The next day, Saturday after school.
Since Musashino International High School is a private school, there are classes on Saturday mornings as well.
After the afternoon homeroom ended, I activated my skill, 《Stealth》, as usual.
Then.
"Konuma-kun! Hurry, hurry!"
Ichikawa came over to my seat, carrying an acoustic guitar case on her back.
"Wait, wha— I-Ichikawa-san..."
I was completely flustered by the descent of this angel.
This was because there were still plenty of people in the classroom.
The eyes of the whole class were fixed on us.
Ando, who sat in the seat behind me, gasped.
"Konuma, you... even the Archangel Amanel is...!"
Wait, is Ichikawa actually being called 'Archangel Amanel'? Ando's sense of naming is seriously terrible.
"Konuma-kun, what's wrong?"
Ichikawa tilted her head.
"Eh, no, well, it's just..."
"I left my acoustic guitar in the classroom today!"
Ichikawa gave a beaming smile. No, I wasn't asking about that at all...
As I was panicking, another voice spoke up.
"Takuto, Ichikawa-san, it's at one o'clock, right? We have to go now."
Next, a blonde girl appeared from the back door of the classroom with a bass on her back.
"Sa-Sako...!"
"He's calling Sako-sama... by her first name without an honorific...!?"
Shut up, Ando...
"Takuto, hurry up."
"O-Oh, right."
That's right.
Today, we had booked a studio after school to try playing the song 'Weekdays,' which got its lyrics yesterday, together as a band for the first time.
Apparently, Saturday is also a self-practice day for the dance club.
Musashino International High School has many students living in dorms.
Since those dorms close on Sundays, the residents return to their parents' homes or relatives' houses in the Kanto area every weekend.
Because of that, many club activities on Saturdays aren't mandatory.
"Alright, let's go."
Pulling myself together, I left the classroom.
I silently ignored Erina-san, whom I passed near the exit, as she looked at us with a slightly melancholy expression.
We arrived at the same studio in Kichijoji as yesterday.
Once we entered the soundproof room, Ichikawa started stretching again.
"Hup, hup."
Today, I sat on the drum throne and adjusted the height.
"It's been a while since I've played through an amp..."
Sako said as she connected her bass to the amplifier.
"Sako-san, don't you have an amp at home?"
"We live in an apartment, so... wait, Ichikawa-san!?"
Sako let out a rare loud voice.
"Hwah?"
I took a quick glance and immediately looked away.
Just like yesterday, she was sitting on the floor doing split stretches.
"That's... Takuto is a boy, and he's right here..."
"Eh? I'm wearing shorts under my skirt, see? Look."
"You don't have to show me! Takuto, if you look this way, I'll kill you."
"I'm not looking!"
What even is this situation?
"Ichikawa-san, as expected of amane..."
"Huh?"
"Haa... never mind. Get ready."
"Okay!"
Ichikawa, who was great at giving energetic replies, stood up abruptly and began tuning her guitar.
"By the way, is that guitar an ele-aco?"
"Ele-aco?"
Ichikawa tilted her head. No, I'm talking about the instrument you're using...
"An electric-acoustic guitar. I mean, it's an acoustic guitar, but can it be connected to a cable?"
"Oh, yeah! It can be plugged in!"
Saying so, Ichikawa pulled out a shield (that's what we call a cable) that she seemed to have kept in her guitar case.
"Oh, good."
If you can't connect to a cable, you can't amplify the sound. When the drums and electric bass play at normal volume, the sound of an acoustic guitar would inevitably be drowned out.
With that, the three of us were ready.
"Alright, then, shall we try playing it together? Sako, are you okay with the chords?"
"Yeah, I practiced yesterday."
"I see, thanks."
...Somehow, it feels like it's been about two years since I last played with Sako's bass.
"Ah, that's right!"
Ichikawa clapped her hands.
"Hmm?"
"I wrote the lyrics for this song on paper."
Ichikawa pulled out a scrap of loose-leaf paper from her bag.
"Konuma-kun, for you too!"
Oh, it's a lyric sheet handwritten by amane-sama herself...!
While I was rejoicing like a simple fan, Sako muttered.
"These lyrics..."
"Did you write them, Ichikawa-san?"
It was Sako's characteristic question that didn't go up in pitch at the end.
Ugh...
"Uh, well, no, that was, I..."
"I know it wasn't Takuto."
She shut me down flatly.
"Ah, yes..."
I wonder how I got caught? (It's obvious).
"So Ichikawa-san, even if you can't do songs, you can write lyrics."
"Umm, well..."
Ichikawa gave a troubled smile.
To the outside world, we would release this as Ichikawa Amane's song, but we probably couldn't keep it hidden from Sako, a band member, forever.
However, this was an issue for Azuma, not Ichikawa or me.
It wasn't something we could just reveal on our own...
Just as I was thinking that, the studio door opened.
"Sorry, sorry! I just couldn't sit still!"
The one who walked in was Azuma.
"Yurisuke... what's wrong?"
Sako was bewildered.
I had told Azuma via LINE yesterday that we were having our first band practice today.
But as of yesterday, her reply had been:
Yuri: [Sakohasu is going to be there, right? She'll figure out I'm the one writing the lyrics. What should I do...?]
"Yuri... is it okay?"
"Yeah."
Azuma nodded with an expression that showed no hesitation.
"I just really wanted to see amane-sama singing the lyrics I wrote. Besides,"
Azuma looked toward Sako and said,
"I didn't think Sakohasu would make fun of me for something like that."
Sako was still surprised.
"Wait, these lyrics, Yurisuke wrote them?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"When did you all..."
She probably meant, when did we all start doing things like a band together?
"I started writing lyrics on Tuesday!"
"Oh, I see."
Azuma turned back to Sako.
"Sakohasu, you see,"
She took a breath as if to ease her tension.
"I, well, I write lyrics and stuff."
She told her.
"Okay."
Sako nodded, her eyes wide.
"...Do you think it's creepy?"
"Eh, why?"
Sako tilted her head with a face that truly didn't understand why that would be the case.
"Ehehe, if you don't get it, then it's fine!"
Azuma must have been happy with that reaction; she gave a crinkly smile.
"In that case, let's try playing it together once!"
Ichikawa, who had been watching the exchange, gave the command with a smile.
"Got it, let's do this. One, two, three, four..."
The song began with my count.
It was a clumsy, poor, and shaky performance, typical for a first time.
But since the only member of the audience was crying her eyes out, I'd say it was a pretty good start for a first performance.