Track 2.5 is a side story written in SS style about an event that happened during the interval of Track 2!
Updates will be irregular.
First, here is a story that took place between Measure 50 and Measure 51.
Around mid-August.
In the middle of summer vacation, the amane performance group—Ichikawa, Sako, and I—were practicing in the school studio.
It seemed like the new song I wrote was finally becoming familiar to everyone’s hands.
After finishing the performance, Ichikawa, dressed in her summer uniform, gave a bright smile.
“It's starting to feel really good! Hmm, I’m looking forward to Yuri-san’s lyrics too!”
“Right.”
Sako whispered softly, as if responding to Ichikawa’s words.
“Wait, Sako-san, did you just say ‘Right’...?”
Ignoring the slightly puzzled look on Ichikawa’s face, Sako checked the clock on her smartphone.
“Ah, sorry, it’s time for my dance club.”
“Eh? Ah, okay. Wait, what about my question...?”
Ichikawa pouted her lower lip slightly at the lack of a response, but she still gave a soft wave to Sako.
“Well then, see you at the next practice.”
Sako finished packing up quickly, shouldered her bass in its case, and sharply raised her right hand.
“Alright, have a good one,” I said.
“...I’m heading out, Takuto.”
With a tiny, almost imperceptible softening of her cheeks, Sako left. (What was that?)
“Hmm...?”
I dodged Ichikawa’s suspicious, half-lidded gaze.
“What is it...?”
“Nothing~”
Puffing out her cheeks, Ichikawa took her guitar off her shoulder.
“I should head out soon too. There’s something I want to watch on TV at home today!”
“Oh, really? What?”
“YUI-san’s live concert! Apparently, it’s airing on WOWOW starting at five.”
Heh, so Ichikawa’s house has WOWOW...
“Aren’t you recording it?”
“The thing is, I only found out about it on my phone while I was coming here. My mom is out today too, so I couldn’t ask her...”
“I see... then you’ve gotta get home fast.”
“Exactly!”
Ichikawa looked up at me while crouching down to put her acoustic guitar into its case.
“...Konuma-kun, do you want to walk back together?”
“O-Oh, sure.”
I was completely flustered by that naturally calculating gesture of tilting her head, and while stuttering awkwardly, I shoved my sticks into my bag.
“Which of YUI-san’s songs do you like, Konuma-kun?”
“Well, let’s see...”
We were having such trivial conversation as we walked along the sunny path toward Shin-Koganei Station.
*Plop.* I felt a single drop of water on the tip of my nose.
“Huh...? Rain?”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Ichikawa turned her palms upward and looked at the sky.
“Uwah, the weather forecast said it would be nothing but sunny today...”
“Well, a forecast is just a forecast...”
While we were talking, the raindrops that were supposed to be sporadic rapidly shortened their intervals, and eventually—
“...No, this is a downpour!”
A torrential rain began to assault us.
“Uwah, this is amazing!”
In any case, the two of us started running.
I tried holding my bag over my head as a meager resistance, but it was completely useless.
“Ichikawa, over there!”
I pointed toward a nearby Inari shrine and we ducked under the roof of a small shrine building that could barely fit two people.
“Geez, that came out of nowhere. I’m soaking wet...”
“Right...”
I happened to look over at her and—
“Ah.”
I quickly averted my eyes.
“Hmm? What’s wrong, Konuma-kun?”
“Ah, no, well, look, Ichikawa... your clothes...”
I-I mean, according to everything I’ve read in manga, this situation is—no matter how you look at it—the pattern where Ichikawa’s shirt gets wet and, you know, things start becoming transparent...!?
As I was flustered, she seemed to realize something.
“Ah, I see. So that’s what it is. Ahaha, Konuma-kun, you’re a gentleman.”
Ichikawa gave a small laugh and let out a hum.
Then, mingling with the sound of the rain, the sound of clothes rustling began behind me.
“Heave-ho, heave-ho...”
“I-Ichikawa...!?”
What!? What is starting behind me!?
My ears turned hot and I swallowed hard.
After a moment—
“...Konuma-kun, it’s okay to look this way now.”
“Y-Yessir...”
I replied and turned around slowly, feeling an incomprehensible amount of tension.
“Ta-da! How do I look?”
Ichikawa, now wearing a knit vest (is it called a summer vest?), was smiling broadly while gripping the hem.
“Our school sometimes has the air conditioning on pretty high, so I had this in my bag. Isn’t that great, Konuma-kun?”
“Y-Yeah, I guess so...”
Whether it was 'great' or 'unfortunate' was a point where the debate was split between Angel Konuma and Devil Konuma ('What are you saying, Konuma-kun?' 'Takuto-kun, what are you saying?'), but now I could talk to her normally. ...Also, the vest suited her incredibly well.
F-First, I have to talk about something normal...!
“Uh, Ichikawa, if the rain keeps up like this, you might not make it in time for the live broadcast...”
“...Yeah.”
“...Wait, Ichikawa-san?”
“Ehehe...”
Ichikawa laughed shyly, then clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the sky.
“Well, if it passes quickly, I’ll make it.”
“True...”
Despite that, the rain continued to pour from the sky like endless white threads before our eyes.
Beaten by the rain, the smell of soil and the smell of leaves traveled through the air and softly seeped into my body.
‘It’s kind of beautiful...’ I thought, somewhat unfitting for the situation, as I stared blankly at the sky.
*Clang, clang, clang.*
The sound of a bell ringing came from right above my head.
“Eh, what are you do—”
I started to say as I turned toward Ichikawa, but I quickly went silent.
Looking over, Ichikawa had her eyes closed and hands clasped together, praying for something to God with a serious expression.
But the reason I went silent wasn’t just because I didn’t want to disturb her prayer.
A strand of wet hair was stuck to her cheek.
Her fine skin repelling the droplets, her long eyelashes, and her refined features.
I had involuntarily become captivated by her profile.
As I watched her blankly, Ichikawa eventually opened her eyes.
“I tried praying about the weather,” she said.
“Since we’re at a shrine and all, you know?”
She looked at me from the corner of her eye and smiled.
“O-Oh, right...”
“Hmm, what’s wrong, Konuma-kun?”
“No, n-nothing...”
There was no way I could tell her now, at this timing, that I had been mesmerized by her.
“T-Then, I guess I’ll pray too.”
To hide my embarrassment, I reached for the bell rope—
“O-Konuma-kun, you don’t need to pray!”
My wrist was grabbed firmly by both of her hands.
“Eh, why?”
I asked softly, trying not to be too conscious of the sensation on my wrist.
“Probably... because it would have the opposite effect.”
“Wait... do I look like I have that much bad luck?”
“That’s not what I mean, but...”
For some reason, her cheeks were flushed, but Ichikawa remained firm in stopping me from praying.
“Huh...? Well, fine then.”
“Yeah, thanks...”
With that, Ichikawa slowly let go of my wrist.
Then, she turned back toward the world outside the roof.
And then—
“...Ah.”
The intensity of the rain rapidly weakened.
“Oh, it stopped.”
Eventually, the rain ceased completely, and the puddles reflected the setting sun.
“That’s good. Now you can watch the concert.”
“...I guess so.”
Looking over, Ichikawa had her arms crossed with a strangely solemn face.
“Ichikawa, what’s wrong...?”
“Hmm, I was just thinking that the god here is very mean.”
Ichikawa puffed out her cheeks.
“No, you said you ‘tried praying about the weather,’ right? The rain stopped, so that’s good. If anything, the effect was too good...”
“No, you’re wrong, Konuma-kun.”
Ichikawa looked up at me as if sulking and said—
“Because what I prayed for was the exact opposite.”