After Taira-chan's school broadcast was over.
I met up with Sako, who had finished changing, and the four of us—including Ichikawa and Taira-chan—headed back to the gym.
"Where are Erina-chan and Hazama-kun?"
On the way, Ichikawa asked Sako a question.
"Apparently, they're having a final meeting for the Cherry Boys."
"A meeting?"
When I tilted my head in confusion—
"'We're definitely going to watch Yuri's retirement stage!'"
"""...!?"""
"...is what they said, so I think they're coming to watch separately."
...Wait, was that voice just now from Sako!? Ichikawa and Taira-chan were also looking at each other like, "Wait, for real?"
"Anyway, Taira-san."
"Y-Yes!"
Suddenly called upon, Taira-chan jumped.
"That was good, just now."
"...T-Thank you very much."
Being praised for the school broadcast, Taira-chan looked down with a shy smile. ...Yeah, the combination of Sako and Taira-chan isn't bad either.
While I was thinking about such stupid things, we arrived in front of the gym.
"Whoa, incredible..."
In front of the gym, there was an even longer line than there had been for the Dance Club.
"Ah, those guys."
Sako narrowed her eyes at a short bob and a ponytail wearing pink shirts. Maejima-san and Ota-san were standing in line.
Seeing that, Ichikawa smiled happily.
"This time, it's surely the turn for those two to look up to Yuri, right?"
"...Yeah."
After waiting a bit, the doors opened.
Upon entering the venue, brochures that seemed to have been made for today's performance were placed on the seats.
"The first page is today's setlist."
"Heh, 'Message For You!' That's stylish!"
"Song number six, 'Ya Gotta Try,' is the Stellar-chan song they did at the training camp!"
"There are photos from the camp too."
"Ah, there's a club member introduction section too!"
The three girls immediately opened them and began reading happily.
Let's see, I thought, and took a look. On the first page, the program for today was written in between illustrations of instruments and the advisor drawn by someone.
* * *
Message For You!
01. The Jazz Police
02. High Maintenance
03. A Few Good Men
04. Nuttville
05. Keep the Customer Satisfied
06. Ya Gotta Try
07. One O’Clock Jump
08. Unforgettable
09. Autumn Leaves
10. Love for Sale
11. L-O-V-E
* * *
"Pfft."
Looking at the song list, I couldn't help but let out a shy laugh.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Konuma-kun?"
"There's a gimmick typical of Azuma. I don't know if she actually thought of it herself, though."
I pointed to the page with the setlist for Ichikawa on my left.
"Hmm—?"
Ichikawa tucked her hair behind her ear and peered at my hand. A faint, nice scent wafted over, and I pulled my body back slightly.
Perhaps she wanted to hurry me for an answer because I was silent—
"What do you mean?"
She looked up at me just like that. I'm telling you, you're too close...
"R-Read it vertically."
"Vertical reading...? Ah, I see!"
Ichikawa slapped her knee.
Reading the songs vertically once more, the words—
'THANK YOU ALL'
—emerged.
It seemed that's what 'Message For You!' meant.
"Wow, as expected of Yuri!"
Whether she was happy because she noticed it or because she thought it was very Azuma-like, Taira-chan raised her voice on my right side.
"In the club member introduction section, there's also a description of Stellar-chan! 'The mysterious genius piano girl★ The smile she occasionally shows during performances is irresistible!' See? They totally get it!"
Following Taira-chan's lead, I read it too. Introductions for all club members were written alongside their respective photos.
Since I didn't know that many members, I first read the introduction for Otomo-kun, which was written next to a photo of him smiling nihilistically while holding drumsticks.
'Musashino International's Buddy Rich! Yutaka-senpai, do you perhaps have four arms!?'
It feels nice to see the club members playing around with each other like that...
By the way, Buddy Rich is a legendary drummer in the big band jazz world, said to be the most skilled drummer in history. (Having started listening to big band jazz after the summer training camp, I have accumulated such knowledge!)
I moved my eyes to see what was written in the column for the Youth Club president, and found a photo of Azuma making a slightly embarrassed V-sign.
Next to it—
'The strongest ogre president in the history of the Instrumental Club! Ogre-like in her practice, ogre-like in her skill, and ogre-like in her strictness! Honestly, we can't keep up with the president... just kidding! We'll follow you for life, please let us follow you!! The most loved president in the history of the Instrumental Club! (No objections allowed!)'
Those words were written there.
I remembered Azuma's words during the test of courage.
'It might be obvious, but it's not all fun and games being a president.' 'Instead of being liked by both, you end up being hated by both.'
What do you know, it was properly conveyed...
"...K-Konuma-kun!? What's wrong!?"
While I was feeling impressed, Ichikawa called out to me in surprise.
"...Huh? What?"
"What do you mean 'what'... Konuma-kun, you're crying!?"
When I tried to look at the flustered Ichikawa, I realized my vision was blurred.
I quickly wiped away my tears.
"Ah, no, I just thought about how it's their retirement, and I started crying..."
While I was making excuses—
"Takuto is more emotional than he looks."
Sako provided backup from behind Ichikawa.
"Eh, yeah, well, that might be true...! But wait, Sako-san, are you really the one to say that?"
Ah, how embarrassing. It's scary if someone suddenly starts crying, sorry Ichikawa...
But, how should I put it.
Realizing that Azuma's hard work and feelings were reaching the people they should reach, I just couldn't hold it back.
While we were talking, the audience lights went out, and the stage curtains opened.
There stood the high school big band, lined up proudly.
"Hello, everyone! We are the Instrumental Club!"
Azuma gave the greeting, and the Instrumental Club's performance began.
Starting with 'The Jazz Police,' which was also played at the training camp, the performance continued with songs I was hearing for the first time.
Songs that overwhelmed with transcendent technique, cool songs with a vertical groove that felt like rock, songs where the wind instruments, guitar, and bass all played the same phrase in perfect unison, and songs that sang out emotionally and sadly.
"As I thought, they're good...!"
"...Amazing."
At any rate, every performance was too cool. In particular, Azuma, who had already blown me away during the training camp, had clearly leveled up beyond that, which was obvious after just one listen. Sako was also no longer losing herself; she was simply overwhelmed.
During 'Ya Gotta Try' performed in the middle—
"That girl, she can do it now."
Sako spoke up.
After all, Hoshikage-san was playing the piano accurately without Azuma's foot-tapping. Occasionally, she would look at Azuma or Otomo-kun and show a happy smile.
How much effort must have gone into getting there?
Thinking she must be writhing in emotion, I looked at Taira-chan—
"Uuuuuuuu...!"
She was beyond writhing; she was crying.
Even so, to witness her friend's brave figure, she kept her eyes on the stage even though her face looked like it was falling apart.
I thought Taira-chan had grown up this summer, but her nature of caring for her friends hasn't changed.
Interspersed with cheerful MC segments and introductions of club members who performed solos, time passed in a flash.
Finally, they finished playing all the songs up to 'L-O-V-E'.
The last note of the main set rang out short and high.
"Thank you very much!"
At Azuma's voice, the venue was enveloped in applause, and that applause eventually began to mark a single large rhythm.
""""Encore! Encore!""""
Receiving the expectant voices filling the venue, a smiling Azuma gently approached the microphone.
"Thank you for the encore!"
After saying that, she grinned.
"Well, we had the songs ready, so we were planning to do it even if we didn't get an encore!"
She invited laughter from the audience.
While the venue was laughing for a moment, she took a breath as if exhaling tension.
"We, the second-year students, are retiring today."
She began the final MC segment.
"If I were to talk about each and every memory of the past year and a half until today, this time wouldn't be nearly enough. It started with the trial period, the summer contest where we performed for the first time, the joint camp with the Rock Club, last year's school festival, and we even participated in competitions in the winter. And in the gaps between those events, there are more 'weekdays' that seem easy to forget but are dear to me than I can carry."
The second-years, Azuma's classmates, were smiling nostalgically.
"It's embarrassing to say it like this, but I entered this school because I wanted to experience youth, and I joined this club because I wanted to experience youth. Because I desperately wanted to make today's concert a success, I think I said many harsh things. I'm sorry, everyone."
Several first-years had bright red eyes and shook their heads vigorously.
"But I think all of my high school life until now, my youth, was for the sake of today's stage. The sad things, the painful things, the fun things, the happy things—I think they all exist for this day. It might seem exaggerated, but for me, that's how it is."
'Even if I look like this, I'm betting my youth on the Instrumental Club!'
Azuma had certainly said that on that day.
"And,"
Azuma's large eyes sparkled.
"I believe this performance today is surely for the sake of the days that will continue from tomorrow. Thanks to today, I think we will be able to live with pride starting tomorrow."
She looked even further ahead.
She smiled gently, but coolly.
"To me, the members of the Instrumental Club are comrades from the same club and band members. So, let me say one thing that I want all of my band members to remember."
At that moment, I felt like she glanced over here.
"I'm glad you all were here. I will play this song together with everything leading up to today."
"Azuma...!"
Could it be that...!
I looked to my left, and Ichikawa and Sako were also looking this way.
The three of us from the amane performance group looked at each other and nodded. Just as I thought, I understood completely.
"Yuri is the best lyricist, isn't she...!"
"You could also call her a tactician."
I laughed lightly at Sako's strangely clever remark made with a 0.something millimeter smug face. When I looked back at the stage, Azuma nodded with satisfaction and finally made the declaration.
"Now, this is truly the final song! With gratitude for all the special days and all the ordinary days. I will play with all my soul, as if my life depended on it! Please listen to Buddy Rich's masterpiece, 'Dancing Men'!"
At that voice as a signal, Otomo-kun played a drum solo on the hi-hat and gave a loud count.
"One, two, one-two-three-four!"
A joyful melody, like a fanfare, began to flow as if exploding.
The saxophones sang each phrase fluently and carefully, and the trumpets and trombones responded loudly, strongly affirming each other.
At that moment.
In my field of vision, a landscape I had never seen before spread out.
The first time touching an instrument, the first time making a sound, the first friends made in the club, practicing until fingers hurt and lips felt like they would swell, McDonald's on the way home, the basement of the யோ building on the way home, the slightly awkward greeting the day after being scolded by a senpai, the words of mutual encouragement written on the sheet music, the true feelings finally confessed at the camp, the weird uncool matching keychains we bought together, photos of funny faces, the way home walking together while humming our parts for the assignment piece, crying so hard it felt like tearing apart after making a mistake on a big important stage, managing to recover by encouraging each other and succeeding with the same song at the next concert, and crying again while hugging each other.
Those scenes, emotions, and memories that I shouldn't have known came flooding into my heart as sound.
That expression, that performance, that vibration, that dynamism—they were conveying with all their might.
'I'm really glad I joined the Instrumental Club!'
Eventually, the saxophone solo ended, and after the melody corresponding to the chorus played again—
"Bass solo, our best president, Azuma Yuri!!"
When the student who had been playing the saxophone solo called out Azuma's name—
Azuma began to play a bass solo to the rhythm marked by the drums.
"Yuriiiii!!!!"
Ichikawa raised her voice so painfully. Her throat might end up being weird.
But I can no longer stop Ichikawa.
My own throat is already trembling, and I can't speak well.
"Yurisukeeeeeeee!!!!"
Even Sako was shouting loudly.
"Do your best, Azuma...!!"
My voice trembled miserably.
Even without me saying it, I know she's doing her best, I know, but.
'Just knowing that Konuma knows, I feel like I can work a little harder than I am now.'
I can't help but wish for Azuma to make this live a success.
At the moment a phrase of the solo flowed, leaving us who had unconsciously clasped our hands as if in prayer—
"Wait, could this be...!"
Taira-chan's eyes widened in amazement.
What was first heard from Azuma's bass solo was the melody of 'The Jazz Police'.
After playing one phrase, it moved to a phrase from today's second song, 'High Maintenance'.
Then it proceeded to the third song 'A Few Good Men,' the fourth 'Nuttville,' and the fifth 'Keep the Customer Satisfied'.
"That's too stylish...!"
Yes.
Azuma was performing the songs she had played today in order as a medley.
"So that's what 'Message For You' meant...!"
The music spun by Azuma with a proud smile—
'THANK YOU ALL'
—traced it once again.
Then, after appearing to glance over here and smile for a moment.
After finishing playing 'L-O-V-E', which was supposed to be the last song on the setlist.
"Azuma...!"
Those fingers certainly played the band amane's first song, 'Weekdays'.
"Thank you, Yuri...!"
'I think all of my high school life until now, my youth, was for the sake of today's stage.'
Azuma had firmly included the existence of the band amane within her 'entirety of youth'.
However, this is, after all, the Instrumental Club's concert.
After gently stroking us, who were teary-eyed, with a kind smile like an older sister, she finally glanced at Otomo-kun while playing the melody of 'Dancing Men'.
Otomo-kun counted again and shouted in a hoarse voice, and the other instrumentalists, who had been watching Azuma, all returned at once.
From then on, it was like a festival. My whole body was trembling at the final dance.
From the melody that should have sounded cheerful until just now, 'loneliness' began to overflow.
But have I ever seen a 'loneliness' more happy than this before?
Because this is a 'loneliness' that could never be born unless the past days were fun, unless one loved the past days.
While everyone had red eyes, they continued to perform with smiles nonetheless.
"Uuuu...!!"
The final phrase ended.
And finally, the last long tone rang out strongly, strongly.
That ear-piercing long tone was unlike any other song played until now.
Long, long, long, long.
It continued to echo with a piercing scream.
"If you blow that much, you'll run out of oxygen...!"
Taira-chan said so with a tearful voice, having received 'that meaning' nonetheless.
Drawn in by her, my own field of vision began to blur again.
"You don't want it to end, do you...!"
Ichikawa's tearful voice was heard.
Because the moment this sound ends will be the end of the performance with these members.
Because they will surely never perform with these members again.
As if responding to that long tone that resembled a sob—
"""""Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!"""""
The entire venue overflowed with applause.
All the emotions in the gym were converging into just one.
Eventually, Azuma, whose face was a mess with tears but who was nonetheless smiling, shouted.
"Instrumental Club! Last! Let's play as if our lives depend on it!"
At that voice as a signal, everyone in the big band nodded slightly.
As if reluctant to leave but also as if piling it on, Otomo-kun beat the drums randomly and then once, strongly and loudly, struck the snare drum.
Matching that.
Azuma raised her left arm while holding the neck of the bass.
The moment after all the club members looked at Azuma.
Simultaneous with Azuma swinging her left arm down.
BANG!!!!
And the last sound burst beautifully, like a large firework.
"Thank you very much! This was our youth itself!"