Cadenza [BINI Mikha X OC]

Chapter 19: Playful Banter

Driving late at night in Manila wasn't as peaceful as the countryside, but the streets were quieter, with fewer cars and vehicles. With no traffic to slow him down, Jon found his journey home smooth and quick. He had been careful not to drink too much at the bar, where he stayed for a couple of hours to chat with Aiah and her friends.

As he drove along the highway, Jon's thoughts drifted to what the future might hold. It has been a while since Jon strayed from the path he was originally on. The uncertainty makes him anxious, but excited at the same time. Though, the first goal he needed for tonight was to get home, so to stay alert in the darkness, he played his Spotify playlist, letting the music keep him company.

When "My Heart" by Paramore started playing, Jon's thoughts immediately turned to Mikha. Ever since he'd seen a video of her performing "That's What You Get" on social media, he couldn't help but associate anything Paramore-related with her.

In the back of his mind, he wondered if he should've invited Mikha to watch his gig earlier. But he knew how important rest was after a long day of practice, so he dismissed the idea. "There's always next time," Jon thought to himself. It was a principle he lived by—opportunities had a way of coming around again. Coincidentally, Aiah being at the bar earlier had been a pleasant surprise. It had been a while since Jon performed in front of a crowd, so seeing a familiar face made the experience even better.

As the song reached the chorus, Jon realized it might be perfect for Mikha to perform. With its strong tonality, power chords, and crowd appeal, he made a mental note to suggest it to her for a solo performance.

A few minutes later, Jon finally arrived home. He was greeted by his usual companions, Luke and Hotaru. Thankfully, the automatic feeder had taken care of their dinner, a necessary adjustment given how often work kept him busy. As the day's fatigue caught up with him, Jon prepped for bed. Thoughts of the work he'd done that day swirled in his mind as he lay down, but it wasn't long before he drifted into a deep slumber.

-----

The next few days were a whirlwind of preparation, with the girls of BINI diving deep into practice for their upcoming performance at BINIVerse II. Their first stop was Bicol, Gwen's home region. The routine was rigorous: vocal practice followed by dance rehearsals, and then a planning session where they discussed their scripts and individual performances. While they had experimented with group performances in the past year, the individual acts remained crucial. Each member of BINI had her own set of fans within their fandom, Blooms, and these solo performances were a way to showcase each girl's unique skills and technical prowess.

For Mikha, her schedule was particularly packed. Her day typically revolved around vocal practice, dance rehearsals, and then guitar practice. Her routine started at 10 a.m. and stretched until 6 p.m. After wrapping up her dance practice, Mikha would head to the recording room, carrying the PRS guitar that Jon had lent her.

As Mikha entered the studio, she was greeted by Martin, who informed her that the band was inside the glass room, finishing up their own practice. The band had been rehearsing all of BINI's songs, starting from their debut track, "Da Coconut Nut," to their latest release. In just their first day as a hired band, they managed to cover a third of BINI's discography—no small feat. Although young, their talent and skill were on par with seasoned professionals. Jon, with his sharp ear, dictated which instruments should take the spotlight in each song. He was given the music sheets for all the tracks, but he preferred to dissect the recordings by ear, ensuring that every note and tone was spot on. Of course, he would occasionally refer to the sheet music to double-check the tempo and beat, knowing it would be unwise not to.