“So, what kind of song should we make?”
Monday's lunch break. Beside me, Azuma was bringing white rice to her mouth. Next to her sat a can of Calpis, as if it were a natural fixture. Does a sweet drink really go well with Japanese food...?
“I definitely welcome discussing the song, but why during the busy lunch break? Do you have plans after school?”
I hadn't brought a bento today, so I was heading to the shop to buy something when she caught me in the hallway and escorted me to the cafeteria.
We were sitting side-by-side in seats facing the wall, in a corner of the cafeteria that was by far the most unpopular and thus devoid of people. Well, sitting here now, I did wonder why I had to eat while staring at a wall.
“I have plans, I guess, but if I borrow Konuma after school, your girlfriend seems like she'd be a pain.”
She let out a disgruntled puff of air.
“No, she wouldn't say anything about me using time for band activities... Ow. What was 그 for?”
I felt a light kick to my shoe under the table. Looking over, Azuma was staring at me with a huff.
“That ‘I know everything’ face of yours is just annoying, zura.”
“The suffix...”
“Konuma, you just don't know. Let’s say you and I are talking, right? When Amane notices, first she puffs out her cheeks, then she pouts her lips with a face like ‘Hmph...?’, then she shakes her head like ‘No, no,’ slaps her own cheeks, takes a deep breath, clinches her fist with a ‘Right!’ and only then does she act normal and talk to us. That whole process is just so cute... ehe.”
“Is it cute or is it a pain? Which one is it...?”
I mean, there’s no way she does that... That’s practically a ritual.
“Both, obviously. She's troublesome-cute.”
Azuma finished her last bite, pressed her hands together slightly, and whispered, “Thanks for the food.”
“Your attitude toward Ichikawa is really inconsistent. One moment you're worshipping her like a devotee, the next you're dissing her. Is it the difference between ‘amane’ and Ichikawa Amane?”
I found myself asking that, vaguely remembering my conversation with Sako.
“I’m not dissing her. I’m just saying she’s a pain.”
“I don't understand the nuance in those Japanese definitions...”
“I don't really know where ‘amane-sama’ ends and Amane begins either.”
Having said that, Azuma took a sip of Calpis.
“But it’s a fact that Konuma’s girlfriend isn't ‘amane-sama.’ After all, you’re the one who defined it that way, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
I nodded, met by the direct gaze of her large eyes.
“Then it’s fine. Konuma’s girlfriend is troublesome and cute. Amane-sama is a god. That’s all there is to it.”
“I suppose...”
“Anyway, we’re running out of time while talking about this. What kind of song should we make?”
The conversation returned to the starting point. The meeting officially began.
“Hmm. Since ‘My Song’ is gone, in terms of the setlist, it’s probably better to make a ballad to fill that gap.”
When I proposed that, Azuma placed her hand on her forehead with a sigh.
“What now...?”
“Talking to Konuma really makes me feel the meaning of the proverb ‘Three steps forward, three steps back’...”
“That’s not even a proverb, you’re not moving forward at all... What? What do you mean?”
“I’m asking why you’re starting your thinking with the musical style.”
“Ah...”
I understood what Azuma was trying to say.
‘Is there any will in this song of yours, Konuma? Is Takuto Konuma really there?’
I remembered the words from that day.
In other words, she was saying, ‘Instead of the musical style, put what you want to convey into the sound.’
“That said, it’s not like I have anything particular I want to convey right now...”
When I first made ‘Weekday’ (the title back then was ‘Daily Life is Good’), it wasn't like I had something either, but during ‘Kyousou,’ my heart was overflowing with feelings.
If you ask if I have that much emotion in my heart now, it’s questionable.
“Whoa, a composer with nothing they want to express is worthless...”
“Isn't that a bit too much?”
How harsh...
“Well, if it were something that came to you that easily, you’d have already turned it into a song... That’s why you start from the musical style instead.”
“I can’t tell if you trust me or not...”
“...But, even though I'm the one who fired you up for the debut, is there any meaning in doing a live show if you have nothing to say? That might be putting the cart before the horse.”
“I guess so...”
That one sentence somehow burned itself deeply into my heart.
“Don't you have anything? Like your feelings for Amane? ...Actually, never mind. I don't want to write lyrics for a song like that.”
“Don't just decide for me.”
Well, I wouldn't write a song like that either, but...
“Anyway, if you're going to say that, don't you have anything, Azuma? Anything you want to say?”
“I do, every single day. I’m finally living the limited high school life I dreamed of; it would be a waste if I had even one day where I had nothing to say.”
The Youth Club President tilted her head as if to say, ‘Isn’t that obvious?’
“Share some of that passion with me...”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll send it over, so make sure you catch it.”
Azuma turned her right palm toward me as if emitting some kind of energy. No, the only people who can receive that are those with ‘Youth Sensors’ or antennas.
“In that case, how about I put music to your lyrics, Azuma?”
“I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s try that. Though even then, there's the question of what to write about...”
“Hey, you had that website, didn't you? What if we pick from there—”
“That’s a no!”
When I tried to suggest it, she refused in a somewhat loud voice.
“Crap, that’s right... I need to lock it...”
“Are there lyrics you'd be in trouble if I read?”
“Of course there are! I’m an active high school girl uploading poems, you know?”
“No, but I think your lyrics are actually good...”
“Thank you very much for that! But there are still some! If you read the ones from after the school festival, I’m confident I’d die of embarrassment...”
With a face that I couldn't tell if it was happy or angry, Azuma pulled out her smartphone and began tapping away rapidly.
“Are you putting a lock on your blog?”
“Of course... There, finished.”
She placed her phone on the table and let out a sigh. Well, if Azuma doesn't want me to see, I won't look, but...
“Anyway, I’ll write something new for this occasion, so it’s fine. The theme... well, I’ll think about it for a bit.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry I haven't been much help in the end.”
“No, be helpful later. You’re the one putting music to it after I write it. We’re a set of two, right?”
Saying so, she gave me a confident smile.
Just as I was thinking how reliable she was, a shadow came running up from behind with a clatter.
“Master! This is bad, this is bad! It’s closed! I can’t see it anymore!”
Taira-chan, the representative of small-animal-like juniors, clung to Azuma with a face that looked like she was about to cry, smartphone in hand.
“What is...?”
“‘My Lyrics’! Look, look!”
“You noticed already!?”
“Isn't it obvious?! I open this site every minute in anticipation!”
Besides noticing so quickly, how did this disciple know for sure that Azuma was here? Are we just not going to point that out?
“Sorry, Tsubame. Things happened, so I locked it. I appreciate you reading them, but...”
Azuma explained with a wry smile.
“Eh, is that so?! Ugh, it’s such a shame, but if Yamatsu-sensei decided it, there’s nothing I can do... Um, Master, I have just one request. Would it be possible for you to listen to it...?”
“A request?”
“Um, those lyrics about heartbreak that were uploaded the day after the school festival were truly wonderful, so could you perhaps send those to me separately...?”
The moment she heard that request, Azuma, who had been wearing a gentle expression, jerked her body.
“D-Don’t call it heartbreak! I-It’s different! That was... right, it was lyrics about the sadness and loneliness of losing the Instrumental Club...”
“Is that so? To me, it looked like lyrics about an unrequited love where, even though the love didn't come true, you still wanted to support the person...”
“Shut up, shut up! I get it already, if you’re going to talk more, let’s go over there!”
Azuma stood up and pushed Taira-chan’s back.
“Wow, I get to talk with Master! This is a great lunch break!”
“I was planning to have a good lunch break too... Jeez, Konuma, that story just now is really not it, okay?! Forget it! Also, I’ll send the lyrics when they’re done, so wait for it.”
“Oh, Konuma-senpai, you were here! Good work! Hello! Goodbye!”
With that, Azuma and Taira-chan departed. Taira-chan is noisy and quite rude...
Well then, I should head back to the classroom too. As I stood up, my hem was suddenly tugged from behind.
“Hmm?”
When I turned around.
“Takuto-kuun...”
I wondered how long she had been standing there. The pink-beige little devil looked up at me with moist eyes.
“Wanna go to Mac after school today...?”