BanG Dream: The Unexpected Part-Timer

A Missing Piece

"Uwah... So hot, I'd rather stay in my room with my AC on..." I said, wiping the sweat from my face.

Right now, I'm wearing a plain T-shirt and shorts. I had been waiting for the girls as they told me to wait here.

I had also prepared an umbrella and a mattress so they wouldn't have to do it themselves.

But still, it's so hot out here.

I sighed as I checked the time on my phone, '8:31 AM.' What was taking them so long?

Just as I wondered that, I heard them calling out to me.

"Nakasone-kun!" Kasumi's voice rang out, and I turned around, my eyes widening as I saw them in swimsuits.

Time seemed to slow down as I looked at them, and I couldn't help but silently judge their swimsuits. It might have been weird, but bear with me, everyone.

I cleared my throat as the time slows.

It's time to judge them, It'll be weird but just for once bear with me everyone.

"Toyama's swimsuit is a 9/10, with a red ribbon on her bra that matches the checkered white and blue design. Quite a matching set, huh?"

Then, I turned my gaze to Ichigaya-san.

"I see, so it's just a plain black swimsuit. Not bad, not bad. I'd rate it a 7/10."

My eyes moved to Yamabuki-san.

"I see a blue swimsuit with a white ribbon in the middle. Another good choice. I'd also add an extra point because of her ponytail. So, instead of 8.5/10, it's now 9.5/10."

Next, I looked at Hanazono. "...Too plain. I'd give it a 6/10."

Finally, my gaze shifted to Ushigome-san. "Oh? A swimsuit with a skirt. I'm not sure what it's called, but it suits her."

And with that, I concluded my swimsuit judging.

Time resumed back to its normal pace.

"Well? How was it?" Kasumi asked, smiling.

"Hehe, it's kind of embarrassing," Saaya admitted slightly flushed.

"They are... nice," I managed to reply.

But I already judged their swimsuits in the blink of an eye.

"Anyway, now that we're here... Let's have fu–" Kasumi began but was cut off by my quick interjection. "Wait," I said, my expression blank as I stared at her.

"O-Of course!~ We're gonna have fun AFTER we brainstormed!" Kasumi quickly corrected herself.

I nodded. "Good."

"Wow... Nakasone-san sure knows how to keep Kasumi on a leash," Arisa whispered to everyone.

"Haha... Anyway, let's start," Saaya said taking a seat under the umbrella.

And so, we began brainstorming as we "experienced" summer at the beach.

The beach was a perfect backdrop for our brainstorming session. We sat in a circle on the sand, the gentle sound of waves lapping the shore providing a soothing background melody.

Kasumi was the first to speak up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Okay, everyone! Let's think of the perfect theme for our summer song. Something that captures the essence of fun, adventure, and the feeling of freedom."

Arisa, ever the pragmatic one, added, "But it also needs to have a unique twist. We don't want it to sound like just any other summer song."

"Yeah," Saaya chimed in, "and we should consider the musical style too. It has to be something that suits Poppin'Party's sound."

Tae, who had been quietly strumming her guitar, nodded thoughtfully. "I think it should be upbeat, with a catchy melody."

Rimi, who had been gazing at the sea, suddenly spoke up. "I like the idea of telling a story in the lyrics. Something about friendship and the memories we create during summer vacations."

"Great idea," I said, nodding in agreement with Rimi.

I stood up and looked at the group. "Alright, everyone, let's start crafting this song by playing it."

Their faces lit up with enthusiasm. "Yeah!" they all chimed in unison.

As the last note faded away, a heavy silence enveloped us. just an awkward stillness that hung in the air.

"What the hell!?" I muttered, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Why is it so hard to create a song!?"

The Poppin'Party members exchanged uneasy glances, their initial enthusiasm fading. It seemed that our attempts at songwriting weren't yielding the results we had hoped for.

Saaya sighed and put down her drumsticks. "Maybe we're trying too hard."

"Yeah, it doesn't feel like us," Rimi said with a down expression.

I ran a hand through my hair, "Okay, let's take a step back. We're overthinking this, for now... Let's all take a break and have fun for now."

Kasumi's eyes suddenly widened, and her smile grew even wider. "Alright, everyone! Let's take a break and have fun!!"

"Yeah!" They all said in unison, their energy bouncing back as if a switch had been flipped.

I watched in awe as the Poppin'Party members transformed from downed into a group of excited friends ready to make the most of their summer day at the beach. I couldn't help but smile.

With that, they decided to relax and simply enjoy the beach.

But... For some reason... I feel like I'm missing something.