I rushed back to my room and hurriedly called her back.
After two or three rings.
"...Hello."
Thank goodness, she picked up...
"Uhm, I'm free to talk now... So, did you need something?"
"............"
My caller seemed quite stubborn. As usual, I received nothing but silence. ...But I knew what she wanted to hear.
"...Did you need something, Amane?"
When I finally called her by her first name, I heard a "Fuhehe" from the other side of the phone. Fuhehe?
"*Ahem*... I shall forgive you. Though, Konuma-kun, I bet you don't even know why I was angry in the first place, do you?"
"I guess so..."
"Honestly, that's such a convenient catchphrase. It's because you didn't contact me at all even though I told you to 'come back soon.'"
Ichikawa quickly gave me the answer mixed with a sigh.
"Oh? I did come back properly. I already ate dinner and was relaxing with Yuzu."
"Sigh... with that inability to read between the lines, how on earth do you write such good songs...?"
"D-don't just say they're good songs out of nowhere. I'm not used to being praised...!"
"...That's exactly the kind of thing I mean. If you keep this up, I'm going to start calling you by your first name too, okay?"
"Please spare me..."
If she did that while Yuzu was around, Yuzu would think something crazy was happening.
"Well, whatever. Did Erina-chan cheer up?"
"I guess so... It's not solved, but, yeah. I mean, the time Erina-san seemed most energized was on the way back when..."
I was about to mention when we saw Azuma with Otomo-kun, but that was a matter of privacy. I swallowed the words.
"On the way back when?"
"Ah... no, it's nothing."
"Really? ...Well, if you say so, Konuma-kun, then fine."
She probably sensed I was hiding something. Ichikawa didn't press further.
"...Thanks."
"Mm."
At that moment, I suddenly remembered what happened during lunch break.
"By the way, Azuma said something this afternoon."
"Where did that 'by the way' even come from...?"
Whoops.
"No... uhm... well, anyway."
"Yes, yes, go ahead."
A sigh followed, as if to say, 'I have no choice, I'll let it slide.'
"I was talking with Azuma about songwriting during lunch. She was wondering if there's any meaning in performing at a live show when we don't have anything we want to say. For now, Azuma decided to write the lyrics, but I thought she had a point. Ichikawa, is there anything you want to say?"
"Ichikawa..."
Ichikawa started to interject, but I had a clear intention there.
"No, when it's about the band, it's Ichikawa."
When I stated that firmly,
"...Ehehe, I see," she laughed. Why did she sound so happy?
"Hmm, Ichikawa has a lot to say, you know? Things I've thought and felt since the school festival... actually, I'm quite shocked that you don't have anything, Konuma-kun..."
"Well, even if you say that..."
Ichikawa was probably referring to what Azuma called 'Don't you have anything? Like feelings for Amane?' or something like that.
"...Songs aimed at someone specific just don't come to mind. I don't really know how to write them," I confessed.
"I see. I wonder why?"
"It's probably because I never had a 'someone' for a long time."
"Then, it would be nice if you could do it, right? If you found that 'someone.'"
"I guess so..."
She must have realized that the prime candidate for that 'someone' was, no matter how you looked at it, the person I was talking to right now.
"I'll be looking forward to it, okay?"
"...Sure."
In response, I could only give such an ambiguous answer.
"Hey, this isn't something just the two of us can decide, but..."
"Yeah?"
"If we don't have anything we want to convey, not performing in the live show is also an option. I think the application deadline is around the end of next week, so we can worry about it until then."
"Is that so? But wouldn't it be better to gain some experience...?"
"Listen, Konuma-kun. We can't show people a live performance that's just a 'passing point.' Right?"
"You're... right."
Touching upon Ichikawa's core as a musician, I was impressed once again.
How many times will she impress me from now on, and how many times will I feel pathetic by comparison? I shouldn't just be someone standing beside her; I have to go beyond that.
"So, let's check the deadline with Yuri tomorrow and decide after discussing it with the four of us!"
"Got it."
I shook my head to clear away my stray thoughts. No matter how much I regretted not being at her level, it wouldn't change anything. I'm sure I wrote the song 'Kyousou' for that very reason.
"Hey, Konuma-kun? Can I talk about 'Amane' now?"
"Hmm?"
She probably meant this wasn't about the band.
"Don't you think Amane was very understanding today?"
"...Excuse me?"
Somehow, her voice became soft and airy.
"Even though we just started dating and I want to be with you as long as possible, I gave you permission to go on a date with another girl."
"I'm sorry about that... And why the formal speech?"
"Therefore, I desire a reward."
"A reward...?"
What was happening?
I was confused.
Ichikawa... *That* Ichikawa... was acting spoiled!?
Did this mean I'd be forced to say 'I love you' over the phone as a reward? Or maybe she'd ask me to pat her head tomorrow? Or maybe we'd do that thing we did after the school festival again? Or perhaps... no, wait, what?
No, no, no, there was no point in me overthinking it. Especially with the poor imagination of someone with low experience like me, I'd never figure it out. But I also wouldn't know how to handle it if a request beyond my imagination came up.
"Uhm, what specifically would this 'reward' be...?"
"Ehehe... you see," a completely spoiled, melting voice came from the other end.
And the words that hit my ears were:
"Tomorrow, let's go home together, okay?"
"...Is that all?"
"Hmm? Do you want to do something more?"
She teased me with a mischievous voice. I couldn't hide my agitation.
"Ah, no, that's not it..."
"...Well, in due time, okay?"
"Huh?"
...What did she just say?
"Nothing! Goodnight!"
"Oh, goodnight..."
As I managed to reply to her, as she suddenly became energetic to hide something.
"I love you, Takuto-kun."
With those words, the call ended.
No, what actually snapped might have been the thread of my consciousness.
"Wait, Tak-kun!? Are you okay!? Were you drugged over the phone!? ...An aphrodisiac!?"