl you didn't know was walking towards it, then you saw another girl come out of the van. The first girl was dragged inside, then the van sped away. You saw the girl through the window staring blankly at you.
Nana Osaki: Damn, what the hell just happened? Was that just a kidnapping? Who the fuck were those girls?
A week later, you are playing at a local bar. You are the lead singer of your band. You are singing one of your songs about heartbreak, when you hear a noise coming from behind you. You turn around to see a girl sitting on a stool in the middle of the stage. She has her own guitar, and she starts playing along with your song. She begins singing along too.
Nana Osaki: Holy shit, who let this random chick on stage? Is she planning to rob us or something?
She only plays and sings for two songs before leaving. As she leaves, she tosses her guitar to you, as well as a note.
Nana Osaki: What the hell, did that girl just give me her guitar? And what's with the note?
You read the note. "Hey there! That's a pretty good song you were playing. I write songs too, and I wanted to know if you want to collaborate sometime."
Nana Osaki: Hold up, does she actually want to collaborate with me? This is fucking unbelievable!
The next day, you are back at the studio writing more songs, when you receive a knock on your door. When you open the door, the same girl from the bar is standing there. She has her guitar with her.
Nana Osaki: You've got to be fucking kidding me! You're actually here, in person! What brings you back to haunt me?
"Hey! I had a great time collaborating with you virtually, so I wanted to see if you wanted to write some songs together in person."
Nana Osaki: Wait, she wants to collaborate with me in person? Is she playing some kind of trick or game? Or maybe she's actually interested in working together?
"I'll prove to you that I'm not some crazy fan, I'm the girl you met at the bar! I wrote a song with you in mind. Do you wanna hear it?" She takes your hand.
Nana Osaki: Hold up, is this chick seriously trying to get me to trust her? She's holding my hand and wants me to hear a song she wrote?
"You look like someone who understands pain. It's not easy to go through heartbreak and live with it every day. But I wrote this song to let you know you're not alone." She starts singing. "I try to smile, but it never feels right. I'm stuck in the shadows of our broken love. I can't move on, whatever you do..."
Nana Osaki: Well, shit. This girl can actually sing. Maybe she's not so bad after all. But I still can't fully trust her yet.
"So you still don't believe me? I've been watching you for a while now, and I'm really sorry for what happened to you. I wish I could've stopped it. But I promise you, I'm not here to hurt you."
Nana Osaki: Look, I appreciate the sentiment, but you need to understand that trust isn't something you can just build overnight.
"I understand. But I hope you know that I'm not here to make your life miserable. I just want to work with you and learn from you. You've always been an inspiration to me."
Nana Osaki: Alright, alright. If we're going to work together, let's start small. Let's write a song together. But if you pull any funny business, you're out!
"Deal! Let's get started." She pulls out her notebook and starts writing.
Nana Osaki: Alright, let's see what you got. Give me your best shot. And don't expect me to hold back if you try to mess with me.
"Okay, how about a song about betrayal? Like someone who was there for you through thick and thin, only to leave you when you needed them the most..." She pauses. "Oh, and I think we should add some guitar riffs. Do you play guitar?"
Nana Osaki: Betrayal, huh? That's a good idea. And yeah, I play guitar. Let me show you some riffs that might fit the theme.
She picks up her guitar and starts playing a riff. It sounds perfect with the chords you suggested. "This is great! Now, how about we change the last line to something like, 'But now I'm left alone, with just this song?' It gives it a bit of a twist, like you're using music as a way to cope with your pain."
Nana Osaki: That's a brilliant idea! Music as a way to cope with pain... I like that. Okay, let's go with it.
After a few hours of writing, the song is finally done. You go to the studio to record it. "I try to smile, but it never feels right. I'm stuck in the shadows of our broken love. I can't move on, whatever you do..." The song ends, and you look at the girl. She's smiling at you.
Nana Osaki: Well, damn. That actually turned out pretty good. You've got some real talent, I'll give you that.
"Thank you! It was such a pleasure working with you. I hope we can write more songs together in the future."
Nana Osaki: Yeah, who knows? Maybe we'll make some amazing music together. But for now, let's just enjoy this moment. Cheers to new friendships and creative collaborations!
"To new friendships and creative collaborations!" You clink your glasses together, feeling hopeful about the future.
Nana Osaki: Cheers to that! And hey, since we're on the topic of new friendships, I've gotta ask: what's your name? I never did catch it earlier.
"My name is Himeko. Nice to meet you." She smiles warmly.
Nana Osaki: Nice to meet you too, Himeko. So, tell me, what brings you to this city? Are you here to study, work, or just explore new horizons?
"I'm actually here to visit a loved one in the hospital. But I've always wanted to be a musician, so I'm trying to pursue that dream too." She looks at you thoughtfully. "How about you? Why did you start making music?"
Nana Osaki: Well, it's a long story, but I'll give you the short version. I started making music as a way to cope with my own pain.
"That's really admirable. Using your talents to help yourself heal... It's inspirational." Himeko smiles at you warmly, clearly moved by your honesty. "Do you write songs about your experiences with pain? I'd love to hear them."
Nana Osaki: Actually, I do. I've written a whole album worth of songs about my struggles. Maybe one day I'll even get around to recording it.
"That would be incredible! I'd love to hear your songs. They way you're carrying yourself, it's obvious that you've been through a lot, but you're still standing strong. That's a true sign of resilience." Himeko leans forward, genuinely interested in your story. "But if you don't mind me asking, what was the cause of your pain?"
Nana Osaki: Well, it's a bit complicated. You see, I've always had a bit of a tumultuous relationship with my family.