SIIIIICK!!!!!New Year’s Day2 / Ryoma Maeda

The New Year’s hustle and bustle felt like a lie as I succumbed to a high fever. Trapped in bed, I suffered endlessly. A time that should have been joyful was painted over with fever and lethargy, and even the taste of mochi was faint.

Still, my heart refused to be silent. I reached for the synthesizer beside my pillow and began to weave sounds in my hazy consciousness. Ferocious rock riffs poured from my fingertips. Adrenaline exploded, jolting my feverish mind awake.

Normally boisterous, the New Year transformed into a solitary creative time. The raw melodies born from suffering might one day shake someone’s heart. Next year, I hope to laugh with my family while savoring mochi and truly enjoy the New Year. Until then, I will live embracing this passionate music.