“So, what should we do today?”
After receiving the microphone from Kamino-san and entering the studio as a group of four, Ichikawa spoke up while holding her instrument once the preparations were finished.
“Well... shouldn’t it depend on what we’re playing at the upcoming live?”
“Yeah, we have to decide what to play first.”
“Yes! I’ll act as the secretary!”
Yuri immediately stood before the small whiteboard hanging on the wall with a pen in hand, and the meeting to decide the setlist for the ‘Studio Octa Sponsored: Recording Rights Battle Live!’ began.
“Yuri, you really feel like a manager...”
“Hehe, do you think I can compete with Erina?”
“It’s a complete victory for you, Yuri...”
That person probably hasn’t contributed anything to the Cherry Boys’ activities other than performing as a guest vocalist. (That might be saying too much.)
“Right. How many minutes do we have again?”
“This time it’s 30 minutes, excluding the changeover,” Yuri answered Sako’s question after she lightly raised her hand.
“Yes!”
Next, Ichikawa raised her hand.
“Yes, Ichikawa-san, go ahead.”
“If the changeover is separate, does that mean we can use the full 30 minutes just for the performance and MC?”
“That’s right. It’ll probably be five songs for about 25 minutes, with 5 minutes for the MC.”
“In that case, wouldn’t we be able to do the same setlist as School Festival Rock-On, including the encore?”
“That’s true, Sakohasu. Let’s see, the setlist from that time was...”
As she said that, Yuri began writing the song titles on the whiteboard.
* * *
1. Weekday
2. Boat
3. My Song
4. Kyousou
En. Your Song
* * *
“What does the ‘En.’ at the end mean?”
“Hmm, this? It means ‘Encore.’ Apparently, it’s originally French, and people write it like this using the first two letters of the spelling.”
““Hooo~””
Yuri-sensei even had trivia to share.
“Then, for now, aren’t these five songs fine?”
When Sako said that—
“Um, about that...”
Ichikawa looked slightly troubled, her eyebrows forming a ‘V’ shape as she raised her hand slightly.
“I want to temporarily seal away ‘Boat’ and ‘My Song.’”
““Ehhhhhh!?””
The two devotees—Yuri and I—let out voices that were somewhere between a protest and a question.
“Why?”
Sako, the only currently sane person, put the question into words. (Though it was only one word.)
“Well, this time, we’re aiming for a debut through the proper channels as the band ‘amane,’ right? So, I feel like using songs from when I was a solo singer-songwriter is... just a bit different.”
““Ah...””
Once again, the two devotees let out voices of understanding.
I understand what she wants to say, and I’m happy about Ichikawa’s resolve. It makes me feel like, ‘As expected of Amane-sama.’ It’s not that we don’t have that fan psychology of ‘we love amane’s songs and want to hear them,’ but as band members, we completely agree. But we really do love amane’s songs and want to hear them... (Second time.)
“Yeah, well... I get it. In that case, we need to make two new songs?”
As I swallowed my mixed feelings and let out a small sigh—
“Ah, sorry, there’s one more song I want to cut...”
Ichikawa interjected again.
“Hmm, which one?”
Yuri tilted her head.
“I want to cut ‘Your Song.’ That song was made for that specific day, so I feel like it’s not really something I should play for people at a live house... What do you think?”
“““Haa...”””
This time, even Sako, who wasn’t a devotee, joined in as Ichikawa laughed awkwardly.
All of Ichikawa’s songs are getting wiped out... just as I was thinking that.
“Well, if Ichikawa-san says so, we can’t exactly do it. She won’t listen to what we say anyway. She’ll start saying stuff about being a musician before being a girl.”
Sako let out a light sigh, looking exasperated.
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Wait, isn’t it weird for Amane to agree with that?”
While listening to Ichikawa nodding with a smile for some reason and Yuri’s retort to it, I thought about the next step. If we don’t have ‘Boat,’ ‘My Song,’ or ‘Your Song’...
“Wait, then only ‘Weekday’ and ‘Kyousou’ are left.”
“Ahaha, sorry...?”
“No, well, it’s fine...”
Just as Sako said, there’s no point in making Ichikawa perform songs she doesn’t want to do. Regarding ‘Your Song,’ now that I know the context, I’m not even sure if I could drum it with a straight face.
“Well then, we’d want three new songs... Amane, do you think you can make them?”
“Yeah, of course!”
Ichikawa nodded with a gesture like she was flexing her muscles.
“Then for now, let’s say Yuri and I definitely make one song, Ichikawa makes one song, and then the last one will be made by whoever seems like they can do it?”
“Amane is by herself, while Konuma and I are a pair, so wouldn’t it be better if we made two songs?”
Yuri tilted her head at my suggestion. Then, Sako sighed.
“You don’t have to spoil her, Yurisuke. These are all holes that Ichikawa-san opened herself. Regardless of ‘Boat’ and ‘My Song,’ ‘Your Song’ is just Ichikawa-san being selfish, so it can’t be helped.”
“On the contrary, don’t you think Sako-san is being a bit too strict with me?”
As Ichikawa laughed happily despite her words, Yuri noticed something on Sako’s face and grinned mischievously.
“It’s because Sakohasu loves Amane’s songs and wants to play a lot of them, right?”
At those words, Sako started fiddling with her blonde hair.
“Hah? What are you talking about? I’m just telling her to take responsibility.”
““Heee~?””
They must have noticed Sako’s cheeks turning slightly red. Ichikawa hopped on the bandwagon and joined Yuri in grinning and tilting her head.
It’s all well and good that the three girls are getting along, but amidst that, I had a thought.
Wait, do you guys not want to play the songs *I* made...?
“Konuma, it’s just not your turn right now, so rest assured.”
“I didn’t even say anything!?”
The skill ‘Mind Reading’ is alive and well today too...