<Author's Comment>
This is a commemorative SS because, thanks to everyone, this is the 200th chapter (including afterwords)! Thank you so much for always reading! The main story will resume tomorrow.
“Oh, isn't that Tsubame-chan?”
“It really is.”
As the four members of amane finished their practice at a rental studio in Kichijoji and stepped out of the elevator, they spotted their small-animal-like junior a short distance away.
She was walking toward Inokashira Park with an acoustic guitar on her back.
“Speaking of which, I feel like Taira-chan hasn't been coming to see Azuma much lately. Is it just my imagination?”
“No, it's not. Apparently, she’s doing all sorts of things, saying stuff like, ‘I'm going to train to become the Rock Club president and a Normie!’ She’s practicing guitar and singing, and trying to talk to her classmates.”
“Heh...”
I mean, does being the Rock Club president lead to being a Normie...? That feels like a different thing entirely.
“Yurisuke, are you lonely?”
“Heh!? Why would I be...! W-Well, sure, I do think she should report her progress once in a while, but...”
Azuma blushed at Sako-hasu's question, which was asked with a 0.something millimeter-thick mischievous grin.
“But why is she heading that way with a guitar? The studios are this way, and the music stores are across the station...”
“Who knows.”
Azuma watched the direction Taira-chan had disappeared with a scowling face.
“Yurisuke, you're curious.”
“I am not!”
Azuma quickly looked away again.
“Hey Azuma, is there any point to that tsundere act? It’s fine, isn't it? A master who likes her disciple.”
“It's not a tsundere act!”
She bit her tongue...
“Then, let’s tail her.”
“““Eh?”””
Sako made the suggestion looking unusually excited, causing the other three to cry out in surprise.
Despite their hesitation, they followed Taira-chan and ended up at Inokashira Park.
Taira-chan stopped with her back to the pond and, for some reason, began taking deep breaths.
As for us, we were hiding in the shadow of a nearby public restroom, watching her.
“Hey, I really don't think tailing her is a good idea, you know?”
“Wait, Ichikawa-san is here too.”
“My house is in this direction, sooo.”
“Then just go home already. Bye-bye.”
“...”
Ah, she went quiet. Please don’t bully Ichikawa too much, Sako-chan...
“That girl, could she be...!”
While the performance team was playing around, Azuma let out a small voice.
When I looked back at Taira-chan, she had lowered the guitar case from her back, taken out an acoustic guitar, and was putting it over her neck.
“Is she planning to do a street live...!?”
“Wow, that's what YUI-san used to do in Fukuoka...”
Are you serious...?
Guitar practice and singing practice to become the Rock Club president. And then, a combination of communication skills and courage training to become a Normie. Even so, her way of breaking out of her shell is extraordinary.
Neither the Rock Club president nor the Normie master probably has that kind of courage...!
Taira-chan gave a small bow and began strumming the guitar.
However...
“She isn't starting to sing...?”
“Well, just standing there with a guitar and playing takes a lot of courage... Just imagining the first note makes me feel like I’m going to lose consciousness... Should we call out to her?”
“No. She’s working hard on her own right now.”
Azuma bit her lower lip and stopped me. She probably wants to go out there herself. She really loves her disciple...
Taira-chan’s appearance somehow overlapped with Ichikawa back in July at Rock-On when she was struggling to start singing ‘My Song’.
She repeated the motion of opening her mouth several times only to quietly close it again.
The people walking through the park must be used to street musicians. They would give a brief glance and pass by as if it were nothing.
After a while, Taira-chan stopped playing, knelt down, opened her guitar case, and took out a small notebook.
“What’s that...?”
“That’s the ‘Tsubame Note.’ It’s where Tsubame writes down things she thinks of or words she likes.”
“You sure know a lot... I mean, Tsubame Note...”
“I named it.”
“The master is the one who named it, huh...”
Taira-chan stared at one particular page, gave a soft nod, and then put the Tsubame Note away.
“Good luck...!”
Then, Taira-chan took another deep... long breath.
『Written all alone, just a single letter, just a single word. That's where the story began.』
She started singing at the same moment she strummed the guitar.
“Tsubame...!”
“Azuma, this is...”
“Yeah. My... Yamatsu Rui’s lyrics. I think it’s the one I wrote around the time of the school festival.”
“I see...”
Azuma nodded softly without taking her eyes off Taira-chan.
“She’s amazing, Taira-chan...”
Taira-chan continued to sing with a steady voice.
＊ ＊ ＊
‘The Beginning’
Written all alone, just a single letter, just a single word
That's where the story began
It hasn't reached anyone yet, it hasn't echoed anywhere yet
But it was born, a single song
The first person was you, with just a single word, a single sentence
I felt like I could go anywhere
It's not that strong yet, it doesn't echo that much yet
But it started moving forward, a single song
Adding one drop at a time with care
Before I knew it, it was enough to swim in
Sometimes I feel like I might drown
At those times, I hum ‘My Song’
One by one, the people increased, with just a single word, a single sentence
I felt like I could change the world
There are still sights I want to see, there are still things I want to know
So it keeps moving forward, a single song
At the end of those steps, one by one
Someday the end will come
The end credits after the climax
But the names that flow
Are no longer just one
Written all alone, a single letter, a single word
That's where the story began
＊ ＊ ＊
When she finished singing, Ichikawa gave a very, very small applause. Azuma seemed overcome with emotion, letting out a muffled “Uuu...”
Then, applause could be heard from a distance away from us.
A man and a woman who had apparently been watching from afar were clapping their hands.
“Th-ah, thank you very much!”
Taira-chan bowed.
The two looked at each other, took out a 100-yen coin from each of their wallets, and gently tossed them into the guitar case that had been left open when she took out her notebook.
Startled, Taira-chan bowed many more times and saw the two off as they waved and walked away.
“She even got an ohineri...!”
“What’s an ohineri?”
“An ohineri is the money you get from people who watch a street live.”
“Hee... that’s amazing...”
Taira-chan knelt down and picked up the coins from the guitar case. She held them up to eye level and stared at them curiously and intently, like a child peeking at a marble.
Eventually, she squeezed the 200 yen tightly, stood up, gave one more deep bow, and put away her guitar.
It was only one song, but it seemed the street live was over.
“Shall we go?”
Someone said it, and we also left that place.
The next day.
During lunch break, Taira-chan tentatively entered the room where the four were practicing.
“Um...”
“Ah, Taira-san, yesterday was go—” “Sako.”
“What.”
“Not ‘what.’ You were just about to say it...”
“Hmm? What’s wrong, Tsubame?”
Azuma tilted her head as if nothing had happened.
“Um, um, for Master and President Amane, this is for you...!”
Taira-chan then handed each of them a small bag that could fit in the palm of their hand.
“This is...” “A pick?”
When the two opened them, there was a pick for bass in Azuma’s hand and a pick for guitar in Ichikawa’s hand.
“Yes! Um, um, how should I explain this... This is, well... ah, my first salary! Hmm, first salary...? Anyway, anyway, it’s something like that!”
““...!””
Azuma and Ichikawa looked at each other.
I see...
At the music store in front of Kichijoji Station, a pick is 100 yen each.
She must have gone to buy them after that with yesterday’s ‘ohineri’.
“Um, I can’t say the details, but thanks to you two... thanks to the fact that you two brought me here, I was able to get that money, so I wanted to give something to you both...!”
“Tsubame...!” “Tsubame-chan...!”
Azuma and Ichikawa’s eyes grew moist.
Then, they both hugged Taira-chan tightly.
“Wait, wait... what’s wrong with both of you!? It’s not such a grand thing, it’s just a pick...!?”
“No, it’s not just a pick.” “Thank you. I’ll cherish it forever.”
“Y-Yes...!”
Wrapped in the embrace of those she admired, Taira-chan smiled exceptionally happily.
“Thank you both so much, as always!”