Monday morning.
As I was walking alone from Shin-Koganei Station, I was slapped hard on the shoulder near the first traffic light.
“Good morning, Konuma.”
Turning around, the Greeting Club president gave me her morning greeting.
“Oh, good morning, Azuma. We've been meeting a lot in the morning lately.”
“Unya!? I-It’s not like that, is it? Isn't it just a coincidence? Haven't you just changed your time lately, Konuma?”
A reaction that seemed strangely panicked came back to my casual remark. Why the barrage of questions?
“No, I've basically been taking the same train since my first year. Didn't you change your time recently, Azuma?”
“I-I said I haven't. No, well... look, I used to have morning practice when I was in the Instrumental Club! That’s why, that’s why!”
“What do you mean 'that’s why'? I mean, you did change your time then...”
What's wrong with you, Azuma-neesan...?
“Shut up, shut up! It’s not like I’m choosing this time because you're here, Konuma! Don't get the wrong idea!”
“You should be careful because saying it in such a textbook tsundere way makes it sound like you really are matching your time to mine...?”
“I know that much; I'm better at Japanese than you are, Konuma! It's the opposite! I'm doing it on purpose!”
“I get it...”
I didn't actually get it at all, but I wasn't reckless enough to challenge Azuma in a battle of Japanese proficiency.
“Anyway, I really wanted to decide with you what to do about the other song. That part is true.”
“Hoh...”
I wondered if that meant something else was a lie, but since the conversation wouldn't progress otherwise, I just kept that thought to myself.
“Konuma, your heart is noisy today... *Ahem*, what I wanted to talk about was the third new song. Amane might write one for us, but we have to prepare one too, right?”
“Yeah... I thought about it yesterday too, but I feel like I'm already losing at the point where I have to force myself to think.”
In fact, I sat in front of my computer with my guitar for the whole day yesterday, but in the end, nothing came to mind.
“Well, both the guitar and the computer are just mediums for conveying your emotions, Konuma; they don't have the thing you want to express itself... After this incident, it's become clear that you can't write a song unless the emotion comes first.”
“I feel like that's a bit of a problem, though...”
I muttered. If I can't write songs unless dramatic things keep happening, I feel like I have a defect as a composer.
“That is indeed a deep-rooted issue... Well, anyway, we haven't tried the method where I write the lyrics first and you put music to them yet, so should we try that?”
“True... Do you have anything, Azuma? Like, material for lyrics.”
“Hmm, it's not that I have nothing, but I don't really have an image of you putting music to it... I feel like I poured everything out for 'Charm' for now...”
She groaned with a “hmmm,” then clapped her hands as if she just remembered something.
“Oh, but walking with you the other day was quite fun.”
“Ah... well, that’s good to hear...”
I recalled Azuma's declaration illuminated by the setting sun. That Saturday was significant for me too.
I thought about thanking her again for her resolve, but I felt like she would just say the same thing again: “It's not about thanks. It's something I'm doing because I want to.”
While I was hesitating whether to say it or not, Azuma's expression began to turn a bit grumpy.
“Speaking of which, I remembered... what was that about Sakohasu's bass? Did you bring Sakohasu into your house? Right after our da— our walk?”
“Don't say 'brought her in,' it sounds bad... Sako just came to my house. She came to eat with Yuzu... er, my younger sister. They made curry and ate it.”
“I see?”
“What is it...?”
Azuma stared intently into my face.
“Hey, why don't we go this way?”
Azuma pointed to the junction for the long way around that she had taught me once before.
“Does Sakohasu frequently go in and out of your house, Konuma?”
She probably thought it wasn't something others should overhear. After entering the detour path, Azuma asked the question.
“No, it wasn't really like that before, but she's been coming over lately. She was at my house on the day we were songwriting too.”
“I see... So things really aren't going well with Kenji and Erina.”
“As expected of Azuma-neesan...”
To think she could connect things that far from just that information...
“And so, the protagonist, Takuto Konuma, promised 'I'll mediate between you guys!'...”
Azuma's malice was overflowing, which was dangerous.
“No, I didn't go that far. I just said I'd try talking to Erina-san.”
“That's almost the same thing... Can you really handle that well, Konuma?”
Azuma tilted her head, not out of spite, but seemingly out of genuine concern.
“Yeah, I don't have much confidence in that... Hey, Azuma, what do you think I should do?”
“Don't ask me something like that...”
“I guess so...”
I slumped my shoulders. It's only natural that I have to solve what I took upon myself.
“Hey, don't make that face...”
Then, Azuma patted my shoulder with a wry smile.
“Fine, then, want to try a simulation?”
“A simulation?”
“Look, pretend I'm Erina and try talking to me.”
Azuma spread her arms and faced me.
“Eh, you'll do that for me...? You're a really good person, Azuma...”
“You're slow to notice. I've always been a good person.”
“T-True... Well, anyway, okay. I'll pretend you're Erina-san.”
I thought about it for a bit and decided to try the first line that came to mind.
“Uh... Erina-san, I heard from Sako, but things aren't going very well between you guys, right?”
“Haaaaaaaaaa...”
After a grand sigh came back,
“Rejected, rejected, hard rejected!”
I was judged immediately.
“Seriously...?”
“It's not 'seriously.' It's a good thing we practiced. First of all, the sense to start with 'I heard from Sako' is just impossible! You have to hide that, at least at first! And then 'things aren't going very well'—what is that vague but purely negative impression? It's all harm and no benefit! You'll just make her close her heart like that, right? You have to make her think 'Maybe I should talk to him.'”
“Then what should I say...? Azuma, what would someone say to make you think 'Maybe I should talk to him'?”
I threw a question back at the barrage of criticisms.
“Me? Hmm...”
Azuma furrowed her brows and thought.
Eventually, she opened her mouth again.
“Something like 'Yuri's lyrics are the best'?”
I see.
“Yuri's lyrics are the best.”
It was worth a try. I tried repeating it back to her for now.
“Unya!?”
Azuma's face turned bright red with a sound like a small explosion.
“W-Why are you saying that to me!? Wait, what, was this a corner where you say designated lines!? If so, why didn't you tell me first!? I have plenty of other candidates!”
“No, I just tried it because you said to say that...”
“There's no point in testing it on me!? I mean, you just called me Yuri...!”
Azuma-neesan was flustered.
“No, you were the one who called yourself Yuri just now.”
“T-That's true but...! W-Well, fine, I'll count it as a benefit of the role, so it doesn't count. I'm not at fault!”
“What are you talking about...?”
Azuma shook her head repeatedly as if to negate something.
“A-Anyway! I'm saying you should praise something about Erina! That girl is fine if you flatter her!”
“That's a pretty harsh way to put it, but I feel like it might work... But what should I praise...?”
“I don't know, depends on her condition today... Ah.”
While we were talking, as we turned a corner, Azuma opened her mouth and pointed straight ahead.
“Konuma, the time for the real thing has arrived unexpectedly early.”
Following her gaze, I saw the homeroom chairperson of my class walking trudgingly, her fluffy hair swaying.