"...So, about the lyrics."
When I prompted her like that,
"Ah... yeah."
She cleared her throat slightly with a "kohon" sound.
"Actually, I've already written the lyrics for the new song," she said with a serious expression.
"...Since when?"
"The prototype was done around the same time as the music."
What is with that?
"Then why did you say you hadn't written them?"
I couldn't understand. What is this person thinking?
"I... was scared."
Contrary to the content of her words, she spoke in a firm tone of voice.
"Of what?"
"...I think you'll understand when you hear the lyrics."
After saying that, Ichikawa-san—perhaps she was nervous—placed her hand on her chest, took two or three breaths, and then asked,
"Sako-san, will you listen?"
"...Understood."
When I nodded, Ichikawa-san repositioned the guitar she had been about to put away.
She moved her mouth away from the microphone, turned toward me, and took a slow, deep breath. Perhaps it was a strong act of will to convey her message with her raw voice.
She strummed the guitar to check that the tuning was correct, then took a deep breath.
"Well then, I'll sing."
Declaring that, she sang the song.
It was a refreshing melody that felt like the scent of citrus, just like during practice. But that citrus eventually transformed into the orange of the setting sun.
It wasn't just sweet; there was a sense of sadness there.
For the first time, I heard the lyrics placed upon it and the feelings contained within in such a clear form.
...It was obvious to anyone who heard it who the song was for and whom it was directed toward.
I knew that emotion, that sparkle, and that pain all too well.
If it weren't for this situation, if it weren't for this catalyst, I would probably be searching for every live version of this song and buying them all up—that was how much it shook my heart.
Somewhere in my heart, I had fallen irresistibly in love with this song.
After the final stroke ended, Ichikawa-san leaned her guitar against the stand.
Then, she looked straight into my eyes while tilting her head slightly.
Those eyes were asking me, "What do you think?"
"...I see," I managed to say.
"...Yes."
When I finally spoke, Ichikawa-san nodded softly and continued.
"I thought that if I sang a song like this, we—at the very least—wouldn't be able to stay the way we are now. Maybe 'amane' would come to an end. So, I worried a lot in my own way, and tried to write new lyrics thinking I could hide it... but I couldn't write them. For this song, there were only these lyrics... In that case, the only choice left was whether to perform this song or not."
"...Then, why?"
Why did she decide to sing it now, after all this time?
"You see, I..."
Taking a breath, she said with a smile,
"Before I am a girl, I am a musician."
That dignified attitude was more than enough to make me feel the strength of her core.
I involuntarily opened my mouth and looked up at her.
No matter how much she bluffs, no matter how expressionless she remains.
"If there is an emotion I want to express, a melody there, and lyrics there..."
Even if she hurriedly dyed her hair blonde the moment she became a classmate because she was imitating a hairstyle, or even if she stole someone's first kiss.
"No matter who I hurt, I cannot help but sing it."
I couldn't compete with this genuine strength, which was cruel in its own way.
This strength made me think, quite simply, that she was cool.
"...Well, I guess so," I replied in a low voice. In reality, I probably didn't understand even a tenth of it.
"But I don't intend to make Sako-san play the bass for this song. I think I have at least that much discretion. That's why I intend to perform this song alone."
And even now at the very end, this person...
"Haa..."
I let out a deliberately heavy sigh.
"Hey, could you not underestimate me so much?"
"Underestimate? What do you mean...?"
Did she feel the irritation in my voice? Ichikawa-san suddenly looked a bit anxious, which for some reason unnecessarily stirred a protective instinct. I definitely won't protect her, though.
"It's not like I'm in this band just because I can be with Takuto. This band and the school festival are incredibly important to me too."
"Is that... so?"
...No, seriously, this person is quite rude.
"I will be the one playing the bass for this song."
"Eh...?"
"After all, the one who can understand the lyrics of this song the most is me, right?"
I heard Ichikawa-san gasp.
"You see, I..."
Even though I knew it was uncool and awkward to imitate her even in this regard,
"Before I am a girl, I am amane."
Let me act cool for just a bit.
"Sako-san...!"
Ichikawa-san's eyes wavered with moisture. Seeing that sudden cuteness, I felt like being a little mean.
After all, it's okay to counterattack just a little, right?
"By the way," I said, showing a rare grin that bared my teeth.
"I don't think that guy will understand a thing just by hearing this song."
"Eh, no way, surely not..."
"Because even though I kissed him, Takuto still doesn't really get it."
"..................Kiss?"