Nagisa:Ah! Rei-chan, over here! Rei:[runs up] Sorry to keep you waiting, Nagisa-kun! I’m so ashamed to be 3 minutes late for our meeting time. Nagisa:Hehe, it’s okay. I just got here myself. Rei:Where are Haruka-senpai and the others? Nagisa:Surprisingly not here yet… Rei:That’s odd. We’re supposed to meet in front of the station plaza at 11, aren’t we? Nagisa:Right. [takes out cellphone] We’re supposed to meet here at 11 so we can all go to the sports shop and buy swimsui– AHHHHHHH! Rei:W–What’s wrong? Nagisa:I’m sorry, Rei-chan! I made a mistake! We’re supposed to be meeting at 1! Rei:Wha–!? Nagisa:But I guess it’s better than being late. Rei:You have a point but… What do we do for the next two hours? Nagisa:Let’s just pick a place and idle away there. Rei:Time isn’t meant to be idled. That’s why we have the saying “time is money”! Nagisa:You sound like Ama-chan-sensei. [Rei laughs] Nagisa:Then where can we spend 2 hours of our time in a worthwhile way? Hmmm… I know! Let’s go there! Rei:There?
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[Nagisa and Rei walk inside their destination] Rei:A–A karaoke place? Nagisa:Yep! It’s 150 yen per hour for one person and you can sing as much as you want! The drinks are charged separately though. Rei:[awed] This is a karaoke bar… Nagisa:Eh? Rei-chan, have you never been to karaoke before? Rei:I–Is that so wrong? I just happen to not have been given the opportunity… Nagisa:Hmm, you’re a rare specimen among modern high schoolers. Rei:Is that so? Nagisa:But I’m glad. This means I get to be witness to your first time at karaoke. I’ll teach you all sorts of stuff. This is the remote control, and this is the mic. Rei:I can tell that much on my own. And I never said that I was going to sing. Nagisa:Ehh, don’t say that! I really like your voice, Rei-chan! Rei:………I–I think it’s a normal voice……… Nagisa:That’s not true! I really want to hear you sing! Rei:But… Nagisa:I want to hear you siiiiiing! [Nagisa nudges his head into Rei's side] Rei:………Stop that……… Nagisa:I’m sure that you have a beautiful singing voice… Rei:Beautiful… you say? [smiles] Well, while it is my first time at karaoke, I have knowledge more or less on the study of vocal music. Very well. As my first time at karaoke, I will grace your ears with my captivating voice! Nagisa:Wow! I can’t wait! [claps] Rei:Let me choose a song first… Nagisa:Before you do that, let’s choose drinks. Rei-chan, which do you want? [Nagisa flips through the electronic menu] Rei:T–This whole list is the drink selection?! Nagisa:Yep. Let me see, I think I’ll have this “Youthful Bewitching Strawberry Cream Soda.” What about you, Rei-chan? Rei:U–Um, well… Nagisa:Hurry up or we won’t have as much time left to sing! Rei:Just give me a second! (This seasonal limited edition “100% Hand-Squeezed Watermelon Juice” seems interesting… but maybe that’s too adventurous. Should I choose this Nakagawa family’s Specialty 60% Apple Pear Juice instead? But why is it only 60%? What happened to the other 40%?) Nagisa:Rei-chan, you’re too slow! I’m going to order first! [Nagisa presses the remote control] Done! Rei:You can also use that remote control to order drinks?! Nagisa:That’s right. I bet you want this “Good Ol’Fashioned Barley Tea” so I’ll order that for you and DONE! Rei:Wait, Nagisa-kun! Don’t choose for me! And of all the drinks, you chose normal barley tea! Nagisa:But you looked like you were going to take your time. Never mind that, what do you want to sing? What kind of songs do you like, Rei-chan? Rei:I pretty much listen to any kind of music. I’m able to get by singing something that I’ve heard once before. Let’s see now… [Rei looks through the electronic list] Uh, they’re all songs I’ve never heard of. “I Scream Most for Your Love?” Nagisa:What is that, an old song? Rei:Come to think of it, I think my dad once listened to a song with this title on the radio… Maybe I’ll be able to sing it. Nagisa:Sing it, sing it! I want to hear Rei-chan’s love song! Rei:Very well! Listen in ecstasy to my voice! [Rei clicks and waits] …Huh? It’s not starting. Nagisa:I wonder what’s wrong. Maybe the lines are jammed from too much traffic. Rei:Then I’ll put in the next song while we wait. Um… [Rei looks through the list] Ah, I know this one! “Catch-You With Love and Courage”! It’s a classic! The one that goes “In the end, love and courage will bring victory!” [Rei enters the song] …Hmm? Nagisa:It’s still not starting… Rei:Then what about this one? “Very Very Happy Berry.” It sounds like a recent song. [click] “UnmiSTEAKen Unrequited Love.” [click] “Kiss Me Curray-zee.” [click] “You’re SO BAd So Spicy.” Nagisa:…Eh? Soba’s so spicy? …Ah! Let me have a look at the remote control screen, Rei-chan! Rei:Maybe it’s broken? None of the songs are starting at all. Nagisa:That’s not it, Rei-chan! You were choosing from the food menu! Rei:Eh?! Nagisa:Ice cream with all the toppings, katsudon cooked with egg in soup stock, parfait with three different kinds of berries, steak, curry, and soba noodles! Rei:Why did they give their food such misleading names?! This means I ordered all of that food?!
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Nagisa:It was a bit too much to eat, but they were all surprisingly delicious! Rei:My stomach is in pain… But more importantly, will we be able to afford all this? Nagisa:Since we were going to buy swimsuits, I brought big bills with me, so we’re okay. Let’s pull ourselves back together and sing! Rei:You’re right. Okay… this time, I won’t make the same mistake again… [clicks] Hm? This is… Nagisa:What’s the matter? Rei:Could this option here that says “Scoring” be…? Nagisa:Yeah, that’s the option you can turn on to score how well you sang. Rei:This… This is the karaoke scoring program that I’ve heard so much about?! [clicks] Hey, it has a history of the group who used this room before us. They got pretty high points! Nagisa:Wow, you’re right! 92 points… Mikoshiba Seijuurou… Rei:Eh? Mikoshiba… The one from Samezuka…? Nagisa:It’s the captain! Rei:He used his real, full name in a place like this… Well, it’s definitely something he would do… Nagisa:Then could this “Nitorin” underneath his name be Ai-chan?! Rei:89 points! It looks like he sang a pop song from a Showa era idol group! Nagisa:…Ooh! Then is this “RIN-RIN” underneath his name Rin-chan?! Rei:75 points… He may be amazing at swimming, but he lost to his junior at singing… Nagisa:Poor Rin-chan… I know, Rei-chan! Sing an awesome song and beat the captain and Ai-chan with a snap to win the top score! Rei:Very well! I will vindicate Rin-san’s honor and grab the title of number one for him! If I think about this logically, the best way to achieve a high score would be to choose a song that has the least singing range. Which means… let me see… [clicks] Not this song. Not this one either. Not this one… [Rei keeps clicking]
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[Rei is still clicking through songs] Nagisa:[sighs] Rei-chan, have you decided yet? Rei:Wait for a bit! I’m almost ready! Nagisa:You look like you’re going to take some time with this, so can I sing first? Rei:Now wait a minute! I’m choosing my commemorative first song for my first time at karaoke, and you want to disregard that to sing yourself?! [still clicking] Ah! I know this song! The range is perfect for me, too! This is the one! Nagisa:Then punch it in, quickly! Rei:Okay! Let me see now…… !!! Nagisa:Hm? What’s wrong? Rei:What… is this option over here? Nagisa:Oh, that’s a service that allows you to record the songs you sing onto a CD that you can take home. Rei:What?! I can put my song onto a CD?! So it’s like how we record our swimming practices onto video, we can use this CD to check our singing voices, right?! That’s magnificent! I definitely want to try that! [clicks] Hm? What is this option? Nagisa:Oh, that’s the One-Man Harmony option. Rei:What?! You can even harmonize the entire song all on your own?! I must try that as well! [clicks] Huh? Wait… the One-Man Harmony option isn’t available for the song that I chose… That means I’ll have to choose another song… Um… [clicking] Hm? I–I found another new option! Voice Effect! Nagisa:Rei-chan, are you done yet? Rei:Just a second! Um… Oh, but, Voice Effect does sound nice, but is it a good idea to process what is originally my beautiful, natural singing voice through machinery? Wouldn’t someone with a truly beautiful singing voice compete by using only his natural voice? Hm? This chorus option here just might help to excite the mood so that I can sing with my natural voice as if I were a rea