“Haaaaa...”
Seeing Ichikawa’s relaxed smile, I finally let out a sigh of relief.
Truthfully, I had been worried about her all day long.
The message I had sent to Ichikawa around 6:00 this morning wasn’t Japanese words like “Thank you” or “Good morning,” but a URL. And when you clicked that URL, it played the second new song I had just finished this morning.
After finishing the recording for Erina-san’s song and seeing Sako off, I had shut myself in my room once again and created another wordless piece of music, just under two minutes long. It was a simple track with no drums, bass, or vocals—just acoustic guitar and piano. It wasn’t simple because I lacked time; it was simply because that was the melody that naturally floated into my head.
“Hey, Konuma-kun, did you make that song just for me?”
“Ah, yeah, well, I did...”
I looked away from her overly direct question.
“Did you think you’d feel bad if you didn’t make a song for me too?”
“Not really, it’s not like that.”
The reason I decided to make a song for Ichikawa wasn’t because I felt I had to make up for some sin.
It was just that, while making the song to make Erina-san smile, I realized once again how much I had been saved by ‘amane’s songs’ up until now. Having music that was always by my side helped me so much during random moments and when making life decisions.
And that probably wasn’t just about her music as ‘amane,’ but also after I actually met Ichikawa Amane.
I wanted to give shape to that feeling of gratitude while it was clear in my head, and this short piece was the result.
Ichikawa still couldn’t seem to stop grinning, letting out sounds like “Heh—” or “Hehehe.”
“I mean, if you listened to it, you should’ve replied. You have no idea how nervous I was today...”
“Eeeh, but I was so happy I couldn’t put it into words!”
There it is, the Oda Kazumasa line...!
All day, my head was filled with doubts like, ‘Wait, did I really do that in a late-night—or rather, early-morning—trance!?’ In fact, that doubt had already turned into a conviction...
“That’s why, when I saw you today, I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know if it was okay to say you’d made a song for me. Besides, I couldn’t show this face to anyone but you, Konuma-kun, right?”
“I guess so...”
It was true that Ichikawa’s completely loose, grinning face was far removed from her usual image. It was the first time I’d seen it, too. How should I put it... it wasn’t a face I wanted to show other people. Yeah.
“I did doubt your sense of Japanese just a little bit since the temporary title was ‘For Amane,’ though? But since it was ‘Amane’ and not ‘Ichikawa,’ it’s totally fine!”
“O-Oh...”
I flinched at the sudden mention of the title.
Actually, that wasn’t a temporary title; I intended it to be the final one. I should probably keep quiet about that...
By the way, the other title I was debating until the end was ‘For Amane’s Use.’ However, I thought she might think it was just a backing track of Erina-san’s song with her own parts removed, so I went with ‘For Amane.’ Maybe ‘For Amane’s Use’ would have been better...?
“Hey, Konuma-kun, will the band play this song?”
“No, please give me a break... This is, well...”
Even if it had no lyrics, the thought of making a song I gave to Ichikawa public was quite embarrassing.
“It’s not for other people to hear...”
“Is that so—?”
Ichikawa smiled smugly. I was surprised yesterday by the repertoire of songs she had, but this person has quite a repertoire of smiles too.
Still, it was somewhat awkward...
“If I keep grinning like this, I look like an idiot.”
Saying that, Ichikawa gave a single clap of her hands.
“Then, let’s talk about the band for a bit.”
Her face suddenly became serious as she began to speak.
“Is the song for Erina-chan finished?”
“Yeah, well, my part is.”
“Your part?”
As Ichikawa tilted her head, I explained to her again what I had told Sako this morning.
“Yeah. After this, Azuma will write the lyrics, and once Sako thinks of the bass line, it’ll reach you. Then I want you to put the vocals on it. I think that will complete it.”
“Heh~...”
The corners of Ichikawa’s mouth began to loosen again.
“What is it... weren’t you going to stop grinning?”
“No, it’s fine. This is about the band. I’m happy, so it’s fine.”
“What is...?”
“The fact that it’s a ‘band’!”
Hmm, maybe it’s because I haven’t slept, but I don’t really understand what Ichikawa-san is saying...
“By the way, how did you know I was making a song for Erina-san?”
“Because Sako-san said she was going to go ask you.”
“Ah, she said it herself.”
I was thinking that it was rare for Sako to mention such things when—
“To be precise, Yuri said, ‘I think Sakohasu is going to go ask Konuma for something,’ and she really did? Yuri is truly amazing...”
“Yeah...”
Azuma’s range of skills is terrifyingly wide.
“Well, anyway, just wait a bit for the song. I’m confident in it.”
“Yeah, I understand!”
Saying that, Ichikawa clapped her hands again.
“Well then, that’s enough talk about the band, right?”
She seemed strangely fixated on that today...?
We arrived at Kichijoji and headed toward Inokashira Park for the time being.
As we sat on a bench overlooking the pond, Ichikawa, sitting to my right, told me all sorts of things.
Like how things went after we split up yesterday, how it was the first time she had seen Sako-san with that kind of expression, and how Yuri was cool and calm at all times.
As for me, the song for Erina-san was out of my hands for a moment, and knowing that giving the new song to Ichikawa was a success made me relax. The fatigue from staying up all night suddenly came crashing down on me.
While feeling apologetic, I began to nod off.
“Oh. Konuma-kun, are you sleepy...?”
I heard a concerned voice in my right ear.
“A little bit...”
“I thought so. Sorry. Shall we go home soon?”
“I don’t want to...”
My vision began to close as drowsiness took over.
“I-Is that so...?”
“Yeah...”
As I fought a losing battle with the sandman, she spoke to me.
“...Thank you for working so hard, Konuma-kun.”
A soft hand stroked the left side of my head.
To me right now, that was a nearly irresistible sleeping pill.
“It was nothing...”
Then,
“Ahaha... you’re exhausted. I’ll let you sleep for a little bit. Sorry, good night.”
Amane’s gentle voice delivered the final blow.
“Takuto-kun.”
With that, my consciousness was completely cut off.
I wonder how many tens of minutes had passed when I next woke up.
Feeling something on my forehead, I opened my eyelids. The surface of the water in front of me was still reflecting the orange of the sunset, just as before.
“Ah... did I wake you up?”
A beautiful voice came from my left ear.
...Wait, my left ear?
“Wh-What!?”
I snapped upright. Apparently, I had fallen asleep with my head on Ichikawa’s shoulder. I realized a red scarf was wrapped around my neck.
“Uh, Ichikawa...!”
My mind, instantly awake, tried to recall the memories of the moment I woke up.
“Wait, huh...?”
Just a moment ago, I thought I felt a moist sensation on my forehead. When I touched the area—
“W-Wait, Konuma-kun...!”
Ichikawa started to panic.
She frantically touched her neck, and after realizing something was missing with a start—
Ichikawa hid her lips with the back of her hand.
“Um, could it be...”
“I-It’s nothing, I tell you...! P-Please, give me back my scarf...!”
“Ah, yeah... thanks...”
When I handed over the scarf that had been around my neck, she took it silently while looking down. She wrapped it around her neck, which was the same color as the scarf, and buried more than half of her face inside it.
“W-We’re dating, so it’s fine, right...?”
Then, poking only her eyes out from the scarf, she stared at me reproachfully.